Sol and her siblings were welcomed graciously into the castle: that alone was enough to make Sol suspicious about what the Baron wanted. Neither Titan or Morgan were impressed, but neither also seemed to be very interested in what all of the welcoming and hubbub could mean: rather, they seemed most concerned with leaving the castle, and returning to the lives that they had begun to live in Canterlot.
The Baron was waiting for them in the same hall where they had spoken before, safe on his high perch, with his mages standing at the ready by his side. Sol could feel the magic they had prepared, but she also sensed that there was no hostility towards them. Instead, the Baron looked desperate: he was clearly very much afraid of something.
Sol wasted little time on pleasantries, asking him politely but clearly what he wanted from them: the Baron was slow to respond at first, and while his hesitance irritated Morgan and left Titan looking bored, Sol focused on it. She could not imagine what would make the Baron so nervous.
Finally, he spoke to them, and to Sol's pleasant surprise, he chose to speak plainly. He told them that for the last year, he had been paying a secret tribute to a cruel tyrant who had come to these lands, and was choking the roads with her skeletal soldiers. He had been paying her great sums in wealth and accumulated knowledge each and every week, so that she would keep the highways through the barony clear of her mercenaries and monsters, but she had begun to ask for more and more.
She had asked for bodies to be sent to her: the Baron had complied with this request with little hesitation, for there was rarely a shortage of corpses in these wild lands. Then she had asked for living subjects, but the price had been cheap: only three at first. So he had sent her three prisoners who had been awaiting execution.
But the next week, she had asked for five, and the week after that, six. Soon, she was requesting a dozen living subjects to be sent to her, and the Baron had too few undesirables locked up in the dungeon. He had sent them all anyway, with a gift of treasure... and none of his couriers or soldiers had come back alive, and the attacks on the roads had resumed, making it impossible to travel through the barony once darkness fell.
Then, a few days ago, a message had arrived, warning him that a payment of no less than twenty living subjects was expected to be sent as payment, or a great army of the dead would march on Canterlot. The Baron was terrified, and had no one else to turn to.
Morgan and Titan were both quick to volunteer their aid, but Sol fell deep in thought. The Baron waited fearfully for her answer, but it was slow to come. And when she spoke, it was not what the Baron expected:
"Prepare twenty ponies to be sacrificed. We shall take them to this Lich ourselves."
Thursday 29 May 2014
Thursday 22 May 2014
The Legend of Sol, Titan, and Morgan: Canterlot
In myth and legend, the city of Canterlot has always welcomed Sol, Titan, and Morgan with open embrace: but the truth is not quite so generous. No, in truth, it was a very cold welcome that the three received, along with all the warriors they had brought with them.
The Holy Order, at least, had some presence already here in Canterlot: it allowed them to find a small bit of sanctuary... although that did not extend to their other fellows. They said the rules of their order forbade them from welcoming even their leaders onto sanctified ground, unless they took a vow of faith. Sol did not press the issue, however: she knew the real reason for their attempt to stay aloof, and it did not bother her. But it was all the same a piece of information she would file away, and that would later come back to haunt this once so-proud order.
Titan found his way to the smithy, and soon found himself a place to work. He invited his sister Morgan to join him there, and for a time she did. She enjoyed herself, but it was monotonous, and after only a few days began to grow boring. But it was better than staying with Sol, who had found herself a roost in the great libraries of Canterlot.
It was strange for all three of them, however, to have settled into a place: to not just be making camp, but establishing what could almost be called a home. They all did their best to keep busy, but it was a different kind of busy than being on the road: there was no need to hunt or prepare rations, there were no trails to blaze, the scenery around them changed, and yet remained more the same than it ever had.
All the same, they were determined to make the best of what they had here. Sol had great plans, but they required patience, and they had much work to be done before they could leave... and part of that job was making sure that this place became like home to them. It was difficult, with how uneasy the Baron and his people were about the strange ponies that had arrived... but all the same, they were making slow strides forwards, in large part thanks to the fact that Sol was ever reminding her siblings to be patient, and to behave themselves.
