6Alright, so this is my OC (technically two, but hey, he said it was OK) for the S-6-S Station Tournament, The Calling, hosted by Rapidfyrez, and judged by him Elhin Prime, and Rexblazer. Details on this tournament are posted on Rapidfyrez's bio page. Last I checked, posisions were still open or OC entries. Now, on with the chapter!
Vormund Der Kukens'
37 before time travel
8'
230 Kg or 500 lbs
Physical stats: Standing at a hefty eight feet tall, and having piercing blue/silver eyes, Vormund Der Kukens' is a well built, moderately muscled German gargoyle from the late renaissance period. His deep midnight blue skin that fades to a sandy tan on the under sides of his limbs contrasts with the thick salt and pepper hair in his head. He has elegant horns that curve up from his temples, and a second pair that come out from his cheek bones to round out his matured, yet pleasant face. He holds his feathered wings like a cloak on his shoulders, and dons light, yet durable steel armor.
History: He was the most powerful and well respected leader of the clan of Castle Hohenzollern. He guided his clan for many a generation in the golden times, and protected his clan through harsh times of plundering and magical tereny. Though one day, while he and his clan rested on the highest perches, a devious traveling wizard, hired by none other then his right hand in a ploy to gain power, transported Vormund into the future, leaving him stranded in an unfamiliar era with none to accompany him. He wandered the changed German landscape, through tall buildings and noisy self propelling carts in the year 2012. He recognized few land marks, but still managed to find his way to the place of his former home. He was found by an old grounds keeper that took him in after hearing his story. Since then, he has taken to the magical arts in the ever expanded library in the Hohenzollern castle, searching for a way to make his way back to his clan, and retake his place as leader of the Hohenzollern castle clan.
Weapons: He carries a simple yet durable long sword with a curved hunting knife. Though he resides in a time where these weapons might leave him at a disadvantage, he prefers the weapons he grew up with and mastered via he was never rather good with a bow, and these new 'fire sticks' posed a similar challenge to him. . He left the stealth and long ranged attacks with his companion, Beschutzer, a quadruped snake like canine gargoyle with magically enhanced intelligence.
Beschtuzer
19 before death
4' at shoulder 5' from top of the head
200 lbs
Physical stats: From nose to tail tip, Beschutzer holds an impressive nine feet with her graceful neck and lingthy tail. Her long, slender form is reminisent of a massive, muscular snake placed eligantly on the legs of a dear, standing lightly on paw- like hands complete with apposable thumbs and tallon- like claws. Her scaled body holds a seires of circle rings patterning down her back in deep shades of indigo on dark brown skin, fading to white on her belly. Her eyes a peircing white with faint flecks of gray and purple/blue set in her serpintine head. Her teeth gleam white and sharp like those of a fearce timber wolf.
History: Posted as a centry over the nests deep in the bowls of the castle's basement, Beschutzer was but a simple minded canine gargoyle among several others that had been trained as guards in the hatcheries of the Hohenzollern clan. Durring a day raid near the last of the days of the clan, she had been smashed to pieces with what was left of the eggs and left to gather dust on her stony remains for centuries. Once found by Vormund Der Kukens' after his awakening, she was reseurected on the blue moon directly after the winter solstice, thus trigering the power of the gods and hevins, bestowing on her the breath of life and the wisdom of man.
Weapons: before she fell at the hands of raders, she was apt in beastly combat, her thin form designed for speed and grace, but muscles holding enough power to force back a half dozen men and crush skulls in her teeth. Though once reserected, her new intellegence enabled her to brouden her horizonds. A bow with steel arrows and sling armed with steel balls and sharped, three inch jacks, she excells in ranged attacks. Her stealth and grace aid her when she hunts the castle grounds foir fowl and rodents, as well as when she prowls for intruders in her territory.
A lone figure sat in the massive study of Castle Hohenzollern, looking thought a massive window over the breath taking scenery that made up his home land. He sighed as he thought of just how little it seemed to have changed despite the differences that had taken the citizens of Hohenzollern. The thick woods that surrounded the castle were flushed brilliantly in vivid golds, scarlet's, and mahoganies, thought the lively hue of greens displayed the unwillingness the wood had to relinquish its' prosperity to the solemn yet rejuvenating arms of the maiden of winter.
A soul-ish light bathed over the leaves and trees, thrown gracefully form the full moon that began it's slow descent across the ebony sky. Vormund felt a hollow pit in his chest as he relived the memories that stirred in his mind at the scene. Mighty battles fought to protect his home, watching as it grew under the prosperity that he and his brother's had rightfully earned, seeing his clan grow with every rising moon that dawned in the sky.
