[Episode] Vikings, Knights, and Pirates, O my!

Sun Aug 18, 2019 3:38 pm

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

Lvneel, known for its beautifully bright architecture and rolling green hills that seem to go on forever, a simple yet wonderous sight. The Montblanc family have been the established monarchy here for generations, earning a reputation for being as simple and kind as the lands they ruled. The island was broken up into five different holds surrounding the capital city in the center, each one governed by a vassal lord known collectively as the "Kings Shields". Each shield ruled over his land autonomously, owing only taxes and allegiances to the governing monarchy. Squabbles between the holds were common, as each liked to think of itself as its own unique country, though the terrain, culture and architecture were generally the same. However, small differences do exist among them and it is these very differences in their culture and beliefs that fuels the ongoing feuds between the vassal lords. The Montblanc family has generally stayed out of these petty squabbles and allows the vassal lords to fight out their differences to a point. Generally intervening only when a crisis could threaten the capital city, or the stability of the islands government.

The five holds are each ruled by a vassal lord, original descendants of the those who served the first king of Lvneel, their unquestioned loyalty to the royal family having been cemented by centuries of trust and arranged marriages. With the current iteration of shields being considered one of the weakest and least cohesive group ever. Lord Pierre Walton of Jotun was known as much for his prickly and fickle nature as his portly appearance. While Lord Raphael Bolden of Vana is just a young boy, with his uncle taking over much of his lordly duties. While there are whispers from the northern parts of the island that Lords Edd Ward and Malice Stein of the Alf and Muspell respectively are in the midst of planning a full on rebellion, but as of now they are just rumors that are quickly snuffed out by the local armies. Leaving just Lord Note R. Damne of Nilf as the only dependable shield, being the most decorated of all of them , having served as vassal lord to now four generations of Montblanc kings.

Now, in four days there will be an emergency meeting called by the Montblanc family regarding the recent mass disapearnces of the common folk. A problem that seems to be afflicting not just the capital city, but all the holds of Lvneel.

It had been a few days since Dax began tagging along with Castor as part of what he referred to them "The Nox Pirates". Dax thought little of this name, seeing it as a direct reflection of the little man's hubris, but like everything else, he dealt with it. The duo had set up shop in the Jotun hold, living in a camp deep in the woods, outside of a port town on the western coast of the island. There Dax had made several different structures and roofs of gold to provide adequate comfort and shelter for them, even going so far as to create a fully furnished kitchen of solid gold, down to a drawer full of utensils. When not at camp, the pair had split up several times to attend to their own business, being sure to stay in character along the way. During these trips, they had made names for themselves as capable knights, under the guise of having moved here for the plentiful work. By taking odd jobs as bodyguards and security for local traders and caravans, they raised enough funds to keep themselves comfortable for the time being.

"Ayo!" Dax barked out over the sound of the golden knife chopping up and down on the golden counter, "Your little ass hungry?" He grunted coldly, scrapping the inner toppings of the omlettes into their egg coffins before tossing them onto the frying pan. The smell of the meats and seasonings wafted through the air and in minutes, the food was ready to be served, plated with gold and unbeknownst to Castor, cooked with the dust as well. Trace amounts of dust had been mixed into the captains food, not enough to harm him. But enough to allow Dax to sense his presence at all times.

Sun Aug 18, 2019 4:44 pm

The Unsightly Duo

Castor wasted no time in cementing himself as the people's hero, focusing mostly on the locals in the Capital. Whether it be warding off drunks or an occasional pirate, with his mask he'd taken on the name of Bastion, The Majestic Golden Knight, him and his partner, Goldie, a nickname that Dax had grown to hate passionately. Using the abilities from his witch craft, the man moulded them a stronghold made of gold secluded in the woods. Castor heard the man's call for breakfast immediately, after all, he'd been up since dawn, long before Dax had started his prep work.

Castor didn't often sleep well, in his dreams, his mind would float back to Jules and her teachings, which we're a direct conflict to the man he'd become. Stranded, him and Newport had to survive by any means necessary, and his time in the wild on Swallow Island had definitely turned him more into a wild beast than anything else. The book Castor was currently reading was thousands of pages long but worth every second, it was about the history of Lvneel, what is, where it was and how it came to be.

Exiting from his kneeling position, the shorty sprung to his feet, clearing his room. He was dressed in pretty casual wear to combat the heat of the season: shorts, plain white T-Shirt and walked around the house barefooted. Major contrast from his usual traditional wear or even the newly stylings of Dax's Golden Armour. Sliding the door to his room open, a flood of aromas came gushing towards his directly, instantly causing drool to form at the side of his mouth.

"Watcha cooking Goldie! Smells delish!" Castor announced in a very dry manner, chuckling afterwards. Shuffling towards the kitchen table, he'd keep his eyes firmly on finishing the scribe.

"Looks like we've walked into some pretty complex state of affairs Dax. I kind of understand why someone would want to have Lvneel as a play thing. Between the former Viking Kings who have pledged themselves to the Montblanc's or these Vassal Lord's I've read about... Who divide up this nations power into five. Whoever is King literally has an army at its fingertips. Fun Fact, Lvneel has been through four wars in their Kingdom's History. They've won all of them." Castor declared.

For a small man, the sound of his stomach violently howling cut the serious tone he'd previously built, degenerating into releasing a slew of terrible jokes, which wouldn't concede until breakfast was served.

Word Count: 414 | Tagged: @Goldmonger

Notes: Setting up the pace

Sun Aug 18, 2019 6:35 pm

Lvneel Jotun Hold | Port Thor Outskirts | Present

While Castor had cemented himself as a hero of the people, Dax made his name as a merc for hire, willing to do anything as long as the coin was right. He also didn't go by a silly name, simply introducing himself as Dax, he had no bounty and was a drifter his entire life, his name carried little weight. Also unlike his captain, the goldmonger had little trouble sleeping, preferring to spend most of his time string at the back of his eye lids, only working when coin was involved. His dreams were filled with the thought of women, booze, and gold, the simple things in life.

When Castor entered the room, Dax turned towards him, wearing only a golden apron to cover his naked mocha skin. "Call me Goldie one more fuckin time pip squeak and your gonna die a hell of a lot fuckin sooner than I planned." Dax snarled back, holding the glistening alloy knife towards his captain. He walked over and threw the plate down onto the table so it slid into place in front of Castor. Dax sat down across from his captain and began to eat, which at the same time Castor began to speak, much to the goldmonger's annoyance. "Ya know, you should shut the fuck up and eat." Dax growled bluntly after the little man finished. But by then, there was a knock at the door.

Lvneel Jotun Hold | Waldon's Castle | Four Hours Earlier

"M'lord" A knight said, bowing before a grizzled portly fellow on a small throne at the head of the room. The man waved in response, allowing the knight to lift his head. "M'lord, word has come from Asgar, it's from the king, he demands your presence by the fortnight."

"And what of it?" The lord scoffed back, "Not so much as a letter for ten years, and now he demands an audience with ME?! Lord Waldon of Juton?!" He bellowed, gasping for more air with every word as he worked himself up into a rage before plummeting back down into his throne. "WINE!" Waldon demanded upon catching his breath, swatting at his cup bearers, two girls barely the age of twelve dressed in small silks decorated with jewels and bells. Waldon stared at them as a predator would its prey as the two young girls scampered over in there translucent silks. Licking his lips, he pawed at them as they pour his wine, "You know, these girls you brought more are ever so tasty.~" He mused, looking them up and down as he licked the slobber from his jowels, "I should have more of them!" Waldon bellowed out, drawing veiled looks of disgust from several of his sworn knights, while several others have participated with the lord more than once in his fetishes. "Now then!" He shouted, after the children had left his presence once more, "I shall require guards…" He paused, "And not your run of the mill guards, they must be strong…I've heard rumors of a pair in the port town of Thor." Waldon interupted himself once more, staring off for a moment before a murderous smile crept upon his homely face, "After this council, we shall rule Lvneel."

"Shall I send the ravens m'lord?" The mustachioed knight questioned, to which Waldon responded with a simple nod as he retreated into his quarters, down the same dark alley he had sent the cup bearers down just earlier.

Sun Aug 18, 2019 7:09 pm

The Unsightly Duo

Dax seemed a little cranky in the morning but it could've been the fact he teased him with the Goldie moniker that the cook was more irritable than usual.

"You know... If you keep scowling like that your face is going to permnantly freeze that way." Castor retorted, closing the history book and slowly cutting into his breakfast. The softness of his knife slicing into the omelette sent a sensation down his spine.

Quickly piercing the egg dish with his fork, Castor savoured every moment as he'd begin to shovel the food into his mouth in the most savage of ways. Spending years on an island where you never know where your next meal is coming from changes you. Food becomes a more of blessing than a commodity.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Ceasing eating, Castor immediately went intangible, conducting with the gold floors towards his room. Collecting the bits of his armour, he'd assemble his outfit, grabbing his spear and Nodachi, reemerging from his room in his Bastion character. Depending on who stood behind the door, Castor was prepared to leave them deceased. Anyone brave enough to approach this place had better have a reason, especially since it'd be extremely convenient to drop their bodies in the nearby shrubs.

Approaching the door, concealed beneath his golden mask, the Knight extended his hand, turning the golden knob. Behind, it was a party of three, the crest on their Armour pointed to that of a unique fold. Pleasantly assuming his character, albeit a tad bit annoyed his feast was interrupted, Castor engaged.

"Good Morning' How may I help you lot?" Castor inquired.

"It seems we're at the right place. Bastion, the masked knight and Dax, the mercenary for hire. Our Lord Waldon of Jotun has had his eye on your activities within the veil.

He's sent us as messengers to inform you of your summons to Jotun Manor immediately for an assignment. We're here to escort you via carriage." The Knight explained bowing slightly.

"Waldon of Jotun... I just read about his family in the last chapters of this book. Keepers of coin... Said to be the most greedy and wealthy of all the Vassal Lords Families. Great with fiances and have allies across the North Blue Kingdoms." Castor thought.

"Well. If Lord Waldon summoned us... Then how can we as humble vessels of Lvneel say no. Give us twenty minutes to prepare ourselves." Castor responded bowing, shutting the door.

"Dax. Get ready. I think we've just stumbled into something very interesting!" Castor exclaimed.

Word Count: 427 | Tagged: @Goldmonger

Notes: Setting up the pace

Sun Aug 18, 2019 9:05 pm

Dax overheard the conversation from the kitchen, the reason for the two knights visit and of their lords interest. It all seemed like a bother to the goldmonger, something he would have very little interest in. Though he listened all the same as he finished his omlette and reabsorbed the metal onto his body as jewelry. Something else in particular had piqued his interest however, the captain. As Castor spun around telling Dax to get ready, his face was met with Dax's gold covered fist, launching him through the now liquid gold wall, encasing him in the alloy as his small body was sent flying into the forest passed the two other knights, with the metal hardening immediately. Bloodlust emanated from the golden hut as Dax slowly emerged from the shadows, with a feral like smile snarled on his face, his hands covered in golden claws. "C'mon cap'n~!" Dax whistled sinisterly, "its gonna take way more than that to kill yer ass!" He barked, reaching his hands out towards the lowly knights, Dax placed a palm to eah of their faces and encased them in gold. Their bodies hit the floor as their hands clawed desperately at the now solid metal masks until the struggles eventually slowed to a halt.

By this time, Dax noticed his captain approaching him, "Yer blood pumpin yet ya little fuck~?" The goldmonger barked, cackling like a hyena.

Mon Aug 19, 2019 6:52 am

The Unsightly Duo

Never a dull moment. The man's body was sent flying through the house's wall, encasing him in a golden cast. Crashing landing in a pile of shrubs, all of the birds gathered in the area scattered from the impact. Immediately disbursing an electrical field to melt the cast, Castor heated the air around him, melting the gold and sparking parts of the forest life ablaze.

Launching his body towards the golden HQ, Castor turned his entire body into a Lightning Bolt, and the centre of impact being Dax's chest. As his body was being electrocuted, Castor would activate his Haoshoku Haki once more to subdue to the monster cook.

"That makes two wins for me. Oh wait... He's knocked out... He can't hear me." Castor declared. Assessing the situation, Nox noticed that the three knights were now notably missing, luckily, the carriage accompanied with about five horses to pull it, still remained. The carriage operator however was in range of his Hao, and was also left incapacitated.

