"Have you ever even been on a horse?" Ezekiel sounded bored as he watched the other man struggling to get his mount under control. It was spooked, pacing backwards with ears pressed back, as the blonde pulled uselessly on the reins. The mare Ezekiel sat on was standing still and patient, waiting. He rolled his eyes, gave his horse's side a soft tap with his heel, and pulled her around to aim her down the road, hoping the one could get the other moving.
Likely there were other's he could have recruited for this little journey. The castle had been crawling with able bodied individuals, but instead he'd picked the Julian. Soft hands, slender, and full of sarcasm.
This was going to be a long trek.
and be blue
and be blue rolled 5 10-sided dice:
9, 3, 8, 4, 5Total: 29 (5-50)
Posted: Thu May 07, 2015 12:23 pm
"Have you ever read a book?" It was biting, sharp, his expression melting briefly to triumph as the horse finally turned -- and then fading to annoyance as he realized it turned only because it was following its mate, and not because of anything Julian had done. He blew out a breath, tugging left and right on the reins, and then decided to just give in.
He'd clutch the pommel two-handed, instead, and hold onto that while his monster of a horse trailed in Ezekiel's wake.
"Why have you ridden a horse? It doesn't look like you could afford one..."
beejoux
Quote:
Food: 29!
OOC
My character's name: Julian "Ever" Ambrodiel Character's journal link:Journal BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTER Slim, slight, tall, gawky and awkward, with a sloppy shock of pale hair, he is not an intimidating figure and perhaps a strange choice for a Knight. His preference would have been something more scholarly, somewhere he could keep his head down and bite a tongue that has a tendency to get him in trouble, especially with his betters. Rank of character Apprentice-Knight. Sacred Points obtained: ???/100
"How would I know if I have?" Since the pledge he hadn't come in contact with any books, so it was hard to say one way or the other if he could, in fact, read. The implication that he couldn't didn't really seem to bother him that much though. As of yet reading didn't seem all that important, where as horseback riding, manual labor, and combat did. Julian could act as superior as he wanted, until they met some sort of trouble on the road. Then they'd see.
The second question had he glancing back, a flicker of annoyance on his face. "Again, how would I know? I remember as much about my life before I got here as you do." A pause, as he eyed the other man critically, wondering if he had somehow retained more memories than the rest of them.
Quote:
Food: 59!
OOC
My character's name: Ezekiel Young Character's journal link:[o] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTER Ezekiel is the strong quiet type. He is not terribly outgoing, though he is amicable enough in social settings, albeit it witty and ironic. He is practical and analytical, meaning he is unlikely to act recklessly or take risks that do not benefit him in some significant way. On those occasions he gets someone he does show loyalty and will even work to keep them safe up to a certain point, though he is a selfish individual. On the battle field he is calculating and cold. Physically he's tall and well muscled from various tasks and labors. He has dark, auburn hair and tanned skin. One eye is green, the other, a milky white, has a scar running through it that stretches from jaw to temple. Rank of character Apprentice -Knight
and be blue
and be blue rolled 1 4-sided dice:
2Total: 2 (1-4)
Posted: Thu May 07, 2015 12:43 pm
Quote:
You encounter a wild *animal here* that is extremely rabid and ferocious. It blocks the path and attacks you! You take -10 damage!
"You started it," Julian shot back, still clinging to his horse: expression more than a bit grumpy, now. It was true, he was ill-equipped for horse rides into the wild yonder, on a quest for who-knew-what. He'd been better off in the castle proper, exploring chambers --
After a long moment of silence, he added. "There were books in the strategy room, though --"
And before he could go on any farther, a boar erupted from the undergrowth, screaming at them and startling Julian's horse. It frothed at the mouth, blocking their path as the horse's hooves came down too close to his fragile hands. Gasping, breathless and lost, he stayed there while the boar ran on in another direction and his horse tried to bolt, only brought up short by Ezekiel on his own steed.
Rolling a 3: You accidentally ride into a bees nest. BEEEEES. Your horse runs away, making it extremely hard on you. Every turn you take, you must subtract 5 food from the caravan.
The childish retort was answered by a soft scoff, and little else. They rode in silence until Julian spoke up again, something about books, before the appearance of a rabid, wild boar interrupted them. Julian's horse tossed him, hooves coming down hard on unprotected body parts, and Ezekiel sucked a hissing breath through his teeth before grabbing the panicked horse's reins and bringing it back under control.
