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Post by Jennycallie on Jul 3, 2019 14:56:19 GMT -6
Hello Starborn, and welcome to War-Forged Plot 805: An Echo Murmured Back Team Leader: BasvoqParticipants: Amber, Kathra, Edmond, Fijalahr, AntonPlease keep the following in mind!- Posts must be a minimum of 175 words. There is no maximum!
- Be sure to add your post count to each post for easy tallying of rewards!
-You must post a minimum of 3 times and complete your plot to get full rewards.
- Additional posts past the initial 3 will gain 1 AP per post!- No strict order is enforced, but there must be at least two posts between your own character's.- No god-moding or reading characters' minds (unless your pony is a literal telepath, anyway)
- Always get consent before harming another character!- Your team is precious. Try to interact with everyone. <3- Have fun! Even if your pony isn't. 8'D
Prompt: The discovery of an ancient city hidden deep within the earth was an exciting one… and worrying, as well. With no records of the city and the fact that the statues and decorations feature only unicorns, it has been posited that this may be one of the first cities, from a time when the gods still walked the earth… or so legends say. The War Lord has tasked your group with the careful exploration of the unnamed city… and at the suggestion of Circle member Hemlock, you have brought with you “Sibba”, the war hammer that caused so much havoc at the Trade Fair a few months ago. The weapon is imbued with what appears to be Reality Manipulation, one of the rarest and least-known of Kaia’s blessings. As the individual who helped to subdue and recover Sibba, Basvoq has been trusted with possession of the weapon, which while dangerous, is surely a valuable source of information… much like the city. Having carefully navigated the crystal-lit path into the earth, you find yourselves looking upon the ruins… and perhaps only imagining that unseen eyes watch your every move. Location: Southeast of Skeldr, following the path beneath the earth to the city ruins Time of Day: Early morningWeather: Windy and cold outside, slightly warmer within the earthYou do not have to wait for your leader to post!
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Post by ebbarie on Jul 6, 2019 9:04:53 GMT -6
 Fijalahr;War-Forged | Ambassador
Even in death may you be triumphant.
Not much persuasion had been necessary to convince the stallion to join the small group tasked with the exploration of the just recently discovered ancient city. The past few months had been far more eventful than he would have preferred, but that hadn't changed anything about his natural curiosity. According to the reports Aquore still appeared to be a powder keg, so there was no way that he would be allowed to return to the country in the near future. So that new mission finally gave him the chance to work on something more important, and also far more interesting, than the paperwork he had done lately.
When the group came together in the early morning he was quiet surprised to see almost exclusively familiar faces. They seemed to have a good combination of brain and brawn and even tho he knew most of them only by sight or name, he immediately felt comfortable around them. The greeting he met Kathra with was a little warmer and more sincere than the one for the others, for he still was thankful for what she and her sisters had done so many months ago.
Walking beneath the earth felt natural, almost like coming home. Even tho his relation to the earth goddes was quiet...tense, his bond with the earth was just as strong as ever. Yet with every step closer to the silhouette of the ruins in the near distance, he felt the nervousness slowly coming up. Even tho the earth appeared peaceful right now, he still remembered the monstrous claw marks they had seen underground not long ago very well. There was a reason why Hira had send mostly warriors to explore the ruins.
WC: 283| Post 1 |
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Post by Silverfallingstar on Jul 6, 2019 9:40:22 GMT -6
 After hearing from Addy and Aly about the underground unicorn city they'd discovered a few months ago, Kathra had been raring to go explore it herself. That's why when the order had been given for her and Amber to join a group to explore the recently discovered location, she'd gotten ready as soon as possible. She was excited to see the city of her forebears, a time when only unicorns lived in the lands of Onea and when her goddess walked the earth, simply fascinating.
She recognized all but two of the faces present, though she could have sworn she'd seen the other chimera unicorn in passing. Somewhere around the barracks she was sure. Then of course, there was Figi, the unicorn she and a boatload of valkyiries had been sent to save. That mission was one she'd never forget, and she greeted him just as warmly as he had to her. Lastly, and this was a face she saw so often he was practically as present in her life as her own father, there was Edmond. She didn't recall ever being sent on a mission with her friend's father, but she'd been around him enough to know that she wouldn't find much issue from him. Sure he was a little old fashioned, but if there was anyone she knew how to work around in this group, it was him.
When they arrived at the entrance, Kathra blinked a few times and shapeshifted her eyes to an owl's, in order to get better night vision. Her sense of color was fucked, but at least this way she could catch any potential threats earlier than most. She tightened the strap that held her axe to her armor, making sure it was secure as she took in the architecture. Her earth manipulation made her feel a safe connection to this underground city, frankly anywhere she went now she felt safer than she had in ages, an innate connection to the land. As she looked at a particularly interesting statue, she let out a whistled exhale.
"Its both familiar and foreign all at once."
Post #1 | Word Count: 351 |
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Post by Zugunruhes on Jul 6, 2019 10:46:52 GMT -6
Basvoq
Harbinger | Shield
As the group of explorers assembled outside the ancient path, Basvoq offered them no more than customary greetings and what he knew about their journey. It was a brief exchange as though to shun any potential questions that he knew not the answer to. All he was certain of was two possibly alarming factors- that they were to descend into an ancient city constructed when Kaia stood among her mortals, and that they were in possession of a hammer blessed by Kaia's might. Was it right to bring those two factors together? As they descended the path, shadows casting mighty forms on the wall in the crystal light, he was lost deep in thought.
And then the ancient city seemed to rise up before him, reality rending the thoughts crowding his mind. He exhaled sharply in disbelief. Truly it was unlike anything he had seen upon the surface. "Let's take a closer look- but watch your step if any parts of the cavern are unstable."
Basvoq approached the great statue- a unicorn he was quite certain- that Kathra marveled at. The weathered stone stared unblinkingly ahead and he wondered what purpose it had long ago. Far off in the partial gloom he could see the shapes of other unicorn statues, massive and recognizable despite their age, and a strange feeling crept over him. This is what their Onea could look like if Kaia still walked the earth with her children. If Kaia would not restore the people to a glory like this... there was another deity Basvoq trusted in. For a moment he closed his eyes, willing his other, his true patron, to see what he was witnessing.
