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Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Jan 26, 2023 16:17:08 GMT -5
In the most recent of his adventures across Charon, Leandros found himself in the Crescent Isles once again finding people in need of his halberd. He steps onto the dock with a rattling thud, dropping from the walkway of the ship a step early to turn towards the village just off in the sand.
It seemed this time a band of harpies had set about accosting some of the local tradesfolk and fishermen. This should be a relatively simple problem, eliminate the harpies. Simple was good. The knight headed towards a fishmonger, noting the relatively small selection.
"Sorry there feller, I don't think I have enough to feed a man your size."
Leandros softly laughs and holds up a hand, "Good news is I didn't come here for the fish then."
"Well how can I help ya then?"
"I heard tale of harpies plaguing the area. Is this true?" Leandros frowns seeing the man sigh and nod in affirmation. "Pray tell me where they are then?"
"Well they can be tricky beasties to fight....just a little out the ways towards the rocks over there." The man gestures. "They like picking on anyone who tries to fish out there....good fishin spot, probably why they like it too."
Leandros looks off to where the man points and thinks a second...."Can I borrow a boat?"
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Post by Ak'ka the Bonegrinder on Jan 26, 2023 21:27:11 GMT -5
Ak’ka was supposed to be here relaxin’, really.
Or at least, she was supposed to be. Ak’ka wasn’t really sure why the hell she needed whatever a vacation was supposed to be, but after the shit up in Frostgale with the Red Rogues, Ein suggested she should take a break and rest… and whatever that was supposed to entail. Ein had said under no circumstances should Ak’ka get herself into any kind of brawl - according to the little lady, a vacation was supposed to be some kind of trip where you were supposed to go looking for the opposite of danger.
Ak’ka protested, because why in the world would she want to spend her time sitting on some beach watching the boring Salina-damned ocean when she could be out searching the bamboo forests for yokai or whatever nasty shit lurked in there for a good fight? But when Ak’ka brought that up, Ein had shut her down with a frigid look that said there would be absolutely no room for argument on this.
“Take care of yourself, Ak’ka! It’s important!”
And, well, the little dragonling was scary when she wanted to be.
Of all the things for her to get up in arms about… Ak’ka rolled her eyes as she settled back down in the sand, taking another sip of her drink. Whatever. She figured she’d give Ein’s advice a try, if only so Ak’ka could go back and rub it in her face about how stupid vacations were. There was no enjoyment to be found in sitting down and watching the waves! Nothing to get the blood pumping, no whispers of the song of righteous battle to be heard!
It was all so gods. Damned. Boring.
She groaned, throwing herself down in the sand- for someone of her stature, this produced a sound more like a dull THUD as she stared at the clouds up above, and the gulls flying around in lazy circles. She could hear the sounds of the nearby dock, where fishermen loaded up their boats and got ready for another day at sea. They were early risers here, she’d learned.
Life sure as hell was different than it was up in the World’s Crown.
And the heat sucked.
The sound of chatter caught her attention, though. Usually the fishermen didn’t talk to each other in common, but the language native to the Crescent Isles. It wasn’t one Ak’ka understood one bit. But these two folks were speaking in words that she understood. Something about… harpies in the area? Terrorizing the locals?
The drums of battle pounded in the distance with her heartbeat. Faint, but interested. Some guy seemed to be interested in taking out these monsters. Maybe he wouldn’t mind a tagalong, an extra set of fists to help get rid of this scourge on the coast-
No. Ak’ka promised Ein she wouldn’t get into a single fight while she was here, and Ak’ka intended to keep her word- just so she could gloat to Ein later.
… But surely, one tiny little fight wouldn’t hurt?
Just to get the blood pumping and all. What did Ein know, anyways? Maybe battle was her relaxation, and pounding the shit out of harpies sounded like her definition of a good vacation. She just wouldn’t tell Ein about this, at all. Ever. It would be her secret, and the surprisingly big guy that was talking with the fisherman.
The local trailed off as Ak’ka approached, regarding her with something approaching dawning horror on his face. Ak’ka didn’t seem to notice his sudden shift in expression, a grin on her face as she looked between them, unable to contain her excitement.
“Got room for one more on that boat?”
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Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Jan 26, 2023 22:54:23 GMT -5
After a brief continued discussion, Leandros and the man seem to come to terms on what could be offered as a reward and the usage of the boat. The knight turns with a smile, ready to agree to the help before seeing Ak'ka.
