Birthright: Tuornen IC

[RocEter]

Elevesnemiere hills, the Huntsman and Cormac

In the donkey’s saddlebags, the Huntsman finds a tarnished silver candelabra and a battered tin cup, along with a few copper pence and a wheel of green cheese.


The animal proves tractable with a little help from Cormac. If not restrained, it begins to walk north, the way that the Hunter suspects the bandits had gone…

The Huntsman follows the beast north, keeping pace with the animal, watching for tracks or signs that the bandits have indeed passed this way.

[JMaytr]

"Yes, summon the Patriarch at once and then send word to the Lord Mayor of Haes. I have some tasks for her. I've not had time to eat and my mood is foul. I would like a respite with my fool."

Devlin paces about the chamber.

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

WATCH HQ


Renn snaps a crisp salute to his departing men, then allows himself to slump back into the chair and rub his eyes. He gazes longingly at a still-full decanter of brandy on his shelf, but quickly puts the thought out of his mind. No, he'd need all his faculties to figure out this knot.

There would be chaos, that much is certain to him. Chaos that would be all the worse if what little he knew of his new Duke bore out.

He stands and opens one cupboard to find his dress uniform. Soon, formally clad (with his elven-made mail underneath, of course) and clutching his best-made bow, he heads toward the Ducal palace to take his place in the doubtlessly long queue to see the city's new lord and master.

Lord and master for now, anyway.

[steveflam]

Dominica attires herself as a Noble and heads for the Militia HQ. On the way she will talk to people, and trying to get any more juicy tidbits on her way there.

[VAN]

Filbert, guarded antechamber the Ducal Palace

The guard offers Filbert a sad little smile, “Close, it’s Edwin. Look, uh, you can’t go to see the duke right now. I’m sorry. He’s…busy.”
Filbert notices that the young guardsman’s eyes have watered a little, like the eyes of a man about to sneeze-- or maybe one about to weep.

The sergeant-of-the-guard comes along and stamps his foot.
Edwin hops up.

The sergeant tells his subordinate in a gruff but not too harsh tone,
“’Right, that’s enough gabbing. Edwin, get back to doing your job- quietly so.”

The bearish, red faced soldier then places his lands on his knees and looms over Filbert.

“Important stuff is getting sorted out by the big folks. Time for you to run along, little man. Much as your antics ‘muse me, I don’t want to see you snooping around the palace today. I got my orders, so that’s that. Understand me?”

Filbert understands that something serious is going on but Edwin will not tell him so he just says:

"I understand, well see you later my friend."

He leaves and quickly makes the circle of the palace trying to find an unguarded open window he can climb and go inside.

[Adam]

Cormac ties up his horse near the stream and pulls out his bow, stalking along behind the hunter.

"If you'da seen tha' deer, you might change yer mind," he growls, before spitting a glob of juice onto the ground in front of him.

[ewancummins]

The Ducal Palace


Filbert sneaks into the palace through and upper window. Once inside, he noses around a bit. He finds the upper floors under heavy guard. Soldiers, and a few scribes and priests, hurry about the halls. Many of the men in this part of the palace wear sad or worried looks on their faces. Everyone speaks in whispers.
The Halfling, small and stealthy, is able to get close to the duke’s personal chambers—but there are half a dozen armed men waiting outside the door.
The fool finds a curtained hiding place close enough to eavesdrop on the men at the door. Presently, the door of the duke’s chamber open and a red-robed priest emerges. The smooth-cheeked priest informs the guards-
“His Grace wishes for the Duke’s Fool to be brought to him now. "

…

When Filbert is ‘found’ by the guards, he is escorted into the duke’s quarters, a large room now murky with but a little sunlight slipping in through the shutters. A man stands near the shuttered windows, silhouetted in the broken rectangle of light. The curtains are drawn on the great four poster bed in the back of the room, where the duke usually sleeps. The room has not been cleaned today, it would appear, for the dun carpet bears a vivid burgundy stain and some broken glass litters a corner near the toy cabinet.
The man near the window turns. Filbert recognizes Devlin Flaertes, the duke’s son and heir.

____________________


Rhennalt arrives at Caer Haes, lightly soaked from sudden downpour , only to be briefly detained by the guards at the gatehouse. These men are not under his authority. At first, no one seems to know who he is, but the misunderstanding is quickly cleared up without him having to strangle anybody with his chain of office.
While waiting to see the new duke—everyone assure s him he won’t have a long wait—Rhennalt notices certain activities in and around the lower floor of the palace:
• In a dim corner of the large antechamber, red-robed priest of Haeyln issues whispered instructions to white robed acolytes, who scurry off on some errand
• Outside the window, a plump and sweaty man carries a wooden chest across the rain-slick towards the Outer Bailey
• The sound of a woman sobbing someplace nearby.