Now they were both spooked, pacing restlessly as Ezekiel tried to get both of them to calm. "Easy," he tried, pulling back on his reins, legs squeezing the horse's flanks, but it just kept pacing, stamping the ground. They took him off the road, wheeling and wandering until the tail end of one ran right into a nearby tree.
He heard the buzzing a second before the the horse beneath him whinnied and bucked, and now it was Ezekiel being tossed, hands tightening on both sets of reins, before one was ripped out of his fingers as the mare he'd been riding sped off. "Damnit!" It streaked away, a trail of angry bees following, straight into the horizon and gone. "That's just wonderful."
He was grumbling as he pulled himself up on Julian's horse and rode it back to where the blonde was still standing in the rode. "Get on, let's go." A hand held down to him, ready to drag him up onto the saddle behind him.
QUEST STATUS
Food remaining: 59 YOUR HP: 30
OOC
My character's name: Ezekiel Young Character's journal link:[o] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTER Ezekiel is the strong quiet type. He is not terribly outgoing, though he is amicable enough in social settings, albeit it witty and ironic. He is practical and analytical, meaning he is unlikely to act recklessly or take risks that do not benefit him in some significant way. On those occasions he gets someone he does show loyalty and will even work to keep them safe up to a certain point, though he is a selfish individual. On the battle field he is calculating and cold. Physically he's tall and well muscled from various tasks and labors. He has dark, auburn hair and tanned skin. One eye is green, the other, a milky white, has a scar running through it that stretches from jaw to temple. Rank of character Apprentice -Knight
and be bluexx
Beejoux
Wrathful Demigod
Offline
and be blue rolled 1 4-sided dice:
2Total: 2 (1-4)
Someone seems to have left food on the road for you! How nice! +10 food!
For a long moment -- hurting and a little bit lost -- Julian just stared up at Ezekiel's hand, trying to decide if all this was worth it. Riding hadn't been his favorite thing, certainly, and now it seemed painfully clear that Ezekiel wasn't as good at it as he'd claimed. Still. Some part of him was alright with the idea of settling astride in front of the other man.
It couldn't be worse than riding alone, anyway.
He drew in a breath, then took the offered hand to let the other main haul him up onto the horse. There they could fidget, struggling to get comfortable and, eventually, settling in.
He had nothing to say, so it was a silent ride through the winding forest, until he spotted something on the road in front of him. Julian watched as they approached it, only speaking up once he was sure --
"You see that?" He pointed. But he'd make Ezekiel climb down to check it out and pick it up.
beejoux
Quote:
Food: 69 HP: 20
Beejoux rolled 1 4-sided dice:
4Total: 4 (1-4)
Posted: Thu May 07, 2015 1:36 pm
Quote:
s**t no, re-rollin!
And fidgeting there would be. The saddle wasn't made for two, though thankfully Julian, although tall, was very trim. It was a tight fit, but it was tolerable, at least once they'd both managed to get more or less comfortable.
The silence was allowed to stretch on uninterrupted. They didn't need to speak, especially if neither seemed capable of small talk that wasn't barbed. It continued on that way until Julian pointed, pulling his attention from the road and towards what looked like a gunny sack sitting on an old tree stump. "Yeah." He squinted at it, lip curling up in mistrust before sliding down off the horse to take a look.
It was a pleasant surprise when he looked inside. "Food." An apple was pulled out to show the other man before Ezekiel dropped it back inside and added it to their other stock. "Well that was lucky."
QUEST STATUS
Food remaining: 69 - 5 = 64 YOUR HP: 30
Beejoux
Wrathful Demigod
Offline
Beejoux rolled 1 4-sided dice:
1Total: 1 (1-4)
Beejoux
Wrathful Demigod
Offline
Posted: Thu May 07, 2015 1:38 pm
Quote:
Rolling a 1: A giant spider scares you so much you drop whatever it is you're eating! -5 Food
With the added surplus of food between them it was probably in their best interest to keep their energy up, rater than trying to conserve and risk exhaustion.
Pulling a couple of buns from the saddle bag, Ezekiel handed one over to the other man before biting into his own.
Then dropped it as something large and eight legged skittered out of the forest before ducking back in. "Did you see that?"
