Responding to not only Felena's words but her mannerisms as well, Erdrick excused himself from the table having enjoyed all he had desired to and quickly made hiw way to his Quarters.  His armor was all at ready, weapons polished, oiled and sharpened as only he was able to in his years of fighting.  Doning his armor and sword, he Joined Felena and the others in the Warroom.
 

Subject: R: R: R: Interruption....
Posted by:FawnWiz On: 07/10/00 12:53 AM Tannisbury Wizardess
 

::FawnWiz checks her armor and weapon:: When she recieved the message of urgency from Lady Felena, she knew she must go and help. She immediately sent a post back that she was on her way, and had spent the last hour making sure she was prepared.
 

Subject: R: R: Interruption
Posted by:Tyserach On: 07/10/00 08:26 PM
The Hand of the Shadow, Spirit Lurker AGM

Over my cup of wine (the vineyards of Winterbrook did produce quite fine grape) I carefully watched Murtano and Felena Laorte leave the great hall with the messenger. I did not bother to magically eavesdrop on their conversation, feeling certain that soon enough I would learn what had transpired. I inhaled slightly, imperceptibly sighing in relief that I was spared having to tell how I had arrived in Tannisbury... for the moment.
After a brief minute, Lord and Lady Laorte returned to the table. Felena annouced with a troubled expression on her face that Winterbrook was facing invasion from a dire enemy. I noted that she did not mention exactly who that enemy was. The dragon, perhaps? I glanced over at Vilessa. She calmly sipped her wine, hiding her face behind the goblet. Mallagant watched his mother with a look of firm determination. What did they know of this? They certainly didn't seem surprised... to my trained eye, their body language was too relaxed for someone just hearing that news.
I pondered for a moment as I took another bite of roast. I thought it highly unlikely that all of these bizarre events would be unconnected. Even my own presence here had to have been orchestrated... if not by one of the players of this deadly game, then by Fate itself. I sensed that soon I would have to choose whether or not to allow myself to become involved in this affair any further, and if so, on which side. But not yet, not just yet....

Subject: R: R: Interruption....
Posted by:Muralla On: 07/11/00 05:30 PM Knight of Tannisbury - Squire Program Leader
 

Mura watched as a messenger interrupted the meal to address Felena and Murtano. They quickly departed, leaving everyone to enjoy the meal. Mura knew that this news must come from Winterbrook. She wondered if there might not also be word about Giant. Within what seemed like no time at all, Fel and Murt returned to the hall. Instantly, Mura's eyes were on her sister's face. Her eyes went to Murt's face next. Something was very wrong. Mura also noted that her sister and brother had changed into her armor. Hearing Fel's words confirm her thoughts, Mura left the table as soon as was appropriate. She bid a good to evening and dinner to those left behind.

Mura quickly reached her chambers and changed into her own armor. Collecting her gear and weapons, she was soon heading out to meet the others in the war council room. Her purposeful footsteps could be heard ringing through the corridors. Entering the council room, Mura found Fel, Murt and Erd. Nodding to each, she then waited for further information from her sister.

Subject: Licking the wounds
Posted by:Lothar Kesh On: 07/16/00 05:08 PM
 

Lothar stalked through what remained of his troops. His rusty armor making not a sound. Half of his skeletons have been turned by those clerics and three of his personal guards have been run down. Not that it matter much on the issue of his guards. They would return along with their undead mounts before to long, his master's will would see to that. The sun had been set for only a few hours and Lothar has his blacked cloak skeletons digging up ancient graves sites near the border of Winterbrook. Time to fill the ranks again. Lothar walked to the edge of the hill top.
The small hill top was bare of all plant life and the east slope faced the first of hundreds of huge crop fields. Ofcourse Lothar's master was very clear on the plans. Water supplies, spoiled. Crop fields salted. Plant life, dead. Animal life, as well. Kesh's mounted his war beast and watched as dozens of undead creatures dragged huge bags filled with rock salt through the fields, turning the lush fields into spoiled, contaminated, dead earth. Further into the black night screams from the farm family could be heard. Lothar pour his will to command the lesser undead out and a small unit of twenty for so skeleton spearmen formed rank and marched east down the slop, following Kesh.
With in moments they passed through the crippled field and two of the zombies turned and hissed at the small unit marching through, disturbing the undead creatures work. Lothar chuckled and continued to march his small unit passed the farm house. Skeletons smashing out windows and hacking at the front door with axes and blunt clubs. Inside the family screamed and yelled to stop. To spare them, or atleast the children. Yet again Lothar chuckled.
Just out of ear shot of the mortal screaming, Kesh's unit stopped infront of a barn, where inside a dozen of the local town guardsmen held up. Lothar gave the command for the skeletons to attack. Quickly they formed up into ranks of five and four deep. Spears held high and in the front of the formation one spearmmen held up Lothar's banner. "Bring them to me........"
In the morning the crops in the area were dead or dying, the farmer's families were killed and added to the ranks of troops and the thick heavy smell of smoke hung in the air. Dozens of black birds lines the trees near the main road, chirping and flapping wings......
.....lining the road on either side were twenty dead guards, impailed.

