A decision is made

[Dame Lovisa von Ascheberg]

scales change: Although it could be said that the world did not revolve around the Obsidian Heart.. far too often did events taking place on the continent draw adventurers from all over with ties to the organization. This fact popped into his head every damn time he set foot in this establishment that served as the headquarters for the adventuring group that by some means he still remained a part of.. at least notably. Now that Dunsany's interest had acquired a suitable General to lead in his stead, in the form of Sir Birtel, Kythin's travels had only recently found him outside of Byrony rather than his own lands or even Sarkotos where the inne he now occupied could be found. What could have drawn him here? The subject of neutral ground and the punishments levied out by others on their own people that earned the Black Knight's eye seeing as.. it involved him a good bit seeing as a request had been made of him. By what right the Doxenians thought they could force a Squire on one outside of their authority he did not know.. still the Dragon entertained the notion enough to have come here and meet with the woman. Why not.. he'd been involved in the ordeal that no doubt led to this matter all together. Whether the woman in question was present or not.. Kythin sat his regal-clad self down at a table of his choosing.. ordering a drink from what amounted to half-way across the room from Island-borne bartender-ess. -d

ruby vindicta: The woman in question was present. She had in fact arrived the evening prior, having set off relatively early and taken the long route around. The weather at that time had matched her mood: somewhat sullen and resentful, resigned and humourless, and rather wet. A persistant drizzle that worked its way through even the tightest link in the armor and settled in to chill the marrow of her bones. The mood persisted as she alighted at the somewhat familiar Inne - internally cursing the very bricks of its foundation, as if it had led to her metaphorical fall - and rented a room with the pittance her superiors had allowed her, stowing away the few meager belongings that she could call her own. It persisted still through the hot bath - the one luxury she allowed herself on the basis of ill health helping no one - and still through her evening meal, and further through the troubled dreams afforded by a poor sleep .. and so it was a somewhat grumpy redhead that pushed through the door leading to the rest areas, accepted the strong schwarzer kaffee offered by the innkeep and found herself standing in front of Kythin. Dipping her head slightly, a vaguely muttered mornings greeting was offered in Doxenian before she took it upon herself to pull up a chair and seat herself down.

scales change: Where as many others may well have acknowledged the shock of red hair that greeted the inne's common room.. Kythin paid little mind to it until after the contents of his tankard - a vile looking, green liquid that reasonably resembled brandy in the minimal requirement to term a drink such a way. After the sampling of his beverage his very dragon-reminiscent gaze shifted to take in the sight of the would-be Dame a country that was not his own sought to make his Squire. " Must say.. quite the surprise your superiors did not see to your swift demise to cover such an incident up from public knowledge. " Not that Kythin being involved tended to keep matters related to his exploits quiet.. most especially a recent one.. involving the decapitation of a Pit Fiend during quite the sudden racous that had the roads practically boiling with lava bursting through due to fiendish activity. The knowledge and rumor that spread of it doubtlessly turned the Black Knight's involvement into something less heroic.. certainly such a man possessed ulterior motives for ending such a creature! -d

ruby vindicta: She lifted the mug in her hand to her nose, taking in a deep breath to encourage the scent to rise and steel her tumultuous thoughts. It wasn't as good as the brew found in her homeland but it would do in a pinch, though it did not help the sudden surge of homesickness that rose up her throat. "Politics." The one word answer was mumbled as she took a deep draw from the mug and swallowed, letting it warm her. She didn't know what it was he was drinking, but it looked vaguely unpleasant and so was grateful for her own however inferior drink. "I do not claim to understand the motives within the hierarchy." Eyes narrowed somewhat .. she had a few hunches here and there, though while they were all varied none of them would hit upon the actual reason. Her foremost thought was that they had weighed the pros and cons, and found that her personal shame in being 'allowed' to walk on was far greater than the blow they imagined had been dealt to Doxenia itself. But again .. while it might have been a factor in one councilmans thinking, it was far from the overall reason. "What do you intend to do?" Her voice had not lost its sullen edge, but thick with sleep as it was she was not restricting herself to monosyllabic statements. That may have been pushing it too far.

