RtA Log - Moxon Drills
Characters: Kiernan, Quina, Moxon, Gerard, Harper
Location: Eastgate - Arden
--[ Eastgate ]---------------------------------------------------[ Arden ]----
What was once char and ash is now young but healthy forest. The forest
floor holds the remains of a vast fire, and the young trees are spaced
too regularly to be wild growth, and the trees range from small
saplings to young adults. The forest village of Eastgate nearby has
undergone a similar rebirth; a new market has been built, for Arden's
foresters and hunters to trade their wares with the cityfolk of Amber,
and a new tavern has been built for those unusual occasions when the
solitary Amberites seek socialization. It is a rather large log
edifice, with a wide front door going into a tavern and plenty of room
on the front deck for carousing.
The fortification that protected Eastgate from the Black Road remains;
perhaps in case the Road's power returns, perhaps to defend Eastgate
against the numerous other dangers of Arden. It is a great palisade,
formed of sharpened logs, larger than Old Eastgate; there are
platforms for archers at defensive points, and a gate of wood and
iron. Inside are tents of various sizes, neatly laid out.
To the north lie the outer reaches of the vastness of Shadow Arden,
while to the south, the path leads towards the forest by Moon Pass.
Other than those ways, the borders to the forest can be reached in
every direction. If the Black Road has a foothold here, it is well
hidden.
--[ watch ]--------------------------------------------[ Exits: N S W SE ]----
Quina walks into Eastgate, a pack on her back. SHe's moving at a pretty brisk pace, and headed towards the lodge.
Kiernan is coming out of the stables. Are those chestnut hairs on his cloak? They kind of stand out against the white and grey.
Moxon is drilling a deficient squad in the palisade. "Shoot harder! Be less visible! Strike like the wind!" He does not beat his charges ... much, but the corrective nightstick is threatened.
There appears to be much beating going on. Only, verbally. Kiernan chuckles as he walks toward Moxon. He pauses to lift a hand in greeting to the briskly pacing Quina. "Morning, Lady Quina," he calls out.
Quina slows a bit as she sees familiar faces, and then a bit more as she pauses to watch the drills. Keirnan gets a nod of greeting and a smile, though. "Good morning." she says to him. "All is well, I hope?"
Moxon nods to the pair, immediately whirling! Instead of needles or darts or smoke, he pegs with paintballs. Splot. "I. can. still. see. you. You couldn't hide from your dead grandmother, Carter! Lose that smirk!"
Kiernan pauses next to Quina to watch the drills. He seems to be in a fairly good mood. He's even /smiling/! See? Smile! "Well enough, aye. And yourself?" Moxon gets a nod as well as a, "Good morning, Mox."
Quina arches an eyebrow, at the paintballs being shot at the men being trained. She seems a little amused, really. "I'm well, thank you. Waist-deep in research, though." She nods to Moxon as well.
Moxon ohs? "Botany or something else?" He adjusts a quivering Ranger's aim, gently enough. "Breathe in when you nock, out when you release. Steady."
Kiernan seems amused by those paintballs. And thoughtful, as though mulling something over in his brain. "You're welcome," he says to Quina. "Oh? I need to make some time to go do some research myself." His eyes go back to watching the archery drills Moxon is overseeing.
Quina replies "History. Of Arden." she clarifies. "I need a few things from home, though. Then back to Immeraus." She looks again to Kiernan, and asks "What do you need to find?"
Moxon nods as his archers find their pace, walking thence among the sword-drills. He critiques, sometimes participating for a strike or a parry. Just one. "Up," or "Faster." is used a lot. Paintballpaintballpaintball. "The trick is to not be where I shoot, ladies and gentlemen. Anticipate."
"Animals. And training them. Horses in specific, for now." Kiernan is watching Moxon with his drills. For the most part. It's amusing. Always amusing watching him shoot paintballs at poor hapless recruits.
Quina ahhs quietly. "Well. You won't find a better source in Amber for horse training than me." she says to Kiernan. Her tone isn't boastful. She just takes it for the truth. She meanwhile continues to watch Moxon, her lips pursed as he mentions learning to not be where he's shooting. Tempting...
Gerard is on the road back to Eastgate, his loaded pack clanging along for every step he takes.
Kiernan nods to Quina. "Well, aye, but you're kind of hard to find sometimes," he points out, tone on the amused side. "I'd prefer learning from you, but if I can't find you, I'm going to find a library and see what I can learn from books." He lifts a hand to wave a greeting to the incoming Gerard.
Bow across her back, Harper eases through the trees to one side of the road. Judging by her angle, she is also headed for Eastgate. Spotting those on the road, she turns that way. Stepping over toward the group, she pauses long enough to bow to Gerard over her fist, "Your Highness." Then she turns to the others, "Hello, all."
Moxon weaves in-and-out, until: "... aaand switch. Archers, fifteen seconds to hide. Scouts, get your blades out. Fighters, drop your swords and grab your bows."
