Happy Birthday [Open to one Other]

[Galloglasses]

Position Filled

Today was not a good day for Fredrich Wilhem De Grimmalditore.

Not a good day at all.

For you see, it was the day of his 20th birthday, and after a hearty celebration in his family abode in that thrice old port town with its thrice damnable merchant families and thrice damned feuds, he was in the midst of his drunken stupor, tricked onto a boat by friends and kin, and shipped to sea that very same night. For as his brothers, not to his knowledge mind, were wounded mortally in a three way feud with two other merchant families, the Falcionites and the Communitori, he was the last of his line and his family, sensing their imminent destruction, decided to send him away to safe havens with no more a goodbye then the half memories of his party and the gift of tearful letters of a mother who will never again see a son.

Letters he will never read because, you see, the ship itself was sabotaged. and as he lay there sprawled amidst rope and other storage detritus of a ship's hold, gently hugging a rather big stick made out of oak and palmetto, a bow in fact, but he never knew that, he was too busy have a deep dreamless, snoring sleep, the gunpowder, unfortunately, was ignited and a rather large hole was blown in the side of the ship, with the saboteurs taking flight with the only good lifeboat, having sawed perfectly circular holes in all other means of watery salvation.

Fredrich, naturally confused, hungover and generally disorientated, angry and pissed out of his mind terrified upon waking up half drowning in water, panicked, and blacked out all the quicker for it. his body clutching the big soggy,now even more soggy, stick pinned between his unconscious body and large section of the ship's hull floating aimlessly out into the choppy waters of the sea, as the sailors screamed with their last breaths for far away and long dead mothers and desperate utterances, prayers and pleas to the gods, as the saboteurs received their blood gold and their benefactors revelled long into the night in victory.

And while whether or not the gods answered the prayers of the sailers will always be up for debate, one, strange god, decided to intervene.

Now this will just not do, a strange, oddly resonant voice started in Fredrich's head. And with this the unconscious blackness of Fredrich's mind became alarmingly concious and if possible, even more black.

Who is there? Fredrich replied into the blackness of his mind, at least he thought it was his mind, with his own disembodied voice. Show yourself! I demand this of you lest I go mad!

No, shut up The strange voice replied And listen, Human child

I am no mere child! Fredrich replied angrily, I am Fredrich Wilhem De Grimmalditore! I am a man full grown and heir to my father's name!

Again, do shut up the voice repeated, with a little irritation, Whatever you are, I am a God and I am not pleased, it stated Listen. Now. Your family is dead and you are floating at sea, also about to be equally dead and twice as wet, Now-

My family.... is dead? Fredrich whispered disparingly, his world becoming more shattered with each passing minute.

Yes, yes! Your bloody family is dead! Would you listen you bloody worm you! By ME its no wonder I never bothered to reveal myself to the world before, I forgot all mortals were as annoying as you are... The god
replied angrily Now here's how it is, I am going to save your life, and your are going to serve me for life by ridding of the evil that is most present in the world, I really dislike evil come to think of it

Wait a minute I never agreed to this

Well its not as if you have choice now is it!?

Well, what sort of evil?

Oh bloody hell I don't know! Start with killing witches or something then move on up to bigger things. See how that works out.

Well... Fredrich Began, What if I, what if I don't want to. Want if I want to die, drowned at sea, lost in the blackness of the waters for ever?

Tough shit The god finished.

Fredrich Wilhem De Grimmalditore Awoke startled, gasping for precious night air and coughing up water upon the dirty sands and the remains of his makeshift life raft, standing, clutching his big, soggy stick close to his chest, wearing and having nothing in the world but the ripped, ruined and stained slashed tunic, his tattered black cape, his equally stained light blue breeches, albeit with other liquids then sea water, and missing leather boot, claimed by the sea along with his stylish fedora as toll for letting him live. So there he stood, soaked, and worse then naked and unarmed upon the shore that was never scale beach.

[Black Cat]

The night had come quickly, masking sun and sunset to present Magnus with the stars. There were thousands of them then, all gleaming beacons of the heavens, that were to light his way as if an earthly torch.

With this illuminated path before him, he strode boldly across seldom trodden ground, making his way to the beach, and watching the sea hold hands with the earth. Its waves hurried to meet him, the whitened sand packed beneath his feet, the moon shone with pride.

It was a beautiful night, with the cold air holding still.

But alas, the monotonous silence was to be broken. Someone lie coughing, but inches from his feet, and Magnus couldn't help but noticed the man's tattered look.

His tunic stained, his clothing torn, his hair wet with salt water...his missing boot looked less than comfortable...

My, Magnus thought, that could not be pleasant.

Disregarding his own garments for a moment, and forgetting the inherit unpleasantness of leaning down in robes, Magnus examined the man.

He couldn't have been much younger than Magnus, if at all, and bore the clear clothing of the merchant class, identifiable even when destroyed, all while he was dearly clutching something...

It appeared to be:A wet...no soggy...stick. Yes, a large, soggy stick. One with an unusual curvature at that, perhaps a weapon of sorts. Magnus could only begin to dream to elaborate on his wonders as to why any one would desire such an object.

But again, he would have to disregard such trivial things. A more important matter was at hand, one which should have occurred to Magnus minutes ago:

This man obviously was in need help, whether it be of the mental or physical variety. So, making an exception to his usual rules, Magnus initiated conversation.

Raising his near mocking voice to a level barely audible, Magnus casually stated "You are in desperate need of help. How unfortunate you are, to lie before the one man who could not help you."

