Birthright Tuornen Chapter 3

[ewancummins]

THE HUNTSMAN IN THE FOOTHILLS
The Huntsman fires two arrows from his hiding spot at the Goblins chasing his horse and and pony..

And drops them both!

He stows his bow, draws his sword, and moves along the treeline * in an attempt to avoid the larger force...


*(actions dictated by player in OOC post)

But the wargs sniff the air, set up a great howl and lead several goblins through the rocks and trees, right after the Huntsman!

He runs, bumps into a tree, spins round with his sword raised, jerks to avoid an arrow, and is nicked by the tainted spear-head of an an onrushing, giggling goblin. One of the great wolves lunges low and rips at his left leg, tearing away part of his breeches and a bit of skin.

Besides the two goblins- one standing back by a big rock and using a bow, and the big wolf-monster, he doesn't see any other foes. But he hears the howls, the jabbering high-pitched voices, and the tramping of feet echoing across the brush-choked glen.

[Adam]

"Aye, that'll do. I'll see what I can do to help with getting 'em set up." He grabs up a loose axe and starts to head towards some piles of kindling, gesturing for Dietric to follow him. "See that there's a place fer me with the archers, Gunnar!" he shouts over his corner as he heads to work.

[ewancummins]

CORMAC, BIG LUMBER CAMP

"Aye, that'll do. I'll see what I can do to help with getting 'em set up." He grabs up a loose axe and starts to head towards some piles of kindling, gesturing for Dietric to follow him. "See that there's a place fer me with the archers, Gunnar!" he shouts over his corner as he heads to work.

Dietric joins Cormac chopping wood.

''From what I heard Gunnar telling those woodsmen, he's planning ambushes. Fight the goblins in as small a bites as we can take of them, fall back and give ground. Smart, if you ask me. Of course, it'd be smarter still to just mount up and ride south for safer country...''

The ex-bandit pauses in his speech to chop a short piece of wood in twain.

''Huff..like I was saying, maybe it'd be best to keep going? But if you really are going to stay and help these people, feckin' daft though it seems to me, well...I reckon I still sort of owe you."

[Lord Skybolt]

"We don't want a heads up fight with the force they have marching on the province . What we need to do is lead them on chases after small forces into ambushes using the terrain to our advantage . I don't know this area well my self . If some of the lumberjacks who know the area can show us some places to draw scouting parties into ambushes that would be better way to wino down there forces before they no what happening to them in months time ."Gunnar Expressing his thoughts to Ranald on seeing the amount of forces that will involved with the def of the province(s) .

[ewancummins]

GUNNAR, ELSEWHERE IN THE BIG LUMBER CAMP

"We don't want a heads up fight with the force they have marching on the province . What we need to do is lead them on chases after small forces into ambushes using the terrain to our advantage . I don't know this area well my self . If some of the lumberjacks who know the area can show us some places to draw scouting parties into ambushes that would be better way to wino down there forces before they no what happening to them in months time ."Gunnar Expressing his thoughts to Ranald on seeing the amount of forces that will involved with the def of the province(s) .

Ranald bobs his mutton-chopped, balding head at Gunnar's words. The esquire adjusts the toggles on his bearskin coat, glances north, and then looks Gunnar in the eye with a faint smile on his face,

''Sound advice. I'm glad to have you on as my lieutenant, Master Gunnar. We can take a ride and I'll show you some likely spots for ambuscadoes. I've ridden out on many a hunt in these hills. Stags, bear, foxes, a wolf or two. I even ran down a runaway servant last year--cagey fellow. M'hounds caught him hiding in a hollow trunk. Goblins, well, nasty folk, but I'm sure we will manage. This should prove exciting sport.''


Gustbold, the bearded lumber-boss, takes his leave to look after his workers.

[JMaytr]

"That is a sound idea captain," Devlin says. He will disguise himself as a regular militiaman and follow Captain Ghonnalisson to the theater.

[ewancummins]

"That is a sound idea captain," Devlin says. He will disguise himself as a regular militiaman and follow Captain Ghonnalisson to the theater.

THE WORLD'S STAGE THEATRE, LATE AFTERNOON



The party arrives at the crowded, torchlit theatre in time to catch the opening act of ''The Tragickal History of Orlando" ( a popular play that involves jealousy, murder, treachery, and a doomed Khinasi shipmaster--all set in the southern city of Ilien.)

Will the party take stand among the 'groundlings' or take more expensive seats among the wealthier folk in the galleries?

[ewancummins]

HUNTSMAN

The Huntsman dodges spear thrusts and the snapping jaws of the warg, sustain another nick, and prays for divine aid.

He feels the protection of the Thunderer fall over him, shielding him from blows and bites. Running for the sound of his frightened horses, he risks attacks from behind in his haste to escape...

