Birthright: Chapter Seven

[Varrus the Ethical]

HAES, RIVERSIDE WHARF


...

Atli finishes his inspection of the pleasure barge.

The dwarf tells Roald,

''It looks like Duke Carilon's lackeys moved many of the smaller valuables off the boat, but those big painted panels, silk hangings, wine casks, and dry goods-- we could auction all that and raise a goodly sum of gold."

Roald stokes his beard in thought. "I like goodly sums of gold. How about we hold the auction aboard the barge? It should be large enough, it is a floating palace after all. I'm sure there are more than a few well-to-do Tuornen who'd want a piece of Carlion's toy. We can split the gold as agreed afterwards."

[ewancummins]

HAES, RIVERSIDE WHARF


...

Atli finishes his inspection of the pleasure barge.

The dwarf tells Roald,

''It looks like Duke Carilon's lackeys moved many of the smaller valuables off the boat, but those big painted panels, silk hangings, wine casks, and dry goods-- we could auction all that and raise a goodly sum of gold."

Roald stokes his beard in thought. "I like goodly sums of gold. How about we hold the auction aboard the barge? I's should be large enough, it is a floating palace, after all. I'm sure there are more than a few well-to-do Tuornen who'd want a piece of Carlion's toy. We can split the gold a agreed afterwards."

''Yes!''

Atli's golden eyes glitter as he laughs.

The dwarf trundles off to make arrangements...

[VAN]

LORD FILBERT

"Eh?"

Henryk takes a closer look at his passenger.

"Oh! You're one of those Halflings."

The old man urges his horses on and the wagon starts to roll forward.

"Now, you were asking about Emperors and Dukes and such. Well, we haven't had an Emperor in a long time. Must have been...ahhh...."


The pretty golden-haired maiden, riding alongside the wagon, interjects-
"About five hundred years, Goodman Henryk."

The driver nods.
"Right she is, five hundred years. But we have had an Archduke, well, always. And we always will. Gods be good, our lord will make himself the new Emperor and end all this tangle of lords fighting each other."

"I see, well you said that everything was better when there was an Emperor that's why I asked. I just hope Duke Devlin to be as good ruler as his father was. He sure has all the potential."

[ewancummins]

LORD FILBERT

"Eh?"

Henryk takes a closer look at his passenger.

"Oh! You're one of those Halflings."

The old man urges his horses on and the wagon starts to roll forward.

"Now, you were asking about Emperors and Dukes and such. Well, we haven't had an Emperor in a long time. Must have been...ahhh...."


The pretty golden-haired maiden, riding alongside the wagon, interjects-
"About five hundred years, Goodman Henryk."

The driver nods.
"Right she is, five hundred years. But we have had an Archduke, well, always. And we always will. Gods be good, our lord will make himself the new Emperor and end all this tangle of lords fighting each other."

"I see, well you said that everything was better when there was an Emperor that's why I asked. I just hope Duke Devlin to be as good ruler as his father was. He sure has all the potential."

''Duke Who?"

Henryk shakes his head.

"You talk like an Easterner. You must mean some Eastern lord, back of the mountains. Arch-duke Aeric of House Boeruine rules these lands."

[VAN]

LORD FILBERT

"I'm sorry I didn't express myself well, I know you have an Archduke at these lands, its the reason I'm here. I was talking about the Duke of East, Duke Devlin Flaertes, he is new and I was trying to understand what changes or good decisions His Grace Archduke Aeric got for you so I could refer them to my Duke so can take as an example. I'm sorry for the confusion."

[JMaytr]

Duke of Tuornen, Devlin Flaertes

Based on what the scouts have found, the Tuor force could reach the enemy camp in less than three hours, using a shortcut through the hills known to Renn. Going any faster might flag or lame some or many of the horses, weakening the heavy cavalry’s power to move and strike.

Devlin stands upon hearing the report.

"Count Robin, prepare the knights, we ride at once!"

Devlin instructs other guards and men-at-arms to prepare the troops for the march north. He dons his armor and straps on his blades.

[ewancummins]

LORD FILBERT

"I'm sorry I didn't express myself well, I know you have an Archduke at these lands, its the reason I'm here. I was talking about the Duke of East, Duke Devlin Flaertes, he is new and I was trying to understand what changes or good decisions His Grace Archduke Aeric got for you so I could refer them to my Duke so can take as an example. I'm sorry for the confusion."

''Oh, what, Tuornen? Ah, sorry my friend. "


Old Henryk drives on. After a bit, he says,
"Our Archduke is a great lord, the greatest in all Anuire! He protects the people in this realm, nobles and commoners too.. He even helps protect your land of Tuornen from the Manslayer’s pointy eared bandits, isn’t that right?”

The woman rider slows her steed’s gait, dropping back a bit to ride beside the wagon near Filbert.
“Excuse me, Good Sir, but did I hear you correctly—you are a messenger from the Duke of Tuornen?’

[ewancummins]

Duke of Tuornen, Devlin Flaertes

Based on what the scouts have found, the Tuor force could reach the enemy camp in less than three hours, using a shortcut through the hills known to Renn. Going any faster might flag or lame some or many of the horses, weakening the heavy cavalry’s power to move and strike.

Devlin stands upon hearing the report.

"Count Robin, prepare the knights, we ride at once!"

Devlin instructs other guards and men-at-arms to prepare the troops for the march north. He dons his armor and straps on his blades.

