Battle at Harkon Manor

Darling flitted around behind them, testing the weight of Elms' sword in her hand, giving a few thrusts in the air. She smiled to herself, knowing that the blade would be little use in her hands, but appreciating the gesture.

A gnoll lay near them with an arrow protruding from it's fearsome jaws. He'd caught it straight in the mouth and it had sunk deeply into the poor dear's brain stem, dropping him immediately into the twisted position he now displayed. "Too late for this guy..." she knelt down and began to search the corpse for trinkets.

"I'm liking the sound of this 'Manor'," She said, rustling through the fur and cloth of the gnoll's body a bit longer before dusting off her hands and standing back up, having found nothing of interest. "and with the enemy engaged here in the field, it should be relatively safe, yes? Do any of you know the Lord?"

Just before the group is about to engage the Treylor with the gnolls they see horseman emerge from the woods. Vance can be seen clearly at the center, but there are more than Vance and his entourage, in total the horseman number about twenty. The new horseman wear white tabards over their armor and blue capes, all except one.

The Treylor seem not to notice as the fight for their lives some escaping and others being cut down from beind. The small group led now by Martomum charges in to help and hopefully meet up with Vance and the others. The fight isn't much of one as these archers don't put up much of a defense. Soon most are surrendering as a few refuse and fight to the death.

In moments the party has worked their way through and joined Vance and the others. "Sur takin' ye tims gettin' dis done boy." Martomum says as he stands before Vance and his charger. The blue caped soilders making a cirlce around everyone keeping the Treylor at bay.

Lifting his visor Vance shows his most earnest smile. "Martomum!" he yells above the sounds of the battle. "Are you the one who brought the gnolls?"

"Aye boy," the dwarf replies. Then looking around Martomum spots a gnoll he had been looking for. "I's be back." he says storming towards a white haired gnoll wearing red spiked armor. He pushes past the horseman grumbling along the way.

Vance then looks to the group, his eyes falling on Lora a little longer than the rest. "You have all survived." he says smiling. "Then the villiagers had it right, all of you are truly heroes out of the old tales."

******************************************************
Meanwhile back at the shield wall. The Treylor have been pushed back from the area where the make-shift wall once stood, and the villiagers have started to seperate the Harkon Manor men from the fallen Treylor. As if by some miracle the dead from Harkon number only five men-at-arms. As villiagers from the center are pulled out of the mess of bodies, they are found to only be unconsious but alive. The dead men at arms seem to be from the outer circle of the fight, those furthest from the center.

Those who can walk start to gradually increase and soon the dead and the comatose are brough out and behind the shield wall for protection. Everyone then watches the last little part of the battle as it winds down and then is finally over.

A great cheer rises from the throats of the men of Harkon Manor,

"Huzzah!!"

Then a single voice cries out, "The Green Boar!!" And every voice answers,

"Huzzah!!"

Another villiager shouts, "The Men of Harkon!!" And the men respond,

"Huzzah!!"

The a cry goes out, "The Heroes of The Western Woods!!" And then so loud that it can be faintly heard all the way back at Harkon Manor itself they cheer.

"Huzzah!! Huzzah!! Huzzah!!"

Caught up in the cheering the small group of strangers soon join in, they too are glad to be alive.

Trinham listens as Vance talks to Lora and tells them they must be heroes. He certainly does not feel like an hero. in fact in feels lucky to be alive. However, as usual in Vance's presence, he keeps his thoughts to himself and simply nods at the appropriate places.

At the same time he closely examines the rider he assumes to be Dellex. Trying to determine what he is up to. However, he has absolutely no ability in this area, so instead to prepares himself to react to events.

[sblock=OOC]Sense Motive (+0)[/sblock]

Dellex rides up beside Vance as soon as Martomum leaves to speak to the leader of the gnolls. He takes in the irregulars gathered before him.

He gives a slight nod to Lora as he remembers their first meeting, and by the look on her face so does she.

He gives a passing glace to Trinham and a slight frown at seeing Jareth standing before him.

When his gaze reaches Claude his eyebrows raise slightly. He leans over to Vance and asks, "Are this the men who came to Harkon from the western Woods?"

"They are." Vance answers "They..."

"I want them all arrested." Dellex states in a flat emotionless voice. "I want everyone who came out of those woods with the Reygurian arrested now! Especially the dwarf!" His voice now anything but emotionless.

Jareth has little time to wonder over the frown he receives, for no reason, before the order to arrest the group is given. His back stiffens and his features go to their customary scowl. “Sir, on what charges?” he asks sharply, hand still holding his chain in a tight grip.

