Birthright Tuornen Chapter Four

[ewancummins]

THE MANOR


Ranald waits a moment in silence before answering.
"It seems that you fellows are determined to attack the goblins. My concern is that one or more of you may be captured and tortured into giving up the location of this manor, which would endanger all the non-combatants here. I have women and children under my roof, and old men who lack the strength to fight well. These poor folk rely on me as their shield against the goblins. If I fail to protect them, or if I leave them weakly guarded because you have taken away all the best fighters..."

He shakes his head.
''But of course I should like to strike a blow against the invaders. Indeed, we have already done so by rescuing the beastman and the little boy. I advise that you consider your next moves wisely. Scout and plan, watch from a distance. Look for the count's return. Do not fall pray to overconfidence--for that way lies death or ignominious captivity. At least-"

He focuses on Cormac.

"Hold your hand till tomorrow evening. I need more time to best arrange defense and escape for as many of the folk under my protection as can be saved, should goblins attack this manor. "

[VAN]

Filbert nods in agreement.

"I understand Your Grace and is very honorable wanting to risk your life for your people. Yes, if Captain Ghonallison can make it will be better because despite the other time that the travel was longer now will be shorter but we will go to enemy lines and as you know Your Grace I'm not very good in combat so we better have another one that can protect you as well."

[ewancummins]

Filbert nods in agreement.

"I understand Your Grace and is very honorable wanting to risk your life for your people. Yes, if Captain Ghonallison can make it will be better because despite the other time that the travel was longer now will be shorter but we will go to enemy lines and as you know Your Grace I'm not very good in combat so we better have another one that can protect you as well."

Through the window shutters, everyone in the planning room hears thin screams from from the direction of the River Gate; and over the cries comes a dull roar like the sound of a blazing furnace!

When is Filbert going to act? How long will Devlin and Rennalt delay? Or is the trio leaving as soon as possible? And in what spot will Filbert try to cross over?

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

Rennault exits the chamber to find Filbert and The Duke. He is clearly eager to get moving.

"I can't spend any more time here," he tells them. "Whatever we're doing, Grace, we'd damn well do it quickly."

[ewancummins]

ROALD, OUTSIDE THE WALLS OF HAES


Disguised and riding closer with Reese trailing him, Roald approaches the half-ruined docks district and the enemy host. He sees the great ball of fire roll into the River Gate, punching into the unfinished repairs. Men on the wall hurl buckets of water at the fiery giant that unfolds from the ball. Steam rises with each splash of water, but the fire-demon is too big to be stopped by mere buckets. It grabs men in its flaming hands and burns them alive, dropping their blackened corpses to the ground! The gate holds, but for how long?

Alam's forces are marshaling now, gathering together for a massive push into the city.

A mounted sergeant dressed in brigandine, with a blue cockade pinned on his bonnet, shouts at Roald and Reese.

"Ho, you there! Stragglers. Get your bloody arses in with the rest of your company. Today is the day!"

[JMaytr]

"Let's move quickly then!" Devlin orders. "Filbert, Captain, to my father's bedroom! It may be a good first place to look. If we don't find a spot to cross over fast enough, we will have to go face that demon along with the Arch Prelate."

[JMaytr]

(moved)

[ewancummins]

Through the window shutters, everyone in the planning room hears thin screams from from the direction of the River Gate; and over the cries comes a dull roar like the sound of a blazing furnace!

When is Filbert going to act? How long will Devlin and Rennalt delay? Or is the trio leaving as soon as possible? And in what spot will Filbert try to cross over?

Ewan I am leaving the house for the next 10 or 12 hours and won't be near a computer. You have my mythweavers, so you got my stats if needed.

My SOP will be to stay near filbert, protect him as much as possible, while allowing him backstab opportunities if they come up.

Once out of the shadow world my mission to them is;

Assess the dwarf; is it possible he controls the elemental? We will rescue if he is a prisoner, terminate if he is an enemy. If things go super well, we may re-assess our plan.

If we are being persued by monstrous undead/shadow world creatures, we want to release them into our world as we exit, hopefully turning them towards alams troops. This is a plan that brings Devlin much anguish.

We will retreat back INTO the shadow world, allowing for Alam soldiers to persue.

