An introduction

Kinsen Ravenlock · Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 3:07 am Post subject:

=Kinsen looks to Amarra as she speaks, then back to Catona a moment before he leaves the room behind Angel. He laughs softly, turning back. "A hero? Aye, some would call it that. He is a legend here. If everything is to be believed, he dragged himself to the gates of raven's crest one day, half frozen, near dead, carrying that broken sword with him." he shakes his head softly. "He distinguished himself as a wariior of great prowess, a man of duty and devtion. he doesn't speak much. barely at all. he became gate keeper of raven's crest. he refused the white of a dragon knight." he brushes some hair from his face. "Legend has it the man never slept, never ate, and never faltered. he was much revered, even in his lifetime."

"He lost his arm to Baron Vladimir. He was in a vampiric rage, killing, destroying. Catona snapped 3 foot of the haft of his halberd into the baron's heart while the Baron ripped the other arm from his shoulder. if stories are to be believed, he then had the strength to drag himself and the baron before Jaric, and ask forgiveness for harming a member of the royl family before he finally collpased from blood lost. they healed him. as a gift for service, jaric ordered his brother Alexander to forge that metal arm, and the Archmage to enchant it."

"when the Stag arose...a dark, damned thing. powerful, served by creatures of nature and winter...well, the times were dark. I was young then, barely a knight. and the attacks came. We were overrun. our people killed. men fell, knights perished, and they pushed towards the gates."

his voice had gone soft and quiet, and his eyes a dark grey, nearing black, his tone sad and distant. "We lost many good men. and soon the keep stood alone. The stag stood at the gates, demanding surrender. he had the audcacity to attempt to force entry. the siege was long." he glances to the door, a look of reverence upon his face. "He held the damn gate for days, allowing time to evacuate. in the end, when the gate was shattered, he met the Stag in battle, nothing but him and that broken sword of his. the fight itself is still echoed in whispers by the men who were brave enough to stay and see the end play out." he laughs a little, shaking his head in a manner of disbelief.

"The Stag...a creature of nature and power, against a human soldier. and he held the gate. and he HURT the Stag. he did not simply fend him off. he retaliated. with cold steel." he smiles a soft smile. "That broken blade of his is more than it seems, or so the man is behind it. wounded, the Stag fell back to retreat. Catona did not survive that fight. in the weeks following, they prepared his tomb. he was buried before the second siege that brought us here. That is what is known of the man you see."=
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"Pain keeps you honest."

Amarra · Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 3:19 am Post subject:

~feels her eyes growing wider with each part of the story. She listens carefully, but her eyes are on the door Catona had gone through, in near disbelief that a man such as the one being described could possibly have been standing right inside the room only a moment before. She keeps her tone light, though her eyes are dead serious as she turns back to Kinsen. Her fingers twist the material of her skirt in an unconscious gesture of nervousness~

I've never heard of anyone so... great. I'm glad to be on his side.
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Kinsen Ravenlock · Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 11:47 pm Post subject:

=Kinsen nods slowly. "he is a great man, and a great asset. But he is but one man." he sighs. "would but there were more men like him. not fearless, but beyond fear. not successful, but beyond failure. Men that do not alwasy win, but are beyond defeat. Were that there were such men in the plenty, and we would need not fear the coming storm." he shakes his softly, hair falling into his face, his eyes lightening to a soft silver as the crescent on his face shines like fresh blood. "But the storm has broken, and now we sail on, or we are broken on the shore."=
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"Pain keeps you honest."

Amarra · Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 12:54 am Post subject:

Even in legends, men like that are few and far between. But the world needs others, too, who are far more ordinary. Otherwise, what would the legends have to fight for? We're all important in our own way. Most of us.

~smiles faintly as she watches him, wishing there was something she could do to reassure him, as he seems to need it~
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Kinsen Ravenlock · Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 1:05 am Post subject:

=Kinsen laughs softly. "Legends are simply men that have found something greater than themselves. Every hero is built of sacrifice." he looks around the room, gesturing with one hand. "We will fight, and we will die, and we will have a smile and prayer on our lips as the last breath leaves our bodies. we are not great men. Our sense of duty and honor is great. But we are just men. and we will need to make the difference, won't we?" he grins. "the legends are just the men that are remembered. we are all unsung hereos in our own way. So, we must find a way to make our lives sing the songs for us."=
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"Pain keeps you honest."

Amarra · Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 1:18 am Post subject:

~listens quietly and doesn't answer right away as she considers what he's said. When she finally responds, her voice is soft and thoughtful~

What song does your life sing, Kinsen?
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Kinsen Ravenlock · Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 1:30 am Post subject:

=Kinsen looks to Amarra a long moment after she speaks, and finally he breaks into a ghostly thin smile. "My song is hope, and faith, and duty. My song sings of failure only accepted as an avenue to victory." he brushes the hair from his face. "And from death to rebirth, my song may have changed. I do not accept that my life is worth the cost. But the choice was never mine. And so I will make something of myself this time. It will never be justified, but perhaps to heal the sting..." he shakes his head and offers a shrug.=
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"Pain keeps you honest."

Amarra · Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 1:37 am Post subject:

~nods slowly, turning her eyes to the fire as she speaks very softly, more to herself than anything~

Perhaps someday my life might have a song.