"Fair point." Quina replies. "Lady Arrina might also be easier to find, when she is in Arden. She's one of the best breeders." She too notes Gerard, and once he's closer bows properly to him. "Your Highness." Harper is given a nod of greeting as well, once she straightens.
"Rangers, Lady Quina." Gerard says, joining the others near the training field. He looks toward the scouts as they change weapons, and then back to the conversation.
Stepping forward, Harper nods to Quina and Kiernan then, her smile easy. Turning to watch Moxon's people drilling, she tilts her head to one side and drifts that way a little. "How long has Moxon been at this?" Horses? She can ride, but is nothing like an expert and does not really know about the care and feeding of the beasties. Other than that water and food are important.
Moxon's rangers are beginning to look tired, it's true. He pegs one of the scouts. "No sneaking food. If I can see you, you're exposed, and you might just take an arrow for wanting bread. Eat when you're invisible."
Quina considers. "I'm not sure." she replies to Harper. "I only just got here. A while, for them. Not a while, for him." It's all relative, after all. She looks towards Gerard, and says "How goes your day, your Highness? Returning to Amber, or visiting the lodge?"
"I will be staying for three more days, then return to Amber." Gerard says, or announces, depending on how one looks at things. "Until Moxon says he is ready to march on Mordred's holdout."
Moxon drills a bit more before calling for lunch. The sub-par squad crawls for the lodge, hopefully wiser and more resentful.
Harper nods to Quina's reply, "Ah, yes. Thank you." She drifts that way, watching how the wearying Rangers respond to Moxon's training. Tilting her head toward Gerard, then she nods, "With your permission, Your Highness, I would like to go with you and Moxon's troops." Turning to look at the tall Prince, she seeks his gaze, then lowers her head a bit, "If that is acceptable, of course."
Moxon basks in their misdirected loathing. It probably makes his bruises, of which there are many, heal faster. His new teeth are coming in nicely.
Quina smiles a bit as she watches the exhausted troops go to lunch. Then, she looks back to Gerard. "I'd like to joing the campaign as well. Not as a warrior, but I can take to a treetop and whisper position information."
Moxon asks of Harper: "The Bulwark?"
"Nay, Mordred's bloodwood." Gerard says, "Or has he surrendered it already?" His tone suggests he thinks that highly unlikely. "As for my permission, of course ye may attend me." He nods to Moxon now that he has joined them.
Harper inclines her head to Moxon, but then shakes it, "Not the Bulwark, no. That is yet in my future." Her tone is wry and a little quiet though she turns to Quina and Gerard. Nodding, she flashes a smile to the woman, "That would be very helpful, it seems to me."
Moxon ahs. "My mistake. I can't set anyone else's priorities, unless I outrank them. For my part, I'll take all the help I can get. Mordred's certainly dug his toes in on this."
As Moxon joins them, Quina says "We should find some time soon, to do some exercises." How very vague. Then to Gerard "Have you eaten recently, your Highness? We could go into the lodge and discuss the matter there, over food?"
"It's your command, though I do have a question." Gerard says with a faint smile. "How do ye feel about giant spiders?" He lets Moxon consider that because he turns to Quina, "I could eat."
Moxon blinks. "Do they come in black?"
Harper chuckles at Moxon's question in reply to Gerard's question. The smile fades and she looks over at Gerard, "Can we ride them?" Shooting at Mordred's troops from a-spider-back might be just wacky enough to succeed. While Quina and Gerard prepare to head for the lodge, she fades back a flicker of discomfort touching her eyes.
"Ye could ask. Ye are skinny enough, they may not particularly favor a bite of Harper for dinner." He keeps his expression perfectly flat, nodding toward the Ranger that has joined his service.
Quina looks at Harper, and looks curious. "You don't care for the lodge?" she asks.
Moxon heads with Harper, unless he's required for planning.
Harper shrugs slightly at Quina, "Oh. It isn't that. I am just not hungry." Her smile is quiet and she turns to join Moxon.
Gerard peers at Harper for a long moment, but in the end, does not challenge it. Or order her to his side. Instead, he motions for Quina to lead on.
Moxon says, "So, morale."
Harper steps away as the others head to the Lodge. Turning to Moxon, she nods, "Hey, Mox. So... How's training going?" She stands near Moxon as Kiernan has headed off to take care of his horse.
Moxon smirks. "I've been eating a lot of dust lately. Trying to channel that into ferocity." He repeats: "You, morale. Your fan club's in there havin' dinner. Don't have to eat to draw strength and companionship -- can't isolate forever."
Harper nods once, "You can be fierce, Moxon. I've seen it." She looks up at him, one brow lifting slightly, "Ah. That was meant for me specifically?" She looks toward the Lodge, then back, "True... Maybe I should go on in anyway... You coming?"
Moxon nods. "Think I will. Glass of water sounds nice."
Moxon beckons Dirk over to the Lodge.