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Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Sept 19, 2023 11:20:29 GMT -5
After killing a god, a normal person might reasonably take a break. You've done the impossible, maybe sleep for a little bit. Unfortunately for those that knew him, Leandros was not a normal man. It was hard to feel good about going home to safety when the remnants of Vulcadreus' destruction still remained. So, with his burns bandaged he rode out on Byrr to see what he could do about some of the damage. Slowly they made the trip through Dragon's Cradle to arrive at the Steam Springs. It seems there was a lot of collateral damage here given the proximity. He wasn't sure if volcanoes could actually through debris this far, but the circumstances behind this eruption were a little different. Boulders dotted the landscape, some still hissing with heat. The natural warmth of the springs didn't help cool them down either......This was going to be interesting to say the least. He lets out a breath and rests his hands on the pommel of the saddle as Byrr comes to a stop. "Well.....it looks like we have our work cut out for us Byrr....I wonder if these things will just burn right through rope. We are somewhat limited in our options."
Quest Name: That's a nice boulder Participants: Two or more Location: Ashlands, Dragon's Cradle or Zeinav Desert Post Requirements: 5 post per person, 200 words per post Reward: +1 Renown Description: The recent eruption at Mt. Drakolt has caused hundreds of massive, flaming rocks to soar across the eastern coast of Charon. The primary roads and countryside around the Ashlands, Dragon's Cradle and Zeinav have all been littered with the giant rocks. They block travel and trade routes, as well as disrupt the local wildlife population. Some have landed in local farms, destroying important crops for the winter, and some have even landed on unsuspecting homes or wagons. Adventurers are needed to help rid the east of these giant stones, some still extremely hot from their time inside the volcano. How you get rid of them is entirely up to you, you can move them to a better suited area, or break them up into tiny, more manageable pieces. It does not matter how you dispose of the boulders, as long as they are removed.
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Post by Everett Reykas on Nov 7, 2023 0:03:22 GMT -5
As Leandros is contemplating what the best course of action is to deal with the scorching hot rocks, he hears a growing rumbling noise just up the hill from where he stopped Byrr.
Looking uphill from the pools of steaming water, there's a boulder hurtling down the side of the mountain towards them. It would be a terrifying sight if its trajectory was just a little further to the right. Judging from where it's headed now, it would safely roll past and land in the pools of hot water rather than slam into the horse and rider.
As the boulder nears, it looks like it actually isn't on fire like the others and instead is just spewing streams of smoke as if freshly extinguished. Rolling across Byrr and Leandros' path, there's a rush of wind that trails after the boulder, seemingly pushing it along.
"Oh, shit, sorry!" A voice trails after the boulder from up the slope and there Leandros would see someone standing on the barren skree all alone. "Didn't see you there! Uh...could you move," the individual looks around quickly and then points further up the slope. "Over there so they don't roll into you."
Next to the man are a few more smoldering boulders, ready to be pushed and rolled down the side of the mountains.
If Leandros chooses to clear the way, the man then gathers a burst of wind in his one hand.[1] He then unleashes the current against the side of one of the hot boulders and sends it bowling down the mountainside toward the pools of water.
If Leandros were to approach this person as they continued to work, he'd notice the rapier sheathed at his side, a leather-bound book strapped to a belt, and, most notably, the lack of their right arm. His outfit is also a little out of place for the middle of Dragon's Cradle, looking a lot more like the garments worn by a naval officer. Though not of any color or style of any military force Leandros would know, which would likely strike the knight as odd given their history and knowledge of militia across Charon.
Everett looks over at Leandros. "Almost squished you there, sorry about that. I assure you, it was not intentional," he raises his hand in an almost surrendering motion. "The steam is pretty thick down there from the springs."
[1] Gust Thrust
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Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Nov 7, 2023 18:18:44 GMT -5
Knight and steed take a little hoof step backwards to clear the way of the boulder. Normally, Leandros would spring in to help someone clearly in danger, but the sheer oddity of the moment overtakes him. Thankfully it seems as if his own intervention wasn't needed, but at day's end he will still likely reprimand himself for being careless.
"We were more than safe don't worry....I would imagine all the cooling rocks down there are making things that way." Leandros gently prods Byrr forward to cross the distance towards Everett. As usual, the lion is docile despite what could have been a deadly situation.
"Was that maneuver your plan or a fortunate accident?....Or equal parts both?" He smiles softly as he gets a slightly better look at the clothing. Long way out for a sailor, but stranger things have happened in this world. You could vaguely gesture at the last year or so in Charon and find enough strange things to fill a lifetime.
In a fluid motion, Leandros dismounts from his steed and hits the ground with a harmonious jingle of metal. He may not always be so graceful and agile, but for his size the way he dismounts a horse seems nearly impossible. He pats Byrr's flank as he awaits an answer from Everett.
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Post by Everett Reykas on Nov 9, 2023 18:10:20 GMT -5
As Leandros approaches, Everett casually rests his hand against the hilt of his rapier. There was always a chance of being jumped by anyone wandering out and about the barren wasteland that is the Dragon's Cradle.
At least that's what all the gossip-loving sailors say. Though he knows fairly well that seafarers are not well known for being accurate sources of information half the time. They're all too eager to tell a wild story even if the facts are forgone for the sake of drama. While he enjoys listening to them spin a yarn over a drink in a tavern, he has to admit that it is very inconvenient for him to not know how credible the information he's given is, especially considering his condition.
Getting a closer look at the armored man, he doesn't look like a stormraider based on what he has heard of the bandit group. He's too clean, for one. Too clean-shaven, for two. And too chill, for three. Nothing about this man suggests he has any ill intentions off first impressions, but Everett is still cautious as looks can be deceiving.
As Leandros smiles at him, he rubs the back of his neck a bit embarrassed. "I mean, I did intentionally roll it down the hill, but I wasn't trying to get anyone hurt. Just trying to make sure they're put out so they don't start a fire or something."
He then looks around at the rocky slope. There wasn't exactly anything to catch on fire now that he gave his whole plan it a second thought.
Damn.
This guy probably thinks he is the bandit in this situation. He wouldn't blame him given how much of a close call it was with that boulder. There's enough evidence to suggest it was a failed ambush attempt. Then again, it's a pretty pathetic ambush given he doesn't have any help lying in wait. But the knight doesn't necessarily know that given there are plenty of boulders someone could easily be hiding behind.
He feels like he should probably try to defend himself a bit more as the knight dismounts from his steed. It's only when the armored man is standing on even ground with him that he realizes that this guy isn't just some random traveler.
The knight is decked out in some pretty serious armor and towers over even him. He's an imposing sight, yet something seems…familiar about him. His face scrunches as he tries to recall if they've ever met before when a sharp pang of pain strikes his head. He winces before the ache slowly ebbs away, and then he simply returns the knight's friendly smile.
"Sorry, you were saying?"
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Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Nov 9, 2023 23:00:22 GMT -5
"Not too often stones cause fires, but I suppose if they came from a volcano." He chuckles. "I was never much for a scholar or understanding how things like that work but based off the steam you might be on to something."
Leandros had not heard of any bandit groups in the area, but it wouldn't surprise him if there were any. Still, because of his prodigious size and armor he afforded people a bit more leeway than others might. He didn't want to be attacked, but he also wasn't afraid of the average bandit being able to pierce his armor.
"You all right, friend? My wife knows something of alchemy, she might be able to help if you're feeling ill. I came here to help move the rocks you've already a start on, but if you're ill we can travel back to our lodgings and see if there is a way to help."
The offer seemed genuine and the concern for a stranger's well being authentic. In fact, oddly enough Leandros didn't seem to even think twice about offering the strange man who just rolled a boulder past them a chance to be healed and meet his wife. For him, it was honestly a pretty normal thing.
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Post by Everett Reykas on Nov 10, 2023 0:02:26 GMT -5
Everett blinks. Did he look ill to the man? Or was he mistaking his lack of an arm for a recent injury?
