Role
Blood of Giants, Blood of Whores
Added Sat Mar 17 19:18:27 2012 at level 10:
The whore reclined on the stone bench, grimacing. The Halls
beneath Akan were no place for a woman to die, at least not
a human woman. The Stone's Embrace may be a fitting final
clutch for a Dwarf, but she was no Dwarf.
She beckoned for her son to approach. The child stepped
foward, propelled more by the fear of the chanting in the
chamber behind them than the sound of his mother's voice.
She reached out a hand and put it on the back of his head.
"I know I've not been what I should, and I'm paying for that
now. Here, under the mountain, instead of the sky. I'm young
still..."
She gasped and squeezed his hair. The boy was large for his
three years, but was still every inch a child. He began to
shake.
"They'll let me die, the Dwarves, as they love their gold more
than they value a whore's life. Remember that of them. But
I'll not have you thinking you're naught but a whoreson. I've
not been spreading here for these creatures my whole life.
Your father was a good man, and he had a Giant's blood in him."
The boy's eyes widened. The information was coming in ragged
shreds of breath, too much to take in at once.
"He was a man, but a big one, with hair as white as snow,
though he weren't yet old. His Ma, your Grandma, were
a Cloud Giant, for sure."
She grimaced again, sweat pooling in the hollows beneath her
eyes.
"Listen, John. Some men let fate carry them like a river.
They're liable to get tossed up upon the rocks or carried over
the falls. They're slaves to it, sure as other men are slaves
to drink and others to the snake between their legs. Thing is,
they're liable to get tossed up onto the rocks or carried over
the falls, treating life like that. I've not learned much in
my weary life, and what I did came too late, but I do know that
you've got to carve your own destiny, lest you end up dying in
a place like this."
She gripped her side and gritted her teeth.
"It'll not do for you to stay here. You belong out under the
sky. He taught me some words of your people, your father. That's
what they are, your people. Listen well, John."
She began to speak then in a language that sounded like wind
on snow and did not close her eyes until he could repeat it
all back.
The Other Imperial Recruiters
Added Sat Mar 17 19:23:33 2012 at level 10:
The Imperial Recruiter who travels among the protected towns is
a well known figure, but he is merely the visible face of a
larger sect. Smaller than the main sects, but not so small as
some others, The Recruiters take their jobs quite seriously.
But not all recruting is done with boasts and promises. And not
every recruit is given the bloodoath. The Empire needs chattel
and that's where these men come in.
The Empire needs men for a thousand tasks, tasks that no citizen
would be expected to perform. It needs women for breeding with
the Bulls, among a thousand other unspeakable duties. And it
needs children, for not every being the council does duty with
accepts gold in payment.
Some of these men speak sweetly and pull candy from their sleeves.
Others say nothing as they toss net and start in with a stout stick.
You'll not find them in the protected cities, that's for sure, but
poke long enough through Udgaard or Arkham and you'll see them.
Dagdan and Darien are on their rounds and they pass through places
like Akan as well.
What happens to their charges is not well known, for once taken
they are rarely seen outside of The Imperial Lands. They are hard
to miss, though, for shortly after capture they are marked about
the face with the symbol of The Imperial Codex.
Men can seek to heed their mothers' dying words and forge their
own destinies, but often times children, even large ones, can
be caught in the whirlpool of fate and find themselves thus marked,
permanently, as property of The Empire.
An Imperial Lament
Added Sun Mar 18 13:57:44 2012 at level 12:
Zorn, head of the so-called "expedition," had begun to rue
the day he had taken The Bloodoath. He could no longer
tell if this fiasco was part of The Emperor's madness or if
the cursed Specter accompanying the caravan was the true
source of this misery.
Blades hated Blacks, this was well known, but each night
in his tent Zorn found himself wishing that an Ice Wyrm
would swallow the damn Death-Mage, or at the very least,
himself.