scales change: He may well have been mulling over the information oh-so-freely provided by Lovisa. Facts hardly kept the continued enjoyment of his selected beverage in a manner much more befitting of one that enjoyed the taste of what they were drinking rather than an addiction to the substances that may or may not have been the sum of its parts. When the tankard finally earned a place settled on the table Kythin fell into a state of faux-relaxation. " I have not yet found myself in a negative experience brought about by aiding or siding with agents of Doxenia previously. Of unrelated note is your potential.. I saw enough during the incident with the imposter among your fellow soldiers to know you would not be ill-fit for status as a Knight in terms of your skill. Sometimes that is all that is truly needed to begin with. You certainly are none too likely to recieve such consideration from a more traditional opportunity to be squired.. considering what you are and how others view it. " Misconceptions were quite damning.. though he knew enough about his own race to consider the possibility that Lovisa was potentially kin solely on terms of race rather than family. Still his own lack of draconic knowledges outside of experience meant he possessed no true way of knowing that for sure beyond scent and minor details. " What do you intend to do? " The question taken as his own.. certainly he could afford to discover whether or not she cared for such an 'assignment'. -d

ruby vindicta: She sat in silence for a few minutes before answering, fingers growing tighter around her mug as the skin leeched the warmth from the lacquered pottery. "I intend to do as I am ordered." Her eyes fell to the lip of her mug and remained there, watching wisps of steam rise into the air with lessening speed. Inwardly, she relished the praise that had been delivered though knew it was more a matter of facts than anything else .. her drill instructors had told her as much in a back handed fashion when she was still with the academy, but it was still nice to hear it from an outside source. Brows dipped in slightly as she considered things. "I wish to follow the path of the Knight, however scandalously this appears to have started. I will follow my last orders given, though it is something I genuinely wish to do." She felt that she needed to make that point clear .. she wasn't a mere golem adhering to the letter of instruction without any consideration for her own wishes: if she didn't make that apparent, she was concerned that this man who had no reason to do anything the Doxenian's asked him to would simply shrug his shoulders and leave her on the side of the road if he suspected she didn't have the heart for it. "If of course, you intend to assist in the matter. Otherwise .. attach myself to a different regiment elsewhere." A half shrug was given. She wasn't sure she could find such a group, but it wouldn't be for lack of trying.

scales change: He recognized exactly how accepting a squire through such means could very well turn his cause into an extension of Doxenian interests if the correct amount of automy wasn't re-enforced immediately. Anyone earning his patronage would not be in immediately good standing with any group that cast him in a ill-colored light. Far as he was concerned Dunsany did not possess a knight order proper.. the 'Black Knights' were hardly an order without soldiers to lead into battle. " As a Squire to a Black Knight you will be required to give the order your allegiance. " Due to the lack of Dunsany being a proper nation, after all the Duchy of Kullyr had long ago usurped its place, referring to it as a knightly order establishing itself.. would suffice for the time being. " Doxenian interests are not opposed to my own.. I see little reason not to accept you as my squire. If you are prepared to swear such allegiances then we may proceed to the Vigil.. " -d

ruby vindicta: "Schwarze .. Black Knight?" She tasted the words on her tongue, swallowing them down with a draught of lukewarm kaffee and cleared her throat, finally lifting deep red eyes from the surface of the liquid. "Black Knights .. the name puts one in mind of a malevolent group. What does it mean?" Each Order held a core concept, and as eager as she may be internally to start her journey she was not able to ignore this simple fact. If the Orders beliefs were strictly counterpoint to her own, she would be doing herself - and everyone else - a disservice, as later on down the line she could find herself abandoning the cause .. which woudl be far more shameful than merely rejecting the offer to begin with. With what little she knew of Kythin, she did not suspect that it would necessarily be a repugnant group .. perhaps ruthless, hard and unyielding .. she could work with that perhaps.

scales change: Once the basis of his Black Knights were no doubt a repugnant order when Old Dunsany was mentioned in the same breath. Kythin did not bother to disguise this association when speaking of the current incarnation headed by his Lord- ship. " In ancient times the order proved.. very malevolent. Times have changed since the reign of Dunsany by the Hexenthal Dynasty and its vampires. " Aaron Hexenthal, the Vampire King, happened to be a factor of more recent memory at least within Kullyr when the man's ghost somehow earned revival as a vampire. His entrance into the matter came afterwards of course.. " While little of the mandates put in place during that time remain... we remain an unyielding if.. often brutal knightly order. " Perhaps even the explanation given was vaguely.. sugar-coated.. facts had not been omitted .. such would be a dis-service.. if they accepted an individual unwilling to act both brutally and honorably when the situation called for it.. well such a person would not be needed in any order now would they? -d

ruby vindicta: Eyebrows were furrowed somewhat as Kythin spoke, the woman taking the time to choke ever so discreetly on her kaffee as he brought up the topic of vampires. Depending on the region, they were often viewed as a form of demon .. she would have to decide where she stood on that, but the minor fact that they were able to quite successfully pass as human meant that it did not trigger her usual reaction to demonbloods. "I see." The back of her hand was used to wipe at her mouth, the other pushing her mug to one side in the hopes that the innkeeper would refill it with something a scratch more palatable. "I trust that you do not move from village to village, pulling babes from their cribs and slaughtering them beneath the new moon in the service of some ill begotten hellgod?" The words were uttered in her usual thick monotone, though the corner of her mouth twitched ever so slightly - perhaps there was a degree of humor in there, though the question was a valid one.

