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Post by Gabriel Duros on Feb 20, 2023 18:31:38 GMT -5
It wasn't an especially cold day in Frost Gale but it wasn’t all that warm to the southern born mountain of a man that huddled into his cloak, as he loomed over the battlements that surrounded the trade village of Keshar. His eyes with their piercing gold gaze had settled off into the distance as he looked at the remains of a caravan that had been assaulted just outside the city during the winter storm several days before. The ice and debris from the incident were frozen nearly solid and immovable until the winter weather let up, an impossible to miss epithet to the grim reality of living out in the frozen wastes of Frost Gale.
Hot breath left his bearded maw as he exhaled, his mind racing as he thought about all of the difficulties that could impact this damned quest. Hunting Yeti’s was always dangerous and doing so after a recent storm was even more so as the increase in moisture in the air typically meant their cryomantic abilities were stronger and faster. Being one of the mana cursed it would typically mean all but certain death to him and whomever joined him on this gods forsaken quest, as he was nothing but a liability. However, he was a Knight of Duros and had been trained in the ways of mage slaying, something that would give him and whoever was crazy enough to join him a slight edge hopefully?
His exceptionally tall frame was clad in a mixture of leather, plate, and quilted cloth, with colors from grey to beige and earth tones. Usually this would have made him meld into the plains he called home, however out here in the frozen north it only made him stand out further then his imposing frame typically did. Shaking his head he breathed into his gloved hands as he rubbed them together to warm them up before disembarking from the battlements to head down to the gate and begin his journey if another had arrived.
The six foot eight man of well muscles and athletic build trudged towards his destination, cloak billowing around him with the subtle winds of the north seemingly buffeting against him as if to tell him that this quest was folly. His bearded, handsome face was marred by rose colored chapped cheeks that seemingly had suffered the worst of the blistering cold. Curiously the only weapon that could be seen on his being was what looked like a tower shield to most people but due to his size was more like a Kite shield strapped to his left hand.
Making his way towards the gate he would look around for any other adventuring types that may have mustered at the predestined meeting point according to the tavern keeps instructions.
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Post by Ak'ka the Bonegrinder on Feb 20, 2023 21:46:28 GMT -5
There weren’t many jobs Ak’ka turned her nose up at. Deranged criminals, monsters, she’d fought ‘em all. She got paid for it all, sure, but if she were bein’ honest with herself, she didn’t really care about the pay. Every battle she was in, every fight for her life, only served to make her stronger. The mercenary’s life was good for her - she chased after battle like a bloodhound on the scent, but at the end of the day, they were nothing more than marks on her tally of victories and more scars for her collection.
They were practice.
Weren’t many folk in Frostgale that could do what she did. You could find sellswords in any other tavern, sure, but most of them were from out of town, unused to the harsh elements of the far north. Ak’ka was a Frostgale native born and bred, and carried ice in her veins as easily as she did the song of battle, taught to her by her old clan in the World Crown. By now, the cold didn’t bother her at all - so when people needed someone to brave the harsh elements, they called in the Bonegrinder. That was how she found herself on this yeti hunt after the most recent blizzard, hired by a couple of concerned merchants that were worried about a recent sighting near their trade route.
She’d fought yetis before. Their aggressive nature was difficult for folks who hadn’t fought ‘em before, and they even gave her a bit of trouble when she was sent to fight ‘em alone. She was supposed to have help this time, or so she was told. Apparently this yeti sighting had spooked enough people that there’d been a call to arms that got the attention of the other mercs and fighters in the area, either in search of coin, or the thrill of the fight, or the satisfaction of doing a good deed. But as she got closer to the meeting point, Ak’ka was beginning to think that whoever had told her that was full of shit, because there was no one here except for a single rugged-looking man, clad in leather and armor, weaponless except for a big metal shield strapped to his back.
He looked… cold.
