Birthright Tuornen Chapter Four

[steveflam]

"Right, lass!," he calls after her.

"Lad, fifty fifty split, awright?." he whispers to Reese.

He looks around, surprised at the amount of patrons Reese got. Laughing to himself, he turns to the lad.

"Lissen, I wanna meet yer boss. Sounds like an awright sort, if ye askin me. E's prolly urd o me an me drinkin an
wrasslin prowess, till tonight at any rate." He looks at the alewife and smiles.

"Well an Clyde too, 'o' course. E in drink me almoss unner a table, the bastard!" He grabs a tankard and fills it with ale from the barrel covering his hole. "TO CLYDE! ME FRIEND AN NEAR A BETTER WRESSLER N ME! HAW HAW HAW!"

The dwarf claps the bear affectionately on the back and assures himself the ursine can lap up as much beer as it wants from the barrel.

He collects whatever Reese gives him and wanders over to the alewife. "Here be a token o me appreciation, lass," and tosses her the purse of his winnings from the wrestling match. "I be Torthur. I'd like ta be knowin ye name. An thats fer tha hole I maked in ye floor. Least I kin do fer me wresslin partner." He winks at her, then smiles.

[RocEter]

"Aye, we've got most everythin' squared away. Le's go get yer horse an' round up the lads, an' off we'll go."

Cormac gives Foerde another pat on the shoulder and heads off to finish preparations.

Foerde nods and buckling a belt that holds a long wicked looking knife around his waist. "Good, we going to the temple or do have some other place in mind first?" He says while following Cormac.

[kintire]

Safana takes her leave of the squire and begins wandering around the manor, exploring it carefully. She surveys likely lines of attack... and escape. She also talks pleasantly to the people of the manor trying to gain information about the situation she has stumbled into: much more than a simple raid, she is beginning to realise!

[VAN]

Filbert that was silent during the whole political discussion at the meeting is very interested in listening the dwarf's story.

"You preferred to get captured than to indicate them where you are hiding your strongbox. This is really brave. If I may ask what is inside so important to risk your life for protecting it?"

Noticing the flecks of gold in the dwarf's dark hair and the glints of the yellow color in his eyes Filbert adds:

"I'm sorry, I was rude. My name is Filbert the funny, can you tell us your name?"

[ewancummins]

Filbert that was silent during the whole political discussion at the meeting is very interested in listening the dwarf's story.

"You preferred to get captured than to indicate them where you are hiding your strongbox. This is really brave. If I may ask what is inside so important to risk your life for protecting it?"

Noticing the flecks of gold in the dwarf's dark hair and the glints of the yellow color in his eyes Filbert adds:

"I'm sorry, I was rude. My name is Filbert the funny, can you tell us your name?"

"I'm called Atli."
The black dwarf smiles again, flashing his gold-capped teeth.
"I was hiding a store of coins, ingots, other treasures. My business is lending money to those who need it, and exchanging one kind of coin for another for those who need that. Do you need a loan? I'd be happy to help any of my rescuers. Low interest, special rates. I can't just give it away or I'd go out of business, of course. Then I couldn't help anyone. "

[Adam]

"The twins have a hideout nearby. We're going to head tha' way, set up shop first. There's more horses an' supplies there, an' I told Ranauld we'd wait a day or two to let him shore up his defenses before we started kickin' up the hornets nest. Figure we'll need about that much time to travel anyways. Plus, there's a couple o' greenhorns taggin' along that I was hopin' ye could show a thing or two with a sword." He shrugs. "Their heart's in the right place, they just don' have the trainin' an' I don' want 'em dyin' fer nothin'."

[VAN]

"I see, it sounds interesting but I don't think this is the right time to make trades. The war is far from over as you know Atli. Have you ever seen or heard the elemental that threw flames? Alamniens used it against the gate and was pretty effective. We were needed our best defenders to defeat it. Do you know how to control, defeat it or anything that we can use against it next time we face one?"

[ewancummins]

"I see, it sounds interesting but I don't think this is the right time to make trades. The war is far from over as you know Atli. Have you ever seen or heard the elemental that threw flames? Alamniens used it against the gate and was pretty effective. We were needed our best defenders to defeat it. Do you know how to control, defeat it or anything that we can use against it next time we face one?"