Sighing, Castor would trek through the woods towards the carriage and place his finger against the sleeping opertor's cranium. With one electrical jolt, the pirate captain shot a streamline burst of current through the man's dome. Tossing him off the side of the carriage, Castor liberated two of the horses from the fold, waiting on the dirt road which trailed back towards Jotan. When Dax awoke, Castor would ask him what happened with the Knights after his sneak attack.

Asgar | Uptown | Capital - Library

Meanwhile in the Capital, Newport carries out the mission Castor entrusted to him. "He always gives me the lamest shit to do." Newport stated cleaning out his eat with his left pinky. "Little shits always plotting..." Newport grumbled to himself as he'd scan the books om shelf.

Word Count: 283 | Tagged: @Goldmonger

Notes: Setting up the pace

Mon Aug 19, 2019 10:00 pm

Lvneel | Waldon's Castle | Jotun Hold | Present Time

The shuffling of lord Waldon echoed through the dark, dreary corridors of his bright lilac castle. Its horridly bright purple walls painted the backdrop for the robust man as he made his way towards the throne room, huffing and puffing the entire way. Slowly emerging from the shadows like a demon, his features being highlighted by the torches that decorated the room as he did so. "Soon…" He murmured amongst the panting, "Soon" He said once more, collapsing into his throne at the head of the room, quickly surrounded by his youthful up bearers. "Soon all of Lvneel will belong to me and those, THOSE MONTBLANC'S WILL BE WIPED FROM THE FACE OF THIS EARTH ONCE AND FOR ALL!" His tone becoming increasingly agitated as he spoke, the volume increasing from mumblings to rantings. Parched and gasping, he desperately snatched the goblet off the tray that the scantily clad child was holding, before outstretching it demandingly towards the other who carried the jug. She quickly filled the cup in response, and no sooner than she had lord Waldon had slugged it down and demanded another, which he promptly repeated the same process several more times before sending the children on their way. His low browed gaze drifted towards two others in the room, the first, the mustachioed knight known as Sir Bizelle (beye-zell). He was tall and lean, with jet black combed over hair and a steel gray mustache, he carried a silver handled rapier and wore black steel armor with a long silver gray cape. The second was his partner and former pupil, Sir Raddot, he was younger and flashier than his former master and wore his long blonde hair in a high bun with the excess falling down to his shoulder. He wielded a double edge longsword that was kept strapped to his back, while his armor was a light silver with intricate gold leafing designs decorating the edges. They served as the lords right and left, both fulfilling very important positions in his court. Sir Claude Bizelle was head executioner and torturer, dealing with all the dirty business of the court, ranging from assassinations to abductions. While Sir Lionel Raddot was the face of the hold, known as the most handsome knight in all the land, he earned his fame and glory winning tournaments held by the other vassal lords for sport and bragging rights. Together, they were the most feared and loved duo in all of Jotun.

Sir Bizelle approached his lord slowly, bowing once at an appropriate distance. "M'lord" He said respectfully, lifting his head and meeting lord Waldon's gaze. His gaze was cold and dead, with the Icey blue color burning itself into your soul the longer you looked at it, almost like he was looking through you. "He's here.." He spoke sternly, opening his body up to allow Lord Stein of Muspell to be escorted by Sir Raddot to the base of the throne.

"Lord Waldon." Malice nodded with a smile, though it was met with a disgusted snarl and a swat of the hand from the vile lord. "No matter, this is purely business." Malice continued, tapping his cane on the floor three times, suddenly three mean cloaked in shredded black rags and sewn mouths slipped into the room without a sound. Sickly and gaunt in appearance, there sunken in eyes were black as night, leaving no distinguishable traits the differed between the trio. Behind them, they drug a herd of children in by chains attached to their necks. "I have the cargo you requested." He said bluntly, waving his hand out to present the terrified herd, all of them young girls no older than fourteen.

"Bahhh!" Lord Waldon exclaimed, "Those things…" He said, visibly squirming in his chair as if disgusted, "Those, those things you always have do your dirty work, what do you call them?" He questioned, gesturing towards the thin black figures with ghostly white bald heads that accompanied lord Stein. Their gaunt faces and black eyes were now focused on the portly lord, though with just a motion from lord Stein, they lost all interest.

"They are nobody." Malice said, "They are but Shadows"

"Shadows he says.." Waldon mumbled to Sir Raddot who now stood beside him, who responded with a low chuckle, staring directly at the Shadows as he did so, inciting an unanswered challenge of sorts. "Bahhh!" He exclaimed. "Pay the man.." Waldon said disdainfully, motioning towards Bizelle, who quickly produced three large bags of gold and dropped them at Malice's feet. The Shadows quickly scurried over and picked up the bags, and without a sound they disappeared from the room in seconds. "Now leave! Our business has concluded!!" Waldon shouted, his neck jiggling with rage as spit flew across the room. Lord Waldon turned towards Bizelle, "Prepare them, I should have them all tonight.." Waldon hummed joyously as he slowly shuffled back towards his quarters, slinking back down the long dark corridor, his short round frame disappearing into the shadows.

Lvneel | Port Thor Outskirts | Jotun Hold | Present time

Dax's heart was racing, bloodlust coursed through his veins, relishing the pain presented from the lightning bolt that was his captain colliding with his chest. Until suddenly, he felt a familiar calming wave wash over him, "You..fu..ckin….cheater…." Dax managed to mumble as his eyes rolled into the back of his head and his body hit the floor like a sack of lead. When he had finally come too, he noticed Castor atop a large work horse, similar to that of a Clydesdale. Though they weren't built for speed, their strength and stamina was unmatched. Dax noticed the others, one of which was a large white male that had drawn his eye. He was the largest and wildest of the group, the only fitting mount for one such as Dax. Completely ignoring his captain, Dax took a lap around the horse, inspecting its coat and shoes. The beast grunted and stomped the entire time, giving off several warning signs that if fucked with, it'll fuck back. Once the animal had earned the man's seal of approval, he approached the horses face and grabbed the sides with both hands, meeting the animals head halfway with his own with such force it made an audible knocking sound. Dax held the beast pressed to his face and glared into the animals eyes, letting off a bloodlust that would revival the fiercest of predators. In seconds, the horse was calmed, allowing Dax to mount him, but not before he crafted a golden saddle, using the metals inherit softness to create a comfortable seat. Once atop, he placed his right hand on the back of the animals neck before manipulating gold to over the animal and form into a decorative armor that kings would envy. With a dirty glare towards Castor, Dax spurred his golden beast into the woods and in the direction of their folly.

Tue Aug 20, 2019 11:28 am

The Unsightly Duo

Gashi Gashi Gashi

"Show off." Castor commented on the armour that he'd veiled his stallion in. The duo trotted along the dirt path towards the Providence of Jotun. From the countryside, nature packed the scenic route towards the modernized port city. Jotun's architecture was styled in that of traditional French doctrine, mixed in with a bit of the more rural buildings from the Vikings Settlers that'd settled throughout the city. As the two golden knights dressed a horse back rode into the town, the locals, citizens and nobles alike gawked from a distance at the unfamiliar faces.

Running into the middle of their path, was a little girl skimpy dressed in ragged clothing, with tears streaming from her eyes. Within seconds, she'd been subdued by her pursuers, strapped in rusty chains and dragged along the muddy streets back towards Uptown. Murmurs from the crowd chimed into Castor's electro-radio.

Townspeople Murmurs wrote:
Another runaway from Mi' Lord's place. You know he as a fetish for young girls...

Pish. And boys. Thats why its best to send your children to Asgar before they come of age... Unless you're sick enough to sell them off to the Vassal's Court.

Remaining quiet, Castor continued onward, quickening the pace of his horse, galloping through the city towards the huge Castle off in the distance. At one point, the dirt road turned into a mud one, then back to standard paved concrete, showing the disparity between the Nobles Housing and the average citizens own. Eventually, the two steeds came before the Manor's Gate.

Met with a twenty musket salute from the Manor's Security, via Den Den Speaker, a giant snail on the wall began to speak. As the smaller Camera Den Den's zeroed onto the men's attire, it was clear they we're knights bearing the Seal of the King but what of their reason at Jotun's Stronghold.

"Halt. What is your purpose for coming here?" The security guard behind the transponder inquired.

"We've been summoned by his Lordship Walton for an assignment. A small party of his retains sent us the message earlier this morning." Castor declared.

Pondering momentarily and checking his records, "Ah. Yes. Sir Bastion and Sir Dax?"

Perplexed about the details slightly, the Knight went on:

"I'm sure we sent a carriage to collect you and three of our own Knights to follow suit. What happened to them?" the man inquired.

"Carriage? Knights? We merely followed the summons from fellow knights we saw in passage to the Capital. I'm sorry to rush things along, but we're busy people. Could we hurry this along?" Castor concluded, cutting the guard short.

Just then, the gates to the Manor began to open, seemingly not at the man's digression either as he'd began to squabble about protocol on the microphone before a dead silence hit the line. As the wooden gates broke open, a dark miasma flooded outward. In the distance, a posse of twenty came into view. At their centre were four massive sized, creatures in humanoid form, bearing sown mouths and barren sockets for eyes. Around him we're smaller versions of the massive freaks, but these four specifically carried a carriage on their shoulders. Veiled banner men behind black masks, carry swords at their hip, walked the perimeter in the topaz coloured armour.

Within moments, hauntingly, the carriage passed the two Knights who sat outside the manor, pausing monetarily for the Lord Stein to get a look at the returning Knights, who he assumed were from the Jotun faction. However, what the man observed was raw animalistic intent from the Golden Mask Knight, a fierceness that he'd yet to see from any Knight in the Capital.

Smiling revealing his crooked and rotten teeth, "That's a nice aura you have their boy. When your finished playing with the child lover... Come seek me out." Malice stated. Almost like ghosts, the carriage and the man's posse disappeared like the apparitions they embodied. Gulping loudly over the transponder, "The Lord will see you now." The guard announced. Putting away his killer instinct, Castor trotted into the court, the gates closing behind themselves and Dax.

"Dax. Stay on your toes. If this goes south, we might have to fight our way out of here." Castor whispered.

Word Count: 687 | Tagged: @Goldmonger

Notes: Setting up the pace

Tue Aug 20, 2019 10:06 pm

Lvneel | Castle Vert | Vara Hold | Present Time

Footsteps rushed along the bright green stones and the sound of childish laughter echoed through the long winding corridors of Castle Vert. Shadows cast by the children danced along to the tune as the sound of a heavier foot came chasing after quite quickly, "M'lord!" A woman shouted, her voice bouncing along with every step, her words laced with heavy breath. "Please wait m'lord!" She pleaded, grasping at the boys dancing shadow, unable to keep pace with him. Until he turned a corner and the footsteps stopped abruptly. When the handmaiden turned the corner, her expression turned dark and scared, horrified at what she saw. There, Lord Bolden was nestled into the long legs of his uncle, his tiny hands clutching at his black slacks. His uncle glared at the handmaiden, expressionless and cold dead eyes. "L…lord…" She mumbled, barely able to speak a full word as her teeth chattered in fear.

"The little lord was not to leave your sight." Oliver Bolden said bluntly, "What do we do with rule breakers my dear lord?" He mused, petting the boys bright red hair.

With a smile and without hesitation, the young boy responded with youthful cheer, "We teach them!". The handmaidens twisted expression said the words she couldn’t, shaking with fear she tried to tell her body to run but it wouldn’t move. Suddenly she felt steel gauntlets grab her arms, two metal clad knights towered over as they drug her body kicking and screaming down the hall until they came to a single black door at the end of a long, shadowy corridor. With a gentle push, it creaked open, shedding light on the contents inside. There, the confirmation of her horrors awaited, she saw those who had come before her, chefs, butlers, even knights, all strapped or rigged to machines. Their faces were gaunt and they were stripped of their clothing, some were missing limbs or skin, others were tied to machines designed to enact the most suffering one could possibly endure before losing consciousness or even life. The drug her over to the wooden stocks, where she was locked in and left. Trailing behind was lord Bolden and his uncle Oliver, Lord Bolden skipped into the room, smiling and clapping, "Teaching time! Teaching time! I love teaching time!"

"My lord." Oliver said, his arms folded behind his back, "What shall we do today?"

"Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm" Lord Bolden said animatedly, rubbing the non existent hair on his chin, "OH! I know!" He shouted proudly raising up a single finger to indicate he had an idea, as he ran over to a table full of deranged tools. He grabbed an iron rod with a large 'B' on the end of it and tossed it into a nearby fire, after which he danced around the flames resuming his clapping and singing, "I love teaching time! Teaching time! Teaching time!" Then, when the metal was glowing red, he pulled the iron from the flames and positioned himself in front of the woman. With an innocent child smile, Lord Bolden placed the blazing metal to the handmaidens flesh, sizzling it as she wailed in agony before passing out from the pain. "Awwwww." the lord pouted, "She isn't a very good learner…"

"In due time my lord, we shall resume our lesson when she wakes." Oliver said, placing a comforting hand on the child's head before tussling his red locks.

[i]Lvneel | Waldon's Castle | Jotun Hold | Present Time

Dax wore a cold, hardened expression for the entirety of the ride, barely speaking a word, something that was quite of his character. Instead he sat and listened, and watched, taking in everything the pair had seen and heard along the way. When they arrived at the castle, a familiar scent filled the goldmongers nostrils. He could smell it, there was so much gold in one place it was almost enough to drive him mad. Without even realizing it he had begun snarling a vicious smile and was beginning to salivate similar to when a predator sees its prey. Then the jingle of coins snapped his attention back to the present, there he witnessed several, monster like humanoids acting as the wheels of a wagon. A slender man in a black suit sat atop the carriage and smirked down at the pair, focusing heavily on Castor. Though the man's presence mattered little to Dax, he was more concerned with the gold he had on board. Thinking to himself that every piece of gold that man owned would one day be his. Dax tuned to Castor as he uttered his warning, "We will see who is hunting whom~" He whistled before snapping the reigns of his horse, sending it into a trot down the cobblestone path towards the great purple castle.

Once the duo had entered the perimeter of the castle, they were met at the main gate several miles away by Sir Bizelle. From there, the mustachiod knight led them through the purple castle until they came upon the dark, dank room that was Lord Waldon's throne room. "Welcome!" The harsh raspy voice that belonged to Lord Waldon echoed, "Your exploits precede you, for such young knights you have accomplished so much." Lord Waldon stated, taking a bite out of a massive turkey leg, ripping the flesh from the bone. "It makes one wonder, how do two such talented knights go unnoticed for so long." He continued, chewing the meat as he spoke, spitting it all over himself. "IT makes one wonder, are you really as good as they say you are?" He questioned suspiciously.

"Nah.." Dax mumbled, "We are way fucking better." He finished with a cocky grin, showing off his golden fangs.

"Be that at as it may…" Lord Waldon responded hastily, glaring at the goldmonger, quickly developing a certain distaste for the lad. "I am not a trusting man by nature." he said, waving his youthful cup bearers to his sides, slugging down a glass of wine before using his sleeve to wipe off his fat face. "Something was stolen from, something very important and I want you two to get it back for me. An amulet rumored to have magical powers, it was taken from my men on the road by bandits. They are in the hills near Port Thor." Lord Waldon expressed, "Do this for me and I will reward you beyond your wildest dreams, what do you say?" He asked, posing his question towards Castor now, already deciding that Dax was not someone he wanted to speak too.

Wed Aug 21, 2019 7:30 am

Waldon's Mission

Upon arrival, the serfs took the duo's horses, leading them towards the stables, as one of the Castle's Lord's took on the role of their tour guide. The silence throughout the walkthrough allowed for Castor's electro-radio to tune into the most unsightly of conversations more clearly than usual, behind each castle door. It'd become a loud mesh of screams and demented catch phrases that seemed almost routine to the estate, morbid seemed to be normal, their own weird kind of peace. The hallways were long, as the trio's metallic boots rattled against the smooth paved floors, adjacent to the pathway on both sides were picture frames bearing the last heirs to the Waldon name.

Lost in the noises around him, Castor didn't hear the guides question on the first toss but the second time around when he'd try to engage in conversation the Knight would tune in.

"You should be honored... Not many Knights outside of our fold are offered the opportunity to carry our lordships will." the guide declared, puffing out his chest like that of a kestrel's core when breathing. Impartial to the man's words, with the most blank expression possible, which it would only be his mask that saved him from looking as disrespectful as the statement sounded, "Do all of his subject's kiss his ass like this? What is it? Fear? From the sounds of things in this castle, it's less of an honour and more of an obligation." Castor responded.

Taken aback by the man's words the servant paused on his response as the group had made it before the Lord's meeting quarters. As the doors reclined, the servant biting his bottom lip bowed, extending his hand in front of him to invite them into their lordship's den. Resting his wrist along his blade's - Summer Rain's - handle, the pair entered into the dreary throne room, which was decorated in purple satin drapes, gold and a plethora of severed animal heads.

Surrounding the lord's seating were several underage cup bearers, most may not even been older than thirteen in most cases. The smell of the Lord's vices came into focus as the duo drew closer, repugnant stench of stale wine and sweat. At his right and left were his henchmen, they introduced themselves and their lord. To the left was Claude Bizelle and Lionel Raddot, each Knight's armour bore the Waldon Family crest but unlike the knights who came as his banner men, their armour was of much higher quality and unique in their own way.

Before Castor could even give his salutations and set the pace in his favour, Waldon had already began his own soliloquy. Interrupted by Dax, Castor couldn't help but chuckle at the man's response to Waldon about their resume. Directing his efforts towards Castor now, he'd wait at least ten seconds after the Lord's request to speak.

"Any man who trusts out of nature cannot be of the living. A man such as yourself only believes in results I presume. Forgive my partners rudeness. He's had a foul mouth since youth. However, he's correct. Our time in this country has been long, just our accomplishments are few. In our small career, we have managed to garner the favour of the people... Even more so than those two ornaments at your side." Castor concluded bowing.

Sir Raddot had heard enough, dashing from his position the man had drawn his blade and secured it inches away from Castor's neck. Whistling, "Might I have struck a nerve?" Castor retorted from behind his mask. "Watch your tongue rookie. Our Lord might be impressed, but I'm not one to believe the murmurs. How about you withdraw that 'ornament' at your waist and let our duel decide whose truly useful here?" Raddot declared, his long blonde hair frazzled all over the place from his quick motion.

The elder knight chimed in, "Lionel. Enough. Same goes for you Sir Castor and Dax. I like the confidence. Forgive my associate as well. The mission has been laid out. Do you deny or accept?" Bizelle inquired. Dropping to one knee bowing, "We humbly accept. How far are the bandit's camp from Jotun?" Castor responded. "A day's travel. They've planted pitfall traps and barricades but their base is at the top of the mountain trail. Travelling there by horse will only get you so far." Bizelle stated.

Rising from his knelt position, "Give us three days. We'll have your prize Mi Lord." Castor said confidently.

Word Count: 743 | Tagged: @Goldmonger

Notes: Setting up the pace

Sat Aug 24, 2019 12:26 am

Lvneel | Waldon's Castle | Jotun Hold | Present Time

Dax listened to Castor's silver tongue and it irritated him so, as he used noxiously sweet honeyed words as all part of character in some stupid story. Growing more and more irked with every facetious bow, Dax became slowly lost in his thoughts as they drifted towards killing the little imp. But when Sir Raddot moved for Castor, with his sword hovering just inches from the imp's neck, Dax had silently positioned himself behind the young night, placing his left hand on the knights gold laced shoulder guard and his right on Lionel's buttocks. "Watch your ass~" He breathed softly into the blonde knights ear, his hot breathe causing the knight to flinch before the situation was defused by Sir Bizelle. The goldmonger moved out of the knights shadow and gave the man a glance that ran chills down Lionel's spine as he slowly drug his fingers across the knights body.

"Stay the fuck away from me freak or I will gut you like a fish!" Sir Raddot snapped away, clearly fed up with Dax's antics.

"Lionel." Bizelle snapped, giving a terrifying glance towards the younger knight. Causing him to cease actions and sheathe his blade, returning to lord Waldon's side. While the Nox Pirates exited the throne room and were shown to their horses. "Ready for a fuck'n adventure cap'n!?" Dax mused, cracking the reigns on his horse.

Lvneel | The Cathedral | Nilf Hold | Present Time

Clop clop clop clop, the sound echoed off the stone path, clop clop clop clop, it continued as the group of horses approached a large gothic style castle. The group of three were headed by a bulky elderly man with bushy red side burns and his left eye sewn shut with a large scar running down it. His armor was emerald green with golden accents and a long navy blue cloak flowed down his back; at his side was a medieval bastard sword inside an ornate scabbard. With him were two large knights, much younger in appearance, one was plump with short tight curly hair, while the other was tall and lean and his hair was long and bouncy, though both shared the same reddish tone as the man in front. The old man waved towards the man in the watchtower as they approached the gate, and with a nod, he signaled to let the drawbridge down. As the trio passed over the moat, the sounds of beasts swishing below could be heard as the waters sloshed about.

Entering into the city that was built around the great golden Cathedral the trio was greeted by a bustling ground of people, ones of all shapes, sizes, and races. People mingling with one another, with nothing but smiles about and those smiles quickly turned to welcome their lord and his sons back home from a trip to one of the other holds. Like the infection of a plague, their cheers spread from one too another until the entire market was in an uproar. "Lord Note! Welcome Home m'lords!" The chanted, each one reaching for them as the sea of humanity parted as they rode, akin to an act of god. They soon came upon the great golden doors of the Cathedral, standing well over fifteen meters tall, which began to slowly move as they approached. Inch by inch, the great golden doors slowly creaked open just enough to allow the three to pass before they were slowly dragged shut once more.

The inside of the Cathedral was nothing short of spectacular, it was like a garden of eden. Rainbow light shone down from the stained glass windows above onto the water garden below, manmade rivers and streams criss crossed the center of the main room, with all sorts of flora overrunning most of the free space. "Ahhhh" Lord Dame groaned, "Me fuckin back is killin me.." He grunted, sliding off the saddle of his horse and onto the ground. He hunched over and rubbed his back, leaning on the large Clydesdale for support.

"Yer getting to old fer this da." Paris the Slender chuckled, handing the reigns of his stallion to the one of the attendants in the welcoming party before turning help his much short, more rotund brother off of his buffalo, as he was too heavy for a horse to support.

"Its time to stop being such a stubbern ole goat, da, let one of us take over, ya?" Sully the Round pestered after his feet were firmly back on the ground.

"Bahhhhhh!" The Old Goat retorted, living up to his moniker, "I'll retire when I'm good and ready!" He Snapped back, "Now let's go drink, ya fooks!" He boomed, placing both of his sons in headlocks under each arm with a booming laugh before strutting off deeper into the stronghold until they came upon a door at the end of a long, shadowy corridor. Lord Dame reached for the door and opened out, inside was a booming tavern, bustling with life. Men and women of all ages, drinking and partying to their hearts content, all bearing the golden buffalo of Nilf emblazoned on their armors. "Drink boys!" He exclaimed happily, " Tonight we celebrate!" He boomed, throwing his hands up as he joined the fray of drunken wretches in their debauchery. The brothers, Slender and Round, quickly followed, each of them grabbing a mug in each hand.

They partied until the early hours of the morning, until a simple word set off a family powder keg that had been slowly building. "When you become lord of Nilf, will you buy me anything I want? " A beautiful maiden questioned towards Paris, the strapping young lad was known as much for his charm as his skill with a bow.

"When I'm lord, we can do anything we want." He mused back, quickly drawing the ire of his brother Sully as they are twins, having been born of a c section, both were removed from their dying mother at the same time. Making both eligible successors to the lordship.

"The fuck Paris." Sully shouted, slamming his mug onto the table, causing the liquid to splash onto his brother and the haindmaiden. The girl shot up and screamed the red wine having stained the crotch of her beautiful white dress. In response, Paris slugged his brother on the chin, causing him to stumble back.

"You fook!" Paris yelled, "Da! I challenged Sully for the right to be your heir, here and now!" He demanded, staring intently at his father, who had sat patiently at the head of the table, feasting and drinking the night way until this point. He sat sternly without motion and just gave his son a one eyed squint and then returned to his business. "Squire! My bow!" The Slender demanded as his attention returned to his brother, outstretching his right hand, awaiting his bow and quiver.

Recognizing this, the Round regained his composure and shouted, "My hammer!" spit raining out of his mouth in anger, his face as red as his hair. In seconds, both combatants had their weapons in hand, the innocents in the tavern slowly crept to the corners of the room, cowering in fear of the bloodlust the radiated from the twins. Paris knocked his arrow and took aim, while Sully gripped his hammer and gritted his teeth, until suddenly Lord Note R. Dame opened his one eye in a fit of rage and unleashed a wave of pressure unlike the pair had ever seen, forcing them to their knees.

