Arwyn. He was a strong leader, a resourceful and inventive individual who had risen to power against all odds; he was also a bigot and a chauvenist of the worst kind, and a mercenary in every sense of the word. He had proclaimed himself king of the lands he and his growing outlaw band had looted and subjugated, and his 'army' consisted of wanted men, murderers and thieves. Under normal circumstances, I would have nothing to do with the man, but our need was great. In truth, the plight of our nation was not his concern, any more than it concerned any of the other potential allies I had approached, but desperate times call for desperate measures – and so I had come to request his aid. So far, things had not gone well. “Let me get this straight. You want me to supply you with a thousand men to help drive invaders from your shores – and you're not even offering to pay me?” “You would have the eternal gratitude of our nation – and we would give you what little we can afford-” “The gratitude of a nation?” Arwyn humphed. “Not worth the paper it's written on. Now if it were gratitude of a more personal kind...” It was at that point I left, although not soon enough to miss his parting query about whether I had a more amenable sister. I mounted my horse and made my way out into the desolate and snowy plain that lay between Arwyn's lands and my own. This had been our last hope, and it was only ever the longest of shots. My thoughts were mournful as I urged my shivering mount homeward: with our list of allies now exhausted, and enemies closing fast from across the sea, where else could we turn? ================ Credits Angeluz Armour Sensual Hair V4 Morphing Cloak M4 Valiant boots, bracers & pants M4 Caleb M3 (who looked very much like Stelios from 300 until I blurred him) All above items from DAZ3D DM Lost Lands from Renderosity Skull warlord armour from Xurge 3D VSS (Versatile Shader System) used to enhance skin shaders from Bagginsbill Poser 8 > Photoshop. Marginally bigger version available on download (but not much bigger 'cause I rendered in bloody Poser so I could get the displacement maps and VSS effects.) :S