Birthright: Tuornen, Chapter Two

[JMaytr]

"Braedonnal!"

Devlin embraces the elf briefly and then gives his shoulder a squeeze. "I knew you couldn't be dead. You're too stubborn to let something like a little fire demon usher you towards Haelyn's sweet scented fields," The Duke takes on a bashful look as he glances to Fhylie. "or his son's glorious collesium."

Devlin looks to the men and towards the oncoming enemy.

"Fhylie, you are correct, Braedonnal is in no shape to fight anymore this night. Rest well my friend," the Duke says to the Elf, "you have made my father proud."

Devlin climbs back atop his horse.

"Fellow Tuors! Men of the fields and," The Duke chuckles, "drunkards of the inns. These bastards from across the river think they can kill my father and then come here in the dead of night like rats, and steal our country from us. Are we going to let them do that? No! No we're not! Carilon Alam is a fool to think that we would lie down so easily. We Are Tuor! We are the heart of the Heartlands! These miserable louts have made a terrible mistake this night by coming here and threatening to take our homes from us. One Tuor is worth a dozen Alamiens! When will they learn? I'll tell you when: tonight! Are you ready to help me go teach them?"

[ewancummins]

River Gate-

The men of Tuornen rally to their duke with a mighty shout.

Fhylie wastes no time in deploying her street fighters to skrimish and harass the edges of the enemy formations pushing into the city.
"Your Grace, my brawlers can slow, but not stop that mass of pike. Dismount your knights and we'll check the pike in melee. We must cork the bottle."

She points at the gate, draws her sword, and starts forward, shouting to encourage the city defenders.

[JMaytr]

Devlin orders the knights dismounted.

"TUORNEN FOREVER!!"

The duke moves into the melee.

[ewancummins]

Occupying a corner that gives him a view of the whole room, Roald draws his sword and rests the tip of it on the floor. Resting both hands on the pommel, he prepares himself for a long, boring night.

One of the older servant women stares at Roald.

Two ladies, younger, point at him and whisper to one another.

[Varrus the Ethical]

One of the older servant women stares at Roald.

Two other ladies, younger, point at him and whsiper to one another.

Roald grunts in amusement. They're likely curious why they're being guarded by a stranger.

[ewancummins]

Devlin orders the knights dismounted.

"TUORNEN FOREVER!!"

The duke moves into the melee.

The armies of Tuornen and Alamie clash...


Outcome TBD

[steveflam]

Dominica moves to stand near the older servant woman. She leans over and whispers something in her ear.

VIEW CONTENT:

"Does he remind you of someone?"

[ewancummins]

Dominica moves to stand near the older servant woman. She leans over and whispers something in her ear.

VIEW CONTENT:

"Does he remind you of someone?"

The young woman giggles, and whispers into Dominica's ear-

VIEW CONTENT:

''He looks very like a Flaertes. ''

[ewancummins]

FIGHTING AT THE RIVER GATE-


The dismounted knights, with the aid of Fhylie’s skirmishers, push the enemy pike back through the gate, only taking light casualties in the mêlée. Devlin cuts down several men single-handed; pike thrusts and sword blows seem to do little more than knock him about, and he emerges with only scratches.

The skirmishers hurl broken stones, cudgels, empty beer mugs, and spears at the retreating Alamien foot soldiers.

A thunderous roar shakes the wall and a cloud of sulfurous smoke rises into the night sky. A five span section of wall just to the west of the gatehouse crumbles and falls. River pirates come raging through the rubble, swinging cutlasses and hatchets.

Fhylie, brandishing her sword, directs her street fighters to block the gap. She turns to Devlin and cries-
“Your Grace, have your heavy horsemen remount and charge the bombard crew, now before they can reload it!”

[ewancummins]

Caer Haes-



Roald hears cries of alarm and the clash of steel in the hall, just beyond the locked door at his back.

[JMaytr]

Devlin is one step ahead of Fhylie, mounting his horse.

"Forward! To victory!"

He leads his mounted troops ahead.

[ewancummins]

Devlin is one step ahead of Fhylie, mounting his horse.

"Forward! To victory!"

He leads his mounted troops ahead.

The knights charge across the fish market grounds, out through the broken gate, through a hail of bolts and arrows, down the main dirt and plank road of the riverside quarter -- straight for the great smoking iron tube of the bombard!
A handful of men fall from the saddle, but most are saved by speed and armor. The chivalry of Haes sweeps aside the enemy infantry protecting the big iron gun and cuts down the fleeing artillerists.

Looking around, Devlin sees that his small force is surrounded on three sides by a much larger enemy force, mostly pirates and other rabble from the look of it-- but he sees longbowmen to his left front and crossbowmen to his right front, sheltered by the wooden buildings of Riverside. A few buildings are burning.

Further ahead, he sees the Lion Banner floating over the wharf, and catches sight of Alamien reserves; men and horses and boats.


Will he wheel left or right, fall back, or continue a forward charge (at the risk of being cut off entirely)?

[Varrus the Ethical]

Roald points at the guard "You! Protect the women. I'll check what's going on outside!". He readies his sword and opens the door.

[ewancummins]

Roald points at the guard "You! Protect the women. I'll check what's going on outside!". He readies his sword and opens the door.

On the other side of the door, Roald finds a page holding a sword slumped against the opposite wall, a pool of blood staining the floor before him. Someone has sliced the boy's neck ear to ear.

Petite footprints stained in blood lead from the dead page to the wall near the door that Roald just came through, and stop.

[Varrus the Ethical]

"Gods, I hate seeing dead children," Roald mutters as he stands at the door. His eyes follow the trail of footprints. "Where are you?"