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[SeriousConcentrate]

(I do nothing but hang out with someone I know is a spy for the DE all day, of course I'm a little cautious about random people running up to the regiment like "I wanna join" . Besides, Pasha isn't really tense or anything, he's just bored.)

"You don't know your name?" Pasha asked with an eyebrow arched. Anyway, the stranger had asked his opinion, so he thought about it. "To be honest I've never met Kathos, but his name has a solid reputation from what I understand. The Queen apparently regards Vandire highly enough to place him in complete control of the army. As for myself, I'm more of a... consultant, hired on for my skills. I don't think any of them really trust me much yet so I'm afraid I can't much help you get hired on. Speaking to Kathos would probably be your best option; I imagine the Marshal's talking to the Queen right now." He looked around the regiments, but didn't see Thunderblade's insignia from this position. "...Actually, I'm not quite sure where he's at. One moment."

Pasha collared a passing runner. "Excuse me, can you take this man to Sir Thunderblade? He wants to join the march," he said, indicating Sheb.

[Sheb]

"Oh, excuse me sir, all this is quite new to me, and I think I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Sheb Dimplefeather, son of Howard Dimplefeather from green Tasrat.

Thanks for your advices, and I hope we'll have the pleasure of meeting again."

Sheb will then follow the runner to the Marshal. There, if Tala is still talking with Sir Thunderblade, he'll wait a few steps back.

[NUKE9.13]

Quid ridetis cum pugno sanguinis?
Non enim sanguis meus.
-Bleeding Fists motto.

The docks at night. A warehouse, hidden deep in a maze of alleyways. A shady figure looks around, draws out a jar of paint, and with a few quick strokes paints a symbol on the wooden door. The message is clear: the Bleeding Fist has claimed this building. The resident gang has a choice: join the Fists, or die.
Perhaps they will fight. Perhaps not. It matters little either way- at the end of the day, the Fists will be victorious, and that bit more powerful.

The following night, the Fists come for their answer.
Though they have followed his orders, and seen him throw a punch, the Fists do not respect him enough. Thus, Hugo accompanies them, hooded and masked to protect his public position, but wielding a crossbow, a sword, and a pair of the gang's signature brass knuckles just as the rest.
As the acting commander of the group of thugs, it falls to him to knock on the door- and take the first blow should the residents have chosen a hostile stance.

Hugo and a dozen Fists visit the docks in an attempt to convince another of the city's gangs to join them.

[leone313]

Avitus was busy, looking through accounting books, when the spy made his theatrical entrance. Even though e might have felt a little suprise, nothing showed it in his attitude. Whithout even looking up, he spoke: "I did summon you. You have been recruited very recently, and I must say it's a relief to see you are at least capable of discretion, but please, don't do that again. There are a few things I would like you to do for m... Ligoria. First assignment: investigate the Hacturi embassy. They left in a hurry, but it seems the estate is still held by able hands. Find out what you can about this. Secondly, we seem to lack an efficient intelligence service. I want you to work with the city Guard and start intercepting mail coming in our out of Talama. Browse through it, and bring me the interesting pieces you might find once a week, then I'll let you know which ones are allowed to be delivered. Make sure you seal the letters properly again before delivering them to their recipient. Oh, and I hope you understand when I say all mail, from or to everyone including nobility, except me and the Queen of course. That'll be all for now." He finally lifted his head, observing the spy, his cold gaze aimed directly at his eyes. "Any questions?"

Have the spy investigate the Hacturi embassy (The Bleeding Scale I believe?)
Start filtering all mail to or from Talama.

[Taricus]

"Very well sir, My college and I shall get started on such immediately. Good day to you sir, unless you had anything more to add about, say, watching over the gangs? One of them seems different in their actions nowadays..."

[Ardas]

My first battle.. Heh, from what I remeber, it was more of a blur and chaos than a proper battle. At least to me. Swung my mace few times, hit someone and then face full of mud and terribe pain in my back. But you don't feel any fear in that state. Your body tries to react by itself; there are no thoguhts, only reactions. But when you train, you learn how to keep yor mind and how to perform proper moves. By that time you have proper skills drilled into you, your body can fight and you can stay aware of the battlefield. But it took another couple of fights before one got to such state.

At first you feel as if you are supposed to feel something, but then the routine sets in eventually. But I know where the line is. I never raised my hand against someone unarmed or weak. I see the difference between the craft of war and savagery that some give into.

[leone313]

"Why not, feel free to bring me reports on things you deem if sufficient interest, like that gang's activities. Initiative is what makes a good servant of the State. Thank you, you're dismissed."

[Dwarmin]

"Well, one would hope that war and savagery stay firmly apart, Nikephoros, in the hearts of men and women alike. Victory is meaniningless with honor."

That last lie stung a bit, but she didn't show it. Still, Tala nodded along, remembering her own first battle. It was almost the same-instead of a field, it was an alley-instead of an army, it was just another gang. Something over a stolen bag of apples, if she recalled. At least a dozen people died, and there wasn't any sense or honor or reason in any of it. Maybe Nikephoros could indulge in his craft like Hugo did paintings, but battles like she had fought, had little time for strategizing-indeed, often they were meaniningless, just another way to dull the pain of a savage, pointless existence, or allieviate the crushing boredom.

