The incident at the Prancing Pony

Events, event planning and evaluation.

The incident at the Prancing Pony

Postby Sayvara » Wed May 16, 2007 10:57 am

Word quickly got out among the members of the Company that Emberyn had a little celebration planned. Things had been going good for her lately and the heavy armor she had ordered was finally finished for her to use. Hence: ale at the Prancing Pony! The group took one of the side rooms for themselves and settled in for a good evening. Emberyn was buying drinks for all and the group soon had practially everyone there with the exception of Lirandel who was - as usual - out on important business. One can easilly see why he elected to designate an officer to the Company to run things for him. While there Sayvara also presented Adjanah with a couple of shining new daggers... with a mental note to herself to also get Emberyn a new sword. Another hike to get the iron will be necessary.

Anyway... soon the talk came to training. Archibold told a few riddles to jog the mind... the effect of which when under the influence of alcohol can be debated. ;) In the midst of that, Sayvara also seemed to ask a riddle, though this mostly seemed to go unheard. Shortly thereafter she seemed to lose some of her high spirit and sat simply watching the fireplace while the other continued their ale-fueled debates. She soon left the room and headed for the main room of the Pony.

(( Here starts what happened off-screen ))

After Sayvara had left the room she didn't come back... however those that went out to Barliman for more ale/drinks could easilly spot her in the main room, seemingly wanting some time to herself. All and well so far...

But about an hour later, upset voices can suddenly be heard... one of them seems to be Sayvara working up a fervour. There is a heated argument going on and Sayvara can be heard warning someone to "Back off!". Those that have gotten to know her recently can easilly tell that she is in no mood for horseplay... things are about to go very sour.

And indeed they do. The rest of the Black Thorns step out in the main room of the Prancing Pony just in time to see Sayvara reach for an ale stein on the table and swing it in a backhand with all her strength. The golden beverage flies in a foaming spray onto those nearby. The crunching, teethshattering THUD as the bottom of the large tin mug makes contact with a man's right cheek can be felt just as well as heard. He flies to the side and lands on one of the long tables. It holds but everything on it is broken or spilled.

The Prancing Pony explodes in chaos. Some scramble to get out of the way. Others yell upset at I) being splashed with ale II) the violence III) losing their food and drinks IV) all of the above. Sayvara lunges for the man. A few brave souls try to get in her way and are partially successful as they manage to slow her down until the rest of the Company elbows their way through the crowd and grab hold of her.

Three things are unmistakably clear about her state of mind: she is very drunk; she is absolutely furious; and she will kill this man now if not contained, no matter the consequences. By the time the strongest in the Company manage to start dragging her out of the tavern she shouts at the man something to the effect of that she will hunt down his "hero captain" and bury him in a march somewhere. The man she attacked spits a large bloody glob, decorated with a couple of teeth, after her and swears something unintelligable.

While you haul her off to another inn to let her calm down and eventually sleep off the drunkedness she gives little detail about what it was all about. You will have to ask her when she wakes up...



/S
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Postby Adjanah » Wed May 16, 2007 12:06 pm

*rolls her eyes and lets the other drag the foaming Sayv off, while Adj proceeds to try and calm down Barliman the proprietor, paying off the damages, promising it won't happen again*
*stalks after the others with a low, exasperated growl*
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Postby Lirandel » Wed May 16, 2007 7:45 pm

(Interesting...)
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Postby Sayvara » Wed May 16, 2007 8:06 pm

To summarize...

Adjanah wakes Sayvara some time after lunch with the help of a bucket of water. They have a bit of a chat. Together they walk back to Bree and step into the Prancing Pony... only to be met by Barliman who immedialy loses whatever little of his good spirit he had managed to work up in the morning. He gives the two a scolding that makes Sayvara cringe and Adjanah hide behind Say.

He blames both for what turned out to be a Pony-wide bar brawl that left two tables wrecked, a couple of barrels of wine busted and several bottles of cognac broken... not to mention one torn down chandelier. After talking sweetly to him and making amends by helping to clean up a bit of the mess they manage to not get themselves or the Thorns permanently banned from the Prancing Pony. We may return, under the condition that we are not responsible for breaking as much as a wine glass.



/S
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Postby Haelewulf » Thu May 17, 2007 3:29 am

I turn my back for an instant...
*winks and grins*
- Haelewulf
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Postby Sayvara » Fri May 18, 2007 11:31 pm

The elf set his gaze on the darkskinned gondroian woman. Word had quickly gotten around about the incident at the Prancing Pony and it didn't take long for him to find out the sequence of events and most importantly - in his view - who threw the first punch.

- So lieutenant... do you care to explain your 'lack of etiquette'?

Sayvara looked away from his marbled demeanor and crossed her arms defensively.

- Wasn't my fault chief. The guy asked for a broken jaw.

Lirandel's voice quickly grew impatient and his eyes narrowed.

- That does not answer my question Aellan...

- He provoked me! He just kept on pushing me... asking for that fight! So I gave him that.

She was clearly avoiding the question and Lirandel had had about enough.

- Let me ask you a simple question: Do you want the rest of the Black Thorns take your orders.