QUEST STATUS
Food remaining: 59 YOUR HP: 30
and be blue
and be blue rolled 1 4-sided dice:
2Total: 2 (1-4)
Your horse gives up on you, running away. Every turn you take, you must subtract another additional 5 food from the caravan.
"See what?" HIs attention had been on the trees, hunting for more wild boar -- because damned if his arm didn't still hurt, a low throb that set his teeth a bit on edge. The horse had hit a nerve, probably, and while it wasn't all that damaged, the pain wasn't going anywhere. By the time he refocused on the road, there was no sign of any giant spiders, and if Ezekiel chimed up about it, he'd probably roll his eyes and ask what, you're afraid of spiders, now?
It was hard to get across the scale of things like that.
Instead, they could putter along until they reached the mouth of a labyrinth, a narrow entrance that required leading a reluctant horse, through. Julian's dismount was inelegant, fumbling, wobbling as he hit the ground and then gathering his feet. Ezekiel's was probably bit more together, which lead to more grumbling, unhappy.
As they peeked inward to see what awaited -- but at least sure, now, that they were closer to their goal -- Julian's horse stepped on something. The cracking sound spooked it, reins torn from Ezekiel's grasp.
It ran off. There was no hope of catching it. And when they looked down at where its feet had been, they'd find the shattered remains of a human skull.
Rolling a 4: You hear a horrific roaring noise and when you look behind you you see a terrifying beast made of fire chasing you! In your horror you lose half the remaining caravan food.
Ezekiel did not expand on the spider, nor did he draw attention to the dropped bun. Instead he rode in silence, now cranky and hungry.
As they reached the mouth of the labyrinth, after Julian's less than graceful dismount, the shorter of the two slid down as well, surveying around them with his remaining eye. It was very nearly a graveyard, bones and bodies littered here and there, discarded weapons. He was about to comment when something cracked and the horse jerked free of his hold and took off.
Great indeed. Ezekiel sighed.
The roar, at first, was attributed to the passage of wind through the maze that stretched on around them, but it got louder, more irregular, and as smith's son turned to look behind him he saw a wall of fire lumbering towards them of four legs. "Run!" It triggered something at a base level, and his feet were moving before the word had even completely passed his lips.
He did grab a hold of Julian's arm, pulled at him to get him moving before falling into a sprint. Not even noticing the food bouncing out of the bag at his hip.
QUEST STATUS
Food remaining: 27 /weeps YOUR HP: 30
and be blue
and be blue rolled 1 6-sided dice:
5Total: 5 (1-6)
Posted: Thu May 07, 2015 2:06 pm
Quote:
Somehow, you made it safely. Somehow.
He was already pale, but one look back at the beast behind them made him go even lighter, breathless and frantic. It was a good thing Ezekiel held onto his hand, hauling him along after, because Julian wasn't fit for this kind of wild run, and it was the only thing that helped him outpace the beast.
Behind them, food tumbled from their grasp, swallowed up by the angry flames.
Eventually, they rounded a corner and the monster was gone. A pause to catch their breath, buti t wasn't that much better, now, not with a mountain still to climb, steep enough that Julian was flushing again, exhausted. He was fit for a life spent in quiet study, not this wild ride up a mountain...
"I wish we had our horse."
He swallowed, looking at the final climb, and then rolled his shoulders down, eyes returning to Zeke.
"Boost me up."
From there, it was surprisingly easy. He hauled himself, skinny and light, up to the peak to claim their prize, then turn to offer Zeke a hand up as well.
Rolling a 1: Giant unexplainable eagles start attacking you! Ow! You take -10 damage for yourself.
His lungs were burning by the time they'd escaped the flaming beast. He squinted, unhappily, up the mountain in front of them as he worked to catch his breath. Their last obstacle, and it had to be this.
Whatever complaints he had were all internalized. He stayed quiet as they climbed, wordlessly offering assistance where needed until finally they reached what looked to be the summit. Here cupped his hands, making a step for the lighter man so he could boost him up and over, then took the offered hand up(even if there was only so much help Julian could provide, given Ezekiel's weight).
Something collided with the back of his head as he straightened up, heavy and sharp, and he cursed soundly as he whipped around to stare up at the broad wings of an eagle. "What the hell?" Was there a nest? Whatever he'd done to piss it off, it was gone now, but ow.
