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Post by Admin on Dec 4, 2019 8:46:40 GMT
The guards eye each other at Calvera's words.
"The General knows the way. We detour in these lands to chase the legends of the Son of Amber, Son of Perfidity, the Warlord Calvera. The High Priest wishes to speak with him for some matters involving the Church of the Unicorn."
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2019 14:30:29 GMT
"You've come a long way with fire and sowrd for a conversation about religion. But I've seen more death and for lesser reasons.
Who is your General that knows the way to fabled Amber?"
Are they starting to get cagey? I would hate to have to kill them.
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Post by Admin on Dec 15, 2019 3:07:44 GMT
"He is General Vaalks, Protector or the Daant, First Apostle of King Bleys." the first soldier says while making curious gestures with his left hand. Some sort of religious sign it seems.
"Bringer of justice to those loyal to the Unicorn and destroyer of fiends opposed to Amber." says the second also making the same gestures.
"Do you follow the Way of the Unicorn?" the first asks while slowly and subtly reaching towards his spear.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2019 20:24:58 GMT
It was Bleys. And likely that was him I fought in the pass. Why wouldn't he show his face?
... I nearly had him.
Calvera smiles to him self and stands his posture now at ease no longer self effacing.
"The unicorn is a hard creature to follow: shy, mysterious. One can never be sure what she intends. But I do follow her as well as I am able.
I will see your General now."
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Post by Admin on Dec 18, 2019 2:07:59 GMT
"You speak heresy!"one of the scouts says. "Words from the Apocrypha of Eric! The true Book of Saint Corwin states that the Unicorn manifests on multiple realities and only our poor and limited senses make her intensions seem mysterious!"
"Recant your wicked ways and beliefs, mister, then maybe you will be fit to be brought into the presence of the General." says the other as he reaches for his sword.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 18, 2019 22:02:21 GMT
Calvera draws the hunting knife from his boot and throws it underhand at the spear soldier. He dodges past the first thrust from the swordman, wrapping his arm around his enemy's neck in a simple blood choke from behind. A normal man with a brain in his skull and carotid arteries that take blood to it, will pass out in seconds.
"I was starting to like you."
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Post by Deleted on Dec 21, 2019 20:01:26 GMT
As always his mind follows his body. His body was still and so was his mind, now that he moves, his mind leaps forward.
So Bleys is making a play for the throne. And he wants me to be part of it.
Well wanted me to be part of it. Now he will have to neutralize me some how. Who are his allies? Besides these bizzar religious fanatics. ... Son of Perfidy? What could that mean Eric broke no oaths, all things are possible in shadow but a cult based on Corwins self serving propaganda is particularly distasteful.
There was a magic user watching, when I fought Bleys in the pass. Watching by Trump or some form of scrying. Fiona? She has the strongest mind they say and knows most about pattern. I never knew her to be a sorcerers... Brand is dead.
One of Brand's old allies from the Courts? Would they be that foolish again? Maybe. They are making another play for the throne so they are clearly willing to make the same mistakes all over again.
Who are my allies. Julian, Cain... ... They were my fathers old allies, would they back me, no I don't think so. Nor do I care to back them. But they would oppose Bleys.
Random, Maybe. Its his head wearing the Crown. Would he trust me, not likely its his head wearing the Crown.
He never much cared for me hanging around the Castle.
Gerard and Benedict I don't know well, Nor my Aunts. Well Florimel maybe. She was friends with my mother. Probably still is.
... .... .... I don't think I will be running for help just yet. If they come at me here I will have the advantage of knowing the territory. Let them try sorcery on a Saffron Paladin.
Too bad I don't have any Trumps of my own, but at least there are none of me floating around.
Time to beat the bushes and see what jumps out.
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Post by Admin on Dec 25, 2019 8:35:04 GMT
It was just a few near-silent seconds for Cakvera to defeat the two men, the one who was stabbed made a slight deflated noise as the knife bore into him and now he's making a series soft gasps growing weaker wand weaker with each breath. The second passes out from suffocation in less than a minute. Calvera stands under the star-filled night sky with only the gentle chirping of some insects to break the silence.
The main camp of these invaders is across the flooded river but many other scouting parties will be searching about in the area Calvera roams.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2019 0:08:20 GMT
Calvera still has questions. He relaxes his choke slightly, and brings his psyche to bear in a different kind of hold.
Has he seen Bleys? Does he know how they travel through shadow? What do they want with Calvera? And what do they intend when they get to Amber?