Subject: War Council Convenes
Posted by:Felena On: 07/16/00 06:38 PM Lady of Tannisbury

As the last of their advisors arrived, Felena and Murt turned and took their places at the table, motioning the rest to be seated. Murt nodded to her and she sighed deeply before she looked to each face.   Her eyes rested first on her daughter Anna, so young, yet so strong. "I am sorry your homecoming has to be such, sweet Anna. But our homeland needs us now." To her son she said, "I will EXPECT your help in the coming battle. You have made many promises in coming here. See that you do not disappoint me." As her eyes continued to sweep the faces of her advisors, she considered each one as she stood.   "Word has come from the place of my birth, and that of my sons Mallagant and Ian, that they are besieged by an army the likes of which they have never faced. Those of us who come from the old realm, know it well, and have faced this many times. I refer to the dark armies of the undead." She waited as the impact of her last sentence set in.   "There has been no mercy in the attacks, no quarter given by the undead army. By last report, the water system has been defiled, crops burned and soil ruined, and..." she forced her anger back into control. "And not only have the farmers been pulled into the service of the one who controls the army, but also the women and children."   "We have contacted the local monestary, and will be accompanied by their best clerics. Muralla, as you were a Commander of the Guard before taking on the task of the Squire program, you will be in charge of preparing the troops, and leading them. Please see that you leave ample experienced troops here to protect the castle. It will be necessary to increase the watch times. I want one of ours on the wall with one of the town militia, at the minimum, at each of the guard posts. No one is to stand watch alone."  "Erdrick, please see that the town militia is completely moved inside the walls of the castle. Call the reserves into service. Have them pull all the outlying townspeople, and those inside the township proper, inside the walls. There are plenty of supplies and enough food and water to house them here. I'll not see them left unprotected in our absence. I know that the smith, Sir Ox, has been through a terrible trauma, as have we all with the loss of our sister Tlu. I would ask that he be brought here before we depart so that I may speak to him. My heart is heavy that time has not permitted us a chance to pay our respects to our dear sister in proper fashion." Felena's eyes clouded over as she remembered the smile and the love of Tlu. She closed her eyes and whispered, "Watch over us from your place beside Tyr, dear sister."   She continued with instructions to each of their other advisors, some who would accompany them, some who would remain behind to see to the security of Tannisbury Castle. After looking to Murt to see if he wished to add further to what was said, she was answered with a shake of his head. With a smile, he said, "I think you have covered all that needed saying,love." The time would soon be upon them to depart, so she dismissed the assembled with instructions to meet in the courtyard an hour before day break. As the last of those most trusted exited the War Room, and the door was closed, Felena sank heavily into her chair, and turned to her husband. She swallowed hard as she looked deeply into the eyes of her one true love. "I love you more than you could ever know. May Tyr see us safely through this. I could not bear for us to be apart."
 

Subject: R: War Council Convenes
Posted by:ErdrickKE On: 07/17/00 10:00 AM Knight and Lord Mayor of Tannisbury

Erdrick nodded and quickly was making a mental list to relay to Astalder and Ox. As soon as they all were dismissed he made way to the town square where he knew he would find the militia captain Astalder.  Relaying all the instructions about moving the townsfolk inside the Castle and setting out the guard duties. He moved to SirOx's house to tell his beloved friend of Felena's desire to speak to him.  Ye are doing well Ox, my heart goes out to you as you well know. I will be sure to stop by and pay my respects to tlu on my way out of town to Winterbrook  with that done, he set off to see that ThunderCloud was prepared and the gear properly set for battle.  The pages had done well and of course The great grey warhorse was intune with Erdrick's thoughts all along and was ready and waiting. They share a few more thoughts as Erdrick stroked his big soft nose.

