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Post by Brandwyn on Aug 14, 2011 20:37:33 GMT -5
So what does your ranger pony look like, Dian and what’s its name?” Charley asked. Dian looked a bit more intently on her whittling, and said, "I don't have a ranger pony just yet, I came here on a battle horse since it was the only one I could get."
Charley whistled, “a battlehorse, huh? Wow.” He looked impressed. He wouldn’t be able to handle a battle horse and he knew it. “Well, then you need to be at Old Bob’s camp an hour before sunset. He just brought in a string of fresh ranger horses and everyone who doesn’t have one is supposed to go pick one out.” Charley looked down and put the finishing touches on the knife he was carving and then handed it to her. “I could show you where, if you like,” he blushed and looked at twig on the ground in front of him.
Dustin could tell Charley thought Dian was cute and gave him a look. The girl looked like she was quite a bit younger than them and he didn’t want Charley to go getting any ideas. He looked at Tory thoughtfully and she looked up at him with a question in her eyes and then she realized what was going through Dustin’s mind and looked at Dustin challengingly. Dustin wisely decided to let the matter drop without a word, but not before it set off Tory in worrying about their age difference and the fact he was going to be a ranger by the end of the Gathering while she would still be an apprentice with at least two more years to go.
Fortunately they were interrupted by Bunt who was wrapping up his talk with Jack and Ben. “Sounds good, Jack. I expect we’ll see each other some more afor the meetin’ tonight.” Bunt nodded to him and then stood up, his knives finished and the sun was high in the sky. “I think it is lunch time, what do ya think, Ben? Care ta join us in our camp fer some aged cheddar, smoked salmon and some very nicely aged red wine?” Bunt turned to the group of teenagers, “Alright girls, it’s lunch time, let’s wrap this up an’ git back ta camp. I’m cookin.”
Tory looked up in surprise at Bunt, and then whispered to Dian, “I thought he was serious about not having lunch today.” She shrugged and gathered up her knives, she wasn’t quite done with hers, but it did at least look like a knife. “Guess we need to hide these so Mylia doesn’t get wind of them.” She stuffed hers into her satchel that was always draped over one shoulder and hanging from the opposite hip. The bag had been patched so many times that it was hard to tell what the original material had been. Tory carried it everywhere and in it were her most prized possessions and her journal. She never let anyone look inside it. “There! That was easy!” she laughed and let Dustin help her to her feet.
Dustin leaned over and whispered in her ear, not quite soft enough so that the others could not hear, “So, we still on for tonight after supper and the planning meeting? A few stars, a bubbling brook, maybe a midnight treat…you are coming, right?”
Tory grinned at him, “I wouldn’t miss it for the world – just as long as my mentor doesn’t have other plans.” She answered, taking her time in letting go of his hand. She heard Bunt clear his throat and gave Dustin a wink and then followed after the crusty old ranger.
As they made their way back to their camp, Bunt wondered how he was going to get Dian to feel a bit more comfortable around him. He had noticed she perked up when Jack had mentioned the knife class, maybe she’d like to go to that.
“So Dian, I think we’ve got enough wooden knives made fer tomorrow, so I was wondering if ya wanted to attend any o’ those classes they got after lunch.” Bunt said casually. “There’s Gilan’s knife class an’ I think Will is giving one o’ his strategy training exercises. Ya know, he gives the students a scenario and they have a certain amount of time to come up with a solution to the problem.” Bunt looked up into the trees, trying to remember what else he saw on the schedule. “Rick’s giving a fletchin’ class in camp an’ Crowley was trying ta talk Halt inta teaching ‘alternative persuasion techniques’” Bunt cackled. Halt was famous for his lack of patience and for throwing Barons into moats to get them to cooperate. “Not sure if that was a legit class though.” Bunt figured Dian wouldn’t know enough about Halt to get the joke. “Any o’ those sound interesting?”
