grnappa

The Count of Valles shudders as he reads the missive. He knows what one driven musin can achieve, let alone an entire colony of musin. The aged Veteran sends a letter of peace to Needle 'The Warmonger.' The contents of the letter would simply say 'Peace please,' in addition to containing a rather large chocolate chip cookie offered as tribute.

The Count of Valles held up a finger as he pointed to his ward to start speaking. It was a long and grueling lesson on public speaking and the Count knew such. He'd shake his head as the boy faltered in the middle of his practice speech. Finally, the Count gave some importance advice to his young ward. "Remember boy, if vy ever feel as if vy are going to falter, always make sure to project."

Parley in Elysium - The Duke’s Word 19th Sigismund’s End 1819 ~Duke Eugeo of Elysium and Major Iskander Basrid shaking hands circa 1819~ Major Iskander Basrid of the Imperial State Army set forth from the Capital of Providence in 1819. Many thoughts ran through his head as he marched with his men as they went across the country. The foreign diplomats in Providence had made one thing clear in the minds of the Imperial Soldiers, Elysium was not the target of war. Elysium was just as much a victim to the warmongering Chief Sven as the Empire was. Even so, Chief Sven’s soldiers inhabited it, and they were their target. With 1000 steadfast members of the Imperial State Army and 200 Hounds of Don, the force snaked its way through the Imperial Heartland up the River Augusta to make landfall near Elysium. Making their way ashore, the brave men of the Empire circled around the North of Elysium, searching for any signs of life from the city as they huddled near their fires. After a moment, the Orenian force spotted two figures in the snow. It was then that the combined force of Imperial soldiers and the mercenaries fell upon Rheinhart Stamirsk & Emerald Guenevere wandering outside the safety of their walls. Sir Anthony Alexios encountered the pair first at the behest of Lord Robert Don’s steadfast eye. With his contingent of men the Basrid ordered them to raise their hands. The Elysian soldiers quickly set down their weapons, knowing that they were outnumbered against the Imperial contingent. The Elysian diplomat to Oren, Inui Caromud was at this time found by Lord Robert shivering in the cold wastes. Whisking her to the assembled group upon his steed, Inui quickly announced her efforts to negotiate the release of the prisoners that had been captured. “Please Orenians! Let us work this out with peace and not blades!” Inui spoke passionately on behalf of her countrymen. Nodding in agreement, Major Iskander Basrid allowed the Elysian diplomat to return to the city. Inui returned with a large host of Varhelm and Elysian bannermen under the command of Duke Eugeo who began parley with Sir Iskander Basrid. The Varhelm soldiers screamed and shouted for the death of the Imperials as the two forces met. The steadfast soldiers of the ISA held careful vigil over their prisoners as the Major finally spoke up. “We seek no quarrel with you Elysium!” The Rhenyari commander shouted as he made his way over to face the duke. “Then why do you hold blades upon my people?!” The Duke replied in quick fashion. Maintaining stoic silence, the men of Oren watched on as Varhelm soldiers screamed and shouted at the group, desperately trying to instigate a fight with the assembled Imperials. Their final attempt to start the fight led to Lord Robert being shot at with a crossbow by a norlander with poor aim. The Baron of Doggersden managed to dodge the bolt with great ease atop his steed, his movements agile even in the harsh climate. After a tense standoff between the two great forces, an understanding was reached and Major Iskander ordered the Elysian prisoners released in good faith and promised to depart from the field to halt the senseless massacre of man. At this, Duke Eugeo ordered his men to stand down in turn as the Major did the same with the Imperial soldiers. The Varhelm soldiers were angered by this temporary truce as they stormed from the field in anger. However, the Elysians simply took their wounded and departed from the field, equally as stoic as the Imperial forces. The two forces left for their homes and would rest easy that night. The snow remained white, unstained by the blood of men who might have died in the frozen wastelands. Sir Erik Othaman Commander of the Reserves @grnappa Lord Joseph d’Azor Chief of the Imperial Arsenal @Taketheshot Duke Eugeo of Elysium, War is, by its very nature, a hellish test of the innocent man’s resolve. We regret the despicable Chieftain’s warmongering. Before these past years, we have loved peace, and many of our people had found friends among the Elysians. Today, by your good nature, and the mercy of God, we met on terms favorable. You swore that we could speak if we released the people we held, and in good faith, we did. You upheld your end, and commanded the lowering of arms. These are qualities unlike many of the arrayed forces against us. They are the murderous apostate, and not the Elysian. While your country’s Chief Sven declared war on us, we have chosen to take the fight to Nordling land, and keep the conflict as far from our people as possible. Unfortunately, as a result, your people have become the victims. This is not by our fault, but by the fault of war itself; and he who declared it, the Chief Sven. He condemns your people to it. Your people are not Nordlings, not at heart. Not the ones you hold dear to you. They are friends and families who flourished in peace, as we once did, before it was taken from both of us. We, as a people, pray that a swift defeat of the Chief Sven will give us both what we once so enjoyed. All this said, make no mistake. We will not relent until that day. Neither of us shall have peace while Chief Sven reigns. So long as you allow his soldiers within your city, no peace between us can prevail. HIH THE DUKE OF CRESTFALL @BenevolentManacles

"Damn, vy look good." The Othaman grinned in acknowledgement as he looked over the Basrid's shoulder at the paper. "But... where am I?" he'd huff, disappointed.

Nickrocky is rep farming. He's reinstating Vortex tomorrow. Clever clever. +1

The Servant boy frowned as he watched the Lord Palatine fish, shaking his head "Vy do nie fish like that, silly! I do nie even see any bait. Here, let me try!" he'd chime in cheerily as he put a healthy worm on the hook, casting it out into the river as he felt a large fish tug on the line almost instantly.