Subject: R: War Council Convenes
Posted by:Murtano Laorte On: 07/17/00 06:05 PM Lord of Tannisbury
 

Sitting in his chair hunched back, fingers steepled in front of his chin, Murtano watches the reactions of those at the table at Felena's news. He almost imperceptibly nods at each proclamation and assignment, mentally checking off the needs of Winterbrook and Tannisbury. The only other movement he'd taken was after she completed her oration. She was answered with a shake of his head, and with a smile he said, "I think you have covered all that needed saying,love."
After all had left but the two, he turned to her and spoke softly, "Aye love, and I love you more with each passing breath, you and our family. Tyr will be with us. I have forseen it in my visions before, and in my dreams of late. I believe it is time for me to briefly explain what happened to have caused me to weaken so over the last months causing my collapse a few weeks ago."
Sighing slightly as he picked up a mug of Murt's Red Ale and stared deeply into it's burgundy depths, he began...
"It's been three months now that I've felt an 'un-rightness' in the lands around Tannisbury. I believe it comes in part from the elven upbringing I received from Eldamari, and in part from my nearness to death in my previous capture by demons. This I'm sure you remember, but there's no need to go into that now."
Stopping to take a swig of ale, he flicked his gaze over to Fel and then quickly back to his mug. Afraid of what she might say at the next part.
"I had learned from ancient writings found in the libraries what I'd been looking for these past months, how to scry without using a focus."
Taking another swig of ale, he continued as the rest of the story spilled out.
"The spells are intricate and elaborate, but the feeling! It's as if you're above the world looking down with a full view of everything. Everything, my love, when I am scrying I can see in to peoples hearts, their thoughts, desires, even the nature and essence of the land. Anything past normal viewing takes a terrible toll on health and stamina, which is why I'd not attempted it until that fateful eve. The tomes hinted at the price, but I'd not known it was so steep. Piercing normal and magical barriers is difficult, but possible, although I know not what it would cost. The power the ancient wizards must have weilded was immense, I can hardly comprehend some of the later writings yet, but sometime soon I shall decipher them. I only did this to understand the 'un-rightness' that I felt, and I could not pin-point it's location. Only that it comes in part from what must be this undead force, but also other things or people. I'm sorry for keeping this from you my love, but I know if you'd known you'd have insisted on helping, and I couldn't take that risk with you. I love you too much..."
Trailing off, he again stares deeply into his mug and whispers, "Forgive me beloved."
 
 

Subject: Town preparations
Posted by:Astalder On: 07/17/00 11:13 PM Tannisbury Militia Captain

Astalder went right to work with the task at hand. He sent out messangers to each and every house. All were to move into the Castle at daybreak and get settled in for who knows how long.
Each detail was run over and over and as each messanger returned, he was sure all had been notified even at this late time of night. at least most were at their homes and quickly notified. A few had to be sought out at the tavern and inn and were escorted home with full understanding of the importance of being ready.
 

Subject: Approaching the WarRoom
Posted by:SirOx On: 07/17/00 11:37 PM Town Smithy and Husband of Tlu

SirOx thanked Erdrick deeply as he knew how much the old smithy loved his Tlu and would indeed miss her. He acknowledged Erdrick's heartfelt concern and would be glad to respond to the summons to see the Lady of the castle.

he went at once to the warroom and found a page outside who asked him to wait as theLord and Lady were having a intimate talk and did not wish to be disturbed for a moment. Ox was content to wait and sat down in the passageway. He took time to reminisce, thinkng back to the time he almost killed Felena during a fight with some nasty dark faeries who didst mess with his mind and caused him to go berzerk.

A lot of other memories flooded by as he waited. Most so pleasant he almost didn't want to leave them. Ah but time will heal.
 

Subject: R: R: War Council Convenes
Posted by:Felena On: 07/18/00 12:21 AM Lady of Tannisbury

Felena listened quietly to all her husband had to say about the last few months, brow furrowed in concern as he told of the magics he had been delving into. She chewed her lower lip as she remained silent until he finished, the reality of the danger he had been in finally beginning to set in.

Taking a deep breath, she paused long enough to take his cup from him and take a long drink from it herself. She set it down, then turned to him, taking his hands in hers. As their eyes met, she smiled softly. "There is nothing to forgive. What you did, you did to protect us all. I ask only that you remember that as a team, we are much stronger than we are alone. Allow me to help you next time you attempt anything like this, if only to pull you back if you go too far." Her voice broke with emotion at the last sentence, remembering how close she had been to losing him. "We are as one...the halves only function fully when they are combined as the whole." Leaning forward she kissed him softly and whispered, "I love you."

A soft knock on the door alerted them that Ox had arrived. She wiped her eyes, smiling mischieviously at her husband again, then quipped, "Besides, if you ever again pull such a stunt, I will kill you myself!" Laughter filled the War Room as she nodded to the guard just inside the door to admit their guest.
 

  Subject: Enters the War room
Posted by:SirOx On: 07/18/00 08:26 AM Town Smithy and Husband of Tlu
 

SirOx is brought back to the present and to reality as the guard nudges him and informs him that the Lord and Lady will see him now.  He stands and follows the guard through the door and sees Felena and Murt at the head of the council table. He appoaches them bowing deeply and dropping to a knee in front of them.  MuLord, mulady, how may I be of service?