|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2015 8:30 am
 A lazy smirk curled across his maw as he paced trhough the Stormborn lands. Pride held his head high, his stride assured and confident. He had done it. He had won his right to Captain at last. His plans and schemes, his patience and fortitude had finally been rewarded! He had even got rid of the thorn in his side that was his brother.
"Today really is an excellent day to die." He purred smuggly. His plan had come to fruition flawlessly. And with minimal loss of life on his side of things. A few reavers had sustained crippling wounds, but most would recover to some level of usefulness. The rest...? Well, he would form his own band now. Cut out the last of the deadwood left over from Arnljótr's rein. He laready had his eye on a couple of new recruits, older reavers that nevertheless knew their job and did it well.
Now all he had to do was report to the Warlord and the final piece of the puzzel would slot into place.
"Just as planned..."
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2015 10:50 am
 This early into his rule, Ru could not help but feel self-conscious about some of his duties. Oddly, the leadership parts came naturally to him, but certain ceremonies still made him uncomfortable. He had raised one reaver to captaincy, and that had gone better than expected, but that had been a more typical situation than this one.
In this instance, the reaver who would be made captain was one who had been made captain while on a viking, under circumstances which were, quite frankly, uncomfortably lacking in explanation, as the lawspeaker at his side had pointed out when summoned. How the lawspeaker already knew the details of Ragnvard's latest viking and election was a mystery Ru was not going to contemplate.
He just had to do his job. There was no technical reason for him not to, and the lawspeaker's suspicions were not sufficient to prevent anything. For his part, Ru saw no harm in a captain who was capable of making difficult decisions and being ruthless. Oh, no doubt such a captain would eventually become a threat to Ru's leadership, challenging him during breytast vindar or something, but that was always a possibility.
"He's late," he observed quietly to the disapproving lawspeaker at his back.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2015 4:48 am
Spotting the Warlord up ahead Ragnvard refused to hurry his steps, despite his almost feverish excitement in finally claiming the title that was rightfully his. Instead he kept a measured pace, head high and body relaxed. There was no one left who could dispute his claim, he had done his preliminary work well.. At the time of the Viking raid in question, only a handful of reavers had still been loyal to the old Captain, the rest had all been safely in Ragnvard’s claws. Two of them had been his brother and that infuriating green reaver Aksel. Their deaths were a sure bet, but h hadn’t had time to confirm it so he simply wrote them off as a loss. If Ronan returned, well, it wouldn’t really matter anyway. Arnljótr had certainly been dead, gutted open by the viscous red and black creature that Ragnvard truly questioned had been a flesh and blood cat at all, for it had fought like a demon. One other reaver had been killed, Arnljótr's most trusted Second. The loss had been regretful, but necessary, for the lion had proved entirely immune to Ragnvard’s bribery. Four dead or lost, nine safe, plus himself. Not the most auspicious result, but their enemy had been formidable, even more so that Ragnvard had predicted.
Drawing himself up before the Warlord he bowed his head low in respect, including the lawspeaker as well. Privately he wondered why the male was there, but honestly h ehad suspected this would happen. That was why he had spent so long planning his advancement. Satisfied that there was no real danger of his new Captancy being refused he smiled politely at the dark-coated lion.
“It is a good day to die, Warlord.” He offered, his gruff, growly voice as pleasant as he could make it. Judging from the disapproving frown on the lawspeaker’s face he was late… Well, hopefully that wouldn’t matter too much, he had not been aware he had been expected at all, but really he shouldn’t be surprised… The Warlord was bound to have spies all through the pride. How else would he keep control of a pride of such violent tempers.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2015 9:28 am
Ru watched with some interest as a lion with an orange coat and black mane approached. He assumed this lion was the reaver Ragnvard, but since he had never met the reaver, he could not be certain. Fortunately, the lawspeaker behind him murmured something to the effect of "Here he comes." It was useful, the way lawspeakers were required to keep track of everyone, so that Ru didn't have to.
"Indeed," Ru agreed. "But you won't find your death here, Ragnvard."
Behind him the lawspeaker shifted, signifying what, Ru had no idea. He had to have the lawspeaker there to act as witness to Ragnvard's promotion, but this would not have been the lawspeaker he would have chosen, had he been presented with a choice. He hadn't been. The lawspeakers were testing their authority and his, and he had not deemed it worthwhile to fight them on something as minor as who witnessed this act.