Then he moved on, still keeping as close to the group as possible and making the occasional comment on the ruins, wondering what sorts of buildings they could have been. Despite the chilly air outside there was a peculiar, subtle warmth underground as though a great beast slumbered in the chamber, warming the air with every breath. The thought amused him for a moment until he suddenly felt the hairs on his spine prickling and he turned sharply, staring off into a dark space between two statues. Was there something observing him and the others just as keenly? Brow furrowed he stared, then shook off the uncomfortable feeling. No. Nothing could be surviving among the ruins. He banished the thought derisively.
And yet- something was stirring. Sibba, belted protectively on his side, was a radiating its own heat. Nothing that would burn flesh nor make him cry out, but noticeable against the cool metal of his armor and sword. Unconsciously he took a step away from the dark corner he had thought he saw a creeping shadow, but the hammer remained warm. The feeling unnerved him, but did not frighten him. It was nothing like the sensation he had felt months ago when its power flowed unchecked and warped the earth beneath his hooves. "I cannot explain it, but Sibba is affected by this place. Perhaps there is a center to this city?"
Word Count: 511
Post #1
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Post by InTheDappledRain on Jul 6, 2019 12:34:13 GMT -6
 The stallion was far more excited than he wanted to admit. The fact that Hira had been more than willing to send them down into the city that some of his kin had found in the previous months. In some ways, he had been there when they had found it... when reality had shifted to show them the large city with unicorn statues in the distance. He nodded in agreement to Kathra as the Valkyrie mentioned the familiarity of the place, and continued on behind Basvoq with curious eyes.
However, this wasn't the only reason behind Edmond's excitement. The last time he had seen the city, he had been on a wild hunt for the strange creature that had destroyed Skeldr Town nearly two seasons prior. A part of him hoped that the group of them would finally be able to glimpse the creature on their journey today, though it was also a fear he held tightly onto. When reality had shifted, he had begun to wonder if maybe the creature was more powerful than he had initially expected, and now that they were here, he kept a quiet eye out for the unexpected.
"No use standing around and wondering, Basvoq. I imagine that if there is something pulling at Sibba, we should allow Sibba to guide us... Though I can't express enough that we should be careful." He paused again, turning towards the rest of the party. "We weren't able to capture the creature that destroyed Skeldr Town, and it's quite possible with us being underground that we will come across it again. Though I can't be certain..."
The memory of the avalanche and working with Delta to protect the other horses in his hunting party was still fresh, and even now Edmond could feel his mind reaching for the familiarity of the seeds of moss and plants he could easily pull to if protection was suddenly needed.
Post #1 | Word Count: 320
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Post by moonlightwalk on Jul 10, 2019 14:42:49 GMT -6
Amber | Valkyrie
Amber had felled blessed as if by Kaia herself when she heard she’d be exploring the ancient city. It felt like she’d be walking on holy ground, much akin to visiting the shrine at the too of mount Skeldr, maybe even more so spiritually enlightening. Anything that brought her closer to her goddess and their land, Amber was all for it. Even the attachement of customary stallions couldn’t dull her good spirit. Even so Amber stayed closer to Kathra than the others, still not particulary keen on them.
She side-eyed Basvoq, envious of what he was carrying even if she found the whole moving aspect quite concerning. Objects weren’t meant to move. It didn’t matter though as it was blessed by Kaia and even if she had trouble with the idea of animate ovjects, she would lay her life at Kaia’s hooves everyday. She said as much. “It has Kaia’s blessing, if it wants to lead I shall follow it.”
She was more eager to follow than to ponder, for once agreeing with someone’s idea. She wondered what they’d find down there. “Do wr know how far thid city stretched out?”
Post 1 | 192 words
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Post by moroskull on Jul 10, 2019 19:59:49 GMT -6
Anton
Harbringer | Medic
Despite his distaste for the War-Forged ruler herself, it felt nice to be hand-picked by Hira. After all, he was practically overqualified for the task at hand! Keep everyone safe and if anyone gets hurt, spring into action. Wandering towards the unicorn statues that stay posed still and cold like the material they were made from, Anton viewed them with both quiet scorn for the Earth goddess and admiration for whoever made the models, they were beautiful after all. Kaia's true image of her children...
Suddenly he was drawn back into the conversation going on around him, amber furred ears shooting upwards as the stallion looked towards the group of officials. Eyes narrowing to view the great hammer Sibba and it's wielder, Basvoq. Anton wasn't one to stick around for long, so of course he knew very little about the horses that surround him, and felt a twinge of uneasiness as the stallion mentioned Sibba emanating heat. However, he kept a smile on his face. "Well it seems we should follow it to wherever it becomes the warmest, yes? A game of hot and cold." Anything that was imbued with Kaia magic reeked of her in all senses of the word, so while Anton held his wings carefully stilled to his side, a yearning to fly from the underground area struck within his chest. Pegasi weren't made to be trapped under the earth, if anything the opposite. |
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Post by Zugunruhes on Jul 11, 2019 0:07:48 GMT -6
Basvoq
Harbinger | Shield
Basvoq considered Anton and Edmond's ideas for a moment before answering certainly, "I do not feel that it is guiding us in any direction as opposed to responding to something. It's as though-" And then the hammer seemed to blossom to life, if such a thing were possible, and began vibrating against the protective leather loops and metal buckles keeping it bound to Basvoq. His teke slid over the hammer instinctively though he kept it at his side for it did not seem to be trying to escape from him. "Whatever it is doing... this is nothing like what it did at the trade fair. We would feel it immediately if Sibba sought to bury us."
He took a step forward and gestured with his head further into the city where towering statues and indiscernible buildings awaited them. "I say we keep looking and see if Sibba's reaction means something." He then nodded in Amber's direction. "I am also curious to see how deep the city goes in this cavern." And he continued, teke still spread over Sibba in case he had to rip it from its bindings, while his gaze roamed over the ancient structures around them. Sibba's reaction did not unnerve him nor did he want to voice any unnecessary disquiet to the party. The hammer was to remain firmly within his control.