On the surface the task was simple enough: Transport one-
hundred Imperial slaves and a garrison of twenty Sheathed
Blades to an Imperial Outreach named Frostfingers. It had
been, five Emperors ago, a village of Cloud Giants or was
it Frost Giants, Zorn could never remember. An Imperial
assault had left the locals dead or driven away and it had
become one of the most far-flung outposts of The Empire.
The slaves, fify men, forty women, and ten children had
dwindled to about sixty all-told due to the cold. The
garrison was down to eighteen. One had been taken by a wolf.
Zorn was nearly certain the Specter had taken the other.
What a cursed lot this was.
He could not glean what the purpose of this misery was, but
it was not his place to question the Elite who had handed
him the papers, emblazoned with the Codex and stamped with
the seal of The Emperor. Why had he not joined The Blood
Tribunal? He could be sipping wine in Seantryn Modan at this
very moment, not freezing his balls off at the end of the
world.
The Spectre's Secrets
Added Sun Mar 18 14:11:21 2012 at level 12:
The cold could not touch Deletemescrio, Elite Imperial Warlock,
half-dead for nearly a century, but frustration could. This was
his mission, on direct orders from the Emperor, who was eager to
have, again, a Lich on the council.
Frostfingers was a ruse. It was believed that the Empire held
the outpost for less than a year before the Giants returned
in force, but it was never their destination. Promises of
Bloodoath for the slaves and promotions for the Blades were as
empty as this forsaken wasteland.
Not far from the one-time outpost was an ice cave. Deep within
dwelt a Greater Ice-Devil whom was rumored to have, in his
posession, the dessicated (and now frozen) hand of the long-
missing lich Bestatter. The Specter believed that this hand,
along with a cetain axe, and a few other hard to obtain
items would be the key to his Undeath.
The problem was that the Devil was presumed to want a hundred
sacrifices. They were down to seventy-eight. Seventy-nine if
he counted the idiot Zorn. There would be more, but he could
hardly help himself when the hunger was upon him. He hoped
the remaining blades would offset the lack of slaves. If there
was any trouble he planned on recalling himself to civilization
and letting the slaves and Blades fend for themselves.
His thoughts were deep in this when the Giants struck.
Giants
Added Thu Mar 22 09:26:32 2012 at level 20:
There were no giants. Then there were. As quickly as a cloud passes
across the sun, suddenly the giants were upon them. Zorn fell
quickly, a shout of "Repel..." dying on his lips. The Blades were
routed in moments, smashed down by great maces or cold, pale hands.
The Specter muttered foul words under his breath and sores opened
up on a few of them, but quickly uttered other words to send himself
home.
It was over in minutes. The Giants were simple folk, but had an
acute sense of danger. They knew what the Codex represented and
smashed it where they saw it. Unfortunately for the slaves, they bore
the Codex on their faces.
One of the Rangers among them tended to the scourged with icy herbs.
He then began to search the wreckage. As he turned over what remained
of a carriage he exposed the last remaining survivor, a slave, a human
boy. The Ranger drew back his staff to smash the marked child and spare
his lands the whatever taint this group had planned to bring upon them.
Then he heard the words the child was speaking. Shaking, terrified, the
boy was uttering a breathless stream of words in the Giants' own tongue.
The Ranger called his chief over.
Among Giants
Added Thu Mar 22 09:28:44 2012 at level 20:
Later, around the steaming spring that was the geographic and social
center of their village, the giants discussed what to do with the human
child, who was insisting, in their language, in between bites of boiled
reindeer that he was of one blood with them. "John," he said his name
was, gnawing the meat off the bone.
"Jawn," the chief told the assembled giants, perhaps had enough giant
blood to fill his foot, but no more. "Jawn Foote" they called him
thereafter as they eventually decided to not kill him and to return him
to the lands of men at their earliest convenience.
But they were feral giants of the tundra and convenience did not come
easily to them. It would be almost twelve years before the marked
Jawn Foot would be returned to people his own size.
During those years he learned of the harsh life on the ice, of the ways
of giants and of the ways of men, especially men who carried the mark
he bore on his cheek.
