Birthright Chapter Six

[kintire]

Safana looks extremely nervous at the news that strange creatures are inside the keep, and shows signs of trying to stay close to the most formidable availiable warrior. Soon, however, she needs to sleep to recover her arcane powers. She avoids her given room, and tries to find an obscure nook...

[ewancummins]

GUNNAR-

GUNNAR

After calling for his helper and taking time to don his full suit of plate armor, Gunnar steps out into the hall with his shield and an unlit torch slung over his back.

Ten or more servants and refugees rush past him, led by a boy who bears a blazing torch.

In the flash of torch-light, Gunnar gets a look at what's coming after these people; a great shaggy wolf with eyes that reflect the fire-glow.
The beast will be upon Gunnar in mere seconds if he does not turn and flee with the others or hide in his room.

Gunnar lets lose with several daggers at the approaching beast, ending with a dagger in his hand .

His first hurled blade wounds the creature.

The warg leaps at Gunnar and tries to bite his throat, but its teeth skid off his gorget.

Gunnar turns so that the beast's momentum carries it past him, and he coolly plants another dagger it its flank.

The warg howls, scrabbling for a moment at Gunnar’s closed door, and then falls limp on the ground.

Gunnar walks up to the big wolf and dispatches it with a brutal stamp of his armored boot, cracking its skull. Looking about, he sees that the hallway has grown dark now that the refugees with the burning torch have gone. Gunnar could light his own torch, or call for his helper to serve as a torch-bearer, or go on alone in the dark...

[ewancummins]

SAFANA

Safana looks extremely nervous at the news that strange creatures are inside the keep, and shows signs of trying to stay close to the most formidable availiable warrior. Soon, however, she needs to sleep to recover her arcane powers. She avoids her given room, and tries to find an obscure nook...

The armored men in the hall all seem solicitous of Safana's safety, but none is willing to leave his post.
"Count Robin ordered us to remain here and protect the wounded till he says otherwise."

In a small storage room just behind the great hall, Safana discovers an alcove stuffed with a blanket and pillows. Though a bit cramped, the space looks big enough to be a snug place for a child or a petite woman to curl up and rest. Feeling the bedding, she finds that it is still warm.

[ewancummins]

ATLI'S OFFICE

ATLI'S OFFICE

"My informants tell me that Fez is trying to get a boat for Lofton. He uses hired runners to move his messages. Word is he's hiding someplace in the Fish Market, on the city-side of the River Gate. He must be scared of being caught by the guards at the gate. I figure he'll try to move out at night, when the Men cannot see so well and may not recognize him."

"The Fish Market, you say? That oily little man must have relatives in the stalls." Roald cracks his knuckles. "Well Torthur, shall we head over to the Fish Market and give Fez his just deserts? We can get Clyde a fresh troute afterword, my treat."

Torthur nods. "Yeah, we kin do that. Fez ain gonner know whuts hit im. CLyde'll be mighty oblidged ye gettin im a fish too."

.

Atli reaches into a drawer, retrieves some pastel-hued rock candy, and crunches the sweet stuff between his teeth.

"Good luck."

[ewancummins]

CORMAC-

Cormac throws on his leather armor jack with a groan and picks up his bow. He then reaches into a pouch and pulls out a pair of red berries, popping them into his mouth and then reaching for his bow and arrows. Finally, he slings a drinking horn over one corner and turns towards the door.

"Are they inside the walls, lad?" he asks Dietric.

"Yes, they are. Dunno how many. I'm glad they haven't tried to burn us out. This place is a stout house, but it aint a proper castle-keep."

Dietric follows his boss.

"We headed for the thick of it? Or doing something sneaky?"

[kintire]

Safana looks around a little nervously, and approaches the nearest guard

"What is actually going on around here? Are we under attack?"

[ewancummins]

Safana looks around a little nervously, and approaches the nearest guard

"What is actually going on around here? Are we under attack?"

"Yes, we are. Goblins and wolves have come out of the forest and attacked the manor."



A muffled, distant horn blast sounds from someplace beyond the hall.


"Count Robin is leading the counterattack."

[kintire]

"Thankyou sir!"

Safana turns and heads out of the main building, heading for a tower or high point where she can see what is going on!

[ewancummins]

SAFANA UPSTAIRS

"Thankyou sir!"

Safana turns and heads out of the main building, heading for a tower or high point where she can see what is going on!

Climbing to a staircase, Safana finds a room on the upper floor with a view of three sides of the manor-home. Peering out the windows into the gloomy yard around the house, she sees blurry shapes of Men and monsters, running, fighting, falling back or charging forward. Here and there torches or lanterns flare in the night, revealing details of the larger battle; a dead man sprawled in the grass, a goblin thrusting a spear at a horse’s belly, black streaks as huge wolves surge from cover to cover.

[Adam]

"You ain't lyin', when you say it'd take not much more'n a stiff breeze to knock me over," Coramc growls, "So sneaky sounds like the smarter way to go. I think we'd best find Ranald an' Gunnar. The big man's not exactly long on charm, but I'll happily put 'im between me an' the enemy. Then maybe we head to someplace I can put these arrows to work an' start snipin' the little blighters."

[Varrus the Ethical]

OUTSIDE ATLI"S OFFICE

Standing outside Atlit's bank, Roald turns to Torthur. "If we're heading straight to the Fish Market, we should put on some disguises. I can affect a pretty good street thug." Roald appraises Torthur for a moment. "It probably wouldn't be too hard for me to disguise you as a drunken tramp."

[kintire]

Safana gives a gasp of dismay, and starts frantically looking around for a missile weapon she can use. If she finds none, she slips off her thin leather belt to reveal a pouch halfway down it, and, lifting some bullets from a small pouch begins slinging determindly at the goblins, trying to get an eye for the flow of the battle, and especially any goblin pushes that seem dangerous to the manor!

[ewancummins]

SAFANA-


Safana spots a couple of little goblins who appear to be lighting the manor-house on fire.

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

CROAKER NORGE

Renn looks at Fhylie and the Duke. "What is our strength? Two hundred odd bowmen, yes? What of the pikemen retreating from Hildon? Are any in fighting shape? What of Hotspur?"

[steveflam]

OUTSIDE ATLI"S OFFICE

Standing outside Atlit's bank, Roald turns to Torthur. "If we're heading straight to the Fish Market, we should put on some disguises. I can affect a pretty good street thug." Roald appraises Torthur for a moment. "It probably wouldn't be too hard for me to disguise you as a drunken tramp."

Torthur grins, belching in the process. "Aye. Alcohol be me friend. I've no quarry with lookin n actin like a drunk as ye awready seen. Clyde kin stay nearby but not with us, deal?"