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Topics - Ui Briuin

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Roleplaying / The Return Part 2- Eoghan Ui Briuin
« on: March 01, 2017, 12:56:12 AM »
The Return Part IV

It was some time later when Eoghan came to his senses after having slept most of the day away in a near comatose state. Dimly he was aware of his surroundings enough to know he was no longer upon the cart that had carried him from Betholm to Xavax. After all the makeshift padding of a thin military blanket and straw did not make for the most comfortable of beds, even if it had been a marked improvement over the hard stone floors of the dungeon, but whatever he was laying upon was far more comfortable.  Shifting a little as he stirred Eoghan was quickly greeted by an almost muted pang of pain that thrummed just beneath his skin. The sensation was certainly new in a good way, and yet odd at the same time. This had largely been in part to the almost acclimation of that pain Eoghan had gone through over the passed few days. The flairs caused by his own actions, and the exasperation of the wounds at the hands of his tormentors had been constant enough that he was somewhat used to the sensation as oddly put as that was. Still one shouldn't question such a gift, and Eoghan was hardly going to start now since the agony he felt had been diminished greatly. Rising further from his stupor Eoghan was quickly coming more into himself and with it he heard the soft lilting sounds of an all to familiar voice singing just a little ways away.

"Deireann lucht léinn
Gur cloíte an galar an grá
Char admhaigh mé é nó go raibh sé
'Ndiaidh mo chroí 'stigh a chrá
Aicíd ró-ghéar, faraor
Nár sheachnaigh mé í
Chuir sí arraing 's céad go géar
Fríd cheartlár mo chroí

Casadh bean sí domh thíos
Ag Lios Bhéal an Áth'
'S d'fhiafraigh mé díthe
An scaoilfeadh glais ar bith grá
'Sé dúirt sí os íseal
I mbriathra soineanta sámh
Nuair a théann sé fán chroí
Cha scaoiltear as é go brách"

Before his eyes even opened Eoghan found himself naturally reacting to the voice and drawing a gentle smile upon his lips. "Hello mother..." he managed with a shift of his form and the admittedly slow opening of an eye, "how long have I been out?" He continued as he rose up, pushing through the pulse that poured outward from his back and brought him to wince slightly.

"Roderic says they found you shortly after dark, so over half the day now." came Caera's reply as she watched her son struggle to rise. Her face, showing her age in the faded look and her laugh lines, remained calm and impassive for the time being. She did not move to assist him, for Eoghan did not ask for the assistance and it was not their way to aid in a personal struggle without the invitation.

"Ah, so much like when I was younger eh?" Eoghan offered with a grin and set his bluish-grey eyes fully upon his mother. "How often would you say it was hmm?" He added as he finally managed to sit up fully upon the bed he had been placed upon.

"Near every full moon in the summers. The little ones from the village, Caoimhín, and you would all go running about in the woods playing your games while the light was out. Then as you got older Caoimhín and you would drag Ruari out in the nights to hunt. It seems almost a lifetime ago now." Her voice fell slightly towards the end though through most of the recollection it had been warmer.

"Yeah...it does..." Eoghan replied in kind, his own tone matching his mother's as his mind flew to those halcyon days with his brothers and his friends. Fond memories marred by the fact that he had lead almost all of his friends to their deaths after the disastrous battle of Aeng in his first year of service to the Imperium. Almost idly Eoghan's hand drifted to his bandaged side to touch upon the scar hidden beneath his bandages where he had been run through by a cavalryman's spear in the bandit's charge. A miscommunication of the army's battle settings had left the archers exposed and they all paid the price for that mistake in the lives of friends and comrades, of Xavax blood. Of his Sparrows only Eoghan and Roderic had managed to walk from the field alive, and even then Eoghan had been seriously wounded and Roderic had been barely clinging to life. "Mother, you know I can't stay yeah?"

