Post by The Stranger on Apr 2, 2008 1:01:16 GMT -5
The earth pounded under the hooves of the three horses,sending dust into the blue sky.Maleagant sat on the middle horse,his feathery cloak flapping with the wind,a black vulture on a black horse.He was flanked by Berenger and Beringar,his two massive guards on their strong brown horses.Maleagant was smiling as he rode,even though the cold winds brought tears to his eyes.He didn't know much about horses, but Hendry had assured him that it was the swiftest horse they had,and he had good reason to trust Hendry in that.That man is trying to hold the Dreadfort with a mere hundred men,no doubt he wishes to have his army as soon as
possible.But do not worry lord Dustin,i will bring you this army.I will gather them,and bring them to you.Then Hendry...it's time to start worrying.Maleagant laughed out loud,loud enough to see startled birds fly in the air.
I shouldn't laugh yet,but what the hell can i do?It's almost to good to be true.The man is trapped in his own castle,with two thousand of Dominic's scattered soldiers around him.And what does he do,he actually sends me to gather them.Me,the last Bolton,the only one capable of uniting them,and leading them against you.Ha,you messed up lord Dustin,you messed up good.
They rode on,neither Beringar nor Berenger paid any attention to Maleagant's laughter.Though they had noticed,Maleagant was sure.The two where extremely watchful,though they seldom spoke.Maleagant didn't mind,his own thoughts where enough to keep him company.He needed to gather Dominic's soldiers,but the army had been disbanded.
Some will have gone to their homes,some will have turned into brigands and plunderers,but some will remain loyal and wait for news of the lord they once served.Those men i need to find.
In the fourth village they reached,they found many ex-soldiers of Dominic,right between the frightened villagers.Maleagant was right,though the army had been disbanded,some groups had remained behind.
Those with no homes to go back to,or those just eager for plunder.But they rode trough the village all the same,and Maleagant asked the first soldier he saw to take them to their leader.The man had been speechless for some time,gaping at Maleagant,who sat on his dark horse.He turned his red bald head to Berenger."It would seem the man has got some problems with the muscles in his mouth,he cannot seem to close it.Maybe you could help him with that?" The big man nodded as the smacked his two huge fists together,as the startled soldier closed his mouth and made an awkward bow."Maleagant,"the man muttered."We thought...we had heard..."
"That i was killed no doubt,"Maleagant laughed,"in that case i make a very lively ghost,don't you think?But please,i have no time for smalltalk,who is the leader of this group?"
"Ser Dwayne Ironhammer,"the soldier replied.
Hmm,not to good,but it could have been worse.
Maleagant knew the man,he was no friend of his,though he was no enemy either.Ser Dwayne had been the son of a smith,and had assumed the name of Ironhammer for his house when he was knighted.Dominic himself had knighted him,Maleagant remembered,and that was what he needed to use.He doesn't like me,but he did like Dominic,and he has a great sense of honor and duty,i shall have to use that. "Take me to the man,"he commanded the soldier. The soldier dismounted,and led them to the inn of the village.Before it, Maleagant dismounted.Followed by his guards,he went in..."
"...and saw ser Dwayne sitting in the center of the inn with atleast ten other soldiers.The terrified owner kept pouring them drinks,and Maleagant noticed there where no villagers except that man.The moment he entered,all gave him curious glances."If it isn't the vulture,"one of them said,"i heard they killed him and plucked his feathers out.Would have gobbled him up to,if vultures didn't taste so bad." Ah,some can handle wine less well than the others.
But it didn't matter.The man made more jests,some laughed,but Ser Dwayne still had that notorious grim look on his bearded face.Maleagant knew Ser Dwayne was the only man in the room that mattered.If he would gain his support,he would gain
the support off all the others.So he walked to them,ignoring the drunk soldiers,and seated himself at their table,looking directly at the Ironhammer. "Ser,it this the way you would recieve me?Once you would have offered me a chair yourself."
"Once i served the Boltons,"he replied with his gruff voice,"now i serve no man."
"No man,"the drunk soldier yelled, laughing as he spilled wine on himself,"let alone a vulture."
"Enough,"ser Dwayne said,"leave us."
The men where slow to do so,so the Ironhammer threw a cup at one of the soldiers and yelled at them to speed them up. Maleagant was surprised to see him lose control like that,he had remembered him as a calm man.
"Drunken idiot,"ser Dwayne muttered with an angry look,and then he looked gravely at Maleagant."Lord Dominic?"
"Dead,"Maleagant replied.
"As we feared,"ser Dwayne said.He sighed,and filled a glass of wine for Maleagant.Berenger took a few sips from it before offering it to Maleagant.The Ironhammer was to prideful to poison him,but still...