But as Titan worked at the smithy, and Sol began to help out more and more at the library instead of keeping to herself and her own research, and Morgan became a common sight around the bars and brothels and throughout the city, the three became known to the ponies of Canterlot. Titan, ever industrious, happy to lend a hoof to even the meanest pony in need without asking anything in return; wise and powerful Sol, who knew things that made even the oldest mage feel as awed as a child in her presence; Morgan, the adventurous and strong, whose exploits made the youthful laugh and the old shake their head in disapproval... and perhaps longing, for the days when youth was able to wash out the stains of foolishness and brashness.
And so their life continued, developed into something more than just an endless journey: so Sol, Titan, and Morgan found themselves a home, a place where they could stay, a place where they began to be accepted, and perhaps even belong.
Until one day, the Baron summoned them, for he had a request.
The Holy Order, at least, had some presence already here in Canterlot: it allowed them to find a small bit of sanctuary... although that did not extend to their other fellows. They said the rules of their order forbade them from welcoming even their leaders onto sanctified ground, unless they took a vow of faith. Sol did not press the issue, however: she knew the real reason for their attempt to stay aloof, and it did not bother her. But it was all the same a piece of information she would file away, and that would later come back to haunt this once so-proud order.
Titan found his way to the smithy, and soon found himself a place to work. He invited his sister Morgan to join him there, and for a time she did. She enjoyed herself, but it was monotonous, and after only a few days began to grow boring. But it was better than staying with Sol, who had found herself a roost in the great libraries of Canterlot.
It was strange for all three of them, however, to have settled into a place: to not just be making camp, but establishing what could almost be called a home. They all did their best to keep busy, but it was a different kind of busy than being on the road: there was no need to hunt or prepare rations, there were no trails to blaze, the scenery around them changed, and yet remained more the same than it ever had.
All the same, they were determined to make the best of what they had here. Sol had great plans, but they required patience, and they had much work to be done before they could leave... and part of that job was making sure that this place became like home to them. It was difficult, with how uneasy the Baron and his people were about the strange ponies that had arrived... but all the same, they were making slow strides forwards, in large part thanks to the fact that Sol was ever reminding her siblings to be patient, and to behave themselves.
But as Titan worked at the smithy, and Sol began to help out more and more at the library instead of keeping to herself and her own research, and Morgan became a common sight around the bars and brothels and throughout the city, the three became known to the ponies of Canterlot. Titan, ever industrious, happy to lend a hoof to even the meanest pony in need without asking anything in return; wise and powerful Sol, who knew things that made even the oldest mage feel as awed as a child in her presence; Morgan, the adventurous and strong, whose exploits made the youthful laugh and the old shake their head in disapproval... and perhaps longing, for the days when youth was able to wash out the stains of foolishness and brashness.
And so their life continued, developed into something more than just an endless journey: so Sol, Titan, and Morgan found themselves a home, a place where they could stay, a place where they began to be accepted, and perhaps even belong.
Until one day, the Baron summoned them, for he had a request.
Thursday 15 May 2014
The Legend of Sol, Titan, and Morgan: Arrival
The arrival of the small army at Canterlot was not met with fanfare or great joy: it was not even met with the respect or even the cordiality that Sol had hoped for. Instead, they were met with anger, confusion, and fear: fear not only of this small but efficient force, but of these three heroes, whose exploits had yet to become the stuff of legend, and for now were only tales of three powerful and dangerous ponies who went where they pleased, saving what they liked... and in Sol's case, destroying what did not please them.
But Sol was quick to humble herself, as much as it pained her to do so: she begged an audience with the Baron of Canterlot to explain her intentions, and promised that her forces would remain under the care of his noble guard, at the safety of the city's edge. She and her siblings allowed themselves to be shorn of their weapons and armor, even if Morgan couldn't help but resist when the guards searched her.
