[revan4559]

It would be a quiet night in the small town of Hiensburg. People would be settling down for the night. Men and Women are coming and going from the tavern ordering drinks and rooms. It was just the same as any other night. Except with one exception. About twenty minutes away from the town a large group of Gors and Ungors (Beastmen) are gathering for a raid on this isolated town. They would be preparing to break open the hate by cutting down a large tree and turning it into a battering ram. Back at Hiensburg a stranger wearing a long dark red trench coat and what appears to be a hat similar to the design of a witch hunter has just finished stabling his horse for the night at the Tavern. The Strange man then push open the door and walks inside his hat covering most of his face as he walks in and takes a seat in the corner of the tavern. On his person he has a long sword at his left hip, a short sword on his right and two pistols crossed on his chest. He remains seated and leans back against the wall as he waits to be served.

Aldegar: After a hard days working on the farm you have decided to go to the tavern to relax before you head home back to your family. While at the tavern you would be sat down with some of your friends, Nysard and Felix. You would also be talking to Alfred who is behind the bar serving you three your drinks. You would over hear some of the guards talking about the recent rumors of gathering beastmen but decided to pay no attention. You would then notice a rather strange man in a red trench coat and hat enter.

Alfred: You would be behind the tavern bat serving drinks and talking to the local patrons of the tavern. You father would also be busy serving drinks and you mother and sister in the back of the tavern cooking food for those who order it. You would see Aldegar enter the tavern and sit with Felix and Nysard and decide to go serve them drinks and talk to them. You would then notice a rather strange man in a red trench coat and hat enter, he would go and sit in the corner and waits for to to go serve him a drink.

Nysard: After a hard days working on the farm you have decided to go to the tavern to relax before you head home back to your family. While at the tavern you would be sat down with some of your friends, Aldergar and Felix. You would also be talking to Alfred who is behind the bar serving you three your drinks. You would over hear some of the guards talking about the recent rumors of gathering beastmen but decided to pay no attention. You would then notice a rather strange man in a red trench coat and hat enter.

Kai: After helping the new strange man dressed in red and wearing a odd looking hat finish stabling his horse he would give you a few coins and tells you to go get a drink for yourself in payment for helping him. He would then turn off and walks inside the tavern disappearing amongst the crowd. You can see your friends Felix, Aldergar and Nysard getting served by Alfred and decide to go over and join them in their drinking.

Kiera: It would be a quiet night at the towns temple. No-one had been brought in yet from getting into bar fights at the local tavern but it was only a matter of time before they started being brought in drunk and bloody from their brawls. You would be wondering around the temple when you stop a window on the second floor and look out into the forest. You can see camp fires in the distance, obviously come people camping out after now having made it to the town before the gates were closed. One of the other priestesses tells you to go and check the storage room and take a stock check of food and supplies incase they need to get some more tomorrow.

Merovech: You have just finished digging your last grave for today for an elderly man who had died at the age of seventy eight yesterday and his funeral would be tomorrow. After putting away your shovel and putting on your long over coat you decide you may aswell go and relax at the tavern. As you make your way down the hill from the cemetery you see some camp fires in the distance and just decide to ignore them as they are most likely travelers camping out.

Benepal: It had been a rather successful day hunting. You had caught 5 rabbits today and have taken them to the tavern where Alfred's father pays you a few coins for 3 of them and offers you a beer on the house before handing the 3 rabbits to his wife and daughter to prepare. You would take the other 2 rabbits back to your family after you have had a few drinks. You would then notice a rather strange man in a red trench coat and hat enter.

Felix: After a hard days working on the farm you have decided to go to the tavern to relax before you head home back to your family. While at the tavern you would be sat down with some of your friends, Aldergar and Nysard . You would also be talking to Alfred who is behind the bar serving you three your drinks. You would over hear some of the guards talking about the recent rumors of gathering beastmen but decided to pay no attention. You would then notice a rather strange man in a red trench coat and hat enter.

 

[komanko]

It was a hard day at the farm, Nysard was working like a dog under the raging sun which burned his back, he was all sweaty and his muscles stretched. When evening came it was a relief, the sun went away and gave her place to the glowing moon. It was a nice night so he decided to go to the tavern with his friends. Nysard caught a table near the bar, then quickly Felix and Aldegar joined him. He saw Alfred serving drinks to the regular patrons, Alfred quickly noticed them and finished his business and went towards them. While he was walking towards them Nysard heard the guards talking about rumors that beastmen were gathering nearby, but he quickly dismissed the thoughts about this. Alfred reached them and after a friendly greeting Nysard said, "I will have a beer if you still have anything left after all this customers.", turning his head to his Aldegar and Felix he asked, "What would you order?". Nysard then noticed an odd looking man going through the door, he was wearing a red trench coat and also a hat. He was not one of the regular patrons and not many travelers were passing in this town. He then returned to his friends and asked, "What a day huh?"

 

[deathbringer]

The white dress, slipped easily over her head, her limbs devoid of fatigue, full of life and vigour. It had been an easy day, the odd wound of a farmer stepping on a rake yet nothing more.

The night was just beginning, the usual mellee of horrors leering and sneering as they lolled drunkenly in there chair. Bloody noses, broken bones and the occassional gash of a knife or pistol wound.

Easy to deal with, much easier than a difficult birth, though without the joy of new life, the subtle triumph of overcoming yet another obstacle, of holding the bawling babe tightly in her arms. Watching the mothers face soften from agony to ecstacy as she held the child to her bosom.

Oh twas a wonderful thing.

She skipped down the stair two at a time the dress swishing round her ankles as she landed upon the rug, and the gentle weight of her golden tresses tickled her back. She faced the glasseless arch and placed her thin fingers upon the stone, cool to the touch, calming and soothing as looked out over the village. Of from the village over the forest, flickers of flame dancing within the deep boughs.

More than usual.

