Birthright: Promises to Keep, Chapter 2

[ewancummins]

"Better find shelter soon," Cormac says to the others, "Or else they'll be sendin' out parties to search fer us."

He begins searching around their area, looking for someplace to at least throw up a lean-to.

Ned and Hob assist the druid in searching for a spot to make camp.

[VAN]

Glad that Devlin is alive Filbert cautiously checks the hall looking for Safana.

[ewancummins]

FILBERT IN THE HALL

Glad that Devlin is alive Filbert cautiously checks the hall looking for Safana.

The kitchen door, through which Lord Runcible had fled a moment ago, slams shut.


Filbert searches the section of hall between the kitchen and the transformed Gunnar (who takes up a lot of space at the outer end of the hall).

Something drips down onto his face, something warm.
He dabs his face and his finger comes away with blood on it. Not his blood.

Looking up, he sees rafters and beams but no Safana.

[VAN]

Filbert looks up again trying to see where the blood comes from. Seeing nothing tries to find a broom he can use to reach the ceiling and see if there is someone invisible there or the blood is just dripping from the ceiling.

[ewancummins]

FILBERT

Filbert looks up again trying to see where the blood comes from. Seeing nothing tries to find a broom he can use to reach the ceiling and see if there is someone invisible there or the blood is just dripping from the ceiling.

Filbert finds a closet across the hall from the kitchen and a little further into the building, nearer the cellar stairs.
Inside the closet, a broom sticks out of a mound of shoes and clothes.

Using the broom to sweep the ceiling, Filbert knocks about under the spots where the blood dripped on him. Dust and cobwebs fly into the air. The straw end of the broom stops against something Filbert cannot see. Again he pushes. Again the straw end stops.

The Gunnar-child sneezes.


Filbert feels about with the broom. Peering at the ceiling, he spots the faint outline of a hand pressed to the ceiling beams.


The Gunnar-child crawls closer, coming down the hall from the exit.
"What?"
It reaches to the spot where Filbert pushes the lifted broom about.
"Her."

With care, as if handling a fragile glass toy, the giant toddler feels about the ceiling closes its fingers, and pulls down on.

It cups its empty hands before Filbert.

A faint smear of fresh blood shows on the giant-boy's right thumb, although Filbert sees no cut or mark there.

Gunnar smiles and says,
"Tricks."


Someone groans at Filbert's back.
Looking that way, the Halfling sees Devlin sitting up, rubbing his outstretched legs.
A purple half-moon of teeth marks discolors his shoulder where his shirt has torn open, but otherwise the duke looks well enough.

[ewancummins]

THE KITCHEN

UGO
Time seems to slow down for poor Ugo. It seems an eternity between heartbeats that could actually be his last. His fear starts to retreat, it is still there but it's not keeping him immobile anymore.
Master Runcible is wounded. Master Runcible is retreating. How powerful those outlanders are to force Master Runcible to flee?
The door is still open, and Master Runcible is wounded and ignoring him. Should he step up and make a run for the too-bigs with their swords, spells and strength?

But would they even accept him if they win? Or he'll just get caught in the middle of a fight between powers well beyond his meager strength?

The shock of seeing Master Runcible wounded and fleeing and that moment doubt costs him the split second he could use to rush out. As the door closes, Ugo can only hope that the big giant will break through it or that Master Runcible will retreat to the Garden. He can also hope that he won't be trampled as he plays dead.

Lord Runcible slams the door and begins piling things behind it, blockading it with the big iron soup cauldron, a chair, and sundry other objects.

Once the door stands barricaded, the Master moves to crouch over Ugo.
Runcible leans in close, his ghastly face almost touching Ugo's face.

"Have you been murdered, my dear little fellow? A pity. But I'll avenge you."

Runcible seizes Ugo by the waist and lifts him.

"And you'll serve me one last time. I'm sure you'll be delicious."

[ewancummins]

THE SEEKERS

The party makes camp in the lee of a stand of dead timber, twisted brush, and green saplings.

Sevett and Gatt set about finding dry twigs and small branches to build a fire, bringing what they find to Roald.

Reese ties up the animals and stands guard over them.

Moll helps Roald with digging a fire pit and stacking tinder.

Cormac finds enough big pieces of deadwood to build a lean-to. Foerde assists the druid.
Hob and Ned cut down some live saplings and tear up brush to make a roof.
In short order, the men have erected a crude but sturdy shelter between the fire-pit and the stand of trees and brush, a lean-to big enough for the whole party if everyone gets snug.

Roald gets a fire going in the little pit, and soon the party gains much-needed warmth and light, though only in a small circle.

