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Post by Alezand Jozlyn, Allaine knight on Sept 24, 2006 20:20:19 GMT -5
OCC(I know that I am currently locked up in the dungeons, but that storyline is taking too long do to the undecisivness of key players and their infrequency on the site. All my threads that I am continuing to post in are taking place BEFORE my capture, as a flashback of events. Deal with it)
Alezand Strode it the din of the Barracks with stride that told that he once had spent his time here before. It seemed years ago that he had dueled one of the Mazmo Brothers here in this very place. The clang blades, the ringing of armor, the twang of bowstrings released, and the snaps and bangs of staffs and spears. It was all too familiar. And for a moment, his heart froze, for his memory wasn't tracing to that interesting day back when he first arrived in avaren, but his mind's eye flew back to the grim months out in the Forrest and mountains. on the plains and swamps where he and the scattered forces that still banded to crush the Darkness.
Oh, yes, these sounds were very present there, but even more was the screams of men and women, and the screams of otherworldly things. Things without souls nor hearts and yet still needed to taste a blade to be vanqueshed. The gore and the pain of vision, seeing things that no man should ever face. He shook his head as he reminded himself that for now, he didn't need to worry. The threat was at bay for the time being and he had time to form his ranks and prepace for the next campaign. But he needed to keep his swordmanship up to standard.
So he came here once again to spar. Much like the last time he was here. He would watch, and maybe, accept a challenge if one came along, but for now, mostly watch. He strlloed through the building and its various areas. Spearman keeping longswordmen at bay, and thieves practiced their knife throwing. Swordmen dueled without remorse or breath. He walked to the back and stepping out into the courtyard there where archers of all kinds punched their targets while knights practiced their skills on horseback.
He took all this in with fine detail, thoroughly assessing each combatant and took some tips from their various styles. He had stepped back in and was watching the spearman and longsword again in great interest, leaning against the wall. He had his elven longsword and his short sword, his collection of various hidden knifes and daggers as well as his light mail on underneath his tunic and robes. He didn't wear it often, because he relied more on his stealth, agility and speed on thefield more than armor...
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Rotiart
Warrior 
Gatekeeper[M:0]
Posts: 45
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Post by Rotiart on Sept 28, 2006 13:52:44 GMT -5
Unless Alezand had been paying an unwarranted amount of attention to his surroundings, he would have noticed a warrior break from the others and approach him. Walking up beside him, the warrior clapped him o the shoulder heartily, as an old friend greeting another old friend, when in truth they had never before met.
Of course, this was simply part of the general demeanor of the person whom the hand belonged to, along with the friendly expression on his face. Clearly he was a person who spent more time talking to people and befriending them than actually fighting. This is, of course, due to the fact that he was just a humble gatekeeper and not of some all-important higher military position.
"Hello there, lad, haven't seen you around before, although I'm mainly at the gates only." he said extending a hand even as he introduced himself, "My name's Rotiart, I'm the gatekeeper here at Avaren."
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Post by Alezand Jozlyn, Allaine knight on Sept 28, 2006 21:20:50 GMT -5
Alezand turned and smiled. "Ah, pleasure to meet you. I am Alezand Joslyn, soldier for the people." He replied as he took Rotiart's hand and shook. "What brings you in here then, my guardsman?" Alezand passed often however he saw fit and stealth was one of his better trades, so it was not surprising that Rotiart hadn't recognized him despite his travels in and out of Avaren. He was curious as to what a gatekeeper was doing hanging around the dusty warrior barracks. It was rare to see anyone of any position mingle within these halls. Alezand understood this place to be majorly used for training and practice for those who just served without any other purpose. It was a good place to do such, though, even if you one of the grunts for Avaren's Army. Alezand was a leader of a lost order of peacekeepers who fought for all people and to crush evil. Not alligned with any crown in particular, he was more free to choose his destiny, but still needed to brush up on his skills once and awhile. Perhaps the two were on a similar thought...
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Rotiart
Warrior
Gatekeeper[M:0]
Posts: 45
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Post by Rotiart on Oct 2, 2006 9:02:49 GMT -5
"Well then, it's a pleasure to meet you," Rotiart said cheerfully. "Now let's see.....what is it that brings me here?", he repeated Alezand's question, appearing thoughtful. He really hadn't placed much thought into this. I mean, who can say why someone's random wanderings take them where they do?
"I can't honestly say, just found myself here." he said after a minute or so of waiting. He knew it wasn’t much of an explanation, but it was the only and best one he had. "Guess I just needed to take a break from my duties. I mean, it can be a bit of a harrowing experience just sitting there hour after hour admitting a faceless horde of merchants and farmers and such. There's only so much of it you can take before the redundancy begins to wear on your nerves and you need to get up and see the sights of the city."
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Post by Alezand Jozlyn, Allaine knight on Oct 4, 2006 17:43:02 GMT -5
"Ah yes, I could see that happening." Alezand admitted, chuckling at the thought. On the other side, Alezand's life was far from rudundant, routine or ordinary. Being hunted by powerful dark forces most of his life, Alezand hadn't had a moments breath until he reached Avaren, and even then, it was scarcely available. A relaxing day of normality would probably be such a foreign idea, that Alezand would go nuts due to being paranoid that someone or something was plotting something during that period of lull. Irony, to say the least. "So, my fine friend, what can I do for you?" he asked. He had to admit that Rotiart struck him as an interesting fellow on sight and thought befriending such of the man as the Gatekeeper would be worthy and useful prospect...
