Birthright 3: The Worm's Supper , Chapter 2

[VAN]

Filbert/Perry

"I get it know, Terem talks big but likes to play it safe. We will see what his plans are, maybe he has a good one. Also nobles use to have bodyguards so they might not be that easy preys. Anyway, is that anything else I need to know about the city and the Watch?"

[ewancummins]

GORGON'S CROWN
CELLAR

"Reegawn? Hmm, I think I may remember something about nobles being involved in this disgusting trade. I would have to revisit that young girl and her father to find out more about how she was taken and such. Right now, I do not have the time to do that as the Ducal wedding is my priority. I really need to find out who is planning to assassinate him or ruin the wedding.
I will ask our friend Atli about this Reegawn and anything he may have heard about this trade. I've been so busy building my business that I put this on the side for too long, Torthur. SOyou see, there is a reason I came to see you, unbeknowst to you or I."


She smiles at him, even as Gimp returns with ale and pie. He hands it over to Domenica and Torthur, clearly afraid of Clyde.

Torthur says,
''I don't care about your Devlin. But I wouldn't want to see the girl that's marryin' him get hurt. Hmmm..."
He shrugs.
''Word got around that I challenged him to his face and how he backed down. Cuz of that, a lot of people who don't like the duke feel safe drinkin' here. I won't tell on anyone for just words, not for mockin' a man I don't respect. No. But if I hear something evil being planned-- I'll tell you. ''

[ewancummins]

Filbert/Perry

"I get it know, Terem talks big but likes to play it safe. We will see what his plans are, maybe he has a good one. Also nobles use to have bodyguards so they might not be that easy preys. Anyway, is that anything else I need to know about the city and the Watch?"

''Not that comes to mind now. Let's return."
He gathers his tattered cloak close about him and starts back.
He talks more as he walks down the cold, windswept street.
"Tonight Terem will hold a meeting of the whole gang to tell us all about his plans. The agreement we made when we joined gives us all the right to speak up about these matters, but few do. Terem keeps that big thug, Gralton, around to bash anyone who doesn't agree. But you and I working together, Perry, could shake up this meeting a bit. If Terem's plans seem lacking, I mean. We'll hear him out. And if Gralton comes after me-- you've got my back?"

[steveflam]

GORGON'S CROWN
CELLAR

"Reegawn? Hmm, I think I may remember something about nobles being involved in this disgusting trade. I would have to revisit that young girl and her father to find out more about how she was taken and such. Right now, I do not have the time to do that as the Ducal wedding is my priority. I really need to find out who is planning to assassinate him or ruin the wedding.
I will ask our friend Atli about this Reegawn and anything he may have heard about this trade. I've been so busy building my business that I put this on the side for too long, Torthur. SOyou see, there is a reason I came to see you, unbeknowst to you or I."


She smiles at him, even as Gimp returns with ale and pie. He hands it over to Domenica and Torthur, clearly afraid of Clyde.

Torthur says,
''I don't care about your Devlin. But I wouldn't want to see the girl that's marryin' him get hurt. Hmmm..."
He shrugs.
''Word got around that I challenged him to his face and how he backed down. Cuz of that, a lot of people who don't like the duke feel safe drinkin' here. I won't tell on anyone for just words, not for mockin' a man I don't respect. No. But if I hear something evil being planned-- I'll tell you. ''

"I can respect that, Torthur. As a matter of fact, I am more than glad we have met. I promise we will see more of each other. And if you ever need anything, a favor, friend , whatever, please
think of me. I will do my best to help you and Clyde to the best of my capabilities. Barillia and associates is my business. Come by anytime. Vollmar , Atli's cousin is works for me. I bid you and Clyde a good day."

She tilts her head to Atli before turning and scrtatching Clyde behind his ear then motioning to Gimp, she leaves, quickly followed by Gimp.

Upstairs, she hands the boy a pouch with coins in it. "That is for Torthur. Anything he needs, pay for him. It runs out, you send a bill to Barillia and associates, we will honor it."

Making sure he understands, she exits followed by Gimp.

"We go and change, then head for the same rich Inn, Gimp."

They head home to change before heading back to the same rich Inn as the previous day, via carriage.

[kintire]

Safana seems to be intent on touring the drinking holes of the city until she finds one they both like and then celebrating his victory in ale, song and dance. She seems intent on drinking as much as possible, so she spaces it out and takes it (reasonably) slowly.

She stays alert for rumours and the mood of the city, at least at first, but her attention begins to slip as the ale flows...