The whole camp quickens with movement and noise. Soon the horse lines are forming up...

[ewancummins]

FOERDE

FOERDE

LATER IN THE MORNING

Riding with the Grandmaster, Foerde spots a man (or maybe a big goblin...) crouched under a bent tree on a windy hilltop about a bowshot to the south.
The figure might be watching Foerde's people. Whoever the stranger is, he vanishes down the back of the hill a moment after Foerde spots him.

Foerde raises a closed fist signaling the spears and the rest of the party to halt. "We've been spotted, it could of been a man or big goblin." He says Fhylie while pointing out the hill where he saw the figure.

He scans the hilltops and surrounding area for other possible dangers as well as safer routes..

Moving south with caution, about ten minutes later Foerde notices another figure watching from a nearby hilltop--this figure sits atop a horse. Whoever the rider is, he promptly rides off south-by-southeast, across a low plain covered by second growth evergreen forest.
The trees swallow him up before Foerde can ride closer to attempt to identify any markings.

[VAN]

LORD FILBERT

''Oh, what, Tuornen? Ah, sorry my friend. "

Old Henryk drives on. After a bit, he says,
"Our Archduke is a great lord, the greatest in all Anuire! He protects the people in this realm, nobles and commoners too.. He even helps protect your land of Tuornen from the Manslayer’s pointy eared bandits, isn’t that right?”

The woman rider slows her steed’s gait, dropping back a bit to ride beside the wagon near Filbert.
“Excuse me, Good Sir, but did I hear you correctly—you are a messenger from the Duke of Tuornen?’

Filbert nods at old Henryk's words.

"Indeed is very important for a leader to protect his realm, all of them not only the nobles. And yes he does help us as well, people of Tuornen are grateful to have such a powerful and wise ally.

At woman's words Filbert nods again and says proudly:

"Indeed I'm a messanger. His Grace Duke Flaertes send me to talk to Archduke Aeric, that's where I'm heading to Seaharrow."

[Adam]

LUMBER CAMP

Cormac nods, a savage gleam in his eyes at hearing the Duke's words.

"About time."

[RocEter]

FOERDE

FOERDE

LATER IN THE MORNING

Riding with the Grandmaster, Foerde spots a man (or maybe a big goblin...) crouched under a bent tree on a windy hilltop about a bowshot to the south.
The figure might be watching Foerde's people. Whoever the stranger is, he vanishes down the back of the hill a moment after Foerde spots him.

Foerde raises a closed fist signaling the spears and the rest of the party to halt. "We've been spotted, it could of been a man or big goblin." He says Fhylie while pointing out the hill where he saw the figure.

He scans the hilltops and surrounding area for other possible dangers as well as safer routes..

Moving south with caution, about ten minutes later Foerde notices another figure watching from a nearby hilltop--this figure sits atop a horse. Whoever the rider is, he promptly rides off south-by-southeast, across a low plain covered by second growth evergreen forest.
The trees swallow him up before Foerde can ride closer to attempt to identify any markings.

Foerde rides back to Fhylie. "I saw another, this a time a rider on horse back. Do you want me to try and track him or shall we press on?"

[kintire]

Safana looks excited at the preparations, picking up her kit and preparing to move. She looks around for orders, politely waiting near Important Looking People... Sir Ranald, if she can find him!

[ewancummins]

Safana looks excited at the preparations, picking up her kit and preparing to move. She looks around for orders, politely waiting near Important Looking People... Sir Ranald, if she can find him!

Sir Ranald tells Safana,
"Stick close to me. I will be with Captain Renn, Cormac, and the other scouts and skirmishers. We'll do more good there. And if you seem to be in too much danger, my men can get you to safety."

[ewancummins]

LATER, EARLY AFTERNOON

THE BATTLE, PART ONE, SCOUTS AND PICKETS


Renn leads a force of scouts, including Cormac, into the eastern, uppermost, rim of the long vale, where scraggly timber provides some cover and concealment. The Tuor force, small and mobile, wends through the trees and brush, all the while keeping sharp watch for Alamiens of goblins.

After a minute or so, the scouts begin to hear soft, rusting noises in the foliage, and the scrape of dirt and pebbles sliding under feet not their own—but not far away.
Renn spots a little goblin crouching in the bushes just a few yards ahead of him. He creeps up behind it and stabs it in the back with his broadsword. The goblin jerks upright, utters a strangled cry, and dies impaled on bloody steel.

While Renn tugs his sword free of the slain foe, a second goblin, heretofore unseen by any of the Tuor scouts, bursts from cover and stabs the captain in the chest with a barbed spear. Renn is knocked back into a tree, but little hurt. The broken spear point lies on the ground near his feet.

One of Sir Ranald’s men steps forward with his bow lifted, aiming an arrow at the fleeing goblin, but misses in his haste. Cormac shoots, too, but his arrow flies wide of the mark.
The goblin leaps through a gap in the trees—only to fall stunned, grazed across the head by Cormac’s second arrow.

The scouts and skirmishers move into position.

Sir Ranald escorts Safana within view of the sprawling enemy camp that fills much of the long, low vale west of the little patch of woods.

Anyone looking into the camp from the trees sees lines of horses, armored men, packs of wargs, goblin soldiers marching about. All over the camp, men or goblins pack up tents and load wagons with supplies or loot.
…