Must be lots of travellors locked out tonight. Another night on the road would be nothing to those weather beaten types.

On she went her delighted steps slowing to a more respectful gate as a priestess approached her and she stopped as the elder opened her mouth to speak

"Kiera, we need not your assistance for the moment, the healers are unoccuped, yet check the storage room. We will be going into town tomorrow"

She turned and walked away and Kiera rolled her eyes at her retreating back. She preffered to be out on the temple floor, even unoccupied she could talk to the other healers. Oh so much still to learn, in some ways she was still but a babe and in others she surpassed them.

They knew so much yet often those they thought were certain to die, were soothed and healed by Kiera's ministrations.

She was seen to be a talent, a possibility and a progidy, a last resort in essence and those who still got worse were often sent to her, to be seen into death or reborn to new life at her touch.

Her dainty footsteps echoed on the cobbles as she made her way towardsthe storage room.

An involuntary shiver racked her body and she frowned

something very bad was about to happen

 

[TraitorsHand]

Merovech walked down the cemetery hill. The uneasy silence only broken by the crunching sounds of gravel under his boots. His long black over coat skirted around his ankles, creating a pleasant swishing sound. His long auburn hair gently blowing in the wind. Merovech pulled his over coat up a little and wrapped it around his body, it wasn't too cold, but years of poverty had made him dread the cold no matter how tolerant he was to it.

Stepping off the hill and into the village center he briefly wondered where he should go. He didnt feel quite like going home, and the last time he entered the Tavern he was meet with awkward silence and a short man that wished to have a go at him, no doubt to drunk to care about the Morr superstition, but he was Thirsty from his long day at work, and it would take more than one spawn of a dwarf to stop him.

His feet contiuned its long crunching trek and he stopped only once to look at the ominous red glow of the travelers fire, before turning back to the path to the tavern and continuing his trek.

 

[Samu3]

(Please dont hate my first time on this kind of RP)
Benepal stared down into the bottem of his empty mug. He knew he shouldn't be drinking, tomorow he would be shooting worse then a blind Ork but the bartender insisted and he didnt want to offend.

Gazing up from his mug he spotted the strange trenchcoat man in the corner, they didnt get many of his type around here Benepal suspected he might be a witchhunter back on the farm they got plenty of those....Always asking for directions to strange places. He was keeping an eye on him not because he suspected he was here to hurt people but because if this guy is anything like the Witchhunters that visisted the farm then he better keep the Drunks away from him least they want to end up with the healers in that temple up the hill.

Benepal got up from the table taking his bow with him and went outside "Just for a little while" he said to himself. It got so crowded and stuffy in there. Leaning on the taverns outside wall he observed the fires coming from the forests.
Good, he thought to himself the wildlife would flee from the fire's right into the hunting grounds.
The cause of the fires themselfs however were most likely Travelers, his father had just gone to see them, ask if they mabye wanted to trade some of todays catch for coins.

Something welled up in his gut he couldnt put a finger on it a feeling of some sort, or mabye it was just the Beers? Either way he didnt like this.

 

[CaptainFatty]

Felix wiped the worst of the dust off his face as he headed towards the tavern. It had been a long, hard day and he wanted nothing more right now than to relax and drink with friends. As he opened the door, the familiar smell of beer and smoke hit him, the relaxing effect bringing a smile to Felix's face. He looked around and saw Nysard sitting at a table near the bar. He walked up him, grinning widely, hand extended. Soon after, Aldegar joined them and they sat together, waiting for Alfred. While they waited, Felix could hear some guards talking about the rumors of beastmen gathering nearby. Felix shook his head, wondering why the guards were always so paranoid despite the fact that nothing had attacked for a long while.

Alfred eventually came up to their table and greeted them, asking what they wanted. Nysard was the first to answer, commenting on the amount of pwople in the tavern. "What would you order?" Nysard asked them.

"Just a beer as well, don't need anything too heavy tonight," he laughed just sighting the man in the dark red hat and coat, laden with weapons. "Any good stories today Alfred? Have you had a chance to talk to that man yet or did he just arrive in town?"

 

[darkreever]

Things could not possibly get much worse, Sigmar be praised of small mercies on this night. Aldegar thought to himself, staring into the half-finished pint in front of him. This was to be his final night in Hiensburg, tomorrow he would travel with pa to the capitol of Nordland and enlist to join up with the marines as his father, and his father, and his father had all done before him. It was tradition, something that had been beaten into him as well as how to work the land right had been over these many seasons. There was nothing more that Aldegar could want; at least until he had met Kristen that is. She was Nysard’s sister, a true beauty that stole the look of many here at the inn; but by the grace of Sigmar she seemed to only have eyes for him, nothing more than a farmhand. They had fallen for each other two winters ago, and managed to keep their relationship mostly silent for the most part.

But now, now it was all about to come to an end; if his father had spoken true than he would not be returning to Hiensburg or at least not by choice. He would likely settle down somewhere else with someone else many seasons down the path. He didn’t want that though, he didn’t want just anyone; not when he loved Kristen as he did. That’s when Kirsten had spoken to him, had asked of him the thing that racked him so now. “Run away with me.” Four words, that’s all it had taken and now he was torn between the tradition of his family, or his true love. Worst of all, Kirsten was Nysard’s sister; how would the man feel after learning that his own friend had run away with his kin? He couldn’t tell anyone, she had already made him swear to remain silent, and he knew that if he left the parting would be a death to them both.

After some time sitting by himself, Aldegar noticed Nysard and Felix enter and motion him over to a table. Sighing, he downed what remained in his pint before nudging his head in the direction of his friends to Alfred, indicating that he was heading to the table and wanted another pint. "What a day huh?" Nysard muttered as Aldegar took a seat and the big man couldn’t help but take the line. “No worse than any other, but what would a dandy like you know about real work anyway?” He said with a smile before the answer to his dilemma came to the fore of his mind. He would run away with Kirsten, his love for her meant more to him than the tradition of joining the navy. They would see the world together, he already knew of work and that would be able to get them by; as long as they had each other that is all they would need.

