Memory 9: Calvary
Oct. 28th, 2011 05:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
baddecisiondzurI have no clue why I have this as 'want this soon'. Oh, well.
What Happened
Another memory as Tazendra helps escort Zerika to the Paths of the Dead. Those present are her; Mica; the not-yet Empress Zerika; Piro; Piro's lackey, Lar; and Kytraan. Since she's had memories of them setting out on this trip, Tazendra will correctly place it as 'some time between when we set out and when the Empress returns to us with the Orb'.
So they are riding out in the boonies of the eastern part of the Empire, just as it stopped raining. They are approached by about ten Dragonlords in uniform. Tazendra is interested in this, as they are armed and she's armed, and they outnumber her, so she hopes they can fight, but figures Zerika will probably want to talk first (Phoenixes, go figure), so she should be ready to draw, but not actually draw her sword.
The lead Dragonlord assumes Tazendra is the leader and calls out to her. He introduces herself as Ryunac e'Terics, and the Drgaonlord reacts in surprise that she gives her name as Tazendra Lavode. The Dragonlord gives his name, his sergeant's name and that he serves in the Imperial Army of His Majesty Kana** the First, Emperor of Dragaera, Prince of Kanefthali, etc.
Tazendra interrupts: 'Yes, yes. I do not doubt he has many titles. I, myself, am Baroness of Daavya, and, well, I have certain other titles as well.' (No, I have no clue what these are, besides 'Lavode' and 'former Guardsman'.) Anyway, Ryunac asks what Tazendra and her group are doing out in the boonies. Zerika answers, introducing herself as Zerika, House of the Phoenix, points out that Ryunac probably doesn't care what they are doing, but just wants to know if they are for or against 'Lord Skinter' -- who is apparently also Duke Kana/Would-be-Emperor Kana I/etc. He does have many titles.
Zerika pretty much then says she's in command, and the party (or maybe just the royal We) thinks Skinter/Kana's an upstart warlord with delusions of grandeur. Ryunac points out that it's pretty dangerous to say that when there's twice as many trained Dragonlord soldiers around you. Zerika replies, while making a big show of looking around, 'Dangerous? To us? How, are there more of you that I cannot see?' This makes Tazendra and Kytraan decide that the Empress is awesome and much better than the other side's would-be emperor.
Ryunac draws his blade and points it at Zerika, and Piro and Kytraan draw their swords, and everyone has their weapons out... except Tazendra, who politely asks Zerika if she wants any of them alive or not. Zerika says she doesn't care if Tazendra kills them, so Tazendra draws her sword, gets her horse to move, and cuts off Ryunac's head as a surprise attack. Then she asks Zerika if she wants to order a charge and Zerika's all '... I don't think I need to'.
Tazendra manages to kill another soldier and the others do their thing. Even Mica and Lar are using improvised weapons which is serving more to confuse the enemy -- look, basic training doesn't cover 'one-legged peasants with barstools'. Eventually the soldiers decide that maybe they should report this back up the chain of command, and make a retreat. Zerika lets them run, and sends the wounded after them. Tazendra doesn't mind this, because they might come back with reinforcements! Zerika reminds Tazendra that they aren't there to kill all of Skinter/Kana's army, they have a mission, which means they have to keep moving.
Tazendra also checks in on Piro, because this was his first major fight. And, well, she may or may not remember that Piro is Khaavren's son, but there's something like 'aunt looking out for a nephew' about it. She also compliments Kytraan at his skill.
(I mentioned in chat that literally the next scene is the one where Zerika and Tazendra have a spat over Tazendra's prejudice against Easterners (normal humans, read: most of Lyvus and SLT), but that's enough time passing that I won't tack it on here.)
What Tazendra Learns
-- Apparently this Kana person is annoying, since this is the second time -- well, technically first -- his army has attacked us. Bring it!
-- Mounted combat kicks serious ass. It's a shame we don't have horses. I wonder if I can adapt that move on foot...
-- Lavode is an important title/surname thing, but I sure don't remember what it means to be a Lavode. But I am one.
-- +50 boredom at the differences in rank. It's funny, because Tazendra is pretty eager to discriminate by Houses* or by race, but once you're nobility, she really doesn't give a damn if you're unlanded gentry, a Duke, a Prince or the Emperor himself -- she mostly defines things as 'do I like you?', 'are you on my side?' and 'can you fight?'. Which isn't to say she won't take orders from those she's sworn to, or that she rejects Dragaera's class system, but she doesn't worry too much about the details of rank or formality.
-- Also, she now knows the name of the Empire. The Dragaeran Empire is sufficiently big that most people don't really need to give it a name beyond 'the Empire'... and the neighbors to the East call it Faerie, home of the elves, because what else do you name a creepy cloud-covered place full of strange magic and people who look different and live far too long? (Tazendra does not know this; all she knows is Arianna mistook her for a Fair Folk, whatever that is.)
* It's not even just 'Teckla can be bossed around'; she ended up fighting her first partner in the Guard because he challenged her (or maybe she challenged him) to a fight, and she said, since he was a Dragonlord and she was a Dzurlord, she'd be happier if he'd bring some friends. He... didn't take it well. And, he really should have brought some friends.
** Aside: Kana is apparently his personal name, as well as the name of the duchy he claimed. I suspect either he took the name when he claimed the throne, or someone was lazy about giving a character a name when he's constantly referred to by his title.