[alhoon]

Termelan, Safana
Lofton
A cheer goes up along with a cry of pain.

Termelan's attention is caught by the sounds. "My dear, there's a fight going on and since people are cheering and watching instead of intervening, I would say it's more-or-less for sport where someone challenged or insulted someone else and the patrons nudged their companions and placed bets. "
Trusting Safana can watch herself in a bar row, Termelan slips into the crowd to see the people fighting, whether his assessment of the safety and banality of the fight was correct or if there was steel involved and to ask a couple of bystanders what happened.

[ewancummins]

IN LOFTON
AT THE SIGN OF THE POXY DOXY
TEMERLAN & SAFANA




TEMERLAN peeks over the shoulders of men in the circle and sees the fight in the middle of the room; a man clutching a cudgel faced off against a small humanoid armed with a knife.
The man appears much like a common thug; burly, ill-dressed, and brutish in looks. Blood trickles from a gash on his off-hand.
The creature resembles a being out of one of the fairy tales Termerlan learned in his old home; a big-headed beastie with green skin, catlike amber eyes, and a mouth full of needle-like teeth.
As Temerlan jostles for a closer view, the ruffian with the club swings at the greenskin. The creature ducks under the blow and rolls between the man’s legs. The man cries out and collapses to his knees with blood pouring from his groin. The man tries to rise, slips in his own blood, and falls flat on his face near Temerlan. Before the bard or anyone else can intervene, the creature leaps on the fallen man and rams its knife into his neck.
The victor cries out, ‘’Karathok!”

SAFANA hears some men discussing the Duke’s latest proclamation. It seems he has declared the city to be a safe haven for all ‘’goblins persecuted by the men of Tuornen. ‘’

[ewancummins]

They head home to change before heading back to the same rich Inn as the previous day, via carriage.

'DELSENORA' AND HER MUTE MANSERVANT
AT
THE MERRY TRAVELLER, A FINE INN OF HAES



Domenica , going under her alias of Delsenora, arrives at The Merry Traveller and takes a table for dinner.

As yesterday, she sees the fat lordling, Bramm, Count of Elevesnemiere working his way through a platter of food at a table across the room. His hired swords are with him.
But today Bramm looks up from his roast pig and spots her. His face reddens and his eyes widen a little bit. He daintily wipes his mouth with a linen napkin and then leans over to whisper something to one of his swordsmen.

[VAN]

Filbert/Perry

Filbert thinks for a moment Milo's words:

"I will try to do it but I'm not even sure that Terem will allow me to get part. I'm not even sure that I'm part of the gang yet...And I might start wrong foot if I immediately disagree openly with the boss. But I will try to back you up and for sure I will not let Gralton to intimidate me and come after you."

[ewancummins]

Filbert/Perry

Filbert thinks for a moment Milo's words:

"I will try to do it but I'm not even sure that Terem will allow me to get part. I'm not even sure that I'm part of the gang yet...And I might start wrong foot if I immediately disagree openly with the boss. But I will try to back you up and for sure I will not let Gralton to intimidate me and come after you."

THE MEETING


The gang meets in the back room of the Three Penny: ten thieves in all, counting Perry. Terem waits in silence as the others file in and take seats, with his face flushed and the smell of wine and perfume hanging on him. Gralton, a big apish-looking bully boy, hangs near his boss and glares at Milo.

Terem slurs a little as he details his latest money-making plan: “We’ve been invited to be part of something big. And we won’t have to pay tax to the Watch for this work. No!” He laughs as he tosses a sack onto the table before him. He reaches into the sack and pulls out a burlap hood style mask with eyes cut in it.

Milo chuckles. ’’This is the grand plan that inspired you to get tossed before you left the brothel? We will wear sacks on our heads?”

But Terem’s smile doesn’t fade at the sarcasm. He continues in apparent good cheer, “You don’t get it, Milo. The masks do more than cover our faces—they will be our new face. The face of fear and power. The men who gave me these masks you are finding so funny, they gave me this, too—“He tosses another smaller sack onto the table. “Let’s let Perry, our newest member, open it up. Show us, Perry.”

When the Halfling looks inside, he finds coins. Not copper or silver. Gold. And minted in Tuornen, from the looks of them.

Milo looks down at the coins in Perry’s hands. He then looks back up at the gang leader. “Alright, so what are we to do to earn this pay?”