He felt a tear slip down his cheek. They were all long dead, now. Lost to him by the hands of a mercenary magician, hired by none other then his right hand, Ernest. Poor lad... Didn't understand the cost of the bargain he had made... Vormund had rested as stone for centuries... Cursed to life in death by ignorance and greed. For the price of leadership over the clan, he had paid with his soul. Forced into battle by who so ever summoned him and carried his deed... Yes, he had gained leadership of the clan, but was sentenced to an early death at the hands of countless battles which he had no desire to fight in, yet bound to fight by contract...
The boy hadn't known, and in his greed and ignorance, he sent himself to a living hell... And with that knowledge in Vormund's head, he felt no hate of the young Ernest. He had only just gained his place as right hand. A bit greedy and boastful, but had so much potential and a good heart. He wasn't ready for his position, and made bad decisions.
Vormund reflected on how he had found himself where he was. Once the spell had been cast, stone had set in on him, leaving him in a sleep that would leave him petrified for an eternity on his pedestal. And as he found from Hansel the ground keeper, the only reason that he had been freed from the curse had been his moving. He had been sold to a cemetery for decoration, and as the blood moon rose, the contract on his soul had been broken, and he had risen once again to defend his home. For once his form was moved, he could no longer gourd his keep, and thus was released from contract.
He had wandered through the shadowed streets for days before he had found his way back to his home, and found it empty of his clan. It had turned out that in waged battles through the centuries, his clan had been demolished under the infrequent rule of Ernest bit by bit until he was the soul remaining gargoyle left on the estate. And with the single remaining gargoyle seeming so out of place on his own on his spire, he was sold.
He found himself alone in this unforgiving world with none of his own kind and only the company of an old grounds keeper and a few maids. None else knew of his existence, and he was perfectly fine with that. With the stories he had heard of the falling of his kin, he was more then happy to remain as a silent guardian of his grounds.
He was disturbed from his thoughts as a light clacking noise resonated through the smaller hall, and his companion, Beschutzer, walked in proudly with a fowl hanging from her mah. Her body resembled that of a massive snake, her diamond shaped head waved lightly as she walked. And her gate was fluid and graceful on long, thin legs like a deer, ending with thin, clawed paw-like hands. She trotted up to him and lay by his feet, tucking into her caught prize. "Brooding, again, are ve?" Her voice light and playful and she gulped down a chunk of flesh.
Vormund chuckled and stroked her head, "More like reminiscing, Bes. 'Tis zeh second anniversary of miene vaking, and zeh first full moon of zeh fall, aftah all."
She chuckled, and looked up form her meal with a twinkle in her eye "Ah so it 'tis. And but a mere few veeks before zeh glorious anniversary of miene own avakening, is it not?" She chortled and tossed the head of her catch into the air before striking her head forward as quickly as her snake like figure boasted and snatched the morsel in her teeth.
Vormund had found little Beschutzer in the long forgotten brooding and hatching chambers of the castle basement, in many pieces, but still there, unlike so many of his brethren, and had consulted several books and tomes in a desperate attempt to have another of his kind back with him. He had known her as nothing more then a pet when he ruled. Her intelligence nothing more then that of a common canine. But even if she would not be more then anything but a pet, he deeply desired companionship from his own kind.
And through his studies, he had found a spell that would bring her form her eternal sleep. When she woke, she revealed that the spell did more then just brought her back: It had bestowed on her the intelligence of man, a gift that could have only been from the gods, and left speechless with glee. Since then, he and she had been guarding the many great halls of their home.
Vormund smiled warmly at the memories, "Jah, Bes. Thah it 'tis." He looked back up through the window, frowning with a mournful sigh. "Thah it 'tis..."
Beschutzer swallowed and nuzzled her companion's leg," jou are remembering jah kin, aren't jah?" Her voice filled with a sorrowful understanding.
"Jah, I am, bes. I am."
Beschutzer mearly noded, finishing off her meal before resting her head in his lap. "Rest jour sorrows, miene freund. Zhey died doing vat zhey lived to do. Protecting zheir clan and castle. Zhey couldn't haff asked for more. And niezher should jou."
Vormund couldn't help but smile. For one that was normally had the perseption of a common dog, Bes could always point out what was ill and weave her words to mend the hurts. He softly stroked her head as the two sat and watched the moon sink lower to the horizon.
Across the room, in the cold, empty firplace, an ember flaired to life with a light pop, gaining the attention of Beschutzer. She stood and trotted over to the brick lined mouth, and sniffed lightly at the faint ember. She stared perplexed at the little light, "Vormund, did jou haf a fire going recently?" The blue gargoyle cocked his head at her, "No, in fact Hansel cleaned it out at dusk. Zhere vas been nozhing in zhat pit for hours."
