sciwar

The Red Dragon pub was quiet. Not many were drinking. Vestin (my character I changed to 21 years old) was sitting drinking some light ale. He had finished his work and the blacksmith let him go home early. Just then a sudden wind blew into town.

Vestin looked behind himself to see a man in a cloak.

"Brother!"

The two men collided in a hug that nearly knocked them to their feet.

"Rothos, are you here for Aeros' return?"

"But ofcourse! Our brother is returning from the war, we must celebrate!"

At that moment five horses approached the pub. A tall, well built man got off the lead horse. The two brothers ran out of the pub and were headlocked by the third.

"When will you two learn? The worst approach on me is direct."

They all enjoyed a laugh as they mozied into the pub.

"So Rothos! Are you going to tell us what your occupation is?"

He smiled. "I was sworn to secrecy the other fifty times you asked, what makes you think that changed?"

"Oh come now. I just fought two tours against the barbarians in the North. I deserve a little reward."

Vestin spoke, "I think you're going to get it." He said this right as women began approaching Aeros. The pub was extremely lively now. The party raged on up until the middle of the night.

That was when the Captain of the Guard from Matorian, the largest city in the kingdom, showed up.

"I am looking for the three sons of the man they call The Traveller."

Vestin, Aeros, and Rothos looked at eachother.
 
(A few years after departing Svalbarog and generally knocking around the continent as a caravan guard much of the time and a hooker when things were slow)

Lotte had just finished her ablutions at the inn across the narrow street from the entrance to the Red Dragon pub...It had been a long, dusty escort, riding drogue on a pack-train, and they had finally arrived late tonight.

Again the Dun had proven his worth.

She'd acquired the horse two years ago through a combination of loaded dice, guile, feigning drunkenness, and some wild canoodling of one overly pompous cavalry officer who just happened to have a worldbeater of a horse...

Completely worth it, she thought, not for the first time.

She started on the cleaning of her black leather armor, by habit keeping an ear and an eye peeled out the window. Sounded like the party was dying down over there...well, no matter. At any rate, there was tomorrow. Soon enough to slake various...desires. For instance a long hot soak in the public baths.

Lotte was scrubbing the grit out of the armor seams when she saw a fellow wearing insignia and armor that looked quite important and official arrive. The man swung down off his horse, tied up at the bar and went into the Red Dragon.

Lotte's nosiness had always served her well. She threw on her longshirt and leggings, pulled on her boots, grabbed her belt with waist-pouch and dagger, cinched it on.
Her frizzy brown hair tumbled around her and her eyes agleam she was out the door, pausing only to lock her room behind her.

It suddenly seemed like a great time to have a rice beer.
If there was dirt to be had about money to be made, by gum, she'd have it.
 
"And what have you come to ask of us?" Aeros asked.

"I require Vestin's services."

Vestin looked puzzled. "How do you know my name?"

"I am an old friend of your father's. Now please, come with me."

Vestin put down his mug and walked over to the man.

"Do you know what a Ranger is?"

"Yeah, they're the elite of the Kingdom. Tracking, scouting, fighting, killing. The King only needs to send just one of them to handle important tasks. Why?"

"You are going to be one. If you are your father's son, then your skills are much needed and amply ready."

"I see. And what am I to be doing."

"A Ranger has went missing. We sent him East to scout for hostile armies. We haven't heard back. Find him, get him home at all costs. But be careful; he may be a prisoner somewhere."

"Why should I do this?"

"Because the King needs you."

He stood there and for a minute, thought about it. Then he walked back to his brothers. After a short goodbye he grabbed his sword and walked to his horse.

"I'll do it." He said mounting the horse.

"Good. Head East, and don't delay."

With a tug on the reigns, Vestin was heading East at a fast speed.

"Good luck."
 
Opening his eyes Pham blinked back the sudden light. Sitting up he let his eyes adjust and looked around. The sun was streaming through the tree above him casting Splotches of sunlight around him. Standing Up Pham Nuwen Dusted himself off and donned his armor. attaching his sword to his belt Pham started packing up his cot and cooking materials. Attaching the bundle to his horse, a black purebred, he hopped ontop of him and headed north torwards the kings castle.
 
Riding through the open plains Pham out of water and low on food started to drift off......

Pham opened his eyes to a battlefield. A fellow soilder ran over and picked him up off the Blood stained ground. Pham felt himself being dragged towards a low wall. Leaning against the wall Pham looked at the soilder, he was saying something but Pham couldn't make it out....."Sir are you all right?" the soilder repeated again. "wha....oh yes yes, I'm fine." pham stuttered back. Looking around Pham realized that they'd been ambushed while they were transporting the sword of destiny from the northern territory.. The sword had been handed down from king to son for generations and was rumored to protect the king from danger in battle. They were invaders after the sword. About half of pham's battalion was dead and another 5 wounded while the remaining few rallied around the sword and Pham. Standing up Pham pulled out his sword and rushed into the Fray. After fighting for what seemed like hours the ambushers pulled back and retreated East through the forest. Only Pham was still Standing out of his battalion. Sliding his sword into his sheath Pham wondered why they'd left when victory was so close. Then he realized what'd happened. While he'd been fighting of hordes of enemys they'd stolen the sword of destiny. Yelling out in frustration Pham threw a piece of splintered wood out into the forest in the direction they'd left in. Just then he heard a Noise behind him. turning around Pham Walked over to the soilder who'd helped him earlier.

Bending down Pham was yanked closer by the soilder. "I'm sorry there were just too many of them they overwhelmed us...." the soilder gasped and coughed as he tried to finish but he gasped one last time and fell back dead. Leaning over the soilder's dead body Pham promised vengance. Standing up He walked over to one of the few still standing horses and hoped on riding of to the king as fast as possible....

Coming back to reality Pham fell off the horse and laid there panting as dehydration caused him to go unconcious.
 
It was a nice day. Or at least it started that way. But heading into the dark forest was not a task to be taken lightly.

Vestin looked around. There was nothing but dead trees and some animals scampering as far as the eye could see.

Suddenly he was knocked to the ground; straight off his horse. He wrestled with the aggressor for several seconds before getting on top of the struggle. And that's when he realized it. The person was a girl. She couldn't be more than 18. She tried wriggling to get free, but held tight. Slight paint strokes were on her face, making him assume she was from a village.

"Do you speak English?"

"Hkasleu!"

"I'll take that as a no."
 
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