Post by The Stranger on Apr 22, 2008 14:10:11 GMT -5
Mag sat in throne, carved of ancient rock, in the dark bowels of Deepdown. His chest was bare of any clothing, and his muscular arms and pectorals stood out. His manner was relaxed and his expression impassive. The hall was completely empty save for his wife Valla, standing beside his throne, looking both savage and beautiful as always, with her long dark hair falling down over her crude stone necklace around her neck.
Finally, after an extended period of complete and utter silence in the large hall, three guards appeared from the shadows in the back of it, escorting a single blindfolded man. They brought the man to twenty feet in front of the throne, then removed his blindfold and left the hall. No man who does not make his dwelling in Deepdown is ever allowed to walk through its intricate passageways and secret levels while seeing. He must be blindfolded.
Cudge blinked several times, trying to regain his vision. Gradually his eyes adjusted to the dim hall and he looked around in wonder. Not many men were given the privilage of seeing with their own eyes the great hall of Deepdown; only those who had very important business or those would be killed shortly after. Cudge hoped he was of the former. No guards were present that he could see, but even if he made a run for it he would be lost forever in the secret halls of Deepdown.
Looking at the great man and his brother's closest friend seated on the throne, Cudge spoke. "You wanted to see me, Magnar?"
Mag nodded. "Yes, Cudge, brother of Ryk, called the Bloodhawk. I wish to make an offer to you." Mag went over their battle against the wildlings, and the event of Cudge sneaking into the wildling leader's tent and assassinating him. Cudge looked at Mag. "I know you have not brought me hear to tell me of my valor, Magnar?" Mag smiled. "No. I wish to make you into our assassin."
"Assassin?" Cudge said questioningly. "Tell me more." Mag did, in fact, tell him much more. They talked long into the night about Cudge's future. "I have no wish to leave our homeland, rather it gives me a chance to kill people or not," Cudge complained, for the hundredth time. But Mag, in that subtle way of his, somehow persuaded Cudge to accept. Though to do it, Mag finally ended up offering him a newborn mirrikai from his own stock, a new swift ship, a new weirwood bow, and his pick of the island's virgins everytime he succeeded in a mission. Even that was not enough, though. For Cudge missed his homeland. So Mag had to describe in detail the adventures, wonders, and women that lay in the lands beyond. Finally it was enough for the young man to accept the offer.
"Good, Cudge Magnar," Mag said. "But you will not be leaving yet. No, you must train. And train hard." Cudge looked a little puzzled. "I am already the stealthiest man on the island, and the best man with poison and with a bow. That is no doubt why you chose me, Magnar."
"You are right, Cudge Magnar, brother of Ryk. That is why I have chosen you. But you must improve, still, if you wish to fulfull my demand to a have a secret weapon. You will be that weapon. I am sending you to your brother's lair, where you will train for the next three months in various skill. Every day, 8 hours a day. He will teach you at daggers, at tracking men, at fist fighting and with slingshot. I will be doing some of the governing from Kingshouse to help Ryk cover the load. Now, be on your way. I want this secret weapon as soon as possible."
Cudge bowed, and out of nowhere the guards appeared again, blindfolding him. Perhaps they had been there the entire time; one could not be so sure about Deepdown, with the dark shadows and hard rock surrounding them.
Cudge arrived at Kingshouse later that day, and was shook awake by this brother. "Time to train, bitch," Ryk said, not a hint of jest involved. They trained for hours, Ryk holding his small stone dagger and slicing through the wind with it, using various techniques. Cudge would observe and then follow, trying his hand at things, and usually being cursed at by his older brother.
They retired late in the evening, dropping sweat, even though the weather was cold. They arose the next day, and the next, and followed their routings. On the fourth day, Ryk informed him that he would not make him train with the daggers on this day. Cudge thanks the old gods who watch him always until he heard the next part about hiking through the mountains. "I have given Maez Stonehead two hours' headstart," Ryk said. "If we cannot track that big ogre, then we are useless. Come, I have a wager that we will mid day. If I win, I get to sleep with his wife."
Ryk would walk close to the ground from time to time, and then stop and survery the surroundings for long moments, hushing Cudge when he tried to ask him what he was doing. After every movement, however, Ryk would explain why he had performed that action and why it was important. Right before mid day, Ryk slowed to a snail's pace and motioned Cudge to follow quietly. Peering through some shrubbery, the two saw Maez Stonehead, dead asleep in the mouth a small cave. Stifling their laugher, they snuck up behind him and pushed him to the edge of the ridge. Awaking just in time, Maez screamed like a baby before catching himself and regaining his balance. "You bastards!" Maez bellowed.
"Call me a bastard now if you wish," Ryk said, his grin growing wider, "but look at the sun. It is not yet mid day. I cannot wait for your wife to scream as loud as you just did, though for a more joyous reason I cannot doubt." The two had to be separated after that, and Cudge indeed was given the next day off as Ryk traveled to Stonehead's lair to lay with his woman.