Outside the camp, darkness fills the space between clouds and cold ground.
Wind screams through the timber.

Moll curls up near the fire and falls asleep.

[VAN]

Hall

Filbert smiles at todd like Gunnar.

"Great job! And thank you for coming to save me!!"

Looking down where figures out Gunnar has put Safana says:

"We need to tend her wound. We can get a clean piece of cloth, clean it and put a bandage on. Same thing we need to do with Duke Devlin's and your wounds as well."

Listening Devlin's groan Filbert rushes at him and helps him stand up.

"How do you feel Your Grace? Thank you for coming to resque me! But I'm afraid the battle isn't over yet. The masked man fled through the kitchen door. If you are feeling strong enough we should go after him. I'm afraid the life of another halfling, the one that let me free, is in danger. I cannot abbandon him."

[RocEter]

THE SEEKERS

The party makes camp in the lee of a stand of dead timber, twisted brush, and green saplings.

Sevett and Gatt set about finding dry twigs and small branches to build a fire, bringing what they find to Roald.

Reese ties up the animals and stands guard over them.

Moll helps Roald with digging a fire pit and stacking tinder.

Cormac finds enough big pieces of deadwood to build a lean-to. Foerde assists the druid.
Hob and Ned cut down some live saplings and tear up brush to make a roof.
In short order, the men have erected a crude but sturdy shelter between the fire-pit and the stand of trees and brush, a lean-to big enough for the whole party if everyone gets snug.

Roald gets a fire going in the little pit, and soon the party gains much-needed warmth and light, though only in a small circle.

Outside the camp, darkness fills the space between clouds and cold ground.
Wind screams through the timber.

Moll curls up near the fire and falls asleep.

Foerde takes his wool blanket out one his saddle packs, keeping it folded he gently places the blanket under Moll's head for her to use a pillow. Then he takes off his thick fur cloak, putting over the girl to use a blanket.

Stepping away from the girl; he begins a prayer to Cuiraeccen for protection against the outside elements. With only a heavy scarf, and a prayer, to protect him against the cold of a winter night he looks to the others. "I will take first watch. Who ever has last watch, please wake me when the sun rises. So, that I may begin my morning prayers to Cuiraeccen." He says.

[Adam]

Cormac nods. "Aye," he agrees. He rolls out a bedroll, dropping in next to the fire himself. "Just like winter nights back home," he says as he lays down and pulls his hood around his head. Shortly thereafter, the sound of snoring comes through the lean-to.

[VAN]

Hall

Filbert has started to walk to the closed door but immediately turns around and says in low voice so only his companions can listen.

"There is a window in the kitchen closed with shutters, I will try to get in from that one. Maybe Gunnar you can try to break this door same time."

[ewancummins]

UGO


"...one last time. I'm sure you'll be delicious."

Hearing Lord Runcible speak of him as food, Ugo forgets all about his plan of playing dead, and remembers only that he wants to go on living if he can.

The little cook struggles in the Master's grip, twisting, tearing at his own clothes in a desperate effort to get free.

Runcible cries out.
"Ahh!"
The Master claps his other hand over Ugo's face.

Ugo feels the terrible cold fill his body, spreading from the Master’s fingers.

“Shhhhhh---quiet now.”
The Master smiles and shifts Ugo under his right arm.

Ugo, unable to so much as twist his head, sees the floor slide under him. He hears the familiar squeak of the oven door, feels a rush of warm air...

[alhoon]

Tears form at Ugo's eyes. His last moments will be his worst. At least, his decision to help that other Halfling didn't have any impact on his impeding doom. He would have "provided" the "last service" anyway when Master Runcible needed his flesh. None of his decisions had any impact on his imminent, painful, humiliating death. He would die as he spent his life: unnoticed, afraid and alone. What a terrible life of loneliness and servitude, what a terrible way to die, to feed an unholy monster.
For all his life, he was just an unwilling witness as the decisions for him were taken by the Masters for him. How to live, how to serve, how to die.

[VAN]

Hall

Filbert gets a deep breath, he hopes that Ugo has left the kitchen so Lord Runcible did't get him. But he has to be sure. Ugo freed him so he could help his companions."

"I'm going to try the window. Gunnar please try to get this door open as fast as you can. The other halfling's life might be in danger."

Filbert goes outside and tries to climb the window.

[Varrus the Ethical]

SEEKERS

"I'll take Second watch in that case," Roald says. "Wake me when your watch is over, Huntsman."

Roald throws his thick cloak and lays to rest next to the fire, sheathed sword clutched in his arms.