"Just a beer as well, don't need anything too heavy tonight, any good stories today Alfred? Have you had a chance to talk to that man yet or did he just arrive in town?" Felix asked, and that’s when Aldegar actually noticed the unusual man. He hadn’t seen him in here before; definitely hadn’t seen him in town. Was he a traveler or something, maybe he’d be able to take him and Kirsten away or be able to share with them some idea of where to go. “Yeah Alfred, who’s that?”

 

[Angel of Blood]

Kai

He was an odd looking man Kai thought. Looked more than capable of taking care of himself without the arsenal of weaponry he seemed to have on every part of his body. Kai had just finished stabling the newcomers horse when the man handed him a few coins and bade him to buy himself a drink. Kai instantly forgot his suspicions of the man in light of his generosity and quickly headed off to the tavern after the newcomer. He passed Benepal who was on his way out "After a bit fo fresh air? too much drink already?" asked Kai smiling as he entered the tavern. The tavern was busy as usual, guards talking of rumours of gathering beastmen, the stranger sat alone in a corner, most of the other townsfolk and sat around one table Kais friends. Jenna didn't appear to be inside either 'must be at home' he thought to himself. Shrugging he made his way over to his friends. "Yeah Alfred, who's that?" Aldegar said, "Witch hunter by the looks of him" Kai interjected "but by Sigmar i like him, paid me a handful of coin just for stabling his horse! Besides whats the conflicted look on your face for Aldegar? Looking forward to the navy that much" Aldegar was after all being sent to the marines much against his own choice, Kai could hardly blame him for looking slightly conflicted, 'must just be nerves' he thought.

"I'll pay for this round Alfred, may aswell make some use of this coin, haven't got long before i have to do this damned errand for the stablemaster" buying his friends drinks was part generosity, but mostly due to the fact that he would only have to turn the remaining over to his parents anyway when he got home. "Anyone seen where Jenna is by the way? thought she would be in here with all of you"

 

[TraitorsHand]

Merovech pushed open the door to the noisy tavern. The light spilt froth from the door accompanied by warmth of the hearth greeted him. Merovech kept his face straight and did not show the relief of escaping the cold outside world. Stepping into the tavern his boots clunked against the floor, and some of the patrons stopped and looked at him in silence. He swore he spotted one man make the sign of sigmar for protection. “Bloody empire folks and their superstitions” brushing the thought aside he sat at a small table tucked into the back corner. Alone he leaned back into the chair to rest his weary back muscles. No matter how many times he has done it, digging a grave was always a draining experience. Under half closed eye lids, he glanced around the room recognizing a few of the patrons, Kai the stable boy and that farmer… Nysard was it? Well no matter, as long as the superstition of Morr held out he wouldn’t have to worry about drunks wanting to “tempt fate” no doubt trying to impress the homely tavern wench, on that note where was that women? He wanted a nice ale to sooth his back, but he couldn’t quite spot her.
Taking note of the large man in the corner with the weapons, Merovech examined him with a close eye. A tall man, not quite as large as him but tall none the less. From the weapons he carried he would have to be a trained warrior, but Merovech didn’t know much about the Empire military to place him, might just be a traveling merc, wasn’t his business.

 

[revan4559]

The strange man would remain sat in the corner of the room. His dark eyes peering out from under the shadow of his hat scanning everyone in the room looking for the one person he was here to find. Not finding them he motions to the bartender and orders a small flagon of ale to drink before shifting his attention back to the patrons.

Nysard, Felix, Kai, Aldegar: You are all sat around the table talking to Alfred and talking about the days work. You have no idea what the strange man in the corner is doing or who he is but you all suspect just a well armed traveling making sure he can get to his destination on him. You should all just get back to the drinking and talking but after awhile you all slowly get the feeling something isnt right here. Not expecting at all what will happen next.

Keira: You but your shiver down to the currently open windows throughout the temple which is keeping it very cool inside. After around fifteen minutes you have finished your stock taking and hand it to one of the sisters. The sister then tells you to go get some rest before more men from drinking to much come in with bar fight wounds. Not expecting at all what will happen next.

Benepal: The serving girl would bring you another beer which you had paid for before walking off back to the bar and taking some food to the others. You have decided to stay for another fifteen minutes in the tavern before heading home and getting some rest ready for tomorrow.

Merovech: The people of the empire as always act very strangely even though you have been staying with them for a few years now. The serving girl would bring you some food and another drink before walking off and talking to the strange man in red over in the corner before walking off to fetch him a drink.

Maxim: For the last hour you have been inside the tavern drinking and trying to catch up all of the serving girls who always seem to turn you down saying you are drunk. They keep telling you to go home and at the end of your hour at the tavern you decide to get up and leave to go rest for the evening. As soon as you get out side of the Tavern you see the sentry at the gate house fall off of it holding his neck.

Dyanah: After a long day you decided to go off to the tavern to do abit of volunteer serving work to earn yourself afew more coins. You would see a strange man in red enter and go and sit in the corner but think nothing off it. After an hour the man chatting you up finally gets the hint and decides to leave when he suddenly stops still in the door way with a look of pure horror on his face.

It has been fifteen minutes since the beastmen finished their battering ram and marched towards the town of Hiensburg. Once there they charge at the gate with their ram after taking out the sentry and start slamming it again the gate making alot of noise not caring if they alert everyone to their presence. After three more tries they manage to break open the gate and charge into the town roaring and calling out for challenges as they set about raiding and slaughtering everyone they can find.

Within the tavern everyone inside would hear they are under attack and try to get outside to see what by.

Those in the Tavern: You oddly notice that the strange man who arrived earlier remains completely calm while everyone else screams. Quickly you all turn and run out of the tavern to try and get to your families.

