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Slide Hammer Vice Captain
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 Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 1:13 am
First it was there, then it was gone. Something had changed. For as long as anyone at the palace could remember, they had always been able to feel their Lord Rahl. It was like a shadow presense in the mind. One could simply point, and say "There is Lord Rahl". But no more.
The first to feel the effects of the broken bond were those closely loyal to the Lord Rahl, his generals. Those inside of the Peoples Palace felt it first, the bond breaking. The men serving under them felt it as they did. That loss of direction, a sense of confusion, and a feeling of things not being as they should. The men began to talk. After the first few hours of uncertainty, the talk turned to outright panic. Within a day of the death of Lord Rahl, the Peoples Palace stood in chaos.
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 12:46 am
(Hoping it's okay for me to post, I got the assignment, so I'm giving it a go!)
Lyte woke with a start in a strange room. That wasn't rare, being a traveling bard, all rooms are strange. Then he remembered where he was, and why he was there.
He was in the People's Palace in D'Hara, trying to earn his keep by entertaining the many people that lived inside, or better yet, the people simply passing through as they were always more generous. Thus far he'd earned enough to rent his room for a week, so things were looking up. He looked to his right to see his trusty lyre, a constant companion on a seemingly never ending journey. Opening the drapes, he saw it was still dark out. He picked up his lyre and gently played a soft lullaby to himself, allowing the magic of the music to make him drowsy, and eventually fall back to sleep.
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 5:10 pm
*Cara, having just finished her last session with one of her captives that Lord Rahl had needed for interrogation, was eating in one of the dining halls in the dark of the early morning. She had been working her prisoner for last 36 hours making him hang over the edge of death before he finally choked to death on his own blood. She was dissapointed in his inability to last longer but nothing could be done about that. she poked at what was left of her dinner, having eaten most of it and decided to leave it to head to her bed. She was still worked up, and would need to be up again in a couple of hours for devotion, and possibly another assignment. Walking at a leisurely pace she came to her quarters and climbed into bed after removing only her boots. Sleep hit her quickly but she would snap awake should the need arise.*
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 11:33 pm
Drakkon felt a wave of dizziness as he felt his bond to Lord Rahl suddenly jolt, before snapping.
He felt the remnants of the bond then shred away, as if being torn by some great wind, disappearing into the abyss, leaving a great void in its wake. He leaned against a wall as the void was slowly refilled by the bond to Lord Rahl... but not the same Lord Rahl. That could only mean Darken Rahl was dead. And that also meant General Trimack would know as well. As 2nd Commander of the First File, Drakkon was needed to assist in a stable transition to the new Lord Rahl. He turned and raced through the palace. Every second counted, as the city needed to be secured. It was bad enough with the Westland army camped outside the city gates... a change in leadership was JUST what they needed.
They need to lock everything down while they located the new Lord Rahl. They needed instructions. Darken Rahl had said to ignore the Westlanders... but what if this new Lord Rahl was of a different opinion? Suddenly the name filtered through the bond. Richard. The name of their new lord. Personally, Drakkon hoped this Richard wasn't from the same cloth as Darken had been. Drakkon only hoped that the rest of the army had a smooth transition to the new bond, but he knew of a few soldiers who would keep their last orders, regardless of the change in leadership.
He approached Trimack's "office", the room from which the General facilitated his defense of Lord Rahl and the palace. With just a slight hesitation, he stepped through the open heavy wooden door. He saw Trimack standing at the far wall, looking out the window. Without turning, he asked, "You felt it too, didn't you Drake?"
Drakkon nodded. "Yeah. Rather violently, too. I guess all his underworld dealings finally came back and bit him in the a**."
Trimack chuckled as he turned around. "Indeed. But we can talk about that later. We need to decide what to do about the new Rahl, and about the Westland army. They haven't moved, but their commander, a Michael Cypher, was escorted in yesterday, straight to the Garden of Life, by Darken Rahl's orders. Now that he is dead, we need to find this Richard, the new Lord Rahl, and see about finding this Michael. His 2nd in command came in not too long ago, asking about a man called Richard Cypher, Michael's brother. Said Michael came in to find him."
Drake leaned against the wall. "Think this Cypher boy is the same as Lord Rahl?"
Trimack shrugged. "He's the only Richard I knew. Yesterday orders came down to escort Richard Cypher to the Garden of Life. Now Darken is dead, but the new bond says that this Richard Rahl is in the same area. I think it's the same guy."
