[Western Hills] Welcome to Sunberth (Cade)

[Jean]

10th Day of Spring, 512 AV❧ 30 Chimes Outside of Sunberth Jean was sitting in the grass just off the side of the road, reins in her hand, as Lee grazed behind her. All her tack was in a pile next to her so Lee could enjoy their break more extensively; she was soaked with sweat and lather from the fast clip they'd been traveling to reach the city before sundown. Jean didn't look much better. Her hair needed washed, her clothes were crumpled, and her skin had a fine layer of dust on it with muddy tracks left by lines of sweat. And she'd only bathed just yesterday. Wiping her face on her sleeve, she reclined back on one elbow and started picking at the grass next to her. She'd let Lee eat for a little while longer than usual, since they were so close to the city. Jean yawned and was just about to lie back to take a nap when she spotted a man shuffling up the road from the east, coming from the direction of Sunberth. This was a new region, so she told herself to be on guard. The man's appearance helped to fortify that thought. If she hadn't had good self control, she would've curled her lip at the sight of him. He was absolutely filthy; his hair was matted and greasy, with grimy fingers and unkempt nails, baggy, miss matched clothing with no shoes, and yellow toenails that looked like nasty old crackers. It took a while for the man to spot her, the way he'd been moving made it obvious that he was deep in thought. When their eyes met he got a nasty look in his beady black eyes, but it was gone almost too quickly for her the register. He slapped on a big smile and waved, using this as an excuse to cross over to her side of the road. Lee raised her head quickly as he approached, snorting uncomfortably. Jean took note of this and the hair on the back of her neck stood up. "Hey there! You don't look so great, are you okay? Do you need any help?" He had an accent she couldn't place, and his voice was too overly cheery. She stood up, perching on the balls of her feet as if she would bolt, the suspicion rolling off her like waves. "No, I'm fine thank you. I was heading for Sunberth. We've been on the road for a while and were just taking a quick break. You caught me at a bad time, I was right about to tack up and leave," Jean said to him. She'd smacked on a smile just as fake as his. He was standing a few feet in front of her now, and he was smaller than she'd first thought, but very strong looking. I couldn't beat him in a fight, but I bet I could outrun him, she thought, her heart pounding so hard she wouldn't be surprised if he could hear it. This man was definitely not good news. He might as well have screamed, "I'm a thug, give me all your money!" for all the world to hear. If she and Lee ran, her tack would get left behind. She glanced at her things next to her, and he took this as his moment. The nasty little man was on her even before she could look back at him. He punched her square in the nose, and she felt hot blood spurt down her face and onto her shirt. Lee shrieked and reared back, ripping the reigns from her hand and pulling her even more off balance. Between that awful luck and the man leaping on her top of her, she hit the ground hard. Jean threw her arms up to grab at the man's hair, but he battered her hands violently so she threw her arms protectively over her head instead. He kneed, punched, and even scratched. That last bit set her off. She lunged at him wildly, and her reared back in surprise. He thought she was going to go down easy. She clawed at his eyes, raking her nails down his face and leaving long bloody scratches. As he yowled and covered his face, she forced him off with a good shove with her legs. She didn't think she would've even been able to manage that if she weren't so overloaded on adrenaline. Rocketing onto her feet and scanning around for Lee, whom to her dismay was nowhere in sight, she sprinted wildly in a random direction. And then she hit the ground again. Her teeth clacked together loudly as her chin struck the road, and she bit the inside of her cheek, tasting blood. He was on her back, pinning her arms behind her, and holding a knife to the side of her throat. "If you lay here quietly, I won't kill you for scratching me-" Liar, she thought acidly. "-and I might even leave you some of your girly things after I'm doing going through your bags. You obviously need a good grooming." His breath smelled awful so close to her face, and he even had the nerve to lick her ear! She shrieked in rage and fear, praying to all the Gods and Goddesses she could think of. The drumming of hooves interrupted her pitiful bargaining spree with the Gods, and she didn't think she'd ever been more relieved in her life. She could tell it was Lee, who charged the man from where he sat on Jean's back, only to shy out of his reach as he slashed his knife at her. She stood well out of range, pacing and sides heaving, her eyes rolling wildly in their sockets. The man couldn't get up now that Lee had returned, else she would charge, giving Jean the chance to stand and defend herself. This was as good as Jean could have hoped the situation could get at the moment. Both her mind and the man's were racing for ideas out of each of their own situations.

[Cade]

The commotion between girl, man and horse had caught the sunberthian barbarian's attention. He was heading out of sunberth for a quick rabbit hunt, but a scuffle may be worth wile for him to investigate. His right hand gripped the pommel of his sword while he slowly closed in. The horse was a loyal beast from the looks of it, but it's owner was in a rough situation handling this rugged bandit. Cade continued to move in, his bronze skin easily visible as he wore no armour and only a crimson cloak to protect his upper half from the elements. Any that looked close enough could see that his muscular body was tattered with battle scars of the past making evident that he was a warrior.

