East is East, and West is West (Skype RP Log)

[Blueblood]

Sigrun happily drank down a flagon of the meade poured for her at the tavern. The scene was ripe with merriment and excited cheering. Cows and bulls were hoofwrestling and singing and dancing all around. to an equestrian thi sprobably would have been considered alienating since there had been such violence a little while earlier today.

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Halvard, however, was not an Equestrian.  As eccentric as Clan Breen were to the rest of Whitescar, all were caribou through and through.  After a fight, if you lived, you drank.  And with necromancers working in the arena, you could drink even if you didn't!

 

The blue-coated bull preferred ale to mead, as he could drink more of it in a night.  Taking his own flagon, he raised it to his former opponent of that day.  "Wassail!"  He raised in toast, before draining the the flagon and planting it down for a refill.

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The cow grinned, "I recognize that voice!" The cow sauntered over to the familiar face and grinned, "Well if it isn't my opponent from earlier, glad to see those healers knit you back together~"

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It generally took a drink for the wry Halvard to loosen his tongue.  But given that he just had one, Sigrun's timing couldn't be better.  "Same here.  Would be a shame for Whitescar to lose a pretty face."

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"I'm surprised with all the battle I've seen, that my face is as 'pretty' as it is." the cow smirked playfully, "Especially after the number you did upon me." The cow slammed down her flagon and looked to the bull with her silver eyes looking him over, "and good to know we haven't lost a handsome face in this land either!"

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Having celebrated the land's preservation of good looks in a mutual toast, Halvard took up the subject of battle, curious about his cross-continental counterpart.  "A jarl must face many battles, it is true.  More than a simple Vakstyra.  That's why I came to the arena.  Didn't want to get rusty.  But tell me... how many battles are there in the East these days?"

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"A great deal... it almost seems unending. There's still a lot of skirmishes on the edge of my territory but since I started expanding and taking over some of the rival keeps it has died down somewhat." The jarl took another swig and thought a moment, "It doesn't help to the north of us the monsters from the serpents spine can sometimes wander into our territory.

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Halvard nodded.  Situation seemed normal enough; clans were always trying to defend or take territory, and monsters were monsters.  "I haven't dealt much with clan battles since I started guarding the roads.  Vakstyra keep the trade roads open, so most caribou leave us alone.  West of Barn, anyway.  We still get the monster raids, though."

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"Clan Askr will be happy to lend our assistance if you ever take any roads close to monster territory... you'll find our warriors are quite skilled. I'm not sure if there are as many a good fighter as you on your trade caravans."

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Halvard nodded thanks to Sigrun.  "If you'd allow us to set up Vakstyra forts and posts along the routes in your territory, we could help you keep the peace as well.  War is bad for the roads."

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Sigrun put her hoof to her chin and nodded, "that sounds very doable... I trust you will bring up I said this to your clan's chieftain?"

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"Yes.  Don't expect a quick answer, as Clan Breen Territory is literally on the other side of the continent."  Harvard smiled over his tankard as he remarked.  "I must say, you're rather sanguine at the prospect of another clan constructing defensive works on your own territory.  Most jarls would be a little less quick to accept."

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"If you betray us you'd find the areas you've built in are surrounded on all sides..." She chuckled softly, "After all if we destroy those defenses we could use the rocky remains of your posts as materials for our own... besides your clan has a better reputation than most"

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He laughed in response  "You wouldn't be the first jarl to try.  The secret is, the forts aren't isolated.  Each can support the other, holding a force to relieve a siege on it's neighbors.  We never build a new one without securing the road behind, to bring up reinforcements from clans who wish to keep the roads open, and not taxed by the territories in between.

 

Of course, they're helping the Vakstyra, not clan Breen, though it is true that most of us are from the same clan."

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"Oooh well then since you'll be building in our territories we'll make sure to make the terrain... perfect for you. " she smirked knowingly before looking to the bull, "Enough business talk now though... we're here to relax aren't we?"

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Oh, this would be fun!  Not that Halvard expected that their clans would ever come to blows.  It would be like the immovable object vs. the unstoppable force.  A good show, but neither would gain much.  "True... Bartender, another!"

 

Having his flagon refilled, he asked, "Now, besides drinking and fighting, anything you like?"

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"Well, I collect weapons, and I enjoy the company of other capable warriors... I also enjoy reading up on strategies and battles from other places in the world." she turned to him, "and yourself?"

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"Hm... well, I like to build to build things.  It's not for nothing that I wield the weapon that I do; you can use it as a hammer and a shovel, and I do.  All our clan does.  It is said that the tradition started when our lands were raided while our warriors were in the fields, with only their tools in hand.  We carried the day, wielding shovels and plowblades against swords.  From that day, we are ready to turn our hooves to either task at a moment's notice."

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"Ooh, what kind of things do you build personally?"

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"Forts and trenches, usually."  He laughed deprecatingly.  "Sometimes we put up an actual trading post, with things to buy and sell.  It's not exactly glamorous... well, except when we're near a gem vein."

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"Glamorous is hardly a priority in this land I feel... We can't fight with an overly extravagant weapon made of gold could we?... it's break all to easily... my point is just because glamorous doesn't mean it's immensely valuable."

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"That is true... at the same time, I never saw warriors fight so hard to defend a post, as the one we made to look the most glamorous..."  Halvard looked thoughtful as he recalled that battle.  "I have heard that those in the lands to the south think more of glamour than we... do you suppose that had to do with how they fought in the Empire of Crystal?"