A Haeseni servant boy would bring in the Lord Palatine's morning mug of tea as heard the man ranting at a piece of paper. He'd blink as the boy spoke up, his voice cracking hilariously. "W-what about the Rimeveld Trolls, m-my lord?" he'd raise his hands in self-defense, preparing to defend against the strike that never came. "I-i heard from papej that vy all killed them when they were being peaceful, mister."

The Count of Valles blinks as he reads the message, leaning back in his chair as he rubs his chin in thought. "I literally have niet idea who vy are." "They declare war, get their asses handed to them on a silver platter, and complain that we are killing them in a war." "It just shows that each Norlander makes a ritual sacrifice of intelligence upon becoming a red faith worshipper." "Want to nie have children killed? Do nie arm them. But vy are already scraping the bottom of the barrel so I am nie altogether surprised." "We asked for peace."

Erik Berhal, Huscarl of the Brotherhood of the Golden Crow frowns from the seven skies as he went back to his house to scramble his eggs. "I do nie think we ever celebrated this... but hey! At least they're doing something original! Right?" He'd chuckle, waltzing his way over to "The Animal's" house with a satchel of oats. @Gridlock

Sir Erik Othaman scoffs as he files away the list of demands from the Khanate of Urguan. He'd nod to himself afterwards as he went upstairs to play chess with Kelhus Othaman. @Josef_Rippelberg

Karl Demetrius Barbanov read the note quietly to himself in his room as he read her full name with wide eyes. A single tear fell upon the floor as he shook his head in disbelief. After the moment of shock passed he quickly grabbed his ranger gear. Looking in the mirror, he adjusted his green woodsman outfit as he let out a sigh "I will find her. I must know what happened to the rest of my family." The young boy set out from Southbridge, a single thought in his mind. Find Nataliya.

Karl Demetrius sat down by the river in Southbridge, his fishing line cast out as he felt a tug. He'd quickly reel it back to reveal his small catch "I did it! Mister Maliman, look look!" he'd excitedly show the fish to his mentor Amthalion @BobBox. Looking over his shoulder, he'd spot his father laughing as he read a missive. The rotund Karl waddled over as he read this missive out loud. After a pause, he'd look to Maliman with a frown. "This alliance is rather silly, isn't it?"

"What can I say? We're just that good!" the child Karl would laugh as he high-fived his teammates of Team 2! @Eddywilson2 @Gridlock @Ark @6x @Imperium @Ticklem0nster @DahStalker "We Come As Crows!" "KAKAW!"

Erik Othaman simply shook his head as he placed a hand to his face. He remembered his expulsion from his ancestral homeland and his mistreatment at the hands of mad monarchs. "Irene finally sees it... If only the rest had such resolve and bravery to speak out." The Knight would recall how he scaled the walls of Vasiland with a handful of his closest comrades and breached the Scyfling defenses. He sent a letter to the King for reinforcements that day and it was ignored. He was left to die. His life was worth throwing away. "Never again." The Othaman firmly stated. "It takes bravery to face down impossible odds. Haense was founded upon the backs of the steel-willed. Karl Barbanov @Ark, Tarcell Othaman @Eddywilson2, Rhys var Ruthern @Imperium, and many more. Those men built Haense not by rolling over when a threat came, but by standing their ground and fighting as brothers in arms." "Bravery." "Honor." "Haense would have perished had they not persisted."

Erik Othaman places his head into his hands as he lets out a jagged sigh. He recollected his more youthful years as he stood in the front ranks with the soldiers of the Barayan Company. "Brothers in Arms... all willing to lay down their lives for a common goal." Erik would remember how he stood by Ser Tiberius @Eddywilson2, a man who gave everything for the Kingdom, even his life. The Aged Othaman would remember the stories he was told about how his ancestors Tarcell Othaman and 'The Animal' @Gridlockstood atop the ramparts of Crow Keep with the Brotherhood of the Golden Crow as they fought to the last, keeping their ideals of brotherhood alive even in the face of impossible odds. They gave their lives that day. "What was it for?" Erik would lament. He would pick up an old painting of Ser Tiberius, placing a hand atop the frame "If only vy could see what vy death means to the King. The Kingdom that sacrificed so much over the centuries, built on the backs of those who gave their all, fallen to the corrupt who kill their own family on a whim."

The shot heard around Oran.

Sir Erik Othaman once more looks to the spot in his office where all the Sedan victories pamphlets are suppose to be, finding it empty. Turning to his pile of Orenian victory pamphlets, he would see a pile that was ever increasing "I thought after the defeat today they would be done. Oh well, I suppose the blood of their men mean nothing to them." The Major would shrug as he sharpened his blade, prepared to claim more victories for the Empire.

Woah...

Remember who to call if you ever wanna 3 v 6 Norlanders again! Once you join the Barayan Company, you never leave.

Major Erik Othaman sighs as he held the notice of Lieutenant Stervon's demise in his grasp. The Commissar would reach for the box of cigars laid upon his desk as brought one to his mouth, striking a match. He'd contemplate on the officer as he leaned back in his chair. "Damn fine officer, that one. I remember his steadfast determination in the defense of our homeland against the Inferi. If there was one man who I would pick to be the example of what makes a true soldier, it would be him." The Major chuckled as he brought the cigar down from his mouth. "That man was older than even I was, yet he fought with even more ferocity." "Rest in peace, comrade." The Commissar gave a final nod as he signed the Lorraine over himself before writing Lieutenant Stervon Shadowsteel's name down in his book for an Honor of the Fallen medal.