"Maybe he's the one that caused Darken's 'unfortunate' end," snorted Drakkon.
"Maybe." Trimack turned his head to look out the window once more. "Either way... we need to see about Lord Rahl, and see about this army out front. I'll handle the Westlanders. Think you can find out about Lord Rahl, and maybe the other 3 that came in after him?"
Nodding, Drake replied, "Sure. But, why me? Shouldn't you be the one to meet him?"
Trimack turned back to look at his friend. "Two reasons. One, my last orders from Darken Rahl was to ensure that the Westland army didn't cause any trouble. And two... let's just say I'm not going into the Garden of Life if I can help it. The place has reeked of magic lately, and I'm more than uncomfortable around it. Makes my skin crawl. Makes me wonder exactly what in the hell Rahl was doing in there."
Drakkon nodded. "I see. I'll go find Lord Rahl, then. Do you want me to bring him to you?"
"Please do. I should be at the front gates by that time. But if the Westlanders start any trouble, get him to this room as fast as possible. And remember to be on the lookout for any other disruptions. Most of the people here swore the bond to Darken Rahl himself, not the the House of Rahl as the First File has. They may not rebond to the new lord as fast as we did, if they do at all."
Drakkon snapped a fist to his chest. "Yes, General." And with that, he turned on his heel and strode out the door.
(OC: I know it's quite long, but atm we have no one for Trimack, and it was all one scene, so I wanted it out of the way as one piece.)
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Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 9:26 am
*Cara snapped awake. She felt the bond shatter and then reform around a new Lord Rahl. She rose quickly and put her boots back on, running out of her room. Part of her was overjoyed that the cruelty of Darken Rahl was over but that was quickly washed over by the fear and high-probability that this new Lord Rahl would have the same tyrannical qualities. She could never say that to him though, it was her duty to serve regardless of what Lord Rahl did. The first thing she needed to do was find this new Lord Rahl so that she could devote herself to him. The bond was there, but she only had a vague sense of where he was and her agiel was dead in her hand.*
"Somewhere... towards the centre of the palace."
*Confused cavillions of the palace pressed against the wall out of her way as she barreled down the hallways. She knew they had lost the the bond too and were not expecting that at all. She hoped she could find him quickly before anything happened, she desperately needed her agiel.*
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Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 11:04 am
 Yutha strode amongst the many people wandering the marketplace. There were probably many hundereds of people wandering about, but there was something that almost all of them had in common. Her lips curled into a sly smile. Their Lord Rahl was dead. It was so clearly evident, etched in their worried eyes and whispered conversations. The atmosphere was one of concern, and for some, down-right panic. So the prophecies have come to fruition...Darken Rahl was gone, now in the Underworld and under the Keeper's cold, dark clutches. But if this was true, then the other part must be true -- that a new Lord Rahl had arrived to take his place. While she knew nothing of this man, she did know that that meant a wind of change. A wind that would sweep all the nations from D'Hara to Westland, from the New World to the Old. "So," she whispered to herself, "the 'beginning' has come at last."
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Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 2:07 pm
Lyte awoke the next day refreshed, but strangely unsettled. Something was different, the people were in a panic, as though something had happened. When he finally asked someone what was wrong, they stared at him wide eyed. 'Lord Rahl is dead!' the woman proclaimed.
Lyte thanked her for the information, and set out to one of the pubs to think. Lord Rahl is dead. He could leave, finally. But there would be an heir to the throne. He decided to stay and attempt to overthrow the next Lord Rahl, who could only be worse than his father.
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Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 3:53 pm
*Cara finally reached the huge doors that led to the Garden of Life and found that she wasn't the only Mord Sith there. It was comforting to be surrounded by her sisters, and the First File were not far off. They were all staring expectantly at the door, none of them uttering a word, waiting for the new Lord Rahl to emerge so that they could devote themselves. There was only one entrance to garden, and this was the only way out.*
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Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2009 5:19 pm
Dierdre felt the bond snap as every other D'haran had in that one brief moment that magic spilled out of the Garden of Life, with it severing the bond with the Lord Rahl. That could only mean one thing, Darken Rahl, her lord and master was dead.
