Birthright: Chapter Seven

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

LOGGING CAMP

"So two hundred heavy horse, and 60 irregulars...plus His Grace's forces---another two hundred archers and a smattering of the pikemen from Hildon. I daresay we have enough to crush the Black Tower Heavy Horse and their goblin allies. But we'll be slower too. If they reach Five Peaks before we do, it'll be a bloody mess."

"I've proposed to His Grace that I take a detachment of scouts to patrol ahead and harrass their advance. In a perfect world I'd take a score or two of men on horse and act as dragoons. Ride to one point, dismount to ambush, then ride away before they can organize a counter-attack. In the hills we could lead them a merry damned chase. That way we could slow them until our Main Force can deliver a killing blow. But I don't know how many horses we have to spare."

[Adam]

"Dietric an' I can help wi' tha'," Cormac volunteers. "We've some woodskill. We were plannin' on doin' tha' very thing to the goblins when the battle broke out in the first place."

He goes on to detail what he left behind at the abbey, in case those men are useful to the battleplan.

[VAN]

FILBERT

Filbert finds himself staring into an eyeful of cleavage. The plump serving maid in a lowcut bodice takes a half step back and looks down at the little lord.

''Room service. my lord.''

She holds up a covered basket.
''The Master said you looked tired and hungry, so he thought you'd want a meal brought up to you.''


Filbert detects a pleasant, warm smell wafting from under the checkered cloth draped over the basket’s top.

Filbert looks at the maid, he still hasn't used to be called a lord. At the sight of the basket containing food and especially when he smells it his stomach starts making noises reminding him how long ago was his last decent meal.

"Thank you very much, very thoughtful of him. I will come down in a bit."

When the maid leaves Filbert takes the basket in the room and gets off the cloth. A fresh pie, half loaf of bread, few slices of cheese and two eggs is what contains the basket. Filbert devours his breakfast and finally starts feeling better. Despite he is still tired he gathers his stuff and goes downstairs. The halfling is eager to respond at the villagers questions and then hit the road and arrive at the next village or town before sunset. He doesn't know this area and doesn't want to risk to get lost during the night.

[ewancummins]

THE LOGGING CAMP, COMMAND TENT

"Dietric an' I can help wi' tha'," Cormac volunteers. "We've some woodskill. We were plannin' on doin' tha' very thing to the goblins when the battle broke out in the first place."

He goes on to detail what he left behind at the abbey, in case those men are useful to the battleplan.

Count Robin tells Cormac,
"Bring all reports of goblin activity to me. I've fought the villains for years, and I know the sorts of tricks and traps they use."
The lean, gray-haired nobleman adds with a grin,
"You seem to be shaping up to be quite the goblin-fighter yourself, my good fellow. "

[ewancummins]

ON THE ROAD, LORD FILBERT

FILBERT

Filbert finds himself staring into an eyeful of cleavage. The plump serving maid in a lowcut bodice takes a half step back and looks down at the little lord.

''Room service. my lord.''

She holds up a covered basket.
''The Master said you looked tired and hungry, so he thought you'd want a meal brought up to you.''


Filbert detects a pleasant, warm smell wafting from under the checkered cloth draped over the basket’s top.

Filbert looks at the maid, he still hasn't used to be called a lord. At the sight of the basket containing food and especially when he smells it his stomach starts making noises reminding him how long ago was his last decent meal.

"Thank you very much, very thoughtful of him. I will come down in a bit."

When the maid leaves Filbert takes the basket in the room and gets off the cloth. A fresh pie, half loaf of bread, few slices of cheese and two eggs is what contains the basket. Filbert devours his breakfast and finally starts feeling better. Despite he is still tired he gathers his stuff and goes downstairs. The halfling is eager to respond at the villagers questions and then hit the road and arrive at the next village or town before sunset. He doesn't know this area and doesn't want to risk to get lost during the night.

The villagers ask about the war in Tuornen, if the cross-mountain trade will be much affected by goblin raids, and if 'those damned elves' have become involved in the fighting.
Several of the local people seem to be a bit confused as to who rules Tuornen. Some of them had thought that Duke Gilgaed was still alive, until they heard from Filbert's lips that this was not so.
A scarred, rough looking man with a long black beard raises a cup of ale and says, “I told you fellows it was true. Duke Gilaged killed by treachery! Though he did not pledge fealty to our great lord, still he was a goodly neighbor. My son, home from border duty, speaks well of the Tuors and their courage against the Manslayer’s elves.”
Talk turns to elf troubles in the eastern border provinces, in the shadow of the Seamists that separate Tuornen from Boeruine.