"It is made for two, but I think we each count for two apiece." It was rare Lee met people larger than himself, but he gave a polite laugh before offering out a hand. "Leandros Aurthurian of Capitol Landing. If you're of a mind to help, I won't turn it down."
He motions with his head for Ak'ka to take the other end of the boat. It would not have been heavy for either of them to carry, but it was certainly less awkward of an endeavor with a second person. While they walked he would fill Ak'ka in on the details of what had been going on around the town. It seemed there was a band of about six harpies that had been swooping in and attacking anyone fishing near a certain spot. Since this village was big on fishing, it was seriously hurting their ability to trade with others in the area. So, they had the simple job of eradication.
The rowboat they carried looked to be old, but sturdy. They would have to be careful if they were to navigate this vehicle and potentially fight on it. As they walked, he noted the lack of weapons but the woman's sheer physical prowess.
"Are you a brawler then? It's a difficult art turning your hands into weapons."
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Post by Ak'ka the Bonegrinder on Jan 27, 2023 9:07:58 GMT -5
Wasn’t often Ak’ka met someone close to her in height. This guy was sure making a go at it, but it wasn’t just his height that made him imposing. Guy had a royal presence, like a king from one of Ein’s storybooks. It made sense he was from Sol City, she guessed, as he introduced himself with proper manners. Who included where they were from when giving their name to someone else?
Well, he didn’t seem like a bad guy at least. He was a little more formal than most folk Ak’ka was used to, but she’d spent a lot of time with Ein, so she was sorta getting the hang of fancy speech.
“Ak’ka… of, uh, Frostgale.” She replied, trying not to sound too awkward. She didn’t really care about her lack of proper speech or upbringing even around rich nobles, but it was still strange being so close to them. At least it sounded like her and the Lion had common ground to start off at- taking care of this harpy infestation Leandros was tellin’ her about.
“Sounds exciting.” She said when Leandros finished giving her the run down. “And we’re gonna have to fight them from this little thing?” She did love a challenge, she guessed. Battle from a shitty dinghy would work just fine for that.
They started walking the boat town to the pier when Leandros asked about her weapon… or lack of one. She noticed he was armed- looked like some kinda fancy polearm. Ak’ka didn’t know much about weapons, but it looked deadly. And past experience had taught her that a polearm in the hands of someone experienced promised death for whoever was on the receiving end of their wrath.
She couldn’t wait to see how good Leandros was with that thing.
“Yeah. I use whatever I can get my hands on, really.” Sometimes that was the tree she kept on her, but considerin’ this was supposed to be a vacation, Ein made her leave it at home. “Not really a fan of weapons. They limit my strength.” Wasn’t easy to go all out when you had to worry if the little hammer in your hands was gonna break. So she forged her hands into hammers, and those worked just fine.
“What’s that fancy Lance you got there? I’ve never seen one of those before.”
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Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Jan 27, 2023 16:54:57 GMT -5
"Ideally we won't, but I wouldn't count against it." Leandros led them towards the water as they spoke. "Well as my instructor would say, the only limitation on a warrior is not their body or their strength, but their mind. Every weapon has a different weight, balance point, stance, and a myriad of other things to consider."
The knight sets the boat down with a breath give them a moment to stretch and work out the lactic acid. He pulled the halberd from his back, offering it over to Ak'ka just to let her see it and hold it.
"Not a lance, it's called a halberd. The axe head is for exactly what you think its for, the tip is good for thrusting, and the hook on the back end is good for catching a mounted rider in the chest and taking them from the saddle....then, there's the spiked end at the bottom. With both ends capable of leaving wounds, it's fairly effective and its length means it can be used defensively as well."
During the entire talk he would point out each part to Ak'ka, it was clear he knew this weapon and its purpose well. For Leandros, it seemed as if the halberd might as well be a part of him just like his hands.
"But I've done enough rambling, care to set out?" The knight smiles as he takes his halberd back and gets ready to push this rowboat out to sea.
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Post by Ak'ka the Bonegrinder on Jan 28, 2023 21:24:45 GMT -5
This Leandros guy sounded like he really knew what he was talking about. He explained the strengths and weaknesses of weapons really well… and that kinda shit was all fine and dandy for educated, trained folk who knew how to make use of a blade. With a good teacher, she guessed anyone could really learn how to make use of any weapon. But that kinda stuff didn’t really work for Ak’ka. Her old man had spent months trying to teach her how to use his favorite weapons, from hammers to axes to greatswords, and none of them had stuck. At the end of the day, there were folks who trained with weapons, and others with their bodies.