 

[komanko]

"Just a beer as well, don't need anything too heavy tonight," Felix said replaying to Nysard's question. "I see you are not planning on getting smashed today huh...", Nysard said laughing. After a while Aldegar joined them, he seemed thoughtful. Nysard tried to lighten up the mood and said, "What a day huh?". Apparently even though he was thoughtful Aldegar did not lose his wits and quickly replayed smilingly, "No worse than any other, but what would a dandy like you know about real work anyway?”. he couldn't help but laugh Aldegar always had something witty to say. They all continued chatting and talking as Kai entered the tavern, they waved to him and he spotted them grabbed a chair and sat down. As they continued to talk Kai stated that the man in the red trench coat is probably a witch hunter but who knew. Kai continued telling about the man and then stated how generous he was, "I'll pay for this round Alfred, may aswell make some use of this coin, haven't got long before i have to do this damned errand for the stablemaster, Anyone seen where Jenna is by the way? thought she would be in here with all of you." he said. "No, actually I didn't see Jenna today at all, did any of you see her?", Nysard asked.

"So whats on your mind Aldegar, is it the navy you are so eager to join?", Nysard said heartily. They then continued speaking, chatting and drinking. At some point along the conversation Nysard had a feeling, a bad one, like the feeling that he used to get before a coming of a great storm, but he quickly dismissed it. Suddenly Nysard smelled something which did not belong into the tavern's smells. The smell of charred wood which Nysard knew so well. "Do you smell it, there is an annoying smell of burning wood here.", only then he heard the roars and screams...

Everybody panicked, while getting up and picking his belongings he saw that the only man who remained sited was the man with the trench coat. He did not pay any more attention to this as he understood that they were under attack. "Come on! We have to get out families!", Nysard yelled while slamming open the door. The sight which was revealed was horrible. Horned goat shaped man ran across the city wielding weapons of war and slaughtering and burning anything in their sight. Hes family lived in the eastern part of town, smoke was already starting to come out of there, he grabbed Aldegar by the shoulder as he lived in that area to. "Lets go! Hurry!", he said while he began to run, hoping that his family is all fine.

 

[Angel of Blood]

Kai

After hearing what everyone else thought of the strange man and discussing him for a while they being to drink and carry on talking again. Kai listened to the others and threw in a joke or two bringing out a few hearty laughs helped on by the drink, deciding to spend a while longer in the tavern, after all it was Aldegars last night here. At one point he turned and noticed Merovech had entered the tavern and was sitting alone at a table eating and drinking alone. Kai thought for a moment of calling the young Bretonian over but decided against it for now, maybe after a few more drinks to loosen everyone up a bit.

At one point Kai noticed a Nysards face drop a little and a brief look of worry passed over his face, but then he carried on chatting as before. Kai thought at one point he could hear a distant banging sound from outside but simply dismissed it as his imagination. He looked over to the bar to see a man eventually give up on trying to chat up Dyanah and head for the door, at the same time Nysard said "Do you smell it, there is an annoying smell of burning wood here." Kai then noticed it too, and at the same moment the rejected man reached the door and yelled out in horror. It was then that they all finally heard the screams and shouts coming from outside. He stood bolt upright overturning his chair as he did so "Come on! We have to get out families!", Nysard yelled and ran for the door. Kai quickly ran after him, noticing how chillingly calm the stranger seemed to be, still sat in his chair. Kai burst outside into the most horrifying scene he had ever witnessed. Fires were raging everywhere, houses burning down, crops aflame, people running and screaming in all directions. Bodies also littered the ground, villagers he knew dead all around him. But most terrifying of all was the source of the violence. Beastmen, alot of them, bellowing in their cursed tounge and slaughtering everyone around them, a few guards had tried to fight them off but they were too few and woefully unprepared.

Nysard grabbed Aldegar and headed off to the east of town. Kai headed to the west instead towards his house as he thought of Jenna and his parents. Kai was a good sprinter, agile aswell and it saved his life as he dashed through the battle, no not a battle, the slaughter. A beastman at one point swung his fearsome axe at him and he just managed to roll under the swing carrying on running without looking back. As he rounded a corner he saw his house was mercifully not aflame, with a praise to Sigmar he ran into the house but was greeted with an even worse sight than outside the Tavern. His mother and father were both dead, his father with his old sword in hand clearly having fell defending Kais mother. Kai collpased for a moment as grief washed over him. The screams from outside brought him back to his senses and anger flooded him instead. Picking up his fathers sword he made to run outside but barely took two steps when a stone smashed through the window hitting him on the head. Just before he passed out one thought sprung to his mind 'where was Jenna?'

 

[Samu3]

(Will Grammer check it later hastly written)
Everybody panicked.
Benepal shot up out of his seat in mute shock, Were they under attack? A wave of dread and fear swept up through his mind. Father he wasnt here he had gone to sell game to the travelers, Then it hit him, the fires, it was a raiding party.

Benepal went with the crowd and out of the Tavern, his worst fears became confirmed. Horrible creatures huge lumbering beast's were everywere slaughtering everyone. Benepal took a moment to stoop to floor level and reached into his pouch to check his arrows, 20 he thought to himself.... Not nearly enough there was another fifty odd arrows at home and he pondered wether he had enough time to retrive them. He glanced up to wards the rest of the town, buildings were razed, bodies and blood were everywere. No he thought to himself No time by then these creatures will have chewed up and spat out what is left of this small town.

Benepal rolled, a huge shadow of a figure with horns had cast itself over him, and he rolled just as the beastmans crude axe swung at him. Benepal got onto his knees and fired a single shot into the beastmans chest at point blank, Nothing happened it was momentarily still, it's small brain still porcessing the events of the last ten seconds. But then it came at him again. Benepal didnt even attempt to fight if an arrow at such short range was not going to put it down then not much will. He scrammbled to his feet and ran for the gates hoping to find some of the town guard so he can be useful and fight alongside them.