"Vell, zhere is zomesing in zhere now." she stated as the little ember steadily grew larger and brighter, forming a strong blaze. Beschutzer leaped away as the flame sudden;y flaired massively and seemed to die down to nothing, leaving a large pile of ash.
Vormund now stood next to his companion, having alsow leaped up at the flare, and stared as the ash began to gatyher and form into a tall pillar.
"By Oden's eye... Vat iz Zhat...?" Beschutzer exclaimed in awe as a pair of bright, white hot embers emerged from near the top of the pillar and blinked slowly at the two in font of it. It shook lightly and dislodged a thick layer of ask from it's surface, revealing the small form of what could only be a human girl looked up at them.
The small figure stepped out of the fire place and folded it's tiny hands neatly in it's middle, and stood state and proper. "Greetings Vormund Der Kekuns'." The small female like being said in an eire, hollowly high voice.
The bipedal gargoyle blinked and ruffled his wings lightly, resting his hand on the hilt of his long sword. "Ey, Zhat vould be me."
"I bring tidings from station S-6-S in cordial invitation to a tournament of warriors." She presented a neatly wound scroll tied in a black silk ribbon. "Here is your invitation. All details, requirements, and prises are printed inside."
"Vait, Zhy Vould Vormund of all people Join a tournament for vorriors? He might be good, but he isn't ze best." Beschutzer stated, the skin on her neck and shoulders wrinkling in the best equivalent of her hackles rising, "And Vhy Vould Ve except ANYZING from somevone ve bairly know? Especially Via how jou came INTO zhe room!"
Vormund placed his hand placatingly on his companion's shoulder, "calm jourself, miene freund. Hostilities vill get us no vhere. Now," He turned back to the ashen figure, "Vhat reason should ve trust jou? And vhat gives jour mastah zhe impression zhat I am a vorrior of notable stature?"
"Master sent no seasons for you. Simply an invitation. You are welcome to decline this invitation, but deeply requests that you please read this scroll and contemplate this offer." She bowed and held the scroll over her head and waited penitently for the large gargoyle to take the invitation. At his hesitation she lent up from her bow, " Do not worry, warrior. Taking the invitation does not mean automatic exception. We would think you foolish should you contemplate your options without at least reading the invite." She presented the invite once more, and nodded lightly as he took the scroll, opening it to read through it. He reached a point an noticed the prises listed. "Power, Glory, and Fame. I hate to say zhis, but, I have no interest in his prizes. I have no need for it. And in a vay, I already haff it. I am vell know in zhis land. Vhat more could he grant me that I do not already haff?"
The ashen girl blinked and looked up at him, "master anticipated this. And made a secondary offer for you. In reward for winning the tournament, you would be given one wish. And he even went so far as to give example. Should you emerge victorious, you would be given the chance to go back to the time before you were set in stone sleep, and be able right the mistakes of the young. You would be given a chance to fight for the lives of the many who you once lead into battle, and be able to take back your pedestal over them once more."
This stopped both Vormund's and Beschutzer's thoughts in their tracks. Go back? They could go back? "Vait, Vould zhis count for BOTH of us? Or just Vormund?"
"Master states that it would be unwise to neglect a close friend from the offer."
"Ve... Ve will need to zink zhis zhrough." Vormund said as levely as he could, making him come off ver cold and calculating.
The ashen girl closed her glowing ember eyes and bowed, "As you wish. Should you except this invitation, all you need do is sign your name on the line, to decline, burn the scroll. Your memory of my prescience and all I have said will be magically removed from your memory." And in a burst of flame, she disintegrated into a cloud of smoke before dissolving into the air.
As the last traces of her form vanished, the door of the library opened and the elderly form of Hansel walked in with a candle lamp. "Vormund, Bes, zhe sun rises. It vould be best if jou vere to make jour vay to... Vhat ever is zhe matter?" the man asked in worry as he noticed the stunned expressions on their faces.
Beschutzer sat heavily on the ground and Vormund stared into blank space. "A chance to have them back..." A tear mad it's way into his eye once again, as he looked to his human friend, "I have a chance to go back..."
"Vhat? Vhat are jou talking about, miene freund?" Hansel asked as he came over to the large gargoyle's side.
"I haff received an invitation to a tournament of vorriors, miene freund. I haff a chance to vin miene clan und kin back!" he exclaimed to the elderly man. "A chance to go back und fix the mistakes I haff made..."
The old man just stared, "Vhat? How on Earth do jou suppose to do zhat?"
Beschutzer walked up to the old keeper and twind around his legs in glee, "But a few moments before you entered, Hansel! T'was magic, it was! A creature ah soot from a blaze wizh no fuel, she was! T'was incredible!"