The guards asked to shackle them, and the three allowed this: but by mere accident, Titan snapped his manacles like they were so much straw, and soon after, Morgan broke free of her own. The soldiers were stupefied, not knowing what to do... and, tired of the game, Sol easily removed her own shackles without damaging them in the slightest, giving their word that they would not hurt the Baron... and making it clear that had they wanted to, they could have already reduced even this mighty city to rubble.
The guard knew they had little choice: reluctantly, they guided the three onward, understanding that not all the force in Equestria could stop them if they chose to force their way forwards. Taking away their equipment had done little to handicap any of them, least of all mighty Sol, who commanded magic unlike they had ever seen before in the merest flick of her horn.
At the Baron's mighty castle, they were met by dervishes clad in mighty armor and mages with all manner of spell at the ready. Sol paid them all little heed, and Morgan was haughty as Titan only tried to reassure the Baron's forces that they meant no harm. But Titan's reassurances meant little when no bind was able to restrain any of the three, no enchantment seemed to have power enough to take hold on them for long.
They were eventually led to a great and wide chamber, filled with soldiers and with the Baron perched high above, on the safety of a balcony. He asked them what they were doing here, why they had come with such a force, and Sol replied calmly: "To save you."
It was a strange answer, and not one that the Baron had expected: Sol took the opportunity to speak, talking about powerful and dangerous enemies that had taken root in Equestria, and how ponies had to band together if they were to have any hope of survival in this difficult and treacherous world. She spoke of creating a unified Equestria, a country under one banner and not made up of dozens of baronies that spanned from singular cities to encompassing enormous, uncharted territories.
The Baron was little intrigued by the ideas of equality and unity: he ruled the Canterlot Barony, and was envied by all the other rulers for the fact he had taken possession of such a mighty and important castle in the history of the unicorns and their ever-growing rule. But Sol played upon his fears with ease: fear of any threat to his rule, fear of monsters more dangerous than greedy but lazy dragons, fear most of all of these three heroes in front of him, who might turn against him and bring his mighty castle down around his ears.
In the end, he agreed to help, to allow them to use Canterlot as a base of operations, and to allow them the privilege of taking over an abandoned property in the city, to be converted into a garrison for their soldiers. They were little things in the grand scheme of Sol's, perhaps, but important steps nonetheless in their quest; in her quest, to unite Equestria. After all, now they had a place where they could claim residence, where they could stay... and access to all of the vast stores of knowledge hidden here in Canterlot.
Sol, to the surprise of her siblings, promised to be satisfied with the generosity of the Baron, and that she would not seek another audience with him for at least a week. The Baron was relieved by this... but Sol knew that a seed of interest had been planted as well. She would bide her time, and wait for the Baron to summon her again, to ask how her plans were going, as she knew he would: then she would make another request, something simple and small. She would be patient, and calm.
And ultimately, she would see these Barons all ousted by their own hooves, and replaced with someone who could be trusted to rule these ponies and do whatever was in their best interests... no matter what the cost.
But Sol was quick to humble herself, as much as it pained her to do so: she begged an audience with the Baron of Canterlot to explain her intentions, and promised that her forces would remain under the care of his noble guard, at the safety of the city's edge. She and her siblings allowed themselves to be shorn of their weapons and armor, even if Morgan couldn't help but resist when the guards searched her.
The guards asked to shackle them, and the three allowed this: but by mere accident, Titan snapped his manacles like they were so much straw, and soon after, Morgan broke free of her own. The soldiers were stupefied, not knowing what to do... and, tired of the game, Sol easily removed her own shackles without damaging them in the slightest, giving their word that they would not hurt the Baron... and making it clear that had they wanted to, they could have already reduced even this mighty city to rubble.
The guard knew they had little choice: reluctantly, they guided the three onward, understanding that not all the force in Equestria could stop them if they chose to force their way forwards. Taking away their equipment had done little to handicap any of them, least of all mighty Sol, who commanded magic unlike they had ever seen before in the merest flick of her horn.
At the Baron's mighty castle, they were met by dervishes clad in mighty armor and mages with all manner of spell at the ready. Sol paid them all little heed, and Morgan was haughty as Titan only tried to reassure the Baron's forces that they meant no harm. But Titan's reassurances meant little when no bind was able to restrain any of the three, no enchantment seemed to have power enough to take hold on them for long.
