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 Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2012 10:00 pm
Uh oh! Somebody's in trouble!
The warlord's favorite daughter is pregnant, and the warlord is not happy about it. For that matter, Kazul herself seems a bit apprehensive about the cubs (could it be something about their paternity?) and that is only making Aesir angrier at the lion he is certain is responsible for getting his daughter knocked up and who has not come forward.
Who is this unfortunate lion? None other than Captain Ruzanski, who not too long ago led his first viking to great success and has been marked by many as an up-and-coming lion to watch in the pride. It now seems his rising star may be falling abruptly...
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Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2012 10:01 pm
Ru was lurking in his den, still attempting to come to terms with the revelation Kazul had shared with him regarding her pregnancy. His mind kept coming back to the fact that he wasn't the father, and that...hurt.
The captain was used to pain. He fought and bled every day. It was what he loved to do. He actually got turned on by violence, committing it and being a victim of it. But that was physical pain. This emotional stuff, he didn't really know what to do about it.
In a more spacious den hung with charms and fetishes another lion was also attempting to come to terms with Kazul's pregnancy. He had known from the start that he was not the father of her cubs, but he was her father, and that meant that her pregnancy was as much his business as it was the father's.
More, in fact, since the father had not come forward and and Kazul refused to say who it was. Not that she needed to say. Aesir knew who it was. It was that no-good outlander Ru that Aesir had made a captain. He was so furious that he had rewarded the b*****d. Unfortunately, Aesir couldn't take away Ru's captaincy except by making him a thrall, which he wouldn't do. That was how he'd become the Warlord.
On the other hand, he had to do something. No one knocked up his favorite daughter and then refused to do the appropriate thing and own up to it. That smacked of a sort of cowardice that Aesir had not expected from the younger lion. Everything he knew about Ru indicated that he should have been a man and done the right thing when he came back from his viking and learned about Kazul's condition.
That he hadn't meant that Aesir now had to take matters into his own paws. Aesir's paws were tipped by very sharp claws that he would happily sink into the captain's flesh given the opportunity, which he would have shortly since he intended to go out and create just such an opportunity for himself.
He stood up in a motion which was startlingly graceful in a lion his size and began to descend from his den to Ru's. Perhaps he wouldn't be there, but it was a starting point. And as it turned out he hadn't far to look after reaching the place because Ru was there, brooding from the look of it. Aesir's lip curled in a snarl.
"Get up," Aesir growled.
Startled, Ru did as his warlord said even before it registered in his mind who was speaking to him. Since there were few lions in the pride who would have addressed him so, he initially assumed that it was Voldemaras. The voice was very similar, but the scent that accompanied his imperious visitor was not Vol's.
"Warlord," he said carefully, regarding Kazul's father curiously. "Is this about the booty from my viking? I was certain your portion was calculated correctly."
Despite the serious nature of the matter, Aesir was enjoying himself, and so he smirked even as he growled, "No. Not about loot. Guess again."
Ru was at a loss. He could think of no earthly reason for the warlord to pay him a visit in this manner. So for the second time in as many days a member of Aesir's family had caught him completely off-guard, and from the look of things whatever it was Aesir had to say to him would make him no happier than Kazul's revelation.
Unless he was playing a game with him, and trying to make Ru nervous only to come forth with some sort of pleasant surprise. There was that smirk, after all. Ru was fairly good at reading people though, and he did not think that Aesir's smirk was a good sign. It reminded Ru more of the smirk Vol wore when he was tormenting victims on a viking.
"Warlord, I do not know. If you and I have a problem, tell me so."
It took balls to speak to him like that, Aesir knew, and so he found himself somewhat confounded by the cowardice Ru was displaying with regard to Kazul. At least that much could be remedied. Ru had even asked him to do so.
"I have a problem with the way you have managed things with my daughter, Captain. The gutless way you are allowing her to hide the identity of her cubs' father when everyone knows it must be you."
Now the smirk was gone and Aesir's manner could only be described as menacing. Ru disliked being menaced on principle and was not about to submit to it from anyone, not even the leader of his pride. Particularly when he was being menaced about things he hadn't done. At least if Kazul was to be believed.
"Warlord."
