March to Talabheim

First topic message reminder :

The Old World is a dangerous place to live in. Humanity is always threatened, from all sides. Everywhere one goes, he or she faces horrors unknown, from bandits, to the Undead, and even Daemons. There are even legends of a race of vicious Rat-Men, called Skaven, who live in underground tunnels all throughout the world.

The Empire is the largest nation of Men. It is ruled by the Emperor, who is elected, and rules unto death. The current Emperor is a valiant and noble man, named Karl Franz. The Empire is divided into several provinces, each ruled by an Elector Count, who, in the even of the emperor's death, become candidates for his successor. This is a nation which is ruled by religion. There is a god for every aspect of existence, such as Morr, the god of the Dead, Ulric, the god of Winter, War, and Wolves, or Sigmar, the first Emperor, and patron god of the Empire.

Even within the Emperor's borders, humans are not the only people to exist. Elves live in the forests, and Dwarfs in the mountains, both of which maintain good, or at least tolerant, relations with the Humans. There are others, such as the Vampire Counts of Silvania, or the Beastmen of Drakwald Forest, which threaten the very existence of humanity.

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We are all part of a caravan, travelling towards the city of Talabheim. You may be a warrior, priest, or simple peasant folk. Human, Elf, or Dwarf. It doesn't matter. What matters is why are you in this caravan, what do you expect to find in the city we make our way to? Are you running from something? Or someone? Will you tell others, or keep your secrets? It's up to you.

The technology level in this setting is akin to the Renaissance era, particularly Germany. So basic firearms exist, but they are expensive and typically reserved for the military. Swords and other weapons are much more common. Magic also exists, for those who are trained to wield it. A human can only learn to control one of the Winds of Magic, such as Fire, Alchemy, Shadow, Death, Life or Light.

Here is a map of the Empire (click it to view the entire thing). Talabheim, our destination, is on the western border of Talabecland, in the center of the Empire.

Spoiler:

Banather - Konrad Falkenheim, Warrior Priest of Sigmar
Mercy - Arabel, Gypsy
Allen - Tarell Diederich, Rogue/Assassin
Skye - Nadya Purrum, Gypsy
Capri - Felixa Cassius, Tilean Noble?
Murdoch - Varkash, Disguised Chaos Sorcerer

Current time/conditions: Dusk, with a few clouds and a slight breeze. It's early summer.

Luc rubs his throat, which already feels a lot better than it did five minutes ago. He doesn't have to look, but he can bet that the bruises and scarring are already fading. Shame. Chicks dig scars, even more so if you got them fighting a hardened, elite warrior. That would be a story to tell whatever girl he's dandling on his knee at the time.

No, stay focused. She asked a question. "I don't rightly know," he mutters darkly, "I ain't no bloody hero. I s'ppose I saw an oppurtunity and tried to take it. Maybe I thought I could kill it and buy us time." He sighs. "Or maybe I just let the fog seep into my brain and became light-addled."

I let out a bubbly giggle, bouncing on my toes, my spiritual form was much lighter then my human form. I watch my body closely, the little scars and wounds begin to heal first and then the bigger things begin to heal. I watched the White Lighter spirits -- the ones that keep everyone safe -- work their magic on my body and I asked them to heal the warrior carrying me as well and they begin to do so.

I realize then, it was probably a strange tingling sensation where his wounds were and I giggle. My magic was different from others, it felt different then some of the regular magics taught.

Nadya seemed to have drifted into a light sleep. She was unaware of the situation unfolding around her. Of the caravan leaving. Of the warrior carry the gypsy back to the cart. As her eyelids opened, she sat up and looked around. Her physical wounds were healed due to the magic that now rushed through her veins, but she could feel her weakness.

She pulled herself to her feet, squinting as she watched the caravan move away. "Did...Did they leave me here? Leave me to rot! After saving there asses against the warrior!" Nadya felt her breaths become rapid, her heart pulse wildly, and her fingers tighten into tight fists.

Without thinking, Nadya took off in a sprint. Or rather, what felt like a sprint. In two seconds, she was at the back of the caravan, holding her hand out to try and grab on to the speeding carts. She didn't give her quick travel a second thought, although she could tell that it had made her weaker. It was most likely magic, one that gave her a burst of energy as does an adrenaline rush.

After the healing was complete, Felixa removed her hand and opened her eyes. "I understand," she said, with her thick accent, "But I still can't perceive why they're after us."

Luc sighs and shakes his head. "I highly doubt that they are after us specifically. Warriors need no other reason than you do not worship their Gods to hunt you, and even then, that may only protect you a little. The tribes to the north are fractured, warring, and only come together in a Dark Crusade. You've heard of the events a year or so ago, the Storm of Chaos, I assume. There isn't anyone on this blighted world that hasn't. A crusade is a rarity; they usually wage war against each other, or raid southerners for their Gods." He pauses, but doesn't await a response.

