Birthright: Tuornen, Chapter Two

[JMaytr]

Seeing what is about to happen, Devlin and the knights fall back, trying to escape the possible blast radius.

[steveflam]

DOMINICA

Dominica makes the most of her temporary confinement (as she sees it) by gossiping with the ladies and the maids present. She collects some juicy tidbits before the sounds of fighting in the hall distracts everyone and encourages a few of the women to get hysterical. The guard starts for the door once or twice, but mindful of his charges, holds back.

He shouts through the closed door.

''Roald, do you need help?"

"By the gods, man. Let me help you." She turns to the ladies and expertly calms them now, grinning to herself. She redresses herself as she was when she came in. "Let me go help, you stay here and guard the ladies which is what you were ordered to do, right?"

OOC: GOnna do a roll to convince/trick the guard so she can exit.

[Varrus the Ethical]

"By the gods, man. Let me help you." She turns to the ladies and expertly calms them now, grinning to herself. She redresses herself as she was when she came in. "Let me go help, you stay here and guard the ladies which is what you were ordered to do, right?"

OOC: GOnna do a roll to convince/trick the guard so she can exit.

"Now, now, madame, there's no need for you to fall out of your dress at the sight of me, again. Not that I mind, of course. But I'm afraid that I'm working now. And in any case, this thing is good and dead," say Roald as he dumps the machine, smashed head and all, onto the floor of the room. "Or at least too broken to be a threat."

[steveflam]

"Now now, good sir. Thank you for your compliment, this toy looks definitely broken."

Dominica approaches the doll and pokes it with her short sword.

[Adam]

Cormac steps forward to the group, chewing nervously at his tobacco. "Look," he says, "I ain't one fer speeches, so I won' waste yer time. I know yer laws call fer a hangin' o' that man fer what he did, and I can' argue wi' 'em. But, how many o' you never did a thing you ain' proud of when things got desperate? An' how many o' you got outta hard times 'cuz someone who had nothin' to gain from it offered ya a hand up when no one else will? I ain' askin' ya to forgive 'im. I'm askin' ya to turn 'em over to me an' I'll have 'im work his debt off. You get rid o' a prisoner, an' Aerik gets a new servant. Win win, if ya ask me. Jus' makes sense..."

With that his voice trails off to quiet, and, without ceremony, he goes back to his seat and settles in to wait for their decision.

[Varrus the Ethical]

Roald eyes Dominca as she investigates the dancer. "Well there are three things I would like to know. First: Where did it come from? Second: Who was its target? " Roald Smiles at Dominca. "And Third: Are you going to undress every time I see you? Because that's going to get distracting." He haves at the assembled women. "Not to mention scandalizing for the proper ladies in attendance."

[ewancummins]

CHAMBER OF THE GUARDED WOMEN, CAER HAES

Most ladies and their maids either giggle at the racy exchange between Dominica and Roald or recoil in fear from the wrecked automaton.

One plump lady in the back of the room ogles Roald wiith pursed lips and a heaving bosom.

[ewancummins]

THE AULD OAK-

Cormac steps forward to the group, chewing nervously at his tobacco. "Look," he says, "I ain't one fer speeches, so I won' waste yer time. I know yer laws call fer a hangin' o' that man fer what he did, and I can' argue wi' 'em. But, how many o' you never did a thing you ain' proud of when things got desperate? An' how many o' you got outta hard times 'cuz someone who had nothin' to gain from it offered ya a hand up when no one else will? I ain' askin' ya to forgive 'im. I'm askin' ya to turn 'em over to me an' I'll have 'im work his debt off. You get rid o' a prisoner, an' Aerik gets a new servant. Win win, if ya ask me. Jus' makes sense..."

With that his voice trails off to quiet, and, without ceremony, he goes back to his seat and settles in to wait for their decision.

The men debate a little longer before coming to an agreement: the captured brigand may go with Cormac.

[Varrus the Ethical]

One plump lady in the back of the room ogles Roald with pursed lips and a heaving bosom.

"Is something concerning you, madame?"

[ewancummins]

BEYOND THE RIVER GATE

Seeing what is about to happen, Devlin and the knights fall back, trying to escape the possible blast radius.

The knights fall back towards the city. BOOM! The bombard ruptures with a deep, dull roar, throwing fragements of iron across the main concourse of Riverside. A cloud of evil smelling smoke rises from the wrecked gun, providing a screen for the retreating knights...

THE BROKEN WALL AND THE RIVER GATE


Renn's watchmen rush to aid the storm-worshippers. Together the two groups smash the pirates at the gap, routing them and slaying many with desperate sword blows, hurled stones,
even brutal kicks and punches.


Looking to his left, Renn sees more brigands rushing through the open gate. He hears a hollow explosion from the far side of the broken wall. For just a few seconds, everyone seems to stop fighting. The silence is immense. And then the ragged exultant cry of the foe entering the river gate breaks like a wave over Renn-- and is washed out by another wave-- the steady hoofbeats of cantering horses.
Devlin's tired, bloody knights ride through the gate, laying left and right with maces and swords or just riding down the invaders.


A ragged cheer rises from the city defenders.

Reinforcements arrive-- Coll and his pub thugs, singing, swaggering, brandishing rapiers, cudgels, and staves.

Coll smiles at Renn as he climbs the rubble of the wall to join his commander.

"Tell me it aint over, sir. These boys came for a proper scrap, and they might start fighting each other if the Alamiens don't give 'em one."

[Adam]

Cormac nods and heads back to the prisoner, relating the news to him.

"So we unnerstand each other," Cormac concludes, "You're in my custody till I say otherwise. I think you're gonna cross me, I put an arrow in yeh then an there. Ye'll fight hard, and ye'll be honest. Other than havin' to listen to a couple o' sermons fer Aerik while we're on the road, that's all I ask o' yeh."

He extends a hand to the man.

"Deal?"

[ewancummins]

Cormac nods and heads back to the prisoner, relating the news to him.

"So we unnerstand each other," Cormac concludes, "You're in my custody till I say otherwise. I think you're gonna cross me, I put an arrow in yeh then an there. Ye'll fight hard, and ye'll be honest. Other than havin' to listen to a couple o' sermons fer Aerik while we're on the road, that's all I ask o' yeh."

He extends a hand to the man.

"Deal?"

The man rubs his unbound wrists and then shakes Cormac's hands.

"My right name is Dietric.''

[ewancummins]

One plump lady in the back of the room ogles Roald with pursed lips and a heaving bosom.

"Is something concerning you, madame?"

The plump lady issues a throaty giggle.
''You're so brave, and so handsome!''

[Varrus the Ethical]

The plump lady issues a throaty giggle.
''You're so brave, and so handsome!''

Roald makes a slight bow, "You flatter me, madame." He glances at Dominica, "But I'm afraid I'm distracted from my job enough as it is."

[Adam]

Cormac pulls him up from the floor. "Cormac Rogerson. Good to have yeh aboard."

"I'm thinkin' it'd be best if we slept outside the Auld Oak tonight, Dietric. Got a feelin' folks may not be wantin' yeh to hang aroun' here. Is your wife gonna be alright with us stayin' outside yer place, Gunnar?"

Assuming Gunnar doesn't object he'll head out with them to the house. "We'll see about some equipment for yeh tomorrow."