Birthright: Chapter Seven

[ewancummins]

Talienire 4th
GHONALLISON

Duke Devlin’s archers reach the outskirts of Fox Run the next day, where they link up with a large band of Count Robin’s men-at-arms. The Count’s men report a night attack by the goblins and wolves on the manor where their lord has set up a base, but no trouble since then.
After the scouts come back reporting no goblin activity in the seemingly abandoned town, the main Tuor force enters Fox Run. Despite the sunny, breezy weather, clammy gray mists cling to the corners of the buildings and roll along the streets thick enough to hide potholes. Scattered stores of loot and supplies hint at a sudden, hasty, disordered retreat from the town. Damage to buildings is not as bad as might be expected; few homes have been burned down, but many have been vandalized.
The Tuors find a couple of dozen goblins heaped in one big pile near the center of town; dead but without visible wounds.
The big goblin seated on top of the mound stares out into thin air, stone-dead, clutching a blood-red lily to its chest.


Taking reports from Count Robin, Duke Devlin learns that the infamous Baron of Sorelies has been taken prisoner by the new-made knight, Sir Ranald, with the help of Gunnar and Safana. He also learns the story of the Battle of the Broken Bell and the heroic deeds of Cormac and Foerde. Sir Ranald approches Duke Devlin with captured letters showing that Baron Lynwerd of Soerlies was working with the goblins and had carried pay to them on behalf of his master, Duke Carilon.

Captain Rennault may be surprised to see his younger sister at the manor-home.
His father, Count Robin, welcomes him warmly and tells him of how Sir Ranald, Gunnar, Safana and some woodsmen rescued Beatrix from Baron Lynwerd.


The Tuor force spends much of the next three days hunting the scattered goblins through woods and hills, searching for signs of the Alamien horsemen, burying the dead and aiding refugees.

Captain Renn and his scouts pick up the trail of the Alamiens and the remnants of the goblin force, which appear to have joined in a retreat. The foes are headed north, towards the Five Peaks.

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

GHONALLISON, FOX RUN

Renn sits hunched over a map of the territory north of here, pencil marks indicating the enemy's estimated size and their direction of travel.

"They're on the retreat," he tells Sevet and Gatt. "Good news, but I've no mind to let them make an escape. We have to head them off. Crush them before they can take the fighting into the Peaks. It's bad enough having to fight gobs in the mountain passes, but armed horsemen as well?" He shakes his head. "We could ill afford that festering wound."

He stands, his fingers twirling an ancient bronze arrowhead--a sort of good luck charm he often fidgets with when mulling over his plans. "And yet it could well be a trap. If we send too many after the routed force, then we are weakened against an attack from the east. Perhaps the best thing would be to let them flee, and bolster our defenses. Now that we know the gobs are in league with Alamie, we can't trust Carilon or his lackeys to hold to the Imperial Temple's request for peace."

"But those Black Tower Riders--they may be bloodied, but perhaps they are not routed. We hold their Baron, but they have a new leader, it seems. And they are still strong enough to pose a threat to our force, especially with their goblin allies."

He turns to a window and narrows his eyes at imagined foes in the distance. He presses his fingertip into the arrowhead's point, drawing a rivulet of blood. "And we cannot allow them to go free after what they've done. After the insult they gave my house's land and my smallfolk. And they can be no forgiveness for what they tried to do to Beatrix. If I had my way, I'd have every mother's son of them drawn and quartered, from old codger to beardless youth. But in absence of that, a little retribution may suffice."

Renn looked back at his two watchmen. "Send out the word--I'm looking for skilled raiders among our forces to strike out and harry the Black Towers. Tell Filbert, and see if you can find those freebooters who've been working with Ranald--especially Cormac, Gunnar, Safana, the one they call Foerde. They all sound like capable folk, if the rumors of their battles prove true."

[[OOC: I'm assuming that Devlin's main force has moved from Ranald's Manor to Fox Run. If I'm wrong I'll edit Renn's location to reflect that.]]

[Adam]

Cormac and Dietric land what aid they can in the rebuilding and restoring of Fox Run, lending the aid that they can to the smallfolk as they return to their homes. Still, things are beginning to bother him.

