Birthright 3: The Worm's Supper , Chapter 2

[ewancummins]

FILBERT

Filbert, the back room of Three Penny

"That's too bad indeed. But you said the Watch gets a cut? Why? Does Terem have any men there to help you out in case something goes wrong? Anyway bigger job means bigger cut for all. I would try something big if I were you especially if Terem has friends in the Watch."

"Friends? Ha. You obviously have a lot to learn about how thievery works in Haes, since the war. We used to pay bribes out of hand, on the spot. Sometimes we'd run into an honest man and he'd refuse. Now there is an outfit within the watch that collects a tax on us. Not officially. But fail to pay and you'll catch a beating. If you do something stupid, you are liable to end up dead.they aren't Terem's friends. He just pretends to not fear them. He stills pays up. "

[ewancummins]

ATLI'S OFFICE

"So, who would do this? I mean it is only brewers after all. Ale in itself is not something that could really affect the Duke, for his wedding or even to attack him."

She rubs the bridge of her nose, sighing inwardly. This really didn't appear like something that was an attempt on the Duke's life. Nice to check things out, but this
appeared to be a dead end.


"Atli, It appears that this might be just that, someone trying to ruin the ale trade. I am looking for more than that, an attempt on his grace's life itself or a culprit trying to ruin the ducal wedding."

"As you say, it could only be somebody sabotaging brew. Or an accident."
He shrugs.
"If you want to find out who is after the Duke's life, or even just trying to foul up his wedding day, maybe you should pose as someone who has a grudge against him? You know, complain some about the hard time his minions have been giving you, cozy up to some of the nobles who have something to gain from him dying or his wedding failing, and who are of suspect loyalties. Didn't he banish you once? You are out of favor at court still, right? I bet you could turn that to your advantage."

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

SEARCHERS

Bleeding from minor wounds, with more red than that on his blades, Renn spots an elf holding a flare. He grins and spits on the snow, relieved to see no blood in the sputum, then he heads toward the flare-elf, intent on cutting him down and whoever else gets in his way.

[steveflam]

ATLI'S OFFICE

"So, who would do this? I mean it is only brewers after all. Ale in itself is not something that could really affect the Duke, for his wedding or even to attack him."

She rubs the bridge of her nose, sighing inwardly. This really didn't appear like something that was an attempt on the Duke's life. Nice to check things out, but this
appeared to be a dead end.


"Atli, It appears that this might be just that, someone trying to ruin the ale trade. I am looking for more than that, an attempt on his grace's life itself or a culprit trying to ruin the ducal wedding."

"As you say, it could only be somebody sabotaging brew. Or an accident."
He shrugs.
"If you want to find out who is after the Duke's life, or even just trying to foul up his wedding day, maybe you should pose as someone who has a grudge against him? You know, complain some about the hard time his minions have been giving you, cozy up to some of the nobles who have something to gain from him dying or his wedding failing, and who are of suspect loyalties. Didn't he banish you once? You are out of favor at court still, right? I bet you could turn that to your advantage."

"I'm actually banished so I do not want to risk getting kicked out yet again. Once is enough, thanks!"


She laughs heartedly before adding.

"I think best way is still to gather information at these expensive Inns. Can you keep an ear out as well? I will pay for any information."

[ewancummins]

ATLI'S OFFICE

"So, who would do this? I mean it is only brewers after all. Ale in itself is not something that could really affect the Duke, for his wedding or even to attack him."

She rubs the bridge of her nose, sighing inwardly. This really didn't appear like something that was an attempt on the Duke's life. Nice to check things out, but this
appeared to be a dead end.


"Atli, It appears that this might be just that, someone trying to ruin the ale trade. I am looking for more than that, an attempt on his grace's life itself or a culprit trying to ruin the ducal wedding."

"As you say, it could only be somebody sabotaging brew. Or an accident."
He shrugs.
"If you want to find out who is after the Duke's life, or even just trying to foul up his wedding day, maybe you should pose as someone who has a grudge against him? You know, complain some about the hard time his minions have been giving you, cozy up to some of the nobles who have something to gain from him dying or his wedding failing, and who are of suspect loyalties. Didn't he banish you once? You are out of favor at court still, right? I bet you could turn that to your advantage."

"I'm actually banished so I do not want to risk getting kicked out yet again. Once is enough, thanks!"


She laughs heartedly before adding.

"I think best way is still to gather information at these expensive Inns. Can you keep an ear out as well? I will pay for any information."

''I'll listen, and have my workers listen, and I'll keep an account for you."
Atli lifts his right hand and taps his forefinger against the side of his head.
"Up here."

[steveflam]

"Fantastic, as always. Now let me know the cost of the other requests and I shall collect from Filbert the amount you are due. I am paynig for Vollmar's new equipment. If there is nothing else, I shall
take my leave.

[ewancummins]

"Fantastic, as always. Now let me know the cost of the other requests and I shall collect from Filbert the amount you are due. I am paynig for Vollmar's new equipment. If there is nothing else, I shall
take my leave.

''I'll find out about the armor. Each job is different, and the maker is very private. But the price will be fair--he owes me.''

Atli calls for his attendants.
Before any of the workers arrives, he tells Dominica, ''Oh, a fellow dwarf runs a grog shop in town. Keeps a bear, has one leg. Look him up. But don't get him in any trouble. He's one of my people. You understand.''