With the twins out of the picture those still in the tavern slowly began to creep out of their hiding, still worried of some sort of danger. That is, until Lord Note shouted, "Drink up ya fooks!" Before slugging back a beer and taking a large bite from the roasted pigs ass.

Sat Aug 24, 2019 7:33 am

Waldon's Mission

Everything about this situation was beginning to smell as putrid as whiffs of Lord Waldon's scent. A magic amulet? Castor didn't believe that for one moment. If the Knights in his care were so revered, why not send them instead to retrieve such a rare item? Questions streamed through the Captain's mind endlessly, conclusion, he needed a pair of disposable hands.

"Always."Castor replied to Dax's enthusiastic proclamation.

Completing the negotiations, Castor retreated into his thoughts, leaving any further social cues to the cook. Retracing their steps towards the entrance of the Castle, once outside, the duo was returned their horses. Mounting the stallions, Castor would wait until they'd properly exited the manor to inform Dax of his hypothesis.

As the sunset in Jotun, the scenery of the mountains off in the distance, firmly reassured how beautiful the Kingdom of Lvneel was. "They're definitely using us. I'm not sure for what exactly yet, but it doesn't matter to me. If we leave town now, we might be able to setup camp at the base of the mountain before it gets too late. Let's get some supplies from town and head out."Castor said.

As night time arrived, the streets of Jotun lit up like a swarm of fireflies in the darkness. Cast iron lanterns came lit, as the vendors tried to hustle the last of their catches for the day.Each man was left to their strengths Dax to the ingredients and booze, Castor himself sought out any available maps of the mountain range, and any possible guides they could consult.

After thirty minutes of asking around and being given the cold shoulder, a spritely man dressed in a wolf fur coat began to tail Castor. Noticing the footsteps pitter patter to his rear, Castor slipped into a nearby alley to address his admirer, to whom the man responded by automatically dashing forward. Extending his knife to Castor's throat, and wrapping his arm around the man's neck in a head lock, inches away from his jugular, the interrogation process began.

"Why are you asking around about the Jotun Mountains? What is your purpose their knight?"the assailant inquired."Eliminate a pack of bandits."Castor retorted bluntly."Tch. Another party. That's the third one this month."the man murmured to himself, attempting to slice Castor's throat in one motion, however, the knife was met with an electric surge strong enough to disarm the lad.

The assailant jumped back in astonishment, Castor hopped inward to chase, sparking electricity around his arm, before shooting the man a malicious smile through the gaps in his mask. Resting his palm on the strangers abdominal area, "Let's talk for a bit."Castor said grinning menacingly.

Hours later, reuniting with Dax, respective supplies acquired, the familiar scent of electrocuted flesh lingered on Nox.

"I got us some useful information. Let's grab something to drink first. You're going to want to hear this."Castor announced. Hustling into a nearby pub in downtown Jotun, the duo shutdown operations for the night. Locking the door behind them, Castor shot off two fingers towards the bartender and the owner's dome, the force similar to that of a pistol. The only two patrons bodies hit floor like a sack of cement. Rushing over to the bar's counter, Castor spread opened the map he'd procured from the assailant.

"This whole area is monitored by these Bandits. They call themselves The Mountain Wolves of Jotun.Everyone in the market refused to sell me a map of the mountain range. I found that extremely odd. Each time it was like they'd seen a ghost when I asked and eventually one of their men approached. That didn't end very well in his favour, though."Castor explained, scanning the map.

A sickening scream pitched the streets of the market district, the Knights on duty came hustling, the latter of them drunk from their daily offerings of gratitude from the locals. With the fresh scent of rice wine on their breaths, each man sobered up at the horrendous scene before them. Hanging from the alleyway's wall, with a sword thrusted through his forehead, the Wolf Fur wearing John Doe was pinned up like a painting in an art gallery. A message smeared in blood read, 'The Nox Pirates want Waldon.'

One night, in particular, couldn't handle the scent of stir fried Bandit, splattering his evening dinner onto the concrete. "Call Sir Bizelle. He might want to see this..."one of the Knights on duty commanded.

Word Count: 743 | Tagged: @Goldmonger

Notes: Setting up the pace

Sun Aug 25, 2019 9:52 pm

Dax's clydesdale trotted down the path, trailing Castor's by several feet as the pair rode back into town. His chin rested in his fist as he leaned over lazily in the saddle as he listened to the captain yammer on. During the mini speech he was giving, Dax yawned and picked dirt out of his ear with his left pinky, examining it before flicking it off into the wilderness. "God you love fuckin talk don'cha?" Dax mumbled sarcastically as Castor finished speaking, not realizing the irony in the statement. "Of course he's fuckin usin us, aint nothing bout that fat fuck that’s honest." He snarled back, sitting up straight as they entered into the bustling city bazaar.

As the dup split up, Dax hitched his golden clad mount to a post and entered into a local general store. A ding chimed as he stepped through the door, greeted by the smile of the man at the counter. Though, the store owner's kind smile turned weary once he got a good look at the young man. With a snarled smile of his own, the goldmonger turned to the glass windows and slowly went one by one, pulling down the blinds. "C-…Can I help you sir…" He stuttered in fear as the golden boy moved back to the door and turned the open sign around before turning his vicious gaze towards the clerk, with his tongue slowly protruding out until it was fully extended out of his gold fanged smile. "H-..h…e..l.p.." Too scared to yell, the clerk barely spat out the letters before Dax was upon him like the beast he was, his golden fangs tearing into the soft flesh of the man before yanking back his head and ripping out the jugular. The corpse hit the floor with a thud as Dax broke open the cash register, stuffing the beli into his pockets.

"I can smell it…." Dax mumbled as he tore apart the back of the counter, tossing the items frantically as he continued to move around the room looking for something. "I fuckin know its hear… I can smell it…" He mumbled again before stopping. "There…" He said, the lightbulb going off in his head before rushing into the back room noticing a safe on the floor. Rushing over, his bloodied hands began pawing at it, desperately trying to find a way in before a thin line of liquid gold rushed into the small cracks in the shell. In seconds, the gold found the locking mechanism before expanding and forcing the lock open. As the door creaked open, Dax's hands thrusted themselves inside, pulled out a small black ring box, inside of which was a solid gold ring, which he promptly pressed underneath of his nose and huffed erotically on it. "My precioussssss…" He whispered softly to the ring before the liquid melted onto his body, running up his figure and establishing itself as a new piercing in his ear. Rising to his feet, Dax moved back to the front of the room and began collecting supplies, booze and smokes, food, and protection, just the essentials. As he left Dax used his gold to create a snarling lion mouth mask for the lower half of his face to cover the blood stains on his mouth and neck.

Hours later, Dax reunited with his captain, the smell of burnt flesh fresh on his clothing. "Hope you didn't have too much fun without me you little fuck." He chuckled, following the imp into the pub. As Castor rushed to the bar, Dax swaggered over to a table with bottle on it, still half full of whiskey. He plopped down into the wooded chair and leaned back, kicking his feet up on top of the table and slugging back the drink. "So we got a..*buuuurp*.. A fuckin map, what's the big deal,." He paused to take another swig, "We go in, we kill the fucks for the fat fuck, then we give him the magic fuckin amulet, then I take all his fuckin gold, it aint fuckin hard." He snarled in response, growing more annoying at Castor's every word. He was about to speak again, specifically insult the captain and his height, when he was interrupted by a shrill scream. Which brought a slight smile to the imps face, indicating a sort of pleasure in the scream.

Dax had finished the bottle quickly and liquor had caught back up, he stumbled to his feet and clad hist fist in gold before slamming it into the middle of the map, garnering Castor's attention. Dax looked and smiled a drunken smile, before falling backward like a ton of bricks, knocking up dust as he hit the floorboards. Any talk from Castor at this point would only be met with loud, drunken snoring.

Mon Aug 26, 2019 1:46 am

Waldon's Mission

Passing out due to frivolously indulging in his regular vices, Castor ignored the cook, continuing to scan the map. After a few moments of examination, Castor noticed that they was two public routes to and fro along the mountain's range. The Bandit's map contained custom markings, a color coded symbol system that seemingly pointed to rendezvous points, hideouts specifically for when being chased by local knights. Routes that had horse access, and others that we're riddled in traps, which were marked by an 'X'. Safe routes marked with an 'O' and more unique ones using animals or insignias.

The basic X and O code was all Castor was able to decipher at first glance but without someone who knew the system, it'd be pretty much pointless reading much into it. Abandoning the riddle, the Navigator took the map at face value only, focusing only on the 'X' ridden paths that were the quickest routes inward to scaling the mountains. Picking Dax off the ground, the masked Knight tossed the drunk over his shoulders and exited the bar. It'd look like Dax was levitating for any onlooker, as the difference in height between the two was astronomical. Attaching all the supplies to Dax's horse, the Captain was using this experience as his punishment game for ignoring his explanations.

Slumping the man over his horses saddle, Castor released a slight electrical charge to wake up the drunken brute. Mounting his own stallion, the stale drunk cook would surely still be plastered, but time was of the essence. Castor wouldn't even say anything, galloping North towards the Capital of Jotun's boarders. Exiting the city, he'd continue back towards their base of operations momentarily, before diverting their efforts East. They'd continue until around midnight, which was four hours travel from the providence's trade city.

Thick redwoods piled together neatly like cane crops, cut off all visibility from the outside looking in to nothing more than a pipe dream. From their position on the path, towering blocks of stone, intricately cut out in nature's design created the obstacle of hiking as an option. Diverting off the route to set up camp by a nearby riverbed, the moon light's hue glossed over, giving the area an ethereal feel. Smaller tributaries from the mountain, merged into one central stream providing a natural filter towards the water's safety for consumption.

Starting a bonfire, hunting for fish with his spear and building makeshift beds from twigs, all tasks that he'd learn for survival on Swallow Island. Castor knew Dax would be fuming that he'd woke him up prematurely from his slumber, to then ride for the next three hours but he knew that'd get his juices flowing, actions seem to work better than words with him, a lesson Castor has been learning from their previous interactions to date.

Wrapping the fish in leaves, Castor would hand them over to the cook. Seated around the bonfire, Castor dug through his travelling bag, removing a small gourd of Rice Wine and two Sake cups. Checking the map once more before drinking, Castor used his compass to trace their progress along the stolen article. Ripping off the gourd's seal, the wine as transparent as moonshine, glistened also under the Moon's bewitching light.

"Are you going to drink with me or was that little session in town your quota for the day?" Castor announced, tossing the Sake Cup towards Dax's face. As the lull of the night settled in, a pack of ravenous wolves lurked in waiting. The smell from the roast, awoke their appetites for a late night snack. Sensing their prescience, Castor used his Haoshoku Haki to humble the lot. One by one, like city lights in public housing, the beady red eyes that gawked in the distance, retreated towards their pack. Disappearing like said lights that dwindle within each household as the time for slumber crept.

Word Count: 917 | Tagged: @Goldmonger

Notes: Setting up the pace

Fri Aug 30, 2019 3:42 pm

Lvneel | Montblanc Manor | Capital City Asgar | 4 Days from the Gathering

Nestled in the center of the five holds and rolling green hills, is the walled city known as Asgar. Its pink stone and onion towers representative of the Montblanc's ancient architectural influence on the area. Though the largest towers belonged to the Montblanc family themselves, with the spires stretching into the clouds. The capital city is completely sealed off from the other holds, with only the wealthy and wanted living within its walls, with its workers being escorted in and out for their daily shifts. These workers allow Asgar to be completely self-sufficient from the five shields that surround them and for their work they are rewarded with a life protected and provided for by the crown. Or so the Montblanc's are told anyway. In reality, the workers are forcibly herded in and out of a secret cave system that exists underneath of capital city. Where over the generations they have built a shanty town spanning the caverns so vastly, that it rivals Asgar itself. Here they have built an entire sub culture of Lvneel, developing their own religion and rituals. While there is no official name for this sub terranean slave ward, the nobles who know of its existence mockingly refer to it as Garbagetown, on account of that’s where all of Asgar's trash ends up.