They were eventually led to a great and wide chamber, filled with soldiers and with the Baron perched high above, on the safety of a balcony. He asked them what they were doing here, why they had come with such a force, and Sol replied calmly: "To save you."
It was a strange answer, and not one that the Baron had expected: Sol took the opportunity to speak, talking about powerful and dangerous enemies that had taken root in Equestria, and how ponies had to band together if they were to have any hope of survival in this difficult and treacherous world. She spoke of creating a unified Equestria, a country under one banner and not made up of dozens of baronies that spanned from singular cities to encompassing enormous, uncharted territories.
The Baron was little intrigued by the ideas of equality and unity: he ruled the Canterlot Barony, and was envied by all the other rulers for the fact he had taken possession of such a mighty and important castle in the history of the unicorns and their ever-growing rule. But Sol played upon his fears with ease: fear of any threat to his rule, fear of monsters more dangerous than greedy but lazy dragons, fear most of all of these three heroes in front of him, who might turn against him and bring his mighty castle down around his ears.
In the end, he agreed to help, to allow them to use Canterlot as a base of operations, and to allow them the privilege of taking over an abandoned property in the city, to be converted into a garrison for their soldiers. They were little things in the grand scheme of Sol's, perhaps, but important steps nonetheless in their quest; in her quest, to unite Equestria. After all, now they had a place where they could claim residence, where they could stay... and access to all of the vast stores of knowledge hidden here in Canterlot.
Sol, to the surprise of her siblings, promised to be satisfied with the generosity of the Baron, and that she would not seek another audience with him for at least a week. The Baron was relieved by this... but Sol knew that a seed of interest had been planted as well. She would bide her time, and wait for the Baron to summon her again, to ask how her plans were going, as she knew he would: then she would make another request, something simple and small. She would be patient, and calm.
And ultimately, she would see these Barons all ousted by their own hooves, and replaced with someone who could be trusted to rule these ponies and do whatever was in their best interests... no matter what the cost.
Friday 9 May 2014
The Legend of Sol, Titan, and Morgan: A Brief Reprise
On their journey, much has happened so far: Sol has gone from traveling alone, nameless and cruel, to walking willingly with her family. She protects and loves them... and in some ways, this has made her even more dangerous. Now, she leads a band of warriors towards Canterlot, but her true motives still remain unclear. She is still merciless and vicious in the face of the enemy, and even if she has begun to learn mercy, there is still much for her to learn in the ways of empathy... and always, the danger that she will slip back into her old ways.
Titan walks with a smile, but he is concerned for his sister. Although he has spent many years with her and worked long and hard to help teach her right and wrong, he fears for her. He loves and adores her, but knows that she is flawed; he accepts and knows they all have their flaws. But all the same, he does his best to trust in her... just as he does his best to protect the band of people they now lead, and counsel Sol towards protection and creation, not destruction.
Morgan is the last sibling, and the most recent to join their band, saved from a sacrificial ritual after she had fallen from the sky. And even though she is loved, she also has fewer memories than her siblings, and they have done little to tell her of the truth. But even if she knew, Morgan would love them all the same, so great is her need for her family and so well does she fit in with these two. She is striving to learn from them both, taking after Titan and working to impress her eldest 'sibling,' Sol: she thrills in the adventure, but thrives most from the affection that they give to her.She cares little what they do... yet unlike Sol, she is willing to go to any lengths to save and protect the lives of innocents, in spite of her dark powers.
They walk with members of the Holy Order, a Blood Seer, and many others, heading for Canterlot to try and usher in an era of peace. But there are many enemies that await them, and they are not entirely prepared for the adventures that await. For there are great evils on the horizon, and even unified, these three heroes may be no match for them alone... especially not when their greatest of threats may come from the very allies they have tried to unite themselves with, and not from outside their own ranks...