Something else instead was bothering him. The feeling was back of a gaze or a presence - or something - creeping among the shadows to observe them. Was that the right word for it? He had only passed the nearest statue when he stopped visibly in his tracks and stared into the gloom as if something was standing just beyond his reach, watching them all. This was something he would not keep to himself. "I have the strangest feeling that we are being watched- or followed. I do not say this to cause unreasonable alarm. We should stick together and be wary of our surroundings."
Word Count: 328
Post #2
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Post by ebbarie on Jul 11, 2019 8:07:35 GMT -6
Fijalahr;War-Forged | Ambassador
Even in death may you be triumphant.
The stallion did not interfere the conversation about Sibba. He had no knowledge about the ancient weapon and the blessing it was bestowed with and so he didn't wanted to take any assumptions here.
In all honesty he would have preferred to not take the hammer with them. No one knew were it came from or whom it had belonged to. And after what he heard from the unfortunate village Holmsa, Kaia's blessing of Reality Manipulation was nothing to be used thoughtlessly.
Not to mention that he highly doubted that it would be of any use in inexperienced hands if they had to defend them-self at some point. In the end it could cause more harm than good.
But all complaining was of no avail now, Sibba was here and they had to made the best out of it. Nevertheless he would still make sure not to get to close to it.
After a while his curiosity turned his thoughts back to the here and now. "I wonder why the city has been abandoned. It's location is perfectly hidden and protected. A few Earth Manipulators could easily seal the entrance in the face of danger and create an emergency exit if needed" he commented thoughtfully while looking around.
Kathra had been right, the city felt foreign and familiar at once.
Even tho Basvoq tried to play down his suspicion to not alarm anyone, Fijalahr's hair immediately stood on end after his remark.
"A few months ago an unfortunate group of horses and I fell through a fissure in the ground into a large, underground cave. There we found some enormous claw marks in the stone. I don't know if the thing that made them is even still alive or around but we definitely should be watchful. Besides that everything from animals to Vagabonds could be hiding in here."
WC: 308 | Post 2 |
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Post by Silverfallingstar on Jul 11, 2019 21:58:47 GMT -6
So caught up in the fact that this was probably one of the big discoveries of a lifetime for her, that she'd almost forgotten about the relic that the shield carried with him. Almost. She turned her attention back to the others as they spoke, mostly mentions of the hammer and what it might show them, and the feeling of something or someone watching them. "From the sounds of it, the creature could be a rogue golem. While I haven't heard of one acting without a master, it's possible that there is one doing so, there's been enough crazy things going on in the past year. At least, that's the only thing in my recollection that could possibly be big enough to rend the earth like that." Had Kathra known about the Aodhian Wyverns, maybe her answer would have been different, but she wasn't well versed on lore of that heard. She had no need to be, after all.
"However, while that might be something we need to run from, random beasts or vagabonds I'm more than ready to handle." She said, unsheathing her axe and holding it at the ready in her dark purple teke.
"If I had to guess Figi, maybe ancient oneans lived underground? And then after the events of the gods war, they chose to leave the city behind and live up on the surface after the influx of new equine? Can't exactly expect a bunch of pegasi to live underground. Either that, or Kaia sunk the city herself."
With that Kathra quieted down again and moved to a more defensible position near Figi and Anton, motioning Amber to fall into a similar pattern with a silent tilt of her head. They were two of the three non-warrior types in the group. Edmond, the third one, Kathra knew had enough knowledge of defending himself with plants that should anything happen, he'd be covered. If something was indeed watching them and intended to attack, best to have the noncombatants shielded.
Post #2 | Word Count: 333 |
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Post by InTheDappledRain on Jul 13, 2019 7:59:56 GMT -6
"I was in that fall, Fijalahr, and subsequently tried to follow after it... though I'm not convinced it was a... ah... Golem." The stallion paused, taking note of Kathra's shift in position as the group continued to move. Slowly, he shifted himself into a better position so that he could protect the group with his plants if needed, though deep in his gut he had a feeling this wouldn't be an easy task.
"When we went on a hunt for this creature, we were able to see into this very city from a.... rift in reality." He continued, keeping his eyes open for anything out of the ordinary, though in a city that had never been explored before... everything was new and uncharted. He sighed lightly, remembering how Adair had been so upset he hadn't been able to fight anything and prove himself. "When Aly, Ales, and Addy had come to report their findings, I was more than... surprised to find that those of us in the hunting party had witnessed their find first hand... However, we didn't find the creature." He was still a little bitter over that aspect, though he tried to hide his resentment by focusing on what was happening around them.
"It was, however, capable of causing an avalanche. Or, at least, I think the monster caused it. We didn't exactly take the time to find out once the shift in reality disappeared." He paused, returning his thoughts to Sibba and the city at large. "If we are indeed being watched, it'd be best to continue forward slowly and be mindful of our positioning. Kathra, I already know your abilities... but what blessings do we have that could be of use among us? It may be imperative that we know of our strengths... and are aware that we can use them if danger is imminent." He glanced at Kathra, taking note of what she said, though he feigned some annoyance at her words.
In reality, he was actually quite proud of the Valkyrie, even if he did dislike how Hira was running the group. It seemed as of late, Edmond was disapproving less and less of the fighting spirits and focusing his attentions more on the War-Lord herself. Something he'd have to think more on at another time. For now, the city was his biggest mystery... and thus the largest focus.
"I have heard rumor that some horses live underground in Breim, but that wouldn't explain the unicorn statues... now would it? I think your assumption is pretty sound." Though he wasn't entirely ready to throw out his own guesses... if only because they were pretty similar to what Kathra had said.
Post #2 | Word Count: 451
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Post by Zugunruhes on Jul 21, 2019 23:50:08 GMT -6
Basvoq
Harbinger | Shield
Basvoq's ears flicked in Fijalahr's direction and he after a moment he voiced a thought that had been bothering him, "Was it abandoned or... did its people meet some unfortunate fate?" He stepped closer to one of the statues, trying to ignore the feeling of unease and the warmth of the hammer long enough to observe the ruins. Could the derelict site be born from the rampage of some massive creature, or had the city only fallen from the caress of time? His eyes narrowed suspiciously- how could Kaia abandon such a place that must have been once magnificent?