By the time he made it to the gate it was overrun the gaurds were dead or wounded. Benepal stood staring for a second, unsure as to what path to take, were he should go. But them a sound from behind him, he turned bow half raised expecting One of the beastman to lob off his head, But it was a guardsman, he was accompanyied by mabye a dozen others and more were pilling in behind him. It looked like they had,had the same idea as him.
The Beastman seemed to notice them and seeing that they were all armed must have taken from for more of a challenge then the petty peasents. The Gate spiriled into cause as beastman pushed each other forward towards Benepal and the gaurd unit, Benepal thought about running the odds were ten to one and by the looks of things Beastman were still coming in through the gate behind the rest. But then he saw something the creature at the front of the pack. It was a beastman for sure that he knew but it was larger then the others and donned a necklace of human skulls around its neck, the object that attracted Benepal to this particular beastman was its Scar.

The Scar it was an eight pointed star, by the looks of it the creature had inflicted it himself as somesort of badge of honor. Benepal knew it, and knew it well he had memorised every point and every angle of that mark. Oh how he loathed it, this was the same mark he had seen all those years ago on the day his mother died. The Marurders they to raised this mark on there banners and had it engraved on there armour, A Rage filled his heart one like he had never felt before. That mark Taunting him! Always Tauting him! he would show it..... Benepal brought up his bow and fired.

There was a stunned silence the Lead Beastman had fallen although war raged on in other parts of the town the gates went silent. An Arrow protruded from the lead Beastmans left eye blood pooled out of the wound slowly making its way down to the dirt below.
The Beastman did not take kindly to his death, the horde charged onwards their warcry greater than ever. Benepal loaded another arrow "Hold this line!" he screamed above the beastman "Your Families are behind you, your friends are behind you, you will not let them pass!". The Guard's seemed to shout there approval, inspired by such a shot which Benepal had taken for as just good luck, and formed up a battle line

"Hold this line" he yelled once more
It is a shame he thought as he stared down the horde before him That were all going to die in the process.

 

[darkreever]

Sitting with the others did a little to improve his spirits, and Nysard didn't take his comment as more than a little jesting. The man really didn't know to much about hard work, but that was really beside the point. Alfred eventually came over to them, a fresh pint for Aldegar and getting an idea of what the others wanted. If anything, this being his last night would most definitely gather him a few free drinks before he fled with Kristen. Maybe they should get Nysard to come with them, in time he would meet a woman of his own; but what if he opposed? That could make it all difficult.

Gah, to much! Aldegar thought to himself, taking a drink and noticing the stranger ordering something for himself. He'd have to find some way to talk to the man in private later tonight. Hopefully he would be able to help the two of them, or at least would keep his mouth shut and move on in the morning. That's when he heard Kai mention something about the man being a witch hunter and a chill ran down Aldegar's spine. He quickly shrugged it off with some more of his drink. "Ain't no witch hunter; those are nothing more than fairy tale meant to scare children and fools. They aren't real you woman." He said, wiping lingering foam from his mouth with one bruised and slightly cut arm.

Then there was some asking about Kai's sister Jenna; Aldegar just shook his head. Pretty thing he wouldn't mind having seen today, not as pretty as Kristen, but alas he hadn't seen her. "So whats on your mind Aldegar, is it the navy you are so eager to join?" Nysard said with a laugh, clapping him on the back. "Nah you sister asked me to run away with her and I'm considerin' it!" He replied with a laugh, raising his pint up.

"Do you smell it, there is an annoying smell of burning wood here." Nysard said softly, forcing Aldegar and others to stop and listen so they could hear him. That's when he smelled it to..and heard the screams. Nysard bolted up and was at the door before anyone else, his actions letting in the sounds of outside and some of the sights. Already fire reached into the sky and the screams were louder, with something like animal roars as well.

"Lets go! Hurry!" Nysard cried, pulling at Aldegar and the two raced out of the inn towards their homes. Horror filled the farmhands eyes as he finally realized that the flames had been coming from the direction of home. "Sigmar no!" He wailed as the pair ignored everything else. Please no, don't let this be because we want to be together; please no! He thought to himself, before the sound of a girl shrieking caught his ears: that was little Ell he had heard!

 

[deathbringer]

"Must be the cold' she murmered pushing on and allowing herself to become involved in the mundane task of writing, checking, writing measuring.

She lost herself in thought, idiotic fantasies and desires, dreams of what lay outside these walls, in places she had never known. She paused hands idle. the tasks length doubling as she paused eyes unfocused to stare blankly at the ceiling.

Finally the reveries dissapeared and she was rushing through the corridors. The sister sat idle, head bowed eyes closed and Kiera bowed before her.

"The list sister"

The sisters amber eyes opened wide and she gave a slight yawn

"Rest child while you can, when you get older you will be delighted to rest at any opportunity"

Slowly Kiera walked away. She felt alive, devoid of fatigue, yet she took her advice lying down, she felt herself drifting away on the winds of fantasy

 

[CommissarHorn]

“Aw, jusst a little kiss! Ha ha, I’m fine.” Maxim fell off his chair, spilling ale onto himself. “Woah, no! My drink!” Grabbing the mug, like his life depended on it, Maxim slammed it onto the table and lifted himself up. “No, no, no…” He was shaking his head clumsily, moving his body aswell. “…You see, life? Life iss this!” Pointing at the mug, he realised it wasn’t empty. “But its still there. No, no, no.” Standing, Maxim grabbed his drink and outstretched his fist, swaying all over the place. “Its not gone! The horizon! Its there!” Before he could start shouting again, the serving girls directed him outside. “But I love the horizon! What? I can come back laterr? Ok! I’ll be waiting!”