"I am shamed by this,"ser Dwayne said,"what good is a knight that cannot serve his lord?Like i said,i serve no man,but what have i gotten from this freedom?I am surrounded by drunken louts,who offer me little enough respect as it is,let alone
loyalty.Where is the honor in this,i ask you?"
"Why did you remain,ser,if it wasn't for loyalty,"Maleagant said,"there is great honor in that."
"Ha,i may have stayed for loyalty,but as the time passed,"ser Dwayne sighed,"the men became rougher and rougher with each passing day.Today,i am no more than the leader of a group thieves,rapists and murderers."
"Once you where soldiers,"Maleagant said,"that's why i am here,to find soldiers.Currently Hendry is holding the Dreadfort with no more than a hundred men,waiting for me to bring him fresh troops.I want to march on him,to take back what is rightfully ours.But i need soldiers,do i have them?"
Maleagant could see the doubts on the knights face,and suddenly he began to act very suspicious,almost whispering."My lord,i want to help you.Yet there where certain...events,happenings if you will.You must understand,it's been a long time.The men became unruly...things happened.Very,very sad.No doubt we regret them...yet we cannot take it back."
Maleagant knew what the knight was talking about,he had seen
the frightened faces of the villagers.Obviously the soldiers had raped and plundered.The man still had some honor in him,and was willing to help him,if Maleagant would offer him a pardon
for all their crimes."March with me,make me your lord,"Maleagant said,"and we shall act like none of this ever happened."
And ser Dwayne Ironhammer got up pulling his sword.Berenger and Beringar had drawn to,and would have cut him to pieces,if Maleagant didn't raise his left hand to stop them.Ser Dwayne laid his sword on the ground before Maleagant,and he bowed."My lord,i am yours."
Maleagant nodded.Success,watch me Hendry,i will come for you.
And two weeks later they marched. Dwayne Ironhammer had send his soldiers into every direction,looking for men.At the urgings of Maleagant,he didn't inform people that they would be marching on the Dreadfort and Hendry.No good to let him know that,can't have the bastard fleeing.
But they did know that Maleagant Bolton was recruiting men,and that there where great possibilities for rewards and advancements.So people came to him,like hungry predators after a prey,and they offered him their allegiance,hoping for riches.Maleagant wasn't dumb,he knew very well the loyalty of most men lay in their pockets.So now,two weeks later,they marched on the dreadfort,with about 1800 soldiers,most of them once Dominic's. At evenings,Maleagant talked with the Ironhammer about strategy,during the days they marched. Only when they neared the Dreadfort,the men where informed of his plans.After that,he made sure only ser Dwayne's most loyal men kept the watch, to make sure no man of his own army escaped to inform Hendry. Maleagant hoped to avoid a siege.Why a siege,when we can just walk in trough the gates?
The army reached the Dreadfort not much later.Hendry had no doubt been very eager, waiting for his army, and as they approached the gate was opened. Three men where the first to enter,followed by the rest of the army.It was a bald man with
a black cloak of feathers, flanked by two big guards. Not long after,Hendry himself came to greet him."My lord,i have brought you your army!"the bald men yelled.
"Lord Dustin!"the men yelled in unison, "Lord Dustin!"
Hendry looked pleased as he walked towards the men,but his sly smile disappeared when he came closer to the three men."Wait,"he said,confused,"you are not..."
"ATTACK!"the bald men yelled,"NOW!"
And suddenly soldiers swarmed forward,yelling and drawing their weapons.The battle of the Dreadfort had begun.
No less than half a mile from the Dreadfort Maleagant sat on the ground,his back to a tree,Berenger and Beringar next to him,when ser Dwayne Ironhammer appeared.The man looked tired and a bit bloody,but his smile told him they had won."My lord,"the man said,"the Dreadfort is yours."
Laughing,Maleagant got up,and together they went to look."How did the look-a likes do?"Maleagant asked.Finding two like Berenger and Beringar was easy,there where big blond men everywhere.But it had been hard to find a man with his own features.
"It went as you planned,"was the answer,"he saw when he got close, but by then it was to late for him.We swarmed all over the gates,we killed all the guards."
"And Hendry?"
"Knocked to the ground before he knew what was happening,we have kept him alive,as you asked.He is chained in the deepest cell of the Dreadfort,guarded by more than twenty of my finest soldiers.Well...mine...i mean..."
"You can call them yours,"Maleagant said,"for the service you have given me,you will be the commander officer of the army.Gods, if only i was there to look at Hendry's face.I will visit him later,though i doubt he will be happy to see me.
As they walked in the Dreadfort,the soldiers greeted him with loud yells.
