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Walter · Sage Joined: 01 Jan 2004 Posts: 618 Location: -=Magincia=-

It had been an earlier morning than he had hoped. His things were ready he looked them over several times, and several times more.

When he told her he had to leave for Minoc he could see it in her eyes she so badly did not want him to leave, but she knew she couldn't stop him. It was his fate, his destiny to be there. Before leaving he made a promise and he promised he would return that night. With one last glance he rode out. With his chivalry magic it didn't take long to arrive in cove where the army was already forming to be ready for their march. His allies forces look formidable but they all knew they would be out numbered when the rushed Minoc. As he stood there waiting for the march to begin his mind wandered to thoughts of her. He had never really cared much if he returned from battle or not. But things have changed now, there is someone to return to. He knew he'd have to change his battlefield ways and not be so careless. Last thing he wanted was for him to die. All he cared about this night was returning to Umbra, win or lose it didn't matter, tonight it was all about surviving.

The rush through the mountains of Minoc went fast they over ran the barricades quickly and before the defense had a chance to counter attack they were forced back and on the run. Walter rushed forward and his bloodlust gaze caught that of Eldran on horseback and the chase was on. Before he knew it there was Eldran collapsed on his horse, looking rather dead or at least unconscious either way it didn't matter he was out of this fight and that is all that matter to Walter. Even the forces of Sanctus which he witnessed their strength near umbra fell quickly, the Dark Order and their allies quickly broke their ranks and Sanctus scattered, just as the Great Tarothin had hoped and his troops hunted them out and took them out of the battle one by one. Walter sat on his ridgeback near a statue as Tarothin got reports in from his soldiers, it seemed like they had just left Cove. And as quickly as they conquered Walter left for Umbra.

Upon arriving at the Den, he saw Merri in the basement of the Den. When he opened the door he just stood there the bloodlust from the battle still running in his veins. He dropped his helmet on the ground with a thud. The thud must have startled her because she jumped slightly and spun around surprised. But her surprise was quickly replaced with a smile, Walter was sure it was a smile of relief.
Merri practically forcing him into one of the rooms upstairs, and onto a bench where she carefully cleaned the blood and poison stains from his armor. The entire time the images of the battle rang in his head, didn't bother him as much this time, but he needed some alcohol and quick to drown out the images. But she wouldn't let him not until she finished cleaning him up. Finally she sat him down and brought him some ale, and food. He was grateful for her, having never experienced such kindness in his life.
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[20:28] Inkari: walter=chuck norris

"What do you mean I can't sell castle deeds I create on Ebay?" - GM Darwin circa 1999

gypsy_merrique · Journeyman Joined: 30 Sep 2007 Posts: 213 Location: Umbra

The latch on the barrel lid in the wine cellar was annoying the daylights out of Merrique. She cursed it, slapped at it, and still it would not open and give her access to the bottles stored within; she was fond of this special spiced wine she brought in from a distant cousin who she sometimes met at the Salty Dog in East Britain. Her attention was so focused on the task at hand that she nearly jumped out of her skin when the sound of metal hitting the wood floor rang out.

She spun around, her heart fairly hammering in her chest, to see what broke the typical quiet that was the Den's cellar. Walter stood there, covered in blood and what appeared to be poison stains. "Minoc!" was the first thought her mind threw at her. She knew he had been sworn to fight alongside of Tarothin and those dark allies. Depending on who one heard stories from, very mixed opinions were being shared as to the victors there. The expression on the man's face seemed neutral, even distant.

"Are you hurt?" she asked, voice tentative. He replied simply. "No. The Dark Order has prevailed." The gypsy nodded in response to this, her feelings on the matter neutral. She knew from conversations with Walter that Gen had not been seen for some time in or outside of Dark Cove and did not dare to ask him again if there was news. Merrique had to face facts and accept that Gen went his way, to do his thing--whatever that might be. Obviously it did not include her or he would have at least said goodbye. Something. Anything.

Remembering the tenderness with which the man treated her several nights before, she pulled on the gloves she had tucked into her pocket and took his hand. Without a word she lead him upstairs to the third floor and down the hall to the bloodwood-decorated room and had him sit on a bench there.