Ak’ka readjusted her owlbear pelt cloak, boots crunching in the thick snow. She made no attempt to hide her approach - a seven foot tall orc with a large fir tree strapped to her back didn’t lend to stealth. She, too, bore no weapon. She preferred her bare fists, forged her entire body into a living weapon. Even now that much was obvious in her coiled muscle and the scars littering her body, her confident stride as she strolled to a stop in front of the other guy. Gave him a once-over.
“I’m guessin’ you’re here to take care of these yetis, then?” She asked, tone blunt. He looked like a warrior, that much was certain. It wasn’t often Ak’ka met a human that matched her for height, but he was only a few inches shorter than her, with the figure of a man who’d seen plenty of battles before. The picture of an intimidating warrior was ruined by his red cheeks, still getting used to the cold. He probably wasn’t from around here.
Ak’ka held out a scarred, calloused hand for him to shake. She wasn’t one for manners, but she’d met knightly types before, and knew that they liked proper manners and all that. “Name’s Ak’ka. Looks like it’s just the two of us together… unless anyone else shows up soon.” She glanced around again. Even though the blizzard had dissipated, the snowfall and wind had probably warded off most other fighters. She turned back to the stranger, begrudging respect glimmering in her eyes. Weren’t many who would answer the call in this weather. He was obviously stronger than your run of the mill warriors.
She wouldn’t mind going on this hunt side by side with a guy like him.
“You cold?” She asked after a moment, not one to hold her tongue when it came to speaking her thoughts. “I think I’ve got a spare cloak in my bag. Won’t offer much but it’ll at least keep you in fighting shape in these elements.”
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Post by Gabriel Duros on Feb 21, 2023 13:37:57 GMT -5
He was almost taken back for a moment as he saw a woman taller than him approaching from the distance. Pelts and furs clung to her as she moved towards him with confidence and an air of prowess about her. The giant tree strapped to her back was imposing to say the least, as it was unusual but maybe she was bringing it somewhere to carve up for firewood? That seemed like the most reasonable explanation at least. It's not like someone would use a tree for a weapon… would they? The thought danced in his mind for a second which helped to forget the cold, only to have him be grounded again as the now clearly visible half orc spoke to him while giving him a once over.
She was tall and scarred, meaning she had seen many battles, her well toned muscles only aiding that conclusion further as he couldn’t help but take in all that she was in that moment. He had respect for those that trained their body to the extent they had, and that alone earned her respect in his eyes before she even spoke. The bluntness in her tone was straight forward and refreshing as a lot of people in this line of work chose to be flowery or attempt to smooth talk, something that had never sat right with him as a way of introductions.
“I am. Names Gabriel.”, Seeing her outstretched hand he moved his to hold hers by just above the wrist as he clasped her forearm and shook with a firmness befitting a warrior if she shook in unison, “I doubt anyone else is brave or foolish enough to do this… I suppose it will just be us which is well enough.”, looking off into the distance past the remnants of the caravan and into the hills and mountains in the far distance, he sighed softly before he began walking forward.
Her mention of him being cold was met with a soft chuckle as he responded casually, “I should be fine with the one I have, If I need it though I will not hesitate to ask. I am from the King’s Valley so this is… a bit colder than I am used to…”, pausing as he looked towards her before adding, ”Between the humidity of the Marsh Flats and Moonglade, to the sweltering heat of the desert, I admittedly have not spent much time out in the frigid north.”, readjusting his cloak to tighten it around his frame more he added, “Besides someone needs to take care of this mess so if I have to suffer the cold to help some people in need… then so be it.”
Looking back to her again he thought for a moment before he added, “You from around here I take it? You seem a lot more comfortable here in the blistering cold than most.”, reaching into his cloak pocket he procured a flask and opened it before taking a swig of the whiskey inside it and offering it to Ak’ka. He had to admit, she was tall and well muscled and more than what he had expected to meet out here, so perhaps this job wouldn’t go south the moment they found trouble. That thought was solace enough to brave the north for however long it took to take care of the quest and maybe get a drink or two afterwards.
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Post by Ak'ka the Bonegrinder on Feb 26, 2023 0:01:34 GMT -5
Like she expected, this guy - Gabriel - had a grip on him. He spoke with a kinda candor that Ak’ka could get behind… almost proper, but straight to the point. Didn’t bother with flowery stuff. Ak’ka snorted when he talked about bravery or foolishness, a puff of ice-cold air escaping her nose.
