Birthright 2: Promises to Keep

[Lord Skybolt]

GARDEN FIGHT

The giant has smashed two, and Safana's fire has set several others' clothes ablaze, but the robed ones keep coming.
They growl and slobber like rabid dogs.

Safana goes down, swarmed by the frenzied denizens of the garden!

Father Michael fights one against three, weaving in and out among the pool house pillars, slashing and thrusting with his rapier.



Devlin circles round the fray to the place where he last saw Filbert. He searches the bushes and paths, but finds only the halfling's cloak-- wet, torn, and bloodied.
The duke cries out, brandishes his rapier, and charges back to aid Safana.

The woman might already be dead...






DEVLIN'S POV



Devlin sprints back, but not fast enough.

The robed attackers carry Father Michael off into the darkness. The priest does not scream, but Devlin catches a glimpse of his face frozen in a rictus of terror.


The giant child cradles the limp form of Safana in its arms. The creatures it had fought lie broken about it like dolls after a toddler's tantrum.

"We have to save Filbert and the father, Sire ."Gunnar says as he is turning to Devlin .

[ewancummins]

The Kitchen

Looking around Filbert spots the other halfling cooking and doesn't seem to have noticed that he is conscious. Immediately he searches for his thieves tools to open the cage but realizes that both tools and his weapon are missing. Looking around the room one more time with his enhanced vision manages to see something relatively cool hanging on the wall near the warm oven: his wet backpack and belt. Filbert tries to reach them but he finds it's too far from the cage for him to grab. As thinking how he can escape he sees the other halfling come closer and hiding something in his cage under his foot. Filbert waits for a moment before reaching the item. When Ugo returns to his cooking Filbert uses the fork to open the lock.

Filbert only succeeds in bending the fork. The lock remains locked.

[Adam]

Penchallin

"They said there's a mine nearby where the Knife Ears make 'em work," Cormac answers, walking to the knocker and wrenching the arrow from his chest without ceremony, "I'd guess, if there's any loot, it'll be there."

He looks to the others while wiping the blood off on the knocker's clothing. "Ready to go when ye are."

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

Renn nods. "Sounds like a plan to me. Let's go find this mine."

[ewancummins]

THE KITCHEN


Filbert grabs the iron bars of his cage and pulls. He grunts, hands twisting on the hard metal.
Sweat pours down his face.
The cage shudders, groans, rattles--and holds firm at last.

Filbert slumps down, gasping.

[alhoon]

Ugo turns around at the noise alarmed. He quickly glances towards the door, with the Masters probably around and shots an angry glare at the other Halfling. "You'll get us both killed! Your best bet is your friends." He whispers and gets back to humming and preparing the soup that may well end up holding both of them.

[ewancummins]

THE KITCHEN


The door swings open.

One of THE MASTERS steps in

VIEW CONTENT:

, Lord Runcible,

a plump man who looks a bit like a pork sausage stuffed into nobleman's clothing.
He wears a porcine half-mask.

The masked man pushes past Ugo and waddles to the cage. He squats, peering in at Filbert.

''Not as fat as I like them. But he'll do. Mmmmmmmm..."

[VAN]

The kitchen

Filbert gets at the other side of the cage really afraid that this man wanted to eat him! Trying to get some time he asks:

"What is this place? Who are you?"

[ewancummins]

The kitchen

Filbert gets at the other side of the cage really afraid that this man wanted to eat him! Trying to get some time he asks:

"What is this place? Who are you?"

''Haahahahhaaa! Talkative, curious food. How lovely. So often my food just sits and weeps, or mumbles feeble prayers. "
The rotund man slaps his broad thighs.
"Welcome, my delectable little half-man, to the Garden of Darkling Delights. I am Runcible, but you may call me Lord Runcible. Such is the fashion of this place. We are all lords and ladies here--or slaves and foodstuffs."

[alhoon]

Ugo peels a potato veeeery quietly, his eyes glued to the potato, shrinking away. Work, work, work. He doesn't disturb the master. It should be apparent to Filbert that Ugo is afraid of and submissive to these people.

[RocEter]

Penchallin

"They said there's a mine nearby where the Knife Ears make 'em work," Cormac answers, walking to the knocker and wrenching the arrow from his chest without ceremony, "I'd guess, if there's any loot, it'll be there."

He looks to the others while wiping the blood off on the knocker's clothing. "Ready to go when ye are."

"If the group feels we must venture into this mine, then we shall." Foerde says. "I saw the entrance, not to far into the woods."

[ewancummins]

THE GARDEN

Brandishing his sword, Devlin leads the others in pursuit of the robed men who seized Father Michael.

[VAN]

The Kitchen

Filbert tries to think clearly, he is scared to death but hopes Devlin will not abbandon him and will try to find and save him. Trying to maintain the same approach with the lord he asks:

"So you all masters live here in peace and when someone dares to get in here you capture and eat him right?"

Pointing at his collar he asks:

"And what is this for? I doubt anyone will be able to escape this place anyway."

[ewancummins]

SEARCHING FOR THE MINE...

Penchallin

"They said there's a mine nearby where the Knife Ears make 'em work," Cormac answers, walking to the knocker and wrenching the arrow from his chest without ceremony, "I'd guess, if there's any loot, it'll be there."

He looks to the others while wiping the blood off on the knocker's clothing. "Ready to go when ye are."

"If the group feels we must venture into this mine, then we shall." Foerde says. "I saw the entrance, not to far into the woods."

Following Foerde, with the knocker that Roald captured tied to a rope, the party moves through dead trees and sodden brush, looking for the tunnel mouth.



Foerde leads them to a find a hole in the ground, partly concealed by deadwood. Clearing the passage, they find it opens wide enough for one man to enter ,crouching, or several of these little mine devils to come and go with ease.
The hole slants down into the rocky soil, its depths lost in gloom.
Pick and spade marks in the earth leave little doubt how it was made.
The diggers have shoved branches and heaped rocks as crude but solid-looking supports.

The knocker on the rope says, in Elvish'
"This is hasty work. We make nicer stuff when we have more time."

[ewancummins]

The Kitchen

Filbert tries to think clearly, he is scared to death but hopes Devlin will not abbandon him and will try to find and save him. Trying to maintain the same approach with the lord he asks:

"So you all masters live here in peace and when someone dares to get in here you capture and eat him right?"

Pointing at his collar he asks:

"And what is this for? I doubt anyone will be able to escape this place anyway."

''Hhahah, yes, you are a clever
fellow. So much more amusing than drab little Ugo. Maybe we should eat him and save you. Can you cook?"