Edmond's words brought him out of his thoughts and he turned away from the statue to consider the Circle member. "I agree. There is much that I can do with the hammer if something is watching in the shadows." The hammer continued to vibrate, coursing on its own energy, and a thought occurred to the unicorn though it felt like it was the hammer's will and not his own. Deftly he removed the hammer from the leather bindings, his teke flowing over the ancient weapon, and returned towards the statue and stones he had been facing. As he held the hammer aloft it began to mend the stone as if binding flesh and blood. The stone assembled itself and a shiver passed through Basvoq as he felt the power flow from hammer to stone and rebuild it.
For a long moment he was silent, before lowering the hammer and approaching the newly-standing structures. At once something he had not seen before caught his eye- runes he did not recognize inscribed at the bottom of the mended statue. "Come have a look at this-" He did not recognize the writing.
Word Count: 288
Post #3
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Post by moonlightwalk on Jul 28, 2019 13:57:58 GMT -6
Amber | Valkyrie
“Who else could make a city on our ground if not for our ancestors?” Amber had a hard time imagining a Warlord as formidable as Kaia would let any Breimians stroll in and make a city under their hooves. She did wonder why it was abandoned. Perhaps because it didn’t embody all of Kaia? “Perhaps it was a stronghold for war. Deep in Kaia’s earth. Defendable, strong. She protected perhaps as fiercly as attacked?”
A rift in reality though? She had a hard time imagining that. The world grew more strange everyday, but she was adaptable. It was her blood, her family, the dying clan her grandfather so desperatly tried to cling to. They changed as nature changed. She’s shift as reality shifted. She prided herself on this notion. The thought that while her family struggled with the course of time, she’d embody her clan’s value truely. Adapting to her surroundings.
It was with interest rather than fear that she stepped forward, studying the marking Basvoque referred to, her aversion to him forgotten for a moment in her curiousity. She had been studying to read ever since joining the valkyrie, Hira had made sure her valks received such training. Even so she could only guess at was written down, engraved. Where it words at all? She frowned. “Did we have language forgotten by us?” So much was passed on, generation after generation. Her own family stemmed back from shortly after the war. She reached with her teke to stroke the runes, suddenly sad over what had once been. She bet Kaia had never culled horses.
Post 2 | 265 words
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Post by Jennycallie on Jul 30, 2019 0:05:53 GMT -6
Held aloft and revealing secrets (or if not secrets, then at least mysteries), Sibba vibrated harder than ever. But it was not a violent or dissonant vibration, even as it built in strength. It felt... right, as if pieces of the world were clicking into place. Or... making a place.
Then a tremor swept through the cavern floor. If any of the gathered equines were attuned to an Earth Blessing, they might have noticed that the tremor seemed to originate from nearby. From beneath Basvoq... or perhaps from Sibba, held aloft.
And then Basvoq was no longer holding Sibba, as the hammer rose higher, and higher still. But it was still visible; it almost seemed to glow in the muted light, and it looked newer, younger, as if it shed the years from its surface. Again, the floor rumbled.
Sibba, it seemed, had come home. And its home was waking up.
The cavern continued to shake, and the floor beneath you began to... warp. Almost as if it were bubbling. And in the distance... were those yells and hoof beats? Or perhaps you did not hear them, distracted instead by colossal shadows that seemed to shift in the darkened depths of the city.
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Post by InTheDappledRain on Jul 31, 2019 15:18:21 GMT -6
The stallion was silent as he listened to the others, not commenting further as he continued to inspect the walls and check for anything that could lead him to an answer. For a few moments, he felt as if their worries about being watched were unnecessary, that is, until the world shifted.
He couldn't help but frown as the world bubbled up, distorting as the sounds of hoof beats and yells echoed through the chamber. A small part of him thought back to when he had seen this area from above alongside Adair, as if he had been standing here himself as snow touched the cavern for the first time. It had been an illusion, and as he continued to look out, he couldn't help but wonder if this was the same.
He wasn't going to risk it. At once he was on the defensive side, moving forward slowly as he felt the earth beneath him. He could feel the roots and seeds of life beneath the ground, and if need be, he was ready to rip plants into life to ensure the safety of the others.
"I'm going to move further in... We should keep close." He whispered, worry clawing at his gut. This group was formidable, but he wasn't certain that it could stand a battle if they were outnumbered. He continued forward, step by step, hoping to see more of the strange phenomena they were witnessing.
Post #3 | Word Count: 240
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Post by ebbarie on Jul 31, 2019 23:34:02 GMT -6
Fijalahr;War-Forged | Ambassador
Even in death may you be triumphant. A rouge Golem? Surely not something you would want to fight, yet it probably was the better option that what he had in mind. Those claw prints they saw...he wasn't convinced that a Golem could reach such proportions. Admittedly he wasn't an expert on that subject. It was more a feeling than certainty.
"Whatever it is, let's just hope we won't meet it" he murmured and kept looking around. Even tho he was more interested in current events and politics he couldn't resist the urge to explore this piece of history further.
"The Breimians indeed live underground, the majority of the herd does, actually. I had some time to exchange with the Emissary from Breim while I was in Aquore."
Those conversations had been the only good thing that happened during the imprisonment in Torrine.
Before the stallion could walk over to Basvoq to see what the Shield had found, a shudder went through the earth beneath them. The sudden shift had nothing threatening about it, but still he could feel his body tense immediately, ready to defend himself.
And even tho the rising hammer must have been a marvelous and magical sight, everything Fijalahr could do was starring into the darkness of the caves hidden parts. The turmoil in the distance caught his attention, just like the sudden lack of skeletons in the earth. When they had entered the city, he had checked the surrounding area with his blessing.
Dozens of bones had been buried beneath the soil. Now the majority of them was gone. Just like that.
"Edmond wait!" he shouted as silently as possible, to not alert whatever was making these noises in the distance and trotted to the Stone Circle Member. "We are not here to get dragged into a fight. Whatever is going on might be too dangerous to approach without reinforcement."