She was one of the fortunate few Mord Sith to have been wearing white, because she had no charge, but she was always on the look out for one insides the confines of the palace. One never knew where traitors would be lurking ready to strike like a venomous snake in wait. And there were few better at routing out those snakes as Dierdre. But that task could wait.
She didn't bother to change into her Reds as she ran to the last place she knew the Lord Rahl to be, the place that the shiver of magic terrifying to any born in D'hara had come from. The place that would hold all the answers. The Garden of Life. She saw the group of her sisters standing out, in varying colors of leather, waiting for something.
She could feel the tiny tingle in the back of her mind. Something resembling the bond she had felt with Darken Rahl, but weaker. As if an unnamed Lord Rahl were somewhere out there waiting to learn of his destiny. She wondered what this one would be like in comparison to the last one. She had heard from those who had served longer in the Palace than she that compared to his father Darken Rahl was a saint, but they hadn't lived much longer to tell how as those that spoke ill of the dead didn't live long, and she was often the one to do the deed with pleasure.
When no one volunteered to say anything she spoke, breaking the uneasy silence. "What are we doing standing out here like this? The next Lord Rahl isn't here... and isn't named. Until he is we need to see to it order is kept in the Palace. There will still be snakes hiding in the bushes waiting to take advantage of this time of weakness... we need to weed them out so the transition to the next Lord Rahl will be a smooth one. I suggest if you're not in your red leathers, you get there... A lot of blood may be shed until the next Lord Rahl takes his place." With that she spun on the ball of her foot and stalked back down the halls to where her rooms were to take her own advice and change into the ominous red leather that marked trouble for any who even looked at the Mord Sith who wore them wrong.
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Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2009 6:42 pm
*Cara shot a look at the sister as she walked away, but she supposed she was right, she just hated being told that she was wrong. The Bond ended here, but perhaps the bond was simply waning away and felt like the New Rahl was there. She couldn't be sure, she had been under Darken Rahl her whole life and had never felt the bond break before now. Some of the Mord Sith still wearing their brown and white leather nodded and went to change, seeing that a revolt in the palace itself would be something they'd have to control.*
*She stalked her way to on of the busier intersections and stood with her arms behind her back and her legs spread to shoulder width, ready to act when need be. Often times, when there had been revolts in the past, the sight of red leather was enough to make people think twice about causing trouble. That sort of preventative only lasted so long though until someone snapped and had to let loose. Cara was tense too, so she did the only thing she could think of to calm herself and started reciting under her breath, only her lips moving.*
"Master Rahl guide us. Master Rahl teach us. Master Rahl protect us. In your light we thrive. In your mercy we are sheltered. In your wisdom we are humbled. We live only to serve. Our lives our yours."
*Saying it repeatedly relaxed her and helped her focus, seperating out people in her mind that looked more likely to cause trouble than others. She was ready.*
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Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 1:07 am
Drakkon moved through the streets of the palace, not bothering to hurry unduly. He noticed the Mord-Sith every few corners, on the lookout for trouble. From what he knew of Mord Sith heirarchy, they'd be doing the same as the First File: ensuring a peaceful transition to the new Lord Rahl, and protecting said lord until the bond was completed.
Every now and then he spotted a soldier of the First File, patrolling through the streets and corridors. At times, he'd tap a code on his shoulder, bringing one to him at once, and he'd redirect them to back up the Mord Sith he passed.
When he reached the giant, ornate double doors of the Garden of Life, he spotted several more Mord Sith in red leather. Some guarding the doors, some guarding all entrances to the area, and some on the opposite wall, watching the doors themselves. He nodded once to them, then strode to the doors, pulling them open. Once inside, he posted two more men inside, between the outer doors, and the inner ones.
With the remaining two at his back, he pushed open the inner doors, and glanced around. The garden was beautiful in the noon day sun from overhead, but it still gave off an inexplicable feeling of danger and warning, like a sleeping threat that could awake at any moment, at any wrong move or sound.
He walked along the path, to the area of pure white sand in the center. He had been in the garden only once before, and remembered seeing odd shapes traced in the sand. It was smooth now. The stone bench nearby held three objects, black as night, seeming to suck the light away. As he stepped closer to the square of sand, he noticed the objects to be boxes, with one of them lying open, it's lid turned at an angle. He saw two people standing over them, an old man in robes, and a muscular man with dozens of weapons strapped to his body. He had seen these two yesterday, and had covertly escorted them to the garden, on Rahl's orders. From what he could gather, the old one was a person of magic, and the other was a warrior, through and through. He moved with an ease that suggested familiarity with the weights of the weapons he carried, and implied a knowledge of the use of every one of them.