"I know son. I can see in your eyes that you would just fight us if we tried to keep you here to rest. It's your father's stubbornness." Caera stated with a glimpse of Eoghan's own smile forming along the corners of her lips.

"No, it's your stubbornness and we both know it." Eoghan shot back with a chuckle before working his way to his feet. A low grunt sounding from his lips as the movement sent another muted stab through his body and brought him to stumble. Within a breath Caera had risen up and moved to support her son until he proved steady once more and she could pull away.

"Eoghan, you know we can't let this pass. Give me the name and you and your people can be on your way. I will soothe things with your father so he doesn't try to keep you." This was the moment Eoghan had been hoping wouldn't come. Had it merely been him barring the grudge it would have ended simply with Archibald. But just as Caera knew the determination in her son so to did Eoghan know it in his mother and this meant it would go to the family.

"Archibald Von Lunkhofen." Eoghan spoke the name and grew still as he knew what was to follow.

"Fíoch bunaidh" Caera replied in kind, blood feud.

The Return Part V

Caera had left the room with the promise to talk to his father about securing the passage and left Eoghan alone to gather himself and finish dressing. While he had no clothes within Adare Hall his brother had seen fit to offer up a tunic of his own. Caoimhín was a little taller and a little more built than Eoghan was, which meant the tunic hung on him slightly. But it was better by leaps and bounds when compared with the torn and ratty tunic he had been wearing upon his release. When his torc was set in place the Saoi drew his breath and made for the door and out onto the upper balcony overlooking Adare Hall's great hall. There was no music, no ambient clamor of the many voices that often filled the hall with life, and with the sole exception of the high hearth's crackling flame the only sound heard was the discussion between Art Ui Briuin, Caera, and their two sons. Although of the two it was largely Caoimhín who spoke up with Ruari interjecting to add a smart remark here and there. Yet even this would come to an abrupt stop when Caera and Ruari noticed Eoghan at the top of the stairs and fell silent, leading Art and Caoimhín to follow suit. They all watched as Eoghan began his descent, a little slow in his movement but that was to be expected considering his injuries. The silence that filled the hall was almost oppressive to the point that even the crackling of the flames could not abate the weighty hush. Still for his part Eoghan didn't seem to let it get to him as he continued down at his best pace. His focus drifting from his family to the salt and pepper hair of his trusted friend and companion Roderic. To the old badger Eoghan gave the briefest of nods which was returned in kind by the old man. As he reached the bottom step it was father who broke the silence first,

"You are being a damned fool for leaving now, you know that?" Art's voice rang out masterfully within the hall as he had spent most of his life ruling his small lands from within it. Yet in spite of his volume and demeanor there was no sign of anger or malice in his accusing question.

"Aye father, I know." Eoghan answered in the same subdued tone he had carried with his mother when the same point was made.

"Well if you are set on it than get to it, we won't stop you from being an idiot." Art replied though his voice softened some as he spoke.

"Art..." Caera interjected but Eoghan cut her off with a grin and a nod.

"Glad to hear it. I doubt any force in this world or the next could manage it anyway." and it seemed the reply hit home as Art's own features softened considerably.

"Right, well you will find we have provided you fresh horses. Your man Roderic saw fit to get a proper healer from the Capital and we've paid for her services for the next few months so you best heed her advice now." Art continued on with a nod or two upon finishing. Then with nothing else to add he set his grey gaze upon Eoghan and added a final, "You be sure to come by when your travels take you this way again."

"I will father." Eoghan gave his curt reply with a nod before glancing to his other family members.

"You better little brother," Caoimhín now pipped up with a wide grin, "You have to meet your nephew after all."

"Do well Eoghan, may the Paragons Guide you." Ruari quipped as well with a weaker smile when set beside his older brother.

"and may they Guide you all as well." Eoghan answered in kind before making his way out of Adare Hall and to the courtyard with Roderic at his side.