We will then attempt to lose the soldiers who may or may not persue us, make it back through SHADOW HAES into dads bedroom and escape...hopefully stranding some Alam soldiers in the process. Its more of "he made half the men dissappear..." or something similar.

depending on time and how active the thread becomes during my absence, I am sure, if they live, that 2 days is plenty of time for Hotspur and Fhylie to ride the 30 odd miles to Ghonallison. I can't wait to see how braedonnal reacts...is he likely to side with cormac or even gunnar? very exciting stuff.

This should be in OOC, please.

Thanks for the info, though. It's a big help.

[Varrus the Ethical]

"My apologies, sir. The flame beast frightens my horse." And his rider for that matter.

"Davis of Endier" looks around to see if there are any mercenary cavalry units in sight.

[Adam]

Cormac strokes his beard thoughtfully, evidently weighing things in his head.

"Aye, we'll wait," he finally nods, "It'll give us time to make sure we have all we need."

He turns to the door and opens it, snapping his fingers as he suddenly remembers something. "Oh, yeah. I almos' forgot. The missus made yeh a li'l gift, Gunnar. Jes to let yeh know there ain't no hard feelin's. Dietric?"

The hired man tosses Cormac a burlap bundle, which Cormac throws to Gunnar. "Wear it in good health," Cormac chuckles as he departs, closing the door behind him.

He exits into the office, nodding for his men to follow him, the congenial expression very quickly replaced with business. "Le's go find Foerde," Cormac mutters. "We got things to plan."

[ewancummins]

RIVERSIDE, AMONG THE MERCENARIES & ALAMIEN SOLDIERS

"My apologies, sir. The flame beast frightens my horse." And his rider for that matter.

"Davis of Endier" looks around to see if there are any mercenary cavalry units in sight.

''Davis'' spots a group of a several dozen mounted men forming up one a side street. The dirty, unshaven riders wear padded jacks or scraps of mail and carry swords, boarspears, hatchets, etc. Some have hunting bows slung over their backs. Not a one of their horses wears a silk trapper or any speck of barding. A boy mounted on a pony near the van bears aloft a green scarf fixed to a long pole.

[Varrus the Ethical]

"Davis" will trot up to join the mercenaries.

[ewancummins]

"Davis" will trot up to join the mercenaries.

''Davis'' and ''Joffrey'' ride to join the mercs. A couple of the men look over...

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

Renn's eyes widen a little as he realizes what The Duke is asking. There is a brief flash of something on his face--anger? Frustration? But it is gone almost as soon as it appears, replaced by a suddenly cool demeanor.

"Throwing us all into this mix? If we're all taken or killed, how long can Haes hold out?" There is an almost noncommittal shrug, and then the Watch Commander strings his bow. "Well then, let's do it right."

Renn sends word for Gilly to take the men and report directly to the Archprelate, and then follows Filbert and The Duke to whatever awaits them beyond...

[ewancummins]

RENN, FILBERT, AND THE DUKE

Renn's eyes widen a little as he realizes what The Duke is asking. There is a brief flash of something on his face--anger? Frustration? But it is gone almost as soon as it appears, replaced by a suddenly cool demeanor.

"Throwing us all into this mix? If we're all taken or killed, how long can Haes hold out?" There is an almost noncommittal shrug, and then the Watch Commander strings his bow. "Well then, let's do it right."

Renn sends word for Gilly to take the men and report directly to the Archprelate, and then follows Filbert and The Duke to whatever awaits them beyond...

Filbert, Devlin, and Rennalt leave the war room and hasten to the old duke's bed-chamber, where black mourning cloth still hangs on all the furniture and the walls.
The hafling clasps both men by the their hands, and closes his eyes.


Rennalt, of course, has no idea what the hell is going on…
The candles snuff out, plunging the room into total darkness.
Renn feels his guts twist. The blood in his veins chills and slows like tree sap in deep winter.
Then his knees strike the floor.
Light returns, but it is not cast by any ordinary candle. Will-o-wisps dance around the stone chamber. The bed has vanished, replaced by a tall chair, high-backed and carved of some wood stained so deep a red that it almost looks black. Some little light seeps through the single narrow window of the room’ not the warm light of a spring morning but an eerie gloaming that fades to blackness higher from the ground.

Filbert and the young duke stand near at hand. Devlin reels a little, but Filbert stands steady.

The single door of the room stands ajar; a gloomy hall beyond echoes with hollow voices speaking in alien tongues and the shrill sounds of pipes…