Especially since not all of them where warriors. His own Raider days lay years back in the past.
WC: 325 | Post 3 |
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Post by Jennycallie on Aug 3, 2019 15:12:31 GMT -6
THE RETURNED
DOLMA WARRIORS The lights in the cavern flared, suddenly and blindingly, even as the ground continued to shudder and heave. It was not breaking, not collapsing, though that might in the moment have been difficult to discern. But even as another guttural bellow resonated through the space (through, perhaps, your very bones), the ground heaved again.
And then it was still.
You may have opened your damaged eyes in time to catch the silhouette of... something, rearing high behind. It was shaped not entirely unlike a Lindworm Golem, but the skeletal traces of unmistakable wings quickly put that idea to rest. The shadowed creature bellowed again, and the bio-luminscent lights responded, going abruptly black.
Black, yawning silence filled the cavern.
Void.
Then- the scrape of hooves on stone. Shuddering breaths, startlingly loud in the blackness.
"Kaia?"
At that one word, curiously accented, the lights slowly came back up, and illuminated... well, they were unicorns. Mostly. Five stood in a shocked half-circle beneath the slowly spinning Sibba, while a sixth clawed himself from the earth. They were none of them fully... in-tact; old wounds and injuries raked their bodies, at times revealing the flash of bone. Truly, more bone than flesh, though under the glow of Sibba they seemed to... fill out, some.
They stared at your group, even as Sibba slowly descended, to hover in front of them.
"Who are you?" one of them asked, confused, suspicious, aggressive. Then swung its head around as hoofbeats and shouts clattered closer.
"HALT!" the unicorn roared, and Sibba pulsed in time to their words. A low, concussive sweep of pressure blasted around the cavern, and a stone barrier suddenly stood between your group... and the newcomers. With the rag and bone warriors standing in front of you both.
"What is happening? Who are you, to trespass Dolma so boldy? Are you children of Kaia, or are you enemies?"
lmao the warriors look ready to throw hooves, wyd? Also WF 801 has joined your thread, and you might recognize them as, oh, just your greatest enemies. Might be best to try and recruit these angry bone ponies to your side...
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Post by Zugunruhes on Aug 3, 2019 19:28:47 GMT -6
Basvoq
Harbinger | Shield
He had been mistaken to think that Sibba would have stayed bound by his grasp- its own enigmatic will flared to life and the cavern itself seemed to breath again after an eternity. Try as he might to keep his focus on the hammer he was forced to turn away by the searing, painful lights. Though he bellowed "Keep together!" his words might have been overshadowed by the din around them- was that the sounds of the city shifting around them or something truly alive? He dared to open his eyes, trying to catch glimpses of his party, and for a moment witnessed something nightmarish far beyond.
A colossal, serpentine shape with a roar almost deafening- mighty and improbable, yet suddenly swallowed by the darkness as if it had never existed. Basvoq's heart thundered in chest, but he willed himself to stand his ground and face whatever was lurking in the darkness. He strained his ears and heard the unmistakable sound of hoofbeats coming from far enough away that their source had to be horses other than his companions. Grimly he reached quietly for his sword, strapped opposite where Sibba had once been secured.
At the sight of the strangers he gasped out loud, but did not withdraw his teke from his sword's sheathe. Unicorns like him, yet marred by ancient injures where yellowed bones glinted in the odd light. For a long moment he stared, despite willing himself to say something and act- it was what he was trained to do for so many years. Yet never had he been prepared for a moment like this, even in his dreams of Digend.
Noticing Sibba's descent his mind worked for answers- what to say to have questions answered without giving their lives for it. He opened his mouth to speak when a new sound cut him off. On impulse his teke twitched over his sword, but the strange unicorn warped the earth with Sibba and Basvoq found himself staring at a new group of travelers. His eyes raked over them a few times, then narrowed dangerously. The only thing to do now was to convince the ancient unicorns that he and his companions were not their enemies.
"We," He gestured with a sweep of his tail to the party around him, "are children of Kaia." The lie about himself slipped between his teeth easily as any truth he had uttered in his whole life. He was a child of Kaia, unmistakable from his birth to the horns on his head, but his will now belonged to Digend. And so practiced was he in keeping this facade that he proclaimed his loyalty to Kaia sincerely and simply.
"We came here with Sibba in hopes of discovering our past and seeking guidance from it. We do not want to bring harm to this great city nor any of you- we come with open minds. " And then the unicorn's gaze traveled across the barrier to the party of newcomers and he adopted an expression of deep contempt for the ancient unicorns to see and understand. "I cannot say the same at all for those horses."
Word Count: 522
Post #4
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Post by Silverfallingstar on Aug 5, 2019 13:06:44 GMT -6
Everything suddenly seemed to happen at once as soon as Sibba was removed from Basvoq's grasp. There was a small bit of Kathra that hoped this would be a simple in and out mission, where she wouldn't have to fight whatever old things might remain inside. As much as she enjoyed combat, she wouldn't want that combat to result in the destruction of something so old. Though she could not deny the excitement that rushed through her veins when sounds not originating from their group began to reach her ears.
"Sounds like we've got company!" She called out to the others, readying herself for a potential fight.
The great flash of light caused her to duck her head and shut her eyes to avoid being blinded, her connection to the earth meant she felt the ground shudder and heave within her very being, not just in her hooves. She cracked open her eyes and saw a shadow of a giant lizard monster with skeletal wings, and then everything went dark. Movement, who was moving? A voice, speaking the name of her god. The lights came back on and the valkyrie was baffled. They almost looked like what a high level necromancer would be able to conjure, with the big exception being that, probably through the power of sibba's reality manipulation, they were very much alive.
As they continued talking, she realized with a start that the reality manipulation must have resurrected these ancient onean warriors. They were, in effect, their ancestors. Kathra nodded along with Bas as he explained their party's purpose. "Your city was hidden from the world for centuries, it was only three months ago that it was re-discovered. We are children of Kaia, as he says, I myself have been blessed by her twice."
