Birthright 3: The Worm's Supper , Chapter 2

[ewancummins]

The Mines

Roald points a the mine-devil. "And how many of your kin are down here?"

" Too many." It looks around the town-cave.
" Twice this."

"More than elfs?"

" More than elfs here. More elfs up top. Many elfs. "

[Varrus the Ethical]

The Mines

Roald walks over to the elf struck by Gatt's rock and prods him with the toe of his boot.

[alhoon]

TERMELAN

Termelan is getting angrier and he shows it by flicking the blade, driving the point (barely) inside the man's pants.
"You want me to believe that you actually thought that by murdering and visiting other atrocities on your Duke's subjects, you were serving him? Do you think I'm stupid?
Don't make me lose my patience. I'm getting itchy hands when I get nervous.
Where were you and your thugs "working"? Do you usually work as murderers and robbers for a criminal organization or you and these pitiful three is the whole gang? How tall was that person? Thin? Fat? Did you see his hands when he was handing you coins to kill innocent people? What's his complexion? What color were expensive colors? What was his voice like.
All these... and more, I want to know. Perhaps you don't value your manhood enough. It seems I'll have to poke out your eyes too. You know I cast spells. I need eyes for my components. I was planning to take them from your friends, but perhaps I'll add yours to the mix."

After a small pause and still with the blade resting on the man Termelan adds "Except if you REALLY start talking. Details. Everything you can remember.
If someone from the gang tells me a single detail more, and I'll ask them, they will keep their manhood and you will lose yours."

[ewancummins]

TERMELAN

Termelan is getting angrier and he shows it by flicking the blade, driving the point (barely) inside the man's pants.
"You want me to believe that you actually thought that by murdering and visiting other atrocities on your Duke's subjects, you were serving him? Do you think I'm stupid?
Don't make me lose my patience. I'm getting itchy hands when I get nervous.
Where were you and your thugs "working"? Do you usually work as murderers and robbers for a criminal organization or you and these pitiful three is the whole gang? How tall was that person? Thin? Fat? Did you see his hands when he was handing you coins to kill innocent people? What's his complexion? What color were expensive colors? What was his voice like.
All these... and more, I want to know. Perhaps you don't value your manhood enough. It seems I'll have to poke out your eyes too. You know I cast spells. I need eyes for my components. I was planning to take them from your friends, but perhaps I'll add yours to the mix."

After a small pause and still with the blade resting on the man Termelan adds "Except if you REALLY start talking. Details. Everything you can remember.
If someone from the gang tells me a single detail more, and I'll ask them, they will keep their manhood and you will lose yours."

" It's the four of us. We are alley men. You know, we knock out drunks, grab people coming home late, take money, a nice cloak, whatever they got. We had just bashed a whore for her earnings. Then the hooded man showed up. Paid us, gave us masks. Told us we would hunt the Duke's enemies, all these beggars and spies that came over the river. And the traitors! He said you men are hunters now, taken the hood."
The ruffian coughs.
" There are more. Lots. I didn't guess how many till we all gathered up here like the man said to do. Free beer, hard coin up front, bash some Alamiens... "

[Adam]

Cormac's eyes narrow as he looks at the mine-devil. "Do you and your people like to work for the elfs?" He smiles, slyly, "Or would you like to change that?"

[ewancummins]

The Mines

Roald walks over to the elf struck by Gatt's rock and prods him with the toe of his boot.

(This one is out cold, not dead. The other is dead, looks like.)

[ewancummins]

The Mine

Cormac's eyes narrow as he looks at the mine-devil. "Do you and your people like to work for the elfs?" He smiles, slyly, "Or would you like to change that?"

" Work, work, work. Too much. Elfs take copper."

[alhoon]

Termelan

Termelan listens. "How many? How many riff-raff did that rich man roused up from the gutters? How many did you see that "took the hood"? And describe to me that man to best of your ability, else the steel of the knife will be the last thing you see before I take out your eyes."

[ewancummins]

The mines
------


The mine Devils converse in their own language.


"Fool Axe is stupid."


"Very ugly, very stupid."


"Looks like elf that ate porcupine."

[ewancummins]

The Mines, continued.


While the others question the creatures, Sir Boarhort begins stacking timbers, rocks, and debris in the tunnel the party came through.

[ewancummins]

Termelan

Termelan listens. "How many? How many riff-raff did that rich man roused up from the gutters? How many did you see that "took the hood"? And describe to me that man to best of your ability, else the steel of the knife will be the last thing you see before I take out your eyes."

" I don't know how many. Dozens. At least. Somebody said there were river pirates, sellswords in it to..but I was drunk half the time. Um...the Watch. We were told they would be out of the way tonight. They sure didn't stop us coming through the river gate. Not all at once, but lots of us. Like mummers, like a festival."
He takes a deep breath.
"The one that paid me, I think he was tall, maybe thin. Hard to say at night, with a hood, cloak. His sword hilt was fancy. Silver? Posh talk, like he was a gentleman."

[alhoon]

"Wait... the sellswords and pirates were sneaked in as festival people? Or it was just an expression you used?"
Termelan looks at the woman... he bites his lips as he doesn't want to leave her alone. "How are you and your son? Do you need me to protect you while you head home?"

[ewancummins]

"Wait... the sellswords and pirates were sneaked in as festival people? Or it was just an expression you used?"
Termelan looks at the woman... he bites his lips as he doesn't want to leave her alone. "How are you and your son? Do you need me to protect you while you head home?"

The thug says,
" Just what I heard."

The woman has been busy helping her son to his feet. "I am not hurt much. Ellum , I think he can walk okay. But..."
She looks out into the night, where dim figures appears and disappear by torchlight between crooked rows of shanties and timber houses.
" I see people. I don't know if they have hoods on. And I'm scared."

[kintire]

Safana gives one of her sinuous bows to the man.

"We are all most grateful for your shelter in this time of trouble. We will endeavour to be easy guests, and I am sure this situation will be brought under control shortly."

She listens while she speaks, trying to determine if the movement of such a large group has brought any unwelcome attention.

[ewancummins]

In the Storehouse where Timber is Kept

Safana

Gunnar

Safana gives one of her sinuous bows to the man.

"We are all most grateful for your shelter in this time of trouble. We will endeavour to be easy guests, and I am sure this situation will be brought under control shortly."

She listens while she speaks, trying to determine if the movement of such a large group has brought any unwelcome attention.

The short, fat man picks up the candle from the floor.
He nods to Safana." We ought to all just keep quiet and sit tight, waiting for the Watch."

Safana listens at the main door. She hears indistinct noises in the street. It could be a body of men marching, or a wagon rolling. It's hard to say.


Gunnar's helper, the graybeard with the torch, circulates among the people for a short while, and then returns to Gunnar's side. He whispers "A couple of women say they saw a boat at the next pier down, unloading men. One thinks she saw some of them pulling something over their heads.."