"I have heard some interesting tales of your most recent viking, but I'm not sure how much has been exaggerated. I was hoping you might present me with an unvarnished version." There. That should satisfy the disapproving lawspeaker, at least.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 2:00 am
Dipping his head in agreement he flicked his gaze briefly to the grumbly lion behind the warlord, but promptly dismissed the lawspeaker as unimportant. “I would be most willing to, Warlord.” Ragnvard replied, gaze focusing on the dark-coated male. Tipping his head in thought he briefly wondered just what rumours were flying. He had covered his tracks expertly, and none of his own reavers would betray him. Had some of them been blabbing about their role in the fight? But that wouldn’t raise cause for concern. Well, he would have to go find out after this meeting… Huffing he chuckled lowly. “Well, I suppose the most interesting thing about it was the enemy we fought. A mix of leopards, lions and cheetahs. Most of them were a combination of red, black and white. They fought like demons, with no regard for the warrior code. Many had poisoned claws. I believe the one we managed to interrogate afterwards called themselves the Nguvu Tamaa. I have never been involved in such a vicious battle before. I tried to elarn the location of their homeland, but he killed himself before I could get an answer… ate some kind of poison berry from his wrappings. I’ve never seen the like…”
Pausing Ragnvard briefly considered the leopard that had so completely defied him. The black male had been strange, almost crazed… And had given Ragnvard a bad feeling. He hadn’t been sad when he had died. The rest of the attackers had escaped, leaving behind surprisingly few corpses.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 7:43 am
"The most interesting part of the viking was the composition of the enemy group you encountered? Not Arnljótr's death?" Ru's lawspeaker companion interjected incredulously. Ru glared at him, silencing his grumbling at least temporarily.
"They're both interesting points," Ru allowed. "At a later date I expect you to be able to describe where the encounter took place. I want to learn more about this Nguvu Tamaa."
His tone turned ominous as he considered looking into the larger group behind the one Ragnvard's band had met with. He'd send another band out to investigate Ragnvard's story about the mixed band. If they were coming too close to the Stormborn territory, he would have to eradicate them, poisoned claws or no.
"For the time being though, I expect you to elaborate on Arnljótr's death. Your description didn't mention that."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 8:02 am
Ragnvard glanced back at the lawspeaker, ears flicking backward. “Yes, because any enemy that can kill a Captain and two reavers at the same time is worth watching.” He returned coldly, but huffed out a breath and rained back his temper as he returned his gaze to the Warlord. “I would be honoured to show you where it happened. But we were quite far away from the pride. Arnljótr had decided we needed to explore a new area and it took over a week just to get there. From what little I extracted from the leopard, they were a scouting party travailing through the roguelands. I suspect it was pure chance we met.”
Pausing, his head tilted as he watched the lawspeaker and the warlord thoughtfully. “Captain Arnljótr took point as we entered a narrow ravine-type area between two low cliffs. We had been alternating to avoid anyone becoming too tired and missing tracks. After a week we were all fairly restless as it was. I don’t know why he did it… “ Huffing slightly he continued. “Anyway, we had been keeping scouts out front, but with the ravine appearing we had pulled them back in, to avoid being split up. The strangers came out of this narrow cave up on a ledge, jumping down after Arnljótr and a three other reavers had passed by. The rest of us tried to fight through to join back up with Arnljótr and the others but in the narrow space it was difficult to pin the attackers down. By the time we finally managed to force our way through, Arnljótr was down with one reaver. The other died right before Hjalmar killed his attacker. We regrouped and I led the remaining reavers in a charge against the strangers. We managed to break them, slaughtered several while the rest escaped back though the tunnel.”
Sighing he looked at the ground, claws scouring the ground deeply before he looked back up. “Arnljótr died later that day from his wounds. Joining my brother and two other reavers.”
Ragnvard remained calm, though the look of withheld anger was very real. While his plan had gone off without an issue, he had lost two loyal reavers, both alive but unable to ever go viking again. He would be forced to replace them sooner than he would have preferred. But he knew it looked as if he was angry over the old captain’s demise and he wasn’t about to disuade them of the idea.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2015 6:13 am
"Another time," he said, speaking of Ragnvard's offer. As curious as he was, he wouldn't be going anyway. It wasn't the sort of thing warlords got to do. They had to send others in their stead. It was frustrating.