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dian
Apprentice Scribe
this status thing reminds me of Facebook
Posts: 100
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Post by dian on Aug 14, 2011 22:05:16 GMT -5
If Charley thought a normal battle horse was hard to handle, he would have no Idea what Dian had to deal with. If Dian had heard the horse trainer right, the battle horse was called Stampede, which it had done quite a few times while she tried to mount him.
“Well, then you need to be at Old Bob’s camp an hour before sunset. He just brought in a string of fresh ranger horses and everyone who doesn’t have one is supposed to go pick one out.” Charley looked down and put the finishing touches on the knife he was carving and then handed it to her. “I could show you where, if you like,”
Dian took the knife he held out towards her, but didn't see the blush on his face when he turned his face away from her's. "That'd be really great, I don't want to ride that battle horse ever again." It had really been a nightmare... Nightmare, that should be his name, not Stampede she thought and then attempted to finish her whittling.
"When I was coming up with the plan, I thought of bringing Dian and Al with me." She gave the ranger a startled look, as much as she had tried, she still had more attention then she was use to. She tried to voice something, but she couldn't think of a reasonable way to say she didn't want to... because in all honesty she did want to. She shook her head, what in the world could she do to help anyway?
Her knife was just about finished, and Bunt mentioned lunch. Dian stomach growled slightly and she said towards Tory, "Great timing... I thought he was serious about no lunch, that wouldn't have been fun" So the group left for the camp site, for what she hoped would be a good meal. As she walked she got separated from Charley, and instead Bunt came in to talk to her.
“So Dian, I think we’ve got enough wooden knives made fer tomorrow, so I was wondering if ya wanted to attend any o’ those classes they got after lunch.” Bunt said casually. “There’s Gilan’s knife class an’ I think Will is giving one o’ his strategy training exercises. Ya know, he gives the students a scenario and they have a certain amount of time to come up with a solution to the problem.” Bunt looked up into the trees, trying to remember what else he saw on the schedule. “Rick’s giving a fletchin’ class in camp an’ Crowley was trying ta talk Halt inta teaching ‘alternative persuasion techniques’” Bunt cackled. Halt was famous for his lack of patience and for throwing Barons into moats to get them to cooperate. “Not sure if that was a legit class though.” Bunt figured Dian wouldn’t know enough about Halt to get the joke. “Any o’ those sound interesting?”
"Ummm..." she said thinking over the classes. The knife class was a definite yes. She felt a bit overwhelmed by them, seeing as 3 of the 4 names Bunt had said where names that held a lot of meaning back at her old home. Not that rick wasn't important, she just never heard of him before she had met Rick face to face. "I kinda want to do the knife class... What so funny about the last class? It sounds interesting enough..." she really didn't understand some of the rangers humor, and hoped she would one day.
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Post by Firehead on Aug 15, 2011 7:53:20 GMT -5
When Pepper expressed more than a little support for Mylia's idea of one apprentice team and a three-way war, Mylia couldn't keep from doing a jig out of sheer delight. "Boy won't the others be surprised!" she said, meaning the two silver leaf Ranger teams. "Let's do it!" ------------------
“I think it is lunch time, what do ya think, Ben? Care ta join us in our camp fer some aged cheddar, smoked salmon and some very nicely aged red wine?”
Ben gave a nod, and rose to accompany Bunt back to the camp. As they walked, Bunt started telling his second apprentice--he had two, and Ben silently wished Bunt luck with two girls at the same time--the list of classes she could take. Ben lent him a hand in remembering them. "I hear that Rab's volunteered to teach either an archery class or a class on survival, evasion,resistance,escape tactics with Red. And don't forget that Pippen. If you have the guts, you can ask her to assess your riding ability and maybe teach you some trick riding."