Titan walks with a smile, but he is concerned for his sister. Although he has spent many years with her and worked long and hard to help teach her right and wrong, he fears for her. He loves and adores her, but knows that she is flawed; he accepts and knows they all have their flaws. But all the same, he does his best to trust in her... just as he does his best to protect the band of people they now lead, and counsel Sol towards protection and creation, not destruction.
Morgan is the last sibling, and the most recent to join their band, saved from a sacrificial ritual after she had fallen from the sky. And even though she is loved, she also has fewer memories than her siblings, and they have done little to tell her of the truth. But even if she knew, Morgan would love them all the same, so great is her need for her family and so well does she fit in with these two. She is striving to learn from them both, taking after Titan and working to impress her eldest 'sibling,' Sol: she thrills in the adventure, but thrives most from the affection that they give to her.She cares little what they do... yet unlike Sol, she is willing to go to any lengths to save and protect the lives of innocents, in spite of her dark powers.
They walk with members of the Holy Order, a Blood Seer, and many others, heading for Canterlot to try and usher in an era of peace. But there are many enemies that await them, and they are not entirely prepared for the adventures that await. For there are great evils on the horizon, and even unified, these three heroes may be no match for them alone... especially not when their greatest of threats may come from the very allies they have tried to unite themselves with, and not from outside their own ranks...
Thursday 1 May 2014
The Legend of Sol, Titan, and Morgan: Future's Past
The caravan led by Sol did not reach Canterlot without incident: as they crossed into the dangerous range of mountains that surrounded the mighty bastion of pony civilization, they were attacked by a cadre of goblins and pony bandits.
The fight would normally have been swift, but Sol felt it was a good time to measure the effectiveness of those who had come with them. Titan acted disappointed at Sol's decision to let the soldiers fight for them, but he was both pleased and concerned: on the one hoof, to see Sol display trust was a great step forwards for her. On the other hoof, there was the fear that this was some clever manipulation on Sol's part... a pony who he worried more and more had her own ultimate ends in mind again, even if her path was one of good intent.
The battle dragged on: the bandits created an effective blockade that stopped the ponies from charging them, as they hailed down arrows and rocks on the army. In a moment, Sol could end the conflict, and Morgan was frustrated by the fact she was not allowed to fight, even as the minutes bled onwards and the sun began to set in the distance.
But as night began to fall, the bandits began to grow uneasy, and then call for palaver. The unicorn knights ignored their shouts, deciding it must be a sign of weakness, and taking to charge the bandits. Unprepared, the bandits were routed from their hiding spot, and either fled or were killed.
Sol sensed that something was wrong, even as the soldiers celebrated their victory. She said nothing, though, and silenced Titan when he too felt the poisonous malice in the air. Morgan was being dragged along with the victory of the soldiers, however, laughing as the handsome young knight who had become so taken with her tried to woo her: in fact, the only pony who managed to speak up was the Blood Seer, but none would listen to his words, no matter how urgent they were.
When the skeletons emerged from all around them, it was a terrible shock for the company: all the same, they had all the time in the world to react as the monsters made their slow approach, and yet none of the soldiers did. Only the Blood Seer and a few other mages attempted to throw down wards, while the knights sloppily and too late arranged themselves to meet their foes.
There were many injuries before Sol ended the conflict with little more than a flick of her horn, blasting the entire area with holy light and frightening away the living dead. She surveyed her soldiers, and understood that one of two things had to happen: either she would have to prepare these fools for the greatest of evils, or she would have to simply purge all evil from existence. One path would lead them into temptation, would see them staring into evil's face so often it might begin to reflect in themselves; the other path would leave them defenseless, unless...
Sol would think on this. But for now, she gathered her soldiers and told them to assemble. She had seen enough to know who she could trust, and who among their number was brave or at least ready to fight for their lives. And that number was too few: only the Blood Seer had sensed the evil, while the handsome young stallion that had been delighting Morgan had turned into a babbling, scared foal, hiding behind her and even stopping Morgan from properly entering the fight.
There was much to be considered, and still road to walk before they reached Canterlot. Sol only hoped that she would find the right answer before then.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)