Birthright 3: The Worm's Supper , Chapter 2

[Varrus the Ethical]

Cormac shrugs. "Or they just know where they are. But I'm willing to go with it, so long as we keep moving."

If no other dissent is expressed, he'll head that way.

"As long as it's away from the army of knife-ears trying to kill us, lead the way," Roald says.

[ewancummins]

SIR GUNNAR

Coming back from a solo training session outside the walls, Gunnar enters the riverfront district near sundown.
He sees masked men beating people up and kicking apart shacks and shanties.
As he gets closer to a group of five masked hooligans shaking down an old man, he hears one of them cursing at the graybeard. ''You foreign scum, tell us where you hid your money!''

They don't look well armed, just daggers and clubs. Two carry torches. No visible armor.

[Lord Skybolt]

Gunnar steps forward to let the thugs see his imposing self . "I think the old man will need what little gold he has saved in his life so why don't you let him go or there will be trouble ." As he says this he tenses for any hostile movement by them .

[ewancummins]

Gunnar steps forward to let the thugs see his imposing self . "I think the old man will need what little gold he has saved in his life so why don't you let him go or there will be trouble ." As he says this he tenses for any hostile movement by them .

The five men rush Gunnar, with one coming round behind to strike him in the back. But their clubs and knives only bounce off him.
One dagger-man shouts,''He's all plated up!''
Before the thugs can escape, Gunnar lays into them with his gauntleted fists.
Within seconds the street is littered with unconscious masked men.


The old man approaches Gunnar. ''Thank you, sir!''

[Lord Skybolt]

"That is fine elder . Do you have some rope to tie these fools up with . " Gunnar says in response .

[ewancummins]

"That is fine elder . Do you have some rope to tie these fools up with . " Gunnar says in response .

''Got some cord."
The old man fetches twine from his house (the shabby little building behind him).

He quickly binds the fallen men.
His knot-work looks professional; snug, quickly done, like something a boatman or a net maker would do.


The old fellow picks up a sputtering torch, dropped by one of the ruffians.
"Thought they were mummers, but then they started beating up all us that came from Alamie."
He spits in the mud.
"And anyone who tries to hide us, help us..."

Gunnar hears a ruckus on his left. Looking down the dirt lane that way, he sees a gang of ten or twelve men chasing larger number of unarmed civilians towards the river. These thugs wave torches and short swords.
Men and bigger boys among the fleeing group turn and fight back, trying to stop the masked attackers from reaching the women and little kids.
But more masked thugs join their fellows, and the outnumbered defenders soon give ground.
A woman cries out,"Haelyn, send us help!"

VIEW CONTENT:

Haelyn sends Gunnar...

[Lord Skybolt]

Gunnar rushes to aid this group with large weapons fully displayed as he gives no quarter to these thugs who would attack women and children .

[ewancummins]

Gunnar rushes to aid this group with large weapons fully displayed as he gives no quarter to these thugs who would attack women and children .

Gunnar's onslaught leaves corpses and maimed men strewn all over the lane. The worst damage he gets in the melee is a soiled and torn cloak.
The masked survivors (who still outnumber Gunnar) flee before him.

The small group of men and boys who had fought to defend the women and children grab their fallen ones and fall back toward the wharves.

The old man with the torch comes up and raises it over this head for a good look around the bloody mess in the street. "Looks like war.''

[ewancummins]

SAFANA AND TEMERLAN

Temerlan finds that the boy laid out on the ground is only knocked out, not killed. He's got a goose egg rising on his skull under the hair.

A quick search reveals coins in the masked men's pockets; each man carries several silver coins, except for two who carry single gold coins ( Most of the coins appear to be of similar minting.).

Bound and stripped of their sack masks, the ruffians look like a rather ordinary set of young men in the cheap clothes worn by laborers and apprentices. The remain sleeping.

Before Temerlan and Safana have has time to go looking for the Watch, but after they have searched, unmasked, and bound the men, they hear a great tumult coming from the direction of the riverfront (not a long distance behind them): screaming, sobbing, the clash of arms, angry shouting and cries of agony.