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Post by Brandwyn on Aug 15, 2011 12:29:18 GMT -5
Bunt took a moment to stop laughing and answered Dian's question about Halt's class. "Well, a few years back, it seems Halt was sent out by the King (I think it was - could have been by the Baron of Redmont though) to collect taxes from this Baron (or might have been a Lord instead, I can't remember fer sure.) Anyways, this gent leaves Halt coolin' on his doorstep fer hours, hoping he'd go away. All the while Halt is gettin' more an' more impatient. When the guy finally let's Halt have an audience with him, the gent claims he is broke and doesn't have the tax money and tells Halt ta come back in a month and he'll have it then." Bunt started laughing again and had to compose himself to continue. "Halt gits so mad at him, he doesn't say a word and jes dumps the guy out his window and right inta his own moat." Bunt howled with laughter. "Needless ta say the guy coughed up all the tax money and has been paying regularly ever since jest ta avoid havin' Halt pay him a visit again."
Ben lent him a hand in remembering the classes. "I hear that Rab's volunteered to teach either an archery class or a class on survival, evasion,resistance,escape tactics with Red. And don't forget that Pippen. If you have the guts, you can ask her to assess your riding ability and maybe teach you some trick riding."
Bunt nodded to Ben's additions, "That's right and I just remembered tha' announcement tha' they moved Ringulf's Alternative Throwin' Objects Class ta after Gilan's knife class this af'ernoon 'round 2 or so." He turned back to Dian, "Yer free ta take whatever classes ya like, so I suggest ya check the board during lunch an see what yer interested in. Jes let me know where yer going so as I don' worry about ya none."
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Post by Brandwyn on Aug 15, 2011 14:40:38 GMT -5
(OOC: Halt's Rules for the bet are now posted on the very first post on this thread on page 1. Scroll down, they are at the bottom after the narrative. Please go take a look at them. THANK YOU!)
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erevan
Apprentice Cook
Posts: 57
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Post by erevan on Aug 16, 2011 17:51:44 GMT -5
Jack had a quick lunch back at his tent, then decided to work on getting his ideas for the contest written down before meeting up with Gilan to go over the plans for the class. While e was working, he found himself thinking about the team he had picked out.
'They might have a lot in common,' he thought, 'but at the same time, they have a few major differences. They're both quiet, but behind that quiet I see so many differences. Al seems to really want to be involved, even if he's a bit shy. He strikes me as a keen observer though. I get the feeling he'll be a great teacher someday, once he opens up a bit. Too bad he's already Qwade's apprentice, I wouldn't mind taking him on myself.' Then his thoughts drifted to the other apprentice on his team.
'Dian though, she's almost Al's opposite. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but she seems to have little confidence in herself. Does she think that just because she's new she can't be any value? I hope not. I saw her reaction when I mentioned taking a couple apprentices with me, she shrunk back. I should talk to her when I get a chance next, or maybe Bunt Can give me some insight. Either way, I suppose I should find Gil so we can go over plans. I'd rather know what I'm getting into with this class.' He set down his notebook and checked his knives one last time before seeking out his old mentor, finding him already on the way to the range.
"Hi Gil," Jack called out cheerfully. "Thought maybe you would want to go over plans before the class."
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Post by Brandwyn on Sept 23, 2011 18:59:06 GMT -5
Gillan saw Jack coming and waited for him and they continued on to the range, Gilan loaded down with a bag of standard issue saxe knives.
"Hi Gil," Jack called out cheerfully. "Thought maybe you would want to go over plans before the class."
"Hi Jack, thanks for the help." Gilan grinned. "I have a whole bunch of apprentices signed up for my class and even some more experienced rangers. I guess I should develop a game plan, eh?" he chuckled.
"I was going to pair them up based on their experience and go through some defensive moves and then offensive moves and then let them practice while you and I watch and give them individual pointers." Gillan explained as they reached the range and he sat the canvas bag of knives on the ground. "Then I wanted to show them some two handed fighting moves."
"What do you think? You got any ideas on how to run it?"
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Post by Brandwyn on Nov 13, 2011 8:03:42 GMT -5
Late in the afternoon, in fact it was very close to supper time now, Bunt saw the exhausted rider pelting through the Gathering Grounds on a lathered horse slide up to the Command tent and collapse on the ground in front of Crowley.
