He stopped, turning around to glance at the stake to stare at the corpse and the skull. His nerves calmed, his mind having returned to some measure of objectivity. This was the third of such happenings that he had encountered. It was clear it was meant to be a message of sorts from the way it was planted on the trail. His own people had a habit of destroying what they could of the black ones’ weapons and armour that they could not scrap or salvage and leaving the piles at the edges of the mountains, so the practise was not unfamiliar.
“What is the intention?†Kasrjin questioned. A warning? For whom? Or what? For Au Ra like him?
It was confusing. Perhaps it was a totem of sorts. It was barbaric, but not particularly unusual for errant knights to have dressed the corpse of their enemy to celebrate their victory. The Xaela wrinkled his nose at the idea of practising such uncivilized habits.
“It is...odd,†he admitted, though he said little more. His hand demanded that he reach for his sword out of instinct. It was obvious that this series of killings had some kind of implicit threat behind them. But what that was? He did not know. Perhaps even more disconcertingly, he did not know if it was his place to investigate.
Though his gauntleted hand was only just hovering above the handle of his sword, it clasped the hilt of the weapon almost immediately upon hearing steps crunch in the snow.
Rounding the bluff that was opposite of the grisly stake was a group of knights, armed with bows and lances and armoured in tarnished chainmail. It was a mix of Hyur and Elezen, though the apparent leader of the group was easily distinguished by the difference in dress and armament. The Elezen held a severe expression that was visible even beneath the beaked draconian visor. His elaborate armour was adorned in black scales, arranged beneath trimmed plates of deep violet. Affixed to the leader’s back was an impressive-looking lance, adorned with a familiar pattern and flanged with elaborate wings.
They froze as they saw Kasrjin. So too, did he freeze, though he was quick to remove his hand from the hilt of his sword.
Discourse first.
The leader glanced between the Au Ra and the wagon before clicking his tongue. “And to think, we had set about to venture forth to seek our errant supplies.†The dragoon’s visor turned towards the paladin standing near the wagon. “Do I have the pleasure of assuming that you are the sellsword…†A pause and a glance towards the Au Ra. “Sellswords responsible for supplying the Convictory this morn?â€
The Convictory knights behind him were noticeably tense, some of them having clearly never seen an Au Ra before.
Kasrjin stepped back in an effort not to present himself as a threat, standing somewhat behind the front of the wagon. He had stiffened in wariness as well, but at the least his arms lay rigid at his sides.
The dragoon glanced at a few of the knights behind him, jabbing an arm out. “Ser Sarrasin, Ser Porter. If you would be so kind, take your squads north and east respectively. If our mark appears, we will need eyes on it wherever we can. Watch the Black Iron Bridge and the Coerthas River.†Two of the Convictory knights gave a brief salute--arms stamped against their chests--before gesturing to others. What had once been a large armed mob had dissipated to the dragoon and a handful of other armoured individuals.
The draconian visor turned to the grisly totem with the aevis and the skull, shaking his head. “I did not expect to see another. And so close to the Convictory, as well. How barbaric.†His visored gaze shot towards the Au Ra who had shuffled behind the wagon. “I would be correct in assuming this is not your handiwork, no?†And to the paladin. “Nor yours?†A brief pause before he spoke again before either could answer. “I suspected not.†A wave of the hand. “Explain your delay. Besides the blizzard.†Though Kasrjin could not see the Elezen’s eyes, he felt them sweeping the wagon. “Why are there only two of you? As I recall, Ser Tournes promised a band to help us reinforce our perimeter for a time.â€
“What is the intention?†Kasrjin questioned. A warning? For whom? Or what? For Au Ra like him?
It was confusing. Perhaps it was a totem of sorts. It was barbaric, but not particularly unusual for errant knights to have dressed the corpse of their enemy to celebrate their victory. The Xaela wrinkled his nose at the idea of practising such uncivilized habits.
“It is...odd,†he admitted, though he said little more. His hand demanded that he reach for his sword out of instinct. It was obvious that this series of killings had some kind of implicit threat behind them. But what that was? He did not know. Perhaps even more disconcertingly, he did not know if it was his place to investigate.
Though his gauntleted hand was only just hovering above the handle of his sword, it clasped the hilt of the weapon almost immediately upon hearing steps crunch in the snow.
Rounding the bluff that was opposite of the grisly stake was a group of knights, armed with bows and lances and armoured in tarnished chainmail. It was a mix of Hyur and Elezen, though the apparent leader of the group was easily distinguished by the difference in dress and armament. The Elezen held a severe expression that was visible even beneath the beaked draconian visor. His elaborate armour was adorned in black scales, arranged beneath trimmed plates of deep violet. Affixed to the leader’s back was an impressive-looking lance, adorned with a familiar pattern and flanged with elaborate wings.
They froze as they saw Kasrjin. So too, did he freeze, though he was quick to remove his hand from the hilt of his sword.
Discourse first.
The leader glanced between the Au Ra and the wagon before clicking his tongue. “And to think, we had set about to venture forth to seek our errant supplies.†The dragoon’s visor turned towards the paladin standing near the wagon. “Do I have the pleasure of assuming that you are the sellsword…†A pause and a glance towards the Au Ra. “Sellswords responsible for supplying the Convictory this morn?â€
The Convictory knights behind him were noticeably tense, some of them having clearly never seen an Au Ra before.
Kasrjin stepped back in an effort not to present himself as a threat, standing somewhat behind the front of the wagon. He had stiffened in wariness as well, but at the least his arms lay rigid at his sides.
The dragoon glanced at a few of the knights behind him, jabbing an arm out. “Ser Sarrasin, Ser Porter. If you would be so kind, take your squads north and east respectively. If our mark appears, we will need eyes on it wherever we can. Watch the Black Iron Bridge and the Coerthas River.†Two of the Convictory knights gave a brief salute--arms stamped against their chests--before gesturing to others. What had once been a large armed mob had dissipated to the dragoon and a handful of other armoured individuals.
The draconian visor turned to the grisly totem with the aevis and the skull, shaking his head. “I did not expect to see another. And so close to the Convictory, as well. How barbaric.†His visored gaze shot towards the Au Ra who had shuffled behind the wagon. “I would be correct in assuming this is not your handiwork, no?†And to the paladin. “Nor yours?†A brief pause before he spoke again before either could answer. “I suspected not.†A wave of the hand. “Explain your delay. Besides the blizzard.†Though Kasrjin could not see the Elezen’s eyes, he felt them sweeping the wagon. “Why are there only two of you? As I recall, Ser Tournes promised a band to help us reinforce our perimeter for a time.â€
