Birthright Tuornen Chapter Four

[JMaytr]

"Let the red dawn surmise
What we shall do,
When this blue starlight dies
And all is through"

"Sounds like something the folk in Croaker Norge might say. A Monsedge saying..." Devlin trails off.

"Captain, we personally could go to check on the situation and wait for your fathers return. I think that some of the Alam mercenaries, Roald specifically, could be pressed into service to help with the protection of Haes while we investigate. Filbert of course will come with us. We can travel by way of Croaker Norge and see if any of the townsfolk there recognize it."

[kintire]

Safana looks admiringly at him

"A... Bard? I am a Sha'ir, a mistress of visions, both true and false. I am a seer, and a concealer. I bring forth the truth, or hide it from sight. I am... a Magician, I think. Yes. Magician."

She smiles again

"And I know a few simple incantations of the Wizard's art. Enough to singe a goblin tail or two!"

[ewancummins]

"Let the red dawn surmise
What we shall do,
When this blue starlight dies
And all is through"

"Sounds like something the folk in Croaker Norge might say. A Monsedge saying..." Devlin trails off.

"Captain, we personally could go to check on the situation and wait for your fathers return. I think that some of the Alam mercenaries, Roald specifically, could be pressed into service to help with the protection of Haes while we investigate. Filbert of course will come with us. We can travel by way of Croaker Norge and see if any of the townsfolk there recognize it."

The Lord Mayor speaks,''Your Grace, if the Alamiens offer a truce in your absence, how ought we to proceed?"

[ewancummins]

The dwarf hops up onto a table and starts singing loud and proud "Generalversammlung in ihren Massen! " Then he jumps off the table into the crowd, still singing arms flailing. "Clyde!!!!!!!!! Git em good!!!!!!!!!!"

Just at the moment the dwarf climbs on the table, a skinny man grabs the purse that contains the prize money and bolts for the door. Everybody runs after him. The dwarf misses the mass of rushing men and slams head-first into the floorboards. His skull smashes through into the cellar below.

After a moment of disorientation, he feels something furry and warm press against his backside.

A rumbling growl, the bear's paws press against his torso, pushing and pulling...

...

And 'Clyde’ rips the dwarf loose from the floorboards. The dwarf, slightly dazed, finds himself being licked all over his face by a drunken bear. A busted keg nearby still foams with the beer the animal has not yet finished drinking.

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

"Before we remove ourselves to Monsedge, Your Grace, perhaps we should let the Archprelate examine the page I gave you? He might be able to make some sense out of it, and give us a better idea if we're on the right track before we leave the city without its Duke and Watch Commander."

[Adam]

"Uh..um..." he scratches his beard. "That's swell...I guess. Magic'll come in handy here defendin' the manor house...I think."

[steveflam]

The dwarf hops up onto a table and starts singing loud and proud "Generalversammlung in ihren Massen! " Then he jumps off the table into the crowd, still singing arms flailing. "Clyde!!!!!!!!! Git em good!!!!!!!!!!"

Just at the moment the dwarf climbs on the table, a skinny man grabs the purse that contains the prize money and bolts for the door. Everybody runs after him. The dwarf misses the mass of rushing men and slams head-first into the floorboards. His skull smashes through into the cellar below.

After a moment of disorientation, he feels something furry and warm press against his backside.

A rumbling growl, the bear's paws press against his torso, pushing and pulling...

...

And 'Clyde’ rips the dwarf loose from the floorboards. The dwarf, slightly dazed, finds himself being licked all over his face by a drunken bear. A busted keg nearby still foams with the beer the animal has not yet finished drinking.

"Bah, all me fun gone run away. An fer what? Some coins. Bof!" He belches loudly, foam and spit spraying in front of him, with maybe some food too.

"Clyde, ye unnerstann me, at least. Ye gots a sister?" He staggers over to the keg and drags it back to Clyde. He lets it leak after he fills a mug.

"There ye go," as he puts his arm around the bear.

[ewancummins]

Reese laughs out loud.

''Wow, that was crazy! I wish my boss were here to see it."

[steveflam]

Reese laughs out loud.

''Wow, that was crazy! I wish my boss were here to see it."

"Ye got a boss, lad?" Torthar squints at Reese. "Why ye ain't gone with the crowd? Ain't coin good fer ye?" He belches again, this time
his beard even moves funnily with the burp.

"Come 'n' sit with us. Clyde won' 'urt ye else I punch im senseless an 'e knows it. Whut be yer name, lad?"

[JMaytr]

The Lord Mayor speaks,''Your Grace, if the Alamiens offer a truce in your absence, how ought we to proceed?

"Peace?" Devlin stands, an angry scowl on his face. "These dogs killed my father, most likely killed my mother as well. Peace? now that we rout them after they foolishly invade our lands? Peace?! No! There is no peace! This war was started by them, with the insidious plan that exploited my father and caused innocent people in the streets to be hanged....women....children....No."

Devlin clenches his fists and paces the room.

"When Carilon Alam swings from a gallows pole, or dances his last dance upon the end of my blade, then this war ends. He's a criminal. Until Justice is done, we are NOT done."

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

"We will make Alam howl like a thief in a brass bull," Renn agrees, "but there is wisdom in lulling him into a false sense of security. That gives us time to hear back from Ghonallison. And we can use that time to get Haes under control and shore up our defenses, and whip this sorry lot press gangs, goon squads, freebooters into an army worth leading to glory. Besides, if we pose as if we seek 'peace,' that gets him talking. And Alam strikes me as a man who'll give himself enough rope if we let him talk..."

