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Interlude: Advertisment - Tobiuno
🕑 Added 2019-06-21 16:01:01 +0000 UTC
Built on the top of a hill, Castle Everwatch oversees the plains of Evergreen, protecting the people of the Duchy Highever from harm. During the last weeks, a band of knights is stationed here, sallying out to hunt the numerous bandits that plague the abundant plains.
The leader of that band of knights is as unusual as his tactics, for he is one of those not born from this world, one of the undying Travellers, sent by the gods to learn about life. This particular Traveller, known as Tobiuno, Captain in the Dukal Guard of Highever and leader of a group of Travellers, calling themselves the Blades of the Realm, is standing on the battlements, looking down at the endless, green plains he is tasked to guard.
“Greetings, fellow Travellers and those of you who have yet to travel to Mundus.
Allow me, to show you what awaits those who walk the Road to Purgatory.” the tall human announces, with a friendly smile before starting to walk along the wall, from time to time gesturing to the plains below the castle. In the distance, worked fields are visible, hinting at the farmers doing their work to supply the Castle, the Duchy and the surrounding lands with grain.
“Welcome to Castle Everwatch, one of the countless castles and fortresses on the world of Mundus, there are many like it, but this one is mine. Well, in a way. I, along with a unit of the Dukal Guard and the Blades of the Realm, was tasked with the protection of the Evergreen-plains by the Duke of Highever. Castle Everwatch is his, but we are doing his Grace’s work so, for now, it is ours. You may ask yourself, what is so special about Road to Purgatory, let me show you.”
The scene cuts to the courtyard. Tobiuno is no longer dressed in normal clothes but is now wearing a chainmail-vest over thick cloth-armour, has a sabre belted to his side and a shield strapped to his arm.
Horses are already readied and Tobiuno mounts, joining up with nine other riders, three like him wearing chain-mail, shields and weapons, one a sabre and the other two have swords at their side. Two riders are scouts and have a spear in a holster affixed to their saddle, with a quiver and a shortbow on the other side. Those two are clad in leather armour with some metal-reinforcement The last four wear soft leather armour but without metal, more normal cloth-like than armour, really. One has no visible weapon at all, one a small but very ornate dagger and the last two have ornate maces.
“Today, we will patrol with two groups, showing you what Mundus looks like. At least here, were we live. Oh, and just remember, it is winter, so take that into account.” Tobiuno tells the camera, laughing a little as the green plains could easily be seen during spring and their looks would likely be the same.
The ten riders leave the castle, taking up two formations next to each other, each with a scout at the front, followed by a shield-wielder, the two in soft armour and finally the other shield-wielder. Tobiuno is one of the two riding at the end of the group, keeping an eye on things. The formations follow a paved road, obviously built for carriages.
“As you might see, Mundus is, in a way, far larger than Earth. Not because it is physically bigger but because the life moves slower. When you want to go somewhere, you do so either by shank’s mare, a real mare or a mare-drawn carriage. You might say, travelling is mare’s business here.” Tobiuno explains to the camera and a low groan is heard from the rider next to him.
“Anyway, why don’t we look how others live?” he says with a chuckle as their ride continues.
The group continues on their way and on the nearby fields, peasants are visible, some working the fields, others talking amongst themselves. The scene seems straight out of a period-piece, extolling the values of traditional values, hard labour and a simple life, eschewing technology. Not that that would be the reality, as one can see on a nearby field where a figure clad in a green robe decorated with a bright-red flower is blessing the fields.
“You might know that Pantheon-Entertainment did their best to make Mundus into a living world, a world that we share with those already living here. And over there, you see one of the major differences between the worlds. That, over there,” he gestures to the green-robed figure, “is a clerik, a priest of Demeter, the Harvest-Goddess.”
For a moment, the priest is clad in gentle, golden light before it swiftly spreads around him, seeping into the soil. Once the light is gone, the priest seems to sag a little, as if he had just done something extremely exhausting. After a moment, he turns to the road and greets the riders with a light nod that is returned by them.