It was only then that Kathra's eyes swept over the other party. Most she didn't recognize, and she was almost about to pass them off as travelers, if it hadn't been for two faces. Both were faces she hadn't seen in months, one filled her with joy, the second one, the second one made her blood boil. She recognized the big unicorn, from the raid at the farm all those months ago that the Valkyries had interrupted. Had it been a year yet? She couldn't remember. The grip on her axe tightened as she stared daggers at him. The bloody flanks, apparently they still dared to walk this earth. The glint of tiny scales made her heart drop as she recognized the frightened form of the small kirin. "Grigori!" they'd found him, her cousin, the war-lord's missing child, and he was in the hands of the enemy. "They have Grigori. The Bloody Flanks have the war-lord's kid." She snarled to the rest of her group as she pointed her axe at the flanks.
It was then that Kathra made a promise to herself. That no matter what else happened today, she'd do her damndest to make sure that kid came home with them today. He'd been away from his mother and sister for too long.
Post #3 | Word Count: 512 |
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Post by moonlightwalk on Aug 5, 2019 14:01:30 GMT -6
Amber | Valkyrie
Amber watched in certain fascination as Sibba rose to the roof of the cavern and lit it up. It was some kind of beauty as the city around her came alive in a heartbeat. Then her instincts kicked in and she realised you were now without guidance. She immediately reached for own weapon and edged closer towards her companions. Sounds arrived and she looked around wildly, wondering where they came from. What magic was this? Trickery of Argus?
No sooner did she wonder, did light become blinding and she hissed as the ground shook and the noises became louder. Time moved too fast. A loud belowing, a winged creature and then a void, soon filled by horses. Unicorns, asking them questions. Children of Kaia, just like themselves or at least that’s what they claimed to be.
Another group of horses grabbed her attention however and she immediately took on a battle stance. Flanks. Her eyes darted between the strangers and them. A bit confused she looked over to Kathra andher other companions. “Dolma? Is this the name of this place? What was that creature?”
And then her eyes whipped towards the Flanks again, growl escaping her lips. Grigori. Did they hunt those cultists where they should have been tracking down flanks. “Kidnappers,” she snarled. “The wall, down with it!” she yelled, swinging her hammer wildly. Then with a bit of afterthought she added. “Please. If you are warforged, you can not let them get away.”
Post 3 | 246 words
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Post by Artistic Pineapple on Aug 5, 2019 15:21:15 GMT -6
Shrike Bloody Flanks Scout
Just like that, the world goes dark for the Flanks.
Shrike can hardly hear anything but his breath, anxious and hot, escaping his nostrils in bursts. His wings are out, slightly, to help feel those around him.
He senses Calder with the knuckle of his right wing and attempts to steel his nerves better. His teke brushes his forelock out of his unseeing eyes and comes away sticky. It seems that he did hit a stalactite with his head earlier, but the wound doesn't feel too deep. Shrike chooses not to think about it right now.
Now is not the time to come unhinged, He tells himself, tightening his teke around the hilt of his pike just as the dim lights of the cave return above their heads.
Shrike's head snaps up immediately as a foreign voice rings across the expanse just ahead: "HALT!"
The following blast of air washes across the group, tangling manes and forcing eyes to water. The scout's legs stiffen as his fellow clansmen draw to a halt alongside... Forged horses?! He doesn't recognize any faces, but only lowlanders would stare daggers at he and his clan that way. The stone barrier raises itself alarmingly close to where Shrike is standing and the pegasus leaps sideways nimbly, flaring his wings for balance while blue eyes flash to the speaker.
Or at least what's left of him...
It's quite clear that they're all unicorns (a fact that makes the short scout tuck his wings close to his sides), but they aren't completely there. All are missing large sections of skin and muscle, showing off an alarming amount of yellowed bone and decayed tissue.
He tries not to think too much about that, either.
Necromancy? Shrike asks inwardly, a tensed ear twisted to the drawl of the lowlander across the stone barrier. His mind dares to dart back to Vidar for a moment, then to Ansgar before returning to the present. But why would the lowlanders be answering questions... Blue eyes notice the massive war hammer glowing in the low light and the pieces start to click together.
A battle against the Forged and these Dolma unicorns would be one they may not win out of sheer number, not to mention power...
At the mention of Grigori, Shrike flares his wings and steps back to shield both the child and Astrid with his oversized white feathers. He flinches when the war hammer crashes into the stone wall, drawing his pike defensively and eyeing his fellow clansmen before glancing to the watching Dolma. Bits of stone bounce off his neck and wings from the blow to the wall. His forehead gash seeps patiently down the right side of his head, just over his eye. His glassy-blue stare are wide and unsettling, more similar to the look of a wild animal than anything.
His training as a scout didn't prepare him for this.
WC: 490 | Post #4 |
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Post by InTheDappledRain on Aug 5, 2019 19:13:47 GMT -6
The light was blinding, so much so that it took the stallion more than a few moments to regain his sight. The sounds of his comrades were the first that came to him, then the feeling of the earth moving beside them. He stared, surprised by the new horses before him.
Dolma. It had a sound of power to it, and while he stared, he began to feel a little off kilter by the way the group held themselves. Bones, necromancy, the look of them felt odd, though he could only stand and nod alongside the others as they voiced their connections to Kaia.
Plants sprouted around the stallion as he looked at the wall and frowned. "The name is Edmond." He said replied in his deep rumble. "I serve Kaia and the War-Lord of the War Forged, Hira." There was no biting tone as he said her name. Now, was not the time to show his disdain for Hira. He was more concerned about who these new horses could be.
Had he caught the shadows of a dragon among them? Was that what they had been chasing? He frowned deeply, though his concern was not on the horses near him. Instead, it was on Kathra's next words.
Grigori.
The word struck him like a knife, the plants that had started to sprout defensively growing into thick and thorny roots, wrapping around his hooves as he felt a deep seeded need to burst through the barrier that now separated him from hi- Hira's kid.
He wish he had brought his war-hammer with him, and as he glanced at Kathra, there was the sudden urge within him to change into Hira, to strike fear into the hearts of the horses that stood between the gap.
The stallion's nostrils flared, his mind quickly raging through every possible tactic he could use to bring the child home.
