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Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 9:58 pm Post subject: Scene 6.5 - Rebecca in Greymoor

After a long journey up and over the neck of a mountain range that seemed to span several Shadows, Ganelon's force arrives upon a rocky and grassy terrain of white mists, dark green bushes and thick, sticky herbs. The mists in particular reminding them of the difficulties they faced crossing the Black Road.
With a lump in their throats, the men continue, horses somewhat reassured by Rebecca and Wyatt's encouragements. Wyatt, since they left from the camp, has inherited a blue-black mare named Bright, and both of them ride closely behind Rebecca and Demon.

They begin their descent into the Shadow Greymoor. The rocky terrain is slippery with dew and when the mists finally part several miles down the mountain, they see the vaporous swamps for miles and miles on the horizon.

If the sun is up, it is hidden by an impossibly white and grey sky and locating any direct sunlight is apparently impossible in this season. The air is humid and cold and traveling through the swamps is an annoying prospect, to say the least. Sergeant Ormes mumbles from time to time and when a frigid cold wind hits them suddenly, he decides to light up his pipe. The rest of the men don their heavier travel cloaks and leather gloves.

More importantly, they see a massive stretch of Blackened lands to their left... Could it be... the Black Road? If that is the case, it is amazingly massive here, though from miles and miles away, they do not spot any troop movement there.

Rebecca also spots a city or settlement atop a low hill about twenty five miles to their right.

They must cross most of the swamps to get closer to the dark lands or they can cross a smaller section of swamps to get to the moors and approach the settlement. Beyond are more hills and plateaus, farmlands even further and a great dark forest beyond.

All of the colors around them look muted, perhaps a trick of the light in Greymoor. Additionally, Rebecca feels something, or someone... She is fairly certain she heard the McCoy gun click inside her thick jacket.

Ganelon calls for a halt and asks to speak with Rebecca. "We've arrived in Greymoor it seems. We are at your service, Rebecca," he says simply.
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Arden · Joined: 10 Apr 2008 Posts: 720 Location: Oklahoma

She looks over the landscape again and blows out a breath. "I reckon I see why they named it Graymoor."

"I don't have much experience with swamp - all right, none." She gives Ganleon a ghost of a smile. "But I'm thinkin' they've got more hidden surprises then the moors.. We'll ride two abreast. Give me a minute ta check the status of Trumps before we move on."

With that she pulls them out and tries to call Julian.

[as she told Julian she would she was doing that through the trip, so if communication has been bad or non-existent, at any time, she'd know. Also, have Dad or Finn answered at all?]

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 10:15 pm Post subject:

[Passing into Greymoor has made trump unresponsive and once she arrived, even Finn, who is supposedly in Greymoor by then, is not answering... No luck with Eric either. And btw, that was fast, I'm not done writing the transition post in the previous scene yet! Smile

]

Rebecca's hands get cold around Julian's portrait, but she fails to raise him via trump.
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Arden · Joined: 10 Apr 2008 Posts: 720 Location: Oklahoma

[I'm good that way. Wink

]

Rebecca frowns at the unresponsive cards before putting them away. "No good. Reckon it's just this place then. May as well get on with it. Sooner I do my job, sooner I can get back to Amber."

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2009 10:49 pm Post subject:

Ganelon asks, "Is now a good time to sport the banners and colors of our King then? We are an official force here, should we advertise as such?"
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Arden · Joined: 10 Apr 2008 Posts: 720 Location: Oklahoma

"That's probably wise," she nods after a moment. "I wouldn't want 'em shootin' first and askin' questions later. Let's wait 'till we're a bit closer through. May be watchers from the Road we ain't seein', and I'd rather not draw their eyes if we can avoid it just yet. Get 'em ready, but keep 'em down for a bit."

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 6:24 am Post subject:

Ganelon nods and makes his way toward the front of the small force, barking clear orders to double file, and keep an eye on the Black Road, and... His voice is drowned by the cool winds that hit the group suddenly from the swamps.

The winds smell somewhat foul, like stagnant water and feel disgustingly moist. Wyatt bundles up and lights a cigarette. "So this' it, huh? Firs' stop?" Wyatt asks, between puffs.
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Arden · Joined: 10 Apr 2008 Posts: 720 Location: Oklahoma

"Yeah," she grunts. "Not very inspirin' or romantic."

Rebecca gives him an apologetic smile. "Can't decide if your better off here, or if you would've been safer in Cimarron. I'm sorry, Wyatt. This has really been throwin' ya inta tha deep end without a rope."