She avoided his gaze again... mumbling something affirmative. But the captain was out of patience, raising his voice.

- Answer the question lieutenant!

She snaped herself up in an attension stance.

- Yes I do chief!

- Then you will bloody well learn to control your temper, or you will be kicked out of this outfit so fast you won't even know what happened! You got that?!

She clenched her teeth... the muscles of her jaw moved on her cheek... her anger and humiliation at being put in her place like a little girl making her cheeks flush.

- Yes chief...

- I don't care if he asked you to hop up on his lap naked or if he called you a whore of little repute. You messed up with a vengance! You will follow your orders like everyone else which includes honoring the very same code as the others. Have I made myself clear?!

She looked at him, shivering with rage.

- Aye sir. I'll be real good. The next time someone steps up to me and taunts me for being raped, makes fun of my friend being murdered and laughs at me for the perp still walking the lands, I'll be a real good girl.

- Don't give me that! So you ego is hurt? Pah! We have larger things to worry about than one single criminal and his loudmouthed friends.

The elf cursed in elvish... something he hadn't done in a long time. Sayvara swallowed... trying to keep the tears down.

- With all due respect... you have no idea what you are talking about. This has nothing to do with pride! This is evil in its purest form infesting our lands! This is just as bad as any invading army... no, worse! Because it happens every day! If the Black Thorns will not act against this then this unit is not what I signed up for. Then it runs and hides from danger and evil and...

Lirandel snaps back at her...

- Be quiet! Your hidden agenda and thirst for revenge is nothing compared to the larger stakes at hand! You almost ruined everything!

- Sure... what do I know. I'm just a woman with hurt pride...

- Shut up!

With tears running from the corners of her eyes she complied.

- Now... I what a full written report on what the hell happened at the Prancing Pony and I want it immediatly! And do not be so presumtptous at to lecture me about evil, child! This petty squabble is nothing compared to the greater schemes at hand. Get that into your head lieutenant. You're dismissed

- Aye sir...

She turned on the spot and walked - or rather stomped - out of the room. The elf looked after her as she left, his face more stonecarved than ever.



/S
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Postby Adjanah » Sat May 19, 2007 12:40 am

How can anyone not love us? :D
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Postby Sayvara » Sat May 19, 2007 1:08 am

- Aellan, what the freck is this?! I asked for a report, not a bloody novel!!

- In order for you to comprehend my report and see it in the correct light, I have provided all necessary details.

- But...

- It will all be clear when you read it.

The elf sighs and checks the time... this will take longer than he anticipated.


As you are well aware, I hail from Minas Tirith, "The White City", the capital and military center of Gondor. My parents were export/import merchants in cloth and clothes, a business started by my grandparents. The enterprise picked up about the time I was ten years old and they started moving up the social ladder... or rather tried to move up I should say. Old money gains a helluva lot more respect than new money and newcomers such as them are not very welcome by the oldtimers in the ranks. Don't ask me to get into details there... it's just the ways of us humans.

Their struggle to gain the respect of the elite of Minas Tirith wasn't exactly helped by their rebellious daugher, i.e. me. One could hardly call me a model child. I found their attempts to "snob up" quite rediculous and I often expressed this in various ways, not only to my dear mum and dad but also to those they tried to impress, much to my parents chagrin. They spent so much time doing this that I found it to be not just amusing in their inadvertant self-ridicule, but it also to be taking time from their parenting. Not to sound like the whining victim of a bad childhood, but I sometimes really wish they had paid me a bit more attention.

Things didn't improve as I grew through my teens. They tried to appease me with material wealth and rich silliness. I was not impressed. One hardly becomes happier from getting a new silk dress every other week, nor fancy dress balls, and certainly not the annoying private tutors they insisted I get my education from. The only one I really fancied was the swordsman but that was mostly because he had - what I thought at the time - a really fine looking physique. He was a former infantry man who spent his time getting a bit of money flashing his blade and naked torso to the noblesse. Guess it beat chasing orcs and wights in the barrows. Anyway, he taught me basic swordfighting and I liked that. While my new "friends" that my parents tried to get me to associate with disgusted me by always playing Weak & Vulnerable Damsels around him, I prefered to actually give him a bit of a match. It didn't dawn on me until later that he was in fact quite inept with the steel and if I met him today I would have him on his knees within a few seconds.

Meanwhile mom and dad where getting more frustrated by the minute. They tried yelling at me, and I yelled back. They grounded me, and I would sneak out. They tried taking away my "priveleges", and I promptly ignored that to go hang with my old friends in the lower levels of Minas Tirith. This continued with ever increasing intensity until their old friend captain Maerinda got her eyes on me. She convinced them that a bit of dicipline and hard work would probably do me good. So with that suggestion and with a bit of helpful string-pulling by her, my parents enrolled me into the Academy of War at the Minas Tirith garrison. I was sixteen years old by the time I first set foot in the (in)famous "Hero Forge".