“It’s only foolishness if ya can’t back it up, I say.” She shoved her hands into the pockets of her owlbear pelt cloak, the Winter’s Crown gift from Gerhart. It looked like it had seen a lot of wear and use despite the fact she’d only had it for a few months. “And I’m pretty sure you can back it up. I’m good at spotting warriors when I see ‘em.”
She set off after Gabriel as he walked, seeing no point in waiting around for long. Both of them were ready to go, and if no one else was gonna take up the torch in this yeti hunt, then they should just get on with it. “You a wanderer, then?” She raised a brow. It sounded like he’d been a lot of places, far more than Ak’ka. She was a vagabond these days, had been ever since her clan was destroyed, but even she didn’t usually leave Frostgale all that often, or venture too far south. To be honest she didn’t really get how people could stand the heat.
“So you’ve seen a lot of the world. Bet you’ve faced a lot of threats, then.” Yeah, he really sounded like the knightly type. Especially with the helping people in need talk and whatnot. She’d met people of his ilk in the past, knew the kind of burning need to help those that needed protectin’ alight in their soul. Where Ak’ka had turned her body into a weapon, people like Gabriel made themselves out to be living shields. That kinda need to help others was something she didn’t fully understand. It was the way her old man once thought, and that kind of belief was laughable in an orc clan.
But secretly, Ak’ka thought there was something… admirable about devotin’ your life to helping the weak. Folks like Gabriel knew what they were doing with their life and their strength, a far kinder purpose than the revenge that she carried in her heart.
“Eh, don’t worry about it. The cold ain’t so bad when you get used to it. And you might be surprised to find you’ll work up a sweat once you start exercising.”
Gabe reached into his pocket, taking a long drink before offering it to Ak’ka. Oh, so he really was a gentleman. “Thanks.” Ak’ka accepted the offering and took a quick sip, trying not to drink too much - she didn’t wanna offend her new friend - before handing it back. “Yeah, I’m a native. Up from the World’s Crown. Most orc clans around here make their home up in those mountains. Considering how harsh conditions are up there, it makes this feel like a walk to a picnic on a spring day.” She joked.
As they walked, Ak’ka kept an eye on their surroundings, looking for anything shifty in the snow. Yetis thrived in these kinds of environments, and they were dangerous as all hell ‘cause they blended into the snow so well. But Ak’ka had fought plenty of the bastards before, and she knew the signs of activity to look for. She was ready to move at a moment’s notice, constantly ready for battle, and looking for any excuse to swing the tree on her back.
… But nothing had jumped out at them yet, so she may as well learn more about her new travel companion. “So. You say you travel a lot. You actually a knight or what?”
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Post by Gabriel Duros on Mar 11, 2023 13:23:40 GMT -5
Her snort was actually endearing in a way especially as it came after him talking about bravery or foolishness something that he at times couldn't tell if they were one in the same. She was different then most he had met thus far and that was, a good thing. His life didn't allow for soft finer things like most nobles, nor did it allow for potlicking or being conservative, so meeting another adventurer that seemingly was practical was... Good. Great even.
Laughing at her actual words on foolishness he nodded in agreement as he saw her thrust her hands back into her cloak pockets, the cloak itself now registering to him as being from quite a mighty creature indeed, which only highlighted his growing opinion of her as a fine warrior herself, "That much is true, I am certain you can back it up as well. You have that air that all strong warriors do.", he paused for a second as he looked at her again and in particular at the scars she carried, marks of honor as they were, "Maybe after this Yeti business we could get a spar in? I feel that you have the strength to make me work for it, which is a good thing.", he couldn't help but smile slightly as he spoke with a gentle but strong warmth caused clearly by his confidence in himself and appreciation for the strength he saw in her.