"Zhis ash girl came from zhe fire place and told uz of a man zhat vill grant zhis vish should ve vin his tournament. She up und vanished when you came in, zhough. Ve ah zhinking it ovah."
Hansel nodded numbly, "So... Vhat form of tournament is zhis, anyvay?"
"A fighting tournament, if I am not mistaken. Von for Vorriors. Experienced fighters. Zhey offered power... Glory... Fame..."
"But jou dun't need zhose zhings, or vant zhem. Jou nevah haff." The skeptisism clear in his voice.
"No, but zhe power? It can be used to send me back..."
"Back? To jour clan? But... Jou've gone zhrough every tome. Every fabled lore. And Zhey all alvaysed come aht too high a cost. Vhat makes zhis vone so different?"
"Because Zhis Vone gives me zhe chance to go back to vhich evah time I so chose. To before zhe time I had been deceved and set in stone. Give me a chance to go back vith out ah sacrafice or the risk of being stranded in a void between zhe dimensions of reality." The blue Gargoyle smiles as he looked back out the window." No, I vill only haff to battle but a few, and I dun haff to go alone." He gestured to Beschutzer, "I am allowed to take miene companion on combat."
Hansel rubbed his chin in thought, "So... Jou are telling me zhat jour are trusting zhe vord of a creature of magical creation zhat apperated form zhin air, in zhe fire place, to guide jou to a place unknown to fight foes zhat jou know nozhing of?"
Beschutzer wilted slightly and looked up at the old man's face, "Vell... Vehen jou put it like zhat... Makes it zound very bad..."
"I dun'not care." Vormund's back still faced his friends." Zhis chance... I vill not haff anozher. Und... As much as I appreciate jour company... I miss miene clan... Und... Should I succeed... Jou might have a chance to meet zhem... Meet miene dissidents... Zhe castle might prosper yet again..."
"But if jou lose...?" Hansel's tone was tought with emotion, " Zhat if jou lose, miene freund? Vhat vould jou leave here?"
"I would leave a dear freund, and near family... But, not many know zhat I exist. Zhat Bes exists. Martha and Gretun, and jou? Zhe only humans who know of us... And jour time is short, miene freund... Should I fail, zhe loses vould not be as high as what zhe revards may reap." He turned to them with a firm expretion, "Now, ve haff a chance to make somezhing of our selves."
The large Gargoyle walked across the room and held the ground keeper's shoulders, "Zhis vill not be zhe end, miene freund. but it might very vell be a new beginning."
Hansel hung his head and placed a hand on the clawed hand on his shoulder, "I hate to zhink zhat jou will nevah come back..." He looked up into his friend's eyes, "It vould break zhe poor maid's hearts..."
"Ve vill come back, miene freund," He placed a clawed hand over his chest, "to zhis I svear."
A tear gathered itself in the old man's eye, "Zhere is nozhing I can do to dissuade jou is zhere."
The determination in Vormund's eye said all that was needed to be said, and Hansel hung his head with a tired sigh and a smile, "Zhought not... But before jou go, at least let me fetch jou a departing gift." Before he turned and exited the room. Vormund and Beschutzer shared a curious glance and waited the few minutes for the old man to fetch his gift.
He walked in with a wooden box locked with a silver lock. "I haff been working on zhis for moons, now... "He took a tarnished silver key, "I planned on giving it to jou tomorrow night as an anniversary gift. For the night on vhich jou graced our lives vith jour presence."
He pulled out two charms on leather neck ties. Both had a rainbow of polished quartz crystals lining in't circumference, set finely in silver and steel. One encircled a brilliantly shined onyx stone, and the other, a large piece of moonstone. He handed the Onyx to Vormund and helped tie the moonstone around Beschutzer's neck," Zhese are gifts from all of us here at zhe castle."
Vormund took the charm in his claw and rubbed a thumb over it's highly polished surface, "It is magnificent, miene freund... I zhank jou..."
Hansel nodded and gestured to the scroll that sat on the desk, nearly forgotten. "Vell, if jou plan on leaving tonight, it vould be best to do so now, before zhe sun finally rises."
The Gargoyles both nodded and walked to the table and drew out the scroll. Vormund took the pen from a cup and signed his name in neat and legible print before handing the pen to Beschutzer, she scrawled her less elegant name beside her comrade's and Vormund rolled the scroll back in it's black silk ribbon. In an instant, the scroll burst into flame, startling all pressent, and engulfing both Vormund and Beschutzer in a bright yellow and orange blaze. And in the blink of an eye, they were gone, leaving nothing but a puff of smoke and the old grounds keeper to stare in awe at the open air.
He closed his mouth and hung his head, laying the wooden box on the table, "Auf Wiedersehen, miene freund, und mögen die Götter mit euch sein..."