"This can't be good." Bunt muttered softly to Ringulf. "I wonder what's going on."
He watched as Crowley listened to the rider and read a missive and saw Crowley's look of shock and then anger. Something bad was definately up. Crowley started issueing orders to some of the older rangers near him and then went into his tent. The Commandant was definately agitated.
"Maybe we should mosey on over there and have a look-see." Bunt suggested to Ringulf. "What yer think?"
One thing was running through his mind, if Crowley was this pre-occupied, then this silly little side-bet they had going about which one of them was getting older quicker was likely to be suspended. He wanted to know before he carved out any more wooden throwing knives, though they could be used for practice for his new apprentices he supposed.
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Post by Ringulf on Nov 13, 2011 22:30:17 GMT -5
"This can't be good." Bunt muttered softly to Ringulf. "I wonder what's going on." He watched as Crowley listened to the rider and read a missive and saw Crowley's look of shock and then anger. Something bad was definitely up. Crowley started issuing orders to some of the older rangers near him and then went into his tent. The Commandant was definitely agitated. "Maybe we should mosey on over there and have a look-see." Bunt suggested to Ringulf. "What yer think?" I think your right old man he looks like he could use a friend, lets find Halt and go lend some support." Said Ringulf in a worried tone. Halt was just coming up the trail talking with Old Bob as Ringulf called to them. "Gentlemen!" he said in a low voice, "It appears we have just had a visitor, a Currier just came in on horseback, both in bad shape, looks like they rode strait from Araluen without pause! I think we have a friend who may need our help." Halt looked up at the big ranger, his face just about level with Ringulf's collarbone. "I think you may be right Ringulf." he said, "What was his reaction did you see? Halt questioned. "Well he seemed to take it pretty hard I think something big is brewing!" Ringulf said looking off to the command tent. You fellas go ahead along to the old Crow I am gonna check in on that horse and rider, 'like t' see who they are an how bad the ride left 'em both. Ifn one o them blockhead Currier from HQ drove one o my horses into the ground he damn well better have had a good reason!" The old man said and stumped off in his bandy legged gate. "What do you think Bunt? we take a walk over make like we didn't see the rider and let him tell us what is on his mind?" Ringulf said, then he turned and headed for his tent. "Hang on I need to get something." He returned in a moment with a small cask. "Wouldn't seem right if I went into his tent without this normally and we just may need it anyway." Come on."
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Post by Firehead on Nov 14, 2011 14:44:56 GMT -5
Mylia sprinted through the camp, hunting diligently for Ringulf, Ari's letter clutched tightly in her hand. She finally spotted him walking with Bunt up toward the Commandant's tent. She dashed after him, shouting. "Ringulf! Ringulf! Wait up!"
When she caught up to the two of them she thrust the letter toward her mentor. "Ari wrote to tell me that there's--there's trouble brewin' in norgate an' Marshwood! Here, read it." She said, as she bent over, her hands on her knees in an effort to catch her breath.
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Post by Brandwyn on Nov 14, 2011 19:17:20 GMT -5
Tory saw Tandar hand Mylia a letter as they were leaving the axe class and didn't think much of it until he saw the look on Mylia's face and that she sprinted off to catch up with Ringulf.
"Now I wonder what is going on?" She asked Dustin. "Mylia looks a bit alarmed." Tory had offered to take the exrta axes back to camp for Ringulf and she had enlisted Dustin and Charlie to help her. They had been taking their time since Tory's next task for the day would be to clean up after supper. She had a bit of time to herself and wanted to spend it with Dustin. Now she looked around and saw a great deal of activity at the Commandant's tent. "Look!" She pointed to a travel worn ranger and his lathered horse. "It must be something big for a ranger to do that to his horse." Tory scowled and then saw Ole Bob heading over to check the horse out.
"Maybe we can get close enough to Crowley's tent to find out what's up." Dustin suggested.