There were the dangers of the ice, of yetis and dire icewolves invisible
against the snow, but these were the dangers of an hour, of a day. The
Codex represented the danger of an eternity, a danger that would turn
the ice black with soot and send giants and wolves alike to the very
edges of the world.
Gradually the blood of his foot filled his whole body.
Fate
Added Sun Jul 8 09:17:26 2012 at level 39:
Jawn Foote's views on Fate have been formed over a lifetime of varied
experiences.Each step along the way, among Dwarf, Giant, or whip-cracking
Imperial has shaped these views.
1. Fate is very real. For most men their path is laid out ahead of them
as surely as the long road that leads from Galadon to Hamsah. They are
born, serve their roles (often the same as their father before them) and
they die, their children growing to follow in the same ruts on the same
path. The Winds of Fate blow them directly and surely down these roads.
2. Any man can harness his Fate as a sailing ship harnesses the winds.
Now, this is not the same as controlling one's destiny, as that is
impossible. But one can gather the winds of fate and steer oneself off
the plotted course.
3. Once off course anything can happen. A man who has harnessed the Winds
of Fate is an unlimited man.
4. This will usually end in sorrow and tragedy, for the shores of Fate
are rocky and treacherous.
Freedom
Added Sun Jul 8 09:19:18 2012 at level 39:
Jawn Foote is not so naive as to think that simply because one swears no
oaths and sleeps where one wants that one is free.
Jawn Foote is not so naive to think that simply finding a branch in The
Refuge makes one free. Freer than most, often, even among the Tree-folk
there are those who forge their own chains daily.
He believes that only the man who harnesses the Winds of Fate AND learns
to steer himself is truly Free. He hopes to one day learn to do this.
As such, he feels that Freedom is accessible to anyone. That no Theran
soul is ever so bound that they cannot become Free. Giving up the visible
chains is the firststep. Giving up the chains of words and deed are the
next. Beyond that there is hope for anyone, be they Dwarf or Duergar,
Death Knight or Necromancer, anyone who lives can be freed.
Fortune
Added Sun Jul 8 09:20:40 2012 at level 39:
The Savage gave Jawn Foote a bag of bones.
Rolling the dice Jawn Foote was dismayed. Bad Luck, Bad Luck, Bad Luck
with each cast. He tries to harness the Winds of his Fate, but this is
the same as a sailor seeing a storm on the horizon. He may still steer
his boat, but things will soon grow rough.
This is to be expected, though. He is ready to make his final push for
knowledge, to learn to be a bird, a bear. This does not come easily and
only a fool would expect that the sun will shine each day of their