Stumbling past the patrons, Maxim swung the door open and strode out into the night. “Horizon! I’m coming! I love y…” He could feel something wrong, but couldn’t pin point it. Suddenly he dropped his ceramic mug, smashing it on the steps, and stood, staring at the gate. Stumbling down the steps, he tried to get a closer look. “Sigmar’s…” Redding’s body lay, dripping blood, and large figures were running towards him. “Basta…I mean, Beastmen!” Grabbing his whistle, Maxim desperately blew on it, hoping the rest of the guards would get there in time. The horned figures were getting close. Looking around, groggily, Maxim realised he’d left his club at the station… and that he was still pretty smashed. “Gotta get these people out. Oi! You, move it!! Hurry up!”

The towns people were already pretty alert and were running all over the place, panicking. “Don’t panic! Think about it!… What the hell am I saying?” Trying to run in the opposite direction of the rampaging monsters, Maxim found himself running and swinging towards them. “Well this isn’t too good.” His vision swaying and twisting, as well as his thoughts, Maxim found something heavy on the ground and smashed it against the nearest window. Running towards the window, he tried to jump into it but knocked himself on the wall instead and stood up, staring at the Beastmen, who were extremely close. “Wow, I’m really drunk.”

Leaping up, he managed to grab the window, and hefted himself into the room. He coulda swore something grabbed his foot. Before Maxim could stop to think, his body was moving and smashing it’s way through door after door. “Nice furniture.” His hands felt wet, and so did his chest but it didn’t matter as Maxim just kept running. Head butting a door, Maxim was outside, falling down stairs and colliding with the ground before getting up without stopping and continuing to run in any direction. “Max! You’ve been wounded!” Turning his head, Maxim saw his colleague Karl running behind him. “Really?” Karl was running beside him. “Yeah, there’s blood all over your hands and shirt.”
“Where we going?”
“To the station! Wow, your really drunk!”
“…Yeah.”

 

[TraitorsHand]

Merovech pulled his dagger free from his boot and leapt from the table. Making his way to the door he tried to squeezed out, as everyone else in the tavern was also trying to scamper out of a narrow door. Fighting free of the door, he looked around at the village. The beastmen running up the street; the militia desperately trying to fight them off, but it was obvious they would not be able to hold them for long. Not wanting to waste any more precious time, Merovech took off at a full sprint running down the road towards his home.

His home was tucked between the hill of the cemetery, and the outer palisades which the beastmen broke through. His boots slapping against pavement, the screams of people and monster alike, and the heat of fire followed him down the back alleys, as he tried to avoid as many beastmen as possible. Erupting from the alley, he looked towards his home and was greeted with the red glow, and scorching heat. The beastmen had beaten him to his home... to his family. As Merovech stared in horror, his own scream of anguish joined the tormented sounds of the night.

 

[CaptainFatty]

Felix was enjoying himself. He always did when he had a drink in his hand, surrounded by friends. His smile reflected this, the expression in his eyes giving away that this was a perfect night. As the others joked around, he saw Max fall off his chair, yet again drunk as anything. He laughed as the 'future sherrif' was escorted out shouting something about horizons or some other nonsense. Looking around at the others, he noticed most of them seemed upset or worried, but Felix wasn't feeling any of it. Maybe it was the fact that today would be Aldegar's last day before he left for the navy.

"Nah you sister asked me to run away with her and I'm considerin' it!" Aldegar said with a laugh and Felix joined in, not knowing the truth of the situation.

"Do you smell it, there is an annoying smell of burning wood here." Nysard said and Felix sniffed, noticing it for the first time. Soon after came the screams and everyone ran for the door. A hellish scene greeted him. Fires raged throughout the town and shredded corpses littered the ground. Felix instantly ran for his home, ignoring the others, only caring about the safety of him and his family. Running through a dark alleyway, he tripped on something and fell, swearing as he impacted with the ground.

Looking back, he noticed that it was a head, and he yelled, unaccustomed to this kind of death. His fear quickly turned to sorrow when he moved closer to the head. The face of his brother stared back at him, the lifeless eyes giving a cold, deathly stare. Tears ran down Felix's face as he turned away from it, just seeing the beastman that ran towards him. Felix got up and stood there, ready for the death blow that was sure to come. Suddenly a guard flanked the creature and, using Felix's 'distraction,' plunged his sword into the beast's side, killing it quickly.

"Whats wrong with you, man, RUN!" The soldier yelled as he moved towards the main fight. Felix snapped back to reality and heeded the guards words, unable to get the image of his brothers face out of his mind. Another terrible sight greeted him when he made it to his home - The entire thing was ablaze, no sign of his parents at all. He cried out as he pulled his hammer from his leather apron and smashed the nearest window, venting his anger on the house. He saw more beastmen coming and forced himself not to charge them, instead running in the opposite direction. The tears still ran down his cheeks, images of death burned into his mind.

 

[Euphrati]

Dyanah balanced the platter of roasted root vegetables in one hand while stopping to top off a raised tankard with the pitcher of watered ale gripped firmly in the other. Her left arm still ached dully from the earlier day’s work involving the Longharker’s ill-tempered old ram. The beast had found a way out of its pen and, in the process, acquired a rather deep laceration on its foreflank. Dyanah sighed at the image her memory so kindly supplied her with of the farmer Longharker’s three flaxen-haired daughters looking on in the dawn’s first rays with their doe-blank stares and their little mouths forming perfect ‘o’s as she had cornered the cantankerous beast, wrestled it to the mud-slick ground, bound its feet (after being kicked at least once), and proceeded to clean and stitch up the bloody wound.

The scent of sodden ram had clung to her skin for the rest of the morning even after a through scrubbing under the frigid water of the pump outside the small cottage she shared with her father. Thankfully, the other summons for her skills had been a bit less involved; the Fostermill’s plowhorse had a limp that proved to be little more than a stone bruise, the Kirkly’s needed a fresh batch of ointment to tend their cow’s chapped udders, and the Gilbert’s young jack donkey had finally gotten to the age where he needed gelding. The expression on the poor beast’s long eared face had been utterly woeful.