The horse was the first to notice the half blood myrian coming on to the scene giving Cade away as the hooved beast snorted in his direction and rearing a few feet back to take in the evolution of this conflict. The barbarian began to chuckle at the both of them, pathetic in a desperate way. The unsettling laughter caught the attention of the would be bandit and he turn his attention upon Cade.

" Piss off?" the bandit spat with anger through clenched teeth towards the new comer.

"Thats all you got old man?" The deep toned chuckles continued as Cade continued to creep upon them " You can barely keep the bitch down let alone make off with your loot against a horse"

" Mind your own business, or I will gut you like a pig"

" If you werent planning on ravaging her, you should of cut her throat"

The man stood, realizing that the girl was no longer a threat, let alone the horse. No this man approaching like a black maned lion ready to pounce for the kill was the true threat now. The bandit angled his dagger towards Cade, sweat now stinging his facial laceration as his mine raced for exit strategies that would be favourable. "How about you take the girl and horse and I walk away with her goods. Sound fair?" He pleaded as his eyes locked deep into the half blood's svefran blue eyes.

A predatorial grin formed upon the barbarian's face, he licked his lips like a wolf tasting for flesh. " I aim to have it all" was all Cade said as he lashed out drawing his blade in one single and fluent motion depicting his skill with the weapon. The long sword longed for blood as it struck for the older man's throat. Thing is, the man didn't get old with out being skilled.

He ducked under the attack lashing out with the dagger slicing the barbarian across the left forearm. The wound did not foil or slow the younger warrior down, for with panther like reflexes Cade brought his knee up in a savage strike into the man's groin. The force of the attack doubled the older man over taking the wind from his sails as his face contorted in pain. Then with out hesitation Cade decapitated him with a powerful downward strike that ended the skirmish in a brutish execution.

Cade's inferno blazed eyes bared down on the helpless girl that he had just saved " Now, what to do with you?" he growled as the pain in his forearm become more reality for him, blood trickling from the gash.

[Jean]

Footsteps, and then the deep sound of laughter. Jean looked up from her position on the ground. And then up some more. This man was massive, and much more imposing than the one on her back. She was almost glad now that she'd been attacked by the small greasy man instead of the mountain in front of them. She could have cried she was so happy that he'd shown up, but as she was about to plead for help and say how glad she was, he opened his rude petching mouth. Jean was no bitch. Her face clouded with unease. Was he here to help her, or just trying to get a rise out the mugger? Because he definitely got the rise. She listened to them until the man, thankfully, got off her back. He must have thought she was of no concern. Maybe Jean couldn't do any real damage to them, without a blade or arrows, but she'd definitely try. Very carefully, she started crawling back to her bags. If she could get her eating knife, that'd at least be something. Lee was pacing restlessly several lengths away, refusing to come any closer to the conflict out of fear. She heard the scuffle behind her, but didn't look back. Crawl! That was all she thought of. There was a sickening thump, a softer thud, then a sound like a sack of vegetables rolling behind her. The mountainous man's voice stopped her cold. "What to do with you?" he rumbled. Jean slowly got to her feet and turned to face him. The bandit's body was lying in a pool of blood. His head had rolled a few feet away from it's proper place on his neck. She walked over to the body and casually spit on the corpse. Pity and remorse were lost to her with this man. She hoped his spirit never rested. Then she turned back to her current problem, taking her first good look at him. He didn't have much on, and he was definitely strong. There was scars mottling his skin, and a fresh cut on his forearm. Jean set her jaw and squared her shoulders, balling her hands into fists at her side. "I won't go down so easily this time. I'm prepared now. He took me off guard. I have to thank you for killing him, but if you expect to finish his work, you won't be leaving with just that cut," she said boldly. She would never win against him without a weapon, but she didn't care. She wouldn't be bested without throwing everything she had at him. Her blood was smeared all over her face, mixed with dirt and sweat. Fresh trickles were trill running out of her mouth and nose, down her chin, and onto her soiled shirt. She looked like a wild woman from the woods, almost feral in her half-crazed adrenaline state. Her lips pulled back in a smile, showing her bloody teeth. "So, just like you asked; what are you going to do with me? Ravage me or cut my throat like you told him too? Then take my things?"