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Rotiart
Warrior
Gatekeeper[M:0]
Posts: 45
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Post by Rotiart on Oct 5, 2006 9:42:16 GMT -5
"What can you do for me?" Rotiart asked, appearing puzzled by this question, it struck him as a bit of an odd question with speculation, even though he knew it quite common. For a moment he was lost for a response, as there was honestly nothing he needed, he simply had to get out for a walk.
"I'm sorry, I'm perfectly set as it is, although if there's anything I could do for you, then feel perfectly free to request," he said lamely, shrugging his shoulders as he did so. It was testimony of how dull his life was that it be reflected in his inability to come up with any sort of idle conversation, yet he doubted this person would hold it against him.
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Post by Alezand Jozlyn, Allaine knight on Oct 5, 2006 9:59:38 GMT -5
Alezand had to laugh again in the irony of the situation. He could see that Rotiart had just needed to change things up a bit, as where Alezand was looking for a break from his stress filled life. One needing a break from boredom, the other, a break from excitement. Watching the various struggles going on within the room before them, Alezand pondered a bit before turning back to Rotiart. "So I hear that there have been problems with gnoll bands attacking the fringes of the city. How goes the defense?" Alezand had regret that he had not been near the city at the time of the last siege. He would've like to have been. It would've brought a change in that the enemy of that fight was a more certain one and more mortal than what Alezand and his fellows were sparrng with on the outter land reaches.
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Rotiart
Warrior
Gatekeeper[M:0]
Posts: 45
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Post by Rotiart on Oct 5, 2006 10:17:52 GMT -5
Rotiart laughed good-naturedly along with Alezand, although he didn't have the same train of thought as him so couldn't personally find the irony that he saw in the present situation. Still, if he had just stood stoically by it might have appeared a bit awkward.
"Oh yeah," Rotiart said, almost glad for a change of topic to one that he recalled vividly, "Well, other than their single large-scale raid, pretty much everything had just been chance scuffles. Problem is, their raid took us completely by surprise, as the people have been getting a bit too accustomed to peace around these parts. It was a wonder they didn't torch half the city, although we did repel them fairly soundly in the end."
"Now, of course," he said, shaking his head in mild amusement, "They've been cracking down on defense in an understandable strict manner. They've been a real pain in the backside too anyone caught slacking even the slightest in duty, although I fortunately get left alone."
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Post by Alezand Jozlyn, Allaine knight on Oct 5, 2006 19:44:28 GMT -5
"Hmm, I see..." Responded the militia leader. Yes, people were too accustomed to the quiet that hung over Avaren. And more to his dismay, many did not know over the dangers lurking in these lands and the heroes that were quietly dispelling these threats. Alezand was used to being in the background, defending from the shadows. But was a time when the public should know who is on their side and of the growing trouble within its very midst.
However, Alezand did not approve of the new measures in place to instill vigilance and strength in the ranks. Such tactics never worked and were often added to the problem rather than the solution. Soldiers fight better in a leader they believe, not one they fear. Morale was everything to a soldier. Everything...
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Rotiart
Warrior
Gatekeeper[M:0]
Posts: 45
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Post by Rotiart on Oct 9, 2006 8:51:19 GMT -5
"Oh well, guess we'll both have to see how things progress from this point onward," he said with a brief shrug, "Only thing I'm worried about is that things might keep getting more and more militaristic until someone rises up and makes some sort of crazy declaration to begin some sort of ethnic cleansing or something."
With a small sigh, he continued, "Seems that's how history cycles, so I guess it would be up to us to prevent such an occurrence before it happens, eh?"
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Post by Alezand Jozlyn, Allaine knight on Oct 23, 2006 14:47:40 GMT -5
sighing in agreement to Rotiart's statement, he turned. "I guess I'm not going to be able to end this conversation without a little sparring, am I?" He asked as he drew his elven long sword and stepped into the center of the room, well enough away from any other contest being fought out nearby.
He spun the blade and twirled it in absent mindedness of a well practiced manuever. He smiled at the thought that all of the sudden, the idea of a duel wasn't as appealing as it had been when he first walked in here. But no matter. It would do him some good, and he was very interested in this Guardsman whom he had just become aquinted with. He took his stance, fair, even with a medium guard to his right. Alezand was now ready for a little match of skill...
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Rotiart
Warrior
Gatekeeper[M:0]
Posts: 45
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Post by Rotiart on Oct 24, 2006 9:35:19 GMT -5
"Sparring you say?" Rotiart asked, confused, having mentioned nothing thus far regarding sparring of any sort. "Well, if that's what you wish, then I have no objections." he said with a shrug, stepping out to face Alezand.
With a quick glance around, he noted that they stood in a roughly circular room, with little adorning the walls save a few mounts containing occasional assortments of trophies from conquests long past of the soldiers of Avaren. The floor was covered in a light dusting of straw and saw dust, so the warriors could keep their footing even if there had been a steady rain for days past.
Bowing briefly at the waist to Alezand, he straightened and reached a hand over his shoulder to draw forth his two-handed sword, holding it in front of his as both weapon and ward against attacks.
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