Rather than let the silence spread between them-signalling the end of the small talk and the start of a tutor/student relationship before them, she spoke again.

"Well, if you had a choice, what would you ask of me Nikephoros? We have long to ride, and much we could speak of. I could imagine worse ways to spend a march than alongside you."

[Ardas]

As they rode, Nikephoros noted that Tala seemed to be quite comfortable in her armor, metal fitting her perfectly and she rode on the horse more like a man than a woman. Those were things that one could hardly hide, and to his experienced eye it seemed that Tala had more training than just simple fencing lessons...

If I may ask, whom did you train your martial skills with? Correct me if I am wrong, but I recall being told that you had some training at your father's house, so it would be good if you told me what you already know before I can train you.

[Dwarmin]

'Tala' nodded. Hardly a question she was unprepared for.

"Well, I had many trainers...seemingly an endless number of them, really. My Father was friends with the best of them-Gunn Gorvasten of the Udanese taught me riding, for example. He was apparently something called a 'Hussar' in his land, which is close to a land pirate from what I recall. He was quite the gentleman though, contrary to rumor.

My early skills with a blade from Lien Su Bu-you might not have heard of him, but he told me he was a master from somewhere in the East. I did know him for very long, though-he and I met on Holiday in the Green Empire-and he passed on the basics, took his pay and I never saw him again-he said I was too aggressive to make a very good duelist, and I admit he had a point... I had other trainers afterwards, but they were hardly as good-merely serving to keep me from regressing, not advancing my skill.

As for tactics, I received rudimentary knowledge of that from my father. He was a good man, you know-it would be easy of me to find comparisons of you to him. He and I often played war games when he wasn't on a campaign...I always lost, but those are far from bitter memories."

The interesting part was, none of this was a lie. Gunn had been her trusted bodyguard one long winter spent hiding out in Uden, and had taught her how to ride like an expert. As far as she knew, the fellow had died a few years ago-boiled alive or something horrible like that, for defying the Udanese Crown.

Lien Su Bu was a wandering swordsman, who roamed the East looking for worthy foes-Tala had fought him, unsurprisingly-and the man had given her valuable instruction. And a promise, to seek her out and slay her for drawing a sword on him, but that was something to worry about another day!

As for her father-the real one had been a captain instead of a general-he had taught her the basics of strategy and gamesmanship when she was a young girl. The sort of man Nikephoros ordered to the death, more often of not...

[Ardas]

Nikephoros was happy with Tala's answer. At least he dealt with someone who knew what they were talking about. Underestimating that girl from now on would be simply stupid.

It seems that you are prepared better than some rich brats that I had to take under my wing from time to time. As for the training itself, once we get to Mileth, I was thinking that you can follow me around, act as my adjutant from time to time. I picked up a lot of skills when I was attending to couple officers myself. And I can't say that it was bad for me.

[Dwarmin]

She smiled warmly. Rich brats, indeed... maybe later in a more intimate setting, she would question Nikephoros about his own youth-maybe he came from a place similiar to her.

"Your offer is most graciously accepted, Marshal Nikephoros."

The pair exchanged more pleasantries-each careful, but making progress to at least a tentative trust-and the road was not so boring...a few hours later, Tala excused herself, and fell back in line to the head of her own troops.

((OOC: Time skip-since, Taricus is an impatient Queen. ))

[Shootandrun]

Apparently, someone wanted to talk to Kathos - if he understood the runner well, it was some man who wanted to become a soldier. While normally Kathos would have sent the man to Adrian, who would have sent him to some sergeant in the regiment, there was nearly nothing to do during the journey to Mileth... And he was in a good mood that day. So he followed the runner and he met with the man, mainly because he wanted to do something. He looked at the man, and he decided that he was only another peasant looking for fortune. He remained somewhat polite, however.

"I was told you wanted to talk to me. Who are you, and what did you want?"

[Sheb]

Sheb, looking up from his saddle, suddenly realized how stupid he was. In front of him was not the standard of Marshal Nikephoros, but the banner of Sir Thunderblade. And he was not talking to Tala, but to a lesser officer... That girl really was obsessing him lately.

As the younger officer departed, bearing some orders for the rearguard, Sheb approached the baron, dwarfed by the bulk of Kathos' black and gold armor.

"Good Morning Sir" said he, bowing the head in front of the baron. "I am Sheb Dimplefeather, son of Howard Dimplefeather. I came here to serve our Queen with honor and our enemies with a cold dish of bolts and blade. I was directed to you by a helpful officer that told me of your great courage and leadership skills. Would you accept me at your service?"

[Shootandrun]

((Kathos is not in armor - it's only a detail, though))

Kathos looked at Sheb again, this time with another look. He looked at people that way when he was about to fight. For half a second, he was a trained killer, evaluating another man to see if he was facing a threat. And then, he was the baron again, raising an eyebrow.

"I see... Do you have any skill that I could use in particular?"