As they walked along the path he inclined his head towards her to answer when she asked about if he was an adventurer or not as he nodded first and then transfixed his eyes forward again as he spoke, "I am. Well... More accurately I am a questing knight of Duros so wandering is kind of the nature of the beast. We take quests and challenges to prove the quality of our order.", he made a fist as he spoke in a clearly sardonic voice at the notion of his purpose as it were before he sighed and spoke again, "Its been almost a year now since I left.... I don't know if I even want to go back.", it was a rare moment of him being raw in a real sense as he very rarely let his guard down with others, but to anyone it would seem the errant thought had been weighing heavy on him for a long while so it escaping out verbally was inevitable eventually.
Clearing his throat he did his best to reset himself as he tried to widen his perception to the task at hand as it were before responding again, "I have faced enough and seen enough to know that the world is dangerous and in need of people like us to do our thing at least. Sometimes it surprises you and there are good things too, but that's rarer then most would think.", he himself was still warm with a gentle strength as he spoke but it was plain to see that he had his fair share of bad experiences and regrets even. His next words came with another glance back at her as he responded in kind, "I could say the same to you. One does not bare that many honors without the stories to back them up.".
"I have been told this before and I suppose it makes sense. I guess exercising is a good way to keep warm in a place like this, it might save your life too.", he seemed lost in thought for a moment before he added, "I think I can feel my hands at least getting used to it, can't say the same for my face.", he chuckled slightly at himself after he said it. Taking his flask back he took another swig before offering it again, he did not mind sharing and it was also a small test in a way of how relaxed Ak'ka might be able to be. He himself had decided life was too short to be rigid after all, plus battles were more fun if you had drink in you. Not that he would express that at the moment. It also gave him courage in case they were to be beset by more then they could handle.
"Anytime.", his response to her thanking him for the swill before he responded to her answer to his own question, "I bet it would. The orcs in the south mostly inhabit Lilicour, at least en masse. It takes a strong people to willing live in climates that want to kill you, that I respect more then anything. Hell last time I was in the Marsh Flats I was nearly swallowed by an undead crocodile...", his thoughts waivered for a second before he added, "I didn't think you all had spring out here, being the frozen north and all.", he made his own joke as he attempted to meet her eyes with a wry smile as its jab before he chuckled softly.
Seeing as she was just on edge as himself even though they conversed he was even more sure of her strength and capability now, and impressed even as he noticed the perceptive gaze she had on their surroundings and the slight tensing of the muscles as if to be able to leap forward at a moments notice, it was impressive to him to see someone who matched him for once. As he had mostly been on quests with mages for awhile now. Finding another clearly martially capable person was a rare treat for once. Being distracted however he failed to notice the incoming ambush as he began to answer her question about his knighthood, "Like I said, as a questing knight this is unfortunately the name of the game. One that has no end date either... Its alri-", his words were cut off mid sentence however as a boulder of hard packed snow and ice collided with his back, forcing him to his knees as he remained in place and let out a grunt of pain as he gripped his lower back with his right hand.
A loud and vociferous roar echoed out from behind them and their sides as three Yeti leapt from their hiding places amongst the snow and trees, their intent clear as they attempted to begin circling the two adventurers. Still in a kneeling position Gabriel's normally gentle and warm voice became one of anger as he spoke with abandon, "That was dirty!", the seething hate in his voice as he struggled to stand in the moment was palpable as he placed his back near Ak'ka and looked towards the one behind them on on their left, "Reckon they want to scrap then?", he knew the answer but his blood was pumping as the adrenaline began to course through him from the low blow so to speak.
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Post by Ak'ka the Bonegrinder on Mar 26, 2023 21:10:52 GMT -5
Ak’ka’s brows rose at the offer of a spar. Wasn’t often she got that kind of offer from people. She’d met other warriors, sure, but most saw the scars adorning her body and got the hint that she was the kind of woman who wasn’t really used to the kind of casual fighting that most folks considered training. But Gabe seemed like he could hold his own well enough, a fact she’d already noticed about him in the way he held himself. Maybe going toe to toe with this guy wouldn’t be so bad. In fact… might even be fun.
