The House of Satine (a LWW and MH co-production)

[Lady Winter Wolf]

Some of you may remember "The House of Satine" as a freeform rpg from Planetadnd. Well MH and I decided to "run with it", and make it an actual story. So we give to you....a work still in progress of course....The House of Satine.

*The House of Satine overlooked the sea, sitting high up on the cliffs, the ancient mansion was once again alive with guests and merriment. But the shadow knights would not let them be, would not let the night creatures they envied have their one night of enjoyment. Silently they crept up towards the ornate gates which surrounded the House on three sides.*

*Inside, the Lady Satine and her consort, Lord Blackbranch, led their guests into the enormous dining hall; the table laden with foods and delicacies to entice any pallet. As the guests seated themselves, many commented on the generousity of their hosts. But the meal was to be untouched this night, as the beautiful Lady of the House gasped and fell against her mate. No, no, can they not leave us alone, even on this night of joy? Leaning against Blackbranch, she turned towards her guests, My friends, I beg you, do not let them take the House. Do not let them bring down our kind, and the House of Satine*

*All knew to whom she eluded, and all quickly took to their armaments without delay. Lady Winter Wolf watched as Erasmas left to gather his gear and sighed. It had been a long while since she'd seen battle of any type, and she was hoping that her visit to Satine's would be one of rest for her....but it was not to be.*

*She rose from her seat and walked over to the main door, addressing
Littlebano, Satine’s captain of the guards, Pray tell, where would one such as I be of most value at this time? Littlebano looked at the woman in disbelief, that one dressed so elegantly
would ask such a foolish question, "My lady, perhaps hiding under one of the beds upstairs would suit you more." , he said sarcastically*

*Lady roostered an eyebrow at the man, then looked down at her apparel and understood his rude demeanor. Perhaps this would give you a better idea of my potential. A low rumble started deep inside her chest, rose to her throat and erupted into an eye peircing howl. Her body shook in convulsion as she started her change, her limbs elongating, thick silver-blue fur growing over her pale
skin. The lips of her long snout drew back to reveal longish fangs, and paws were tipped with dagger like claws. In a deep, guttural, growling voice, she asked Littlebano, Is this more suitable m'lord? The man merely nodded.*

*Looking towards the door, Lady noticed the heathen, MjolnirH exiting, battlehammer in one massive hand, a double headed axe in the other. In only a few strides, she was quickly upon his heels. Outside, the werewolf peered into the darkness, her amber eyes seeking out the slightest of movements. She tilted her head to catch the faintest of whispers.*

*Lady's ears picked up the sound of cautious, yet swiftly moving footsteps going round the side of the house. Near her stood MjolnirH, whose side she nudged; nodding her head at the direction of the sound, she made her way down the front steps, moving swiftly herself, and surprisingly silent for one so large. The Viking knew to follow his friend, for she had proven her hunting skills many a time.*



*As Lady moved further into the darkness, she became aware of a whisper, a whisper which began taking on a louder, deadlier form. She felt deep within her bones that forces were coming to do battle, and that sheer strength alone may not be enough.*

*Stopping, she looked upward into night's dark sky and sought out the one who would guide and protect her throughout the upcoming ordeal......the moon. The clouds parted, as would a theatre curtain upon the opening of a play, and there....there stood the diva, beloved of all of Lady's kin. Lady began her own chant of empowerment*

Oh Dark Lady, Goddess of all the Wolfen kind, hear me, hear me, your dedicated
servant.
Through you I have the power of the night, the strength and wile of the predator.
Stand by me, this night of battle.....send me the children, the children of the night.
Lilith, I call thee, Lilith, send me your children to be by my side.
Hooooooooooowl.


*In the distant, silent night, a sound started out low, but began to grow, grow in number.....the howls of the children of the night......the wolves of Lilith. Closer the pack came, amber eyes glowing brightly in the night, fur whipped upon their bodies by the ever increasing winds. Lady snarled her greeting to them, growled direction to them. Into the shadows they stalked.....perhaps stalking the shadows themselves?*

MjolirH was creeping through the dark grounds when superstitious chills froze him in mid step. Listening to Lady’s growling chant and the howling answered by its brethren, shook him into action. He stretched his hands toward the heaven, holding his hammer and axe up high, he sang out to Thor.

