Birthright: Tuornen, Chapter Ten

[Varrus the Ethical]

ROALD, BATTLE

Seeing that Gunnar is actually going to fight the fire demon, Roald shrugs and runs up the stairs to deal with the brecht mercenaries before the reload their weapons.

He cuts one down with a clumsy blow from his sword as soon as he ascends the stairs and then looks to the others and speaks in Brecht.

"Carlion isn't paying you enough. You should leave while you still can."

[ewancummins]

ROALD, BATTLE

Seeing that Gunnar is actually going to fight the fire demon, Roald shrugs and runs up the stairs to deal with the brecht mercenaries before the reload their weapons.

He cuts one down with a clumsy blow from his sword as soon as he ascends the stairs and then looks to the others and speaks in Brecht.

"Carlion isn't paying you enough. You should leave while you still can."

One of the five men on this side stops loading his crossbow and draws a short sword. He listens to Roald's speech. For a moment, the man wavers, hanging back. The others hurriedly work the cranequins to load their arbalests. Across the bailey, a half dozen mercs with crossbows also load.

"Nein! We keep our contract. Otherwise, no pay.''

[Varrus the Ethical]

One of the five men on this side stops loading his crossbow and draws a short sword. He listens to Roald's speech. For a moment, the man wavers, hanging back. The others hurriedly work the cranequins to load their arbalests. Across the bailey, a half dozen mercs with crossbows also load.

"Nein! We keep our contract. Otherwise, no pay.''

Roald shrugs and smiles grimly.

"Your funeral, Fritz."

He hefts his sword and attacks the crossbowmen who are trying to load their weapons.

[ewancummins]

GUNNAR'S STAND,
JUST INSIDE THE KEEP, NEAR THE EXIT
The fiery demon rushes upon Gunnar.

Foerde prays for his comrades.

The blazing monster rains smoking blows down on Gunnar, blackening the tall northman's armor with soot.

Gunnar stands his ground, thrusting and chopping with the enchanted blade. The steel glows blue as it whistles through the pulpy, burning body of the conjured foe. The creature roars like a bursting furnace, coughs up gouts of boiling tarry stuff, and then bursts in a sulfurous cloud.

It's gone!


His heart pounding, sweat dripping in his eyes, his nostrils singed with smoke, Gunnar rocks on his feet. He coughs, draw a breath, coughs again. Through the thinning haze, he spots Duke Carilon and a half dozen men-at-arms, still standing where they had been a little while ago. The Duke stares in horror at Gunnar.

''What! Noooooo! You were supposed to burn!''

[Lord Skybolt]

"Burn I don't think so, old man it is time for you to die now !!"Gunnar says in reply to Carilon words, then charges him and his guards . Shifting his sword to one hand again and pulling a dagger in his other hand .

[VAN]

Filbert sees the heavy armored men around Duke Carillon and the fire elemental standing between them and their friends. But suddenly the fire demon disappeared, Carillon swears and the halfling can see Gunnar charging the duke.

"We better help Gunnar he is way outnumbered and these men are Carillon's bodyguards meaning are tougher and better armed. We need to move fast and try to join the others before more guards arrive."

The halfling tries to find a place to hide so he can backtab Carillon at the best opportunity.

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

Cormac looks to the others.

"Wha do we do?" he whispers, hefting the club suggestively. "Club em?"

"Bugger that," Renn replies in a low whisper, and sword in hand, he moves to lunge at the man in the harness...

[kintire]

Safana begins to murmer a spell and fire curls around her fingers. She lifts her hand and a ball of fire leaps from her palm and bounces across the castle floor, sweeping along Renn's flanks and burning those who try to attack him... as well as his target, if she can



Edit: I deny this post ever said anything different and i don't know what Ewan's next post is about

[ewancummins]

OOC NOTE

I'm reading that as 'Renn' not 'Roald, since there's no way Safana can see Roald. He's not inside the keep, nor are the crossbowmen he is fighting. Roald is out on the castle walls above the bailey.

[ewancummins]

OUTSIDE THE KEEP, FIGHT ON THE CASTLE WALLS ABOVE THE BAILEY

Roald cuts into the tight formation of crossbowmen. His right temple burns as a bolt strikes just above his ear, dazing him for an instant. Other bolts pass very close, like buzzing angry hornets, or skid along his mail shirt leaving instantly painful bruises beneath the padding.

Blood and sweat pouring from his scalp, the swordsman lunges, thrusts, slashes and keeps moving, always forward.

He hears what might be dozens of men shouting in the bailey, many boots tramping.

Leaping over a slain Brecht, he drops another man with a thrust to the belly. The foriegn boltmen break and flee, sending only a few poorly aimed bolts at their assailant before running across the battlements and down the stairs into the bailey.
A quick glance sideways and down shows at least a score of armored footmen filling the bailey from the street, through the busted gate.


Reeling from wounds and fatigue, Roald staggers towards the open door of the tower house set above the gate. A hard blow to the back nearly topples him from the wall. Spinning round, he sees two soldiers in mail with swords and shields, just behind him. He knocks one from the wall, but the other comes one, with a fierce look on his youthful face and his keen sword aimed for Roald's breast...