Quickly, she left and gathered towels, bags, and basins of water before returning. With the same deference shown to her she dabbed at the poisonous blotches first, and put those towels into a leather bag destined for the garbage. That done, she set about removing the drying blood. When the work was completed, she nodded her approval and added her gloves to the leather bag.

The soldier looked at her with an odd expression, his eyes still strangely distant. In a somehow cold voice, he said to her "Nobody's ever done that for me," and Merrique looked at him with surprise. Wasn't that the job of the citizens left behind, to help care for those that defended their way of life? She said nothing, and left to get him food and drink...several bottles of cool ale among the many things she brought. The refreshment was laid out within his reach and she sat on the edge of the bed as he replenished his battle-drained resources.

After he ate, relaxed, and filled her in on the events that brought Minoc under Dark Cove's control, the two went downstairs into the tavern proper. Idle talk continued, and the night wore late. Merrique commented that he looked as if he needed sleep, now that the post-battle angst seemed to be at bay. He agreed, and invited her to accompany him, to his home.

With a bit of reluctance, she consented. She too had her own problems, fears, needs, wants. In truth, the confusion and hurt were growing old: she wanted to be happy with her life and all the recent changes and upheavals were not pointing her in the direction of gladness. Perhaps it would be good to get out of the city for a little bit. In silence they left.

Walter opened the door to his home, and bade her entry; she stepped inside and looked around. The orderliness of the room in which they stood surprised her, for some reason she couldn't really identify. That thought was barely registered when she found herself in Walter's arms. He kissed her, murmured something of his desires, and lifted her. The soldier carried Merrique to his room and laid her in his bed.

Hours later, the mid-morning light streaming through the stained glass windows awakened a tousled Merrique. She stretched, sighed, and rolled onto her side to look at the sleeping warrior beside her. It was then she noticed the tattoo on his right arm, a design that appeared to be a clenched fist. She traced her fingers over it, fascinated by the detail.

Walter awoke at her touch, and bid her a good morning. After he took her again, they laid abed, limbs intertwined, a sleepy and satisfied moment.

"Walter, tell me about your tattoo," she said quietly. He began to explain.
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. . . But the dark is very trustworthy.
It's always as dark as you thought it was.
And you don't have to work at staying there.
All you have to do is survive it.
And I've been doing that forever.
from the novel "Dark Debts" by Karen Hall

Walter · Sage Joined: 01 Jan 2004 Posts: 618 Location: -=Magincia=-

"Walter, tell me about your tattoo," she said quietly.

Walter turns his head towards her, looking down as her fingers trace the outline of the fist.

"That’s the Humanis Fist, dear." Walter's with a bit of hesitation, not entirely sure if she would still want to see him knowing he is Humanis.

She looks up at him with a soft smile, "What does it mean?"

Slowly he begins to explain, "That fist it symbolizes the physical strength and the power of Humanity, the fire it is another show of our strength, we are a lot like fire, powerful, strong, something you do not want to toy with or it can burn you. Just like the Humanis Army, we're few in number but we are strong and represent Humanity with our physical strength." He goes on and continues talking more of symbol and its meanings, though he had never been told its exact meaning. The symbol means different things to different people.

He looks to her, genuinely concerned that she may think he's an animal because of what others say of his cause.
"People say a lot of false things about Humanis and my leader Isk. I have no desire to kill all other races, that may have been a main goal of Humanis in the past but times have changed."

After a pause he continues. "I do my duty to help Humanity, to help my brothers and sisters of the Human race succeed at whatever they choose to do."

After finishing he turns towards her, hoping she doesn't leave because of it. He knows his feelings for her have grown very strong, and he would hate to lose her. The past few weeks with her have been some of the happiest of his life. He finally felt alive again. All those years of fighting with no one at home his heart had grown cold like he had died. But now the kindness of this woman has thawed his cold heart. He watches her carefully as her mind processes it all.
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[20:28] Inkari: walter=chuck norris

"What do you mean I can't sell castle deeds I create on Ebay?" - GM Darwin circa 1999

gypsy_merrique · Journeyman Joined: 30 Sep 2007 Posts: 213 Location: Umbra

The story of the tattoo washed over Merrique like an unexpected cold pocket of water one sometimes finds while swimming in otherwise warm and tropical tides. Her mind raced at this news, thoughts of the drow Gen demanded her attention and crowded her head. But Walter knew of Gen, her propensity for drow lovers over the last months of her life. Perhaps this explained his lack of surprise at the treacherous behavior she described to him, things that she suffered through at the hands of those darklings of her recent past.