Tory looked around doubtfully. Crowley had already posted Harrison and another ranger outside his tent and they were intently watching the grounds. Harrison looked straight at her and shook his head. Tory glared at him and then steered Dustin after Ringulf. "Not with Harrison right there. The man is a fiend at keeping an eye on things." Tory growled. "no, our best bet is to catch up with Mylia. I think she knows something. Come on!"
Dustin agreed and he and Tory took off after Mylia, each toting a handful of axes. Charlie shook his head and followed along at a bit slower pace, also laden with the extra axes. They caught up to Mylia just as Ringulf was finishing reading the letter.
"What... is it ...Mylia? ...Wasn't that ...letter ...from Ari?" Tory panted. "What... is going... on?"
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Post by Ringulf on Nov 16, 2011 23:36:20 GMT -5
"Myl, is it OK if Bunt and Halt read this? Don't worry no one will say anything about the private parts, but this could be very important information. Whatever Crowley just got handed to him, I am sure it is not the exact same information as what Ari is seeing here, and may give us a more complete picture of what is really happening."
He looked at his apprentice with a concerned expression and put his hand up to the side of her neck and tenderly cupped her cheek,
"Don't worry little one, He will be alright and so will we, but there is much to do and we have little time, so steel yourself, for it is now that we are Rangers!"
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Post by Firehead on Nov 30, 2011 8:27:45 GMT -5
"Myl, is it OK if Bunt and Halt read this? Don't worry no one will say anything about the private parts, but this could be very important information. Whatever Crowley just got handed to him, I am sure it is not the exact same information as what Ari is seeing here, and may give us a more complete picture of what is really happening."
Mylia gave a nod, only slightly reluctant to let the senior Rangers read the personal bits. After all, the main body of the letter was important information. "Go ahead. Just, um...go ahead."
"What... is it ...Mylia? ...Wasn't that ...letter ...from Ari?" Tory panted. "What... is going... on?"
Mylia turned to greet her out-of-breath friend. She hesitated only briefly in acknowleging the writter. "It was. He wrote that there's a plauge coming down from Norgate, and that..." She trailed off and took a deep breath. "Well, things are getting really bad in Marshwood right now. Me an' Ringulf might be getting recalled back to the fief early."
"Don't worry little one, He will be alright and so will we, but there is much to do and we have little time, so steel yourself, for it is now that we are Rangers!"
Mylia smiled soberly at her mentor. "Yes Ringulf. I understand." She took a deep breath and drew herself up, meeting his eyes levely. She realized that for the first time in her short carreer, she would be setting aside her personal life--she'd never had one to deal with before. Not until Ari had come along. She quoted an old Ranger maxim she'd heard several times before at Gatherings." This is what it is to be a Ranger: We are Rangers--we live to serve. Our lives are not our own.'" ------------------ (OOC: And here's the letter.)
Hello my lovely Ranger Girl!
How are you doing down there at the gathering? I hope that you and Tory, and Ringulf are all doing well and that none of you have caught the horrible Norgate plague that started here just after the thaw. I had gotten back to my training in Stoneheath and was healing up pretty well when the first of the news of the sickness in Norgate started to reach us.
There was a steady caravan of wagons and carts, horses and even families on foot, headed along the High road. Some stayed and we have a rather large number of tents and turf hovels that have sprung up in the meadows to the east of the Castle and north and west of the Sword and Crook.
Ogmund has been working vey hard helping the people of the many shanty-towns and camps from Stoneheath to Muttontown and down as far as Heatheridge. The local inns are bustling and filled to the brim but the problems of thievery, briggands and other crime amongst these unfortunate people has called the Marsh Wardens to defend the southern half of the fife from the greenbelt down and the Knights and Battleschool students are patrolling and keeping order in the Northern half from the wall of the Greenbelt forest. The whole of the interior regions is in turmoil.