The reason for this violation of human rights is the man known as Robert(Ro-bear) Montblanc III, the latest in a long line of kings that can trace its lineage back centuries, who i nothing more than a puppet to his court and vassal lords. Orphaned at an early age by a plague that swept across the country, claiming the lives of the vast majority of Lvneel's people. Thrusting the young boy into the role of king, as his father and uncles all perished from the sickness. Luckily, the then prince had survived along with several of the vassal lords, namely a Malice Stein who took the young boy under his wing, much to Lord Dame's disapproval. Lord Stein provided for the boy and left him not for want, setting up a hand picked court to lead him the right direction and groom him to be a just leader. However, in doing so the prince grew up to be a naïve king, having had little to no interaction with the common people throughout life, having only left Asgar once when he first became king to tour the holds. Though on the surface, Lvneel has no such injustice or terrible king, the people love King Robert and praise his name. He is sung about with love and admiration as all those blessed to call Asgar home love the life he allows them to lead with his naivety and ignorance. With Asgar being walled off from the other holds, the information the king is provided about them is very little as his court controls every word that is spoken to him. Leaving the young king subject to whatever truth they spin him.

"Sire!" A deep voice echoed thoughout the pink castle walls, "Sire it is time for your lesson!" It boomed out once more, the heavy footsteps associated with it growing louder and louder as they clanked on the stone floors. "Sire! I It's time for your lesson!!" The door swung open with such force that it splintered as it bounced off the stone wall as a large dark skinned man with long blonde dreadlocks and a blue kimono decorated in pink skulls squeezed through the door, his large frame and equally large belly making it hard to fit through the small door. The man was almost as wide as he was tall and had a proportionate black katana strapped to his side, with his eyes hidden behind circular black glasses that revealed only a reflection and a blonde goatee stubbled on his chin. Inside the room with him was a slender blonde man, with features that would lean more towards beautiful than handsome. He was dressed in fine white silk shirt and black slacks, with a golden crown offset upon his head. The young man was barely over twenty and had not yet sprouted a hair on his body and his muscles were lean and hidden.

"I don't want to train today, Lord Yasuke." King Robert sighed, resting his head in his fist as he leaned out over the balcony. "I'm depressed."

"All the more reason to train, my king! Bwhahahahahahahahahaha!" He boomed out laughing, placing his large hand upon the boys dainty shoulder and gripping tightly, pulling the boy across the room with little effort. "Lord Stein brought me here from Wano to teach you swordplay and that is what I intend to do!" He shouted with glee as the samurai forced himself through the door once more, with King Robert in tow. "We have four days before you address the vassal lords for the first time since you were ten! We gotta make a man outta you by then! Bwhahahahaha!!"

Lvneel | Mountain Road | Jotun Hold | 4 Days Before Gathering

With a shock, Dax twitched awake as the overpacked clydesdale struggled to trot down the path. The goldmonger was slumped over his saddle with his head leaned over the side, "Fu..*hic*..you imp.." He mumbled, clearly sick from the amount of alcohol he consumed. "Yer lucky I do-.." He started before interrupting himself by throwing up along the trail and down the side of his horse. "Ughhhhh." He groaned, "Forget it…". For the next few hours, Dax suffered miserably as he clung to the saddle for dear life, praying to every god he heard of to fix this, promising them all to never drink again if they do. Until finally around midnight the duo stopped and made camp, while Castor setup and disappeared into the woods to find fish, Dax slept off the alcohol enough to function at a reasonable level.

When the short fuck returned, Dax snarled at him with a piercing gaze, clearly unhappy about the unpleasant start to the journey. Without a word, he took the leaf wrapped fish and placed them onto a golden table he had forged, slicing and dicing the fish into individual filets, separating them from the bone with the precision of a surgeon. Next he took a golden pan and placed it over the fire, pouring oil and seasoning into before swirling it around gently, coating the entire pan. The cook moved to his saddlebags and pulled out several lemons and a clove of garlic, and a large soft cube wrapped in paper out of another. On the table, Dax used his knife to chop the lemons into slices and carved off a chunk off butter and placed it into a golden pot with the crushed up cloves and squeezed lemon juice. He moved the pot to the stove and placed the oil coated filets into the now hot oil, searing the skin on the backside with a sizzle as they sunk into the liquid.

As they waited for the food to cook, Castor took his seat by the fire and pulled out a jug from his saddlebags and offered a cup to the goldmonger. With a glance, he swatted away the tiny sake cup before holding out his hand and running liquid gold down his arm and into his palm, forging a golden goblet that he held out towards the imp. Once filled, Dax would slug back the chalice before sighing, "Blehh!" his face cringed after the gulp, "Of course you would drink fuckin Wano rice wine." He snapped wiping off the liquid from his mouth before returning to the fish, "What you need is a drink that'll put some fuckin hair on your bird chest! Bwhahaha" He laughed mockingly. After a few minutes, he pulled off the filets and plated them with gold, coating them with the garlic butter before placing them on the golden table he had forged. "Foods up ya little fuck." Dax barked, raising the height of the table so it was even with the imp's chin, "Dig in." He smirked before forging a chair that would allow him to sit at a comfortable eating position and taking his seat.

Fri Aug 30, 2019 7:44 pm

Waldon's Mission

Boss NPC's:

Jotun Mountain Peak | White Lotus Keep | Four Days Before Gathering

After climbing the strenuous circuit which takes you to this mountain's peak, a lotus covered bay awaits. A story loss due to burnt history books and corrupt nobles is recited from the lips of a youth feverishly set the campfire's tone. His own namesake scorned by the new power in Jotun that be. Hatred hid in the child's words, as the story of Jotun's first family being usurped spread among the campfires.

"This land is our people's land. These fields and hills... Those beautiful city walls... All belong to us, the Fiore. Our proud culture as prize fighters reduced to nothing more than outdoor survival skills!"the teenager spat in disgust.

The children of the settlement listened as the energized youth delivered his own kind of sermon, stripped of any religious pretense.

"Bandits?! Criminals?! Us?! Is the man who kills his own brother, the murderer or the hero?!"the child barked frantically."However... Our time in the shadows will soon be over... Brother Bobbin and Sir Balt shall lead us down the path of reclaiming what is ours!"the child concluded, preaching his convictions to the other youth in the camp. However, the elders were tired of this dialogue and shied away from the ideal. Their time as members of the veil had long passed, and anyone who remembered their name or history was either paid enough to forget it or buried six feet below.

"That's enough of you, Hawkins."a muscular male, dressed in several layers of fur coats announced. Tribal paintings on his face which was riddled with piercings, added a dangerous look to his appearance, despite his habit of constantly having a smile plastered on his face. At his waist several flutes and horns hung, as his baby pups now sniffed around the campfire, hopping into the laps of the children who attentively listened.

"I'll tell the story. Once upon a time, Jotun was a mighty agricultural producer for Lvneel. Though our families carried the blood of nobles, our hearts belonged to these fields and hills. Growing... Harvesting... Thriving... Our late Lord... was a kind man but he trusted the wrong people. The main conspirator was this lands current Lord, Waldon. He too was young at the time. And with all young Knights...

The desire to be more powerful ate away at his dreams until they became nightmares. To quell his fears... As any coward would... He silenced our late Lord... Permanently. Aligned himself with the aliens who began to invade our island. Us, the children of the flower and crops, the Fiore were uprooted. Murdered. Mutilated. Emasculated. Genocide was imminent.

However, my father and Sir Balthazar's own saw the impending doom and retreated to this keep. Knowing that mere Capital swine couldn't navigate these lands."Bobbins concluded."Here we are... almost 20 years later. Soon. Now that we have reclaimed our birthright, we will take the Jotun District and march to Asgar, demanding our liberties once again."Bobbins added.

As the cubs played affectionately with the mesmerized youth, the call of his wolves returning in the distance caught his immediate attention. "Hawkins. Watch after my young. I'll return shortly."Bobbin stated in an urgent matter dashing from his position overlooking the campfire into the forests wildlife. Upon his arrival, the pack of twenty whimpered, with Balthazar being the first to greet them.

"You're getting pretty friendly with my wolves, leader." Bobbins declared in a playful manner. Rubbing the wolves coats with nurturing hands, the usual wild and rowdy pack huddled around the male as if he was their true leader. "Oh. Don't be jealous Bobbins. I'm just comforting them. I sensed how disturbed they sounded and my body just moved."Balthazar stated grinning."If the world truly knew how gentle your heart was... No one would even dare to think your known as the Poisonous Fang, the Bandit Leader Balthazar."Bobbins declared.

"And you? The Beast Hoarder, Bobbins. One of the most wanted men in Jotun! You're much more kinder than I. I know you cut your own rations to make sure these wolves eat."Balthazar exclaimed merrily. Beginning to interact with the wolves, Bobbins deflected from his friends comments to address his pack. With one whistle, the pack garnered his undivided attention, as they shifted their focus from Balthazar to Bobbins. Communicating with the creatures in a way only he could, a frantic look appeared on Bobbins face.

"Two travellers. They're wearing gold armour that bares the capital's seal. About a days travel from here by foot. If they have horses, maybe even less."Bobbins reported."That Devil Fruit ability of yours always intrigues me. Whether in the sky or by land, we'll always have eyes everywhere. Anyway, I digress. How dangerous are they?"Balthazar inquired."Very. I've never seen my wolves this shook up and uninjured... However they are... repelled them by will alone it seems."Bobbins retorted.

"Fine. Tell the men to man their positions in the treehouses. Don't kill them. We'll capture them alive and interrogate them. Let the lookouts know to poison them if necessary."Balthazar commanded, his entire calming aura shifting to a much more intimidating one.

Lvneel | Waldon's Castle | Jotun Hold | Present Time

In the Knight's Quarters, Bizelle and Raddot sat around a smooth hardwood table, sliding a bottle of Sake back and forth between themselves, in almost, a competitive effort. The rules of the game were simple, don't break the bottle and don't spill a drop, any drop spilt was an additional shot. Wasted, as the pair were off duty this weekend and sipping since noon, they discussed the details of Bastion and Dax's mission.

"AH! I just don't get it old man. Our Lord must know using strangers to end this... It's too risky. He's always like that!" Raddot exclaimed.

"Keep your voice down lest you want us both to be hung for treason, boy." Bizelle commented, emptying his cup and sliding the bottle towards Raddot. "I get your frustrations but if the King finds out we're hunting the remanents of the Fiore... It'll look bad on our end. Through propaganda painting them, as liars and criminals was easy. Especially using Stein's connections to get them government issued bounties. It was all going our way... Until they stole that amulet. It's the only proof left our infraction... and should have been eliminated decades ago." Bizelle declared.

As Raddot gulped down the wine in frustration, Bizelle continued to ramble.

"Magic amulet. Yeah, it's magic alright. Its back contains symbols that can only be read by their kind, according to our investigations. The directions to enough money and weapons to fund a small army. The Fiore's Family Grove - The ancient treasure spot known as Wolf's Bane. If they get their hands on that... All the gold in the Black Market can't save us." Bizelle concluded.

Passing out drunk, murmuring nothings of women and fights, Raddot's snoring filled the quiet chamber. The bottle falling to the floor, the elder Knight got up from his seat and walked towards a window that overlooked Jotun. "Soon. I'll be able to sleep at night Fenrir. Your son's actions have ruined my peace of mind for too long. After all... He is the rightful heir to the Jotun Hold. However, history lies in the hands of the strong. Our Lord's connections make him the strongest and as such, the author of our little novel. First Jotun. Soon. Lvneel. Impress me, rookies. Bring me their heads, and I'll personally make sure a day never goes by that your cocks never go dry. Your pockets never empty. Your mouths never thirsty and your bellies never hungry." Bizelle declared grinning.

As good for nothing as the cook was, when it came to his skills in sculpting flavors, his food was definitely a cut above the lot. Castor had trained himself to suppress his hunger many times in the wild, but he was growing accustomed to the dread head's meals. Before he even got to stick his makeshift fork into the fillet, the aroma alone caused his mouth to salivate. Standard at this point when it comes to Dax's meals, they'd win him everytime and this round was a clear knockout as well.

Using his Devil Fruit's power to hover aimlessly, the height of the table mattered not. The fight between Castor's fork and his fillet had ended with the Three Eye Captain's victory, and his stomach reaped the spoils of war. Castor opted not to inform Dax of the upcoming perils that awaited on the mountain, he'd just brush off the lecture.Communicating with the pirate was reduced to simple compact statements for now, any other way, Castor might accidently kill him in annoyance.