What Happened
Another memory as Tazendra helps escort Zerika to the Paths of the Dead. Those present are her; Mica; the not-yet Empress Zerika; Piro; Piro's lackey, Lar; and Kytraan. Since she's had memories of them setting out on this trip, Tazendra will correctly place it as 'some time between when we set out and when the Empress returns to us with the Orb'.
So they are riding out in the boonies of the eastern part of the Empire, just as it stopped raining. They are approached by about ten Dragonlords in uniform. Tazendra is interested in this, as they are armed and she's armed, and they outnumber her, so she hopes they can fight, but figures Zerika will probably want to talk first (Phoenixes, go figure), so she should be ready to draw, but not actually draw her sword.
The lead Dragonlord assumes Tazendra is the leader and calls out to her. He introduces herself as Ryunac e'Terics, and the Drgaonlord reacts in surprise that she gives her name as Tazendra Lavode. The Dragonlord gives his name, his sergeant's name and that he serves in the Imperial Army of His Majesty Kana** the First, Emperor of Dragaera, Prince of Kanefthali, etc.
Tazendra interrupts: 'Yes, yes. I do not doubt he has many titles. I, myself, am Baroness of Daavya, and, well, I have certain other titles as well.' (No, I have no clue what these are, besides 'Lavode' and 'former Guardsman'.) Anyway, Ryunac asks what Tazendra and her group are doing out in the boonies. Zerika answers, introducing herself as Zerika, House of the Phoenix, points out that Ryunac probably doesn't care what they are doing, but just wants to know if they are for or against 'Lord Skinter' -- who is apparently also Duke Kana/Would-be-Emperor Kana I/etc. He does have many titles.
Zerika pretty much then says she's in command, and the party (or maybe just the royal We) thinks Skinter/Kana's an upstart warlord with delusions of grandeur. Ryunac points out that it's pretty dangerous to say that when there's twice as many trained Dragonlord soldiers around you. Zerika replies, while making a big show of looking around, 'Dangerous? To us? How, are there more of you that I cannot see?' This makes Tazendra and Kytraan decide that the Empress is awesome and much better than the other side's would-be emperor.
Ryunac draws his blade and points it at Zerika, and Piro and Kytraan draw their swords, and everyone has their weapons out... except Tazendra, who politely asks Zerika if she wants any of them alive or not. Zerika says she doesn't care if Tazendra kills them, so Tazendra draws her sword, gets her horse to move, and cuts off Ryunac's head as a surprise attack. Then she asks Zerika if she wants to order a charge and Zerika's all '... I don't think I need to'.
Tazendra manages to kill another soldier and the others do their thing. Even Mica and Lar are using improvised weapons which is serving more to confuse the enemy -- look, basic training doesn't cover 'one-legged peasants with barstools'. Eventually the soldiers decide that maybe they should report this back up the chain of command, and make a retreat. Zerika lets them run, and sends the wounded after them. Tazendra doesn't mind this, because they might come back with reinforcements! Zerika reminds Tazendra that they aren't there to kill all of Skinter/Kana's army, they have a mission, which means they have to keep moving.
Tazendra also checks in on Piro, because this was his first major fight. And, well, she may or may not remember that Piro is Khaavren's son, but there's something like 'aunt looking out for a nephew' about it. She also compliments Kytraan at his skill.
(I mentioned in chat that literally the next scene is the one where Zerika and Tazendra have a spat over Tazendra's prejudice against Easterners (normal humans, read: most of Lyvus and SLT), but that's enough time passing that I won't tack it on here.)
What Tazendra Learns
-- Apparently this Kana person is annoying, since this is the second time -- well, technically first -- his army has attacked us. Bring it!
-- Mounted combat kicks serious ass. It's a shame we don't have horses. I wonder if I can adapt that move on foot...
-- Lavode is an important title/surname thing, but I sure don't remember what it means to be a Lavode. But I am one.
-- +50 boredom at the differences in rank. It's funny, because Tazendra is pretty eager to discriminate by Houses* or by race, but once you're nobility, she really doesn't give a damn if you're unlanded gentry, a Duke, a Prince or the Emperor himself -- she mostly defines things as 'do I like you?', 'are you on my side?' and 'can you fight?'. Which isn't to say she won't take orders from those she's sworn to, or that she rejects Dragaera's class system, but she doesn't worry too much about the details of rank or formality.
-- Also, she now knows the name of the Empire. The Dragaeran Empire is sufficiently big that most people don't really need to give it a name beyond 'the Empire'... and the neighbors to the East call it Faerie, home of the elves, because what else do you name a creepy cloud-covered place full of strange magic and people who look different and live far too long? (Tazendra does not know this; all she knows is Arianna mistook her for a Fair Folk, whatever that is.)
* It's not even just 'Teckla can be bossed around'; she ended up fighting her first partner in the Guard because he challenged her (or maybe she challenged him) to a fight, and she said, since he was a Dragonlord and she was a Dzurlord, she'd be happier if he'd bring some friends. He... didn't take it well. And, he really should have brought some friends.
** Aside: Kana is apparently his personal name, as well as the name of the duchy he claimed. I suspect either he took the name when he claimed the throne, or someone was lazy about giving a character a name when he's constantly referred to by his title.