----------------------------------------------------


Haes, City Watch HQ-

Dominica, now attired in her noble lady’s clothes, is admitted to the squat two story stone house that serves as watch HQ. She sees a lot of clerks rushing about, delivering messages or carrying ledgers books to and from offices. Not as many armed men as she might have expected—but the ones on duty are wearing steel caps and brigandine, with swords and spears close at hand. An officer politely asks about her business.



Elevesnemiere, northern hills

Following the donkey for several hours, Cormac and the Huntsman approach a mesa—about the size of a small fort-- as the afternoon sun sinks to touch the western hilltops. Unless stopped, the donkey walks out into the open, headed towards a dark cave mouth set in the steep southern face of the broad hill. Dim reddish lights flicker within the opening.

The ground in this part of the hills is covered in patches of short grass and brush, with scattered trees of no great size. A few ditches and big rocks provide additional places of concealment, although a sharp-eyed sentinel on the hilltop might be able to see over a lot of that…

[steveflam]

Dominica eyes the officer, smiling with confidence. "Pardon me, I would like to parley with the man in charge. It is of a personal nature so I am sure you will understand the urgency of my situation, sire."

[ewancummins]

Dominica eyes the officer, smiling with confidence. "Pardon me, I would like to parley with the man in charge. It is of a personal nature so I am sure you will understand the urgency of my situation, sire."

The watchman replies-
"Man in charge? Ah, okay, let me see..."
He trots off, only to return in a short while with a pudgy officer.

The pear-shaped man sits down at the desk and scratches his unshaven face.

"Alright then, my lady. I'm in charge while our commander is busy. How can I help you?"

Dominica notices that the man's bleary eyes keep straying from her own eyes, moving down her neckline to her low cut bodice.

[steveflam]

The watchman replies-
"Man in charge? Ah, okay, let me see..."
He trots off, only to return in a short while with a pudgy officer.

The pear-shaped man sits down at the desk and scratches his unshaven face.

"Alright then, my lady. I'm in charge while our commander is busy. How can I help you?"

Dominica notices that the man's bleary eyes keep straying from her own eyes, moving down her neckline to her low cut bodice.

The red haired woman looks at the pear-shaped man with a slight smile. "Pardon me, but I would most prefer to speak with the Commander on this matter." She bends down slightly, offering the man a better view, then brushing hair out of her face, goes back straight.

"I was wondering if a man such as yourself might know where I might find him? This Commander, what is his name? I would take that as a favor on your part, sir if you would kindly tell me where he is, please."

[RocEter]

Cormac ties up his horse near the stream and pulls out his bow, stalking along behind the hunter.

"If you'da seen tha' deer, you might change yer mind," he growls, before spitting a glob of juice onto the ground in front of him.

The Huntsman shrugs saying nothing on the matter...

Elevesnemiere, northern hills

Following the donkey for several hours, Cormac and the Huntsman approach a mesa—about the size of a small fort-- as the afternoon sun sinks to touch the western hilltops. Unless stopped, the donkey walks out into the open, headed towards a dark cave mouth set in the steep southern face of the broad hill. Dim reddish lights flicker within the opening.

The ground in this part of the hills is covered in patches of short grass and brush, with scattered trees of no great size. A few ditches and big rocks provide additional places of concealment, although a sharp-eyed sentinel on the hilltop might be able to see over a lot of that…

Looking across the mesa the Huntsman's thick tawny brows furrow. "How good of shot with that bow are you?" He says to Cormac.

[Adam]

Cormac spits. "I've had it in my hands since I was eighteen. Out shot an elf one time," he chuckles, "So not bad, I suppose. You plannin' on flushin' em out?"

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

Renn folds his arms over his chest and proceeds to wait, his face a mask of patience belying his growing frustration at being shuffled off to the side, like a common peasant!

While he waits he makes use of his time. Things are actually less chaotic than he would have thought at the Ducal palace, and he watches and listens.

The sound of the woman sobbing catches his ears. Since he is still waiting, he takes a quick look around, trying to find the source of the crying.

[RocEter]

Cormac spits. "I've had it in my hands since I was eighteen. Out shot an elf one time," he chuckles, "So not bad, I suppose. You plannin' on flushin' em out?"

"Good enough for me." The Huntsman says. "Plan on moving forward all slow like, might be a sentry on top that there cave. If so, I'll flush him and you take him out with your bow before he can call down to his buddies."

He slows moves forward to next area of cover...

[Adam]

Cormac nods and settles into the tall grass, giving the Huntsman a twenty count before following as stealthily as he can.