"M'Lord, I've had Leland riding back and forth to the Capitol t' collect any messages for you. It seems the army is t' be setting out for Abadan soon and the Knights of Steele are requesting you in Leibo. Also the Talon has commanded you to avoid disputed areas for the time being." Roderic mentioned as they made their way towards where the horses were waiting. There Eoghan could see his two attendants who had originally followed him from Leibo with Roderic, Pol and Leland, as well as a new face dressed all in white. "Right, this is Lenora she has been tending to your wounds while you...slept."

"Passed out Roderic, might as well call it what it was. Very well we set off to Leibo then." Eoghan answered before looking to the small group gathered, "Leland, Pol, we are heading home saddle up my own horse." Eoghan could practically feel Roderic's brow raise at his remark, and before the question was asked the Saoi cut him off. "I can't stay in the cart forever Roderic and we will travel faster without it. Besides what kind of Hero of the Imperium would I be if I came to meet soldiers going off to war laying face down in a cart?" With his piece said Roderic knew that Eoghan would be too stubborn to let up and so he let out an audible sigh and followed his Lord forward to the horses. The whole time the grizzled veteran of the Xavax Wars reflected on Eoghan's father's words and could have found them more apt. Especially as the lot of them took of to the sound of Eoghan's curses flying out at various points along their long ride northward.


((The song is called Tá mé 'mo shuí if you want to hear what it sounds like being song follow the link! https://youtu.be/_pUOPnPIqEc?t=3m13s))

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Roleplaying / The Return Part I- Eoghan Ui Briuin
« on: March 01, 2017, 12:54:14 AM »
The Return Part I

Eoghan looked through the barred windows of the prison carriage at the sum's setting light and the crimson hues cast over the sky as the night approached. Each bump, each shift in the road was a small torture for his wounds were still fresh and raw. Yet the calm facade upon his face did not betray the stabbing sensation that blazed through his back with each shift of the muscles. Eoghan was determined now more than ever to make sure the Vix scum wouldn't gain any satisfaction from his wounds, and the man's stubbornness held him to it. Eoghan used the fact that his wrists were still shackled to subtly drive his nails into the flesh of his hands and try to offset one pain with another, even if it was far weaker. Small little half moons would form within the base of his skin, though not deep enough to break the flesh, and his thought was right in that it helped a little. But he could only do so much to offset the pain physically, and being quick to realizing that fact in his ride Eoghan turned his mind to his faith. There were many teachings that quickly occupied his thoughts, just as there had been in his cell as he spent four days in agony from his scourging to the frequent "salt water baths for his health." Still there was one thought, one memory, that returned to him both in those four days and now within the carriage and that was of his conversation with the High King of Caligus.

"Strengthen your enech by walking The Higher Path, keep to the virtues by being meting out Justice upon the deserving, hold to your Honor so others might emulate it, show Courage to act upon what is right, be Charitable and Hospitable to all who seek your aid, be Loyal to your friends and your people, and show Fortitude in the wake of unrelenting pressure." The words rang clearly in Eoghan's mind almost as much as the pain he felt and they gave him comfort as they rode on to the border of Vix Tiramora lands and that of The Imperium.

The first sign of Eoghan's attention turning away from the window was the sound of the driver calling for the horses to slow and the carriage beginning to turn about. Within moments one of the pus blooded assistants of the Lord Executor Archibald Von Lunkhofen made his way round at a leisurely pace towards the barred door to his mobile cell. "Right then, make your way forward hands out." Though his voice was gruff the man's eyes gleamed with a sickening delight as he gazed upon the haggard appearance of Eoghan. Eoghan did not respond at first but merely set his bluish-grey eyes upon that man and took the measure of him. "'urry up then, I haven't got all day." His gaoler barked as he withdrew a ring of keys. Eoghan gave nothing upon his features as he complied with the demand, yet a slight tremor ran through him as he reached his hands out so that his gaoler might remove the shackles. Still Eoghan stared, not with hatred in his eyes but pity at the man while he worked to free Eoghan's wrists. This did not go unnoticed and as he turned the key the man spoke once more, "You 'ave something you want to say?"