…after leaving Alfcrost


After taking a fork onto the main road that leads from the forest verge to the seacoast, Filbert meets a waggoner and three riders, all headed the same way: west.

Black puffs of coal dust fly from the seams of heavy burlap sacks in the back of the wagon whenever the wheels roll through a pothole or over a bump in the rough stone road.

After a big bump sends a coal-sack tumbling out the back, the stout , thick armed graybeard who drives the wagon halts his horses with a command, gets out, goes round the back, and tosses the sack into its place with a grunt.

The riders tarry a bit, watching but not helping.

“Time was the roads were better kept”, the old gray wagon driver remarks to no-one in particular. “Time was everything was better. When we had an Emperor.”

One of the three riders, a young and pretty maid dressed in a blue cloak and green kirtle, laughs lightly.
“What’s that you say, Goodman Henryk? You can’t recall such a time; ‘twas nearly as long before your birth as before mine.”

The two swordsmen in leather jacks who ride behind the woman chuckle.

The old driver looks sideways at the damosel and makes reply,
“Aye, true, my lady. Beg your pardon if my grumbling gives you trouble. I’m just an old man.”

The old driver turns his attention to Filbert. He squints at the Halfling.
“You, there, boy, you want to ride up on the buckboard with me, give your pony a rest? My horses are strong, and you probably weigh less than one of these coal-sacks.”

[ewancummins]

THE GORGON'S CROWN

TAVERN


Reese shows up not long after the prospective wrestlers strip off their coats and lay aside daggers.

"Hey Torthur! I’m just passing by; my horse got the bloat and so I needed to get him to the beast physicker."

The teenage boy looks about the tavern.

"I see you are doing that inn-fighting stuff again. Hmmm… Master Roald didn’t say he’d need me right away. He’s kind of busy with important stuff. Mind if I take bets?"

[Varrus the Ethical]

Outside the Cathedral

Once out on the steps on the Cathedral, Roald let's out a long breath. It had been a long time since he'd could remember actually being afraid, but the Archprelate and his desire to start a holy war had left a cold ache in Roald's chest. Tuornen had enough trouble as it was.

But the Archprelate did mention something useful, that Carlion Alamie was heavily in debt. A plan began to work its way through the heavy gears of Roald's mind. He would need to talk to the right people.

Returning to his stolen barge. And it was his, as far as he was concerned. A fine warprize. Roald let the guards open a way through the dockside crowd to board the boat. Putting on his best smile, he made his way through the adoring crowd.

Once aboard, he put on his armor and spare weapons and then disembarked, paying his compliments to the guardsmen as the left.

Atli's bank was not far from where the barge was docked. But Roald took a circuitous route to throw off any admires that may have followed him before he went to the bank.

There, Roald found Atli counting coins while a man with bruised face and broken teeth stood dumbly in front of the dwarf's desk.

"Atli, I hope I haven't caught you while you're too busy. There's a couple items of bushiness I wished to discuss with you." Roald's eyes flick at the beaten man and then back to Atli.

[ewancummins]

HOUSE OF ATLI




Atli says in a flat voice.

"No, it's fine. My client has been reminded about the terms of repayment. I’m done with him for now.”


The battered man snatches his coat from the floor, mutters 'thank you' to Roald, and rushes out of the little office.

Atli takes a swatch of cloth from his pocket and wipes blood from his rock-knuckled black hands.
His rumbling voice takes on a jovial tone as he asks, “So, what can I do for you? Need to borrow some coin?

Or is this about the barge job and the payout?”

[Varrus the Ethical]

House of Atli.


"I figure at some point we'll have to appraise the loot aboard the vessel to ensure that everyone got their share as promised." Roald walks up and takes a seat the desk. "However, I also wanted your expert opinion on a certain matter I've been thinking of. What would it take to make you start to worry that a cilent is going to default on a loan?"

[ewancummins]

Atli's Office.