Leandros was the former kinda guy. Ak’ka was the latter.
That didn’t mean she wasn’t interested as all hell when Leandros started explainin’ about his… halberd (a name that sounded more like it belonged to an animal than some fancy stick). It was, in all honesty, a really interesting weapon. “Sounds like an all purpose kind of tool.” She commented. It was useful for all kinds of enemies… short of cracking eggs to make omelets, the halberd sounded like it could do a lot of things.
… Wait. Could the flat part be used to crack eggs? Maybe that was somethin’ worth testing.
She was distracted thinking about all the ways this fancy thing could be used to prepare breakfast foods when Leandros took his weapon back, moving it as smoothly as if it were just another part of his arm before suggesting they head out on the water. Ak’ka shrugged - didn’t make sense to sit around here with their thumbs up their asses.
Time wasted was less time spent kicking harpy ass - er, well, less time spent makin’ sure the folk of the Crescent Isles were safe.
The two got the boat to the water with little effort, with Ak’ka suggesting she take the paddles for now. If there were any harpies waiting to ambush them, Lee had a better chance of takin’ them out with the long reach from that weapon of his. Besides, he looked strong, but Ak’ka didn’t mind rowing them out to the rocks. It wouldn’t tire her out like it would normal people.
They rowed in silence for a bit, getting closer to the jagged rocks that protruded from the calm waters like a row of sharp teeth. Eventually, Ak’ka figured she might as well ask what’d been on her mind for a bit. “So, what’s your deal? You a knight or something?” That would explain his proper behavior.
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Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Jan 28, 2023 21:49:56 GMT -5
"That is the main benefit it holds over most other polearms." He nods and puts the halbed back onto its hold as they start floating out into the water.
Something Lee didn't account for was just how fast they would travel across the water with Ak'ka's impressive strength. There was little sound the further out they got, just the soft lapping of water against rocky outcroppings that slowly faded into the lull of the ocean. He kept an eye to the sky as they started to approach the rock formation they were heading towards.
"I am. House Aurthurian is only of minor nobility in Capitol Landing, so don't worry, my father is not king or duke, no need to worry about offending me." He laughed brightly, he knew full well that Ak'ka probably didn't care about it at all. The joke was more to just show he is not the serious, stuffed collar type of noble.
"And yourself? Any titles I should be aware of? I imagine a warrior of your stature has a title or two to her name. Or at least a nickname that others say in a trembling voice as you approach?" Another little smile and laugh.
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Post by Ak'ka the Bonegrinder on Jan 28, 2023 22:04:28 GMT -5
Just as he thought, Lee was apparently a knight along with the fancy titles that came with it. “Ha! I knew it.” She laughed, slapping her knee as a slow grin spread across her face. “You’ve definitely got that kinda posture and look in your face. The kinda look that says, don’t you doth worry, fair maiden, I’ll protect you from the foul beast!” She pitched down her voice as she said that last part before picking up the pace once more.
It was cute watching him try to assure her that he wasn’t as uptight as other nobles. Ak’ka didn’t really know that many proper folk besides Ein, who she was still secretly pretty sure was a princess of some unknown mountain dragon clan, but they both had the same fancy manner of speech. But Lee didn’t seem like he was looking down on her or anything, which she appreciated. Nah, he seemed like he was treating her like an equal.
She appreciated that.
Most people of high standing ‘round Charon just treated Ak’ka with uncertainty and disdain. She’d done merc work for people like Lee’s family, and she didn’t miss their stares. At least if Lee was lookin’ down on her, he didn’t show it in his face.
She leaned back in the boat for a second when he asked about her.
“No titles, really. I was a clan leader up until a bit ago.” But that didn’t really come with the same royal standing that being a lord did, minor or not. Only other clans recognized the power she’d held… until she lost it. She laughed when he asked about any other titles, though. He was probably only joking, but Ak’ka was completely serious when she spoke next. “They call me the Bonegrinder.”
She pointed behind Lee, to the rocks ahead of them, where they could now hear a flurry of bird cries and rustling feathers. They’d gotten close to the harpy’s hideout. “And you’re about to find out why.”