The thought of him failing Hira... was a little too much to handle.
Post #4 | Word Count: 330
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Post by Jennycallie on Aug 6, 2019 23:00:38 GMT -6
Ordell
Scout
Del's heart was a drum, was a rapidly tightening band in their chest and with each beat it swelled larger, tighter, pressed up against their very ribs. They looked onto the faces of their enemies, those that wished nothing so much as to starve and beat and destroy them... and too they looked upon reanimated corpses, bristling with weapons and aggression.
Yet all Ordell felt, in that moment that lasted a heartbeat, an eternity, was peace.
The others spoke, shouted, even besieged the barrier. But Ordell stood still, as if hewn from stone, another statue left to wait out the wheeling of the stars and turning of the centuries.
"You will desist!" one of the unicorns barked at Amber, stamping their cloven hoof. As they did so, the ground shook, a ridge of earth appearing and shoving the Valkyrie away.
Though his name had been called, Grigori did not outwardly react to the Forged. He merely shivered beneath the shelter of Shrike and Astrid, eyes flat with fear.
Astrid laughed, and it drew the attention of the desiccated warriors. "See how quick they are to curry favor; they yap and cower like pampered dogs, afraid of their own yard." Her words dripped condescension, and though she still laughed, there was a deep and present rage beneath the veneer. "If they are children of Kaia, they have strayed far from home indeed."
"But we have not," Ordell said, and their voice cut through the cavern -through Dolma- with the sharp and ringing authority of a blade. The hybrid stepped forwards, head held high. Their horn glittered, but it was nothing to the light that blazed in their eyes as they beheld these others, these ancients.
"We are the true War-Forged. We are children of Kaia." Their eyes did not leave the warriors, who stared back, silent. "They and their War Lord seek only comfort and material gains, and at the cost of the independence an freedom of any who stand in their way. They are soft. They are a disgrace. They are not worthy to utter Kaia's name."
Something moved, in the darkness. But Ordell did not look away.
"We are the Bloody Flank Clan. This land runs through our veins, our bones, our hearts. And like the mountain around us, we refuse to fall."
Murmurs from the Dolma warriors. They look to the others, to the War Forged.
"Do you deny this, the actions of your War Lord against independence and freedom?"
Post 4 | 412 words
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Post by ebbarie on Aug 8, 2019 23:34:06 GMT -6
Fijalahr;War-Forged | Ambassador
Even in death may you be triumphant. They should have ran when they had the chance, they really should have. Now it was too late.
Another final quake rocked the cave, then everything turned into silence and for a moment the only thing he could hear was his own agitated breathing.
Even before the lights went back on, he started to feel something. A strange magic that was different then what Sibba had radiated before. It was somehow familiar but yet completely foreign.
When he opened his eyes the answer was right in front of him - in the form of five unicorns that had clearly seen better days.
The magic must have been some kind of Necromancy, though much more powerful than anything he could have ever done with it. They seemed almost alive. How was that possible?
Sibba?
A question that would have to wait until later - if there would be a later for any of them.
Thereby he wasn't too sure what would turn out to be the bigger threat, the just recently resurrected or the Flanks. In any case they had to prevent the unicorns to side with the latter.
"I am Fijalahr, an Ambassador of the War-Forged. And I will not deny the actions of the War-Lord. They had been necessary to unite the Forged and to bring peace to this land.
If we would still be split into Clans that fight each other about land and resources our enemies would have already crushed us." he said calmly, looking first at Ordell and then back at the Dolma Warriors.
"The earth takes a long time to change, we however cannot afford that luxury. The War-Forged had to adapt to this world and our War-Lord decided wisely. Unlike the imposters behind you. They value only their own interests and don't see the bigger picture. The foal they have with them is the War-Lords son. They will use a child to blackmail her. An assault against the War-Lord is an assault against the whole of the Forged. "
While he spoke loudly, he turned his mind to Basvog. >>I'm not sure if they will side with us. If it goes wrong, is there any chance that you could get Sibba back under your control?<< he asked the large unicorn telepathically.
WC: 376 | Post 4 |
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Post by Zugunruhes on Aug 9, 2019 20:15:24 GMT -6
Basvoq
Harbinger | Shield
Basvoq's gaze traveled over the War-Lord's kirin son and a conflicting thought flitted through his mind though his expression remained impassive to any watching. How would these ancient unicorns react if they noticed that the current War-Lord's child was a kirin? This was a factor that they had to wait and see how it played out.
Though when horses from the other side of the barrier spoke up he ground his jaw in irritation. The Bloody Flanks worked against everything he dreamed of for Onea- their raids tore apart the land and its children. In the future he wanted for Digend there was no place for any clan. And it was clear to him that the Flanks wanted to sway these ancient unicorns to their side. Liars and traitors! The words resounded in his mind. How could they call themselves War-Forged when they plundered and harmed the rest of Onea?
Though anger threatened to seethe forth into venomous words he swallowed the burning thoughts and waited to speak until his mind settled. "Fijalahr speaks true. The War Lord has been trying to unite Onea to protect, shepherd, and care for her people. The horses across the barrier have done harm to the War-Forged and have caused misery through their actions." His gaze calmly traveled across the group of ancient unicorns and Sibba, though his mind was precise and focused as thought back a response to Fijalahr.
I am not sure if I can while those unicorns are focused on it. Perhaps if we can distract them or tear their gaze away for a second I could try to wrestle back control- but only if we must.
Word Count: 277
Post #5
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Post by leukristic on Aug 10, 2019 13:54:01 GMT -6
KAI
Bloody Flanks Raider Everything is happening in a rush.
The draft mare leaps after Calder, her wife at her side, and their hooves ring out against the rocks in a quick-time beat as they scramble to keep their footing amongst the crumbling path. The next few moments of a whirlwind of movement, of (unsuccessfully) ducking amongst the falling stalagmites and weaving through the crowded corridor the best she can, her bulk not exactly made for such displays of agility.
Voices catch her attention before she can even attempt to regain her breath, her ears perking forward, and what she sees is the past and the future mingling together; great desiccated unicorn warriors, who commanded Kaia’s good earth with easy grace, and the faces of her greatest enemies, those who took her father and her clan and who had hoped to bury them from memory.
