Birthright Chapter Nine

[Adam]

He turns to Renn. "Aye, good to see ye again, Captain. Foerde here's an old friend, an' he invited me to town. Said he needed help with somethin'."

[VAN]

Filbert looks at both Foerde and Cormac and says:

"Guess you couldn't find a better time to return to Haes. His Grace is planning a rescue operation to Lofton to save some pregnant women that are being held in a cellar as prisoners of Carilon's brother Reigon. The original plan was to try to kidnap Reigon as well which will be good for our soldier's morale. After this slaughter they need to see that the Duke is still powerfull and resourceful."

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

WATCH HQ

Renn tanks Lud for the intelligence. "Any info on the victims? Anything that would suggest why they were killed, and not someone else?"

Turning back to Filbert, COrmac, and Foerde, he says, "It seems I've got work for us all, then. These reports...it sounds like no man I've ever heard of." His eyes flick to Foerde for just a moment before turning back to the others. "Some kind of a beast-man then? Or someone who can take the form of a vicious creature? But if he could take a man's form, why not disguise itself better?"

"Thoughts, gentlemen?"

[RocEter]

Earlier that day, Watch HQ, Foerde, Cormac, Renn and Filbert

The Rjurik man is thankful, not for the first time, for his thick beard to disguise the wry smile on his face as he bows to the halfling lord. City folk, he muses as he turns back to Foerde.

"Well, there's a first time fer everythin'," he chuckles to the cat man. "I'm just happy not to be pickin' ye up off the floor after another beatin'."

He catches his old friend up on events prior to his receiving his letter.

"Then I got yer note, an' I came to do what I can ter help. Figure we've saved each other's lives enough times, it ain't worth keepin' score no more. Just assume I'm in yer debt an' come when asked fer, an' hope this adventure don' end cooped up in a bell tower with an army o' goblins beatin' down the door."

Foerde chuckles "Yeah, I did deserve that beatin' though." He says.

Now that Cormac is facing Foerde, he can see something has changed about the beastman. It takes him a moment to figure it out but when he does, he can see that Foerde's eyes has changed. They are now golden and seem to glitter in bright light.

Foerde nods while listening to Cormac's adventure. "Sounds like a good time, though not entirely sure I would have killed something was killing goblins and those who associate with them." He says shrugging.

"No not goblins, Elves. I plan on leading a party in Rhoube and getting Gael back. Any Elf that gets in my way will be good as dead, too." He says.

He looks at Filbert, "I only came to Haes to find a man. Then I learned of his exploits, which has changed my impression of the man. Tell me Lord Filbert do you know the Warden of Tour River Lord Roald Siegebreaker Flaertes?" He says.


....

Watch HQ, After the investigation

Renn tanks Lud for the intelligence. "Any info on the victims? Anything that would suggest why they were killed, and not someone else?"

Turning back to Filbert, Cormac, and Foerde, he says, "It seems I've got work for us all, then. These reports...it sounds like no man I've ever heard of." His eyes flick to Foerde for just a moment before turning back to the others. "Some kind of a beast-man then? Or someone who can take the form of a vicious creature? But if he could take a man's form, why not disguise itself better?"

"Thoughts, gentlemen?"

"Well Captain, there are all manner of beasts that can walk and talk like a man in the Five Peaks. Maybe something came south and has hired them selves out to some one with rather deep pockets and who enjoys the suffering of others." Foerde says.

During the course of the day Renn, has got to see the cat-man clad in mail and piece-mail plate armor. He makes know attempt to hide what he is, even though he does appear rather strange with his golden eyes and tawny mane. Renn notes a some kind of holy symbol around his neck, the same same symbol is painted onto his shield. Red with a sword crossing a yellow bolt of lightning.

[Lord Skybolt]

Watch HQ, After the investigation


Gunnar walks into the Watch HQ . He goes to the Officer of the Day to see if he can be directed to where Renn is too see how the plans for the raid going .

[ewancummins]

ACROSS THE RIVER

Lord Riegon steps out from under the awning, into the sunlight where the mob can see him.
He lifts his arms so that his fox-lined cape falls back from his ornately embroidered burgundy doublet.

"My people! I have a very special show for you today. But let me speak to you of certain important matters before the spectacle unfolds."


The people packed into the tiers of seats that circle the dirt-floored arena clap and whistle, shout and wave their arms.


"Who began the war?"


Several men placed here and there in the crowd scream-
"The Elf Duke, The Elf Duke!"
And soon many others join them, yelling and stamping.

Riegon shouts back-
"Yes, that's right! The child of an evil elf witch, an unnatural son who, as we all know, murdered his own father to seize power!
He wishes to make all of you serfs to toil for his cronies! And who are the new masters he would place over you? Great and honorable lords? Hardly. Look at those lackeys he has given titles and you will find examples of his concept of nobility: a common whore's bastard and a half-man JESTER!"

The crowd roars with fury.

Riegon waits for the noise to die down, and then continues, his voice growing louder and stronger as if he fed on the frenzy of the arena mob.

"The Tuors started this war, but I learned of their wicked plans. I advised my noble brother to strike back hard and fast. Take heart, for the victory shall be ours! We have successfully defended our lands against the Tuor soldiers. We will expel the brigands in the north who attack under the cloak of false religion.
Yes, and we will bring the justice of Haelyn down on the Tuor criminals who have murdered citizens of Lofton."

With a theatrical flourish, the handsome lord drops his hands to his hips and turns his gaze towards the iron portcullis of the bear-pit.


The bars rise with a heavy clank and four men march out, dragging a short, stout figure in chains.