“Sure.” She replied, flashing him a crooked grin. “Buy me a drink first and you got yourself one hell of a battle.” She was definitely curious to see how Gabe used that shield… did he favor offense or defense? Ak’ka was curious to hear his battlesong. Everyone had one in the throes of combat - from the way they moved to their mastery of the weapon. Every fighter told a story, and Ak’ka wanted to hear his.
There was no recognition in her eyes when Gabe mentioned the order of the knights of Duros. She was a merc, didn’t pay much attention to other organizations, especially when most knights didn’t really hold Ak’ka in high regard. She’d been called a brute by plenty of snobs in other knightly orders, but Gabe seemed pretty down to earth. And pretty fun to talk to. Even though they were out here hunting a yeti, she felt at ease.
“Knights of Duros? They from King’s Valley, then? I’ve never heard of ‘em before.” She asked, before Gabe’s voice grew serious. She kept her mouth shut when he spoke about not wanting to return. It didn’t seem like that big of an admission to her, but there was a strange kinda weight to the way he spoke, like he was sharing a big secret with her, a stranger he met in the ice fields.
She turned to look ahead of them, watching the fat snowflakes drift through the air. “Hey, nothin’ wrong with being a free spirit. Pretty damn admirable to do what you love and help people while you do it. And that’s more important than loyalty to any order, I figure.”
Whether Gabe would be offended by her butting her nose where it didn’t belong, Ak’ka wasn’t sure. But she was the kind of gal who spoke her mind freely, didn’t bother with niceties in favor of the truth. And in this case? If Gabe didn’t like his order, then fuck ‘em. She’d learned in her own travels it was easier to do good and help folks as a free spirit than tied down to any organization.
She sighed when Gabe spoke about the world. “I agree.” Her own voice took on an uncharacteristically heavy quality. “There’s a buncha shit out there in the world. But the fact that you’ve faced it all and come out on the other side kickin’ means that you’re doing pretty damn good for yourself, I’d say.” She beamed with pride as he complimented her own laurels, scars worn across her skin like trophies.
“Swallowed by an undead crocodile?” Her eyebrows rose, curious. Now that sounded like a damn good story. She barked out a laugh as he made a joke at her home’s expense, surprised. “Compared to the damn weather up here, every time I leave home feels like spring.”
She was so caught up listening to him that Ak’ka forgot to keep an eye on her surroundings.
Given that they were searching for a white-furred monster in the middle of the snow, maybe she should’ve been.
It was pretty damn hard to miss Gabe’s grunt of pain when the snow hit him from behind, threatening to knock him over. Perhaps it would have worked on any lesser man, but Gabe’s foundations were strong, and the two of them were barely phased as they whirled around to face the yetis that descended from the trees.
Three against two.
Ak’ka liked those odds.
Gabe’s voice was barely a low growl that resonated with the adrenaline thrumming through Ak’ka’s veins. The two stood back to back, Ak’ka hoisting up her tree in anticipation.
“Fuckers picked the wrong two to ambush.” She replied, enraged the damn beasts had taken the coward’s approach to battle on Gabe’s behalf, but there was still a smile stretching her lips nonetheless.
Offense was the best defense, so Ak’ka wasn’t about to give these yetis the chance to make the first - er, well, second - strike. With a battle cry, Ak’ka charged, swinging her tree straight into the side of one of the yetis.
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Post by Gabriel Duros on Sept 12, 2023 12:24:48 GMT -5
“A drink it is then.”, a certain smile evident in his voice even if it was most assuredly coy in nature. He had a feeling that even session of sparring with Ak’ka was more then enough to sharpen his skills and that was an opportunity he was unwilling to pass up. Her having no knowledge of his family was the most relieving and comforting part of the conversation up to that point however, as he had grown tired of his family’s name and legacy even if he was still beholden to them and the oath he made.
“That they are, at least for the last few centuries. They got stuck there to keep the locals in check to the crown, infuriating business if you ask me, which is why being a questing knight ends up as such a popular posting for those of us that care to do good and not galavanting for a high king that doesn’t deserve it..”, perhaps it was the cold air or his willingness to express but he caught himself sharing his thoughts about Eldenwar and stopped short of saying anything treasonous.