“LIARS!” She roars, drawing her father’s sword from the sheath, and it is only her wife’s quick grab at her mane that keeps her from charging forward, Hestia’s steady gaze that keeps her quick temper under control. Instead, she trembles where she stands as if an earthquake made flesh, her silver eyes burning as she glances between the lowlanders. It is, however, Hestia who steps up and addresses the Forged with a flick of her tail, knowing that her own words will be much more convincing than Kai’s blind rage.
“Your Warlord is little less than a cowering flip-tail seeking out her own comfort at the expense of the Clans who want true glory for the Forged, who sought to keep our riches and the lands Kaia blessed us with for herself and her allies. She sends children of Kaia in chains to Eithne, because she would rather court the flip-tails opinions and wealth than to help build Onea into an independent, thriving nation.”
POST 3 | Word Count 305Featuring Hestia. |
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Post by data-bull on Aug 10, 2019 15:02:59 GMT -6
Rose
Barely having time to investigate the strange city before everything went sideways, Rose bolted headlong after her cousin. Her hooves clattered against stone and soil as she scrambled to keep her footing on the uneven ground. The guttural howling that sounded from the darkness only drove her faster, struggling to keep pace with the group amidst the chaos. Then, suddenly strange voices called out to them. It seemed they were interrupting something, as they weren't the first ones to arrive. Hira's dogs, she surmised. But it was the third party that made an impression; skin and bones, they bore the marks of necromancy, a blessing her clan knew well. Before she could react to either party, a wall was erected between them. All she could see was a floating hammer illuminating the undead, and the looks on her clanmates' faces as they plead their case.
The mare can't help but snort at the lowlanders' proclamations; she expected no less than such whimpering in the War Lord's name.
"Onea was never meant to be a land of peace, fool. We fight to protect what is ours, and your War Lord has taken what doesn't belong to her.", she sneered. "Kaia will see that it is returned."
Her own war hammer raised, she moved to block Grigori from the forged party's view. Whatever happened, they couldn't lose him. Not yet. They still had work to do. |
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Post by moonlightwalk on Aug 10, 2019 15:07:35 GMT -6
Amber | Valkyrie
Her anger did not waver, not even as she was pushed back by the earth by the one one the other side, receiving no help from the warriors of who knows what origin. “Are you even listening? The warlord united the clans in Kaia’s image” she threw a filthy look, watching Grigori cower. “While they seek to tear us all apart. What the heck did you do to him?!”
The barrier hadn’t let up yet and she was losing her patience if she had any to begin with. She turned towards the dolma, for first really looking at them “By Kaia’s grace, did you not hear the child stealing p-“ She stopped, mouth agape for a moment, noticing the warriors weren’t quite there. “Y-you’re dead.” They were arguing with the dead great. But her attention was quickly diverted again by scatching words, words that hit close to her heart.
”Hira did not decide that,” she growled, rawly reminded of her sister. “That’s family’s own decision, another thing Hira is no doubt gonna change as time goes on and unity increases.” Well, that’s what she wanted to believe. She looked up to Hira, the only reason innocent horses were still being shipped off had to be the patriarchy, not their warlord. Even she had trouble convincing old minds.
”Bloody flanks, bloody flanks, so proud of your name, huh?” she gritted bitterly. “Well, one clan doesn’t make the forged, many do and I, Amber, of the Storm Bringers stand with the many other clans.” If these dolmas had no ears for that, weren’t moving, guess they’d have to take on them as well. She wondered who had pulled this necromancy trick in the first place.
Post 4 | 293 words
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Post by InTheDappledRain on Aug 12, 2019 15:51:51 GMT -6
The tension was rising, and as Edmond stood between the group, he began to consider his options. Grigori was his priority. If he had to fight through the mountain to bring Hira's son back to her, he would do it in a heartbeat. He'd fight these new horses and the bloody flanks if he had to, and he knew that Kathra was in the same boat.
Slowly, his mind turned to the options he could carry out. Certainly, if he could find a way to escape the view of all the others and return as Hira herself...
Was it possible? Turning his gaze towards the cavern, he tried to assess if there was indeed a place that was out of sight that could allow him the quick shift, but between the Dolma residents and the screams of the two factions... he wasn't sure he could manage it.
Well, there was only one way to find out.
Quickly, the stallion moved to the back of the group, using his earth manipulation to partially obscure him from the group as he dropped in height, his fur slowly dulling as a white frock of hair appeared over his eye. Slowly, he dropped the vial and called out in Hira's voice.
"Grigori"
Post #5 | Word Count: 210
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Post by Artistic Pineapple on Aug 14, 2019 15:27:35 GMT -6
Shrike Bloody Flanks Scout
From behind his feathery barrier, Astrid's laugh freezes and melts the boy's blood all at once. His feathers are raised where they meet his skin, like hackles on a wolf. Ears swivel to pick up the words of his fellow clansmen while his wild blue eyes stay fixated on the lowlanders. They pin against his head when the forged open their mouths, then prop forward again to catch Hestia and Rose's voices.
He'd tried to forget night he was uprooted from his home on Sunken Hoof Bay and dragged to the filthy gilded city. He had only been eleven when Aodh chains shackled his fetlocks and Valorian steel tore into his mouth. Memories of training in fighting pits threatened to creep forward in his mind, pitted against bulls with his wings tied to his body, forbidden from touching the sky.
It was the fault of the lowlanders who claimed his land, burned down his house, stole his freedom for their own gain.
Blasted lowlanders.
"Hira's 'rule' of the War-Forged culls horses into lowlander chains. It's for the gain of Aodh. Slaves build the cities and fight in pits and the city becomes rich off the blood of Kaia's people." His words are low and quiet, more-so said to his fellow clansmen than thrown across the barrier.
Hira's sheep won't change their minds, it's why they follow her in the first place. The snake's head must be cut off in order to see real change, He reasons inwardly, flexing his teke around the hilt of the pike just as Hira herself steps forward and calls the name of her son.
WC: 276 | Post #5 |
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