"Get some rest. You'll need your energy tomorrow for certain." Castor announced before drifting away towards his tent, picking the remnants of the fillet from his teeth with the fish bone scraps. As the moon acted as everyone on the mountain's nightlight, the imp stared at its magnificence, gazing intentively until the calming aura drifted him towards slumber. Being awake was much kinder on Castor's psyche, as dreams of previous conversations with Jules haunt him like scheduled late night programming, every show all too familiar.

COMBAT TRACKERS:

Word Count: 1515 | Tagged: @Goldmonger

Notes: Business Picking Up

Wed Sep 04, 2019 12:45 am

Lvneel | Mountain Road | Jotun Hold | 3 Days Remaining

For once, Dax followed his captains orders and drifted off to dreamland by gently swaying in a gold spun hammock connected to some surrounding trees. His naked mocha body glistening in the patches of moonlight and the sparkling embers of the fire, with the sound of cicadas and the crackling blaze singing him to sleep. As the hours passed and the dimly lit night sky came and went, Dax was soon greeted by the crisp morning air on his bare body. He dragged himself up and out, coming to a fully erect position in which he let out a great yawn, tightening every muscle in his chiseled body as he stretched out his entire six foot plus frame. Composing himself, the cook raised out both hands in front with his palms to the ground. Gold dust began to gather and form into a small stove with a pan on top. Dax retrieved several logs and embers from the still lit fire and placed them under the pan, after which he strolled over to his horse and dug into the saddlebag pulling out several speckled eggs from the pouches. With one swift motion over the pan, the dreadhead perfectly cracked them into the pan without a single piece of shell falling into the yolk. Sizzling as they hit the pan, immediately beginning to change color from the heat as he seasoned them. Next, he used his powers once more to force plates and goldenware for himself and Castor before plating the eggs after they finished cooking. "Best to eat light." Dax said handing the golden plate towards castor and like all the food he cooked it had trace amounts of gold mixed into it.

As he ate, Dax glared at Castor. "So ya fuck." He mumbled with a full mouth, pointing the golden fork towards the imp, "Whats the fuckin plan smart guy?" Dax snickered sarcastically.

Lvneel | The Cathedral | Nilf Hold | 3 Days Remaining

The golden streets of Nilf glistened in the sunlight, with only the Cathedrals shadow dimming the midday glow. Riding upon the golden brick road was a royal party, with Lord Dame and his sons leading at the head, "Hurry now!" He hollered back to the pack, "Three days! That’s how long it take to get to Agar ya fooks!" Lord Dame bellowed out, his infectious laughter shared amongst his men. He was known as much for his martial skill as he was for his kind personality, he had the love of his people and his men, more so than any other lord and even the king himself. Note R. Dame inspired all those around him to be better than themselves, to fight harder and love longer, there was no one on Lvneel who could match the lords popularity amongst the people. His party consisted of forty armed men and several women including his wife, as well as carriage drivers and his personal house member Sir Barney Bearington the Terror. He was a massive man, standing well over eight feet tall and carried a massive battleaxe that a normal could not hope to wield. Sir Bearington squired for the vassal lord as a boy and even earned his knighthood by age fourteen, being as large and strong an adult as a teen. Barney earned his nickname in his early twenties in a territory skirmish with Muspell when he cleaved through several of Lord Steins 'Shadows' in a single swing, causing the brunt of human forces to retreat from the battle temporarily, allowing for the Nilf forces to regroup and push back the invaders. Though, the knight is a man of very, very few words as he was born without the ability to form words, communicating best with his axe and simple expressions. There was no one more loyal to Lord dame, not his sons, not his house members, and definitely not his wife.

"The heat is unbearable this time of year." a woman could be heard groaning from the inside of an ornate wagon. Inside sat Maribell Sue Dame, a finely dressed woman with tight curled blonde hair and wrinkled skin as pale as snow. "It does absolutely nothing for my hair!" She said, her curls bouncing in the air put off by the fan a young gilr was vigoroursly waving in her face. "More Annibell! Mommy is dying!" She moaned miserably, acting out her words with quite the theatrics.

"Y…yes mother..!" A small red headed girl responded meekly before desperately waving the fan with all her might. Her hair was as red as fire and pulled back into a braid that touched the floor. Her face was freckled and cute, with snow white skin like her mothers. She wore emerald silks with golden accents, with a beautiful gold and emerald necklace around her neck. A family heirloom passed down through the Dame family for generations.

"Ughhh.. Annibell!" She groaned again, only louder this time, "Mommy can't take this heat!"

Outside of the carriage, the guards could hear the complaints of their lords wife and it was not something they weren't accustomed too. An arranged marriage that has lasted far longer than it ever should have, unfortunately honor meant more to Lord Note than anything, even love. Maribell Sue was originally Maribell Sue Waldon, the sister of the prickly Lord Waldon. It was a match between the daughter of the richest lord in Lvneel and the greatest warrior, it was a match made in heaven for the two families as they whored out their children to secure alliances and riches. However for the betrothed, it was a different story. As a youth, Lord Note earned his first recognition in a war campaign after he slayed a revolting lord and the seven knights protecting him by himself. His legend further grew after he set sail with the previous king during a Reverie and defeated an attacking pirate ship and out maneuvered their pursuit of revenge in the open ocean. However, he met a beautiful young women while at sea, she was a pirate they had taken prisoner and for those few months at sea, Note was blissfully happy for the first and only time in his life. When he returned, his pirate lover stayed at sea and he was greeted with the proposal, one in which he did not have a choice in the matter and out of honor, he fulfilled his duty. Maribell Sue on the other hand, she was ecstatic, she was at best an average looking girl and at her worst she was less than pleasant to look at. But she was rich, richer than any other heiress in the country and far richer than any beautiful pirate wench who would dare be competition. However, this excitement soon faded, as she quickly realized Note would never love her like she wanted him too, instead he would do his duty. After the birth of Annibell, Note no longer bedded the homely woman, growing far worse with age. As a result, the hag blamed the beautiful young girl and made her life miserable, having the poor girl wait on her hand and foot when Note is not around, which is quite often. The vassal lord finding any reason to avoid coming across his wife, for fear of her never ending list of complaints.

"Ay Da!" Paris shouted, "Ya think Anni will be okay with mum?" He asked concerened, with Sully echoing his statement almost immediately. Though the twins agreed on very little, both of them cared deeply for their little sister.

"Bahhhh!" The old Goat retorted, "She gotta toughen up, we aint always gonna be round to save her."

"Whaddya mean da?" Sully asked, clearly confued to his father's statement.

"No one lives ferever boys.." Note muttered ominously.

Wed Sep 04, 2019 10:06 am

Waldon's Mission

Dream Sequence | Four Years Ago | Minion Island

Maybe it was because of the fresh mountain air that his usual nightmare was interrupted, but of all his memories, why this one? Delighted for a slight relief from his nightly trauma, the words of Newport captivated his psyche.

Panting, trailing behind in attempts to keep pace, Castor, age twenty, not yet at the peak of his physical prowess, followed his mentor Newport on an excursion towards Minion Island's Mountain top. The duo climbed the steep mountain's trail, which required them to slash through various vines and shrubs to maintain a steady ascent. After six hours of travel, the pair completed the trail, Castor dropping onto his knees in exhaustion.

Taking in the scenery, Newport took a deep breath, screaming from the top of lungs until no more existed from his deflating lungs. Still gasping for air, covered in sweat, Castor contemplated what possessed Victor to climb this mountain in the middle of summer when the heat was at its peak.

"Why do you desire power brat?" Newport inquired, the question random in nature.

"T-To crush those who stand in the path of my goal." Castor responded, gaps in between his words, fighting to regain his regular breathing sequence.

"That's a shitty reason. What's your goal then?"Newport inquired, digging through his cozy jacket that was draped over his shoulder, in search of his pipe. "Every year... You ask me the same sequence of questions. Every year... During this time... We climb this mountain. At first, I thought it was just conditioning... What's your angle? You know my plan. I'll train here until I can master this islands geography and these supernatural abilities of mine. Then, I'll return to Lvneel. To kill the King." Castor declared, the final moments of his sentence almost so routine, it was almost as if those words were that of a script, and he was auditioning for the leading role.

"I used to tell my crew all the time. If your going to fight... Fight for three things. Love, Liquor or Money. Anything else is worthless if it isn't tangible... People who fight for honour or revenge... on both sides of the spectrum. Only one conclusion remains." Newport stated.

"And that is?"Castor inquired, listening to the possible drunken ramblings of the male.

"A boring ass life." Newport declared puffing on his pipe. "You kill this King... Then what? Does it bring back that bitch your so obsessed with?"Newport inquired, slightly irritated.

Disbursing electricity charged by volatile emotions, Castor lunged at Newport, attempting to sink his fist into the man's abdomen. However, by blackening his hand in Haki, the former pirate captain swatted Castor in his face, thrusting him into the wet dirt.

"Royalty works like clockwork. When one figurehead dies, they'll just replace him with another. After your revenge then what?! A man who dreams only of revenge is practically dead. I've met tons of people on these seas... Driven towards all kinds of goals. If you have no dream... Then let me give you one. The New World. Become a pirate... I'll raise you as my protégé. As a man who too was once fueled by anger... Living my life only for revenge. I'll show you a life outside of that mental prison of yours." Newport barked.

Stuck in an almost never ending loop, time after time, Castor frustrated of his own weakness rushed towards Newport, only to be destroyed repeatedly. The man's words cut deep, all solidified by the tortured expression on his face. The young adult never forgot this day; it was as if he had a glimpse at the end result of the journey he was about to venture on. The cogs began to turn, and quietly, Castor slowly rebuilt his vision of what was to come next.

Asgar | Uptown | Capital - Long-horn Pub

Seating himself by the bar's counter, Newport, covering his face with a scarf proceeded to order a series of scotch shots. Looking at the cover of the book, he'd acquired for Castor, Newport would murmur the book's title to himself, sparking the barkeep's interest as he delivered his drink order.

"The Tale of Count Montblanc."

"Ah. That's an excellent novel. The rumours on ilse say they are only two of them in the island. Sayings are true, never judge a book by its cover! Coming in, I woulda never pegged ya as a book worm."the barkeep announced, laying down Newport's drinks as ordered.

"Ah. Sure. A friend of mine recommended it to me. What's it about anyway?" Newport inquired, downing the first shot, leaving the peony shot glass emptied.

"It's a glorified history book. It follows the story of the current King's father. How he came to power, the forming of the Vassal Lord's and the acquiring of the Viking Folk. Sensationalized a bit but most of the details are accurate for up to at least it'd say... A half of century worth of details. It's a page turner alright... but it's about shy of three thousand pages long."the barkeep stated."I read every now and again when I visit the library... It's not something you can just check out either."the barkeep concluded.

"Aye. I bet it isn't."Newport declared, swigging another shot down the hatch, clutching for his pistol.

Jotun Mountain Peak | White Lotus Keep | Three Days Before Gathering

In the Elder's quarters, Balthazar and Bobbins report their findings of an incoming force to the council.

"According to your familiars... It's only two men. That's why were here at this god forsaken hour in the morning?"one of the Fiore elders inquired.

Annoyed by the man's statement, "Usually. My wolves are able to kill at least small platoons of up to a dozen men by themselves. This time around... They were so spooked... They came back shivering. These are not ordinary men. I know you' old bats have a history of sitting back and getting what's yours taken-" Bobbins barked, only to be interrupted by Balthazar raising his hand, as an almost signal for him to be silent.

The tension between the elder - Davis and Bobbins had always been thick. Bobbins was only a child when the Fiore had to flee Jotun to preserve their bloodline but thought that the Elders lacked the foresight to lead their people back to glory. Aside from Balthazar, he saw all three of them as hacks, relics from a time that was no longer relevant.

"Bobbin's pack has protected us every year without fail and it's thanks to them that we were able to steal the amulet on the first try. Elder Davis.I know this might sound absurd to you but let's not forget the North Blue is known as one of the strongest seas. The Jotun's resources are deep. All of us present here know that wiping us out is one of Waldon's top priorities."Balthazar interjected.

Breaking the subsequent silence,"What do you propose then Balthazar?"the elder - Griffin inquired.

"We'll dispatch our men at the base of the mountain by the Lotus Gates. Use the traps to dwindle them down along the mountains and then kill them at the Fang Den, if they make it that far." Balthazar elaborated.