[Galloglasses]

It took Fredrich a minute to register he was being talked to, He realised this soon after he realised he wasn't dead but wasn't quite out of Hell either. His shocked brain slowly registering what the weird robed man said and just as slowly formulating a response as he continue to breath heavily, rolling over onto his back as oxygen filled his brain with life.

"Friend..." Fredrich began, in between breaths, "...It is the day of my birth" Continuing to breath heavily, "There is not a sinner in this world who could help me"

He continued to lie there, staring at the brightly lit night sky, the moon and the stars having the gall to shine so wondrously on such a disastrous night pained him.

Suddenly he wished he hadn't begun to hate the clear night sky so much, a faint rumble in the distance indicated a thunder storm approached, promising more accursed water. Fredrich, determined not to die cold and wet and be found wanting in social graces, turned his head to robed man who to his surprise, was around his age.

"Sir, I have not made the pleasure of your acquaintance I believe."

[Black Cat]

"Pleasure"? Magnus laughed in his frightening manner. "You have a twisted sense of pleasure, friend, to be happy to witness me. Nonetheless, I am informed that I am called Magnus, and that I should be pleased to make your acquaintance, according to the lastest etiquette handbooks."

Magnus paused to extend his hand to the breathless man.

"So, tell me, is it a common practice to lie tattered upon beaches in your native culture? Or do you just enjoy a more personal form of fishing? If it is the former, I grieve for your childhood losses, if it is the latter, you'd do well to note that the fish happen to be winning." Magnus couldn't help himself, on this particular night.

Yet, he did find that he admired this man, as whatever trials he'd faced he had done well to survive, and Magnus had learned long ago how rare true survivalists could be.

It was to be a first impression that would shape Magnus' enduring opinion of him.

[Galloglasses]

After trying to decide whether or not he was being made fun of, Fredrich decided to chuckle at the priest's joke and reach up to grab the man's proffered hand. "Something along those lines good sir," He said pulling himself up with his aid, that bloody rumbling growing louder and closer all the time.

Pay attention Lad An echo of the voice he heard earlier warned, Fredrich dismissed it, he was too wrecked to care for it right now, as he brushed down his clothes, trying to pull together some semblance of decency in his indecent position and attire.

Pay attention you bloody fool! The voice warned harsher All is not safe and well!

Again he ignored his new god and turned his attention to the priest, "It is a long way from anywhere I presume, Good Magnus, what brings you out here to greet the detritus of the sea?" He joked at his own expense, even spreading his arms to indicate himself, anything to forget the events of the day. And that annoying bloody rumbling.

[Black Cat]

Magnus, confused himself as to why he stood upon the beach, could do little to answer the man's friendly jest. Instead, letting his arms fall to his side in an attempt to appear casual, he posed a second introductory question:

"You have yet to give me your name, stranger." Magnus raised his eyes to meet those of the man in preparation for answer, and could not quite grasp all of what had happened to him. The priest thought briefly, looking at the torn clothes and bloodied skin, perhaps he'd seen battle, but that proposal was swiftly dismissed. Then another thought yet occurred! Perhaps a sunken ship?

No, there should be others in such an event. What then, Magnus thought, What then, had he seen?

It was a question Magnus felt he'd let the man himself answer, in due time.

Turning his mind away from his latest acquaintance, he once again examined his surroundings. Little seemed different, but for one oddity. The stars still gleamed, the moon still happened to shine, but the night air...the night air seemed noticeably less still. Away in the distance, Magnus hear the barely audible sound of rumbling.

Monotonous, sinister, and growing ever clearer.

A storm? No, magnus concluded, storms never sound like that. He quickly commanded his hand, still laying motionless at his side, to grasp the dagger hidden within his tangled sash.

Silently worried, Magnus decided to let the man take his own course of action.

[Galloglasses]

"Forgive me for being rude" Fredrich began, reaching to take off a hat that wasn't there, then embarrassingly recomposing himself after his mistake and simply bowed formally, "My name is Fredrich, Fredrich Wilhem De Grimalditore"

Quit introducing yourself and be wary you dumb bastard! even the bloody priest is feeling uneasy and i'm pretty sure the bastard is prematurely senile! The God said angrily in his mind, clearly losing patience with his chosen subject.

Again, Fredrich ignored him and reached out his hand to shake Magnus' "Pleased to meet you-" He trawled off, noticing the apprehensive look on Magnus' face and his readied stance. And the fact the were no storm clouds anywhere in sight despite the rumbling. "Is everything quite alright sir?" Fredrich said, walking past Magnus and bending down to pick up a stone, bouncing it in the palm of his hand, wondering if he was imagining the thunder rumbling. Perhaps it was due to some knock on the head I'd received during the ship sinking ordeal, he thought to himself.

Eventually he opted to fling the stone out onto the water watching it skim across the face of it and turned back to face his wary new acquaintance, speaking as his eyes lingered on the stone for a moment longer while it sank beneath the waves, "Well, it may be just me, but I keep hearing this loud rumbling no-oi-ah-aH-AH-AHHHHH!" Fredrich screamed as he turned and saw, charging down the length of the beach towards the priest and himself were three frighteningly large sea monsters with rather big pincers and two many legs then Fredrich though was comfortable to have, and as the crawlers realised their new prey became aware of them, let out a horrible screeching noise, as they continued to scuttle horribly down the all too solid sand with their heavy legs.