"Ah, no, I'm fine. Thank you, though."
What a strange fellow. Though who is he to judge? He definitely doesn't look like he belongs here.
"Well, there are plenty of rocks to move." He gestures at the dozens of smoldering boulders sitting in craters pocketing the surroundings. "I can't imagine the size of eruption to fling rocks this far."
He's heard of the situation in the Ash Lands tangentially, but he hasn't seen the destruction up close and personal. If he's being honest, Darkveil is not really a place he likes to visit. It's uncomfortable, like eyes are always on you and you have dozens of shadows trailing just behind. He doesn't like being suspicious of people's intentions, but it's hard when everyone there acts so shady. Even though the one good interaction he had with a local went relatively fine, he would still keep a close eye on his coin purse if he was to ever go back there.
His attention goes back to the man before him currently though. He doesn't appear to be a local to this region or the Ash Lands. He's certainly friendlier than most folks tend to be in either region. He claims to be here to help and has already shown some concern for him. Reminds him of Sylvari in a lot of ways.
"I'm more than happy to have some help. You look pretty capable. Ah, my name is Everett, by the way. Nice to meet you." He extends his hand to the knight.
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Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Nov 10, 2023 22:19:48 GMT -5
"Leandros Aurthurian of Capitol Landing." He smiles and takes the hand, a firm and solid grip but one that is careful not to be too strong. He knows his strength after all.
Everett may notice a few faded, but lingering, burn marks along the neck of Leandros. A sign he was potentially close to the destruction of Vulcadreus...or very unlucky around fire. The knight turns to look ove rthe field of rocks in front of them, slowly turning to take in the field of destruction.
"Plenty may be an understatement. The locals want these destroyed I believe....at least broken down into more manageable pieces....though I am at a loss for what it could be used for...Would volcanic rock be good field stone for masonry? I suppose anything is good enough if you're just outlining properties or marking off roads."
Hands are placed on his hips as he thinks over what exactly they would have to do. Just smashing them seems the simplest option, though that seems like a job ill fitting of his own weapon. Even he isn't enough of a meathead to think banging a holy weapon against a rock is the best solution.
"Any ideas, friend? I lack any sort of forceful magic, so we might have to get creative with how we approach this."
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Post by Everett Reykas on Nov 12, 2023 22:25:16 GMT -5
Everett does notice the burns around Leandros’ neck. The knight didn’t seem too bothered by it. His grip sure doesn’t suggest he’s feeling any weakness. No rest for a knight on duty, he supposes.
"Yeah, I'm under the same impression." He looks out over the pitted landscape as Leandros surveys it. "I'm not really an expert on masonry, but if it's rubble they want then at least we don't have to be that careful."
He’s not even entirely sure anyone will bother heading out here to collect any rubble given how far it is and the roads are pretty sparse. Most of the roads out here aren’t even roads, just goat trails.
“I’ll admit, pretty out of my element here. I’m much more comfortable on the open seas. How about you?”
It is a bit odd to him that a knight from Capitol Landing would be traveling across land entirely on his own. Doesn’t he have a patrol or squire to accompany him? Well, he did mention his wife earlier, so maybe the man isn’t officially on duty after all. Still seems a bit odd to him, however, he’s just as out of place himself.
He rubs the back of his neck when Leandros asks if he has any ideas. "Uh, well, I can push the rocks around a bit, but only downhill really. It cools them off a bit but not enough to be safe to touch.”
Looking at Leandros’ horse, it seems like a pretty powerful beast, but without any rope or chains, it wouldn’t do them any good with dragging the boulders. Even then, any rope would burn. They needed some way to cool the rocks down so they could touch them safely.
His eyes are then drawn up to the sky. There are some clouds that float lazily overhead, but there’s no sign of any natural rain. Damn.
As his eyes linger on the sky though, he feels his skin prickle and a breeze gently gathers around him.
Leandros would see his eyes narrow and then the sky darkens. A bank of low-lying clouds rolls over the mountain peaks surrounding them, gathering in an unnatural fashion. Then a few drops of water fall from the clouds. One hits Everett right in the nose, and that snaps him out of.[1]
“Oh!” He seems surprised as a light rain starts to pour down across the springs. “Well…that’s convenient.”
