Birthright: Tuornen, Chapter Two

[ewancummins]

It circles twice and lands on the tree. The boughs creak beneath the great owl's mass.
Two lantern eyes fix on the Huntsman.

"How goes your hunt, hoooooman?"

"Well." The Huntsman says. "Now I head home to rest and prepare for tomorrows hunt."

"Good. Seen any fat sheep? "

[RocEter]

"No. Your eyes see better in the night than mine own. There are plenty of farms around here though, try one of them." The Huntsman says to the owl.

[ewancummins]

"No. Your eyes see better in the night than mine own. There are plenty of farms around here though, try one of them." The Huntsman says to the owl.

''Hoooo...''

The owl flies away.

[RocEter]

The Huntsman continues on his way home.

[ewancummins]

The Huntsman continues on his way home.

The Huntsman reaches his home before morning.

[steveflam]

Dominica moves out of their way but continues to the Castle, intent on getting inside.

[ewancummins]

Dominica moves out of their way but continues to the Castle, intent on getting inside.

Aside from some knights or men-at-arms on horseback, she doesn't really see many soldiers in the streets. Watchmen with cugdels or torches and some very alarmed citizens running about with improvised weapons or lanterns, but nothing like a big army to defend Haes.

After some delay at the castle gate she is admitted by a guard who recognizes her from the coronation ceremony at the cathedral.

[ewancummins]

Baubb's House-



A dozen fighting-men in plate armor and about as many lightly armed city watchmen arrive in the house. They relieve Roald's watch over the broken trap door and set to blocking the cellar.

Roald finds his horse still tied up outside.

Is he taking his prisoner with him to Caer Haes or leaving the youth in the care of the men who relieved him?

[Varrus the Ethical]

"This boy is my prisoner, I'll be taking him to the castle for questioning." Roald lifts Williem up by the shoulder. "I suggest that you seal that tunnel before more rats try to crawl out of it."

Roald walks out of Baubb's house to his horse. Helping Williem up, Roald mounts his horse and begins to ride at a trot for Caer Haes.

[ewancummins]

Braedonnal at the city wall over the River Gate -


A knight at the elf's left side mutters" I cannot see much, sir. They don't have many torches lit, or else there aren't so many of them."

Braedonnal looks out across the wooden buildings of Riverside, taking note of enemy skirmishers that creep in the alleys and ditches of the out-wall quarter. He lifts his eyes and peers farther out, where boatmen are pulling ashore a great tubular object of dull iron. More men debark every minute, and Braedonnals' keen elven-sight picks out a banner fluttering in the starlight, carried by a clump of heavy armed men who splash ashore atop warhorse-- the blue lion of Alamie.

"This is not just a pirate raid. Carlion Alam sends his army against us. Most of it, so far, looks like armed rabble, but I see some men who might provide a real fight out there. I could launch an attack now, sweep them back into the river..."

The elf's pallid face flushes at the thought of battle.

"But that's no doubt what they are expecting. Perhaps I should burn Riverside, deny them cover?"

The knight at Braedonnal's side frowns, tugging at his mustachios.
"The Duke wouldn’t like the loss of lives and property, I think, Better clear it with him, sir."

The elf nods.

"Although I'd dearly love to make a sally now, I suspect a trap. The Alamiens are bringing some kind of war engine ashore, and I don't see a heavy defense for it. Too easy. They hope to make 'Hotspur' rush into their snare, I think. Send word to the duke that...wait, a rider with a white flag? Ha."



The messenger rides up to the gate and holds his white flag up for all to see.

"My lord, His Grace Carilon Alam, the Duke of Alamie and rightful master of both sides of the River Tuor sends his warning and his promise, surrender the city or face disaster. If we must take it by storm he cannot vouch for the lives or safety of anyone within the walls. If Devlin Flaertes, who calls himself duke here, will surrender to Alamien justice and deliver up the town, the people will be spared and the city made safe."