He thought about what she had said and nodded before answering, “It is what it is. I do what others need and care only that I helped someone along the way. I do appreciate the kind words though.”, he would have blushed slightly at the compliment if his cheeks were not already somewhat rose tinted from the weather.
The crocodile wasn’t the worst prey but was for sure the most disgusting he had engaged with thus far, “It was massive, I might have to tell you more about it sometime over that drink”.
As the battle had begun, with an ambush that wasn’t in their favor, he had only the time to react by moving back to back with Ak’Ka, and he was wholly unprepared for what she did next. Turns out that tree really was a weapon as he heard her warcry and turned to see her charging before she swung it with brutal efficiency into the side of one of the yetis. The only thought he had in that moment was one of simple impress - “Damn she is strong.”
She had already broke formation so there was no need to try to defend her rear with his shield, so it only made sense to also charge into and assail at least one of them, but that wasn’t all that he would be doing.Using his enhanced muscle mass and blessing from the Bull Mark, he charged forward at an incredible speed, bounding towards the Yeti on his right.
As the gap was closed he immediately ducked and spun in a cemi circle, a reaching blow from the Yeti passing over him as he rose up on the other side of the Yeti. Whilst he had dodged the beast he made sure to swing his shields sharp edges at the creatures side and in doing so used the momentum he had from his movement to aide him in causing a gash in the Yeti’s side as it began to bleed onto the snow and bled feel from his shields edges.
Adopting a stance with his shield between himself and the Yeti he was prepared for countering and parrying now if it came to it, however he began circling towards the other of the three Yeti as he saw it moving slowly towards Ak’Ka and himself, probably thinking which of the two was easier target to gank with one of its buddies, “Where do you think you are going big man? Keep your eyes on me, the both of you.”, it wasn't so much grandstanding as it was a threat. He activated a latch on his shield and separated it into two axes that he kept brandished now, one of them pointed at each of the two as he slowly moved to a space more in between either of them.
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Post by Ak'ka the Bonegrinder on Sept 22, 2023 7:57:31 GMT -5
Ak’ka liked to think she’d met plenty of knights in her day - listless wandering through Charon doin’ whatever nasty work needed to be done tended to attract the same folks. The only difference was in the motivation. Knightly orders were in it for the honor, but that didn’t put bread on the table or firewood in the hearth. Nah, instead they’d pledged their allegiance to whatever code they wanted, whatever king had the fattest pockets, and lost their free will to enter the service. Ak’ka refused to bend to anyone’s will. Made encounters with knights rough when they didn’t understand the orc woman and vice versa. She tolerated working with them. Didn’t mean she bothered learning every single crest or every single family out there, ‘cus they were all the same in the end.
Listening to Gabe talk ‘bout his family, though, she figured she was justified in not giving a shit about knightly order and all that. It sounded miserable, especially the bit about pledging allegiance to that fuckwad of a king on the throne.
Yeah. Ak’ka didn’t really fancy the gilded bastard, either.
“Sounds tough.” Common clearly wasn’t Ak’ka’s first language; nah, she’d learned orcish first. A rough tongue, rough speech. They didn’t exactly do condolences or kind words - so sympathy was a strange thing to hear on her tongue. But she was… tryin’, at the very least. Humans were so overly soft, always talkin’ about their feelings and what made them sad and what weighed on their mind. She didn’t understand, but she recognized it was important for him to talk about it, and important to receive some kinda nice response in turn, so she did her best to give one. Didn’t always turn out well. Kindness was ill-fitting of someone like her.
Then, quieter, she added, “I can see why ya wouldn’t wanna go back.”
Duty was tough. She knew all too well what that burden felt like; had since she was twelve. Being the leader of an orc tribe was probably different from being a questing knight but she figured the principle was the same. You were in a position of power, where folks depended on you. The weight that duty put on your shoulders could crumble lesser men.
