Birthright Tuornen Chapter Four

[ewancummins]

THE FOREST

"Rally!" Cormac shouts, turning his mare. "Get outta the ambush, then we'll turn an' fight 'em!"

He spurs his horse and leads a charge towards a likely clearing.

The druid’s horse leaps over a goblin and crashes through the pine boughs. Something hits Cormac in the chest, knocking him half out from the saddle; Dietric grabs him by the shoulder and shoves him back into his seat.

In a small clearing a short distance from the trail, Cormac turns to see the last of his band ride into the circle of dead grass. The space here is not broad enough for a proper charge, but it's big enough to allow the men to dismount and use bows and spears.

Cormac notes some loose stones lying about the clearing, blocky and squared as if by a mason’s tools. Casting about, he spots a gap like a shadowed doorway in the western end of the clearing where deadwood stands thick and otherwise impenetrable. His eyes adjust to the deep afternoon shadows, and the druid realizes that he’s looking at an ancient road stretching into the gloom. The arched dead branches hang dense above the ancient path, choking out the sun so that hardly any small plants grow amid the cobbles.

In a moment, the air resounds with the growls of the great demon-wolves and the yips of the goblins, as the monsters close in from the direction of the trail…

[ewancummins]

THE COUNCIL AT CAER HAES

Renn nods at Roald's suggestion. "That would be most useful. The final battle took its toll on my men, and even if I use the brute squads to replenish my ranks, they'll need training and order. Plus we could use a hand training the prisoners who'd rather join the armies than the gallows."

Sir Rory nods in agreement.
"That is settled then."
The old knight turns towards the young duke.
"Your Grace, may I ask if there is there any other business for the council? Or shall we set about fulfilling your wishes now?"

[RocEter]

THE FOREST

"Rally!" Cormac shouts, turning his mare. "Get outta the ambush, then we'll turn an' fight 'em!"

He spurs his horse and leads a charge towards a likely clearing.

The druid’s horse leaps over a goblin and crashes through the pine boughs. Something hits Cormac in the chest, knocking him half out from the saddle; Dietric grabs him by the shoulder and shoves him back into his seat.

In a small clearing a short distance from the trail, Cormac turns to see the last of his band ride into the circle of dead grass. The space here is not broad enough for a proper charge, but it's big enough to allow the men to dismount and use bows and spears.

Cormac notes some loose stones lying about the clearing, blocky and squared as if by a mason’s tools. Casting about, he spots a gap like a shadowed doorway in the western end of the clearing where deadwood stands thick and otherwise impenetrable. His eyes adjust to the deep afternoon shadows, and the druid realizes that he’s looking at an ancient road stretching into the gloom. The arched dead branches hang dense above the ancient path, choking out the sun so that hardly any small plants grow amid the cobbles.

In a moment, the air resounds with the growls of the great demon-wolves and the yips of the goblins, as the monsters close in from the direction of the trail…

The Forest

Dismounting his horse Foerde shouts out some orders. "Fire on the wargs, they move quick and a larger threat then the goblins. I will call upon Cuireacen to give us aid and join in on combat when they close in."

Foerde begins to pray to Cuireacen asking for his aid.

[ewancummins]

Dietric and the other men make ready to fight, with weapons in hand, but look to Cormac for orders.

[Adam]

Cormac dismounts as well, mentally making a note to investigate their surroundings after this is over.

Seeing the others looking to him, he points at Foerde "Do what 'e says!" and starts to growl out a prayer of healing for himself.

[ewancummins]

Cormac dismounts as well, mentally making a note to investigate their surroundings after this is over.

Seeing the others looking to him, he points at Foerde "Do what 'e says!" and starts to growl out a prayer of healing for himself.

The two priests have just enough time to call for help from the gods before the pair of great slavering wolves and a gaggle of screeching goblins burst into the clearing.
A confused fight ensues, with arrows flying, wild shouts, howls, desperate spear thrusts, and red jaws snapping!

The horses jostle towards the back of the clearing, away from the fight. One of the ponies lets loose a high pitched scream before bolting down the dark road that runs through the thick deadwood...

[Lord Skybolt]

Pausing in her account of her magic she eyes the big man curiously.

"But perhaps I can ask for some information in return. Whence come these goblins? I ran across a raiding band and fled to the nearest authority seeking to have them put down, but you and the others talk as if they are here in much greater numbers... the squire spoke of hiding the manor from them. Just how many of them are there? why are they here?"

"There are as far as I know about a thousand of them that have invaded this province, so I wish to destroy by ambushes any and all scouting and patrols we can while making sure they never get near the manor ."Gunnars says in explanation .

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

COUNCIL

Renn nods in agreement as well. "It'll be good to have you aboard, Roald. Was hoping you'd be able to help with this, that's why I asked about you experience earlier."