MIGHTY THOR PROTECTOR OF MIDGARD.
YOUR CHAMPION CALLS UPON THEE.
A GREAT AND POWERFUL EVIL THREATENS YOUR PROTECTED WORLD.
BRING FORTH YOUR VENGENGE OF FURY.
O MIGHTY THOR

*Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled, causing the manor house to shake. The wrath of Valhalla’s fury raged on. MjolnirH crept through the outer grounds hunting the elusive shadowy enemy that had everyone on edge. Another flash of lighting illuminated the barbarian’s face; his blonde hair soaked with rain was haphazardly matted to his face. His sky blue eyes smoldered with the inner fires of battle lust.*

*Again the sky flashed white and thunder roared its anger. But this time as if on cue, a huge steel clad fist swung out from the dark slamming into the barbarian’s chin. He flew back threw the air, his hammer sailing off into the surrounding vegetation. He hit the ground hard, landing on his back, blackness swam before his eyes threatening to overcome him. But he willed it away, forced himself to focus, and slowly sat up.*

*Out from the shadows stepped one of the mail clad shadow knights, steel breastplates over a chain tunic. Light steel plate leggings molded onto chain. Steel greaves, now coated with mud. The figure wore a full helm rather like a cylinder with eyeholes and small opening in front of his mouth. The plume that graced the top of the helm now sagged with the weight of the rain. The knight’s kite shield glowed a brilliant white though the gloom of the dark and storm, illuminating the large red cross splayed across it. His right hand held a long shaft of leather wrapped steel with a great spiked ball at the business end.*

*The knight chuckled evilly at the prone barbarian, and then spoke in a deep baritone voice dripping with hateful scorn,

You wretched, traitorous heathen. It is to good for you to be struck down by a Hand of God. However, you must be sent to hell, so that you may learn what it means to defy the God that made you.*

*MjolnirH, struggling to remain conscious, smiled weakly up at his tormentor, It must be rather a burden to wear so much steel upon one’s self. I am wondering if you are wearing a steel rod up your arse?*

YOU DARE!!! *The knight sounded so angered that his voice rasped, as if he was having trouble breathing.* IT IS SACRILIGE TO SPEAK SO TO A HAND OF GOD, YOU SWINE!!!

*The knight moved in to smite MjolnirH with his morning star. The area around them suddenly became the target for a large number of lighting bolts from the sky, blinding all who may have been watching from the proceedings therein. Encasing MjolnirH and the knight in a circular arena of the lightning’s making.*



*Padding softly through the perimeter bushes, the wolf pack blended into the deep shadows, the only thing belieing their existence was the glint of amber when the storm's lightning flashed. A lone knight stood away from the rest, intent on the battle between MjolnirH and his comrade, he did not sense at all the predators sizing him up. Suddenly, his legs were dragged out from behind him, falling face forward, he attemped a call for aid. But it was for noth, as a dark creature's white fangs tore into the now exposed neck of the man, ripping flesh and sinew.*

*Not yet dead, and very aware of what was occurring to him, the knight was dragged into the bushes......to be fed upon.*

[Lady Winter Wolf]

*The blinding ring of lightning faded as a strong clear voice rose up above the ground, shaking peals of thunder. The barbarian was now on his feet singing a song of battle and glory, his eyes blazing with the fury of Asgard. His right arm pumped forward with lightning speed, punching the warhammer at the knight’s chest while the axe in his left hand came arcing in sideways. The knight brought his morning star up impossibly fast, knocking the hammer down, effectively parrying the blow. He swung his kite shield out right, stopping the swinging axe and then thrust it forward meaning to smash the barbarian in the face, but MjolnirH slammed his forehead into the oncoming shield, putting a sizable dent in it. MjolnirH spun the hammer in his hand, bringing the curved spike, that was the rear of the weapon, to the fore, he hooked it onto the haft of his opponents morning star and slid it upwards to the spiked ball at the top where it tangled and caught. With a mighty yank he disarmed the knight, the morning star flying off into the shadowy brush. The barbarian brought his axe arcing down from above and the knight tried to get his shield up in time to block it, but he was off balance from being yanked forward.*

*Axe blade met armored shoulder with a great metallic squeal, piercing enough of the armor to cut the knight slightly. So, the “Hand of God” bleeds just like the rest of us mortals, eh?, MjolnirH said with a feral grin. The knight became enraged by the heathen’s blasphemous comment and punched out a mailed fist to the barbarian’s chin. MjolnirH brought the spike end of his hammer up and into the knight’s mailed elbow, the knight howled in agony. He brought his axe sweeping across, severing the knight’s head from the rest of him. Hot blood gushed forth from the stump spraying the barbarian with gore, but he cared not for he was full in his battle lust and went looking for more opponents to kill*.