[1] Inclement Weather
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Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Nov 13, 2023 14:06:13 GMT -5
Leandros held the same curiosity as Everett did, both men seemed out of their elements when it came to the current situation. At least given his attire, Leandros assumes land based missions are not his forte. The forthcoming admission would prove that to be true. So a fish out of water and a lion far from his pride would do the work for the cradle.
"Lifting heavy things isn't exactly out of my comfort zone." He gives a half smile, the man was wearing about 60 pounds of armor not including the shield, his halberd, and other equipment with him.
His gaze drifts upwards as the rain starts to drop down on them, following Everett's gaze. He is glad for the rain to avoid the suggestion of using the proud and honorable Byrr as a workhorse. That would not have been a pleasant conversation.
He looks back to the boulders that start to gently steam and cool, vapor rising off of them, then back to Everett.
"Well this is serendipitous...if we give them a few moments to cool off, I can likely lift and toss them down the hill. With luck they may knock into each other and break apart on their own."
It's not a perfect idea, but it is something. His gauntlets should give him enough time to grab and throw a boulder before it gets too hot. At least that would be his hope.
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Post by Everett Reykas on Nov 26, 2023 18:44:47 GMT -5
"Ah, well that's good to hear."
The knight certainly looks like he's plenty strong enough to shove some boulders around. That armor he wears must weight a fair amount all on itself.
As the rain rolls off the back of his coat, Everett nods in agreement with Leandros' suggestion. Waiting was a good call.
"We'll have to be careful not to slip in the rain though. Will your horse be okay? The ground isn't very stable on this slope."
He kicks a few loose shingles of scree to emphasize his point. The rocks clatter down the slope, knocking more rocks loose as they go until they eventually come to a rest near the path below them.
Looking at Byrr, it is an impressive creature, definitely much more majestic than the mule that he was forced to ride in a Dvory race down in King's Valley. Still, weren't horses better on flat plains? They're not like goats which are way more common in the area from what he's seen while passing by some of the more remote villages.
Though maybe he shouldn't speak as if he's some sort of expert. He hardly knows anything about horses and the knight likely would not put their own mount in a precarious situation on purpose.
"Do you often do jobs like this?"
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Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Nov 27, 2023 9:33:10 GMT -5
"I am sure he will be just fine standing on the side lines." He smiles and pats the horse's shoulder as Byrr flickers his ears. "He won't be pulling anything, he may have some shire horse in him, but that was more to make him sturdier than a work horse."
Leandros is the one who should be worried about his footing, but the knight wasn't going to worry a bout a little bit of mud and loose rocks. The knight heads over to one boulder and crouches down to get his hands underneath it. Still warm to the touch...time to do it quick then. Quickly he lifts upwards than throws the rock forward like a caber toss, the rock soaring a few feet before bouncing and rolling down the hill to knock into the other one.
He lets out a breath, a little proud of himself, before moving on to the next one.
"Tossing rocks down a hill? Not my usual work, no." There is little strain in his voice was he lifts and tosses another one. "But I don't often care about the particulars of the work, it's the benefit it can provide to others...Helping those who can't is the most important part of any job."
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Post by Everett Reykas on Dec 5, 2023 11:21:00 GMT -5
"He is a handsome creature. I'm not too knowledgeable about horses, but he looks pretty strong to me."
He wouldn't insist that they leverage the horse's strength to help with the task at hand. It's pretty clear from Leandros' words that he has no intention of subjecting the creature to hard labor. Given that the rocks are pretty hot still, that's probably for the best. It wouldn't be good for the animal to get injured out here in the middle of nowhere.
Everett nods in agreement with Leandros' expressed values. It's nice to hear someone is willing to go out of their way to help others even if how they help them isn't glorious.
It's duty. Plain and simple.
He can respect that.
"That's a nice sentiment," he comments while walking over to one of the steaming rocks.
