Legends of Taltos:Crusaders

[Spike]

Getting Fin to lower his voice even halfway toward a whisper and getting him away from the door was accomplishment-enough for Janara, so she did not begrudge being led around like a child by somebody so child-like.

 

"It's dark in here 'coz your cloak's too big.", she said as she slid the hood of his cloak out of his eyes and off his head, revealing a headful of mopwater-brown locks that have may once been golden. Not really caring to get into a discussion of personal cleanliness with an elf, she decided not to ask him which ditch he had spent the night in.

 

Once seated, Janara repeated to Fin the words she heard so many times growing up.

 

"This is quiet-time. We do not yell or talk out of turn. We do not get up and run around. We do not throw things, kick or bite people, or make rude noises. Can you do that for us?"

[Unglef]

Having donned his armor, Roman finishes his morning prayers in the silence of his cell.

 

....and bless us all, Father, that we may be ready for whatever trials the coming days bring us. Amen.

 

He then rises, belts his sword, and returns to the chapel.

[Steven Page]

Halbarad appears from the vestry, accompanied by a man all here recognized: a large man, shoulders slightly bent under the weight of massive responsibilities, a face maps with scars and wrinkles, eyes reddened by sleepless nights and too many bottles in days past.....his armor, though polished bore the dents of a real warriors, in his hand rested a huge warhammer, and on his back was the crest of the Crusader Order.

 

Duke Gerard nods aprovingly at Roman, Broderick and others, then says to George in a strong low voice, "Have you asked the blessings of Aurellius? And have you recieved an answer?"

[Leech]

"Holy Father, guide and strengthen my arm this day and forgive the shedding of blood in your House. Send forth your Holy Spirit to fortify my armour, and bless me with the love of the Son. Amen."

 

George is not sure why he has an uncontrolable urge to whisper a battle prayer while Duke Gerrard is speaking to him, but the feeling is so strong it can only have been sent by Aurellius - a warning.

 

"There is danger here!!" Bellows George as he swings his shield around from its resting place on his back and reaches for his sword, every fibre in his being screaming for him to arm himself and prepare for battle. "Grave danger!"

 

I hope I'm right, and yet I hope I'm wrong as well.

[Spike]

"Fin.. you was right", she said to the elf.

 

With no real intuition involved, and scarce little thought involved either, Janara did not hesitate to heed George's warning, though she still did not know just what the danger was. Unfortunately she had come prepared only for a ceremony, and was without arrow, sword or mace. Her holy symbol was there though, and she uttered a quick prayer to protect her from injury, and then looked around for a suitable weapon.

 

It was a fortunate thing that this was a chapel for a military barracks, and that there were several racks of finely polished swords, shields and helms displayed along the walls.

 

"Y'all heard the man. We got trouble comin'!"

 

Janara "borrowed" a longsword from the nearest rack of arms, and then faced the doors that Fin had been peering through, prepared for battle.

[styates]

Watching the ceremony begin, Ben is proud of his friend. He squeezes Rai's hand and prepares to enjoy his friend's special day. Suddenly, George is arming himself and yelling something about DANGER.

 

Ben is to his feet in an instant, releasing Rai's hand and drawing his sword. He quickly steps into the aisly keeping Rai safely behind him. Ben follows George's eyes to see what has gotten him so riled up. He doesn't know what the problem is, but he knows that he cannot let George face it alone!!

[Anastrianna]

Rai jumps at George's warning and quickly raises to her feet. Her hands cross, slipping into the fabric of her long sleeves. Her eyes follow the gaze of George and Ben as she waits and prepares for an attack.

[CripDyke]

Aeolene, uncertain of how to proceed until George's warning is confirmed, neither draws a weapon nor intervenes with prayer.

 

Aurellius' would not be angered by a Wanderer seeking to bring strength and aid to her allies, but he might if a prayer to the Great Empress interrupted the summoning of the Golden One's blessing within His own church.

 

With no safe course available to her, she sits erect on the bench, her battle-senses fully in tune with her body's reflexes, and yet she moves no muscle nor prepares any weapon...