"Hmm... Fang Den huh? You expect them to make it that far pass our defenses. If you think this highly of them... I expect you'll be handling them yourself."the final elder, former leader of the Fiore Vassal of Jotun — Fenrir The First — Yukon.

"Of course grandfather." Balthazar said, bowing his head respectfully.

"Sir Davis. No need to stand in the face of youth. Let them handle it. After all... We're old soldiers who can no longer even grip a blade's hilt or suckle a maiden's nipple for pleasure. As Sir Bobbins alluded... We're old bats now, hehe. A word of advice, however... Remember the lives of us all rest in your hands. Bobbins. Balthazar. Soon our time in the light will come once more." Yukon stated.

A Mile off From The Lotus Gates near the Mountain's Base | End of Dream Sequence

As the sun peaked into the morning sky, the smell of the scrambled eggs came into range. Springing up from his slumber, now alert, the Captain's eyes still squinted. With no hesitation, Castor began to gobble down the egg dish in a matter of seconds. As usual, the taste was superb but what truly shocked Castor was the fact that Dax for the first time had asked him about the plan.

"No matter what path we take... It'll be riddled with traps. We'll ride until the mountains base, setup shelter for our horses and trek up hill by foot. We'll ask the Bandits nicely for the amulet back. If not... We use force." Castor concluded in the most simple manner.

Packing up their camp after breakfast, the duo galloped towards the base of the mountain at wee hours in the morning. The path from the river bank was a winding one, leaving a series of blind corners to which no end was seemingly insight. The sagging trees from the cliffside only hindered incoming forces strides, as many times along the journey, Castor and Dax had to stop to clean away branches.

Within view two robust hard wood , with a small watch tower equipped at it's hind. As soon as the men's horses became visible to the lookouts on the gate, the sound of loud conch horns could be heard. Each gate had the Fiore's flower crest etched into its frame, a symbol of pride for the former Lord's people.

However, their horses could no longer advance any further. Not because of the watchmen's position on the gate or any plan that Castor had put into motion or even the impending attacks. It was the graveyard of carcasses that stretched from their position at the final corner, towards the gates itself. Rusted weapons, discarded armour, aged skeletons and broken carriages were left remaining, laid out as trophies of the Mountain Bandits former success in defending against conquest. The stench alone made Lord Waldon's odor seem mild in comparison.

Casting his hand underneath his nose to block the stench, Castor was tossed off his horse, only to be met with incoming hostile fire. Arrows set ablaze soared like violent hail in the winter, a dozen in number as the opening salutations lurked. Two of which wedged themselves into his horses forehead, causing the stallion to jerk around randomly.

The remaining towards his person, passed through the Logia with ease, finding their arrowheads wedged into the battlefield's dirt surface.

COMBAT TRACKERS:

Word Count: 1761 | Tagged: @Goldmonger

Notes: Business Picking Up

Thu Sep 05, 2019 7:48 pm

The stench of the graveyard filled the duos nostrils, the smell of rotting flesh hard to mistake, though Dax noticed another smell hidden underneath the foul order. Gasoline he thought, turning towards Castor who was already in the middle of being thrown from his steed, Dax's attention quickly turned to the hellfire raining down upon them. The golden armor from his clydesdale melted away and morphed into a shield above him and the beast, reflected the arrows onto the gas soaked bodies around them. They caught like wildfire and in seconds, the area around them was ablaze. The goldmonger covered his body in gold to prevent the fire from reaching his skin as he dismounted his horse, sending it off in an attempt to let it survive the fray. "Try not to die ya dwarven fuck~!" Dax snarked, sharpening the gold on his fingers into claws and charged off into the flames. As the golden beast charged through the blaze towards the archers, he was met with a very unfortunate misstep. *Click* the noise echoed for just a second before an explosion went off, sending the goldmonger flying through the air into an ornate gravestone, shattering it on contact. As the flames roared around him Dax slowly drug himself up out of the pile of rubble, still clad in his golden skin, clearly dazed from the flight. Regaining his wits, the man let out a beastial roar, his golden skin sculpting itself into a more feral, cat like appearance. He sprinted across the burning battlefield on all fours in a savage charge fueled by rage. The archers knocked the arrows once more and let them loose upon the golden beast that now pursed them as prey. The flaming arrows sung through the air, ricocheting off the man as he clawed his way forward with pace. As he came upon them, the ground beneath him collapsed, sending Dax spiraling into the darkness until he reached the bottom laced with mines. "Oh fuck m-….." He snapped before the impending explosion sent him flying to the air once more, out of the hole and back to the beginning of the battlefield to where Castor's dead horses burning corpse still laid.

"Now I'm fuckin pissed~!" He shouted, dragging himself up once more, moving towards the horse, gold began to creep onto the body. The liquid hugging the burnt remains like the skin that it one had, the beast was given second life and pulled itself up off the ground. "Almost.~" He whistled, snapping his fingers as two golden wings split off from the beasts back. The pegasus took the sky with speed, spitting out of the flames like an ember, scattering its flaming cloak as the beast opened its wing span like a blooming flower. The enemies gaze drifted above, temporarily paralyzed from the site of the golden winged horse soaring above them. They grouped together instinctively, their fear telling them there was safety in numbers, they were wrong. The gold melted off the burnt corpse just as fast as it had covered it, sending the clydesdale's body tumbling on top of the archers, crushing them under the dead weight. As the metal returned to its master like an obedient dog, he once more covered his skin in a protective coating to avoid the still soaring flames. "So what's next cap'n~?" He said in a crazed tone, staring at the imp as the gold slowly enveloped his face.

Thu Sep 05, 2019 9:30 pm

Bandit's Den

Castor didn't move from his position on the floor, instead he chose to wait it out until he'd fully assess the situation. Having Dax charge in head first however made it much more easier to get a picture of what exactly was transpiring. In fact, before Castor even noticed it himself, he'd be physically applauding the lot, clapping his hands in amusement as Dax's body flew around the graveyard like a frisby. A golden discsus. Now that, was comedy. The arrows continued to rain downward, until Dax had smashed his very identifiable object on top of the lookouts, leaving them smushed in a s'more like fashion.

Once the other Bandits saw this sight, their only plausible instinct was to run. The distance between himself and the remaining lookouts scrambling off the tower was around eighty meters or so. Brainstorming, the imp quickly came forth with a solution. Removing Iris from its holster, Castor took stance, positioning the spear over his shoulder, taking aim. Steadying his breathing, Castor would align his body with the left most tower, extending his hand backwards as comfortably as possible.

Conducting his hand to the spear's gold brace, Castor tossed Iris in a javelin type manner, running forward rhythmically before its release. As the spear soared, Castor's body followed suit, arcing at a 180 degree angle before the spear's tip wedged into the tower's wooden floor. Reassembling his human form, the Masked Knight used his electric radio to scan the area. The sound of panting in the nearby mountain grassland registered about twenty meters from his position, pass the gate's walls and into the mountain range.

Returning Iris to her keep, Castor lunged off the wall, using his Kenbunshoku Haki to scan the surrounding area for any more possible unpleasant surprises. The answer to his question was met with sensing several bandits emerging from nearby shrubs, in which they'd built shells within as shelter during unfriendly exchanges. Their emergence was malicious in intent, each of them casting a lit torch downhill at the base of the mountain to where Castor stood. Castor's eyes opened widely as he'd finally caught onto the plan.

Using the hill which acted as a bridge from the mountain's base into its range, the hill's slope provided the Bandits with not only a height but distance advantage. The contents of the tower's walls were filled with barrels of gasoline, built with the intent to self-destruct the fixture had anyone managed to pass it illegally. With the soil below them tampered with a similar combustable substance, what happened next made the Bandits shout out in a disturbingly morbid wail. The moment the torch touched the ground, the whole area was set ablaze and the loudest explosion followed.

It's strength so strong that even from the Fang's Den miles off, the Bandit Commanders Balthazar and Bobbins knew their men had been successful. The bright blue and burgandy flame shone, acting as a marker of pride for the Bandits. Among the flames, azure sparkles like fire crackers could been seen from within the inferno. Every single surge advanced Castor's pure elemental form up the slope, until the distance was no more, unbeknownst to the celebrating Bandits.

Finally at the starting point for his journey up the mountain, Castor discharged an electrical field that silenced the nearby warriors. Staring over his shoulder into the plume of smoke, Nox had faith that Dax would make it out unscathed but he had no time to be searching for the cook. As the electricity riddled the assailants bodies, a sick kind of joy formed in his heart. Maybe it was their attempt at his murder that got the Tribesman's blood boiling but one things for certain, the ominous aura that oozed from Castor's three eyes had been channeled from something dark within him.

COMBAT TRACKERS:

Word Count: 601 | Tagged: @Goldmonger

Notes: Business Picking Up

Mon Sep 09, 2019 12:17 pm

Dax sat back as Castor launched the spear across the flaming graveyard and towards the distant tower, his body arcing to the spear as a bolt of lightning , leaving the goldmonger behind in awe, "You cheatin little fuck.." he mumbled, almost envious of Castor's logia abilities. Not to be outdone however, Dax used his own powers to create a giant pair of ornate golden wings sprouting from his back. Using their large wingspan, he dispersed the immediate flames with several large flaps before taking to the sky like an archangel of god as the embers whipped off the golden feather tips. From beast to angel, the goldmonger flew towards the tower and landed behind his impish captain, who had already begun snooping into the tower when he noticed a familiar smell emitting from the structure. "Wait you stupid fu-..!!" he shouted before the torches tumbled down upon them and the tower erupted into a pillar of fire, spewing out flames like a dragon from its openings. In the split second before the explosion, Dax managed to wrap himself in the golden wings and sealed himself inside of a protective shell that was sent tumbling off the side of the hill and back down to the smoldering graveyard, shattering the earth as it landed.

Emerging from the golden egg, Dax saw Castors ethereal form arcing towards the bandits at the top of the hill. "God I fuckin hate that guy." He snarled, stomping back towards the base of the hill in a fit of a rage, cursing the imp as he walked. Once there, he created a golden disc at his feet, stepping onto it, the disc carried the goldmonger upwards to his fellow pirates location. "Go fuck yourself." He barked at Castor when he arrived, stepping off the disc and back onto solid ground. With a bloodlust filled glare, he reached out towards the three bandits who had dropped the torches earlier, fresh face boys no older than eighteen who now looked on in fear, no longer celebrating their false victory. Quickly, the gold dust in the air gathered to form collars around their necks that hugged their throats tightly. The trio desperately clawed at the necklaces, doing everything in their power to free themselves as the collars slowly grew tighter and tighter, slowly cutting off the oxygen until they died. Their blue faces hit the ground with a clink as the golden collars dinged on the stones below them before melting off and returning to their master, running up his leg and solidifying themselves back as the piercings below his waist. Dax turned and flipped off his captain with a golden toothed snarl before stomping off towards their goal.

Mon Sep 09, 2019 2:52 pm

Bandit's Den II

Successfully securing their position on the hilltop, Castor was relieved that Dax had made it out of the explosion alive. In a strange way, he'd started to become fond of the cook. Though any feelings of relief faded once the man had flipped him the bird, his rudeness knew no bounds as per usual. Changing gears, Castor began to use his electro radio to scan the immediate area for up to two hundred and eighty meters. Aside from noises of native fauna, a frantic Den Den Mushi call took place between a look-out way up the mountain and their leader, to which Castor tapped in.

"Boss. They have made it pass our first line of defenses and are currently standing atop Liberty Hill. All of the personnel in the gates area have been confirmed dead!"the bandit reported panting, peeking at Castor's position through his telescope. Throwing up in his mouth slightly, the sight of the ever increasing body count made him extremely anxious.

"All twenty men?!" Bobbins inquired astonished.

Gulping nervously, "Y-Yes sir. What are your orders?!"the bandit retorted, earnestly waiting for his commanders rebuttal.

"Retreat from your position towards Bamboo Forest! Tell everyone to ready their weapons. We'll cut them off there. The boss and I will remain here at the Den as the last line of defense."Bobbins commanded, cutting the transponder call abruptly.

"Bobbins huh?" Castor thought to himself. Meanwhile, Dax had suffocated the remaining bandits by constricting their necks with golden braces. Focused on their next move, Castor had only now noticed that Dax had eliminated the remaining bandits. The three teens laid motionless on the ground deceased. Placing his Nodachi against Dax's neck, "I don't care for the lives of strangers either... but we could have used those brats as guides. Killing isn't always the go to option." Castor stated annoyed."I know it's not in your character to think but get your head in the game. These bandits are crafty." Castor declared flustered.