Maleagant laughed.He noticed Hendry's weapon sign,the flayed man of the Dreadfort,only now chained.He has broken from his chains Hendry,watch him come.
results:
Hendry's guards killed
75 of Maleagant Bolton's soldiers killed.
-Hendry is now Maleagant's prisoner.
-The chained flayed man of Hendry turns back into the flayed man of the Boltons.
Maleagant improves Deception and Persuasion.
possible.But do not worry lord Dustin,i will bring you this army.I will gather them,and bring them to you.Then Hendry...it's time to start worrying.Maleagant laughed out loud,loud enough to see startled birds fly in the air.
I shouldn't laugh yet,but what the hell can i do?It's almost to good to be true.The man is trapped in his own castle,with two thousand of Dominic's scattered soldiers around him.And what does he do,he actually sends me to gather them.Me,the last Bolton,the only one capable of uniting them,and leading them against you.Ha,you messed up lord Dustin,you messed up good.
They rode on,neither Beringar nor Berenger paid any attention to Maleagant's laughter.Though they had noticed,Maleagant was sure.The two where extremely watchful,though they seldom spoke.Maleagant didn't mind,his own thoughts where enough to keep him company.He needed to gather Dominic's soldiers,but the army had been disbanded.
Some will have gone to their homes,some will have turned into brigands and plunderers,but some will remain loyal and wait for news of the lord they once served.Those men i need to find.
In the fourth village they reached,they found many ex-soldiers of Dominic,right between the frightened villagers.Maleagant was right,though the army had been disbanded,some groups had remained behind.
Those with no homes to go back to,or those just eager for plunder.But they rode trough the village all the same,and Maleagant asked the first soldier he saw to take them to their leader.The man had been speechless for some time,gaping at Maleagant,who sat on his dark horse.He turned his red bald head to Berenger."It would seem the man has got some problems with the muscles in his mouth,he cannot seem to close it.Maybe you could help him with that?" The big man nodded as the smacked his two huge fists together,as the startled soldier closed his mouth and made an awkward bow."Maleagant,"the man muttered."We thought...we had heard..."
"That i was killed no doubt,"Maleagant laughed,"in that case i make a very lively ghost,don't you think?But please,i have no time for smalltalk,who is the leader of this group?"
"Ser Dwayne Ironhammer,"the soldier replied.
Hmm,not to good,but it could have been worse.
Maleagant knew the man,he was no friend of his,though he was no enemy either.Ser Dwayne had been the son of a smith,and had assumed the name of Ironhammer for his house when he was knighted.Dominic himself had knighted him,Maleagant remembered,and that was what he needed to use.He doesn't like me,but he did like Dominic,and he has a great sense of honor and duty,i shall have to use that. "Take me to the man,"he commanded the soldier. The soldier dismounted,and led them to the inn of the village.Before it, Maleagant dismounted.Followed by his guards,he went in..."
"...and saw ser Dwayne sitting in the center of the inn with atleast ten other soldiers.The terrified owner kept pouring them drinks,and Maleagant noticed there where no villagers except that man.The moment he entered,all gave him curious glances."If it isn't the vulture,"one of them said,"i heard they killed him and plucked his feathers out.Would have gobbled him up to,if vultures didn't taste so bad." Ah,some can handle wine less well than the others.
But it didn't matter.The man made more jests,some laughed,but Ser Dwayne still had that notorious grim look on his bearded face.Maleagant knew Ser Dwayne was the only man in the room that mattered.If he would gain his support,he would gain
the support off all the others.So he walked to them,ignoring the drunk soldiers,and seated himself at their table,looking directly at the Ironhammer. "Ser,it this the way you would recieve me?Once you would have offered me a chair yourself."
"Once i served the Boltons,"he replied with his gruff voice,"now i serve no man."
"No man,"the drunk soldier yelled, laughing as he spilled wine on himself,"let alone a vulture."
"Enough,"ser Dwayne said,"leave us."
The men where slow to do so,so the Ironhammer threw a cup at one of the soldiers and yelled at them to speed them up. Maleagant was surprised to see him lose control like that,he had remembered him as a calm man.
"Drunken idiot,"ser Dwayne muttered with an angry look,and then he looked gravely at Maleagant."Lord Dominic?"
"Dead,"Maleagant replied.
"As we feared,"ser Dwayne said.He sighed,and filled a glass of wine for Maleagant.Berenger took a few sips from it before offering it to Maleagant.The Ironhammer was to prideful to poison him,but still...
"I am shamed by this,"ser Dwayne said,"what good is a knight that cannot serve his lord?Like i said,i serve no man,but what have i gotten from this freedom?I am surrounded by drunken louts,who offer me little enough respect as it is,let alone
loyalty.Where is the honor in this,i ask you?"