"They may fight frequently, and they are good at it- they wouldn't be much of a threat if they weren't good fighters- but they are far from the barbarians people believe. They are more cunning and intelligent than people like to think, and they have their own system of government. All centered around the Dark Gods. Anyone not in their faith- or anyone worshiping a different Ruinous Power- is a target. That they have seen us, and that we escaped, is reason enough to hunt us for these warriors. Tzeentchian Warriors would hunt us so we didn't give away their presence. Nurgle followers would pursue us for experiments, Slaaneshian soldiers so they could perform all sorts of perversities on our bodies, but Khornites? They will kill us to appease their blood god."

"Marauders are tough, able to go days without food, drink or rest, but they are human, sure enough. Warriors? They are different. Those things you saw back there are human in shape only. They need to food. No drink. No rest. No warmth. No human contact ever; all they need, all the desire is a lifetime of death and destruction in the name of their Dark Gods. They are unshakable, implacable killing machines. I think that the reason they hate the world so much, the reason they throw themselves into impossible battles, why they fight as much as they do is because they hate what they've become, that they know that the only way out of that harsh, imprisoned life is death...the only way out of their armour is the destruction of the body, or the ascension to Daemonhood."

He stops suddenly, aware that he's been rambling. The girl stated something simple, and he proceeded to monologue on her. Besides; how could a southerner know so much about the northerners? He has to be careful; she could start asking questions on how he knows so much.

"So," he says, changing tact quickly, "How did you come to be travelling with this caravan to wherever it is we're heading?"

ooc:
If you don't know what the storm of chaos was, google it, lol. Also, feel free to ask questions of Luc XD

Caught off guard after intently listening to the man's words, Felixa's eyes widened the slightest bit. He knew quite a bit. But he wouldn't know this. "I-" she began, only to stop and reword her thoughts, "It's very complicated."

Nadya kept running, although she could feel the magic inside of her wane quickly. She looked up to the two in the cart who were conversing as though she was not there. With a quick small burst of magic, she was climbing onto the caravan. With a closer look of the two, she grew furious.

"You bastards left me to die!" She stood, looking between the girl and the warrior. "Sure, save the men and leave myself." She stepped past them and leaned against the wall as she waited for their response.

Luc raises an eyebrow. "Complicated as in your family doesn't know, or complicated you don't have family?"
His sentence is cut off, however, as the second girl who was with the caravan- the girl he thought was on one of the other wagons- leaps past them and onto the caravan. He is about to ask what the hell she was doing not on the caravan when she speaks.

His ire piques, however, when she explodes at them. How were they to know she had not been picked up? He was half unconscious when he staggered onto the caravan, and the other girl had concerns of her own.
He stands up, wavering only slightly. "Girl," he says, voice uncharacteristically heavy, "I was not aware that you were not on the caravan, having almost been killed by that Warrior. As it is, had we stayed, we probably would have attracted more Warriors and more would be dead. Would you have us endanger more lives to save your one? When astrologers discover the center of the universe, I think you will be sorely disappointed." He shakes his head a little contemptuously. "Besides. You are here now, obviously not dead. So why don't you take this up with the Knight and the Priest, or maybe find someone who gives a damn about your selfish complaints?"

He hesitates, and shakes his head a little; that was unlike him, even down to the tone. He has to watch his emotions...He could be dangerous if left unchecked.

Felixa opened her mouth to answer the man, but was cut off by the furious gypsy. Understandable, but Felixa had warned them all to hurry.

Again, she tried to speak to calm the girl down, only to be interrupted yet again. With a slight pout and an inaudible sigh, Felixa leaned back and listened to the man speak. This had better not turn into another argument.

"My apologizes, but we needed to get out of there. And I did give you all a heads up." she added hastily, though her words were slow and calm.

ooc: Shit. I thought it was another's turn to respond.
bic: Nadya slipped to the floor as she felt her body become weaker. She had used too much magic for herself. "Gave me a heads up? I saved your heads from being a warrior meal, I was unconscious! Do you expect me to be all-powerful?" She snapped back to the woman as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I do not expect myself to be the center of the universe. But if we're going to travel together, there must be a certain sort of unity. Especially with warriors hunting us." Nadya let her head fall back against the wall as she looked up to the two through narrow eyes.

ooc - holy gravy jesus i'm sorry i'll try to catch up. been swamped with college visits and everything else

I decided to stay in my spiritual form as the White Lighters worked on my body and I placed a cool hand on the warriors shoulder, giving him the strength to reach the caravan.

I heard the Dark Lighter spirits chant and sing hollowed, pitchless songs and I winced slightly. I quickly darted back into my body, not wanting it to be taken over by a Dark spirit. I felt myself resurface into my skin and I gasped, feeling my bones cracking and healing. my eyes flickered open violently, as I gasped for breath, as my ribs began to slowly reform.

I looked around, my vision was slightly destroyed still, but it was filtering in slowly.

"How far...?" I asked the warrior, my breath shaky.