journey.
There has been some good fortune, though. Jawn Foote feels now the
presence of The Ancients more clearly than ever. This is quite a step for
a man born in stone halls under a mountain who did not even hear tell of
such things until he was a young man.
There is much to do, much to see now.
PK Wins
Mar 26, 2012|Lv 26|Balator|Wreldin vs 1: Jawn (100%, flaming bite)
Mar 29, 2012|Lv 29|Galadonian Settlement|Abrohel vs 1: Jawn (100%, crushing force)
Apr 2, 2012 |Lv 34|The Tahril Mountains|Perr vs 1: Jawn (100%, beating)
Apr 21, 2012|Lv 35|The Eastern Road|Draegur vs 1: Jawn (100%, thorns)
Apr 21, 2012|Lv 35|The Eastern Road|Gof vs 1: Jawn (100%, beating)
Apr 21, 2012|Lv 35|The Eastern Road|Gof vs 1: Jawn (100%, cleave)
Apr 23, 2012|Lv 36|East Sumner's Road|Grunduk vs 1: Jawn (100%, thorns)
Jun 13, 2012|Lv 37|The Outlander Refuge|Kengo vs 1: Jawn (100%, thorns)
Jun 13, 2012|Lv 37|Forest of Prosimy|Nythos vs 5: Dalnik (51%, claw), Tarlita (28%), Kengo (16%), Julliane (0%), Jawn (3%)
Jun 13, 2012|Lv 37|Forest of Prosimy|Kengo vs 2: Nythos (0%), Jawn (100%, thorns)
Jun 19, 2012|Lv 38|The Eastern Road|Hujnac vs 1: Jawn (100%, flaming bite)
Jun 30, 2012|Lv 38|Udgaard|Grikton vs 2: Kengo (97%, parting blow), Jawn (2%)
Jul 6, 2012 |Lv 39|The Battlefield|Rahmas vs 1: Jawn (100%, cleave)
Jul 7, 2012 |Lv 39|The Eastern Road|Xyzctak vs 1: Jawn (100%, lightning bolt)
Jul 12, 2012|Lv 39|The Eastern Road|Ruhkas vs 1: Jawn (100%, lightning bolt)
Jul 14, 2012|Lv 39|The Grove|Hagmish vs 1: Jawn (100%, claw)
Jul 18, 2012|Lv 40|Forest of Prosimy|Oashao vs 1: Jawn (100%, bite)
Jul 21, 2012|Lv 40|Outlying Villages|Pietruk vs 1: Jawn (100%, fire seed)
Jul 24, 2012|Lv 40|Darsylon|Xirroc vs 1: Jawn (100%, divine power)
Aug 3, 2012 |Lv 40|The Eastern Road|Hael vs 1: Jawn (100%, slice)
Aug 3, 2012 |Lv 40|The Eastern Road|Yvaritas vs 1: Jawn (100%, thorns)
Aug 9, 2012 |Lv 43|East Sumner's Road|Ficks vs 1: Jawn (100%, thorns)
Aug 20, 2012|Lv 48|Mount Kiadana-Rah|Ackor vs 2: Uggah (33%), Jawn (66%, bite)
Aug 26, 2012|Lv 51|Valley of Veran|Kurbrawn vs 3: Uggah (39%), Jawn (25%, thorns), Balete (34%)
Aug 26, 2012|Lv 51|Valley of Veran|Cabreskal vs 2: Jawn (4%), Balete (95%, avalanche)
Aug 26, 2012|Lv 51|Blackclaw Village|Gharotuer vs 2: Balete (79%, defilement), Jawn (20%)
Sep 3, 2012 |Lv 51|The North Road|Krunk vs 2: Balete (73%, icy needle), Jawn (26%)
Sep 3, 2012 |Lv 51|Eaststride Road|Abiritha vs 3: Dreatide (20%), Jawn (11%, poisonous bite), Tulay (68%)
Sep 3, 2012 |Lv 51|The Eastern Road|Kuglib vs 2: Dreatide (37%, torments), Jawn (62%)
Sep 3, 2012 |Lv 51|The Dragon Sea|Dhavid vs 3: Dreatide (44%, slash), Jawn (31%), Jastai (23%)
Sep 4, 2012 |Lv 51|Forest of Prosimy|Ezgrint vs 3: Balete (69%), Jawn (21%, thorns), Seidalren (9%)
