username: permission granite | voice

[jatharin]

( It's all gunshot, arrows, a flurry of projectiles and the passing downcast shadow of a creeping, large flying creature — then the scowling, scratched face of Watch Tower Master Kerasstone — ...before his pendant drops down, and you're treated to footage of rushed feet kicking the device back and forth between tower floor stones. At long last, Kerasstone's slammed to the ground, landing close enough to his pendant, grinning bloodily. )

WHAT GIVES THERE? GOOD MORNING, LADS! YOU SEE, IT'S BEEN RAININ'DOOOOOWWWWN! ALL ABOARD, EH?

( Excuse him, more... skirmish, with something like a harpy. Back to howling at the pendant. )

IT'S STARTIN' TO SMELL ALL ROT IN THE AIR. OR PIG. CAN'T TEEEEEEEEEEEEELL. BUT MEANS, USUALLY, THE LIKES OF HIM IN THE WOODS, HE'S PLANNING HIS NONSENSE! WITH THE CLAAAAAWWWWIIIIIIING. GOT TO KEEP YER FINE SELVES READIED! AND WATCHFUL! AND JOLLY, HAVE A DRINK, EH?

( ...he, for one, is somehow materialising a battered iron flask from behind his shield. ) NOW, I'M TELLING YOU: YOU FEEL A CAAAAAALLLLIIIIIING? TO THE WOOOOOODS? ALL A SUDDEN? AND IT AIN'T NATURE? DON'T BE SHY, WE ALL DO IT! OR YOU'RE A MITE MORE ANGRY, BUT IN THAT MIGHTY FINE WAY THAT LEAVES BEHIND A WEE BODY? AND YER UNCLE GRASSHIM HAS TO LOOK AT YOU ALL AWKWARD, GOING, LAD, AIN'T GOT NO WHERE TO BURY IT? YOUR AUNTIE WANTED TO RAISE'EM PETUNIAS IN THAT YARD???

( Look at this smiling face. Surely he's joking. )

YOU GET THAT ITCH, YOU KNOCK YOURSELVES OUT WITH THE CAST IRON PAN! OR A BOOK! AIN'T NO USE FOR THEM ELSEWISE! NOT THEM KITCHEN ONES, WE NEED'EM, THOSE... THE ONES WITH BIG WORDS! YOU CAN CHAIN UP TOO, I SUPPOSE, JUST NOT TO A WOODEN POST! SOME'S BROKEN FROM IT BEFORE! MAKE IT STONE AND BIIIIII —

( ...regrettably, an incoming catapult briefly brings him down to ground, and Deputy Watch Master Vataz, equally battered, sighs along the rest of the instruction: )

Yes. Keep watch of yourselves, knock yourselves out, drink, and... whatever he said about the frying pan. Don't be alarmed. Rathakku only Claws those who've been touched by death, when he despairs of his lack of progress. He can't hold it up for long. If he's starting now — it'll only be days. But he will be ruthless, and he will try to turn us to seize the Chamber of Seals. Hold the lines, and you will be victorious. We will all overcome this. We are better than him, stronger, braver, more lasting. We will persevere. Do not let yourselves be Claw —

( Wait, Kerasstone is sitting up again, as a blast rocks the tower. Scrambling to catch the pendant, he points it at... an explosion by the Castle's entranceways. )

HELL'S BELLS, WHASSAT BY THE LOWER GATES? SOMEONE LET ONE RIP??


( ooc: dated to the very late hours of 6 February / the start of 7 February, as Rathakku begins his Clawing of Feb. 7-10. On a voluntary basis, necromancers, characters who once died or who are very sensitive to life/death energies can be conscripted into Rathakku's army for this duration.

A Clawed Stephen Strange kicked off the mayhem with an explosion in the minor merchants' entryway.

Threadjack away in the comments! Kerasstone and Vataz can both answer — specify in your comment header if you prefer one over the other! )

Comments

[allforthecause]

Well, good you don’t need to worry, friend.

What happens if they are called? You said it lasts for days - if they go to him, will they come to their senses? Released? Killed?

[jatharin]

THEY COME RIGHT BACK TO'EMSELVES... DON'T LIKE WHAT THEY FIND, BUT YOU ASK ME, LAD, PROBABLY AIN'T FOND OF THEIR MIRROR ANYWAYS.

[allforthecause]

Well, who is.

So why do this? To cause chaos inside the city?

[jatharin]

BOLSTERS HIS FORCES FOR A TIME. GETS US BE KILLING GOOD LADS OF OUR OWN, WHEN THERE AIN'T STOPPIN'EM. BUT MOSTLY HE'S ROUSING TROUBLE, THE UGLY FUCK.

YOU LOOK AT THAT FACE, AIN'T ONE A MOTHER'S LOVED.

[allforthecause]

So they’ll head out to join the siege.

[ He paused. ]

Your men. They know this can happen, yes? They get - [ He searches his memory for the word ] - clawed, they fight their brothers, and wake up in the enemy ranks. How many survive to make it home?

[jatharin]

'PENDS ON THEIR LUCK, DON'T IT? HAVE NO WORRY, YOU DON'T GOT THE LOOK OF A MAN ABOUT TO THROW'IMSELF INTO THE KILLING, HAVE YOU? LET ME SQUINT THERE.

[allforthecause]

[ A slight rueful smile. ]

I’d prefer not to.

But how can he tell if those coming to him are clawed and not just walking in?

[jatharin]

HE KNOWS HIS POWER, LAD. BE LIKE A TETHER.

[allforthecause]

[ Unfortunate, but it makes sense. ]

A connection, then. Even if the rest of us can’t see it. Alright.

[ There’s a pause and then a rueful smile. ]

Thanks. We should get a drink sometime. You seem like a man who’d fully appreciate one.

[jatharin]

COURSE, MAN. WE GOT OURSELVES NOTHING LEFT EXCEPT DRINK AND GOOD HUMOUR, EH?

[allforthecause]

And spite.

Let’s not underestimate that.

[jatharin]

YOU GOT SPITE IN YOU, LAD? WHASSAT FOR?

[allforthecause]

What keeps you going.

When they shove you in the mud and pretend you’re less than dirt.

Spite’s what gets you up again.

[jatharin]

YOU HANG ROUND THE WRONG END OF THE PIG STY OFTEN, DO YOU?

[allforthecause]

Let’s just say I never know where I’ll end up.

I’m here somehow, aren’t I?

But assholes can be found all over the galaxy.

[jatharin]

THERE'S SOME EVEN IN THE NEXT ROOM. VATAZ HERE, HE'S A RIGHT OL' SWEATY BASTARD.

[allforthecause]

Vataz- you let him talk to you like that?

[jatharin]

...I'd welcome you to stop him, if you think he can be stopped.

[allforthecause]

Well, is he telling the truth?

Then probably not.

[jatharin]

I'd really rather you didn't come smell me.

[allforthecause]

Well, if you insist.

You’re right, Kerrastone, he’s no fun.

[jatharin]

RIGHT, THAT. HIS PA'S ALL HIGH AND MIGHTY, AND MUST BE WHY.

[allforthecause]

Oh?

Who’s his father?

[jatharin]

THYVAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUULLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLT! THE WOULD BE KING! TALKIN' TO A POSSIBLE CROWN PRINCE, YOU WERE. PISS YER PANTS YET, LAD?

[allforthecause]

No, not particularly.

[ Sorry Vataz. ]

It seems like you get on well enough. So I’m not worried.