Raiders of Aundair : The Dead Men Walk Again (prologue)

[ShaggySpellsword]

Sir Sarelo d'Lyrandar

The door opens again, and a well-built half-elf with wind-blown hair walks in and approaches the rest. He's not in his armor, but wears a fairly simple shirt, vest and pants, with a sword on one hip and a wand on his other. His sleeves are both long and tucked into gloves, covering what all of the gathered friends know is his Dragonmark.

"Brightness be! I thought I was on time! Lord Dover managed to get the old airship out of the supply duty we'd been doing and had me fly it right over for us to use on whatever this crazy mission of his is. Well, he knows who to turn to. Is Sykes here yet? I heard tell that he pulled the teeth out of an Eldeen flea-bag's head just for looking at him cross-eyed last week in Windshire. We sure could use that old brute's arms, wherever we're going"

 

[Autumn]

The last few months have been a time of hard realizations for Ghaunder. The knowledge, firstly, that his family holdings have been lost for good, his father vanished and his mother and two sisters struggling to survive - and that nothing he could do would give back what they had lost. That was the first reality with which he had to come to terms. The second took longer to sink in, manifesting more subtly, but in its way has proved more appalling by far than the first. That second realization is the simple fact that he is no longer a man of letters, no longer a scholar or a gentleman. He is a soldier. He gave all his efforts to return peace and prosperity to his homeland - and now they have returned. The country recovers, returns to its old patterns and cycles... but for him there is no recovery, no return. The change in him is irreversible.

Perhaps the hardest thing of all is the isolation. The lack of understanding or gratitude. To his former colleagues and peers he is washed-up, broken, a husk. His ambitions come to nothing.

Yes, that must be the hardest thing. Thus it is that Dover's note brings a lightness to his heart that he had not felt in a very long time. It is with a quiet but unmistakable pleasure that he polishes his armor, sharpens his sword, and sets out for the appointed place. Pleasure at the knowledge that soon he would once more be among people who understood him, accepted what he was. Odd, to think that only a few years ago he had felt like a stranger among the men of his squad. A newly-commissioned lieutenant, greener than spring time grass, with no combat experience at all and the bare minimum of training. He wasn't there to fight, after all. He was there to watch, to record. The rank was just a convenience. The men knew that, of course, and he'd met with mistrust and tacit insubordination at every turn.

As it turned out, nobody on that front got away with watching and observing. He'd proved himself the hard way, time and again, to finally earn acceptance. And now these men, once so intimidating to him, so hard and unfathomable... now, the imminent meeting with them feels to Ghaunder like coming home.


The battle gear stowed in his room, he makes his entrance in practical traveling clothes with his lieutenant's tabard. A smile creases his face at the sight of the men already there, though even as he smiles the impression hits him hard that many of them look so much older than he remembers them. And I wonder what I look like to them...

He gives a quick shake of his head to dispel the train of thought, and salutes as he sees Major Jael already present. "It's been a while," he says simply, the warm tone of his voice conveying all that needs to be said of his feelings on the reunion.

 

[Eryndur]

Konnel smiles warmly upon seeing the new arrivals. "The pilot and the historian. I should've known you two wouldn't pass up an opportunity like this. Where's that manuscript of the 998 Travails you promised me, Ghaunder? As I recall, my heroism was on full display that year, and I'm never one to resist patting myself on the back."

Konnel feels a fool even as he embraces the lieutenant. Already bringing up old war stories, soldier? Could I possibly fit the cliche of embittered veteran any more? Dol Dorn, you test me at every turn.

 

[Autumn]

Ghaunder grins as he returns the embrace. Konnel had already managed to touch a sore spot, of course; but it was inevitable that his writing would come up sooner or later. Better to get it out of the way. And somehow, being here... it doesn't matter quite as much as Ghaunder might have thought.

"Bah," he growls, breaking into a chuckle. "You don't want a historian for that, you want a tavern bard."

And would that I had been one.... he thinks ruefully.

 

[ethandrew]

Retief chuckles at the exchange, "By the gods, get me a few drinks and I'm as good as any tavern bard you'd like to encounter, just much handsomer. I could retell all the stories, just with less prettier words, I'm sure."

He moves toward the lieutenant and traces the wicked scar with his finger across his face. "That's quite a badge, one with more distinction and honour than that nice tabard you got on."

 

[Jemal]

"Hah, and here I thought you 'boys' might've grown to men in the time we were apart, but I see you're as childish as ever... Thank the great Dragon for that, I was so worried! How're my boys?" The voice comes from behind the bar, and a short draconic woman with a familiar presence comes around the corner grinning, dressed in gleaming chain with mace at hip and a wooden shield across her back.

"What, You telling me you don't recognize little Gillian? I admit I've changed a wee bit since we parted. Been busy hunting drakes, but I couldn't give up on a chance to reunite with the old gang."

The platinum scaled woman grinned as she flapped her wings and landed on a stool... She seems to be as upbeat as ever.

 

[Blackrat]

Jael looks at the appetisers with a puzzled look. He didn't even remember anymore when he had eaten last time. First it had been a couple of days at a time that he had been meditating so deeply he forgot to eat. Then a week in a row and finally he had just given up the habit completly. Somehow he had found a state where his inner strength kept him nourished. Then he turns to the waiter who had asked what he would like to drink. "Just water thank you"

"You know brothers, I'm not actually part of the military anymore. Just being a bit nostalgic and wearing this worn old tabard" Jael says warmly to Konnel and Ghaunder.

"Talking about a tavern bard, have you heard the latest song about "us"? I'm afraid I might be the one to blame for that. There was this bard few months ago. Found out where I was holing up and came to hear about the battle with Thrallaxzor. I told him what really happened and hear what he turned it into!"

"Ah! A butterfly sheds the cocoon?" He says as Gillian flies across the room.

 

[ethandrew]

Retief grins at the arrival of Gillian, not really recognizing her at first, "Sweet mercy! You escape from the jaws of a dragon and decide you want to become one? I swore I could live a lifetime without seeing another one of those again and here you fly in. Wanting a higher vantage point, are ya?"

 

[Drerek]

"Talking about a tavern bard, have you heard the latest song about "us"? I'm afraid I might be the one to blame for that. There was this bard few months ago. Found out where I was holing up and came to hear about the battle with Thrallaxzor. I told him what really happened and hear what he turned it into!"

Aaranth shakes his head and smiles ruefully, "I should have known that came from you. You could have at least insisted that he get my name right. They're calling me Rant now. Makes me sound like a warforged."

 

[Drerek]

"What, You telling me you don't recognize little Gillian? I admit I've changed a wee bit since we parted. Been busy hunting drakes, but I couldn't give up on a chance to reunite with the old gang."

Aaranth takes in the woman's changes for a few moments before responding, "Well, at least you will not be standing on any of our shoulders to get a look over a wall any more."