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 7:37 pm Post subject:

Wyatt says matter-of-factly, "My place is with my wife, darlin'. Sorry, can't get ridda me jus' by puttin' me through the wringer and makin' me visit a coupla bad swamps."
He chuckles at the thought, "At least I get ta see places I wouldn't get ta if my ass was sittin' pretty in Cimarron. That and be with ya."

Wyatt grumbles and says, "Now, I seem ta remember readin' in my etiquette book that it's not unusual ta marry one's daughter ta consolidate tha lands of two landed nobles, or their fortunes or whatnot... Since yer dad don't have that ta offer, what's yer plan?"

Demon is beginning to complain about the cold weather and muddy, stinky swamps.
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Arden · Joined: 10 Apr 2008 Posts: 720 Location: Oklahoma

Rebecca snorts. "What makes you think I got a plan?"

"Simmer down, Demon. I'll make sure you're all warm and brushed down when we get where we're goin'."

She turns back to Wyatt. "Here's the plan; get in, make nice, find out what we can, and get out. I ain't a diplomat, an' even Da knows it. Best ta get out before I start a war or somethin'."

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2009 7:27 pm Post subject:

Wyatt chuckles at her original response, then listens to her general thoughts on the matter. "Sounds good to me dear... Let me know if ya want me ta do anythin' other than be tha pretty boy at yer arm," he jokes. "At least, no tights yet, from what I can tell."

...

Ganelon's force moves slowly forward, hooves tangled in black root vines now and again, stagnant water, frogs quieting down as the horsemen pass by. All seems well enough and no movement can be perceived from the black patch of land to their far left.
Small tufts of grassy areas and even rarer diminutive bushes break the surface of the swamp water and mud and it is with relief that the horses reach a stretch of land more pleasant to travel.

Once all of them have moved onto the first quarter mile of grassy moor that will lead to the settlement in the distance, Ganelon calls for a halt and the men prepare banners to go up. The Royal Guard, under the direction of Sergeant Ormes, pull out Red and Black tabards during this time as well.

Wyatt winks at Rebecca and says, "I feel like I need ta change my shirt or somethin'..."
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Arden · Joined: 10 Apr 2008 Posts: 720 Location: Oklahoma

She reaches behind her and pulls a good sized roll of leather from behind her saddle. Rebecca tosses it across to him and smiles. "Your new duster. It was with me when your other horse went down. Dust yer hat off."

Rebecca takes the time to brush out her hair. Her duster she just shakes out. She spends more time primping Demon then she does on herself. You can take the girl out of the ranch....

She does take a moment to change out her hatband to one of scarlet feathers.

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2009 5:17 am Post subject:

Wyatt wears his new duster well and in a way is looking more mature. He might even look cold to those that did not know him as well as Rebecca does, perhaps because of his scar, coupled with the dark leather, the smoke that escapes his mouth and engulfs most of him momentarily with each puff of his cigarette.

"How do I look?" Wyatt asks, grinning back at Rebecca.
Demon comments on the looks of Wyatt's new horse rather than his new coat. Demon is decidedly moody, though he lets himself be groomed and it seems to shut him up for a time.

...

The first sign of life the group encounters in Greymoor is a family of peasants - father, mother, two sons and one daughter - tending a small portion of the moor where they are pulling small red tufts of grass, attached to carrot shaped white roots. They have stopped their labor to look at the horsemen and their banners. They say nothing and crouch, watching the procession move forward. It is Rebecca's guess that they must be a dozen miles away from the settlement, suggesting that they must have a shack or camp somewhere near, since none of their things suggest they are traveling. They look poorly dressed and the boys look somewhat malnourrished, though they are bundled up appropriately for the cold weather.

As they approach the settlement, they come across a dirt path that seems to lead there, coming from the forested mountains to their right. The horsemen pick up the pace.

When they are just a couple of miles from it Rebecca can see stone walls, probably quarried from nearby, with heavy wooden gates and tower tops. The buildings don't appear to be higher than two stories.

The gates are shut and they can see men with leather helmets and pointed spears on the parapets, staring downhill at them.

Rebecca guesses the city here holds four thousand citizens at most, and the region may sustain a garrison of about three hundred.

Ganelon's force stops and gathers about a quarter mile from the closed gate. He and three of his men make their way to the gate slowly.
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Arden · Joined: 10 Apr 2008 Posts: 720 Location: Oklahoma

Nihilistic Mind · Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 3:01 am Post subject: