[Post here first] Southern Savannah

(Walther von Hohenstaufen)

"So," Gustav began, "tell me about yourself."

He was speaking to Brother Walther, a recently-joined member of the Brotherhood. The two had left Goraia on an important mission: to establish some sort of base in the Land-Tiller's Expanse. They should prove to be invaluable allies. Their agrarian culture could benefit the order, and learning the fighting skills of the locals here could improve the Brothers tactics; in return, the Knight-Brothers would train and help maintain a branch of knights here, who could help protect the land and its people.

Gustav rode atop a white steed, like most Knight-Brothers, and wore his steel plate and mail set of armor, which would protect him well. He also carried a heater shield and his Asgeir longsword, two hand axes, and a crossbow with some bolts.

"Well, brother, I'd say you don't want to hear my whole story. But I can tell you. I was born in the principality of Hohenstaufen to my father Fürst Otto von Hohenstaufen. I am heir to his title, but I didn't want to inherit this responsibility without proving myself first. I've been traveling around, fighting in battles, drinking and making a name for myself. Then I heard of The Brotherhood and their high ideals. To me this seemed to be the place, where one's actions will help the people the most. All the fighting I did felt pointless. One noble against the other over petty insults. With the Brotherhood I can achieve more than anywhere else." he explained, riding at Gustav's side.

"And what about you, brother? You and Adrian seem to know each other well. For how long have you been with the Brotherhood now?" he asked, looking at him.

He was sweating in his garments. This was an area, he had never seen before. They called it a savannah.

Alessia came on foot into the Land Tillers' State. She'd heard there were beasts in these parts and beasts always drew her interest. Her crossbow was slung over her back and the heavy fur-lined leathers she normally wore had been packed into a wood frame backpack. Instead she was dressed in loose fitting traveling clothes to let her body breath, a leather jerkin her only piece of armor. She carried her whole life in that pack; everything from trail rations to a bedroll to her bowyer supplies for when her weapon needed maintenance.

She had met some of the rumored beasties, not really rumors now anymore, and once or twice come in for a closer look but hadn't yet tried to take one down. She'd hunted smaller game though and she had enough kill strapped to the outside of her pack she might make a decent trade if the tribes-folk were looking to barter. Speaking of the tribes folk, she had yet to come across any on the savannah, but maybe now that she was coming onto the grasslands she'd run across some folk.

The tribes of the south lands were great archers from what she was told and she was curious to see how their horse bows would compare to the crossbow strapped to her back.

Alessia cursed herself for being distracted and forgetting that she was truly in the wilds and unslung her crossbow, dropping to one knee and working the windlass quickly. The lions moved fast and Alessia's bow was meant to drop large beasts with a single high-power shot, not to fire quickly. That meant she had to practice caution and strategy, not get caught out in the open un-prepared.

The mutant lions were close enough to her that she could see the spittle hanging from their mouths when she stood up, loading a spear sized bolt and shedding her pack in the same motion. She fired on instinct at the beast to her right, a sound like thunder tearing the air as the massive harpoon was unleashed with the force of a scorpio siege weapon. The kick from Alessia's bow could dislocate someone's shoulder if they were unprepared for it but the huntress had been practicing for a long time and used the force to send her into a sideways dive that ended in a roll, trying to get out of the way of the remaining lion behind her. Her hands, palm sweaty, went for the kukris strapped to her thighs as she raised her head to lock eyes with the remaining monster.

(2walther Land Tillers' State)

Gustav began to tell Walther of his past. "I was a Varan from Asgeir... but I joined the Brotherhood first as a mercenary when Konrad and his Knights first marched into Eastwick. I was knighted for my bravery and courage, and promoted to Komtur. I was sent back to Asgeir to recruit more Brothers, and helped defeat the Marsh King there with other adventurers. I participated in the Battle of the Vorstuga River as well, and have been following Konrad and the other Brothers in our search for new prospects and goals."

Gustav would be cut short by the arrival of, what he assumed, where the Acacian Riders. Gustav listened to the mounted archers and smiled at them friendly; first impressions were important.

"Why thank you," he said, taking some water, "but you are mistaken. A knight doesn't wear armor 'simply because'. Armor is meant to protect the wearer, and it should fit nicely and comfortably. If one is encumbered by armor, or if one is uncomfortable in armor, then quite frankly, they don't need to be wearing it in the first place," Gustav told the riders. "A true knight can wear armor and carry it without much issue. It is training, discipline, and hardwork that makes this possible. It is the same with you; you would not wield a bow if you did not know how to use it, would you?"

Gustav shook his head, "but we didn't come to discuss armor and weapons," he said with a friendly grin. "I'm here with my comrade," he motioned to Walther, "to discuss an alliance between the Brotherhood and the Land-Tiller's Expanse. Perhaps you could take us to a representative to discuss this matter?"

Gustav observed the riders. Mounted archers, the bane of all armies, he thought. It was true; speed, mobility, and range were superior in battle.

It would seem that Hochmeister Konrad IV had other plans. Or maybe his plans were always in flux, changing them just as quickly as he consolidated them in his head. If his mind had been visible to the human eye, they'd see a battlefield of faith, ambition, and heartbreak.

Whatever the case, the Hochmeister found himself, and a force of knights, marching into the Land-Tiller's Expanse, following the same trail as Brother Walther and Komtur Gustav. In his entourage was Adrian, Dietrich, Brother Otto, Father Wolfgang, and Lady Audrey... not to mention the several dozen knights following them. Most had removed the bulk of their armor and let their horses carry it; these were strong, well-conditioned steeds, so they could handle such weight. A large force of knights traveling with armor often gave the wrong message. So instead, these knights wore white cloaks - making them look like a great host of monks and priests.

"Audrey, my dear," Konrad said, looking at the beautiful woman, "why don't you take the lead."

Alessia's lips pursed into a thin frown and her furrow bunched up. Her professional pride boiled up and made her want to insist that she could've handled herself; the fact of the matter was that she had been in trouble. As much as it grated to have made a mistake, she'd look more the fool to deny it.

The huntress smoothed her features with a sigh and gave the rider a respectful nod. "Thank you," she replied, raising her hands from her weapon handles. "I appreciate your help." The last bit was awkwardly tagged on like Alessia was making sure all her bases were covered.

She moved to retrieve her hat, which had fallen off in her tumble, anxiously keeping an eye on the rider. She dusted it off fastidiously and put it back on.

Alessia quirked an eyebrow at the woman; she didn't like hearing criticism of her 'baby'. "When you're hunting big prey you need a lot of stopping power." She retorted evenly, going to her sack and taking her skinning knife from her boot. While she was there, she also retried a water skin from off the side of her pack. She took a sip and offered some to the Celadine.

"I didn't know there was a festival." She replied, crouching down at the lion she'd killed and roughly cleaning the ragged stump where it's head had been. She didn't seem to mind the messy business and was soon peeling back the hide with her knife. It was a pity the skull was destroyed, she could've cleaned it and sold it as a curio. "Is it a religious ceremony?"

Alessia smiled at the mention of payment and glanced at the bow, then at the one Ying-Na had slung over her back. "It seems like you had some magical help though." She retorted, just a hint of a challenge in her tone.

She retrieved her skins from her pack, four medium sized game pelts and some rabbit hides, and gave the woman a tenuous smile. "You can keep the stones, consider the furs a thank you for... that." She nodded at the dead lion, her pride not wanting to state that she'd needed help. "I'll accept the bow as a gift though, if you're willing. Perhaps I'll be able to repay the kindness if I happen to see you at this festival."

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