Once he's sure that the path down is clear of any more knights on horses, he takes a breath and raises his hand to unleash a burst of air against the side of the boulder to send it hurtling down the slope.
Satisfied with his results, he moves to the next one.
"You don't have to answer if you do not want to, but you mentioned being from Capitol Landing. Are you part of the army?"
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Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Dec 5, 2023 14:41:22 GMT -5
"He is....he has to carry me after all....but, he's a warhorse...not a draft horse...he could pull boulders....but that risks injury.....for a knight like myself....I can't have that." Every few words are broken up by Leandros pattern of finding a rock, lifting it, straining, then getting it down the hill.
After about the fifth boulder his tops to take a breath and rest a mmoment, wiping the sweat from his brow.
"Think of it like ships...a warship could be used for hauling cargo, but then you risk it not being ready for its intended purpose."
Time for a few more boulders. Everett seems to have the easier work, just another moment Leandros realizes he should have focused more on his magical studies. Maybe some problems could be solved without muscles then.
"I am not, the Aurthurian family has never been fully...lets say supportive of the Crown....Absolute power corrupts absolutely as my grandfather used to say." He lets out another breath and puts his hands on his hips, they were making far more progress on this than he thought.
"My name and title is attached to the Landing, yes, but blind loyalty to anything...how do I put it? I am no wordsmith, but it's not a good outlook to have. If the Crown has need of my talents in a way I believe will help the people and not merely serve their own needs, then I am happy to answer the call. But as history has shown the Aurthurians have been somewhat of a problem child of the nobility it seems. Cooperation between the people is necessary for stability, but someone needs to watch for the snakes in the grass. We have been more than happy to watch for that tyranny if it means we won't be invited to councils."
He pauses a moment.
"Though, that never stopped Mother from trying."
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Post by Everett Reykas on Dec 6, 2023 14:45:59 GMT -5
Everett nods. The comparison to ships resonates with him and makes a lot of logical sense. He does think that sometimes the immediate demand outweighs the intended purpose of a thing. At least with these boulders, there's no real time limit on when they need to be dealt with, so Byrr can just stand by and look imposing.
Leandros' admittance that his family has not been supportive of the crown gives him pause. The knight had said it so casually, and while the words themselves weren't particularly specific, there was something that felt almost damning.
"Really...? I suppose the king does not have the greatest reputation..."
Admitting that himself feels wrong as if he has just committed a blatant act of treason. But it's true...isn't it?
"I'm surprised you have not been drafted for the war effort."
Wait.
He stops still.
What war? Come to think of it, he hasn't seen any evidence that the regions are even at war. Why does he think that there must be a war though?
Another sharp pain strikes his mind and he presses his palm against his temple.
"Sorry, I need a minute."
He steps away from the situation with the boulders and finds a place to sit for a moment. His head aches and it takes a little longer this time for the throbbing to ebb. It isn't the first time this has happened, but it's hard for him to keep track of how often it has.
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Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Dec 6, 2023 23:32:53 GMT -5
"Sometimes reputation doesn't matter when you have the power...thats part of the problem." He gives one last grunt of effort before shoving a boulder down the hill.
He is about to ask more about what war he means, but seeing Everett's current state he hesitates. Leandros gives him a moment of space to sit before making his way over. The knight offers him a waterskin before taking a seat beside the half-elf.
"A break is needed anyways, with hope these boulders don't free themselves and start moving on their own...thought that might save us some work." He smiles softly, trying to offer a change in topic to help his mind find somewhere else to anchor it.
Curious as it was, he didn't want to ask more and further upset the man. He had noted how oddly out of place the clothing seemed, but these days many people are wearing what they can find. It's not unreasonable to have found it among the lost effects of someone fleeing or tucked away in some abandoned home. Still....the fact that it would fit so well points to either incredible luck......or misfortune it seems.
He leans back to rest his hands in the dirt as he relaxes his muscles just a moment, "If needed, I believe I have a few tinctures and mixes from my wife that may be able to help with the head ache...at least soften the edges for a moment."
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