Sep 12, 2012|Lv 51|The Outlander Refuge|Cabakso vs 1: Jawn (100%, lightning bolt)
Sep 17, 2012|Lv 51|Udgaardian Plains|Rylogax vs 2: Oshui (70%, bite), Jawn (29%)
Sep 17, 2012|Lv 51|Darsylon|Uhgtohg vs 3: Rishar (4%), Oshui (51%, bite), Jawn (43%)
Sep 19, 2012|Lv 51|Pine Forest|Perr vs 1: Jawn (100%, bite)
Sep 27, 2012|Lv 51|The Redhorn Mountains|Jinjer vs 2: Oshui (59%, claw), Jawn (40%)
Oct 1, 2012 |Lv 51|The Outlander Refuge|Purmodin vs 1: Jawn (100%, thorns)
Oct 1, 2012 |Lv 51|The Outlander Refuge|Gorliz vs 2: Mlenarv (43%), Jawn (56%, smash)
Oct 5, 2012 |Lv 51|Emerald Forest|Boggdok vs 4: Klik (17%), Jawn (0%), Bardor (2%), Gorliz (79%, KB)
Oct 5, 2012 |Lv 51|Feanwyyn Weald|Klik vs 2: Trenforl (96%, lightning bolt), Jawn (3%)
Oct 5, 2012 |Lv 51|Feanwyyn Weald|Gorliz vs 3: Mlenarv (14%), Trenforl (48%, beating), Jawn (37%)
Oct 5, 2012 |Lv 51|Azreth Wood|Azcith vs 1: Jawn (100%, bite)
Oct 12, 2012|Lv 51|The Outlander Refuge|Klik vs 2: Jawn (90%, KB), Nariel (9%)
Oct 19, 2012|Lv 51|The Imperial Palace|Lethrivus vs 3: Jawn (3%), Grippledank (91%, smash), Dranier (4%)
Oct 24, 2012|Lv 51|Galadon|Xupreth vs 3: Buereunus (0%), Grippledank (78%, disruption), Jawn (21%)
Oct 29, 2012|Lv 51|The Redhorn Mountains|Simo vs 2: Jawn (41%, claw), Buereunus (58%)
Oct 31, 2012|Lv 51|Feanwyyn Weald|Vira vs 1: Jawn (100%, bite)
Nov 5, 2012 |Lv 51|Silverwood|Purmodin vs 2: Jawn (23%), Grippledank (76%, disruption)
Nov 26, 2012|Lv 51|Evermoon Hollow|Itijinithili vs 1: Jawn (100%, bite)
Nov 26, 2012|Lv 51|The Spire of the Blood Tribunal|Purmodin vs 5: Jawn (16%), Lindara (36%, crush), Melindi (0%), Nostariel (16%), Ickael (30%)
Nov 29, 2012|Lv 51|The Ruins of Ostalagiah|Charrolit vs 3: Zarkyem (84%, crush), Jawn (7%), Jesp (8%)
Dec 22, 2012|Lv 51|Loch Terradian|Drak vs 1: Jawn (100%, thorns)
Jan 6, 2013 |Lv 51|The Skies above Thera|Zhenyen vs 2: [51] Jawn (6%), [51] Rostrak (93%, holy light)
Jan 8, 2013 |Lv 51|Mount Kiadana-Rah|Gharlurg vs 3: [51] Isyzk (95%, serpent strike), [51] Rydell (0%), [51] Jawn (4%)
Jan 17, 2013|Lv 51|BattleRager Village|Aliimbaba vs 2: [51] Jawn (5%), [41] Bholur (94%, beating)
Jan 19, 2013|Lv 51|The Outlander Refuge|Hoklemthurg vs 2: [51] Buereunus (14%, KB), [51] Jawn (85%)
Jan 22, 2013|Lv 51|The Imperial Palace|Charice vs 2: [51] Jawn (36%), [51] Rostrak (63%, shield jab)
Jan 25, 2013|Lv 51|Forest of Prosimy|Hoklemthurg vs 3: [48] Aiala (22%, beating), [44] Keeshnar (18%), [51] Jawn (58%)
Jan 28, 2013|Lv 51|The Eastern Road|Fuarg vs 1: [51] Jawn (100%, lightning bolt)
Jan 29, 2013|Lv 51|The Redhorn Mountains|Kraldinor vs 2: [51] Jawn (26%, bite), [51] Merrol (73%)
Jan 30, 2013|Lv 51|Forest of Prosimy|Urses vs 3: [51] Rostrak (6%), [51] Auldr (28%), [51] Jawn (65%, beating)
Feb 12, 2013|Lv 51|The Grove|Koumahtel vs 2: [36] Oaneewke (15%), [51] Jawn (84%, thorns)