Dyanah came to a swirling stop next to a table of rough hewn boards and placed the steaming platter down gingerly in the center, fishing out the shallow bowls she had tucked into a pocket made of her apron. The tavern keeper’s wife had scowled when she had shown up for the extra hours of serving work in soft calf-skin pants, disappearing into the inner chambers only to re-appear shortly bearing a green linen skirt and cream coloured apron which she thrust upon the young woman with a look of disdain. Dyanah had relented, taking a quick trip out back to the stables in order to change and tuck her pants away in Guinevere’s saddle bags; the extra coin for the upcoming faire was too good to pass up over the annoyance wearing ‘proper’ woman’s clothing entailed.

Relieved of her burden; Dyanah cut her way back through the scattered tables on the way to the kitchen, topping off any mugs that were not frothing full as she went until the stoneware pitcher she carried was as dry as the sermons given on the hallowed day. As the thought came to her mind, her eyes came to rest upon the stranger clad in deep red and shadows that had entered the tavern earlier that night. He had spoken not a word and taken a seat in the corner with his back to the wall. His weapons gleamed softly in the low light of the rush sconces scattered around the room. Dyanah offered the traveler a soft smile; the regular patrons and townsfolk had given the stranger a wide berth, sharing wary glances over the foam-dripping rims of mugs. A stranger in Nordland, a sentiment Dyanah found that she knew all too well.

Mere steps from the kitchen Dyanah was forced to pull up short as a booted foot barred her passage. The foot belonged to Alengareth Droven, a local farmhand, and Dyanah suppressed the urge to give a helpful nudge to the man’s precariously balanced stool.

‘Ye k’ow what I need, Dyanah?’

An introduction to my castration knife? It was just sharpened this morning.

‘All empty I’m afraid, Alengareth, and it is going to stay that way if you insist on barring my way,’

Dyanah gave a sly inward smile at the tic in the corner of the man’s eye when she used his proper first name and hefted the pitcher so he could see her words were true.

‘Ow many times must I tell ye to call me Al, Dyanah? What ye really need is a real man ta’ learn ye right!’

‘Well then, Alengareth, when you so happen upon one do let me know…’

The brooding stare Dyanah received was in many ways worth the previous hour’s worth of dodging the man’s increasingly stubborn interest. The foot retracted and the faintly intoxicated farmhand pushed away from the table, covering his bruised pride with a grumbled response about a woman not knowing her place before heading for the front door. Dyanah ducked quickly into the kitchen, peeking around the rough curtain that served as the ‘door’ as she ladled equal measures of water and ale into the empty pitcher.

Alengareth had made it to the front door without doing much worse than jostling a table of two, a far cry from what he normally was known for, but when he stepped through the heavy wooden door (after a moment taken to ‘straighten’ his lopsided hat) the burly man started back as if he had been struck by a branding iron. New sounds entered the tavern from the open door, voices raised in panic and alarm plus a strange braying noise that sent involuntary shivers down Dyanah’s spine as she pushed the curtain back to get a better view.

The tavern patrons had mostly risen to their feet, heading towards the door in a low chorus of murmured questions. Dyanah chewed her lower lip thoughtfully for a moment before scooping up the stool that Alengareth had recently vacated and plopping it down at the rear of the crowd standing in the doorway. Nimble as a barn cat, Dyanah scaled the stool and found herself afforded a view over the tops of the many heads and out into the square.

The sight nearly sent her toppling to the floor as she recoiled in mute horror. Things… were pouring into the village, gripping wickedly hooked axes and braying from throats coated in coarsely matted fur. The stool tipped and Dyanah rode it down before springing away as it clattered to the floor, a handful of strides taking her into the kitchen and out the back door. Hiking the cumbersome skirt to her knees, Dyanah made for the stables, the whickering of panicked beasts heralding her arrival. She rounded the corner and stopped dead as a pair of great horned heads swung her way, goat-like eyes narrowing in a feral hunger.

The icy grip of fear locked her in place for an instance, the monsters stalking forward eagerly upon cloven feet, until the shadow of something big and black reared up in the stall next to her. The stall door shattered under sharp metal-shod hooves, breaking clear off its hinge as a glossy beast powered through the remains and reared to its full height. The stallion was enormous, at least eighteen hands at the shoulder and the colour of a moonless night. It crow hopped forwards, lashing out with hooves before clamping gleaming white teeth into the shoulder of one of the goat-creatures and shaking it like a dog.

A scream welled up from inside Dyanah’s chest but she bit it back with supreme effort, the monsters were focused upon the lashing and biting warhorse and the last thing she wanted was their attention back upon her!

The stallion reared again, practically leaping into the air as it spun in place with the nimbleness of a panther to deliver a powerful kick that crushed the skull of one of the goat-men. The other bellowed in rage and charged the warhorse, leaving an opening that Dyanah didn’t hesitate to slip by. Three stalls down the dappled grey nose of Guinevere appeared as the mule gave a nickering cry, the whites of her normally placid eyes showing clearly in the shadowed stall.

Dyanah reached up and caught the mule’s soft nose, pinching it shut until the panicked beast allowed her to open the stall without bolting. Dyanah quickly drug the waiting saddle over Guinevere’s withers and roughly tightened the girth before throwing open the stall door. The mule rolled her eyes and dug her heels in, suddenly refusing the leave the stall in animal fear as an equine scream of pain sounded from outside.

Dyanah risked a look outside the stall, seeing bright red blood coursing down the glossy black shoulder of the stallion as it kept the remaining goat-thing’s axe at bay with thrashing hooves but was slowly being backed into a confining corner. Anger filled her, the brave stallion had come to her rescue and now he was hurt! Dyanah snatched up a nearby pitch fork, intent on distracting the monster for a moment to allow the warhorse a chance to escape.