[ewancummins]

THE BUTCHER SHOP
Morgan enters the dingy little meat shop. Sniffing the air, he smells blood, marrow, and something else---maybe a dog or a cat. The shadowy interior remains cool despite the warmth of the day. A flat-nosed, short and stout fellow leans over the knife-scarred counter, staring at Morgan. He gestures towards cuts of dried meat hanging at his back.

"What can I get you, fresh or preserved?'

Morgan notes a rickety looking wooden door behind the counter.

[ewancummins]

FIGHT INSIDE THE KEEP

While Rennault dashes at Duke Carikon's back and drives the point of his sword through the weak spot under the arm of the nobles' harness, Filbert rolls in and stabs only to see his sword point skid harmlessly off the burnished steel plates.

Cormac knocks a guard in the helmet, but fails to drop the fellow.

Safana's flaming sphere rolls side to side, bounces and spins, scorching several guards and giving her allies very warm backsides (but not burning them).

In a moment, Gunnar has joined the fray, hacking at a guard blocking him from getting at the Duke.

Someone screams-

''Protect the Duke, get him out of here!"

But Renn strikes again and Duke Carilon reels, falling among his guards. The men form a tight circle around their lord, defending him as best they may. The hectic battle continues, sparks and drops of blood flying as the combatants trade savage, close-in blows.

Dozens of soldiers come rushing down the hall from deeper in the keep, running to aid Duke Carilon!

Safana, seeing the last of Carilon's guards fall to Gunnar's mighty blows, rolls her ball back down the hall to prevent reinforcments from reaching the duke or the party. She has to press her back into the wall to keep from being burned as the ball rolls past, so close is the fit.

The mass of armed men pulls up short as the fiery orb rolls into their path, cutting off the entry to the hall where Duke Carilon lays on the stone floor surrounded by enemies.

Seeing his friends getting the upper hand of the bodyguards the little halfling doesn't withdraw and keeps slashing his short sword trying to get Duke Carillon. Even if his attacks don't seem to penetrate the Duke's armor the brutal force of Gunnar and the sneaky slashes of Renn manage to incapacitate Carillon. Seeing the Duke lying helpless at the floor and hearing guards coming their way Filbert doesn't hesitate and steps forward putting his blade at the Duke's neck. Without losing the Duke from his eyes and knowing that he might play a dirty trick he yells trying to sound more convincing possible:

"All guards drop your weapons now otherwise I will get your Duke's life."

An officer shouts-

''DAMN THE FLAMES-- CHARGE AND SAVE THE DUKE!"

[VAN]

Seeing the guards don't obey Filbert fights his instinct to kill the Duke right now and give a proper end at the war. Because with the most important nobles dead Alamie will remain without a leader and will be chaos which will be great benefit for Devlin's army to take the whole duchy. But despite he knows that strategically is making a mistake Filbert knows that deep down he isn't a murderer, even if Carillon is responsible for many murders himself, Filbert isn't the one that should get justice, he learnt that the bad way with Lord Riegon. So the only thing he can try to do is try to convince the officer that he doesn't make empty threats so they can leave. After all they have Cormac and maybe if they are lucky they can kidnap Carillon as well.

Trying to look determinate and without second thoughts Filbert presses a bit his blade at Carilon's neck till he gets a little blood hoping the guards will believe him now.

"Take one step further and you will have your Duke's blood at your hands. This is my last warning, drop your weapons and retreat."

[ewancummins]

CHAOS AT CAER ALAM
Filbert's threats seem only to enrage the Alamiens.


Cormac begins to pray.


Soldiers charge down the hall, trying to dodge round or leap over the flaming orb that partially blocks their path to the fallen duke and the Tuors. Safana guides the ball as best she may, but even burning men doesn't stop the mad rush.


The ceiling shakes and groans. Dust rains down on the heads of the Tuor party and the oncoming Alamien force.
The stonework between the Tuors and the men rushing them buckles, twisting like melting candlewax, and pinches off the hallway, leaving an opening just big enough for a man's arm.



Safana has lost sight of her fiery orb.

A blackened hand thrust through the narrow gap in the melted stone.
"Aiiiiieeee!"

With their pursuers foiled for the nonce, the heroes may grab the Duke and run (or stagger) towards the bailey.

As they step into the sunlight, Cormac and his rescuers spot Roald and Foerde dashing across the battlements towards the squat tower set above the open gate. A squadron of enemy soldiers runs behind the two warriors.
Smoke or vapour of some sort seeps from between the stones in the high wall.
The gray mist expands rapidly to engulf the confused, shouting Alamiens. A man plunges out of the fog and lands on the hard bailey with a sickening crunch. He doesn't get back up.


Safana and her friends run to the gate.

Footsteps pound in the mist.


Roald and Foerde burst out of the fog a moment later, cast about till they spot their fellows, and dash over to join them in converging on the gate.

Gunnar sees a few soldiers guarding the gate. He seizes the broken portcullis and lifts it chest high, clanking forward at a trot.

CRASH
The men tumble back, knocked into the street.

Stepping outside, the party finds itself surrounded by scores of armed men, swiftly closing in on foot and on horseback!

[kintire]

"My Lord, get everybody out. I'll be fine!"

Safana mutters to herself for a moment, preparing a spell...