Results:
Cudge begins training as a Skagosi assassin.
Mag improves persuasion from apprentice to noteworthy.
Cudge gains daggers at beginner.
Cudge gains tracking at beginner.
Finally, after an extended period of complete and utter silence in the large hall, three guards appeared from the shadows in the back of it, escorting a single blindfolded man. They brought the man to twenty feet in front of the throne, then removed his blindfold and left the hall. No man who does not make his dwelling in Deepdown is ever allowed to walk through its intricate passageways and secret levels while seeing. He must be blindfolded.
Cudge blinked several times, trying to regain his vision. Gradually his eyes adjusted to the dim hall and he looked around in wonder. Not many men were given the privilage of seeing with their own eyes the great hall of Deepdown; only those who had very important business or those would be killed shortly after. Cudge hoped he was of the former. No guards were present that he could see, but even if he made a run for it he would be lost forever in the secret halls of Deepdown.
Looking at the great man and his brother's closest friend seated on the throne, Cudge spoke. "You wanted to see me, Magnar?"
Mag nodded. "Yes, Cudge, brother of Ryk, called the Bloodhawk. I wish to make an offer to you." Mag went over their battle against the wildlings, and the event of Cudge sneaking into the wildling leader's tent and assassinating him. Cudge looked at Mag. "I know you have not brought me hear to tell me of my valor, Magnar?" Mag smiled. "No. I wish to make you into our assassin."
"Assassin?" Cudge said questioningly. "Tell me more." Mag did, in fact, tell him much more. They talked long into the night about Cudge's future. "I have no wish to leave our homeland, rather it gives me a chance to kill people or not," Cudge complained, for the hundredth time. But Mag, in that subtle way of his, somehow persuaded Cudge to accept. Though to do it, Mag finally ended up offering him a newborn mirrikai from his own stock, a new swift ship, a new weirwood bow, and his pick of the island's virgins everytime he succeeded in a mission. Even that was not enough, though. For Cudge missed his homeland. So Mag had to describe in detail the adventures, wonders, and women that lay in the lands beyond. Finally it was enough for the young man to accept the offer.
"Good, Cudge Magnar," Mag said. "But you will not be leaving yet. No, you must train. And train hard." Cudge looked a little puzzled. "I am already the stealthiest man on the island, and the best man with poison and with a bow. That is no doubt why you chose me, Magnar."
"You are right, Cudge Magnar, brother of Ryk. That is why I have chosen you. But you must improve, still, if you wish to fulfull my demand to a have a secret weapon. You will be that weapon. I am sending you to your brother's lair, where you will train for the next three months in various skill. Every day, 8 hours a day. He will teach you at daggers, at tracking men, at fist fighting and with slingshot. I will be doing some of the governing from Kingshouse to help Ryk cover the load. Now, be on your way. I want this secret weapon as soon as possible."
Cudge bowed, and out of nowhere the guards appeared again, blindfolding him. Perhaps they had been there the entire time; one could not be so sure about Deepdown, with the dark shadows and hard rock surrounding them.
Cudge arrived at Kingshouse later that day, and was shook awake by this brother. "Time to train, bitch," Ryk said, not a hint of jest involved. They trained for hours, Ryk holding his small stone dagger and slicing through the wind with it, using various techniques. Cudge would observe and then follow, trying his hand at things, and usually being cursed at by his older brother.
They retired late in the evening, dropping sweat, even though the weather was cold. They arose the next day, and the next, and followed their routings. On the fourth day, Ryk informed him that he would not make him train with the daggers on this day. Cudge thanks the old gods who watch him always until he heard the next part about hiking through the mountains. "I have given Maez Stonehead two hours' headstart," Ryk said. "If we cannot track that big ogre, then we are useless. Come, I have a wager that we will mid day. If I win, I get to sleep with his wife."
Ryk would walk close to the ground from time to time, and then stop and survery the surroundings for long moments, hushing Cudge when he tried to ask him what he was doing. After every movement, however, Ryk would explain why he had performed that action and why it was important. Right before mid day, Ryk slowed to a snail's pace and motioned Cudge to follow quietly. Peering through some shrubbery, the two saw Maez Stonehead, dead asleep in the mouth a small cave. Stifling their laugher, they snuck up behind him and pushed him to the edge of the ridge. Awaking just in time, Maez screamed like a baby before catching himself and regaining his balance. "You bastards!" Maez bellowed.
"Call me a bastard now if you wish," Ryk said, his grin growing wider, "but look at the sun. It is not yet mid day. I cannot wait for your wife to scream as loud as you just did, though for a more joyous reason I cannot doubt." The two had to be separated after that, and Cudge indeed was given the next day off as Ryk traveled to Stonehead's lair to lay with his woman.
Results:
Cudge begins training as a Skagosi assassin.
Mag improves persuasion from apprentice to noteworthy.
Cudge gains daggers at beginner.
Cudge gains tracking at beginner.