She stepped fully out into the open space, raising the pitchfork over her head and starting forward when something snatched the impromptu weapon out of her hands like an adult might take a toy from a child. Dyanah spun around and shrieked as a third goat-beast reached out to clamp a meaty hand around her throat and lifted her clear off her feet. Fear and anger warred equally in her mind as Dyanah realized the monster‘s coughing brays were laughter.

Her screams were cut short as the iron grip of the laughing goat-creature tightened, the world going grey around the edges as she dug long furrows down the dun-coloured skin of the thing’s forearm with her nails.

 

[revan4559]

Nysard and Aldegar: As you two reach the eastern part of the town where your houses are you see the entire street in flames with a group of beastmen running off from this location to seek the next part of the town to pillage and slaughter. They appears to be heading towards the Temple District where Keira is. As you two search for your families you find their bloody and maimed corpses on the ground infront of your homes. They had clearly been dragged out and killed, the one odd thing that you notice is that Nysard's sister isnt among them. Maybe she got away? or is hiding. Due to the grief you both are over come with rage and anger, wanting to slaughter as many beastmen as you can. You would see a small group of beastmen returning back to the main gate. (should you follow them) You would eventually follow them to the main gate and are confronted with this scene: (See end of update for it)

Felix: Your tears along with the smoke from the burning buildings would be disrupting your sight and you end up running around in circles for awhile before you end up back at the Tavern. Feeling exhausted you would collapse to your knee's next to the stable doors and hear a scream from within shortly followed by a gun shot. After a few more sections the stable doors next to you burst open and the strange man in red steps out tutting to himself. He has a pistol in his left hand and a long sword in his right hand which appears to be made of pure silver. He would look down at you then grabs your shoulder, throwing you into the stable before disappearing off around towards the gate and the main body of beastmen. In the corner of the stable you find Dyanah. You could always stick your head out of the stable doors to see how the strange man is getting on.


Kai: You would feel yourself being dragged along the ground as you slowly awake from being knocked out. You are being carried by two of the town guard and they have brought you to the Temple where they put you inside. Your head feels like you just took a hit from a imperial war horse. As they set you down the two men leave you a sword before running back outside to make sure the beastmen dont attack the temple. As your hazy sight cleans you see a young woman tending to the bump on your head. Its Keira.

Benepal: You would be with the town guard at the gate trying to hold off the beastmen who seems to still be pouring in. You would hear a distant gun shot but think its just someone defending their home. As you ready your bow for another shot a hold falls upon your shoulder and the strange man in red from earlier would be stood next to you. "Your too young to be fighting something like this kid. Run to the tavern stables and hide, i believe a few of your friends are hiding there aswell." With that the man pushes you backwards and towards the stables. In the mans right hand is a long sword made of a very shiny metal, which appears to be pure silver. (If you go to the stables) : You find Felix and Dyanah in the stables. You could always stick your head out of the stable doors to see how the strange man is getting on.

Keira: As you are having pleasant dreams you would get a not so pleasant feeling that your being shaken. As you open your eyes you see one of the sisters shaking you with a look of pure dread on her face. "Wake up Keira we are under attack and the wounded are being brought in. We need to do what we can for them so they can defend us and the town." With that you bolt upright and run straight down into the main hall where wounded and dying men are being brought in for treatment. Two town guard bring in a man and put him down at your feet to take care of. As you look down at who it is you can see that it is Kai.

Maxim: As you run/stagger back to the station where more of the town guard are assembling to try and push back the beastmen you hear several loud roars and see a huge number of beastmen come charging from the left. As your drunk you luckily trip and fall flat on your face as the beastmen tear into the town guard with brutal ferocity. They seems to be ignoring you completely due to the fact that you are laying face down and have blood on your shirt. They all think that you are dead so if you just lay still they will ignore you and move on. Then again you could always get up and try to help but you will most likely be killed in the process.

Merovech: You collapse to your knee's at the sight of your home on fire. You can see the body of one of your family members partially hanging out of the window with an axe in there back along with the fact they are on fire. Your survival instincts would kick in and force you to try and find somewhere to hide. Several places through flicker through your mind and the best one is the stables back at the tavern. Your grieving logic behind this decision is the beastmen wont return to somewhere they have already looted. As you get to the stables and get inside you can see Dyanah, Felix and Benepal all together in one of the corners.

Dyanah: As the beastman continues to choke the life out of you, you hear the sound of a gunshot ad the pressure around your neck vanishes complete as the beastman infront of you keels over with a hole in the side of its head. As you drop to your kneels gasping for air you look to see who was your rescuer. It is the strange man wearing a red hat and trench coat who was sat in the corner of the tavern earlier. In his left hand he would be holding the pistol that had killed the beastman and in his right he would be holding a long sword which looks like it is made of pure silver. The stranger would step forward and brings his blade in an arc removing the head of the beastmen who was attacking his horse. The man then looks down at you. "Girl i suggest you remain in here as it is safe and the beastmen wont return to a place they have already visited. If at all possible please do something about the cut on my horse. Now if you excuse me i have a town to save." With that he takes off his hat and bows before putting in back on and kicks open the stable doors to leave. After a few bewildering seconds a body would land flat on its front infront of you and it groans. Its Felix quickly followed by Benepal. After a few more minutes someone else would join you in the stable it is Merovech who appears to be completely out of breath. Dare any of you three peek your head out of the door to see what is going on you would be confronted with this scene:

The stranger in the red coat and hat would be in the middle of the town guard with his strange silver long sword in his right hand cleaving a huge hole into the attack beastmen. He appears to be an excellent swordsman and has already killed what appears to be seventeen beastmen and wounded many more which are being finished off by the town guard who would be cheering at the arrival of the stranger. The stranger then reaches onto his belt and pulls out a pistol and shoots another of the beastmen through the eye. Holstering his pistol he draws a short sword off of his belt and continues to cleave a bloody path through the beastmen towards the gate to try and stop them coming in.