Click only if they go that direction and investigate:

VIEW CONTENT:

At the wharves, they find a mob of women, children, and some men (most of the men look injured) huddled on the walkways or busy getting into overcrowded fishing boats. Dangerously overcrowded.

Down a nearby lane, dead men in masks with daggers stuck in their ribs, severed limbs, and other grisly signs of battle lay all about. A very tall, broad-shouldered man in plate armor stalks the street armed with two swords. A gray bearded man hastens along beside the armored warrior, holding up a torch.
The big man kneels and pulls a dagger out of one of the corpses.
He stands, lifts his visor, and casts about as if looking for enemies.

Safana (if she investigates)

VIEW CONTENT:

notices something familiar about this warrior, the weapons he carries, his height.
When she gets a little closer, she catches a glimpse of his face; it's Gunnar.

[VAN]

Filbert/Perry

"Right, lets go!"

Filbert follows the others outside.

[ewancummins]

Filbert/Perry

"Right, lets go!"

Filbert follows the others outside.

PERRY/FILBERT


The gang walks out into the street as the sun sinks low in the sky.

They reach the River Gate as people have begun retiring for the evening.
The gate remains open.
None of the small number of watchmen on duty stop and question anyone passing through.


Filbert hears one of the masked men tell the guards ''We're mummers, coming to put on a show for the poor visitors."
The gate guard smiles and says ''Your mates have already gone in and are entertaining the people. Have a good party tonight then, friend." And this guard winks at the masked speaker.


The Hooded Hunters walk through the River Gate and head into the Riverside district.
There a large gathering of hooded men caper about the street, juggling, singing, dancing, and waving mugs in the air.
A crowd of local folk, most of whom wear poor quality clothes, have gathered around and are watching the fun.

One of the Hooded Hunters falls down and begins kicking in the muddy road. Another falls and also begins jerking and flailing about.
A young woman in the crowd of spectators begins to dance madly about. She screams and falls down.
Someone shouts ''They been bewitched!" Someone else cries ''They've been poisoned!''
Confusion breaks out in the crowd. Voices rise in anger.
A masked man jumps up on a wagon and starts shouting accusations at Alamiens in general, mixed in with loud exhortations for all loyal Tuors to act to protect the duke and their homes.

A number of unmasked watchers separate themselves from the crowd and begin pointing fingers at other people and shouting ''Those are Alamiens, not us!"


Filbert sees the masked hooligans rush the crowd, en masse. As he turns to sneak away, he hears the sounds of fighting.

The Halfling climbs up the side of the gatehouse and slips over the other side of the wall when no one is looking his way, rather than risk being spotted by the guards standing near the open gateway below.


Once inside Haes proper, he makes his way towards the Watch HQ, trying his best to keep out of sight.

He's just reached the back door of the watch-house when he hears soft footsteps close behind him.
Looking back, he sees a masked figure in a tattered cloak standing a few yards away in the darkening street.

''What are you doing here, Perry?"
It is Milo. Filbert recognizes the voice.
The man holds his right hand inside his cloak, near his waistline...

[VAN]

"Milo, people are being poisoned! You told me that we will just go steal and scare them!"

[ewancummins]

"Milo, people are being poisoned! You told me that we will just go steal and scare them!"

''I don't think that was part of the plan!"

He steps closer, hand still concealed.
''But stop using my name. And I see you're informing on the gang, on Terem. Give me a good reason I shouldn't knife you to death and let the Watch figure out how a dead Halfling ended up on their doorstep."

[VAN]

"Exactly that's why I sneaked away, I don't want their blood in my hands".

[ewancummins]

''Right, I can see why you left. I followed you to see what you were up to. But Perry-- you didn't just leave."
The man steps closer.
Filbert sees a dull flash under Milo's cloak, about here his hidden hand should be.
He whispers,
"This is the watch house. I doubt you stumbled across it by accident."