"Somethin' ain't right," he mutters to Dietric on the third day, taking a break. "Knights aidin' the goblins. Showin' up to this town an' findin' all the gobs dead when we get here. That attack on the manor house, an' now the goblins scurryin' on home without a word o' warnin'." He shakes his head. "Somethin' ain't right. Feels like they gave us what we wanted to our face while gettin' ready to stab us in the back."

He looks at the hired man. "I feel like we should go put together some men an' go after 'em. Make sure we drive 'em back into the mountains an' get back what slaves we can. You an' the lads think yer up fer it?"

[ewancummins]

CORMAC

Cormac and Dietric land what aid they can in the rebuilding and restoring of Fox Run, lending the aid that they can to the smallfolk as they return to their homes. Still, things are beginning to bother him.

"Somethin' ain't right," he mutters to Dietric on the third day, taking a break. "Knights aidin' the goblins. Showin' up to this town an' findin' all the gobs dead when we get here. That attack on the manor house, an' now the goblins scurryin' on home without a word o' warnin'." He shakes his head. "Somethin' ain't right. Feels like they gave us what we wanted to our face while gettin' ready to stab us in the back."

He looks at the hired man. "I feel like we should go put together some men an' go after 'em. Make sure we drive 'em back into the mountains an' get back what slaves we can. You an' the lads think yer up fer it?"

''Yeah, sure, we could do that."
Dietric scratches his neck.

"A man who works for Count Robin's son came by just a while ago, asking if we were interested in joining their little band on pretty much the same thing you just told me about--chasing the horsemen and goblins north, keeping track of what they are up to."

[Adam]

Cormac nods, scratching his beard. "Aye, that'll about do it. We could send a runner back to the abbey fer Ned and Hob to have them follow, an' get the people started movin' out from there back to their homes."

[ewancummins]

Cormac nods, scratching his beard. "Aye, that'll about do it. We could send a runner back to the abbey fer Ned and Hob to have them follow, an' get the people started movin' out from there back to their homes."

"Okay, I'll get to that, Boss."

[ewancummins]

HAES, MORNING BEFORE THE BOAT RAID, ATLI'S OFFICE


Atli offers some rock candy to Torthur, his guest.

"Fez? Well, it wasn't pretty, friend. You did the right thing bringing him to me. He couldn't pay me back, so he went into the river."





CUTSCENE

VIEW CONTENT:

THE RIVER, late last night



Fez paddles with what little strength he has left trying to keep his head above water. The iron manacles encumber his limbs, slowing every desperate stroke in the dark, cold water. His injuries make it difficult to swim, even without the added weight.

The lantern hanging near the stern of the boat to which the chains are fixed sways as someone leans back to watch Fez struggle.

The warm light reveals a pretty woman with a faint scare on one cheek and streaks of red showing through her black hair. Her blue eyes glitter like broken glass as she stares at the swimmer.

Coughing and sputtering, Fez cries out, "Please, Red, I'm sorry!"

Reaching down and cupping his chin, Dominica smiles at him.
“Not yet.”

Behind her right shoulder, Fez sees a bizarre figure in a black leather mask. The man, monster, or whatever the hell it is points at Fez and shakes with a muffled giggle…

[VAN]

Ghonallison, Fox Run

Filbert is at the kitchen watching the cook preparing the meal. The halfling has finished eating a light meal only couple hours ago but this doesn't seem to bother him. He walks impatiently around the kitchen, hands at his pockets, whistling as if nothing happens but his eyes are fixed at the pans where the food is put to cook.

When the man Renn sends to call him arrives and tells him that he is needed to the main room to talk with Renn Filbert lets out a small grin and exhaling heavily follows the man. Once at the room where Renn studies the maps the halfling bows and says:

"Here I am Captain, did you want to see me?"

[Lord Skybolt]

Gunnar is going about the duties of checking for the needed skirmishers and other things he thinks* needs to be done .








*Ewan You got my PM

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

"Yes, Filbert, come in." The captain flattens his map on the table and shows Filbert where the goblins and horsemen are moving, towards Five Peaks. "We can't let them get that far away from us. The Duke may decide to bring his full force to bear on that group, but I want to put together a force of skirmishers to move fast and harry their retreat. And if they give us the slightest opportunity, we'll turn their retreat into a rout."