*Stealthily walking amongst the trees, Lady heard the sounds of battle and recognized MjolnirH’s war cry. She grinned, as only a werewolf could, knowing that her friend was most probably enjoying himself. Suddenly, another sound tickled at her furry ears, a sort of whoosing with a metallic clang, coming closer. She dropped down, just as the morning star flew through where she had just stood, impaling itself in a tree trunk beyond.*

*Returning upright, she went over to the tree and with a minor flick of her wrist, pulled the weapon from the trunk. Stupid heathen, always misplacing his toys., pulling her arm back, then thrusting forward, the morning star went sailing back through the air from whence it had come. A shadow knight plunged face forward into the ground, nearly hitting a fellow knight in front of him. The morning star was imbedded into his skull, pulverized grey matter oozing out around the blood coated weapon.*

*Seeing MjolnirH behead one of their strongest men, and being attacked from unseen assailants from the forest, the knights took on a defensive position, standing back to back, weapons drawn.
This vanguard, of now 17, began moving forward from their respective positions, nine men total forming a circle around the brutish Viking. The other eight moved into the forest, thrusting their swords into bushes, slashing at shadowy figures that looked to be moving about on all fours. Lightning flashed once more, giving the dark woods a momentary illumination, and allowing the knights to see that the men they thought crawling about the bushes were, in actuality, wolves. Standing upright among the creatures, a werewolf of silver blue coloring.*



*Back at the stair leading to the manor stood two figures, one was wearing the bright orange and yellow robes of a sun cleric with long blond hair tied into a single braid laced with yellow and red ribbon. The other was swathed in hard leather armor of dark crimson and black. The device of two white fangs shone out upon the black cotton vest that he wore over his armor. His greasy black hair was cropped short. He stood there, arrow ready in his huge bow, red glowing eyes peering into the rainy gloom that surrounded the manor. Howls of hungry wolves and bellows of battling men reached their ears. The sun cleric was fussing with his rain soaked robes. Tsk ach, standing out in this cold drizzle is just ruining my robes. Just look at this. His dark companion smiled, showing his elongated canines. Well we could be out there with MjolnirH and the Lady Winter Wolf, battling the evil. The priest looked horrified. Oh no, no, that just wouldn’t do at all. I have lost most of my wardrobe when traveling with those two. I get blood spattered all over me. It’s simply dreadful.

*The priest looked at the dark man beside him. Have you ever traveled with them? No, not really, they travel by day mostly. I have a rare skin condition that doesn’t agree with sunlight. The priest’s mood brightened somewhat. Oh, that’s right, you’re a vampire aren’t you? The vampire nodded. “Yup.” , and he smiled at the priest, showing off his canines. Even though excited about talking with a vampire the priest couldn’t help but be more than a little unnerved by the vampire’s smile. Well um, that’s very interesting, er, what I mean is, you’re not hungry? Are you? The vampire shook his head. No I don’t do human anymore and I had plenty of warm lamb’s blood at the feast earlier. The priest beamed at the vampire. Really? No humans, is that a sort of rehabilitation, if so jolly good for you.

*Just then they heard a cry of pain that ended abruptly, and shouts in a language unknown to them many of them. Hmmm, said the vampire, Sounds like MjolnirH and the Lady have the enemy confused.” The priest cupped his hands around his eyes and squinted into the rainy dark night in an effort to see something. Damn I can’t see a thing in this darkness.