We have been meeting the Wardens regularly at the Midway Inn to discuss and confer. Safe but guarded passage is being allowed along the south road to Headsbridge and beyond into Caraway and Araluen. Baron Justin was allowing many of the refugees to continue on along the Bridledale then take the Dale road to Marshwood where the port is filled with ships charging very high prices for passage, in fact the prices for everything has just about doubled and scarcity and corruption seem to be the price of doing buisiness.
The other day the people of Bridledale led by the ranchers and breeders took it upon themselves to hang a group of horsethieves by themselves. The “thieves” were all starving and butchered one of the most important rancher’s prize stallion. Needless to say the wardens have set an unyielding perimeter along what is now called the “Green wall”. (The north edge of the greenbelt forest) and the palace guard has been sent from Marshwood Port to the Western end of the Dale Road to make a barricade where everyone on the way to the port is being searched and inspected for signs of the Norgate sickness or what men are calling either the White Death or Wargalscurge.
I am Actually writing this letter in the Castle in Norwood. The Doctor here having found out that though I was wounded quite often in the Revel battle and yet did not catch the Scourge, wanted to see me and experiment to see if there was a way to help using my blood or something. He has not found anything yet and I have told him I need to get back to my unit as Barron Justin may sign the documents enacting Marshial law in Marshwood Fife.
It is a very difficult time right now, most of the Knights of Norgate are either terribly week and sick or dead and the Barron of Norgate has closed the Pictish border for fear of invasion. Our forces are spread thin between the knights and Wardens and the military of Marshwood port. I thing the Barron of Marshwood has sent word to Crowley requesting the recall of his fifes Rangers and looking for any aid he might be able to succur. So I suppose I may get the opportunity to see you soon. I miss you very much and hope we might get some time together in the midst of all this Chaos, Please be careful and stay close to Ringulf, you two will need each other very much now in this uncertain time.
With a heart that beats for you, Aribjorn
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Post by Brandwyn on Nov 30, 2011 12:57:48 GMT -5
Bunt read the letter over Halt’s head and scowled as he reread it, picking out the important information and committing the thing to memory. Martial law in Marshwood would surely affect Caraway and he knew the Baron and the merchant’s guild in Caraway would be pitching fits if that happened. Not to mention the fief was likely going to be flooded with refugees and some of those were likely to be sick. That would spark riots in the streets as the residents of Caraway tried to defend their homes, food and health from the northerners. Outlaws were sure to take advantage of the situation and prey on the weak as was their way and without a ranger present, he was certain they had already begun.
“I think we need ta talk ter Crowley, lads.” Bunt said gravely. “An’ you gals should head back to camp an’ help Rick with that there goose he’s been roasting all day n tha’ rest o’ supper.” Bunt suggested to Tory, Mylia, Ivy and Dian. “We’ll be along directly.” Bunt looked at Ringulf and Halt and then continued heading for Crowley’s tent, a sense of foreboding weighing on his heart and a frown on his grizzled face.
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Post by Ringulf on Nov 30, 2011 13:57:11 GMT -5
Crowley sat upon his large leather covered tripod stool. His head in his hand as he read the dispatch the Currier had given him. The head cupped in the hand was supported by his elbow, which in turn was planted among the already messy top of the campaign desk that served as his "office away from home".
He read and reread the page shaking his head in disbelief.
"How could all this have happened so quickly?" he asked himself.
He counted back the days, "Supposedly the Revel battle took place at the end of the Yuletide season. The first cases started to show up right after the thaw so the sickness must have been dormant in the cold and bloomed as the temperature rose. it says that most of the victims at first bore wounds of various severity from those damned wargal things! So....not just out scavenging for food...those things were sent for a purpose. We routed them rather easily, but it seems they still delivered there attack upon us. Most of the Knights and men at arms...that is a serious blow to our defenses, But none of my rangers seem ill, many of them fought?"...
Just then he saw shadows nearing his tent and heard a rap on the tent post.
"Come in Gentlemen, I wondered what was taking you so long?" Crowley grunted before he even saw more than their boots he knew the committee that stood outside his tent flap.
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