[RPG] [FEI] A Night in Palnasos

[kathleen stalnaker]

Jeff Guillot <jpguillot at gmail.com> wrote: As the battle unfolds, Adrahil holds the gates amidst a hail of dart
and bolt. He shouts orders to his men on the walls, and watches the
carnage unfold. It is clear to him from the start that Svunnetland
does not hold enough strength to breach the walls... yet, he admires
their bravery. Some of his fellows might call the Svunnetlanders
cowards... but they are not cowards. Adrahil can find it within
himself to respect these strange mountain people.

"After all," he thinks as a group of ladders are raised at the
gatehouse, "I have no reason to hate these people. I have just come
here to make a home and have some pleasure... yet they have great
reason to hate me, for I have taken their lands and homes."

The first Svunnetlander, a young and wide-eyed lieutenant, reaches the
top of the ladder. The young man appears stunned by the numbers before
him... yet he hoists his sword in the air and gives a rallying cry as
he crests the battlements. Adrahil flinches as a crossbow bolt lodges
itself in the Svunnetlander's neck just a moment later, with a
sickening thud. Blood sprays out of the wound like some sort of
devilish fountain. The young soldier blinks, quite surprised, as his
balance wavers atop the wall. He gropes at his throat for a moment,
tries to mouth a word, and then falls backwards off the battlements.

Adrahil frowns. Is this what he left Beluaterra for? This is not a
war, it is a slaughter. Another massacre, just like against the
undead... save this time it is the living killing the living.

Another Svunnetlander jumps onto the wall, and raises his sword high
to strike his nearest foe. Adrahil, still frowning, draws his
longsword and cuts the man down in one clean motion.

The battle is over minutes later. As Adrahil looks out over the
carnage... he is shaken. Who had the greater honor here today? In his
heart he knows it was not with his side... with those such as
Decapitator, mindless taunting brutes...

Adrahil's frown grows deeper. Was it possible that the greater honor
belonged to Svunnetland...? Because they fought for a noble cause, no
matter the odds?

Adrahil descended the walls and went to go summon the wood wagons.
Pyres would need to be built... in great number. As he did, he grabbed
his scribe by the arm.

"Send Lady Hoshi a message. Tell her Svunnetland can come and attend
to their dead. Any who appear here under the white flag of truce to
give the proper rites to the fallen will not be harmed."

Adrahil ponders for a moment as the scribe nods and starts to hurry away.

"Oh, and scribe! Tell her she fought well."

<i>A begrimed man approaches Hoshi with the Nighthelm Colony insignia visible...Hoshi is equally grimy...blood stains her tunic and a cut and a bruise on her face indicates she entered into some close combat that invovled a few fists as well as the blade...she looks at the wounded she has brought back to camp with her...and out to the battlefield filled with blood and dead bodies....she nods to the messenger....and greets him...as he hands her a message from Adrahil...she smiles...a genuine smile as she reads the Duke's words...and asks the messenger to hold a minute while she pens a response...when she is finished she sends the messenger off to deliver her reply to Adrahil....</i>

"Greetings Adrahil and thank you for your kindness in this hour of loss for Svunnetland...and I thank you for your words of kindness to me.

I wish that you and I were meeting under different circumstances...I believe a relative of yours once crossed my path...Feanor...he was a good man...a man I hoped to become friends with as we studied together...but alas he left this continent...and I know not where he went or how he fares...would you know?

Adrahil...I know that we are at odds....over this very city...and I am again sorry we have not met under better circumstances...

I pray that the gods watch over your dead and wounded and that they walk with you and your citizens in beauty...and in honor as you travel the path you journey....

Respectfully,
Zhao Hoshi



"Does the walker choose the path, or the path the walker?

from Sabriel by Garth Nix

 



			
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