Outracing the Flames RPG

[Undómë]

Bregoware

Meghan


Megan rolled groggily from her blankets and jamming her feet into her boots had followed the others to where Rædwald stood talking to another old man. She’d brought her bow along, not sure whether it would be needed. There had been no warning call from Rædwald nor sound of scuffling. In fact it was one of the others who’d waked her, shaking her shoulder and saying someone had hailed them from just at the edge of the camp proper.

The fire had burned down to coals and the only light was from the moon and stars. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and tried to make out who it was. Someone sent by the village council, she thought she’d heard him say.

‘Old men are springing up from the damp night earth like mushrooms!’ she muttered, watching them clap each other on the back. ‘Well, perhaps they can keep each other company.’

She glanced over to where Osmod stood. She could not see his face well, and she wondered what he was thinking. He had seemed the natural leader of their little group as they’d started this journey. Now what would happen with two seasoned, if older, Riders, who were sure to have plenty of opinions and suggestions to offer, whether asked or not?

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Rædwald


‘Come closer, come closer my friends!’ Rædwald motioned them forward with his hand, a grin on his face. ‘This is an old friend of mine, a comrade from my younger days. We were Riders together!’

‘You must excuse them, I think,’ he said quietly to Sythric. ‘It’s quite a lot to have me and then you show up out of the darkness.’ He cocked his head a little to where Osmod stood. ‘From what I’ve gathered talking to the other young fellow, that one there has been their leader so far.’

[Nogrod]

"Well, you still can really brief people up to the point!" Sythric hissed to Raedwald, and smiled openly. "Oh. how I love to see you here, although I have no idea, why it is, that you are here in the first place. Tomorrow we may be wiser about many things, my friend." Then he realized, that they were not more alone.

“Good to see you safe and sound, ladies, gentlemen. I am Sythric, as you probably know, at least some of you will”.

He took a fast glance at Meghan and Osmod, nodding quickly to both of them, smiling a little. Then he looked at both Eostre and Fionn in the eyes, and nodded to them also. “You must be Eostre and Fionn. Good to see you. I know both of your fathers - not well, but enough - and if you be even a little like them, I’m sure, I’m in a good company.”

“Well, I answer your first obvious question right away, if someone didn’t hear it already: I’m here, sent by the March-warden and the council. I came back to Bregoware just after you had left. The council – mainly by Old-Hugebryth’s insistence, had come to second thoughts about your mission. Hugebryth would have wanted ten able and proved soldiers to do this run instead of you.” He glanced around, smiling slightly. “Well, I’m not ten lancers’, but still I’m here, because of the council’s decision. Or maybe they just couldn’t come up with anything more useful for me to do at this time of distress?” He exchanged looks with Raedwald, smiled a bit more openly, and then continued.

“Putting aside the sleep I had this morning, I’ve been on the saddle about two days in a row now. I’m tired, as is Thydrë, my dear fellow and friend. If I’m going to be able to ride with you when the sun rises, I would have to get some sleep quite now. We will have all the time to discuss everything during our ride, when the day comes around... Just please, wake me up, when you feel like going on again. I’m used to this kind of life, as is Raedwald here. Don’t you worry about us, old-timers’ as we seem to you, but believe me, we can manage this kind of a thing. That’s the way we have used to live. But if you allow me now, I would like to tend my friend Thydrë a good meal, and then have some sleep myself.”

He ended his monologue with a questioning look at his eyes, and as no-one replied immediately, he turned around, heading towards Thydrë.

[Farael]

It seemed he had just closed his eyes when someone’s voice woke Osmod up. It sounded like someone yelling and, worried that they might be in trouble, he reached for his sword. Cursing himself, he realized he had left the sword too far to reach, but by the time he looked around, he saw a lone rider walking towards them. Rædwald did not look too concerned and so he put his boots on and walked to meet the stranger. The other stranger, he reminded himself. What other surprises would this mission have in store?

The next surprise did not take too long, as the stranger looked very familiar. It was an acquaintance of his father, a former soldier. Sythric he said was his name and he had been sent by the March Warden to help them. So it was not only Meghan’s brother who did not trust them, the March Warden himself had his doubts! Well, it had only been one day but he had done a good job, hadn’t he? No, they all had, not just him. He looked around to the young faces of Fionn, Eostre and Meghan. Meghan seemed to be looking back at him and so he smiled. He had never wanted the responsibility anyway. And they knew what they were doing better than him.

The old man (he seemed even older than Rædwald) had been talking yet only the last words registered on Osmod’s mind. The stiffness on his legs reminded him that he should get some more sleep, and so stretching and yawning, Osmod told his fellow riders he would follow Sythric’s advice and get some sleep. He made it to his bedroll without looking back, then he realized the others might think that odd. “Let them think then,” he thought “I took the first watch, I am tired. It has nothing to do with the two old men”. Sleep came to him as soon as his set his head on the makeshift pillow. In his dreams, he found himself leading a brave eored in a valiant charge against an army of orcs.