Hating to admit it to herself, or aloud, Merri discovered that she really had to give some consideration to this set of ideals. Perhaps somewhere there was merit...and perhaps not. It could have been that she was so fast to consider it as logical because she'd been through so much hurt. The abandonment by Gen for the second time was nearly too much to bear. It had even been bringing the negative attention of the Matriarch Ceinwyn.

Merrique had for some time felt it had been time to settle down and not be so wanton and free-spirited. Indeed she knew now that much of her behavior was to some degree a defensive measure, but those defenses had been crumbling. The newfound ability to allow herself to see her past and those events that created who she was brought with it the ability to see how very wrong her own behavior could be. Surely, she deserved some of the hurt of late, as she had hurt so many before.

When Walter was through telling her of the Humanis ideals the pair laid in silence among the tangled blankets. Neither seemed in a hurry to part company, and as it was that didn't happen for some time.

Eventually they left the bedroom, enjoyed bathing and breaking their fasts. The evening found them in Umbra at the Den--a place Merrique could not really be away from for long. It stood for so much, even if she wasn't really required to work there.

As it turned out, a fellow Umbran came in. Merrique had notified him that she wanted to consult him in regard to some strange magic that seemed afoot; the drow magician came in, greetings were exchanged all around. It seemed that all went well until at one point Merri reached for Walter's hand. The drow she'd spent a few weeks with earlier in the autumn seemed to bristle and it was not long before words were being exchanged.

Merrique did her best to calm the brewing hostilities. The drow hurled insults and threats at her and Walter. He demanded to know how Merrique could associate herself with one known to be of Humanis.

She spun around and shouted at him, her rage flashing in her eyes. "You're proving him right, you fool!"
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. . . But the dark is very trustworthy.
It's always as dark as you thought it was.
And you don't have to work at staying there.
All you have to do is survive it.
And I've been doing that forever.
from the novel "Dark Debts" by Karen Hall

Walter · Sage Joined: 01 Jan 2004 Posts: 618 Location: -=Magincia=-

Walter had no clue what the two spoke of, something about magic, and rituals, cures. It was all way over his head,
And let them talk listening quietly. He knew something wasn't quite right when he felt Merri's hand slip into his and squeeze it gently. Then suddenly the drow went off, shouting hatred towards Walter, his cause and Humanity as a whole. The tempers grew to a point where they were standing next to the table shouting. The words from the Manifesto just poured from his mouth.

"Humans are the only being that possesses a soul, you soulless monster!"

The drow starts to argue and Walter cuts him off.

"You like your cousins the Elves, sold your souls for Immortality."

The drow takes a swing towards his legs with a staff and starts spouting lies about humanity from his mouth, and Walter butts in again this time with threats to destroy his life.

"Your kind is even worse than the elves! Your liars and murderers! born in darkness you live to destroy culture."

"You kidnap human children and kill them to heathen gods or just for the enjoyment."

Finally the creature leaves and Merri and Walter return to the drows house to gather her things, he can hear the shouting inside but can't make out all the words, the house is locked to him. Finally she comes out again and the drow shouting threats to Merri. This finally causes Walter to lose it, he no longer can control himself. As the two go to Felluca, the drow starts without warning with spells of magery, the hits are hard but Walter manages them and quickly summons his Ethereal Ridgeback and quickly pursues the Drow, infecting it with poison from his kryss. When fighting to protect a lady he cares deeply for there is no stopping his rage, and his strength seems to double. The stabs of his kryss are stronger than usual as they pass directly through his armor. The drow falls from his horse and Walter grins under his mask, and quickly returns to his lady and the quickly leave the drows home in disgust.
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[20:28] Inkari: walter=chuck norris

"What do you mean I can't sell castle deeds I create on Ebay?" - GM Darwin circa 1999