Atli tugs at his short, gold flecked beard before answering.
''I didn't see it, but I heard the Alamiens talking about it. I think maybe their duke called it with magic. My advice is to hire a mage of your own and pray for help from your gods. Hmmm, and I noticed some fresh-dug water obstacles outside the in-facing castle wall. That's smart. If that elemental could cross water, Duke Carilon would probably have sent it across the river to attack your city. Less risk to him. "

[RocEter]

"The twins have a hideout nearby. We're going to head tha' way, set up shop first. There's more horses an' supplies there, an' I told Ranauld we'd wait a day or two to let him shore up his defenses before we started kickin' up the hornets nest. Figure we'll need about that much time to travel anyways. Plus, there's a couple o' greenhorns taggin' along that I was hopin' ye could show a thing or two with a sword." He shrugs. "Their heart's in the right place, they just don' have the trainin' an' I don' want 'em dyin' fer nothin'."

Foerde nods. "I see. I understand waiting to poke at them gobbers but I'm not sure how long my brothers at the temple can wait. Now they could of been lying through their teeth for all I know but I when I was on that stake I saw a few my brothers heads on spears." He says. "Waiting till morning though is probably best, goblins do see better in the night then us humans."

"I'll do my best to train those men, I don't have proper sword but this knife might as well be one." He says indicating the long knife at his hip. "In the morning the I will pray to Cuireacen for more protective miracles. I'll do my best to make they come out of alive and hopefully in one piece to."

[ewancummins]

THE COUNCIL AT CAER HAES

The doors open again, and the Lord Mayor enters. Behind her come Captain Rennalt of the city watch-- and the swordsman called Roald.

The Lord Mayor bows low, her longest braid almost touching the floor.
"As Your Grace has commanded, so we have done.”

The Archprelate and the Castellan look at Roald, and then briefly exchange glances before both turning their attention to the duke.
The Militant Order representative continues arguing the case for his order to be allowed free recruitment of fighting-men, but the elderly Count Montros of Haesrien raps on the table until the battle-priest ceases speaking.
Montros turns his watery blue eyes on Roald, his wrinkled visage arranged in the blank expression of a skillful cardsharp.

Atli steps away to allow Roald to get closer to the duke; his dark eyes flicker over the faces of the council-members.

[JMaytr]

"Atli, a Tuor is a Tuor and while you reside in my realm as my subject, like any of my people, I will risk my life for your saftey. Please, enjoy the food in the castle and when you are ready, I will have an escort return you to your home. As for financial matters, I may have use of one of your loans quite soon. Until then good dwarf, enjoy your freedom."

Devlin excuses the dwarf and waits until he is out of the room before he continues.

"My Lords, this is Roald the sellsword, or as I'd call him, Roald Siege-breaker. My father, the late duke sent for him right before he died. Roald was given a letter of safe passage even. While it is true my father suffered from a dementia in his last days, he was still a very smart man. If he sent for Roald here, he had a reason. No doubt you all assembled here can see what I see; that Roald here looks a spittiing image of my father."

Devlin lets the words hang in the air a moment.

"When Roald first arrived I had Sir Rory here request that priests divine the nature of his blood. To see if it is indeed my fathers. Sir Rory, I'd like to have your report now."

[Varrus the Ethical]

Roald, suddenly feeling very out of his depth, stares at Sir Rory as he waits for the old knight to give his report.

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

"...that Roald here looks a spittiing image of my father."

Rennault blinks at that statement, and then shakes his head slightly. He knew the sell-sword looked familiar, but until now he'd not been able to place it. He looks to Roald and imagines the face of Duke Flaertes, marred with battle-scars instead of soft senility. So alike, and yet so different.

[Adam]

"I dinnae intend to wait longer than we have to," Cormac assures him. "We'll be there as soon as we can. But I don' warrant yer brothers much chance o' holdin' out 'till then, I'm afraid. Depends on how bad the gobs feel like takin' 'em, I suppose."

He nods. "We'll do all we can. Ye have my word."

[ewancummins]

THE COUNCIL AT CARE HAES


Sir Rory coughs to clear his throat.
" Master Roald carries a tainted lineage of Brenna. Duke Gilgead and his son Duke Devlin, of course, inherited stronger lines originating with the goddess Brenna. Given the evidence of Roald's remarkable resemblance to our late duke and of his bloodline, it seems very likely to me that Roald is a relation of the Flaertes family. Having questioned Roald, I found that he does not know his father. Duke Gilgead might have cleared up the matter... That is my report, Your Grace, my lords.”

The Castellan sits back, hands folded, head bowed a little so that the point of his iron-gray beard brushes the collar of his tabard.

Silence falls over the cool stone-walled chamber.
Count Montros flicks his pink tongue over his dry lips like a lizard. His blue eyes blink a few times, and then fix on Roald once more.
The Lord Mayor, having seated herself, watches Devlin intently with a guarded expression
The Archprelate watches the scene in perfect silence. His counterpart of the Militant Order, the black-bearded battle-priest, sits dumbfounded.