[Cade]

The savage warrior looked upon the female human as she squared off on him. She was right to do so, this was sunberth and men such as he would not hesitate in taking all that she possessed let along a go at her body. His svefran blues were boiled oceans of previous combat and adrenaline pumping through his body. His left forearm pained from the wound he had taken on from fighting with the bandit and his right hand still grasping the longsword hungered for me bloodletting. The wolfish grin appeared once more as he stepped forward to the bandit's decapitated body, admiring his own craftsmanship.

"Don't tempt me woman!" He warned as his eyes did the ravaging instead of her body, her curves leaving much to his imagination to play with. He reached down, plucking through the deceased man's pocket and collecting Jean's purse of gold. He opened it up plucking three gold pieces from the pouch and then tossing the rest to the woman's feet.

"Three gold mizas, thats the going rate these days for my services" He informed while sheathing his sword to deescalate the situation. " The man's belongings are my bonus and his body will fetch a small sum on the meat market if butchered right." He paused letting the reality of what just happen sink into the girl's mind "You just paid me to save your ass. You don't owe me anything and I will not be taking what is yours... so put that feking butter knife away before I feel insulted"

[Jean]

Her body tensed as the man moved closer, but he wasn't making any move to attack her. She blushed furiously as he raked her body up and down with his eyes, like she was a rabbit and he were a hungry wolf. She was about to protest and start yelling when he took her purse and collected 3 golds from it. That was it? Confused, she picked it up off the ground where he'd thrown it. "You're not taking anything else? Not that I'm complaining, but..." Her voice trailed off and her face paled. He was going to give the thug's body to the meat market? "They'll butcher humans for food in the city?" she asked, incredulous. "How is that even appealing?" She imagined this man's body being hacked apart and sold to families, then being cooked and eaten for dinner. It was a disgusting thought, but she didn't care if this man was butchered. The gruesome images made a hysterical laugh bubble up from her throat. "What on earth do they sell it as?" she asked, half smiling at the thought. "Come one, come all! Buy your neighbor's leg, guaranteed fresh!" That was her impression of a meat salesman. The humor wore off quickly. She was so tired all of the sudden. Her body felt like a taught bowstring that needed released. The man had put his weapon away, and even though he could probably kill her with his bare hands, she didn't care anymore. "I need a drink. A very, very strong drink," she mumbled. Her body hurt so badly and she wanted the pain to be numbed. Lebanon could tell the situation had deflated, and she'd slowly made her way to Jean's side, bumping her muzzle to her shoulder. "I guess since you're not going to kill me-," she said as she put a hand on Lee's neck, "-we should introduce ourselves. You did save my life after all, albeit in different way than I would ever imagine. My name is Jean." All hostility was gone from her eyes, and what was left was a wounded sort of wariness.

[Cade]

The savage ignored the girl's snarky humor towards the ins and outs of sunberth, especially of the food trade. There were all sorts of races in the city and a few enjoy the taste of human. With that, the barbarian pulled his dagger from its sheath and knelt down to the side of the carcass. Cade agreed, she will need a strong drink, especailly after what he was about to do. " I will buy you drinks once we get back to town. First I need to field dress this peace of shit. My name is Cade by the way." He chuckled as he brought his knife closer to the man's skin.

he began to take care of the headless bandit, not a pleasing job for the squeamish or those that have weak stomachs. however it should be done and done properly. The barbarian started by pruning the testicles and penis and discarding them. once doing that Cade turned the man over on his back, bracing the his's legs open with his own knees. He then pulled the man's skin up, and away from the stomach. this permits the inner organs to fall back away from the skin. together with his sharp blade, Cade then open up the lower chest cavity by cutting through the man's hide, careful to not cut the stomach, then towards the neck. Now, while holding the intestines down, with the knife blade facing up, Cade cut the skin open all the way up through the man's chest cavity using his weight and strength to saw through the sternum exposing the wind pipe. Cade then reached as far as he could into the man's throat and yanked the oesophagus out for the neck was decapitate. After this, the membrane lining on both sides of the rib cage was the barbarians next task, cutting as close as attainable to the ribs right down to the backbone just like he did with the deer's a few days prior. This entire task was repetitious but needed to be done as such.

Cade proceed all the way down to the pelvis. Being careful not to puncture the bladder, for this would taint the human meat, while cutting the skin back to the anus area. Cade then used a saw to rip through the pelvic bone while holding down any flesh, glands, or intestinal tissue. Then Cade went back up to work in the chest cavity, obtaining a strong hold of the wind pipe and began pulling back, towards the hind legs. Trimming some membranes along the rib cage; and pulling continuously, all the entrails came out. Once done, Cade rolled the man over to empty out any pooled blood.