*The priest heaved a frustrated sigh, then smiled as he had an idea. He snapped his fingers. “I have just the thing.” He held his holy symbol and whispered a prayer to the sun. A blazing beam of sunlight came into being, chasing away the gathered darkness in front of the manor steps. The priest heard a shout at his side. “YOU BAS…” ***POOF***, and the vampire was gone; nothing left but a pile of dust, armor and weapons. The priest looked forlornly down at the pile of ash that was just his temporary companion. “Oops”

[Lady Winter Wolf]

*Jaramaine watched the battle from a window on the second story of the manor. She watched as the shadowy fiends encircled her friends and was torn. She was herself the living avatar of a goddess. She had the power to save her friends and end the conflict with a thought, but this was a mortal affair and there were strict rules about meddling in mortal affairs. She could only intervene if one of her priests called upon her and there were none present. With her divine sight she saw the knights as they truly were, a dark shadowy hunger that took the corporeal form as the knights. They were the legions of the one God. His legions spread like a plague throughout the world, their mission, to stamp out all worship of other gods and goddesses. So that the entire world would worship him alone. He was tyrannical and merciless, accepting nothing less than total devotion from every being, and total adherence to his laws and commandments. So she looked on helplessly blowing out a frustrated sigh while tears ran down her cheeks*.

*The house guard had been mustered and stood ringed atop the roof of the manor, bows at the ready, waiting to fire upon any enemy that approached. They had been informed that the Lady Wolf and the large barbarian MjolnirH could no longer wait for the enemy to come to them, so they skirmished somewhere out in the gloom.*

*MjolnirH spun in a slow circle eyeing the tightening ring of knights around him and smiled, with a whoop he bellowed his war cry and charged. “OOOOODDDDIIIINNNNNN ” The knights were taken aback by his sudden charge and were not prepared for it. MjolnirH’s hammer went for a knight who had managed to get his shield up in time, but the barbarian batted it down with the hammer. Quickly changing the direction of the hammer, it swung back up, the spike sliding through plate armor and gorget, plunging into the knight’s neck, he went down with a horrible wet gurgle. His axe swung at anothe,r hitting the knight’s knee with such force that the axe clove through armor muscle and bone, shearing off the knight’s leg. The barbarian became a twirling whirlwind of deadly steel raining blows upon his opponents. Two more went down following their brethren soaking the ground with their life’s blood. Swords and morning stars sought out the raging barbarian and some got through his furious assault. He had cuts where swords sliced into him, all up and down his arms. A morning star slammed into his bare back, spikes piercing muscle and sinew. In his battle rage, MjolnirH growled away the pain and a well-swung axe took its deadly toll on the knight who had hit him. Two knights were left standing in the carnage of their companions. MjolnirH hooked the foot of one of them with his hammer; pulling hard, the knight went down hard, his armor weighing him down. The other knight turned to run and MjolnirH heaved his hammer; it spun end over end through the air, the head of the hammer striking the back of the knight’s helm. The running knight’s head exploded in a red mist of metal and gore. He looked down at the other knight struggling to get to his feet, took his axe in both hands and ended the threat. Seeing no other opponents all of MjolnirH’s wounds finally took their toll. He began to shake as his battle lust left him and he collapsed unconscious upon the blood soaked ground.*



*Lady looked down upon two of the knights who had moved closely to her in the darkness. She opened her maw, exhaling a white mist which moved over the men’s bodies, coating them with a light frost. Though they were still able to move, their reaction time was greatly diminished. Seizing her opportunity, the werewolf raked a clawed paw over the face of one opponent, slices of bloodied skin hanging down upon the plated chest. With her other paw, she was able to grab onto the arm of the other knight and swung him, face first, into the nearest tree. The man dropped his sword, which Lady quickly picked up and drove through the man’s back, skewering him to the tree.*

*The wolf pack, though sent by divine force, were no match against steel and sharpened weapons. In a wild frenzy, they drove through the remaining six knights, throwing them off balance. Lady pushed upon the chests of two, sending them colliding into their comrades. Emerging into the clearing, she spied MjolnirH lying upon the earth. Lifting him up, she deftly threw him across her shoulders and started to run towards the manor house, dipping once to retrieve the hammer which she knew to be precious to her friend.*

*Bounding up the steps, her hip knocked into the sun cleric, still standing there, weeping over a pile of ash, and sent him flying into the doorframe.*