Trinham is shocked at Dellex's action. This is the last thing he expected. Trinham knows he is not a strategist, so he looks to the two people that he trusts. Unfortunately, Martomum is still speaking to the gnoll and Lora is as shocked as he is. While Trinham has no problems with becoming an outlaw, it occurs to him that Dellex would take it out on his parents. Therefore, he instantly decides that he is not going to start anything. But by all of the gods, he will finish it. At this point it briefly dawns on Trinham that he is not the innocent lad he was; was it only a month ago.

Trinham appreciates that Dellex is an experience battle mage so he is careful not to do anything that would alert him. However he mentally prepares himself for battle.

"Charge?" Dellex says moving his horse so it gives him a better few of Jareth. He looks coolly at the young man and his chain. "Wait, you didn't channel in front of these Treylor did you? Or cast any spell that they would know only to belong to the Bon'Dradi?"

He looks about and seeing Vance he says. "We need to make sure none of these Treylor escape or reach..."

"Tis be'n dun," Martomum says coming into the small circle once more. He gestures off to where a group of gnolls are entering the woods.

"An'a dere." he says pointing to a second group that runs across the open ground towards the forest farther away. "Now'n why ye be 'ere mage?" Martomum asks looking about to spit.

For what seems a long time Dellex only stares at the dwarf and then he speaks his voice calmer than before. "I am here to put you and all your band under arrest. And the charge," he continues turning to look at Jareth before his eyes fall on Claude. "The charge is conspiracy against all the Five Kingdoms."

Without saying a word or making a gesture the soilders in white tabards and blue cloaks quickly surround the group.

Jareth riles at the charge of treason. His eyes narrow as he says clearly, "Not that it is your concern, but the one spell I used is common to any arcanist. And I had no cause to exercise the unique discipline of my magics."

He raises his head, taking on a slight noble bearing akin to his family. "But what proof do you have of this conspiracy? Or is mere, incorrect, suspicion enough for you?" He shakes his head, coiling his chain and strapping it to his belt, his eyes focused on this pompous mage.

Treason! Treason! Trinham had never even thought of committing treason. To be accused so casually makes his blood start to boil. As Trinham's anger starts to rise he remembers Archimedes' warming about losing control of his magic at the same time as loosing control of his temper. Struggling to get his temper back under control, he has only one thought. You may not know it yet Dellex but your a dead man.

[sblock=OOC]Wow. my 1,000 post.[/sblock]

Vance finally cuts in at the mage's acusations. "I don't believe any of this man or these people are in league with the man we found." He says taking off his helment and giving Lora and the rest of the group a reassuring smile.

"Wat's ye mean dae man ye 'inds?" Martomum asks suspiciously. "We were in sent 'ere by ye mage an ye knows it."

Dellex frowns but a moment then says, "The orders from Lord Bairan were for you and a group to come warn Harkon Manor. I knew only one person you were suppose to take, as for the others they may well be in league with..." he stops as his voice was rising and his words escaping him to quickly.

"Agains who be dis man 'ets em stand fowards and acuze us." Martomum says crossing his arms waiting.

Vance shifts uncomfortably, "I am sorry Master Martomum but that man can't... I mean he won't... I think it best to show you, show you all it might explain some things. By your leave Councilor?" he asks turning to Dellex.

"Yes, I agree this will be... enlightning." He says with a thin lipped smile of his own.

Vance quickly puts Kane in charge of the situation and leaves Skazul with him. Then the group is escorted along towards the forest were Vance and the others had emerged from. Only six of the blue cloaked men follow along with Dellex, Vance, Brend, and Onesimus.

When you reach the treeline the smell of smoke becomes thick and you notice green trees still burning from the battle. Treylor bodies are spread about mostly blackened and laying in great circles of scorched earth. Some have been cut down and lie in dark pools of blood.

The little clearings only "oddity" is a white and red tent standing off to the side away from where most of the fighting took place. Two white tabard, blue cloak soilders stand guard. They bow and step aside as Dellex dismounts. The mage moves up to the tent and throws the flap back uncermoniously.

"This is what we found, dead by his own hand, probably poison. But clearly he wasn't a prisoner but working with the Treylor," he says.

Lying in the tent contorted in what looks like a painful death spasm lays a human man in cream colored robes. His face is unremarkable but what stands out the most is the dark skin tone that marks him as a Reygurian.

[sblock=1000th post]
And a great one, I want you to hate the man. So when you start working for him it will chafe LOL [/sblock]