(( More to come ))
Last edited by Sayvara on Fri Jun 01, 2007 11:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby Sayvara » Mon May 21, 2007 11:22 pm

The report, part II

The Academy of War tries to maintain a reputation for taking in the best and making them even better. Officially they accept people of different origin, wealth, gender, nationality and even race. Elf, dwarf, human... it is not suppoed to matter. Reality is a bit different though. The majority of the cadets are human, gondorian males. With each class however they do take in a few token outsiders to keep up appearances. This does - inevitably - lead to a bit of friction within the walls as for instance the occational elf is put in charge of a couple of dwarves or when a woman is made the commander of a contingent of males. But all in all it works well enough.

Life at the Academy was actually - as inane as it might sound - exactly what I needed. Routines, rules and work made me a great deal calmer and controlled. At first because it exhausted me to the point of having no energy left for mischief and later because I gained a bunch of loyal and capable friends. I also found that I was a decent soldier and cadet. During the first year I rated "Average" or "Above Average" on most of my classes and I got along very well with the other cadets. This was the first time in my life I actually had a goal with it and I started to look forward to becoming an officer of the army. And this is what would have happened, if it hadn't been for Captain Tarlion.

The captain was your typical hero. He had been in more than one war, participated in battles to many to count and his ferocity with the blade was matched by few. Typical song & tale-material for the bards of the taverns. He served as a trainer at the academy, taking the first-year cadets through the training with swords with devastating efficiency and quickly lifting our fighting skills far beyond that of your average conscripted grunt. Hence his skill was never in doubt and his reputation was one of the best.

He was however far from the gentleman one would expect an officer to be: he had a thing for bedding the young female cadets. More than one gal has left the academy with a broken heart and stolen virginity after swooning over the attention they were getting from this celebrity and ending up under his "private tutelage". Add to that a nasty habit of getting himself drunk and rowdy and the image of the great hero starts to crack and fade. This however is not something one speaks loud of at The Hero Forge. While he was a bit of an embarrasment, the upper tiers of the academy found that they could contain this well enough to keep him since he was a valuable asset.

As for me, captain Maerinda, who by a stroke of good luck had become my commander, had warned me properly about this fellow so I ignored him and his advances. It worked for a while. Then I made the mistake of turning him down in a less than courteous manner (putting it mildly). That's how I learned that some people just will not take no for an answer, especially not a "manly" hero like captain Terlion who is used to getting things his way. His approaches went from mild to intensive to near obsessive in no time flat. It was quickly becoming a bit scary so I brought the matter up with Maerinda. She confronted him harshly and put herself between me and him. This made him back off and I relaxed, thinking he had given up. I was very wrong.

We were out on the End-Of-Year Manoeuvre, a training exercise where we put our knowledge to the test in a large realistic field manoeuvre for well over three weeks. During a recon mission I was separated from my unit and ended up in a lone part of the woods. I soon noticed someone was stalking me. I tried to find my way back but the enemy shephearded me ever deeper into the forest. Once I was completely cut off from everyone else I was attacked... by captain Terlion. He disarmed me and began tearing my clothes off. He was acting like a complete madman, rambling nonsense about how I was putting men on and teasing them, saying I had asked for this. He then wrestled me down to the ground and proceeded to violate me.

I will not describe the nightmare that followed because you simply cannot understand what kind of pain and humiliation that was. I do not know for how long he kept going because every second felt like an eternity. I screamed for help... and he didn't even bother to try to shut me up. He laughed and said I was completely on my own. That - ironically - saved me. Realizing I was all alone against the enemy, training kicked in. Somehow I managed to get a hand free. Grabbing around on the ground I got hold of a twig and with all the force I could muster I jabbed it into his eye. He flew off of me and for a short while I was convinced he would kill me. But I managed to get hold of my sword and got into a battle-stance, and he retreated before I collapsed. A short while later my unit found me.

From that time on things started going downhill.



(( More to come ))
Last edited by Sayvara on Tue May 22, 2007 10:40 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby Adjanah » Tue May 22, 2007 10:10 am

Nicely written...though goddamn, I would be pissed if I asked for a report and got this... xD
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Postby Sayvara » Tue May 22, 2007 10:33 am

Adjanah wrote:Nicely written...though goddamn, I would be pissed if I asked for a report and got this... xD

Some reports requires the reader to know the background in order to assess the report properly. All will become perfectly clear. ;)

/S
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Postby Felaion » Tue May 22, 2007 12:50 pm

Still... Lira seems pretty pissed naturally.

I wonder if we might actually manage to make his head pop off! :twisted:
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Postby Sayvara » Tue May 22, 2007 1:28 pm

Felaion wrote:Still... Lira seems pretty pissed naturally.

I wonder if we might actually manage to make his head pop off! :twisted:

Naw... I would never do such a thing. Isn't that right Adjanah, hm?

/S, who just realized we need a halo-smiley.
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Postby Felaion » Tue May 22, 2007 1:34 pm

Of cource not... I believe you :?

GAH! I HATE EXAMS!

8) *cough* That is all.
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Postby Adjanah » Tue May 22, 2007 1:37 pm

Nah, Sayv is just as sweet and innocent as me, uh huh. *nods sagely*
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