…only to be pulled down by the warg. The great wolf rolls him in the dirt and brush, trying to rip out his throat! He scrambles to his feet, bloodied and shaken.

A harsh voice cries out from behind him-

"Throw down your sword or die!"

Out of the corner of his left eye, he spots another goblin kneeling atop a big rock, with a nocked arrow covering the forty or fifty yards of open ground that lies between him and his horses.

When the Hunstman renews the fight, he's badly bitten and he drops his sword.

[RocEter]

With his sword on the ground, the Huntsman drops to his knees with his hands raised above his shoulders. "I surrender, allow me to heal my wounds and you can take me."

[ewancummins]

With his sword on the ground, the Huntsman drops to his knees with his hands raised above his shoulders. "I surrender, allow me to heal my wounds and you can take me."

A raspy voice behind him speaks-
"No. We take you now. But don't worry, we fix your wounds. Dead slave is no good to us."

A spear prods his back. The warg growls, ready to leap up and rip out his throat should he make any hasty move...

[RocEter]

The Huntsman nods grimly but follows the Goblins instructions. Injured as he is, he moves a bit slower but doesn't make any sudden movements. He keeps his hands where they can be seen at all times.

While walking he speaks with the Goblin with the spear. "You in the one in charge? Maybe we can strike a deal for my freedom?"

[ewancummins]

The Huntsman nods grimly but follows the Goblins instructions..

The goblin with the spear grunts 'Shuddup!" and pokes the Huntsman.

More goblins and wargs arrive.

The goblins strip the Huntsman of his armor and all his weapons. When one goblin steals his scarf, the collected monsters chitter with curiosity over his inhuman aspect and coat of fur. They pinch him, tickle him, and rifle his pockets, even pull off his boots and shake them upside down (louds groans of disappointment when no hidden money falls out).

A big goblin binds the Huntsman's wrists with rawhide, and two smaller goblins team up, one standing on the other's shoulders, to drop a loop of hemp rope round his neck.

A man-sized, but hunchbacked, goblin stalks forward, adjusting his pointed hood with an air of self-importance.

"You are our slave now, beast-man. You will come to goblin-town with us. Maybe you will be present for the Baron. Not so bad. Don’t be stupid, or we will bring back your furry hide without you in it."

[Lord Skybolt]

As Ranald is showing Gunnar good places for ambushing the goblin forces, he thinks to himself:I wonder what foolishness that rider has gotten himself into going off all alone in this goblin infested province .
As soon as Gunnar gets back into the logging camp he ask Gustbold if it would be possible to set up some rolling log traps that they could set up to use against lines of goblins and/or wargs he knows will be with the goblin forces . He suggests this as he has seen what groups of unrestrained logs will do to large groups of forces in his homeland . As everyone had to chop wood for fire and building materials since it is cold up north in Rjurik most of the time .

[ewancummins]

BIG LUMBER CAMP

Back in camp, Gustbold tells Gunnar that he and the other lumberers can indeed rig such logfalls.

Squire Ranald, after he dismounts and calls his groom to look after his mounts, joins Gunnar near the center of camp. The gentleman's bold manner has mellowed somewhat since his arrival in camp and the reconnoitering ride the country. Now and again, he looks north towards the rough hills that climb towards the snow-capped Seamists.

"I know the sheriff. He’s a good man, but not...hmmm... imaginative. We can trust him to defend Fox Run with his deputies, but if this really is a large goblin army, I don't know that he could hold the town. Not that I expect goblins to get past us, but you never know. Fox Run hasn't got proper walls. My estate might be more defensible. I have a creek on one side, and plenty of dense trees and stone fences along the edges of the grounds. And my house is built of good stone. Not a castle like that of a great lord, to be sure, but we could fall back to it if things became …umm…untenable here.”

[RocEter]

The Huntsman nods grimly but follows the Goblins instructions..

The goblin with the spear grunts 'Shuddup!" and pokes the Huntsman.

More goblins and wargs arrive.

The goblins strip the Huntsman of his armor and all his weapons. When one goblin steals his scarf, the collected monsters chitter with curiosity over his inhuman aspect and coat of fur. They pinch him, tickle him, and rifle his pockets, even pull off his boots and shake them upside down (louds groans of disappointment when no hidden money falls out).

A big goblin binds the Huntsman's wrists with rawhide, and two smaller goblins team up, one standing on the other's shoulders, to drop a loop of hemp rope round his neck.

A man-sized, but hunchbacked, goblin stalks forward, adjusting his pointed hood with an air of self-importance.

"You are our slave now, beast-man. You will come to goblin-town with us. Maybe you will be present for the Baron. Not so bad. Don’t be stupid, or we will bring back your furry hide without you in it."

The Huntsman grunts. "So you are the one in charge?" He says to the large goblin. "Let me ask you something. What is more important to your Baron, one slave or a lot of riches?"