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Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Jan 28, 2023 22:19:37 GMT -5
"That is the gist of the teaching." He joins Ak'ka in a laugh. "But I've met enough capable folk like my mother that prove you can't just assume a person's capabilities because of their appearance. Mother is one of the more powerful mages I've seen in my travels.
He rests back in the boat a bit as they finally start to arrive at their destination. Lee sits up and stretches a bit as the boat comes to a rocky stop. "Bonegrinder, hm?" He has a half-cocked smile before his face turns serious when she mentions the harpies.
The knight stands tall, redrawing his halberd once more. "And I hope to show you why I am the Lion of the Landing." The demure and knightly face as suddenly creased into a more serious expression, the relaxed posture was now tense and ready.
When the first harpies start to swoop in, Leandros takes a step forward making a diagonal slash across its chest. It rips across the feathers and sends the body crashing into the sea before it comes in to threaten them. The boat rocks and teeters as steps, damn. They would have to be careful moving, any step too big could toss them into the water.
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Post by Ak'ka the Bonegrinder on Jan 28, 2023 22:35:45 GMT -5
“Your ma’s a mage?” Her eyes widened at that. She guessed that explained a bit about why he didn’t have the same stupid noble attitude from other knights she’d met. “She sounds like a badass.”
When they reached the rocks, Ak’ka watched as Lee pulled himself to his full height before giving his own fancy title.
The Lion of the Landing.
A fitting name.
He took to the offensive as the harpies drew close, smoothly slashing his halberd at one of the harpies that got a little too close. The boat rocked dangerously, wobbling and threatening to send them both overboard. That was gonna be annoying, she could already tell. Not only were they fighting in close quarters, but they couldn’t knock each other off-balance. Any sudden movement would send them to the water if they weren’t careful.
She pulled herself to her feet, cracking her knuckles. Ak’ka didn’t have the same kind of range Lee had, but what she lacked in having a weapon, she made up for in height. Two of the harpies dove for her - she braced herself, raising her arms up and grabbing both of them by the talons, immediately rolling her shoulders back and raising her arms up to SMACK the two harpies together. Bone crunched as their skulls knocked together, an endlessly satisfying sound.
While they were still dazed, she tossed one of them to Lee, leaving the other for herself. The great fucking chicken screeched and scratched at her, but her ugly talons barely managed to cut into Ak’ka’s arm. She laughed, yanking the bird down to her height, wrangling the beast just so that she could get her hands on its wing and CRUSH the bone under her fists. It tore so easily, like paper in her hands, but the harpy would never be able to move again.
Ak’ka tossed it into the water with its fallen brother, turning back to the swarm.
“Who’s next?”
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Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Jan 28, 2023 23:25:49 GMT -5
As much of an advocate of weaponry as Leandros was, their difference in approach might be what saves them in this fight. Lee's longer range combined with Ak'ka's close combat prowess meant they were rarely going to get into each other's way during a swing.
Leandros steps towards the other end of of the boat to still give them space and offer a bit more stability. As they shifted to attack or defend, the other would have to try and counter that to prevent them from toppling over. It would be a tricky situation, but so long as they didn't overstep.
More harpies begin to swoop in and encircle them, these ones seemingly a bit more wary to not charge in immediately. Leandros is surprised as the talons are able to parry away attacks, but it makes sense they would have hardened feet from perching on sharp rocks.
When one sweeps in past the axeblade and seemingly past the threat of the knight, his grip shifts and he brings the spiked buttcap up into the harpy's chin. He follows through on the strike, tossing it behind him. The soft arc it makes in the air lines it up for Ak'ka to land an easy haymaker.
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Post by Ak'ka the Bonegrinder on Jan 28, 2023 23:52:29 GMT -5
She’d fought side by side with others before, but never really like this.
Ak’ka didn’t really play nice with others, but it was different when being in sync with the other guy in the boat meant the difference between keeping afloat or falling into the water, where they would be vulnerable to the harpies. With every step Lee took, Ak’ka had to take one more in the other direction to counter-balance his weight. In a way, she guessed they were fortunate to have similar enough physiques that it felt like a dance between equals, the first steps to the song of battle, punctuated by the rocking waves and that damned annoying screeching of the harpies.
Lee sent one of the monsters through the air in her direction, allowing her to shift her stance and deliver a punch right to its beak, hooking and throwing it into the water. The swarm’s numbers were beginning to lessen, but they weren’t out of the fight.