Terem spreads his arms and increases his volume, addressing the whole gang in a theatrical fashion “That’s the best part. All we have to do is rob, beat, drive off the Alamiens who have been coming over here since the fighting ended. Many more since the traitors forced our duke into a bad marriage bargain. But we’re going to teach these bastards to keep on their side of the river. Tonight we will go clean out the riverside shanties. Scores more loyal men will be joining us. And the Watch will be busy in another part of town; it’s been arranged. So pull on your hoods, men. This time it’s not only for profit, but for our home. The Hooded Hunters fight with Tuor pride!”

Gralton steps forward and grabs a mask. The big man pulls it down over his face. Only his eyes show now. He yells, "Tuor pride!”

The others cheer and snatch up masks—all but Milo and Perry. The gaunt man sighs and picks up one of the last few masks on the table.

He glances down at Filbert with his eyebrows raised…

[VAN]

Filbert takes the last mask and asks:

"Pardon me Terem, but all we have to do is been bullies to Alamies? Don't get me wrong I don't like them either but why bother with them? Even if we beat like 10-20 of them even more will come and might want revenge. And we got paid that much beforehand? Someone really wants us to do that right? Someone that can arrange the Watch to be elsewhere so we can do our job better. Seems too easy, so it sounds tricky to me."

[ewancummins]

Filbert takes the last mask and asks:

"Pardon me Terem, but all we have to do is been bullies to Alamies? Don't get me wrong I don't like them either but why bother with them? Even if we beat like 10-20 of them even more will come and might want revenge. And we got paid that much beforehand? Someone really wants us to do that right? Someone that can arrange the Watch to be elsewhere so we can do our job better. Seems too easy, so it sounds tricky to me."

''It's too tricky for you, ha-ha! That's why I'm the boss and you aren't. Just think about how many pies a gold coin will buy you."
Terem laughs.
"And don't worry about easterners looking to get revenge on you. With that mask on, and at night, they won't know you aren't a naughty human boy."

[steveflam]

They head home to change before heading back to the same rich Inn as the previous day, via carriage.

'DELSENORA' AND HER MUTE MANSERVANT
AT
THE MERRY TRAVELLER, A FINE INN OF HAES



Domenica , going under her alias of Delsenora, arrives at The Merry Traveller and takes a table for dinner.

As yesterday, she sees the fat lordling, Bramm, Count of Elevesnemiere working his way through a platter of food at a table across the room. His hired swords are with him.
But today Bramm looks up from his roast pig and spots her. His face reddens and his eyes widen a little bit. He daintily wipes his mouth with a linen napkin and then leans over to whisper something to one of his swordsmen.

Covering her mouth with her napkin as well, pretending to dab at it, she whispers to Gimp "It appears I have been noticed, Gimp. Be ready for a visit from one of that man's muscle."

[alhoon]

IN LOFTON
AT THE SIGN OF THE POXY DOXY
TEMERLAN & SAFANA

Before the bard or anyone else can intervene, the creature leaps on the fallen man and rams its knife into his neck. The victor cries out, ‘’Karathok!”

Termelan is shocked by this open display of violence. He has seen death, he has had to visit it upon foes and ruffians in his time occasionally and while he wouldn't be surprised to see such illegal violent pass-times in the back-alleys of shady parts of the city, he certainly didn't expect to see a bloody murder in the open, in a populated tavern so near the road.
He looks around confused. He looks at the green creature and the dying man.
He doesn't hold his tongue and this time it's not praise. "Someone do something! The man is dying! Do you really find pleasurable the death of one of your compatriots at your very feet?" he admonishes them loudly. "Haven't you seen enough death and violence already?! Haven't you seen enough blood to sate your appetite for this? Would you want others to treat you with the same disrespect? Finding amusement in your death! Someone move! Get a healer! A man is dying at your feet and you cheer!"

He shoves past them, and with a hand to his dagger, openly, he eyes Karathok. "I don't want a quarrel with you Karathok, but I'll do what I can for this man. Step away!" Still wary of the greenskin killer, he kneels next to the downed ruffian to see whether he's still alive.

From the moment he started giving the probably bloodthirsty people a lecture and got himself surrounded by them, near the murderous green creature, he didn't even spare a glance to Safana, not wanting to implicate the woman if she didn't want a part of this, admittedly dangerous, endeavor. He didn't want this crowd to know she was with him.

[kintire]

Safana moves closer to the men discussing the proclamation, assessing if they are for or against before entering their conversation. She is just about to try and learn more when she hears Temerlan's voice echoing across the room.

"Oh boy."

She turns to glance across to the voice, distracted from her approach as she tries to assess how this is going to go...