Birthright: Tuornen, Chapter Two

[Varrus the Ethical]

"Then I am much relieved, my lady. I am afraid my battle with the mechanical monstrosity have sapped me of my courage."

[steveflam]

Lady Dominica laughs out loud. "Sapped your courage? Now, now, Sir Roald. You let something as trivial as this." She kicks the doll for good measure. "You let it bother you? Come now, I do not know thee, but am positive this can not be true. Stand strong. I am here to assist you. Who would dare enter?"

[Varrus the Ethical]

"With you, I have no trouble with that, I assure you."

[Lord Skybolt]

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."

"No she will not have any problem with it . Considering she knows that if any harm came to her . The person who caused her harm will wish they had never been born ."Gunnar says with smile as he walks to get into the saddle of Rumble .

[steveflam]

"Well, are we just going to stay here and do nothing? I do not mind staying with him to protect these women, if you wish to see what is going on, Sir."

[Varrus the Ethical]

"Well, are we just going to stay here and do nothing? I do not mind staying with him to protect these women, if you wish to see what is going on, Sir."

"Sellsword don't get to be my age by seeking out trouble they're not being paid to find. Best we wait here until the battle ends...or comes to us," Roald smiles. "I know your youth makes you impetuous, but I think patience is the best course for now.

[steveflam]

"I suppose you are right. You know, I saw the boats arriving in Riverside and came here, straight away. Thus is why I wished to parley with the Duke Devlin."

[ewancummins]

FILBERT IN THE SHADOW WORLD-

Filbert takes a moment to think of his possibilities. Fail was no option for him and despite following the river upstream might be slower at least he will be sure that he will not get lost. The memory of the Shadow City makes him shiver but he has no other choice, he doesn't want to risk to get lost in the woods and face who knows what monster in there.

Filbert walks through the river margin of bone white sand, dead clumps of grass, and twisted trees like claws of driftwood-- terrain more fitting for the shore of a dead sea than the bank of a river. The black waters of the shadow-river hold no reflections, no more than a lump of coal serves for a mirror, and mists obscure the farther bank.

Apart from his breathing and the soft impact of his feet on the ground, the only sound he hears is the gurgle of the black waters.

He walks on, losing his sense of time. Maybe a few minutes, maybe over an hour, and the ivory walls and obsidian towers of the city heave up before him where a moment ago he’d seen only low hills smudged with shadowy trees.
Pleasant music drifts from beyond those walls, enticing sounds of pipes, drums, the clapping of hands. As he presses on across the empty fields around the city, a warm, friendly breeze blows out from the wall, caresses him. The zephyr tickles Filbert’s nostrils with the smell of fresh baked pies; apple, mincemeat, cherry.

[ewancummins]

GUNNAR'S FARMSTEAD

Gunnar's farm sits off the road a ways, a few miles from the Auld Oak. The nightime ride passes in peace. Dietric barely speaks.

Warm, welcoming fire glow shows through an old-fashioned oilskin window in the front of the farmhouse. If the riders stare long enough, little puffs of white smoke appear over the chimney.

After Gunnar stables his mount and starts for the front of the house, the front door swings open. a petite woman in a simple peasant gown stands there in the soft light. The copper haired woman calls out-
"Gunnar! Where have you been? It's past midnight! I was worried sick. 'Just a quick pint, my love'--hah. And you brought your drunken comrades home with you? "

Dietric snickers, shoots a nervous sideways glance at Gunnar, and goes as silent as a churchmouse.

Gunnar's wife strikes a pose with her hands on her hips, tapping her foot against the floor a few times, and then chuckles in a good-natured but exasperated fashion.

"Well, for goodness sakes' get inside before another storm blows in. I'll put the stewpot back on the hearth fire-- I imagine there's enough for our guests if you don't eat your usual triple portion."

[ewancummins]

Foerde's Cottage

Foerde nods in agreement. "That's right." He says to her. "Now time for bed, we have a big a day tomorrow. After I make that frame for your story, we are going to on a little trip. We can stop at the Auld Oak for lunch."

Standing up he grabs his violin. "Come on, I play you a song while you go to sleep."

''Oh, will you play Maeve's Lily?"

"Sure." Foerde says, the flashes a toothy grin at Gael. While she is getting into her bed and getting comfortable he tunes his violin. Once she is comfortable. He starts playing Maeve's Lily.

Gael falls asleep as Foerde plays.

Is Foerde going to get some sleep as well, after his long day of riding, tracking, and fighting?

[RocEter]

Foerde puts away his violin and goes to sleep.

[ewancummins]

By the River Gate
As Devlin’s heavy horsemen rest and regroup, a surprise volley of crossbow fire forces the defenders to pull back from the gaps in the wall or to take cover behind stone. A second wave of enemy foot rushes the River Gate and the broken gap in the wall beside the gate. Stray pike men have joined the armed rabble, stiffening the force for the assault. Fierce hand to hand fighting follows. A stranger in plate armor and great helm, carrying a spear and a shield, appears among the defenders in the wall gap. This mystery champion strikes down the common maruaders left and right-- but several times he spares Alamien regulars, letting them flee with their lives. Once again the defenders repell the attack, and the Alamien force falls back under the cover provided by the buildings in Riverside.

The fight ends as quickly as it began, like a passing squall in the Straits of Aerele.
Just a short walk from Renn’s position, Coll lies on the ground, bleeding leaving from two bolts buried in his chest. He spits up blood.

[ewancummins]

CHAMBER WITH GUARDED WOMEN-

Footsteps and voices sound from out in the hall, on the other side of the door (now shut and barred).

The guard left in the room with Roald and the women examines the broken automaton.
He walks close to Roald and whispers to the mercenary- ''Baubb made this. But I've only ever seen it dance on a pedestal in the Old Duke's audience chamber. It actually attacked you? The clown that the Toymaker made attacked the duke earlier today."

[steveflam]

Dominica observes the interaction and frowns. "Sir Roald, is there something you might to wish to share with us feeble women?" Here she looks at the guard with disdain and frustration. Her eyes never leave the guards.

[ewancummins]

Dominica observes the interaction and frowns. "Sir Roald, is there something you might to wish to share with us feeble women?" Here she looks at the guard with disdain and frustration. Her eyes never leave the guards.

The single guard in the room (besides Roald) rolls his eyes at Dominica's mention of 'feeble women.'