Aesir wasn't going to be interrupted by Ru now that he'd gotten started, describing all the reservations he'd had about Ru and all the ways he'd observed that Ru was a pathetic excuse for a lion and yet he'd been willing to overlook them because Kazul seemed to think there was more to him. The tirade went on for a while, and had Ru actually been responsible for Kazul's pregnancy he might even have found it amusing to see the warlord stirred up to a paternal rage.
"Warlord."
Unfortunately, that wasn't the case, but Ru couldn't make Aesir shut up long enough to tell him that he was mistaken. As he listened, Ru's brain came to a surprising conclusion. He would not tell Aesir that he was wrong. He would allow the warlord to believe the worst of him because otherwise he would be forced to acknowledge that his favorite daughter had acted exactly as she had. That would destroy Kazul's relationship with her father, and no matter what state his own relationship with Kazul was like, Ru could not bring himself to put her through that.
"What?" Aesir snarled, eventually noticing that Ru had been trying to say something for some time.
"What do you want, then? Shall I announce to the pride that I am the cubs father and hope she doesn't refute me, because from what I know of your daughter, if she's decided not to name me as the father, nothing anyone else says or does will change her mind."
Aesir figured that he knew his daughter pretty well, too, and his personal theory was that Kazul had not named Ru because Ru had not admitted it himself. Kazul was not a presumptuous lioness. She was the sort to give a reluctant suitor a way out, even if it was detrimental to her own reputation.
"You idiot. Do you think I would let you claim those cubs? I am not convinced you deserve to do so. In fact..." Aesir got an idea. A wonderful, awful idea. "In fact, I think if you wish to remain one of this pride and not be driven away with claw and fang, you should leave."
"Leave? I don't understand." But he did. Or at least he thought he did. He was being sent into exile. How he would manage to remain one of the pride while simultaneously being in exile escaped him, but that was what he believed the warlord was saying.
Aesir's grin was back. It was not a pleasant expression. "I will allow you to remain one of the Stormborn with all the ranks and honors you have earned until this moment. I will even allow you to marry Kazul - if she will have you - but you must redeem yourself."
Ru waited silently for the other foot to fall. His redemption would come at a price, he had no doubt. Would he be made to run a gauntlet of every reaver in the pride before being turned out to heal or not on his own, or would something else be required of him? Ru had never looked into what sort of redemptive ordeals were part of the pride's culture.
"Tomorrow morning you will leave the pride to find a feather from a god's wing, a tooth from a sea monster, a piece of the sky, a jewel from the pirate king's hoard, and no fewer than ten allies who would support you even unto death. Return with these, or do not return at all."
And then, having said everything that really needed saying and finished speaking on a very strong note, Aesir departed, leaving Ru speechless and bewildered. This really was not the homecoming he had expected at all.
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Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2012 10:02 pm
Who in the pride has the courage to tie their fate to the unfortunate captain's and accompany him on his journey?
To sign up, post with the form below. This is open to lions of every rank, including thralls but excluding Aesir's family. Participating in this quest will cause your lion to miss significant goings-on in the pride, but it also provides an opportunity for characters who might not otherwise have the opportunity to leave the pride's borders. There will also be goings-on for this portion of the meta.
Also, any character who isn't Ru is welcome to return from Ru's journey at any point, as Ru is the only one who was actually ordered to undertake this quest and anyone else going is only a volunteer and therefore not actually the target of Aesir's wrath. Ru has not discussed the reason for his quest/exile/journey with anyone, and all anyone knows is that he has fallen very swiftly from the warlord's favor.
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Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2012 10:02 pm
tl;drRu has been sent on a virtually impossible quest by the warlord for reasons unknown, but apparently the warlord is pissed. He is allowed to take people with him if he chooses and if they volunteer Please only sign up one or two lions, and please only sign up adolescents or adults. Ru is not Moses leading his people out of Egypt. If you have questions, feel free to post them here or in the OOC Discussion thread. Sign-ups close 8 August, 2012 at 11.00pm EST. [size=17][color=limegreen]One may as well be hanged for a sheep as for a lamb.[/color][/size]
[size=11][b]SoA name:[/b] [url=]Name goes here[/url]
[b]Rank in the pride:[/b] Rank goes here
[b]Reason for going:[/b] Reason goes here
[b]How did they hear about Ru's exile/quest?[/b] I'm nosy.[/size]
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Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2012 10:35 pm
One may as well be hanged for a sheep as for a lamb.SoA Name: Don'zaraasir
Rank in the Pride: Reaver
Reason for going: He's recently returned from the very viking that Ru led, and feels honor-bound to support his captain. Don does not shy away from challenges, nor does he believe Ru to be a coward; thus, he seeks glory and thrill while aiding Ru in his redemption.
