A woman’s laughter, low and mocking, drifts through the shadows.
“You always did prefer the direct hand. Take this rod — it will steady your grip when the Court bends.”
The tall man accepts it, weighing the dark-wrought metal in his palm, eyes gleaming with hungry intent.
She steps back, veil of silence folding about her. “I will keep the skeins tangled where they cannot see me. You, though… I look forward to watching what comes to that proud land with its Lion Banner.”
His smile is a wolf’s smile, and he vanishes into the night.
~~
Blodfest pouted mightily as he stared daggers into the city of Mayene. It felt dusty. He felt dusty. Unused. The monotony of existence broke only when he felt a leash unravel around him. His compulsion was gone and the ties that bind felt...
dung he thought as a portal sliced the view of the city and a handsome man walked out. He quirked his head, stretched out a rod toward Blodfest, and Blodfest felt a new leash tie into him.
"Boghag will send troops soon. When I feel that you are finished here, I will summon you."
Stirrings in the Camp
The Camp Leaves the Swamp
Blodfest knelt, head bowed, as the shimmer of the portal died behind the tall man. The air still hummed with the faint scent of ozone and command.
“You sulked long enough,” the man said, voice smooth as silk stretched over steel. “Mayene burned, yet the south offered no hold worth keeping. It's time to go to the rich lands where pride and complacency makes them blind.”
Blodfest’s mouth twisted into a grin. “And what would you have of me?”
“Plant your camp where rumor breeds fastest,” the man replied. “I will see to the rest. Fear, desire, envy. Such small flames are easily fanned. When their courts bicker and their borders strain, you will already be there. My hand will stir the nobles. Yours will break their soldiers.”
A faint shimmer of power brushed Blodfest’s mind, tugging like a leash freshly tightened. He shuddered, half in pain, half in exultation.
“As you will it,” he rasped. “The fields of Andor will darken.”
The man’s smile glimmered once in the dim light—half amusement, half promise.
“Not just Andor, but yes, we understand one another. Go now. I will make certain they give you reason to march.”
With that, the shadow folded, and Blodfest was alone again, save for the faint whisper of distant screams carried on the wind.
Material changes:
“You sulked long enough,” the man said, voice smooth as silk stretched over steel. “Mayene burned, yet the south offered no hold worth keeping. It's time to go to the rich lands where pride and complacency makes them blind.”
Blodfest’s mouth twisted into a grin. “And what would you have of me?”
“Plant your camp where rumor breeds fastest,” the man replied. “I will see to the rest. Fear, desire, envy. Such small flames are easily fanned. When their courts bicker and their borders strain, you will already be there. My hand will stir the nobles. Yours will break their soldiers.”
A faint shimmer of power brushed Blodfest’s mind, tugging like a leash freshly tightened. He shuddered, half in pain, half in exultation.
“As you will it,” he rasped. “The fields of Andor will darken.”
The man’s smile glimmered once in the dim light—half amusement, half promise.
“Not just Andor, but yes, we understand one another. Go now. I will make certain they give you reason to march.”
With that, the shadow folded, and Blodfest was alone again, save for the faint whisper of distant screams carried on the wind.
Material changes:
- Blodfest is stationary at the Commander's Tent
- A new patrol has been added
- The interior of the camp has no indoors and is all road rooms (this includes grate and most tent doors).
- More ancient trees skirt the perimeter
- One-way transportation from Keep for all characters is removed. Only Ahf'frait can go from Keep to Blodfest
- All trollocs can go from blodfest to keep