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Kingmaker: Stormvale
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<blockquote data-quote="atraiyu47" data-source="post: 6059265" data-attributes="member: 41365"><p><strong><span style="font-size: 12px">Stolen Land: Part 1</span></strong>[h=2]<span style="font-size: 18px"><strong>Asta</strong></span>[/h]</p><p>Asta would not have pegged the building in front of her as a trading post. It had clearly been a fort at one time. Ten foot high wooden palisade walls, with four fifteen foot towers rising from its corners. It was late in the evening and she was exhausted. She hoped its beds were more inviting then its exterior.</p><p></p><p></p><p> Oleg’s wife Svetlana was very welcoming. She had prepared a stew and freshly baked bread for them. She also opened a bottle of wine. Oleg himself seemed preoccupied with fixing a small hole in the roof. Asta suspected he was just trying to look busy. As the group sat down to eat, Oleg made his way down the ladder and approached the group.</p><p></p><p></p><p> “So you’re the ones who are going to solve our bandit problem?” Oleg was sweaty and gruff.</p><p></p><p></p><p> Asta would normally wait for others to reply, but Dante already had a mouth full of stew, and Meric and Siv seemed to be considering his words for a tad too long.</p><p></p><p></p><p> Asta spoke up “Have the bandits caused you trouble here?”</p><p></p><p></p><p> Oleg’s expression changed to one of barely constrained rage. Profanity began spewing from his mouth with no coherent structure as he threw his hands up in the air. Svetlana seemed embarrassed by her husband’s display, and quickly interjected.</p><p></p><p></p><p> “So you weren’t sent to defend the trading post from the bandits? We sent letters to Restov weeks ago and they finally replied that they were sending someone to protect us.”</p><p></p><p></p><p> Meric replied. “We have been sent to fight banditry where ever we find it. We were just unaware that you had been harassed by them. Certainly we will aid you.”</p><p></p><p></p><p> Svetlana breathed a huge sigh of relief. She began recounting the circumstances of the bandit’s initial shakedowns. They first visited three months ago—they threatened to burn down the trading post and abduct Svetlana for their own amusements back at their camp if the Levetons didn’t agree to hand over all of the furs and trade goods they’d accumulated over the past month. Asta could clearly see fear in the woman’s eyes. The helpless feeling one gets when they are being encircled by predators. A rage burned inside her. </p><p></p><p>“Since then, the bandits have returned twice more, each time within an hour of sunrise on the first day of the month.” Svetlana explained.</p><p></p><p></p><p> The group met eyes simultaneously. The bandits would arrive in just a few hours. Dante’s expression went serious. He spoke with a conviction that surprised Asta. “We won’t let them hurt you again Svetlana. I promise you they will pay for what they’ve done.”</p><p></p><p></p><p> The plan fell together quickly. Oleg suggested the group hide in the stables and wait until the bandits begin loading the fur onto their horses before launching a surprise attack. Everyone except Dante agreed with the plan. He insisted on facing them head on. Ultimately, the group relented and agreed that he could stay in the building to distract the bandits, while the others hit them from behind.</p><p></p><p></p><p> Asta was tense as they sat peering out from the cracks in the boards at the stable. And when she was tense, Skydd was tense. He paced back and forth peering out in the same direction as Asta, as if impatiently waiting for the threat to manifest. Asta looked over to see Barry was not so tense. He was on his back, pawing at Siv’s leg, trying to get her attention. Siv was trying to focus, but eventually relented and began to rub Barry’s belly. His leg began to kick like a dog’s. It was a sad reminder of what Skydd wasn’t. In all her years of traveling with him, he had never shown any personal wants or needs. His only purpose seemed to be the protection of Asta. Even when he would come close to be pet, Asta could tell he was doing it for her benefit, not his own. She knew he wasn’t a regular animal, but it made her feel even more isolated that her only real companion through the years didn’t need her the same way she needed him.</p><p> </p><p>Skydd began to let out a low growl. The group looked and saw five men on horseback approaching the trading post. Their bandits had arrived right on schedule. As they reached the door, the man at the front began to shout. “Oleg! Open up or we’ll burn your ass out! Maybe some fire will get your fat ass moving!” The men all laughed. Another piped in “Maybe Svetlana will open the door for us! I’m sure she’s desperate for some real men to show her a good time!” They all burst into laughter.</p><p></p><p></p><p> Asta was enraged. These weren’t men. They were wolves. The door to the trading post opened, and all five bandits dismounted. Three entered, while the other two remained outside with the horses. The moment to strike was now. She began to Stand, but Meric put a hand on her shoulder to keep her down. She gave him a confused look.</p><p> </p><p>He reached out with one hand and gestured towards the bandits. He spoke a word quietly that Asta did not recognize, and suddenly she heard the sound of a rattlesnake near the two bandits. The horses panicked. The two men were unprepared and lost their hold on the reigns. They were now completely distracted. Meric gave Asta and Siv a nod.</p><p></p><p> </p><p>Skydd and Barry lept into action, closing the distance between themselves and the bandits in no time. In an instant both men lay dead. The blood was everywhere. Asta leapt up and sprinted for the door. Dante would not last long alone against three bandits.