"This dwarf murdered several good men of the city watch, men who fought at a disadvantage because they were trying to take him alive so that he'd get a fair trial. Worse, as I myself witnessed, the fiend crushed the skull of an innocent newborn baby he had snatched from its mother's arms.
Not only incredibly violent, the dwarf is also perverse beyond common understanding; he has fornicated with bears, against all the laws of nature and mankind. He has been judged guilty, sentence remains to be passed.
So, what punishment do you think we should inflict?"


Voices rise in confusion and tumult. Men and women cry out for the gibbet, the axe, fire, drowning.


Riegon laughs.

"What if I told you I've got something even better?"

[ewancummins]

Watch HQ, After the investigation


Gunnar walks into the Watch HQ . He goes to the Officer of the Day to see if he can be directed to where Renn is too see how the plans for the raid going .

Gunnar is directed to the room where Captain Renn, Lord Filbert, Warden Roald, Cormac, and Foerde are discussing current events and plans.

[VAN]

Watch HQ, Foerde, Cormac, Renn and Filbert

Filbert takes a moment to think, he has never seen a beastman but has heard stories about them.

"I guess it can be someone that can transform from a beast form to a human or can be simply a wizard that casted a spell, changed to an animal killed these poor men and then changed back. Maybe we should ask Lady Safana or the Archplate, they for sure will know more about spells or abilities to change the proper form. We need also to learn if this is a kind of message or was an attack masked as mass murder. Maybe among these people there is someone that had to be killed and the attacker didn't want us to know. It's much easier cover an assassination of one person as a mass murder than just kill the target. Of course this is just an assumption but we better keep that in mind and try to learn more we can about the victims."

Being a halfling and used to strange looks Filbert doesn't actually bother to look closely Foerde. He notices that he is like a catman but doesn't really care about his appearance. But gets his attention to go to Rhoebe.

"You really want to go to Rhoebe? I have heard terrible stories about the Manslaughter...And yes I do know Sir Roald "Siegebreaker" Flaertes, he is a good brave man who has defended Haes and helped Tuor many times. He is somewhere in Haes right now. But may I ask why are you looking at him?"

Seeing Gunnar entering the room Filbert welcomes him in and then tells him what has happened at the inn.

[JMaytr]

Devlin-

At the barracks Devlin goes and finds the commander of his new units of footmen. He inspects the men and, satisfied, then goes to the leader of his knight units. He instructs the commander to send him three of his fastest riders. He then gives him 3 rolled parchments baring the ducal seal.

"Give these to your riders. They are to be delivered to Count Robin. Hurry, and ride at once!"

[Varrus the Ethical]

WATCH HQ, ROALD

Roald arrives at the Watch HQ, the letter bearing Duke Devlin's orders clutched in his hand. He heads straight for the the room where he's told Captain Renault and Lord Filbert are waiting with visitors.

"Looks like things are starting to move fast, I just received orders from the Young Duke to launch the raid into Lofton. I thought that we coul-"

Roald sees Foerde and points at him.

"What is that?"

[RocEter]

WATCH HQ, ROALD

Roald arrives at the Watch HQ, the letter bearing Duke Devlin's orders clutched in his hand. When he enters the room with Captain Renn, Lord Filbert, Gunnar, Cormac and Foerde.

"Looks like things are starting to move fast, I just received orders from the Young Duke to launch the raid into Lofton. I thought that we coul-"

Roald sees Foerde and points at him.

"What is that?"

"I am Foerde." Foerde says to Roald.

"You would be Lord Roald Siege breaker Flaertes, Warden of the Tour River. Yes?" He says to Roald. "And within smaller circles you are only known as Elf-Killer."

"I have a proposition for you. I, and my good friend Cormac, will help you on your raid into Lofton and in return you will help with a raid into Rhuobhe."

[Varrus the Ethical]

WATCH HQ, ROALD

Roald's eyes narrow. "Elf-Killer? I haven't been called that in years." He strokes his beard. "And you want me to go into the Manslayer's forest in exchange for your help?

He eyes Foerde and Cormac, the looks to Renn and Filbert.

"Can either of you vouch for these two?"

[ewancummins]

Devlin-

At the barracks Devlin goes and finds the commander of his new units of footmen. He inspects the men and, satisfied, then goes to the leader of his knight units. He instructs the commander to send him three of his fastest riders. He then gives him 3 rolled parchments baring the ducal seal.

"Give these to your riders. They are to be delivered to Count Robin. Hurry, and ride at once!"

Devlin's men hurry to carry out his orders.

The duke receives Safana's letter.

[VAN]

"Hello Sir Roald, I'm ready to help you at the invasion whenever you are. I met these men here today and was just telling Foerde here that go to Rhuobe is suicide...Of course if you want a person that is close to you I can understand it but still remains an almost impossible mission. Which is the exact kind of mission Sir Roald loves. He is famous to accomplish impossible tasks and get the results where everyone else fails."

The halfling winks at Roald. It's clear that Filbert admires the man for what he managed to accomplished so far.

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

WATCH HQ

Renn scratches his head at the torrent of information, then greets Gunnar and Roald as they arrive.

"If there's a raid on Lofton, I'll be going too," he says matter-of-factly. This murder has stung the Watch Commander's pride, and is clearly eager to repay the misdeed--repay in kind, if necessary.

"I can vouch for Cormac," Renn tells Roald. "We fought together at the Battle of the Long Vale. This one I've just met," he says as he gestures to the cat-man, "but Cormac and Gunnar seem to know him. That's good enough for me--for now."

"But as for this business of The Manslayer, it sounds like a risky venture. Long have I feared Rhuobe may seize on an opportunity to invade while we are at war with Alamie. I'm wary of provoking a war on two fronts. But if an opportunity presents itself...I'm not completely opposed to bloodying some elf-noses."