The Watch Captain then turns to the duke, looking eager to be released to start acting on the plans.

[Varrus the Ethical]

COUNCIL

"Then I suppose it's settled, Captain. I'll show your men a few of my tricks. As well as help whip your conscripts into shape."

[kintire]

Safana gapes at him, then looks around as if she is no longer finding the manor so safe.

"A thousand? what could bring a thousand goblins to invade this..." She quickly edits her remark "...place? Is there rich booty to be had here? Strong or beautiful slaves? What?"

[JMaytr]

Council Caer Haes

Sir Rory nods in agreement.
"That is settled then."
The old knight turns towards the young duke.
"Your Grace, may I ask if there is there any other business for the council? Or shall we set about fulfilling your wishes now?"

"We are at adjournment then. Sir Rory, Captain the first order of business is the repair of the Rivergate."

Devlin stands, and walks from the chambers. He goes to his own room to prepare for his trip to Ghonallison via Monsedge.

[ewancummins]

THE CLEARING

Cormac dismounts as well, mentally making a note to investigate their surroundings after this is over.

Seeing the others looking to him, he points at Foerde "Do what 'e says!" and starts to growl out a prayer of healing for himself.

The two priests have just enough time to call for help from the gods before the pair of great slavering wolves and a gaggle of screeching goblins burst into the clearing.
A confused fight ensues, with arrows flying, wild shouts, howls, desperate spear thrusts, and red jaws snapping!

The horses jostle towards the back of the clearing, away from the fight. One of the ponies lets loose a high pitched scream before bolting down the dark road that runs through the thick deadwood...

In the fierce mêlée, Dietric falls under the jaws of a warg. Both priests are injured slightly. One of the woodcutter lads screams in anger and pain as a demon-wolf chomps on his leg; but the youth manages to jerk free of the terrible jaws. The two brave lads swing their axes again and again, chopping at the shaggy monster just as the wood hack at a stubborn mass of timber. The goblins shriek something in their raspy language the warg fighting the youths slinks away from combat, turns, and chases the party’s mounts. The frightened animals rush down the dark road through the deadwood, vanishing from sight. The warg limps back to the clearing and takes up a position blocking that escape route for Cormac's party. The druid’s war band is pushed back towards the deadwood and the waiting warg as the goblins beat them with flat spear heads and butts.
The ugly little invaders shriek something in common Anuirean, to the effect of ‘You be slaves now!’
One of the poacher twins beats aside a spear shaft with his left forearm and stabs a goblin in the neck with his long skinning knife. The goblin gurgles, falling on the ground.
The two woodcutter lads rush to the back of the clearing and attack the monster that guards the ancient road. The others of their party don't have a chance to turn and see how the lads fare.
The other warg, Dietric's arrow still sticking from its side, has bitten Foerde and now tries to force the priest to the ground...

[ewancummins]

...The frenzied fight rages on. Fighting with savage desperation, Cormac's band drives the goblins back across the clearing. The two youthful woodcutters rejoin the rest of the party and strike down the warg that assails Foerde, chopping it again and again with their bloody hatchets. The goblins scream in terror, break and flee- only to be cut down by the swift-footed poachers.

When the screams and howls and clash of weapons have ended, Cormac finds homself master of the little field, all his foes laid low. But his friend Dietric lies on the ground as well, dark blood ebbing from a nasty bite wound in the chest.

[Adam]

Cormac scoops a handful of dried berries from his pouch, rushing to Dietric's side as he chants and fills them with potent magical energy.

"Here, lad," he says, putting into the man's mouth and helping him to swallow it. He watches for the wound to close, nodding in satisfaction, and stands up to survey the battlefield. In a moment, as the adrenaline slows, it comes bubbling out of him in triumphant, vibrant laughter. "AYE LADS! THA'S A VICTORY FOR YER HOMES!" He roars. "AN' WE'RE NAE GONNA STOP TILL THEY'RE ALL DEAD!"

With that he sees to the wounded, directing those that are still standing to help with looting the bodies. He sends the poachers to go run down the horses that bolted.

[ewancummins]

THE GORGON'S CROWN , ALEHOUSE



When Reese and Torthur return from the ordinary with two loaves of dark bread and a roast chicken (no live ones available this time of day), they find the tavern in full swing. A squadron of soldiers dressed in green tabards with stag's head heraldry, daggers and swords hanging from their belts, have taken up half the bar. The fighting-men bellow a bawdy song while Clyde the Bear dances drunkenly across the floor. Mons Meg hurtles about the place, serving mugs of small beer and pale ale to the rowdy patrons. A few handsome ‘ladies’ in low cut gowns suit among the martial crowd, laughing and joking with the men. The gaggle of idle laborers, gamblers, and curious passers-by that Reese had brought crowd into the other end of the bar and raise loud cheers to Duke Devlin, toasts in which the soldiers join between verses of their rough song.