The big man noticed him first, and immediately pulled an axe from his belt, pushing himself in front of the robed man. "Zedd, we've got company."
The old man turned, seeing the soldier, who stopped several feet away. Instantly, a ball of flame lit above his hands.
Drakkon didn't move. He didn't fear the big man, but he kept a wary eye on the old man with the flyaway hair. He had seen Darken Rahl wield magic before, and knew how dangerous it was. He held out his hands, empty palms up. "I seek the one called Richard. I know he's here, somewhere."
The big man stepped forward. "And what do you want with him?" he asked, holding the axe up.
"Be careful, Chase," said the wizard, "that's no ordinary D'Haran soldier. That looks like one of Rahl's elite guard."
Drakkon nodded. "Second Commander Drakkon of the First File. I'm here to find Lord Rahl. Where is he?"
The man called Chase straightened a bit, but didn't relax in the slightest. In the underworld, where he belongs."
"I was not referring to Darken Rahl. I am aware of his death. His successor, a man named Richard, is the one I seek. He is here, somewhere nearby. I must find him, as per my duty as First File."
"First File... I've heard that name before..." mused Zedd. "Aren't you the ones that guard Lord Rahl personally?"
"You've heard of us, then," Drakkon said, nodding approvingly. "Saves time explaining. But time is short, I must speak with Richard."
Zedd extinguished the flame in his hands, and put a hand to Chase's shoulder. "It's alright, Chase, this man is no threat to us. Go, find Richard and bring him here. I must speak with this Drakkon."
Chase lowered his arms, but didn't take his eyes from Drakkon and the other two soldiers. "Are you sure?"
"Quite sure, my friend," Zedd replied.
Chase nodded, replacing his axe on his belt. He stared at the D'Haran soldiers a moment longer, then turned and headed down a corridor the led out of the other side of the garden.
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Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 10:33 am
*Cara looked over at the First File soldier that join her in her position. She had seen Drakkon as he had passed and knew that he had sent the personal guard to aide with the supervision of the palace. All she had to do now was be patient. As soon as at least one D'Haran swore an oath to the new Lord Rahl, the bond would be in full force again. Of course, all of his personal guard would want to swear to him personally, but at least her agiel would work until she could do that.*
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Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 2:35 pm
Claidi was wandering the palac, avoiding any mord sith or gaurds as best as possible. She wanted desperately to get away from here, to be free, to go back home. She had been here for so long that she had forgotten what home even looked liked, what her fellow confessors looked like.
She knew something had happened. Something bad. mord Sith did not just leave their captives unattended in a locked room, especially one that they could not hold there with the pain of the magic. She had never been left alone before. There had always been someone guarding her, making sure she didnt escape. Pretty careless this time. she thought to herself.
She glanced dowwn a hall and saw it filled with Mord Sith. She abruptly changed directions before any of them noticed her. They were not paying attention to her part of the hall anyways. They were all standing in front of an ornate set of doors with worried looks on their faces.
She needed someone of magic to be able to remove the hated collar she wore around her neck, but didnt know where she would find one willing to help until she was away from the palace.
Her nose picked up the aroma of food coming from one of the large rooms to her left. She peeked intot he room and noticed it was one of the many cafeteria type rooms in the palace. She was hungry and did not notice anyone in the room other than civillians who came to the palace. She cautiously went into the room and sat down at a table.
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Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 5:11 pm
Lyte turned and noticed a young woman with a collar around her neck, looking anxiously at the doors as though she were afraid of being found. Curious, he grabbed his food, approached her and sat across from her. Putting out a hand, he said 'Hello there, I'm Lyte, bard extraordinaire. And you?'
(OOC that's you Claidi wink )
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Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 5:28 pm
Claidi jumped as the man spoke and sat across from her. She glanced up at him, relieved that he was not a soldier. She shook his hand hesitantly. "Im...Claidi. Im a confessor. Or at least I used to be."
She dropped her head back down and stared at her half eaten bowl of food. She hated herself right now. She hated what that horrid Mord Sith had made her become. She used to be so confident, so sure of herself. She subconsiously ran her hand over her short cropped hair. Now she was nothing.
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