</p><p></p><p> </p><p>The fighting was intense but ended quickly. The bandits were not prepared for an attack from numerous opponents from behind. One of the men managed to strike a deap wound in Skydd’s neck. With a thought, Asta took much of the damage onto herself. She immediately began coughing up blood and doubled over in pain. The last of the bandits made a run for it, only to be chased down by Skydd. He showed the man no mercy.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="atraiyu47, post: 6059265, member: 41365"] [B][SIZE=3]Stolen Land: Part 1[/SIZE][/B][h=2][SIZE=5][B]Asta[/B][/SIZE][/h] Asta would not have pegged the building in front of her as a trading post. It had clearly been a fort at one time. Ten foot high wooden palisade walls, with four fifteen foot towers rising from its corners. It was late in the evening and she was exhausted. She hoped its beds were more inviting then its exterior. Oleg’s wife Svetlana was very welcoming. She had prepared a stew and freshly baked bread for them. She also opened a bottle of wine. Oleg himself seemed preoccupied with fixing a small hole in the roof. Asta suspected he was just trying to look busy. As the group sat down to eat, Oleg made his way down the ladder and approached the group. “So you’re the ones who are going to solve our bandit problem?” Oleg was sweaty and gruff. Asta would normally wait for others to reply, but Dante already had a mouth full of stew, and Meric and Siv seemed to be considering his words for a tad too long. Asta spoke up “Have the bandits caused you trouble here?” Oleg’s expression changed to one of barely constrained rage. Profanity began spewing from his mouth with no coherent structure as he threw his hands up in the air. Svetlana seemed embarrassed by her husband’s display, and quickly interjected. “So you weren’t sent to defend the trading post from the bandits? We sent letters to Restov weeks ago and they finally replied that they were sending someone to protect us.” Meric replied. “We have been sent to fight banditry where ever we find it. We were just unaware that you had been harassed by them. Certainly we will aid you.” Svetlana breathed a huge sigh of relief. She began recounting the circumstances of the bandit’s initial shakedowns. They first visited three months ago—they threatened to burn down the trading post and abduct Svetlana for their own amusements back at their camp if the Levetons didn’t agree to hand over all of the furs and trade goods they’d accumulated over the past month. Asta could clearly see fear in the woman’s eyes. The helpless feeling one gets when they are being encircled by predators. A rage burned inside her. “Since then, the bandits have returned twice more, each time within an hour of sunrise on the first day of the month.” Svetlana explained. The group met eyes simultaneously. The bandits would arrive in just a few hours. Dante’s expression went serious. He spoke with a conviction that surprised Asta. “We won’t let them hurt you again Svetlana. I promise you they will pay for what they’ve done.” The plan fell together quickly. Oleg suggested the group hide in the stables and wait until the bandits begin loading the fur onto their horses before launching a surprise attack. Everyone except Dante agreed with the plan. He insisted on facing them head on. Ultimately, the group relented and agreed that he could stay in the building to distract the bandits, while the others hit them from behind. Asta was tense as they sat peering out from the cracks in the boards at the stable. And when she was tense, Skydd was tense. He paced back and forth peering out in the same direction as Asta, as if impatiently waiting for the threat to manifest. Asta looked over to see Barry was not so tense. He was on his back, pawing at Siv’s leg, trying to get her attention. Siv was trying to focus, but eventually relented and began to rub Barry’s belly. His leg began to kick like a dog’s. It was a sad reminder of what Skydd wasn’t. In all her years of traveling with him, he had never shown any personal wants or needs. His only purpose seemed to be the protection of Asta. Even when he would come close to be pet, Asta could tell he was doing it for her benefit, not his own. She knew he wasn’t a regular animal, but it made her feel even more isolated that her only real companion through the years didn’t need her the same way she needed him. Skydd began to let out a low growl. The group looked and saw five men on horseback approaching the trading post. Their bandits had arrived right on schedule. As they reached the door, the man at the front began to shout. “Oleg! Open up or we’ll burn your ass out! Maybe some fire will get your fat ass moving!” The men all laughed. Another piped in “Maybe Svetlana will open the door for us! I’m sure she’s desperate for some real men to show her a good time!” They all burst into laughter. Asta was enraged. These weren’t men. They were wolves. The door to the trading post opened, and all five bandits dismounted. Three entered, while the other two remained outside with the horses. The moment to strike was now. She began to Stand, but Meric put a hand on her shoulder to keep her down. She gave him a confused look. He reached out with one hand and gestured towards the bandits. He spoke a word quietly that Asta did not recognize, and suddenly she heard the sound of a rattlesnake near the two bandits. The horses panicked. The two men were unprepared and lost their hold on the reigns. They were now completely distracted. Meric gave Asta and Siv a nod. Skydd and Barry lept into action, closing the distance between themselves and the bandits in no time. In an instant both men lay dead. The blood was everywhere. Asta leapt up and sprinted for the door. Dante would not last long alone against three bandits. The fighting was intense but ended quickly. The bandits were not prepared for an attack from numerous opponents from behind. One of the men managed to strike a deap wound in Skydd’s neck. With a thought, Asta took much of the damage onto herself. She immediately began coughing up blood and doubled over in pain. The last of the bandits made a run for it, only to be chased down by Skydd. He showed the man no mercy. [/QUOTE]
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