scales change: Whether the facts were common knowledge throughout the continent of Tenebrus or not.. Kythin knew well enough that plenty were very much aware that the adventurers of the Obsidian Heart, those headquarted within the very inne they now occupied, had been those to end the Hexenthal reign of terror in the end. While he offered up no specifics of his involvement during that time with either side, after all such information was known by far too many as it stood. " My personal deity seeks to inspire the sort of conflict that improves the individuals and races under his banner.. sacrificing those whom are not yet capable of deciding their own fate are the acts of uncivilised cultists thus are beneath us and wisely condemned. As for the order itself.. you will find that we do no such thing.. a fact I wish to remain so.. I would quite prefer that the devils I have been finding myself in combat with of late find no means to insert their followers in my order. " -d

ruby vindicta: There was a small barking laugh that was devoid of amusement, eyes growing a scant darker as she was forced to remember that little incident with 'Oswin' .. or whatever it had called itself. "You mean to say you have encountered more?" Having been dwelling in her own brand of self pity for the last week or so, she had paid no mind to local gossip and as a result had missed some of the more interesting newsworthy pieces of information. She inclined her head however as he ,mentioned his desire to keep the Order cleansed of such vulgar practices. "I am not adverse to a little .. fierceness .. when it is warranted. However I am loathe to harm the innocent or the helpless. Those fully armed and willing will find no such benevolence however." She paused. "Though to be clear .. there are no dealings with vampires in this more modern age?" He would not find her a froward squire, but she was perhaps a bit uncomfortable with the prospect of the undead .. though she supposed that if said individual wasn't necessarily a bad person when all was said and done, she could live with it.

scales change: " Fiends can lose their head as easily as any mortal it would seem. " While such was not quite true.. Kythin would not go out of his way of claiming the power his God chose to lend him as his own either. " God and Man alike seperat ed a particularly pathetic Pit Fiend's head from its shoulders.. I am aware the fact has become a good deal less flattering of my involvement. " Thus dwelling on it would not continue .. after all giving the tale at length would mean describing more than just his own part in the ordeal! The subject of what it meant to be a Black Knight and how far Lovisa would personally go in such matters earned only a nod of his head. Matters involving blood drinking sorts.. earned more of a verbal response. " As a species I hold no grudges against vampires.. individuals among them have aided the likes of adventurers from the Obsidian Heart in felling the worse of their kind. Be that as it may.. there are no current associations between the Order and any lone or group of vampires. " Least as far as Kythin was aware.. least in regard to the order.. his own dealings were perhaps somewhat different. Still in the end.. anything that went against his own code.. and often things that did not hold a certain Spellsinger's favor were rather unlikely to be treated pleasantly.. undead or no. " I have seen both sides of dealing with goodly and villianous examples dragons, fiends, and the undead.. such beings should be dealt with individually rather than as treated as monsters. More particularly dragons.. " Odds were good she could imagine way.. at the very least she'd seen him take the form of a dragon.. reason enough not to take the stero-typical knightly reaction towards the race. -d

ruby vindicta: Nodding slowly, she accepted the fresh steaming mug brought over by the innkeep and wrapped her hands around it to savour the heat. An eyebrow had been cocked slightly at what appeared to be a literal explanation over the demise of the Pit Fiend: but as he did not choose to elaborate she did not needle him for details .. she took it as him being modest, rather than a matter of pride and a reluctance to boast over the others involvement! "I see." She was willing to agree with him up to a point .. but her eyes hardened over the suggestion that she treat those with fiendish blood as individuals rather than paint them with the same brush. Lächerlich! It was laughable. She did however hold her tongue .. deciding that it would be evaluated on a case by case basis, but she was confident in the fact that he would see it the right way when the time came. "So .. are there any requirements, to joining?" There was only a passing concern that the name of the Order itself would cause others to view her with fear and suspicion initially .. but as she lifted her mug and took a mug needed swallow, she realised that people were doing that anyway.