“And I can definitely see why ya wouldn’t want to be the king’s bitch.” Ak’ka spat. If Gabe’d been afraid of getting caught for speaking blasphemy, he was wasting his energy. Ak’ka held no love for the king, and she had no fears ‘bout voicing her thoughts, either. Gave might’a had to watch his tongue cus of his position, but Ak’ka wasn’t afraid. That pompous ass didn’t care none for the people in his world, anyone that was different from him at least. He only cared ‘bout his own family and success. That wasn’t how a leader behaved.
… Ah, but not wasn’t the time to get mad ‘bout the state of the world. She was in good company and settin’ out on a fun hunt. There was nothing the Bonegrinder relished more than the song of battle, the chance to throw herself into the ring and fight with her life on the line ‘til she came out on top. And now, she’d even been promised a drink and a story about glorious battle. Now Gabe was speakin’ her language!
“I look forward to it. No better way to get to know a person than to hear ‘bout their tales of life and death. That’s the kinda shit that sharpens a man.” And she did wanna get to know Gabe better, she figured. Ak’ka’d never met a knight as laid back as him, but he knew his shit and didn’t let that make him a pompous ass from what she could tell. The thing about being the best of the best at the top of the mountain, so far away from others, was that ya didn’t get much chance to know other folk. Prey feared her and other predators saw her as a threat. Rare that she met another guy who seemed to know his shit but didn’t rest on his laurels.
Fuck. Getting that drink would have’ta wait until they’d taken care of this yeti-sized problem, though.
Problem with bein’ alone all the time meant Ak’ka wasn’t used to fighting side by side with other folks. Didn’t know what it meant to protect others aside from blazing forward with charged fists to punch the threat ‘till it couldn’t move no more. And that was exactly what she planned to do here. With an ironclad grip and the strength of the mountain, Ak’ka swung the brunt of the tree trunk right into the torso of the yeti she’d targeted.[1] The monster let out an animalistic grunt, bracing itself to keep from gettin’ knocked over - but from Ak’ka’s sheer strength it couldn’t stop the blow entirely. It was dragged in a half circle carved out by her tree, snow and dirt piling behind it as it held on for dear life, tryin’ ta stop her assault. A battle of wills - monster versus monster.
Eventually Ak’ka’s sweep crawled to a halt, allowin’ the yeti to grab the edge of her tree and break bark apart in its hands.
CRRRRRRAAAAAACK!
Oh, hell. There went her tree.
That was fine. Ak’ka didn’t need it to be deadly. If anything, the tree was just another weapon holding her back from truly pounding the snot outta whatever monster looked at her the wrong way. Ak’ka spat, tossing the trunk to the side like hot garbage and raising her fists.
Behind her, Gabe was speakin’. Challenging the third yeti after injuring the second. Damn. He was pretty cool. Like in the tough guy, kinda effortlessly badass kinda way. And his taunt was workin’. The yeti had its eyes on the armored man, who’d just pulled axes outta his shield - leavin’ her to deal with the first. Ak’ka wasn’t gonna be outshone here. As the yeti charged her again, desperate to go on the offensive, Ak’ka pounded her foot on the ground, a wall of ice shooting from her feet, jutting out from the ground right below her and shooting her into the air.[2] Ak’ka clasped her fists together, letting gravity do the rest of the work. She twisted, anglin’ her elbow so it was driven right into the yeti’s skull as she fell with a sickening crunch. 1. Bull’s Strength Tattoo 2. Glacial Wall
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Post by Gabriel Duros on Oct 15, 2023 10:10:20 GMT -5
The Kings Bitch - A term he had heard almost never but quite liked and would most definitely bring back up later.
With his own battle at hand he threw his right axe at the Yeti on his left while simultaneously moving towards it with a sliding kick to knock it off balance, twisting his frame into a rising uppercut moments before either the axe or kick landed as he did his best attempt to use the locking mechanism of his axes to his advantage and reform his shield for the purposes of the uppercut, leveraging his massive strength to compensate for the burst of speed needed to do so. He felt the Yeti's jaw crack under the force of his fist and shield, and even though it landed on its back mostly where it had once stood he knew that it was dead or at the very least solidly unconscious now. His eyes however couldn't help but wander over to his partner as he took notice to reassess their situation now.
