Birthright Chapter Nine

[ewancummins]

The duke's four personal guards make no comment, but remain near the duke or covering egresses of the tavern.

[JMaytr]

Devlin-

"It is bad. This is a tragedy, and from what I've been told by his Reverence there," Devlin gestures at the departing priest, "the Archprelate suspects that a beast was at work, brought to this place by agents of Carilon Alam. My hated cousin continues to prey on the weak and innocent in this campaign. And do....this," Devlin looks around at the carnage, knowing he will never get used to seeing dead men.

"What does he hope to gain? We have routed his invaders and yet his attacks of terror continue. Make your way as soon as possible to Lofton to save those women. When captain Ghonallison arrives inform him that the Western Imperial Temple is sending an expert to assist in the investigation into this crime while you take your unit across the river. If this expert seems fit for duty, take him with you if you wish. I have another matter to deal with so I shall speak again with you soon, Warden of the Tuor."

Devlin nods to his Ducal Guard and then leaves the slaughter house. As he climbs into his carriage, he instruct the driver,

"To the barracks at Haes. I wish to speak to the troops."

[ewancummins]

DEVLIN, BARRACKS

The carriage takes Devlin to the merchant's warehouse that has been refitted as a barracks for the men.

It rolls to a halt outside the front gate. Devlin sees men dressed in coats-of-plates and bearing great swords training in what was once the wagon yard of the storehouse, chopping at wooden butts singly and going through fencing moves in pairs.

These would be his recently raised, and as yet untested infantry, the '1st Company of Heavy Foot, Haesrien.'

[RocEter]

Foerde, City Watch HQ

A beastman clad in mail and some piecemail plate enters the city watch head quarters. A worn leather sheath hangs at his side and shield painted red with a sword crossing a yellow bolt of lightning strapped across his back.

Walking up to the nearest guard or scribe, "I need to speak with the Captain of the watch. I have information about the Gorgon's Crown slayings." He says.

[ewancummins]

Foerde, City Watch HQ

A beastman clad in mail and some piecemail plate enters the city watch head quarters. A worn leather sheath hangs at his side and shield painted red with a sword crossing a yellow bolt of lightning strapped across his back.

Walking up to the nearest guard or scribe, "I need to speak with the Captain of the watch. I have information about the Gorgon's Crown slayings." He says.

The man stares at Foerde for a silent moment.

"Information, you say? Okay, wait right here."

He gets up from his chair and rushes off into the next room.

[RocEter]

Nodding, the beastman waits..

[Ben]

The smashed door of The Gorgon's Crown whines on a single hinge, as a cloaked figure enters the scene of the slaughter. Pulling back his hood, his eyes move over the carnage, pausing for a moment at each corpse. Face unreadable, his gaze lingers a moment longer on the figure of the small boy strewn over the bar.

Noticing Warden Roald, he makes a slight bow. "Forgive my appearance, Sir. It is my business to go unnoticed. I am Morgan Denveld. I understand you wish my assistance in bringing to justice the man or beast that perpetrated this treachery." He glances at the corpses and sighs slightly, "You have it."

[Varrus the Ethical]

Roald turns to face the new arrival and looks him up and down. "I assume you're the specialist I was told about? I don't suppose you see any clues as to what did this?" he waves at the carnage with his hand.

[JMaytr]

Devlin-

As the carraige travels away from the Gorgon's Crown, Devlin calls to the driver to halt. He gets out just around the corner from the alehouse, and with his Ducal Guards, walks up to the statue of his grandmother Talaena Flaertes. As a boy, Devlin often came to the statue to sit, think, and dream. His grandmother had been a great hero to the people of Tuornen, until she lost her life upon the sword of the Elf, Rhobhue , called the Manslayer. Devlin had always aspired to be as heroic as Talaena and lead great armies against Tuornen's enemies as she had. Now that he was in fact, doing just that, he did not feel at all heroic, he felt guilty, and responsible for the lives that were being lost daily on both sides of the river to this war.

Devlin looks up at the statue and a tear forms in his eye but does not fall down his cheek. His great grandfather Daulton, his grandmother, his father...Their lives all cut short, not by the sands of time but from the hands of enemies. Was this to be his fate too?

One thin supper, In the worm's pot
One still dreamer, On a cold bed
Two wan candles, In a pyre hot,
Two dire brothers, On a field dead

He recalled the prophecy sprouted from fungus on the side of the Mott the Swineherd's barn. The words chilled his blood. Looking skyward, the duke speaks to the heavens.

"Great noble Haelyn above, guide me as you have my ancestors. Show me the just path to victory over my enemies and give me the strength to protect the innocent under my charge."

Devlin nods to his guards, and returns to the carriage.

[VAN]

Filbert wakes up late this morning. The halfling after many days have had a good night sleep for once. So he gets his time resting. He would sleep some more if wasn't for the voices, many footsteps and all kind of noise outside of his room...Little annoyed Filbert gets up, get dressed and goes downstairs to see what is going on. Soon after a page informs him about the tragic deaths of the last night the halfing hurries to go to the barracks hoping to find Renn there and ask to take part at the investigation.

Once at the barracks asks if Captain Ghonallison is there and if he can see him.

[ewancummins]

CORMAC, TRAVELING AND ARRIVAL

For the last several days and nights, Cormac has been travelling south; he's hiked down from the northern mountains, hitched a ride to the river's headwaters in the back of a lumber cart, drifted down river on a barge, and only last night debarked at the bustling river port of Haes.


This day, after a nice long sleep in a hostel, the druid rises to look for a good horse in the market. He overhears gossip among the men and the few women, in the horse-traders' area of the market. The chatter is all about 'horrible killings' at a local tavern. Somebody says 'I hear the Watch just this morning caught a cat-man, and I bet he's the one that did the murders!"

[Adam]

Cormac introduces himself to the person spreading the rumors, seeking details of where this "cat-person" is being held.

"I met a man, fit tha' description once," Cormac confides. "Though he didn' seem the type to go murderin' folks. P'raps I'll look in on 'em an' see if it's the same fella."

[ewancummins]

Cormac introduces himself to the person spreading the rumors, seeking details of where this "cat-person" is being held.

"I met a man, fit tha' description once," Cormac confides. "Though he didn' seem the type to go murderin' folks. P'raps I'll look in on 'em an' see if it's the same fella."

The wall-eyed, pimply little fellow telling tales turns to stare at Cormac, fixing his enlarged , glassy right eye on the druid.

"Eh? The cat-man is down at the city watch house, last I heard. " He points down the cobbled lane where two story half-timber buildings lean in over the pavement on either side.

"Just go that way and keep walking, Can't miss the place, will be watchmen out front."

[Adam]

"Obliged, son," Cormac says, turning and following the directions. He makes certain that all of his weaponry is safely stowed away in a non-threatening manner.

Once he reaches the watchmen, he inquires as to the nature of the cat-man's charges.

[ewancummins]

"Obliged, son," Cormac says, turning and following the directions. He makes certain that all of his weaponry is safely stowed away in a non-threatening manner.

Once he reaches the watchmen, he inquires as to the nature of the cat-man's charges.

At the watch-house (which is also the barracks for the Watch, but not for the soldiers of the Duke's army) Cormac discovers Foerde sitting in a waiting room, looking very bored.

The cat-man doesn't seem to be under guard.

A half-man walks in to the drab waiting room, clad in fancy clothes. Looks familiar. Didn't Foerde see this little guy with the Duke, up north while the goblin fighting was still going on?