Braedonnal laughs.
“I’m not even going to pass on such an insulting offer. Attack and die, Alamien scum. “

[ewancummins]

Within Caer Haes-


The duke arms for battle while his servants carry out his orders.
His four new-made knights remain near him at all times, to guard his life and body.

Filbert can talk his way in to see Devlin, perhaps. (The favor the duke shows his court jester has been noted, and fools operate outside the ordinary social rules). If Renn returns from directing his watchmen, he will be admitted without delay. Anyone not in a position of importance to the defense of the city of the government of the realm(pretty much all the other PCs, in other words) who wishes to see Devlin is kept waiting-- for now-- in a comfortable room of the palace on the Castellan's orders. Reports may be passed on by pages.

The waiters are told-
"The duke may see you all soon, if he pleases. For now you must await his pleasure here."

[ewancummins]

The River Gate-


Braedonnal scrawls a note and hands it to runner.
"Take this to the duke."

He commands half his heavy cavalry to mount the walls to ready a defense and half to take up protected positions near the gate, to ride down any enemy who somehow break through.

The elf turns to his aide and whispers-
"Well, Robb, let's hope that they don't realize how small a garrison we have to defend the city. Ah, I see the torches are going up."


All along the city walls as far as even Braedonnal's keen eyes can see, flickering lights are raised-- just enough to hint at a strong wall guard but not enough to reveal the truth: a thin-stretched force of city watchmen and civilian volunteers.
“That should give Carilon pause. With luck he’ll convince himself that we’ve thrice our true number of fighting men, and lose heart. If I weren’t sure of a trap, I’d ride out against them now. I’m going down to check on the men below. Let me know right away if they move an engine within range of the walls…”The elf stops speaking as the warm fire glow washes over the side of his face turned towards the enemy. He looks out at Riverside.

The aide’s voice seems very far away to the elf commander. “Fire wagon?”

Braedonnal shoves his aide against the stone walk and covers the man with his body.Flames curl over them, then recede.

The rolling fireball has slammed into the gate and immediately set the wood smoldering. Men rush forward atop the wall with buckets of sand and water—but they retreat screaming in terror as the fireball expands, growing arms and legs and a flame crowned head. The effulgent giant embraces the gate and burns deep into the wood.

Braedonnal, smoldering but not seeming much hurt, lifts his aide by the shoulders and points the man towards the staircase leading down from the wall.
“Get to Caer Haes in case the runner doesn’t make it! Tell the duke that they have an elemental! GO!“

The man nods, descends the steps two at a time, and vaults into the saddle…

[ewancummins]

Caer Haes-
A horseman canters out of the gate, headed for the Militant Order temple.



(as per message from JMaytr)

[RocEter]

The Huntsman stables his horse in his stable and unsaddles his horse. After he prepares a bag of feed and brushes down the horse. Once finished with brushing down the horse he removes the feed bag and leaves the horse to rest.

Entering his home, his uses the torch to light a fire in the hearth with logs he set this morning. After that he lights the lanterns around his small home. Removing his armor and cloak he stows them in their proper places, the armor on a stand and the cloak folded neatly in chest. Grabbing a book he lies down on a bunch of pillows in front of the fire place and reads a book.

[Lord Skybolt]

The Auld Oak-

Brennan locks a trussed-up bandit-- the only prisoner-- in the cellar.

The innkeeper finds Cormac and Gunnar.

''I thought I'd let you two know that the Huntsman has vanished. Came with the wind, left with the storm, like the old folks say. Left us a bandit-- human-- too. That one hasn't told much. Something about the goblins going back north to join their brothers in a really big raid.''

Turning to Cormac on hearing this news:"So do want to go my house to start the Hunt for the bandits at first light as I said ? My Wife will have breakfast ready for us when we get up at dawn before we leave to get rid of the rest of the bandits . We should question the prisoner before we leave for exact direction to the bandits hideout, and where this big raid is that the goblins plan to join up north as well ."