The riders continue on their way and the scene cuts, to them, entering a small town. There is a hustle and bustle going on, everyone seems to move in a chaotic fashion but at the same time, there seems to be order in that chaos. While everyone moves at their own pace, they all seem to know their surroundings.
“Here we are in one of the towns we protect, so that those who don’t want to fight can go about their business in safety. The blacksmith forges iron into all manner of things, from simple nails to plows and even swords if they are skilled at their craft. Outside town, there is the tannery, working in skin and leather, where the townspeople don’t need to smell them.” Tobiuno explains with a laugh and the camera shows the market-square once more, showing how a farmer is haggling with another, in the distance, the blacksmith is seen working in an open forge, the clanging of his hammer-strikes clearly audible over the crowd’s noise.
Nearby, one of the other riders is talking to a guard, apparently getting a report and signaling something to Tobiuno, using hand-signs.
“Well, we could spend hours here, watching the villagers going about their day, but we have a duty to perform, so we need to move on.” Tobiuno smiles to the camera and the scene fades to black.
With the next cut, the ten riders move through a forest, or rather, nine riders and one scout on foot, focusing on the earth before him, following a set of tracks. All of them seem far more alert compared to the previous scenes and the weapons are held ready, not comfortably holstered.
“Sadly, Mundus is in many ways a world where the strong prey on the weak and not all predators have four legs. But some do.” Tobiuno explains, just as the mounted scout shouts a warning and uses his spear to ward of a four-legged attacker, skewering it with a stab that was either excellently placed or lucky. Crimson blood splatters into the dark fur of the attacker, dying it red.At first, it seems to be a wolf but the scout calls out that it was a hound.
Cursing, the scout of foot mounts and the formation shifts starts moving again, watchful for any trouble around them. Those with shields have taken point and the scouts are now in the back, keeping watch of the surroundings, one holding his spear, still stained with some blood, ready, the other having is bow in hand and an arrow in the other, trusting his horse to follow the other animals.
“To the left! CHARGE!” Tobiuno calls out at the front and the camera shows a group of bedraggled figures getting ready to fight, their hound having warned them from the coming attackers. As the four leading figures move together to charge the camp, the four clad in soft start their own work. One starts to glow in golden light, another has raised his hand and in front of it, glowing symbols start forming in the air as he mutters under his breath. The other two have drawn their implements and seem to do their thing.
Just as the archer in the back lets loose with an arrow, the image fades to black.
The next scene shows Tobiuno again, dressed in normal clothes, a linen tunic and pants, again standing on the battlements, with a glorious sunset behind him.
“Mundus. A living world, for everyone to explore. Not only to explore the world but also to explore themselves. To explore what it means to walk a different path. What it would mean to be a farmer or a priest, an adventurer or a craftsman. You can be whatever you want to be. You can make your own adventure.
“Join us and find your own road. On the Road to Purgatory.”
The scene fades to black again and the logo is shown, an image of the globe, with ghostly blue flames racing across it, until it is completely shrouded in an aura of blue fire.
Comments
Diego Rossi
It has happened again with https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/19459/a-jaded-life/chapter/404300/interlude-advertisment-ii It is something in the formatting that doesn't agree with Firefox, as the same address work normally in Microsoft Edge.
Diego Rossi
Possible, but it is the only one with that problem. I don't see the background (the RoyalRoad logo et all). Only a single withe point in the middle of the screen on a gray background, both in dark and light theme. No warning of any kind, so probably it isn't the ad blocker.
Tsaimath
strange, when I open the page, whether using your link or the normal navigation, I get the chapter without problems. Maybe something on your end? I'll try to look into it anyways
Diego Rossi
Hello, on RoyalRoad this page seem to be totally broken, when I go to https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/19459/a-jaded-life/chapter/383505/interlude-advertisment-tobiuno I get a gray screen except for the browser bar.