[Glen]

Halbarad appears from the vestry, accompanied by a man all here recognized: a large man, shoulders slightly bent under the weight of massive responsibilities, a face maps with scars and wrinkles, eyes reddened by sleepless nights and too many bottles in days past.....his armor, though polished bore the dents of a real warriors, in his hand rested a huge warhammer, and on his back was the crest of the Crusader Order.

 

It's the Duke himself! Erik almost stands at attention, barely restraining himself. I guess he should be, but I didn't think about his coming! Erik is so in awe of Duke Gerard that he only half hears the duke's question to George.

 

............ asked the blessings of Aurellius? And have you recieved an answer?"

"There is danger here!!" Bellows George as he swings his shield around from its resting place on his back and reaches for his sword, every fibre in his being screaming for him to arm himself and prepare for battle. "Grave danger!"

Shock is all the Erik can fathom. Danger? Here? What in the....? Erik half stands, hand on his sword hilt. Unsure of what to do, he looks around quickly; behind, left, right, and upwards.

[Froggy the Great]

"Please lay down on the bench so you are less visible," Malachias whispers to Yvette. As she does so, he quietly gets up, retrieves his bow from the entryway where he had left it out of respect for the ceremony. Calmly stringing it, he fades into a corner of the chapel where he can see everything and have his back to a wall.

[Unglef]

Roman nods back to Gerard, and places his right fist on his left breast in salute. Otherwise, he stands as still as a statue, awaiting the ceremony.

 

 

When George arms himself and begins shouting of danger, the paladin immediately draws his sword, the blade flashing to life with crackling lightning, and takes a fighting stance. He knows from experience what has happened. Aurellius has spoken a warning to George.

[Lady Tam]

Watching the whole ceremony with interest, Licia is a bit suprised when George sudden'y arms himself! Is this part of the ceremony? she thinks. But then seeing everyone else react, she twist about in her seat to see what got them all going, her hand moving to her sword at her side.

LT

[Darkrelease]

Fin takes his seat beside Joe and listens quietly to Janara.

 

"This is quiet-time. We do not yell or talk out of turn. We do not get up and run around. We do not throw things, kick or bite people, or make rude noises. Can you do that for us?"

 

Although it looks like he is going to interrupt a few times she manages to bowl through her statement and prevent the little elf from making more noise. When she is finally done he looks at her and calmly says “This cloak is not too big dude, this is my hiding cloak, you can’t see me when I’m in it!”

 

She looks like she is about to say something else but the ceremony begins. Having already sat through this before, or so Fin thinks, he pulls his cloak down further over his eyes.

 

As the commotion starts around him, it is Joe that first notices that not only is Fin not reacting like the rest of the people, but rather there appears to be the sound of snoring coming from under the hood of the cloak.

[Spike]

Janara looked around at her friends to see who else was preparing to help George defend the chapel against whatever was coming. She had never seen Aeolene fight iwth anything apart from the tritalaphon, and there were no tritalaphons lying around to borrow, so it did not surprise Janara to see Aeolene not arming herself. Now Malachias had positioned himself in a corner with his bow while Roman, George and a few others were drawing swords. She guessed the lady-mage was conjuring some battle-magic, while Yvette hid herself. Joe had not yet chosen a weapon, but even without, the tall half-orc seemed more than capable of looking after himself.

 

But now Janara heard snoring, and this time it was not Joe. She turned and saw Fin in his "hiding cloak" fast asleep right where Janara told him to remain seated just moments before.

 

Annoyed with Fin's suspicious behaviour already, this was the last straw. She grinned wide at Joe, and showed him exactly what a nose-pinching can do to a sleeping elf.

 

"Wake up! It ain't quiet-time no more! Trouble's comin'!"

 

She pointed out the racks of swords to him, hoping he would get the idea, and then returned to her position near the back doors.

[Steven Page]

Suddenly flagstone errupt from the floor, sending Duke Gerard tumbling. There before the astonished, but ready George, stands a massive spider centaur, one of the cursed Darkspawn.....

 

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