Once the man was relieved of his innards The barbarian picked the carcass up over his shoulder, finally putting his attention back on the girl that he just saved he will moved on to de skinning and de boning the kill, butchering the man into its respective peaces once he gets back to his main camp that was situated on the outskirts of the slums and embedded in the forest off the main road heading west. The very road they were taking back to sunberth. "Well sweetheart, Call your horse over here so i can place this sack of meat upon him. Then we make our way back" He demanded as if he was ordering the girl like if she was one of his own men.

[Jean]

Jean had never been more thankful that she didn't have a weak stomach. She'd dressed several different kinds of animals, so she wasn't bothered by innards and blood. But this was still different. This was a human. She had never seen a human mutilated before. If her self control had been weaker than it was, she would have bust into tears and thrown up right then and there. The only thing amusing about the whole process was the man's genitals being cut off. She was oddly satisfied by it, seeing as how the man would have probably raped her after he got done beating her half to death. Even though she was disgusted by the process she couldn't tear her eyes away from, there was also a morbid interest with it all. A human's innards weren't different than anything else's. Of course they wouldn't be though, a human was just another animal, and she knew that. But it was still odd to see. So similar but so different. A sickening, sloshing sound came from the body as the knife cut a particularly tender area, and she clenched her jaw. This was not what she had in mind when she'd set off for this city. What was going to petching happen to her here? Cade finally finished with his gruesome task. He slung the organless body over his shoulder and requested her horse. She frowned, almost telling him to go sodomize that corpse, but she held her tongue. The thought of that disgusting man's body thrown over her mare's back made her want to vomit more than the actual field dressing did. With a shuddering sigh, she half turned to where Lebanon had wandered off to graze. A soft whistle brought the mare trotting to her side. Jean grabbed the dangling reigns and led her the rest of the way to Cade. Her horse was trained to carry the kills from her hunts, so the smell of blood didn't gauge any reaction. But Lee could sense Jean's unease, and the mare flattered her ears and snorted warily. "Don't put his body face down on her back. I want as little blood as possible getting on her. Put him on his back, we can attach him with some rope." Taking a moment, she dropped the reigns and moved back to her pile of belongings. She retrieved her line of rope from one of her saddlebags and went back to Cade and her mare. "I'll tie him on, you get him situated right." Her voice was surprisingly calm and neutral despite the fact that she was helping this man tie a gutted human onto her horse's back. "I warn you, I expect to get drunk, and I can hold my drink really well. So it'll take quite a few mugs to get me there." A smile, inappropriate for the situation, twitched her lips up.

[Cade]

Cade had done as requested with the proper packing of the man's remains upon Jean's horse and a few hours Later Cade had lead her to his favourite tavern in the city for the promised drinks. They had dropped meat bag off at camp before finding themselves seated in the Pig foot's tavern, boothed side by side up at the bar for much easier access to the service of liquid spirits. Cade knuckled the wooden surface to catch the bartender's attention.

"What'll ya have, Cade?" The bartender knew the half blood well for he the mountain of a beast was almost a permanent fixture of this tavern, infamous and famous in his times spent drinking here.

"I will have a horn of mead" The berthian barbarian demanded then putting his gaze upon the girl he had just saved from being raped and possibly murdered " And what ever this girl wants is on my coin. She has had a warm welcoming thus far and best feed her soul with fiery spirits".

[Jean]

They had gotten rid of the body and Jean had saw to all of her things and her mare. Everything was secure now, and she could breathe easy. As easy as one could breathe through a blood clogged nose. They were sitting at the bar of a seemingly popular tavern. There was a crowd of customers and the constant low din of multiple conversations. Cade got the bartender's attention and gave his order. The fact that all of Jean's drinks tonight wouldn't be at her own expense cheered her up considerably. "I'll have two mugs of your strongest stuff to start," she said. Her elbow was propped on the bar and her chin was perched on the heel of her hand. She blew a stray piece of hair out of her tired eyes, then turned slightly to look at her companion. "So," she started, dragging the word out leisurely. "What do you do here in Sunberth, Cade? Do you often collect dead muggers and sell them to the market? Is that how you make your living?" A smile played across her beaten lips, and widened further as her two mugs were presented. Jean picked one up and took a experimental but eager sip, enjoying the feel of it burn its way down her throat and settle like a warm coal in her belly. She hummed her approval, taking another, longer swig before setting the small tank back down. She licked her split lips, tasting coppery blood and alcohol. "This already seems like quite a welcoming, colorful city," she said, her voice ladled with sarcasm as she said the welcoming bit. This place was about as open armed as a hooded executioner.

[Archelon]

Thread Award "..." And the Results!!!!: Jean : SkillName 1-5 How/why? Brawling 2 Unarmed combat 1 Intimidation 1 Lores: A normal sunberth welcome. Would you like some extra turtle sauce ? : Interesting, any questions comments, concerns, please feel free to pm me a nice pm .