"Why did you remain,ser,if it wasn't for loyalty,"Maleagant said,"there is great honor in that."
"Ha,i may have stayed for loyalty,but as the time passed,"ser Dwayne sighed,"the men became rougher and rougher with each passing day.Today,i am no more than the leader of a group thieves,rapists and murderers."
"Once you where soldiers,"Maleagant said,"that's why i am here,to find soldiers.Currently Hendry is holding the Dreadfort with no more than a hundred men,waiting for me to bring him fresh troops.I want to march on him,to take back what is rightfully ours.But i need soldiers,do i have them?"
Maleagant could see the doubts on the knights face,and suddenly he began to act very suspicious,almost whispering."My lord,i want to help you.Yet there where certain...events,happenings if you will.You must understand,it's been a long time.The men became unruly...things happened.Very,very sad.No doubt we regret them...yet we cannot take it back."
Maleagant knew what the knight was talking about,he had seen
the frightened faces of the villagers.Obviously the soldiers had raped and plundered.The man still had some honor in him,and was willing to help him,if Maleagant would offer him a pardon
for all their crimes."March with me,make me your lord,"Maleagant said,"and we shall act like none of this ever happened."
And ser Dwayne Ironhammer got up pulling his sword.Berenger and Beringar had drawn to,and would have cut him to pieces,if Maleagant didn't raise his left hand to stop them.Ser Dwayne laid his sword on the ground before Maleagant,and he bowed."My lord,i am yours."
Maleagant nodded.Success,watch me Hendry,i will come for you.
And two weeks later they marched. Dwayne Ironhammer had send his soldiers into every direction,looking for men.At the urgings of Maleagant,he didn't inform people that they would be marching on the Dreadfort and Hendry.No good to let him know that,can't have the bastard fleeing.
But they did know that Maleagant Bolton was recruiting men,and that there where great possibilities for rewards and advancements.So people came to him,like hungry predators after a prey,and they offered him their allegiance,hoping for riches.Maleagant wasn't dumb,he knew very well the loyalty of most men lay in their pockets.So now,two weeks later,they marched on the dreadfort,with about 1800 soldiers,most of them once Dominic's. At evenings,Maleagant talked with the Ironhammer about strategy,during the days they marched. Only when they neared the Dreadfort,the men where informed of his plans.After that,he made sure only ser Dwayne's most loyal men kept the watch, to make sure no man of his own army escaped to inform Hendry. Maleagant hoped to avoid a siege.Why a siege,when we can just walk in trough the gates?
The army reached the Dreadfort not much later.Hendry had no doubt been very eager, waiting for his army, and as they approached the gate was opened. Three men where the first to enter,followed by the rest of the army.It was a bald man with
a black cloak of feathers, flanked by two big guards. Not long after,Hendry himself came to greet him."My lord,i have brought you your army!"the bald men yelled.
"Lord Dustin!"the men yelled in unison, "Lord Dustin!"
Hendry looked pleased as he walked towards the men,but his sly smile disappeared when he came closer to the three men."Wait,"he said,confused,"you are not..."
"ATTACK!"the bald men yelled,"NOW!"
And suddenly soldiers swarmed forward,yelling and drawing their weapons.The battle of the Dreadfort had begun.
No less than half a mile from the Dreadfort Maleagant sat on the ground,his back to a tree,Berenger and Beringar next to him,when ser Dwayne Ironhammer appeared.The man looked tired and a bit bloody,but his smile told him they had won."My lord,"the man said,"the Dreadfort is yours."
Laughing,Maleagant got up,and together they went to look."How did the look-a likes do?"Maleagant asked.Finding two like Berenger and Beringar was easy,there where big blond men everywhere.But it had been hard to find a man with his own features.
"It went as you planned,"was the answer,"he saw when he got close, but by then it was to late for him.We swarmed all over the gates,we killed all the guards."
"And Hendry?"
"Knocked to the ground before he knew what was happening,we have kept him alive,as you asked.He is chained in the deepest cell of the Dreadfort,guarded by more than twenty of my finest soldiers.Well...mine...i mean..."
"You can call them yours,"Maleagant said,"for the service you have given me,you will be the commander officer of the army.Gods, if only i was there to look at Hendry's face.I will visit him later,though i doubt he will be happy to see me.
As they walked in the Dreadfort,the soldiers greeted him with loud yells.
Maleagant laughed.He noticed Hendry's weapon sign,the flayed man of the Dreadfort,only now chained.He has broken from his chains Hendry,watch him come.
results:
Hendry's guards killed
75 of Maleagant Bolton's soldiers killed.
-Hendry is now Maleagant's prisoner.
-The chained flayed man of Hendry turns back into the flayed man of the Boltons.
Maleagant improves Deception and Persuasion.