"I figure at some point we'll have to appraise the loot aboard the vessel to ensure that everyone got their share as promised." Roald walks up and takes a seat a desk. "However, I also wanted your expert opinion on a certain matter I've been thinking of. What would it take to make you start to worry that a cilent is going to default on a loan?"

“What would it take? That depends. If he starts making a lot of excuses for late or missed payments, or seems to be getting ready to skip town, those are bad signs, of course. Sometimes I can just smell the stink of flagrant irresponsibility. If I discover that a client is looking for someone else to lend him money before he pays me back on existing loans--and he didn’t first come to me for an extension or a second loan—I get suspicious. If I hear that he’s defaulted on somebody with more power than me, that’s bad. It means he might not fear me enough to pay me back.

That can be fixed, of course.”

[Varrus the Ethical]

"Hrmm. Well, it's recently come to my attention that Carlion Alamie is in serious debt. And I suspect we just deprived him of a major piece of collateral by taking his pleasure barge. So tell me, Atli, if you have a client that you know is losing the ability to pay your loans, what would you do?"

[steveflam]

THE GORGON'S CROWN

TAVERN


Reese shows up not long after the prospective wrestlers strip off their coats and lay aside daggers.

"Hey Torthur! I’m just passing by; my horse got the bloat and so I needed to get him to the beast physicker."

The teenage boy looks about the tavern.

"I see you are doing that inn-fighting stuff again. Hmmm… Master Roald didn’t say he’d need me right away. He’s kind of busy with important stuff. Mind if I take bets?"

Torthur looks at Reese. "Yeah sure. No problems."

The dwarf takes his shirt off, eager to begin wrestling.

[ewancummins]

ATLI'S PLACE

"Hrmm. Well, it's recently come to my attention that Carlion Alamie is in serious debt. And I suspect we just deprived him of a major piece of collateral by taking his pleasure barge. So tell me, Atli, if you have a client that you know is losing the ability to pay your loans, what would you do?"

"Again, that depends on circumstances. With most of the clients I have, I'd lean on ‘em while they could still pay at least part of what they owed me. Sometimes I might take payment in another form, and with the value raised on account of the trouble I’m going through over the matter. Like say a guard owes me money, and can’t pay up, but he can do my favors that would cost me gold otherwise.
But I prefer prompt payment in hard money, always.
A small debt might be written off as a loss, although I hate doing that. And then I have to make an example out of the one who failed to pay, which I don't mind so much, but it can be trouble I don’t need."


He sits down in his chair, the heavy wood creaking under his weight.


"The trouble with lending money to a ruler like Duke Carilon is that sometimes such men don't think they have to pay anybody back. Who is going to make them, right?

That’s stupid of them, of course. If a noble gets a reputation for not paying his debts, he will find it harder to get new loans, and other nobles may start to mistrust him. But we both know being born in a palace doesn’t impart good sense in a man."

The Dwarf’s dark face twists in a gilded grin.

“Duke Carilon’s creditors, if they have brains in their heads, have got some means of making things uncomfortable for him if he doesn’t pay up. Nobles can hinder the duke’s agents, mess with tax collection, decide against his interest in the local courts, and so on. Rich merchants have less recourse, but if they stick together, they can delay shipments of grain or other supplies, and otherwise make his operations a little harder. If he owes money to the temples, that’s especially bad. The priests have a lot of influence among these humans. They can rile up the people with talk of misrule, or tyranny, or what have you. It doesn’t even need to be aimed at Carilon. They can always blame his ministers. But it will hurt his interests, interfere with his plans.”

.

[Varrus the Ethical]

House of Atli

Roald leans forward, listening as closely as a pupil studying from master.

He smiles. "So if I take away enough of Carlion's assets, his ability to rule is weakened. As is his ability to wage war. It's just a matter of finding those assets, and I think I know who to ask. Much appreciated Atli. Carlion made a fierce mistake crossing you. I'm glad to be on your good side."

[ewancummins]

House of Atli

Roald leans forward, listening as closely as a pupil studying from master.

He smiles. "So if I take away enough of Carlion's assets, his ability to rule is weakened. As is his ability to wage war. It's just a matter of finding those assets, and I think I know who to ask. Much appreciated Atli. Carlion made a fierce mistake crossing you. I'm glad to be on your good side."

"No problem. Glad to help."

The dwarf leans back, his chair creaking.

"Now, about the barge..."