Feb 16, 2013|Lv 51|The Skies above Thera|Hoklemthurg vs 1: [51] Jawn (100%, bite)
Feb 19, 2013|Lv 51|The Spire of the Blood Tribunal|Dontello vs 1: [51] Jawn (100%, magic)
Mar 2, 2013 |Lv 51|The Consortium|Vhateel vs 1: [51] Jawn (100%, lightning bolt)
Mar 5, 2013 |Lv 51|Feanwyyn Weald|Cradditch vs 1: [51] Jawn (100%, thorns)
Mar 20, 2013|Lv 51|The Outlander Refuge|Junrae vs 2: [37] Obaki (1%), [51] Jawn (98%, thorns)
Mar 22, 2013|Lv 51|Forest of Prosimy|Urgraj vs 3: [51] Sindevindin (22%), [51] Jawn (29%, swarm of insects), [51] Irelorn (47%)
Mar 22, 2013|Lv 51|Forest of Prosimy|Drahnik vs 2: [51] Irelorn (51%, acidic bite), [51] Jawn (48%)
Mar 23, 2013|Lv 51|The Battlefield|Urgraj vs 1: [51] Jawn (100%, lightning bolt)
Mar 24, 2013|Lv 51|The Spire of the Blood Tribunal|Junrae vs 3: [51] Nyst (5%), [51] Jawn (31%), [51] Ekaerok (62%, crush)
Mar 24, 2013|Lv 51|Forest of Prosimy|Urgraj vs 2: [51] Jawn (28%, fire seed), [51] Ekaerok (71%)
Mar 26, 2013|Lv 51|Voralian City|Kraldinor vs 3: [51] Belendithas (0%), [51] Ekaerok (76%), [51] Jawn (23%, smash)
Mar 26, 2013|Lv 51|The Redhorn Mountains|Siinafay vs 1: [51] Jawn (100%, thorns)
Mar 26, 2013|Lv 51|The Ruins of Ostalagiah|Hoklemthurg vs 1: [51] Jawn (100%, claw)
Apr 2, 2013 |Lv 51|The Skies above Thera|Drahnik vs 3: [51] Ekaerok (73%, slash), [51] Jawn (11%), [51] Irelorn (15%)
Apr 5, 2013 |Lv 51|The Imperial Lands|Goryn vs 1: [51] Jawn (100%, claw)
Apr 5, 2013 |Lv 51|The Imperial Palace|Goryn vs 2: [51] Jawn (62%, gore), [51] Ekaerok (37%)
Apr 18, 2013|Lv 51|Forest of Prosimy|Kraldinor vs 3: [51] Jawn (0%), [51] Mendos (41%), [51] Koa (57%, sting)
Apr 18, 2013|Lv 51|The Eastern Road|Zauhdlik vs 2: [51] Jawn (23%, lightning bolt), [51] Koa (76%)
Apr 19, 2013|Lv 51|The Nexus Island|Thoraladin vs 4: [51] Ekaerok (28%, slash), [51] Jawn (22%), [51] Koa (0%), [51] Nyst (49%)
Apr 20, 2013|Lv 51|Mount Kiadana-Rah|Pegnir vs 1: [51] Jawn (100%, lightning bolt)
Apr 20, 2013|Lv 51|Mount Kiadana-Rah|Haepmith vs 1: [51] Jawn (100%, bite)
Apr 20, 2013|Lv 51|Forest of Prosimy|Bharhum vs 4: [49] Ekeanthias (2%), [51] Ekaerok (78%, slice), [50] Iacegr (5%), [51] Jawn (13%)
Apr 22, 2013|Lv 51|The Imperial Palace|Drond vs 5: [51] Brakrar (4%), [51] Jawn (34%, smash), [48] Irineth (4%), [40] Dasha (56%), [51] Oshui (0%)
Apr 23, 2013|Lv 51|The Skies above Thera|Haepmith vs 2: [51] Jawn (0%), [51] Oshui (99%, bite)
Apr 23, 2013|Lv 51|The Ruins of Ostalagiah|Kazalyettn vs 3: [41] Vicereaa (34%, cleave), [51] Jawn (51%), [47] Soief (13%)
Apr 23, 2013|Lv 51|The Skies above Thera|Haepmith vs 4: [51] Jawn (0%), [47] Soief (31%), [51] Listard (26%), [51] Cabrefen (41%, critical hit)
Apr 25, 2013|Lv 51|The Dragon Sea|Madoc vs 1: [51] Jawn (100%, lightning bolt)