[Eowyn Skywalker]

Shoved awake, Eostre found herself tying her boots back up and standing up to examine the newcomers critically. So. They weren't trusted. Well, which one of them was the traitor, then? She innerly snorted. Did the marchwarden believe that desperately that they were unable to handle a mission with more than one experienced person to take the lead?

What was it now? She let herself mentally take the tally... Meghan's brother, and now one sent by the marchwarden himself, or so t'was said. She held silent through the tangle of words, language spoken, and seeming greetings.

Well, said some sadistic part of her mind, at least Meghan's brother is good looking.

She frowned and silenced that thought near to immediately. But already awake, she had a strong desire to follow after this... Sythric... and interrogate him. Why was he here? What was the council's suspicions that they would insist on sending them off... but she restrained herself, returning to sit back down on her bedroll. Perhaps I could take the next watch...

[Undómë]

Bregoware

Rædwald


Rædwald felt the tiredness of a long day’s ride creeping on him, too. He motioned for one of the others to take the watch and waited as they retrieved what weapon and other things they might need to pass the time.

‘Wake us at first light, if you will,’ he asked. 'The sooner we’re to the ford and cross it, the sooner we’re heading down the river and toward Edoras.'

[Nogrod]

Sythric freed Thydrë from all the load she was carrying, gave her a quick brushing and tended her some oats. "Now try to rest my friend. We have miles to make when the sun rises. Good girl." He patted Thydrë's side and took his own bedroll. As he saw Raedwald also turning to sleep, he bade him good night and made a bed for himself, just some ten feet away from the other old man. When was it that they had camped together the last time? Sythric felt like asking, but was too tired to exactly go for it. Tomorrow, maybe, he thought, and fell asleep.

Even in his dreams, he was still riding.

[Valier]

Wulfham

Vaenosa awoke to Incana shaking her violently. "Vaenosa get up, get up Dorran needs our help!" Vaenosa's first reaction was to stike out at whom ever was shaking her. But her head cleared and she suddenly remembered where she was. She was not at home in her comfy down bed, she was lying on the hard ground in a clearing not far from the road. The sun was beginning to illuminate the sky, morning was approaching.

Vaenosa jumped up, her head was whirling. The men were back and they were hurt? what is going on? Vaenosa saw Incana attempting to make her way towards the lone figure that was hobbiling towards them. Incana stopped, turned and slowly made her way back towards Vaenosa and sat down, defeated on to her bedroll."Please go to their aid, they need help and I am not able to do so!" Vaenosa stood for a long second, then made her way silently to Dorran.

She came along his right side and motioned for him to lean heavily on to her. He obliged and they slowly made their way back to the camp. Vaenosa stayed quiet on the trip to the fire, but it was not strained. She did not want these particular young men to be injured or die, even at those times she had been bold and mocking towards them, she found them both intriguing and wanted to see how far she could push them. She knew at some point they would snap on her,as all men usually did, but she was always curious to see how long it would take them. She brought Dorran to Incana who was waiting anxiously.

"Where is Brand? Is he greatly injured?" Vaenosa asked. Dorran pointed towards the direction to where they had gone. "I left him a distance from here in a small clearing, he is covered in my coat. He is injured! Please hurry!" Vaenosa whistled for Nay, leapt upon his back and headed down the path Dorran had indicated. She found him not too far, lying beneath Dorran's coat. His face was bloodied, as was the ground around him. She slid from Nay's back and rushed to the fallen man.

She was unsure of what all his injurys were and was insure how to get him back without causing farther injury. "Nay my boy, I need you again. Come here." She motioned Nay to lay down and she tried to move Brand. She used all her strength and rolled him onto Nay in a sitting position. She did not want him to fall or injure himself even more on the ride back. Before she left, she scanned the area. She picked up Dorran's bloodied coat and a knife she found on the ground. As she looked to see where they had put the cat, she noticed a large Willow tree growing not far off from the dead feline. She knew that the inner bark was an analgesic or painkiller. Seeing as they would definately need some pain relief she gathered some with her dagger. She again went to the feline, grabbed it by the scruff and dug the fangs from the jaw bone. She wiped her hands on her slacks, pocketed the teeth and started back with Nay in tow.

She had to stop a few times to readjust Brand's position,and now when she pushed him back into place he let out a moan. They were approaching quickly and Vaenosa could see the fire. She motioned again for Nay to come to Brand's bedroll. She positioned Brand over her shoulder, for the quickest decent off the horse. She laid him down without to much strain and turned to face the two concious people.

"Here I found these." Vaenosa said handing Dorran his coat and the knife. "Also I brought back some Willow bark. It will help with the pain. Steep it with some tea and see if you can get him to drink some. You two should have some as well. I will be back shortly, I need to wash the blood from Nay now before he attracts any more predators." Vaenosa turned wearily towards the stream leading Nay behind her.