"In time the Maelstrom shall consume you." Eoghan spoke calmly, flat as he ever had when he finally broke his silence.

"What?" Came the curt reply as his shackles loosened and Eoghan's hands were freed.

"We are all to return to the Font of Creation upon death, that much is known. But in that Maelstrom of pure power all are rended and stripped bare of the self. You whose life is so insignificant that you gleefully tread upon the lower path at an other person's whim are destined to be consumed by the Maelstrom itself. Ripped apart of all sense of self to be returned to the oneness of the Font. You are a pitiable thing that does not act to cultivate your enech but let it be subsumed by another. No one shall remember you, no one will care when you are gone, and in death you will ultimately be nothing." Still as Eoghan spoke there was no hatred in his voice for the man whose hand moved the scourge that rended his flesh. For the unkempt Saoi saw in him a destiny that would not live beyond himself, and he would happily use his words to strike at the heart of the man and plant a seed to take root. Were he trying to draw the man towards the faith he might have spoken instead of returning to a state of oneness with all things. Or how to positively cultivate his enech so as to try and fight his current destiny; but pain dulled his compassion and disdain for one who walked The Lower Path allowed him a certain clarity to mete out the Just sentence upon his very soul. For in the end all were accountable for their actions as their actions were what shaped their enech.

The Return Part II

A flash of malice filled the gaoler's eyes at Eoghan's remark and his face grew red from the insult. It might not have been the smart thing to do, to provoke the man, but Eoghan's entire ordeal was over speaking his mind and he was already in for a pound. So he waited as the man hurried with the door, and as the man flung it open and began to move in to grab at him Eoghan rose up quickly and smashed his forehead into the gaoler's nose. Searing pain shot through Eoghan's body as his fresh wounds reacted not only to the sudden movement but direct usage of those muscles and left both men crying out in agony. Eoghan crumpling down to his knees as his back bent on pure instinct and fed more pain through him. The gaoler stumbling back and falling to the ground below the carriage while clutching at his nose as his blood flowed freely down his lips. The price Eoghan paid for the petty act of defiance came swift as the driver came round and saw the mess. Hauled out from the carriage by the scruff of his wrinkled shirt Eoghan was thrown to the ground and agony ripped through him. The two men were quick to beat at the priest as he writhed upon the ground and in the end Eoghan's blurred vision watched as the carriage rode away to leave him on the road.

It was there Eoghan lay for a time largely regretting his recent actions as his body yelled at him with each blazing shot of pulsing pain that ripped through him. Each breath hurt and as he inhaled a fit of coughing seemed to seize him and perpetuate the vicious cycle he was stuck in. “!@#$ all…” Eoghan groaned as the coughing fits settled and his heavy panting breaths gasped for air. “You just had to go and be a smart arse didn’t you.” The Saoi continued out loud, his very words strained as he spoke to himself. Yet soon they gave way to an almost weak laughing that quickly turned into another groan of pain. “Next time I pick a fight with my jailer…it will be before the torture…that’s for damned sure.” He muttered raggedly as he pushed passed the pain to pull himself up to his feet once more. “Still…bastard deserved it…” he finally added with the briefest glimmer of his usual smile when he was finally up right, and a little wobbly, on his own two feet. With one final breath he began to shuffle on down the road into Betholm once more.

Eoghan’s pace in this time was admittedly rather slow, although in the heavily forested region he did manage to find a solid stick to help him balance as he walked. It had just barely been an hour into the trek when the sound of horses coming up the road made itself known to him. Eoghan’s worry was dim to say the least for he understood that he was in fact back within Imperium Territory. Added onto that how scarce the population of Betholm was and he figured the chances of this even being bandits was slim to none. So he continued forward down the road until his suspicion was vindicated by the all too familiar sight of his old Captain and now the chief guard of his household Roderic riding up the road with his other two attendants that he had taken on his original journey to Vix controlled Oc Lu Pesh and Betholm, and with one of those attendants they had in tow a horse drawn cart.

