Gryphons in Greenden
You are awakened by Erric shaking your shoulder. The fire has died to smoldering embers some feet away, but Erric is fully alert and whispering something urgently. You're a little foggy from the warm fire and sleep.
"What's going on, Erric?"
"We've got company, ace. Swords and eyes."
You extricate yourself from your groundsheet as your hand reaches out to your right and closes around your sword scabbard. The blade slides free with a quiet snick and you rise to your feet. Erric is right. Someone is coming toward you through the woods. On foot, leading horses.
There are three Red Guards, and they materialize out of the dawn's half-light, leading their horses, with their weapons drawn. They are dressed in red from head-to-toe, red leather half-helms, red boiled leather breastplates, red leather bracers, red tunics, red trews, red leather boots that rise to their knees. When you were a child in a small border town, these were the creatures of your nightmares.
Erric has not said anything insulting yet, and you realize that he is deferring to you.
"Good morning, gentlemen," you begin, always trying to find a diplomatic solution until you can't anymore. "Can we help you?"
Their leader sneers. "Gryphon knights a good half day into the Greenden side of the forest? I would say you've left your nest, hatchling."
You feel Erric bristle beside you. He wants a fight, but that's no shock. "I would say you have five seconds to get the hell out of here before I do you the favor with a sword down your throat, ass wipe-" Erric begins heatedly before you put your free hand on his arm and still him.
"What's going on, Erric?"
"We've got company, ace. Swords and eyes."
You extricate yourself from your groundsheet as your hand reaches out to your right and closes around your sword scabbard. The blade slides free with a quiet snick and you rise to your feet. Erric is right. Someone is coming toward you through the woods. On foot, leading horses.
There are three Red Guards, and they materialize out of the dawn's half-light, leading their horses, with their weapons drawn. They are dressed in red from head-to-toe, red leather half-helms, red boiled leather breastplates, red leather bracers, red tunics, red trews, red leather boots that rise to their knees. When you were a child in a small border town, these were the creatures of your nightmares.
Erric has not said anything insulting yet, and you realize that he is deferring to you.
"Good morning, gentlemen," you begin, always trying to find a diplomatic solution until you can't anymore. "Can we help you?"
Their leader sneers. "Gryphon knights a good half day into the Greenden side of the forest? I would say you've left your nest, hatchling."
You feel Erric bristle beside you. He wants a fight, but that's no shock. "I would say you have five seconds to get the hell out of here before I do you the favor with a sword down your throat, ass wipe-" Erric begins heatedly before you put your free hand on his arm and still him.