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"Possibly,.. the glamour did little against the red jarls forces though. We still had to go by and assist in the rebuilding" Sigrun sighed softly, "The architecture back at Askr hold has a bit of flair to it but... it still has some practicality to it

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Halvard hadn't been to the lands South of Whitescar, so he took Sigrun's word for it.  "True... but if Glamour is to care for the look of the thing, as opposed to the practical... maybe we have of it than we think."  He gestured to the rowdy room.  "I wonder, sometimes, how many are simply here for the look of the thing, and not because they actually care for drink and camaraderie."

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"I'm certainly here for the camaraderie... sometimes a bit more." she took another swig of her drink and looked to halvard, "SO what did you think of the other fighters in the arena?"

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A bit more, eh?  Halvard took note of that, before replying.  "Quite varied.  I fought a griffon, a unicorn, and a caribou all in succession.  I certainly learned a lot, which is what I came for."

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"Oh? I'm interested in hearing about the first two..." the jarl thumped her hoof once on the counter and soon enough some flaggons were sent their way

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"Hm, the griffon was interesting.  I could tell he favored claw-and-fly tactics, but those don't work against heavily-armored foes.  I was able to draw him in for one good hit, and that finished it.  The unicorn... well, if my opponent had kept his head, it would have turned out differently.  All he had to do was stay at a distance and shoot lightning from his horn.

 

What I managed to do, however, was catch the bolt in the head of my hammer, and slam it into the earth-"  He paused to punctuate this point by slamming down his hoof, which ended up sending the contents of the flagons splashing over the both of them.  "Whoa, sorry.  But yes, that gives you a pretty good idea of what happened."

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The cow blinked as she was splashed and chuckled, "Hm... now i'm gong to smell like meade... not necessarily a bad thing." she chuckled softly before looking back to halvard. "One unicorn I fought int he arena got on my bad side... believe it or not it wasn't the one who gave my backside a paddling." she laughed heartily

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The jarl had a sense of humor, it seemed.  Good.  "Well, if anybou comes out of here smelling like anything else, it'll be a first."  He laughed, before tilting his head curiously.  "Oh?  And what did he do to get under your hide?"

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"He was a narrowminded foal with his eyes clouded by his hatred, he considered our people primitive wardriven savages, the lot of us..." she snorted in annoyance at the thought of him. "In response... I taught him a lesson and bit off his horn."

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No doubt, it had been irritating to her at the time.  Hearing about it afterward, Halvard could not but see the irony in the way Sigrun put it.  "I'm not sure that would change his mind.  Seeing a Vakstyra station in action might, though..."  He took a thoughtful drink out of the half-pint of ale remaining in the flagon.

 

"I wonder... would it be worth setting up such a post in one of the Southern cities?"

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"I'm not the one you should ask about that... and trust me, he's a stubborn one and he won't admit his wrongness so easily. anyway, how far south were you speaking?"

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"I... don't know.  I've never left Whitescar, so I don't know where a good trade route from Barn would be.  I was hoping you would have some idea."

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"Well you'd require the use of boats... if you wish I could let you use some of my calns."

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Harvard raised his flagon in gratitude.  "That's another thing to thank you for!  I had been looking for something to do with my winnings.  Helping to secure a trade route seems to be a good option.  You need a post on both ends to do that."

 

A thought occurred to him, and he frowned.  "Will they be welcoming of that?  I don't know how many understand that not all of us are like the Red Jarl.  If the unicorn you fought is any indication..."

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"I have met with the princess of the crystal empire and she was quite welcoming...  obviously the ponies are wary of us but huddling up in the north and doing nothing but keeping to ourselves won't change that now will it?" she asked with soft chuckle

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"That is true... well, I suppose I shall have to actually go and see for myself.  Nothing beats field work for getting the lay of the land."

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"I'm glad I could help, I suppose I could come with you but me and the souther climate don't seem to get along very well."

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"Hm, I see.  Well, thank you for the offer, but I won't subject you to it."  Halvard drained his flagon and, seeing that he'd spilled half of it rather than drinking, felt safe in calling for another.  "Shame, though; I wouldn't have minded spending the time in your company."

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"No reason you can't stick around is there?" she asked with a soft smirk as she hoisted her drink in the air and took another drink. "And don't worry a few sneezes and sniffles aside I can survive in the south....  "

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"Oh, no reason at all.  It's just that when I do have to leave, it will be a while before I can see you again."  Halvard couldn't smirk quite so naturally as Sigrun, so he did not try to match.  "But when you are next in Barn or Heil, leave a message.  The busiest road is between the two, and many of us are there at one time or another."

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"I shall look forward to our next meeting then..." she gave the bull a slight wink

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"So shall I."  Halvard returned the wink.  There was a slight pause before he went on, as it required mustering a little courage.  "Of course, the night's not over yet."

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The cow smirked softly and narrowed her eyes slightly at the bull, "Is that so? Have anything in mind in particular?... cause I can think of a few things...."

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"I came East for adventure as much as anything else; the routine of road patrol is dulling.  So..."  And here he did make a rather good attempt to mirror the smirk.  "Why don't you surprise me?"

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The cow grinned softly and placed some coin on the counter. "Well the first thing I have in mind would require us to make a trek to my personal longboat... " The cow walked over to the door gesturing Halvard to follow her this promised to be an entertaining night...