“M’Lord…” The grizzled old man spoke quickly as he drew his horse to stop. The thread of worry in his words was largely uncharacteristic for the old badger to Eoghan, and yet given his state Eoghan couldn’t fault him. “…we had heard the news of what they did and came riding as fast as we could. Pol paid for the cart from some locals on my orders. We have it set up t’ take you back.” Roderic continued after quickly dismounting to see to Eoghan.

“Thank you old friend.” Eoghan offered with a weak smile as he reached out to pat upon his old Captain’s shoulder just as he had done a hundred times before during the war. “As much as I hate to say it I want you to make for the Capital at all haste. Ride all night if you have to and don’t mind me. There is much to catch up on and I have far too much to do to let up now.” Eoghan saw in the eyes of Roderic a degree of uncertainty as he finished. But the Saoi paid it no mind while making his way to the cart. “I’m going to need your help getting it.” He finally added, flashing his smile to show nothing was wrong in spite of his obvious hurt. Still Roderic knew better than to push Eoghan, and acquiesced to his Lord’s command. Helping Eoghan into the cart where he could lay upon his stomach on his blanket set over a layer of laid out straw, and rest his head upon his rolled up tent. While it wasn’t the most comfortable setup this had still been better than his cell in the dungeons of the Vix, and as the cart started off for Xavax Eoghan finally allowed himself to surrender to his exhaustion and sleep.

The Return Part III
Eoghan's little cadre had ridden hard through the night and into the early morning with the spent Saoi all but passed out in the cart. By the rising of the sum the group had made it to the edge of the realm of Xavax and Enubec into a territory all to familiar to Eoghan and his trusted former captain Roderic, the lands of the Ui Briuin house. While Eoghan's attendants brought the cart to the front of the hall Roderic rushed through the front door and into the great hall with its high hearth burning brightly. His deep brown eyes scanned the hall quickly as the eyes of the house guard, servants, and Eoghan's father, brother, and mother turned to him. "I call for the Ui Briuin Peace." His gruff voice announced as he noted the guard about to rise. Roderic had been with Eoghan long enough to know of the Ui Briuin traditions, and to invoke the peace was to call on their hospitality which was renown within the region. It would be a quick way to ease tensions lest things were to get out of hand too quickly from his rat her forceful entrance.

Art Mac Bríon Ui Briuin, the current head of the family, was an older man who had ruled Adare Hall for over thirty years and seen it through the worst of times when many other families might have fled. He, like his father and mother before him, had earned the right to call the land his own and it reflected well from in the imposing presence cast from his seat before the banner of gilded stag on a field of green the family had taken as their own. His grey hued eyes softened almost at once upon hearing the peace invoked and raising he bid him approach. "Very well traveler, it is asked and given. I welcome you into my home to eat and rest as needed, but during your stay your weapons are forfeit until your departure." The formal reply had an air of ceremony about it much like Roderic's own words. Yet whatever ceremonial reply might have followed was interrupted by the sudden rising of the red headed woman by Art's side. Her vibrant blue eyes held the grizzled old veteran in as her voice filled the air.

"I know you, you are my son's man...Roderic yes? Where is Eoghan? Is he on his way in?" Caera asked quickly as the worry underlined in the former captain's voice stirred a worry in the family matriarch.

"Aye Ma'am..." Roderic sounded solemnly as his face fell a bit. "He is outside...but he isn't in good shape...He needs a healer t' see to the wounds..."

(( For information on the Ui Briuin family and traditions check out this page ​http://wiki.battlemaster.org/wiki/Ui_Briuin_Family.))

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