[Lord Skybolt]

MANOR STABLES


Rumbles eats the oats out of Gunnar's hand and whuffles happily.


Gunnar hears a crunch behind him. Turning to look, he spots Dietric.

The reformed (?) bandit walks into the stables with his hands lifted a little and a wary smile showing through his week's growth of beard.
"Hey, Gunnar, just wanted to let you know that the beastman aint dead or anything. He's sleeping, mumbling. I think he'll be up by the time we travel. They tell me you went easy on him. Thanks. He’s weird, but my boss likes him for some reason. "
He turns slightly to lean against the stable doorframe.

"About that other business...well, I reckon I got a stake in it too, being as I was one of the rescuers. So I'm asking you man to man, next time you got a problem with one of Cormac's plans, don't play things so...um...sneaky. Just argue with him to his face. Might be you had some good ideas...but it's how you handled things that caused this feud. But maybe that’s all past now? You've settled it, giving the fleece to the beastman? Cause we are on the same side, right? "

Dietric scratches the back of his neck, waiting in silence.

"Well my friend, do you think if you would of had more men your raid would have been any more successful ? Or would you have had some loud and clumsy lumberjacks with you who would have tipped off the goblin army to your presence until you wanted to attack and made it possible for the goblins to attack you in force and kill or capture you all ."Gunnar lets his words settle into Diertic mind before continuing:"For one Cormac did not think that I may have wanted to give my advice to those he was recruiting and the draw backs to his plans if he failed . So who went behind whose back in this case is a matter of perspective . I have no ill will towards Cormac or what he was trying to accomplish but understand this trying to rescue someone who foolishly went into already known to be goblin invested territory deserves what his hubris gets him . And with the case of rescuing a town boy with no obvious tactical use either . Neither of these rescues is worth the risk of all those here hiding in safety if you were captured and tortured into give up the location of the manor . We will always be on the same side as long as you stay on the straight and narrow ." Gunnar lets Dietric think about what his has said and waits to see if he has anything else to say to Gunnar while he feeds his warhorse .

[ewancummins]

ROALD-


The page dry swallows.

''Uhh...are you a--"

The boy clips his question short and looks about the mostly empty hall. Just him and Roald.

"Noble sir, would you like to get some food or drink? Because, um, the kitchen is open..."

[ewancummins]

COUNCIL AT CAER HAES

"We will make Alam howl like a thief in a brass bull," Renn agrees, "but there is wisdom in lulling him into a false sense of security. That gives us time to hear back from Ghonallison. And we can use that time to get Haes under control and shore up our defenses, and whip this sorry lot press gangs, goon squads, freebooters into an army worth leading to glory. Besides, if we pose as if we seek 'peace,' that gets him talking. And Alam strikes me as a man who'll give himself enough rope if we let him talk..."

Count Montros of Haesrien cackles again, clicking his bony knuckles together in a queer form of applause.
"Yes, yes! That's how we deal with the Easterners! We must be as wily as they. Haha!"
His dry laughter spent, the old man continues in a quiet voice, "But my daughter sends no word of a peace treaty. Far too soon for that, I think all would agree. No, no, no-- only the possibility of a temporary truce. Of course, if His Grace wishes to continue fighting on all fronts, hoping to finish the war before the spring planting is disrupted--then I will support him as I always supported his father.''

[ewancummins]

MANOR STABLES

"Well my friend, do you think if you would of had more men your raid would have been any more successful ? Or would you have had some loud and clumsy lumberjacks with you who would have tipped off the goblin army to your presence until you wanted to attack and made it possible for the goblins to attack you in force and kill or capture you all ."Gunnar lets his words settle into Diertic mind before continuing:"For one Cormac did not think that I may have wanted to give my advice to those he was recruiting and the draw backs to his plans if he failed . So who went behind whose back in this case is a matter of perspective. I have no ill will towards Cormac or what he was trying to accomplish but understand this trying to rescue someone who foolishly went into already known to be goblin invested territory deserves what his hubris gets him . And with the case of rescuing a town boy with no obvious tactical use either . Neither of these rescues is worth the risk of all those here hiding in safety if you were captured and tortured into give up the location of the manor. We will always be on the same side as long as you stay on the straight and narrow ." Gunnar lets Dietric think about what his has said and waits to see if he has anything else to say to Gunnar while he feeds his warhorse .

"Right, so you get how it looked to Cormac, and to the rest of us. Cormac aint a bloody fool. Gunnar. And you know me. I aint got this old, thirty-odd years, in my former trade by being stupid. Cormac told me to be real careful and pick the men who seemed likely sorts; hunters, a guide for the town, men who could sneak and fight. We weren't going to walk in there like a bunch of idiots with a dozen lumberjacks swinging axes and bellowing pub songs. Give us some credit, hey? You think Cormac and me are as crazy as the beastman?"

He frowns and scratches his beard.

"You said that we were going in to rescue somebody with, um hoobriz? That's what, a fancy word for being stupid proud?"

He eyes Gunnar shrewdly- "You were talking about the beastman just now, not the little boy! But how could you know anything about the beastman before the rescue? You aint never seen him before, and neither had we. Or is there something I don't know..."