That was when one of the harpies crashed straight into Ak’ka, nearly throwing her off-balance before she caught herself, but she’d rocked the boat a little too much.
“FUCK-!” Both her and Lee were thrown off balance as the shitty rowboat pitched to one side, nearly throwing the both of them into the water. She hastily stomped her foot against the wood, forming a thick wall of ice that jutted from the water and just barely managed to catch the boat and prevent them from toppling over entirely.[1]
That was close. Too close. She huffed, letting out a puff of ice-cold as the air began to stir around her, suddenly growing frigid and sharp, a flurry of ice and sleet that threatened to pelt any of the harpies that tried to get close to her.[2] She spread her arms out, staring up at the birds in the sky, an open challenge. “Who else dares step up to face the Lion and the Bonegrinder?” 1. Glacial Wall 2. Frost Storm
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Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Jan 29, 2023 11:28:03 GMT -5
"So you do fight with more than just your fists!" Leandros called behind him as he say the ice storm and glacial walls forming. He gave a deep laugh as he steadied his footing with the ice now holding the boat in place. "Good thinking, now I don't have to worry so much."
The rest of the harpies began to descend, three would try to overwhelm Ak'ka as she is the source of the ice that began to pelt them. They would let out a conjoined screech that could pierce eardrums as they took heavy swipes at the half-orc looking to shred her into ribbons.
The other three would try to drop in on Lee in a similar such fashion, but he was keen on not letting them get as close. As they came in he swung diagonally again, cutting one out of the sky. He quickly shifted his grip to knock another in the chest with the back end and push it back a few feet. The halberd would then turn again to take an upward strike through the third harpy, pivoting one last time to bring the hammer end down on the one that had been pushed back.
From the steps he took and the shifting those maneuvers needed, the glacial wall was the only thing that made that possible. They would have definitely toppled into the water if not for that safety net.
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Post by Ak'ka the Bonegrinder on Jan 29, 2023 15:40:29 GMT -5
As the three harpies dove for her, Ak’ka’s skin hardened until it looked more like ice than flesh.[1] The small blizzard rained frozen hellfire around her, pounding at the harpy’s skulls, as frozen and harsh as her still-undead heart, and every bit as horrible as the tomb of ice she’d been trapped in so long ago. She let out a roar, letting the song of battle wash over her, moving more on instinct than with any actual thought as she let the harpies come to her.
The boat rocked dangerously from Lee’s fancy footwork, only kept floating ‘cause of Ak’ka’s ice wall. It meant Ak’ka had a little more freedom to stretch out, too. She dug her heel into the ground behind her and braced herself, letting the harpies come to her. Where Lee fought them off with his weapons, Ak’ka didn’t have any reservations. She caught them all with her body, tanking the force of the beasts’ talons, before letting out another harsh battle cry before she twisted, throwing one of the harpies into the side of the ice wall ‘till it let out an indignant squawk.
The second and third, she grabbed with one hand each, before taking a deep breath, immediately jumping off the side of the boat.
The battle suddenly turned to one or endurance, between her and the harpies - who could hold their breath for the longest. The freezing water felt like nothing on her skin, but for the harpies, it was probably hell. She could do this all day, though.
The harpies thrashed, attempting to break out of her hold, but Ak’ka’s grip was unbreakable. She kept a tight hold on them underwater until her head began to feel light, and the harpies went limp. Once they’d passed out from the lack of oxygen, Ak’ka propelled herself up to the surface, a triumphant grin on her face. 1. Frozen Form
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Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Jan 29, 2023 16:53:27 GMT -5
There is a clear flash of concern as Leandros turns and calls out to Ak'ka but by the time he gets spun around she's already sinking. Thinking the harpies have begun to drag her under, the knight is only a few moments from diving in himself before she comes back up. He let out a breath and started laughing as he offered a hand out to the half-orc to pull her back into the boat.
"I should have known better than to be worried." He gives another hearty laugh as he pats her on the shoulder. The few harpies perched on the rocks seem to decide that discretion is the better part of valor and fly away. Leandros breathes a sigh of relief.
There were a few superficial scratches in his armor and Ak'ka looked fine, they could still fight, but the quicker they got off this boat, the better. When his battle buddy is settled, Lee will row them home this time, not hiding how happy he is to be back on shore.
"I never thought the first fight on the water I've had would be like that, but it's nice to get a challenge once in awhile."
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