~looks back to Kinsen, trying to keep her tone light, though more than simple curiosity fuels her next question~

Do you remember where you were before you were... brought back?
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Kinsen Ravenlock · Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 1:48 am Post subject:

=Kinsen shakes his head. "You know, it's just a matter of listening close enough to hear the song, m'lady."

as she askes her second question, he closes his eyes, bringing a hand to his chest, the fingers running over his breastplate, over the perfect scar in his chest. "Do I remember? Well, I suppose I do." his voice is very soft. "It was beautiful, and blissful, and peaceful, and defies all attempts at explanation. It was happiness and joy, and purpose." he opens his eyes, the shining silver sparkinling in the light. "It was like home."=
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"Pain keeps you honest."

Amarra · Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 2:02 am Post subject:

~swallows hard and nods as he answers a question she would never have dared to ask aloud. There are many more questions she would like to ask, but she doesn't know him well enough to know if they would be welcome. Finally, she decides a shift in the subject might be better than risking making him uncomfortable~

What do you do here at Icehold?
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Kinsen Ravenlock · Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 2:11 am Post subject:

=Kinsen laughs. "I am officially Auroran High Admiral, thought the title itself was new before..." he drifts off with a shrug. He had killed his mentor, a man he looked at as a brother. and he had died in the exchange. and the cost of his return...so much was tied to that moment. he smiles softly. "And I suppose the title still holds. So, you could say my entire purpose has naught to do with Icehold, but more with the seas. I also am a member of the Auroran Council." he smiles. "What do you do here at icehold, since my absence has not given me an opportunity to know?"=
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"Pain keeps you honest."

Amarra · Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 2:16 am Post subject:

~smiles slightly and considers her answer for a moment before speaking~

I... wait. And the queen has charged me with supervising the orphanage. I enjoy working with the children. It's a refreshing change. I hope to do more, eventually, if I am accepted.
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Kinsen Ravenlock · Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 2:26 am Post subject:

=Kinsen smiles. "Good work. Honest work. Although if I may ask, what do you wait for?"=
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"Pain keeps you honest."

Amarra · Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 2:33 am Post subject:

It is good work, and I'm pleased to be doing it. Dealing with children whose only desire is that you love them is a far cry from dealing with people who would bleed you dry with false smiles. Perhaps literally.

~smiles wryly~

I'm not sure what I'm waiting for. Acceptance, death, the chance to be useful, the chance to serve something worth serving. Understanding, maybe. Maybe a little of everything.
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Kinsen Ravenlock · Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 4:24 am Post subject:

=Kinsen laughs. "I've always preffered battle to politics. At least you can't doubt the intentions of a man with a sword, or axe, or crossbow. words and appearances too easily lie to us, outside the realms of battle."

He nods a little. "It's all a matter of waiting, isn't it? And some day, you'll find something, or something will strike you, and it will be so much a part of you that you'll only have one choice, and that will be to fight for it until the end. No failure. and there is just the waiting before that."=
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"Pain keeps you honest."

Amarra · Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 4:39 am Post subject:

I thought I had found that already, but I was deceived. By myself, most of all. I only hope I'm allowed to rectify that now, somehow.

~pauses thoughtfully~

Do you think tensions will continue to escalate between Aurora and Aegis?
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Kinsen Ravenlock · Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 10:04 pm Post subject:

=Kinsen looks to Amarra with a sad smile. "M'lady, no. I don't think tensions will rise anymore." he shakes his head. "But only because you cannot get more tense than nations at war. And it will be war, or else I would not be here. Why pay that price if peace is a possibility?"=
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"Pain keeps you honest."

Amarra · Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 10:59 pm Post subject:

~bows her head, her heart heavy as she imagines the probability of war, and the possibility of having to fight against those she still calls friends. She looks back up to Kinsen and speaks slowly~

I made the right choice. I couldn't have stood against Lord Jaric. I wouldn't have, I know. So it's better that I'm here now, instead of waiting to fail others who would have depended on me, isn't it?
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Kinsen Ravenlock · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 12:58 am Post subject:

=Kinsen smiles softly, his voice quiet and comforting. "Do not ask me to justify your choices. In the end, it's right if you can live with yourself and sleep at night. YOU need to trust that you made the right choice, for you and those around you."=
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"Pain keeps you honest."

Amarra · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 1:26 am Post subject:

I did what I knew I had to, and I wouldn't change it, but I don't know if that makes it right. I know there are many who would tell me it wasn't. I don't think Lord Jaric thinks it was, either. I guess I'll find out eventually, one way or another.

~sighs heavily~

Would you change what happened to you, if you could?
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Kinsen Ravenlock · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 2:05 am Post subject:

=Kinsen points to her chest. "If you had to do it, and you did it, then there is no real issue. The choice was yours, and you made it, for the greater good." he bounces his fist once more off his breastplate with a sharp metallic ring of guantlet on breatplate. "I did nothing less than what I knew i had to, and I wouldn't change a damn part of it. Death is nothing compared to the knowledge that you betrayed your entire life by going against what you KNEW to be the right thing, and the best thing."=
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"Pain keeps you honest."

Amarra · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 2:09 am Post subject:

~takes a deep breath and sighs softly, nodding~

I understand. Thank you.
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Kinsen Ravenlock · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 2:36 am Post subject:

=Kinsen shakes his head. 'Don't thank me. There is no reason for it, and it is in dreadfully poor taste. I said nothing that you didn't already know."=
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"Pain keeps you honest."

Amarra · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 2:42 am Post subject:

I've found that even the best of people sometimes need to be reminded of what they already know. Since I'm hardly one of those, maybe I need a reminder a little more often.

~smiles~
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Kinsen Ravenlock · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 3:28 am Post subject:

=Kinsen laughs and nods. 'Aye, you make a good point."=
_________________
"Pain keeps you honest."