"That's why I need a small force that can move quickly. You've proven yourself an able scout time and again. And if things take a turn, you're the one with the best chance of getting word back to the Duke. There are others I wish to recruit as well. Cormac and Foerde are rumored to have acquited themselves well at a battle with the gobs. And I owe Gunnar and Safana personal thanks for rescuing Beatrix. If we can recruit them and a few dozen or so stout-hearted skirmishers, I think we can hit them hard, and soon."

[Varrus the Ethical]

Haes, riverfront.

Roald breathes in the morning air, smelling the crisp freshness of early spring mix with the rot of dead fish and other river detritus. Looking across the Tuor to Lofton, Roald smiles as he makes out Duke Carlion's pleasure barge. Just a few more hours, and if thing went according to plan, that boat would be his.

[Adam]

Cormac nods. "Scribble down a letter to Foerde as well. He may be gettin' hungry to get out an' spill some blood, himself."

He turns and goes to seek out the captain organizing the raid on the goblins to sign up.

[ewancummins]

LOGGING CAMP NORTH OF FOX RUN WHERE FIGHTERS ARE BEING TRAINED

Gunnar is going about the duties of checking for the needed skirmishers and other things he thinks* needs to be done .
[/size]

The morning sun has grown warm enough the men sweat a little in their scavenged mail coats, even before Gunnar puts them through the first set of exercises.

Sir Ranald rides into camp mounted on a gray mare, attended by ten mounted thugs armed with black iron goblin-swords.

Upon seeing Gunnar, the knight rides over.

" Gunnar, I came to see how the training was going."
The ghost of a smile crosses his lips.
"And to discuss a business matter with you." Ranald pats the hilt of the war sword sticking up from the opposite side of his saddle.

[Lord Skybolt]

LOGGING CAMP NORTH OF FOX RUN WHERE FIGHTERS ARE BEING TRAINED

Gunnar is going about the duties of checking for the needed skirmishers and other things he thinks* needs to be done .
[/size]

The morning sun has grown warm enough the men sweat a little in their scavenged mail coats, even before Gunnar puts them through the first set of exercises.

Sir Ranald rides into camp mounted on a gray mare, attended by ten mounted thugs armed with black iron goblin-swords.

Upon seeing Gunnar, the knight rides over.

" Gunnar, I came to see how the training was going."
The ghost of a smile crosses his lips.
"And to discuss a business matter with you." Ranald pats the hilt of the war sword sticking up from the opposite side of his saddle.

"Yes, I was going to discussing such a business matter as well when I had chance, Sir"Gunnar replies with a smile .

[steveflam]

HAES, MORNING BEFORE THE BOAT RAID, ATLI'S OFFICE


Atli offers some rock candy to Torthur, his guest.

"Fez? Well, it wasn't pretty, friend. You did the right thing bringing him to me. He couldn't pay me back, so he went into the river."





CUTSCENE

VIEW CONTENT:

THE RIVER, late last night



Fez paddles with what little strength he has left trying to keep his head above water. The iron manacles encumber his limbs, slowing every desperate stroke in the dark, cold water. His injuries make it difficult to swim, even without the added weight.

The lantern hanging near the stern of the boat to which the chains are fixed sways as someone leans back to watch Fez struggle.

The warm light reveals a pretty woman with a faint scare on one cheek and streaks of red showing through her black hair. Her blue eyes glitter like broken glass as she stares at the swimmer.

Coughing and sputtering, Fez cries out, "Please, Red, I'm sorry!"

Reaching down and cupping his chin, Dominica smiles at him.
“Not yet.”

Behind her right shoulder, Fez sees a bizarre figure in a black leather mask. The man, monster, or whatever the hell it is points at Fez and shakes with a muffled giggle…

Torthur nods at Atli. "Thank yas fer that. Ya does know 'e done deserved worst. Looks like things be lookin on the up n up fer the Inn. Tha
gold I gived it gonna be a help fer it an me ale makin. An the funeral be rightly nice, by human standards. If ye be serious bout investin or helpin, I be mighty obliged. Ye'll git yer fair share o ale too, Atli. Jest wants ter thank ye afore I git goin"

He hands over a full wineskin. "That be me recent batch. Enjoy. See ya aroun." He nods and turns, exiting the shop. He heads for the Inn and Clyde.