A simple scout might not know all these things, but he might at that. If he has actually seen Bleys that confirms this is his army and he has travelled with it.
An oxygen starved brain has few defenses but it doesn't always give the most coherent answers either. In any case Calvera is not gentle.
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Post by Admin on Dec 29, 2019 8:36:42 GMT
The man's mind opens to Calvera's harsh intrusion. He has never seen anyone resembling Bleys and knows nothing of the General's plans other than what their religion says about the great war among the princes of Amber, Bleys' triumph in battle and taking the crown, then the soldier's people who were so loyal and fierce in Bleys' service reaping the reward of life in the paradise of Amber. They march to Amber to fulfil the promise. Nothing about Calvera until they recently came into this shadow and learned that he has a person of great power.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 30, 2019 13:59:08 GMT
Droping the swordman to the ground Calvera begain to consider how best to beat the bushes.
I don't want a long guerilla war. They have invaded my shadow so they will pay, tonight. But they are just tools, defeating them means nothing, I have to draw in their master
The fire light caught a relief carved into the ruins of the anicent shrine. And a cruel smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"You my friend will live through the night. I can't say what they will make of you in the morning."
Quickly he cut the soldiers cloths off him and staked him down with ties cut from their gear. Then he once more laid his hand on his forehead and invaded the weaker mans mind, planting an image of the Sable Lady, Daughter of bones, magic wielder, blood drinker in her cloak of shadows. The image took on a life of its own her cloak of shadows became one of black feathers and Calvera could hear her mad laughter howling in the wind. He broke contact, that was enough, any more might draw her attention and summon her here.
...
Morning found Calvera back with his troop catching a bit of sleep while they watched the invaders from accross the river.
The hill and ruins were scoured free of scouts except the swordsman staked down in the ruins, smeared with blood, the hearts of his friends stacked around him. The dream still gripped him, wimpering in his sleep, priaprism jabbing painfully at the sky.
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Post by Admin on Jan 2, 2020 9:38:48 GMT
Calvera sleeps a troubled sleep with thoughts of earthquakes and the Sable Lady tormenting him. In the morning he finds a change in the air of his land, a darker musky scent. His troops are afeared of the changes but still resolutely keep to their duties. Down across the valley the rivers flood has ebbed and a placid river now flows. The invading army has found wood and supplies during the night and they are industriously building rafts for the crossing. Calvera's keen eyes spot the scouts, much more thickly spread across the ground, searching and preparing for the crossing. A large Unicorn statue has been erected out of branches and bramble, maybe part of a shrine to keep the Sable Lady away.
The leader of this army, the General, as he was called sits on his great horse amid the working, his great mace in his hands. Seems to be an obvious invitation for Calvera to come and face him.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2020 19:07:44 GMT
The leader holds them together. With out him they will scatter.
Calvera rose and dressed. Grabbing a quick cup of hot soup he found the watch sergeant. "Call a staff meeting, make sure the Marquis's rangers come, I'll want to know the strenght of the enemy, the Marquis strenght. Exactly how far away from he keep we are, can she still cross the bridge. As well as how far away from our forces we are, and advantageous spots for ambush or open battle. And when will they be ready to cross the river.
Breack camp, meeting in an hour."
Finnishing his soup Calvera stripped off his shirt and begain to work the forms in clear view of the imposing figure across the river. Simple stretching at first, then the grabs, throws, strikes and counters. Becoming more complex and requiring more strenght and balance as he goes.
As always his mind follows his body, the forms bring calm and concentration. He brings the image of the Pattern to his mind and traces its arcs and curves. He doesn't walk it, but contemplates it, and discovers he is in the center of the pattern and always has been. Oneness comes with discipline. He moves into weapon forms, the Naginata. His mind silenced now he looks for the marks of the Pattern on this shadow. Did someone switch the river, swapping the one in flood for the calm river that lay in the invaders path this morning?
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Post by Admin on Jan 10, 2020 7:25:53 GMT
As Calvera works he can feel the gaze of the General upon him. An intense study and weighing of skill and discipline of Calvera's practice. The General makes no countering move or looks to have changed his orders to his troops. A great flag is raised on the unicorn statue's horn; a crimson field with a gold crown in centre and two orange sabres crossed below. The colours are reminiscent of Bleys but Random also favours similar hues.
Calvera can sense that the shadow has changed, some other adept of the Pattern or other great power has changed this place into a form more amicable to the invading army.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2020 19:46:52 GMT
Calvera grabbed a towel to wipe off and went to the staff meeting to find out more about the military situation.
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