How did they hear about Ru's exile/quest? While sparing in the sands upon his return from the viking he overheard several reavers discussing the topic and calling Ru coward and many other unsavory names. Upon hearing of the captain's exile, Don approached the conversing lions. When he learned more of the situation, and more importantly what the quest involved, Don's mind was set. The challenge intrigued the outlander, as his thirst for blood and glory had not been completely sated on the recent viking. Thanking the two for the information, by beating them into a bloody pulp in a spar, Don went to seek out captain Ruzanski for further details.
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Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2012 3:13 am
One may as well be hanged for a sheep as for a lamb.SoA Name: Halvdan (will get his JRP sorted before him leaving)
Rank in the Pride: Reaver
Reason for going: Weeelll... Halvdan is not a great liar, and beating up people for asking about getting lost on his viking is only getting him so far. He's hoping that tales of a successful quest will overshadow the holes in his previous story.
How did they hear about Ru's exile/quest? I figure Halvdan might have asked Ru if he was going out on any more vikings soon and learnt that way.
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Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2012 9:30 am
One may as well be hanged for a sheep as for a lamb.SoA Name: Aluka
Rank in the Pride: Thrall
Reason for going: After spending some time as a thrall abouts the pride, Aluka has begrudgingly come to find them cool. she does not find it cool that she is a thrall, and is probably hoping if she does something awesome she might be upgraded to freeborn or reaver or something. Impossible quest or not, it's better than nothing!
How did they hear about Ru's exile/quest? Aluka is nosy. She probably heard people talking about it while she was being bossed around.
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Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2012 11:17 am
One may as well be hanged for a sheep as for a lamb. SoA Name: I decided on Asper.
Rank in the Pride: Reaver
Reason for going: He's going kind of stir-crazy with all these Gods damned kids he's in charge of, so he's shoving all responsibility onto his dad.
How did they hear about Ru's exile/quest? General word around the pride.
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Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2012 11:54 am
One may as well be hanged for a sheep as for a lamb.SoA Name: Galning
Rank in the Pride: Reaver
Reason for going: Glory, &c.
How did they hear about Ru's exile/quest? Watching Don spar with/interrogate other lions on the sands.
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Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2012 2:05 pm
One may as well be hanged for a sheep as for a lamb.SoA name: Munyu
Rank in the pride: Currently Freeborn
Reason for going: He hopes to come back a reaver... And he keeps getting visions of a lion his opposite, so what better chance to go than this?
How did they hear about Ru's exile/quest? He overheard Susu giggling to Yu about it(And she was likely nosy), so decided to go... In secret. His mother won't be happy!
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Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2012 5:24 pm
I have a question for you. I have Mneme in-pride, who's chilling and trying to learn about mortals. Would it be alright for her to join up with the band, as one of Ru's returning allies? She herself isn't a part of the pride, but she'd feel horrible about this and want to help.
Only if it's alright, though!
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Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2012 6:48 am
Moonstone Dazzle I have a question for you. I have Mneme in-pride, who's chilling and trying to learn about mortals. Would it be alright for her to join up with the band, as one of Ru's returning allies? She herself isn't a part of the pride, but she'd feel horrible about this and want to help.
Only if it's alright, though!
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Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2012 10:47 am
Just coming back with him. I believe it would make more sense, that way.
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Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2012 9:16 am
One may as well be hanged for a sheep as for a lamb.SoA name: Ilangabi'Inyoni
Rank in the pride: Freeborn (JRP in progress, but not finished yet. Can she still go?)
Reason for going: Potential glory!
How did they hear about Ru's exile/quest? Almost certainly eavesdropping.
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Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2012 12:07 pm
As long as the JRP is finished by the time the group actually sets out, yes!
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