Birthright: Tuornen IC

[ewancummins]

Caer Haes, Ducal Palace

After Devlin dismisses his callers (not his guards) and retires to the ducal dining hall for those beers he had mentioned...

Two of the four guards standing near the table where the new duke drinks are both laughing at something.

"Look at him go! Ha, he looks just like you, Lotho. Why, he even walks with the same sissy steps!"

Whatever has caught the men's attention, Devlin can't see it. They are looking at the open doorway that connects to the main hall, but they stand between the duke and the door.

[JMaytr]

Curious, Devlin moves over to see what Lotho and his men are looking at.

[RocEter]

The Huntsman in the Hills

...and finds himself staring into the lantern-bright golden eyes of a gigantic owl, so big that the thick tree limb on which it is perched sags beneath the press of its taloned feet. Less than twenty feet of brushy ground lie between the Huntsman and the feathered watcher. The huge predator bird looks as if it could carry off a lamb or a child with ease.

Looking at the gigantic owl the Huntsman releases his grip from his longsword. "We ain't easy pickins best you find someplace else to hunt." He says to enormous bird. Turning his horse around he continues the direction he was heading.

"Whooo says I wanted to eat you, scrawny hoooman? I eat hares and lambs, not men."

The Huntsman stops his horse from pressing forward and looks back at the owl. "Then why watch? Do you find men to be an interesting sort?" He says to the owl.

A talking owl, now I really have seen everything. He thinks to himself while waiting for the owl's response.

[ewancummins]

The Huntsman stops his horse from pressing forward and looks back at the owl. "Then why watch? Do you find men to be an interesting sort?" He says to the owl.

A talking owl, now I really have seen everything. He thinks to himself while waiting for the owl's response.

The owl swivels its head from side to side, scanning the area around and behind the Huntsman.

" I watch that catches my eye. Youoooo are alone. Youooo are not with the bad men and the goblins. They hunt youoooo. I have seen them in the falling dark. "

[RocEter]

"Well I have left them many trails to follow." The Huntsman says. "Are you saying they following me now? How many hunt for me?"

[ewancummins]

Ducal Palace-

Curious, Devlin moves over to see what Lotho and his men are looking at.

A figure capers down the hall. This fool stands much taller than Filbert. The gangly man in bright motley prances towards the open door. As he draws near, Devlin notes that the man appears to be wearing some kind of mask-





The pleasant haze of three mugs of beer evaporates as Devlin recalls where he has seen this strange figure before-- at a ball held last week, when Giglead showed off two of Baubb's latest creations...

[ewancummins]

The Hills-

"Well I have left them many trails to follow." The Huntsman says. "Are you saying they following me now? How many hunt for me?"

"Yes. There are twice ten and more. The goblins lead---they can see in the dark--but so can I. ''

[ewancummins]

The Toymaker's Shop/House

Filbert pokes Baubb with a dagger, scratching the human's leg.

''Gah, filthy knee-gnawer!"

An arrow shoots from the window and sticks in the plaster of the shoproom's rear wall.

Baubb curses and hurls the lantern at Filbert, then turns to flee.
The lantern smashes into Filbert's chest, spilling burning oil over the half-man!

[RocEter]

"Too many to fight alone and no way to lose them in night." The Huntsman says to half to himself and the owl. "Thank you for the information, friend. I must be off." He says.

The Huntsman rides towards the inn..

[ewancummins]

"Too many to fight alone and no way to lose them in night." The Huntsman says to half to himself and the owl. "Thank you for the information, friend. I must be off." He says.

The Huntsman rides towards the inn..

As the Huntsman rides off, he hears the great owl softly call-

''Good luck, hooooman."

[JMaytr]

Devlin steps foward, his hand on the pommel of his rapier. it is not a casual gesture.

"You there, fool, stop your dance and remove your mask. Today is not the day for concealed identities."

[RocEter]

The Huntsman, the Auld Oak.

The Huntsman rides his horse right up to the front of the inn, jumping off his horse, he slams open the front door and takes a single step in. No doubt everyone's attention is now on the man wearing a fur cloak with a deep cowl that makes it impossible to see his face, his head turns side to side as he searches the room for some one.

Not seeing who is looking for. "Cormac! Gather your bow and arrows, the enemy comes!" He says loudly enough to be heard by everyone in the room.

[ewancummins]

Devlin steps foward, his hand on the pommel of his rapier. it is not a casual gesture.

"You there, fool, stop your dance and remove your mask. Today is not the day for concealed identities."

The capering figure stops just a few short steps from the door.

The guards move into the hall to flank the masked man.

The clown bows, lifting a hand towards his mask...

And jets of green vapor spray from his nostrils, quickly filling the air about him. The two guards stagger backwards towards the duke, coughing and jerking about like poisoned rats.

The masked figure flicks its right hand down from its face, the mask still in place. Devlin sees, through the green haze, a bright stiletto blade spring from the middle of the clown's palm with a metallic click.

[ewancummins]

The Huntsman, the Auld Oak.

The Huntsman rides his horse right up to the front of the inn, jumping off his horse, he slams open the front door and takes a single step in. No doubt everyone's attention is now on the man wearing a fur cloak with a deep cowl that makes it impossible to see his face, his head turns side to side as he searches the room for some one.

Not seeing who is looking for. "Cormac! Gather your bow and arrows, the enemy comes!" He says loudly enough to be heard by everyone in the room.

Conversation immediately stops. Half the men reach for weapons, and half just stare...

[RocEter]

"Sit down." Is all the Huntsman has to say when half the men reach for weapons. He stares back waiting for some one to say something..