Some of his frustration melted away as he observed the interaction between the lawspeaker and the erstwhile reaver. The animosity was pretty entertaining when one considered that in a fair fight Ragnvard could probably kill the lawspeaker in under two minutes, but the possibility of a fight between the two of them, fair or otherwise, was unlikely because of their different positions in the pride. Sometimes the divide between those who thought and those who fought could be quite the infuriating chasm.
He listened to Ragnvard's description of the battle and considered. Unlike the lawspeaker, he wasn't looking to get Ragnvard in trouble. They were here, after all, to promote him to captain. He was more interested in learning where things had gone wrong for Arnljótr's band. It sounded like Arnljótr just got bored and careless. The sort of thing that could happen to anyone on a viking, but shouldn't happen to its captain. Not that Ru was innocent of doing stupid things on vikings, but this wasn't about him.
"It was a good death. They will fight beside the Stormlords for eternity," Ru said as Ragnvard spoke of the reavers who had died along with their captain. It was the sort of thing he was expected to say, regardless of his personal beliefs regarding Stormlords.
"I've heard you acquitted yourself well."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 6:05 am
Ragnvard was more than aware of the close scrutiny of the Lawspeaker. So he kept his temper down and mostly ignored the scowling, mean tempered male. So far the meeting had gone just as he had predicted, but he distrusted the loawspeakers in general and if there was anyone who could upset his carefully arranged plan, it was that lion.
Pushing thoughts of the grumpy thinker to the back of his mind he focused on the Warlord. So far it seemed as if Ruzski accepted what he had relayed. Not that there was any reason he shouldn’t, so far it had all been true. It was what Ragnvard hadn’t told them that altered the event from an unfortunate accident to something far more sinister… But that story would go with him to the afterlife.
Bowing his head as the Warlord spoke words for the dead, Ragnvard sighed heavily. “May their battles be violent and the fruit plentiful..” The deaths hadn’t been the problem, it was the two crippled reavers that bothered Ragnvard but he would simply have to find two more to replace them. At least they would not be left to fend for themselves. They had served Ragnvard loyally and he would make sure they had all the fruit, thralls and trinkets they could desire.
Looking back up as the Warlord spoke, he shrugged slightly. “I must have done enough. The other reavers followed me during the fight and swore themselves to me for the trip home. I have tried to do what I can. The injured are being cared for by a thrall I know who has some knowledge of herbs. The rest are still recovering but are starting to train again. If you approve me for Captain I hope to take them out on another viking, something smaller, just to get them out and exercising. Keeping them away fro the fruit is becoming tricky.” The last thing the pride needed was a whole bunch of reavers getting violent through over indulgence of fermented fruit and boredom.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 8:16 am
Ru nodded, just a little impatiently. It wasn't until Ragnvard began to list all the things he had done after the death of his captain that Ru began to feel something akin to animosity toward the lion, which he knew was perfectly ridiculous. It just seemed to him like the sort of unnecessary extra information offered up by someone seeking praise or accolades, and it irked Ru to have to play into that by elevating Ragnvard to a captain's rank. He huffed a sigh that he made no attempt to explain and told himself to get over it.
"Your captaincy will stand," he said shortly. "Is there anything else you wish to bring up while you have my attention?"Tanakako I'm sorry. This RP somehow slipped my notice.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 2:16 pm
The sigh clued Ragnvard in, and he glanced briefly at the lawspeaker before shaking his head. Clearly the Warlord had other places to be and it would do no good whatsoever to annoy the lion who could literally decide one's fate. Dipping his head respectfully he backed up a step.
"No sir. Thank you for your time." He had gotten what he had come for. His new rank was secure and now no one could prevent him from keeping it. Offering the grumpy lawspeaker a reluctant tip of his head he paced back, taking care not to turn around until he was a suitable distance from the Warlord. Only then did he allow a satisfied smirk to curl across his muzzle.
It was done. Time to set about the next stage in his plans. Check up on his Reavers and start looking around for replacements for the ones lost.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