Maybe it was the fact that if he hadn't thought quickly enough, he'd be dead because of the explosion but Castor was extremely pissed at himself for not expecting the tower to be rigged. Especially after witnessing the land mines toss Dax to and fro around the warzone.Withdrawing his blade, "It's also my fault for underestimating them. I put your life in danger. Punch me in my face and let's move on." Castor stated, turning his cheek to the cook. It seemed like a neanderthal like command but it was the placebo Castor needed to get his head back in the game.

Whether or not Dax complied, Castor would strike himself as hard as he could if need be.Wincing from the excruciating pain, Castor dug into his kimono to reveal the map of the mountain. Using his compass, he'd assess their current position on the map
"Alwright." Castor mumbled, his face swollen from the cook's punch. "Wright now o' position is here at the top of this hill. The mountwain has a spiral imprint, at the end of each spiral ther's a hill and a plateau." (Right now, our position is here at the top of this hill. The mountain has a spiral imprint, at the end of each spiral lies a hill and a plateau.) Castor explained, pointing towards the map to provide visual aid.

Cracking his jaw back into place, "There's two more plateaus before the peak. Bamboo Forest and Fang's Den. I assume their hide out is somewhere after the latter. However, considering our experience so far... We're not taking the conventional route anymore. We'll climb the mountain side. Or more like glide up. Gashi Gashi Gashi." Castor declared chuckling.

Whispering into Dax's ear to tell him the next part of the plan, Castor explained his idea of Dax using his abilities to create a golden zip line up the mountain's face, thus avoiding the spiralling route and making it to the next plateau unhinged. The look-out secluded among the trees commanded the nearby forces to head to Bamboo Forest immediately but the man was simply puzzled as to what the two knights could have been discussing for so long.

COMBAT TRACKERS:

Word Count: 691 | Tagged: @Goldmonger

Notes: Golden Zip Line :3

Wed Sep 11, 2019 5:16 pm

After Dax had crushed the throats of the trio of young boys, he noticed a change in Castor's aura, a sudden wave of bloodlust released into the air as the cold steel of his nodachi pressed up against the goldmonger's neck. "Best watch yourself, imp." He snarled a golden fanged smile as the gold on his neck liquified and began to envelop the steel blade, spreading onto it like a sickness. "If anyone needs to get their fuckin head in the game, it's you cap'n." Dax snapped back, "You're the fuck who almost got us blown to kingdom come." The words came out like fire spit from a dragon, hot and full of anger as the imp slowly retracted his blade from the cook's neck.

As he did so, Castor's aura slowly fades back to its usual, calm feeling as the nodachi slide back into its oakwood sheath. While doing so, Castor went into another one of his I like to hear myself talk rants, something Dax normally tuned out. Though this time, the offer of punching the dwarf brought his attention back and no later than the final final syllable was uttered, Dax's golden coated fist was making contact with Castor's solid flesh cheek, sending him flying through the air several feet before crashing into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dirt as he landed. "You sure do love to fuckin talk." Dax snickered as the gold retreated back from his hand and returned go it's normal, jewlery state.

Once Castor had picked himself up and popped his jaw back in, he once again did the thing he loved the most, talk. And talk he did, going over every bit of the plan to Dax, who had long stopped listening to the imp of a man as he continued to rattle on until the end. At which point, he regained the goldmonger's attention by mentioning the zipline. Castor pointed out two specific spots, one at which to anchor the line by their feet and the second, the ending point of the line on the mountain face above them. For a moment, Dax thought to himself, questioning if his captain knew what the function of a zipline was. As it was normally something, that using gravity, you would cross a gap from a higher point to a lower point via a metal wire. What they needed it for, well that was something different entirely as they were going almost straight upwards from their current location. He looked towards Castor once more, noticing the youths large, innocent eyes wide with excitement at the thought of his grand zipline plan. With an irritated sigh, Dax used his abilities and the golds natural malleability to stretch a long thin metal wire to the anchor point from their current standing. In doing so, Castor lit up with joy after he used the contraption, Dax would use his powers to fly up the side of the mountain, completely bypassing the useless 'zipline' as his idiot captain referred to it. Once at the top, the goldmonger sighed once more and retrieved the gold he had use to make the wire, the liquid running back onto his body and taking the shape of his missing jewlery. "So what was the fuckin point of that..?" He questioned in frustration, still unsure if his captain knew what a zipline actually was.

Wed Sep 11, 2019 6:54 pm

Bandit's Den II

As Dax grumbled about the Captain's plan, eventually, not without continued moaning and groaning at every step of the way, the cook would setup the golden zip line, from their position to the plateau upslope. Before Castor could even reach out towards Dax's shirt collar as he'd usually do, the cook prepared his makeshift wings, as to signal that he was going to take flight. In a way, Castor was crushed, it was about the adventure of it all at the end of the day for him. However, as a child like glee filled Nox's face and heart, Castor grappled onto the handle attached to the line at his position. Electrifying the intertwined cables with his Goro Goro abilities, the imp shot off.

Flying alongside him was Dax, using his golden wings, to soar majestically at his left. The view from above of the mountain's valleys was beautiful, hoisted in the air, the flora and fauna beneath them minimised like plotting dots on a map. Tiny, minuscule and insignificant in the grand scheme of things, they were all just cogs in a bigger plan.The remaining look-out stared in awe as Castor hovered over his position in the forest momentarily. Extending his index finger in a gun like fashion, in passing, Castor fired off a single bolt towards the spy.

Ceasing any further plots to relay information about their current position to this 'Bobbins' character.Landing on the plateau, as soon as Castor's feet touched the ground, Dax retracted the metal that the line was composed of towards his body. Puffing out his cheeks in frustration, "We could have ridden the line together. I had it all planned out."Castor declared almost close to throwing a tantrum. The man's child like demeanor ceased as several darts came soaring towards his head. Entering into his intangible state to avoid the darts trajectory, the birdies flew through his person, over the mountain's edge.

Before them was a vast area filled with bamboo shoots protruding from the ground, and in the shadows murmurs of transponders relaying their arrival became evident to Castor. The bamboo was packed neatly together, making it hard for those on either side of the fixture to fully discern their enemies clearly. However, with the loads of Camera Den Den poised, it gave an advantage to the Bandits that would disheartened any looter. If only...Castor and Dax were normal looters.

Releasing a series of lightning bolts, Castor b-lined through the maze in one direction. Disregarding the cut out pathways, simply blasting any physical obstruction that came in view into ash, Castor advanced. Behind each patch lied Bandits who were severely injured in the collateral damage of Castor's wild attacks. Within moments, a clearing came into focus, where a simple barricade stood between the Knights and the hill leading to Fang's Den.

In front of them stood at least a hundred men, all armed with a slew of artillery. Pistols, shotguns, longbows, swords, battle axes and chains to name a few, each proficient enough in their own right.

"In the name of the Fiore. You shall not pass any further, Knights. This sacred land... That you have defiled with your Devil's Magic... I will not let it run rampant any longer."one of the elder bandits declared.

Castor minced no words, the frustration from nearly being murdered earlier had reared its ugly head once more. Hypocritical as it may sound, Castor felt an uneasiness befall him whenever the human race specifically targeted him. Call it trauma due to racism or unpleasant socialisation, but it was a feeling he'd work hard to not ever let cloud his judgement. However, the Pirate Captain wasn't perfect and in moments where any misstep cost him or his men lives, the only instinct that permeates is survival.

"Give us the amulet, and we'll leave the women and children alive." Castor stated coldly.

The tension between the two forces thickened, an awkward silence between the two parties befell. It didn't last more than a minute, a wild youth, eager to prove himself charged straight for Dax with a two handed longsword in hand. Dax probably appeared to be the more intimidating of the two, who wouldn't aim for the taller guy first?

COMBAT TRACKERS:

Word Count: 701 | Tagged: @Goldmonger

Notes: Dax is a hater :3

Thu Sep 12, 2019 11:14 pm

Dax rolled his eyes at the imps tantrum, his attitude finally matching that of his appearance, childish. Just when he had enough of the little man he felt the darts whiz by, the wind whistling as they passed through Castor's electrical form. Not a second after they exited his ethereal form, the lightning that was Castor arc'd through the bamboo forest, releasing the tempest of the gods as he passed through, setting the path he traveled ablaze as the shoots were reduced to ash. The bandits unfortunate enough to cross the elementals path met their end convulsing as blood leaked from their orifice's, with the rest fleeing like roaches from the flames, scurrying for their pathetic lives. Amidst the chaos and confusion, there was Dax, casually swaggering through the path his captain so graciously provided for him. His duffle bag slung over his shoulder, the goldmonger whistled his way through the anarchy, the agonizing screams providing the chorus to his solo. As he went, the sin of greed stopped at each body along the way, running the pockets of the dead and taking anything worth keeping as his own. A coin here and a silver necklace there, Dax was quickly realizing that these bandits were either very bad at what they do or they were not as Lord Waldon said.

As the goldmonger approached his captain, emerging from the bamboo shoots only to be greeted with Castor proposing an ultimatum to the bandits. "So cap, what's the-…" He was cut off by the thrust of a two handed long sword aiming to cleave out his jugular with one pierce. The thought of death intrigued him, so much so that a mangled smile erupted on his face before intercepting the blade with a large wad of compacted gold dust floating in the air. "The fuck you say to these guys, cap'n? They ain't non to friendly!" Dax barked out sarcastically, clearly excited at how the situation was unfolding. The boy bandit struggled to free his blade until the goldmonger loosened his hold on it, with jerking motion the blade was out and swinging about for more. The youth charged at Dax once more, his martial skill was limited to a blind dash of fury aimed at a much stronger opponent, screaming as much from fear as he did from courage. The shaky steel manage to graze Dax's side as the man did nothing to defend or dodge the charge, crimson liquid dying the blades edge. The pirate glanced down at his side before gripping up the boy, around thirteen, up by his throat. The child grasped desperately at the man's golden clad hand, his fingertips rubbed bloody in just the few seconds that he had been lifted. "Respect, boy." Dax snarled, "Fucking learn it!" He barked, using his left hand to reach inside of the boys mouth and rip out his tongue. The crowd of bandits were frozen in fear, horrified at the site of the golden clad beast, the youth in his right and the bloody tongue in his left. Dax tossed the barely breathing youth to the crowd and they swarmed to him like the bugs they were, just as quickly scattering away with him as he clung to life as desperately as he clawed at the gold. "Now bring the fuckin amulet!" He shouted towards the den, holding out the blood soaked tongue before dropping it like a mic.

COMBAT TRACKERS:

[Episode] Vikings, Knights, and Pirates, O my!

[Episode] Vikings, Knights, and Pirates, O my!

Re: [Episode] Vikings, Knights, and Pirates, O my!

Re: [Episode] Vikings, Knights, and Pirates, O my!

Re: [Episode] Vikings, Knights, and Pirates, O my!

Re: [Episode] Vikings, Knights, and Pirates, O my!

Re: [Episode] Vikings, Knights, and Pirates, O my!

Re: [Episode] Vikings, Knights, and Pirates, O my!

Re: [Episode] Vikings, Knights, and Pirates, O my!

Re: [Episode] Vikings, Knights, and Pirates, O my!

Re: [Episode] Vikings, Knights, and Pirates, O my!

Re: [Episode] Vikings, Knights, and Pirates, O my!

Re: [Episode] Vikings, Knights, and Pirates, O my!

Re: [Episode] Vikings, Knights, and Pirates, O my!

Re: [Episode] Vikings, Knights, and Pirates, O my!

Re: [Episode] Vikings, Knights, and Pirates, O my!

Re: [Episode] Vikings, Knights, and Pirates, O my!

Re: [Episode] Vikings, Knights, and Pirates, O my!

Re: [Episode] Vikings, Knights, and Pirates, O my!

Re: [Episode] Vikings, Knights, and Pirates, O my!

Re: [Episode] Vikings, Knights, and Pirates, O my!

Re: [Episode] Vikings, Knights, and Pirates, O my!

Re: [Episode] Vikings, Knights, and Pirates, O my!

Re: [Episode] Vikings, Knights, and Pirates, O my!

Re: [Episode] Vikings, Knights, and Pirates, O my!

Re: [Episode] Vikings, Knights, and Pirates, O my!

Comments