Watch Tower

George · October 7, 2003, 04:18 PM

Towering over the main gate stood a large tower, nearly finished. At the "centuries perch," the top level of the tower near the entire military base could be seen by the naked eye, and Abestat itself could be seen with even the most basic telescope.

It base frame was finished and made of well-quarried stone shiped from the Arium province; wet mortar had been feverishly thrown about and stained the outside wall of the tower.

A thick, oak-framed doorway was carefuly placed facing away from the gates entrance. The same sturdy oak was used to build the staircase that squarly arose from the walls to the "centuries perch" at the top. This top area was still under construction. The oak floor was finished but the frame for the roof and walls were still under construction. . .

Lookouts and guards already assigned there fought for space with workers and craftmen still busily at work. Down at the bottom, another guard was placed the the entrance checking building supplies being hurried up the straircase. "Serale, do you need any help?"

Yarrow · October 17, 2003, 03:00 PM

Serale. I am reporting for duty, sir. I am suppose to be a Patrol Roster...the name is Corporal Yarrow Woodruff. Can you tell me if I am in the right place? She gave a salute and glanced about her. This was definitely the life.

Fish Stick · October 29, 2003, 11:51 AM

The man that had run down to greet Yarrow smiled, for he knew that she was in the right place, because he had it on his roster, which he had memorized quite well actually. "Serale Corporal Yarrow, yeah, your in the right place. The only people on duty right now are me, and Private Rsss'tan, a saurid. My name is Jik Folts, Sargeant Jik Folts...Follow me!" he said, and then led the way up the stairs.

As he did, he looked up to see Rsss'tan, the seven foot tall saurid, green scales and green eyes. Rsss'tan looked to Yarrow and said, "Ssssserale, I am Private Rsss'tan." He smiled after saying it, and held out his hand to shake hers. "I take it you are on duty with the two of usssss?" he asked her, as he held out his hand to shake hers...

Yarrow · October 29, 2003, 03:23 PM

Yarrow smiled and gave another salute (to be on the safe side) and then followed him up the steps. Up, up to the tip top! She smiled and shook hands with the Private. This would be the second time that she had met a saurid. Her smile brightened as she remember the first time...

Serale. I am Corporal Yarrow Woodruff. She told him before her eyes went to the look out post. Any action out there? She asked and then paused, turned back around. This would be my first time up here...on roster...what exactly should I do, sir?

It wasn't the first time up on the wall. The first time she had been on "patrol". That had turned into something...bloodier...the wall had exploded and before she knew it she had been forced to plunge into battle with all the others. Yarrow's fingers went up to the purple pin that she wore next to her Corporal's badge. She had earned that when they were retreating. An arrow...caught her in the lower back. It had been painful.

I won't think about though...not right now. I am on "Patrol Roster". Whatever that means. Yarrow let her hand drop from the pin. That had been a wild patrol though.

Fish Stick · November 7, 2003, 08:30 AM

Rsss'tan looked towards Yarrow and then said, "Nah, we are jusssst on look out, not much up here for the moment. It will mosssstly be boring work, unlessssss sssssomeone decssssidessss to attempt to have ssssome fun with ussss again..." What Rsss'tan said was pretty true. It would be mostly boring work that they would be doing up there. It would be a good time to talk about things though, since there was nothing better to do. Watching out for orcs wasn't exactly the thing that they would be needing to do, seeing as how the orc attack had suddenly been thwarted, and things were just getting back to normal...

Yarrow · November 7, 2003, 05:39 PM

Yarrow smiled. This is how we earn our bread! She said, relief spreading across her features. What does one talk about on such a "thankless" and "boring" duty? She half wondered to herself. How long do watches go to? She asked out loud in stead. She didn't know either of these men and so she didn't know how to best start a conversation. I'll just take it one step at a time. She decided.

Fish Stick · November 18, 2003, 01:00 PM

"Watches are about three hours," said Jik. "We will be done in...oh, approximately 2 hours." Time passed by, and the duty seemed boring. Rsss'tan looked towards Sargeant Jik, and then so nicely asked, "Hey, have you heard about the Trialsssss of the Esssspada?" Jik looked back to him and thought for a moment. "Yeah, aren't those the military games that we shall be putting on in a few cycles?" he asked. "Yea. I am going to sssssign up for that ssssometime. Whenever the ssssign up ssssheetssss are out..."

Yarrow · November 18, 2003, 07:10 PM

I haven't heard about this...like always I am one of the last people to find out about these things. Yarrow shook her head and had to smile. It was always like this for her. Not long ago she had been out and about on the streets talking to a few civilians when a dwarf came up to her and began to tell her about the upcoming rases in ranks. Privates would become Corporals...but this was the first time she had heard of such things.

What kind of games will there be? She asked casually. She wondered if he needed any help in setting up or such...it would be her pleasure to help...she was always there to help out.

Fish Stick · November 29, 2003, 04:41 PM

"Well, there are supposed to be four trials, all representing the Espadas de Elementias," said Jik. "The four swords happen to be the swords of earth, fire, water, and wind, each able to be arcanically activated once you are an apprentice in any of the arcane spheres. I personally am wondering what the reward for winning the games is, but they haven't said yet, so it will seem that the award will be a surprise..." He sighed, and then looked over towards the sea. Rsss'tan looked over to Yarrow, and then back towards Jik.

He then heard a loud voice yelling from the bottom of the tower. "Hey, is anybody on duty up there?!?!?!" the voice screamed. Jik went over to the wall that the voice seemed to be coming from, and looked down. Low and behold it was a dwarf, and two other hobbits that seemed to want to get ahold of the guards at the tower. "What do ya want?" yelled Jik.

"We are here to take yer guy's place!!!" the dwarf yelled back up. "Your guard duty is done, didn't ya know that!!!" Jik turned to Rsss'tan, and Yarrow, and then said, "Well, i guess that means that our duty here is done for the day. Dismissed..."

Rsss'tan looked to Yarrow, and then asked, "Do you want to walk over to the regissssstration desssssk with me? Who knowssss, maybe we will end up on the ssssame team..."

Yarrow · November 29, 2003, 04:47 PM

Yarrow was happy to get off of duty for the day. She stood and stretched. She hid a yawn behind her hand. Well...that wasn't very eventful. She said truthfully.

Sure. I would love to join in the games...might as well walk over now before they run out of room. She smiled at Rsss'tan and said her good byes to Jik.