As he looked on for what he felt was only a brief moment he was lost in the ferocity and sheer might Ak'ka held. The way she used that tree like a weapon was awe inspiring to say the least and although he couldn't help but watch her fight he should have had his own fight to worry about, something he was painfully reminded of as he was caught off guard while seeing Ak'Ka effectively bully the Yeti she was challenging, not that it didn't at least break her weapon which was admirable to say the least.
The Yeti that was on his left had charged him and struck him with all of its might whilst he was watching Ak'ka fight, and that momentary lapse in judgement was enough to make Gabe fly several feet before colliding with a tree with a very loud and very audible THUNK. Slowly and staggered he rose to a kneeling position as he spat blood down at the snow and dirt, moving to relocate his dislocated jaw as he looked up in abject fury at the Yeti who stuck him as if that was the worst possible thing it could have done in that moment.
Moving his shield to its back latching strap, he struck his gauntlets together with a resounding clang as fire began to engulf his fists and forearms in a swirling double helix of flame. Assuming a fairly standard stance with his right arm parallel to his waist and his left arm held diagonally aloft, the back of his fist pointed at the Yeti itself. He took small strides as he inched closer to his foe and shouted with a cold hard malice that only rose from him in situations like this, "Come.", the yeti itself was still challenged and felt compelled despite seeing all that was happening around it and its companions getting rocked one way or another. It had hurt the big man though so it could surely do so again right?
Bull's Strength Tattoo Gallant Guards Spitfire Gauntlets
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Post by Ak'ka the Bonegrinder on Oct 20, 2023 18:49:37 GMT -5
‘Round them, snow was whipping upwards in the wind. That was the risk of fighting in Frostgale; you never knew when the weather would take a turn for the worse on ya. Ak’ka was used to it, but the months of travel she’d been on since leaving the country left her caught off guard by the sudden biting chill. She could worry about the cold later. Couldn’t feel the cold if you were nothin’ but yeti chow.
Ak’ka was old hat at ignorin’ everything in the heat of battle.
The yeti she’d knocked to the ground struggled, but with a crack in its skull and the sheer weight from her blow to yeti ribs, the beast struggled for all of a few seconds before it went limp. Red spilled from the fracture in its head to the bone-white snow. Ak’ka stood, spat on the body. The song of adrenaline thrummed in her veins. The battle was just gettin’ started - but she was reminded of exactly why she so loved the thrill of combat. Her triumph was short-lived, though, ‘cus as she turned around she watched as Gabe immediately got tackled by the remaining yeti.
The orc warrior shouted in alarm as the knight crumpled against a nearby tree - humans were too fragile, their bodies more prone to breaking and crumbling apart than Orc stock - but Gabe was made of stronger stuff than that. Muscle and raw strength and discipline all protected by a suit of armor. In seconds he was up, wrenching his jaw into place with a pop that Ak’ka felt in her bones. Unrestrained fury blazed in his eyes, gleaming with the promise of blood. Ak’ka couldn’t help but grin, admiring the man’s prowess.
He wasn’t just a strong man - Ak’ka’d met her fair share of fighters, but it was a different kinda man who commanded allies and enemies alike. Gabe didn’t just intimidate them. He demanded their attention with an authority born from sweat and sinew and years of battle experience. He was a leader, through and through.
Ak’ka couldn’t let him have all the fun.
Snow melted around the crackle of Gabe’s fire, the timbre of his voice callin’ the yeti forth. Even though its brothers had already fallen to the two warriors, it charged. Ak’ka dashed, the cold snow and ice coalescing on her boots and pushin’ her forward. The yeti was focused on Gabe and Gabe alone - paid no mind for the hurtling Orc woman who delivered a heavy punch right to its spine, pushing it off-kilter. Straight into Gabe’s waiting gauntlets for the finish; a victory born from fire, cuttin’ through the oncoming snowstorm. 1. Frozen Feet
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