scales change: When your order happened to be lead by a man that was both a former cultist and arguably one of the most infamous Knights in recent memory.. certainly those beneath him could do better with their reputation! " Follow the Code of Knightly Honor.. whether that code is purely your own.. or that of another order not opposed to our own. That aside.. there is the matter of the vigil.. this requires only an evening of meditation.. while what you ponder during that time is on your own shoulders.. I would suggest you meditate upon how to make others view you on your merits rather than what you are.. " Which .. had happened to him.. sadly his merits weren't always good ones. -d

ruby vindicta: "And where must this vigil take place?" A hand was lifted and waved in the direction of the quarters. "Would the Inne suffice?" Again she nodded her head, the rest of it made sense and she had no argument with it. Though she had to wonder if she was leaping into it too fast .. possibly not. It felt as if she'd been dwelling on this decision for weeks, if not months. "And afterwards .. what will we do? Where am I to go?" There was a brief moment of vulnerability, the Doxenian biting her lower lip before taking a long draw of kaffee and smothering her concerns beneath the weight of strong dark ground bitter beans. "What are your plans going forward? Is there another Pit Fiend that begs to be dealt with?" Another small stab at humor perhaps.

scales change: A vigil within an inne seemed ludicrous even to his own ears.. no he'd given thought to this ever since the destruction of Aaron Hexenthal. " The vigil will take place within the chapel where Aaron Hexenthal met his end. He was the King that Knighted me, yet at the same time he is everything that was wrong with Dunsany and Black Knights as they were in ancient times. I will supply you with a map and a steed if necessary.. otherwise you are on your own to reach ing the location. The chapel is in Kullyr.. and though Knightly vigil there by other orders is not unheard of the nobility of Kullyr is at odds with us. " Perhaps rightly so.. considering he aided Rebels within the borders of the Duchy.. but such was what such a lazy set of nobles deserved in his mind. " Although you will be a Squire within the order.. you remain for all intents and purposes an agent of your nation. As joining the order does not require forswearing your prior allegiances.. I suggest that after your return from the vigil.. that you make yourself available for missions provided by Maria.. the.. leader of the Obsidian Heart's adventurers. They fancy themselves a neutral group.. still be wary.. not everyone views a knight as an ally. " -d

ruby vindicta: "Huh." It was a lot to take in, and the young woman was beginning to get a headache. "You say the nobility is at odds with you; will the journey be dangerous?" She was not overly concerned, but being prepared for a potential conflict on the way to the chapel itself would be wise, especially if it could involve more than just the occasional ragtag group of bandits. "I understand." She felt a little more secure now that a clear purpose had been set; though she wasn't entirely sure what to make of this 'Obsidian Heart' .. that was another name that presented itself as something a bit darker than it intended. Though, if the Inne was anything to go by she supposed she would not have much to worry herself with.

scales change: " It has the potential to be dangerous for many reasons.. the nobility of Kullyr are both corrupt and lazy. Their soldiers are little more than glorified barbarians that decided to become mercenaries. " The only worthwhile exception being the Blood of Kullyr.. the Knights of the Duchy. " If the soldiers decide to accost you it will not be due to any associations of yours. The Blood of Kullyr , their knights, are a different matter..they are not as likely to bother with you without good reason or their Lords orders. The chapel itself may or may not be of concern as well.. as I understand it Hexenthal left his mark on it. Thus is exactly why I send our squires to vigil there.. if they withstand any temptations of power that may linger on there.. then they are indeed worth the effort required to train them further. " -d

ruby vindicta: A hand moved an erring strand of burgundy from her eyes, tucking it back behind her ear as she digested the information presented her. No, unless they had strength in large numbers she didn't feel that the soldiers would pose too great of a threat provided she was careful. A small sigh was released from her lips and she nodded, draining the last of kaffee from her mug and setting it down with an air of finality. "I thank you for the offer you have extended to me. I shall accept the task." It had remained unspoken, but it needed to be said, and with the saying the fire in her heart was rekindled. "I hope I do not become one of those swayed by the corruption within the Chapel." A very small, almost infinitesimal snort escaped her nostrils before she pushed herself away from the table and rose from her chair, stepping aside and tucking it back under the wooden structure. "I best prepare. I am unfamiliar with the land of Kullyr and so your map will be a great aid." That said, she nodded at Kythin once before turning on her heel and moving back to her room: she needed to don clothes more suited to traveling and gather her pack items for what could be a long journey ahead.