[steveflam]

"Fantastic, as always. Now let me know the cost of the other requests and I shall collect from Filbert the amount you are due. I am paynig for Vollmar's new equipment. If there is nothing else, I shall
take my leave.

''I'll find out about the armor. Each job is different, and the maker is very private. But the price will be fair--he owes me.''

Atli calls for his attendants.
Before any of the workers arrives, he tells Dominica, ''Oh, a fellow dwarf runs a grog shop in town. Keeps a bear, has one leg. Look him up. But don't get him in any trouble. He's one of my people. You understand.''

"I would never endanger a friend of yours Atli, no matter the race or creed. I will look him up. What is his name?"

[RocEter]

Cormac stands panting over the dead elves, looking to the bard and the wounded men.

"If ye' can fight, follow me," he points towards the sounds of combat, "If not, hunker down here so we can find ye when we're leaving."

Without another word, he grimly hefts his hatchet and stalks towards the sound of combat, murder in his eyes.

"I will remain behind with the injured!" The Bard shouts after Cormac as he disappears into the snow.

She helps moves the most serious of the injured, probably Reece, to safer and easier to manage to location.

[ewancummins]

SEARCHERS

Bleeding from minor wounds, with more red than that on his blades, Renn spots an elf holding a flare. He grins and spits on the snow, relieved to see no blood in the sputum, then he heads toward the flare-elf, intent on cutting him down and whoever else gets in his way.

THE PASS



Renn, fighting the wind with every step, pushes his way to the fire-bearer. The elf spots him and lashes out with his burning torch. Swinging his broadsword down, Renn chops the elf's hand off at the wrist.

He grabs the torch as its sputters in the snow, leaving the maimed elf to vanish into the drifts.

Renn turns aid Roald, and finds Sir Boarhort standing over an elf, stamping the fairy warrior's face into pink paste.

Roald has broken free of the grapplers, and now sits up, tearing his sword out of a mass of tangled cloth.

The last elf reels away from the bastard nobleman, staggering, struggling to keep on his feet in the high wind.
He makes it just a few feet before a figure in leather rears up behind him and knocks him down. It's Cormac! The druid chops the elf in the shoulder and neck, spraying blood all over himself and the depending snow drifts near him.


The storm wind grows so loud the men can hardly hear one another unless the stand close and shout.
Roald leans in Renn's ear and screams something about; “shelter” and “dead.”
As the light chokes off under thick walls of flying snowflakes, Renn sees Roald rolling a dead elf like a log...



AFTER THE STORM

"I will remain behind with the injured!" The Bard shouts after Cormac as he disappears into the snow.

She helps moves the most serious of the injured, probably Reece, to safer and easier to manage to location.

The Bard of the Sielwode took shelter with the injured members of the party, huddled in a thick clump of pine trees. All three of them had to hug close or freeze, even with windbreak that the trees provide.

The blizzard lasts for what could be anywhere from ten minutes to an hour; in the extreme cold and darkness, with the wind screaming above all other sounds, time becomes difficult to track.

When the wind dies off at last, night covers the mountains. The wind has blown away the clouds that usually hover even at this altitude in the Seamists, leaving the naked heavens glittering with hundreds of stars. Only the barest slice of the moon shows, but between moon and stars, the Bard can see just fine.

The Bard searches for her lost companions, but finds only dead elves, frozen in the snow and bearing the marks of sword and axe.

And then one of the dead elves rises. A groan comes from the frosted corpse, but its blue lips do not move, remaining fixed in a grimace.


A hand thrusts out from under the elf corpse. the dead enemy rolls sideways and Renn crawls up, shivering.
Raold and Boarholt rise, too, like revenants conjured by necromancy.

The Bard has just enough time to recover from the grisly yet happy surprise and greet her comrades when she spots two figures lurking not far away, in the lee of a tumulus. The pair have something else with them; a couple of mules and at least two horses

Moving away from the broken storm shelter constructed of dead elves and packed snow, the party creeps towards the figures with the animals.

The Bard's superior night vision allows her to recognize a face at a distance where her companions are left guessing whether they approach elves, men, or something else.
It's Sevett, one of Renn's followers.

....

Assuming the PCs join the NPCs with the animals, read on. That means all of you.

VIEW CONTENT:

All reunited( except for Roald's missing warhorse and Reese's pony, which no one has been able to locate yet) the little party has barely exchanged greetings when elf horns scream in the pass.

Looking out towards the saddle of the pass where the horns sounds, the Bard and her companions see as many as three score tall, white cloaked figures go stalking the open ground with spears. They figures stop where bodies lie in the snow, kneel down, and then rise to move on, searching still...

Gatt indicates a black hole in a big mass of tumbled stone, not far away.
He whispers-
"Cave."

[ewancummins]

ATLI'S OFFICE

Cormac stands panting over the dead elves, looking to the bard and the wounded men.

"If ye' can fight, follow me," he points towards the sounds of combat, "If not, hunker down here so we can find ye when we're leaving."

Without another word, he grimly hefts his hatchet and stalks towards the sound of combat, murder in his eyes.

"I will remain behind with the injured!" The Bard shouts after Cormac as he disappears into the snow.

She helps moves the most serious of the injured, probably Reece, to safer and easier to manage to location.

''His name is Torthur. Look for him at the Gorgon's Crown."'

[steveflam]

ATLI'S OFFICE

Cormac stands panting over the dead elves, looking to the bard and the wounded men.

"If ye' can fight, follow me," he points towards the sounds of combat, "If not, hunker down here so we can find ye when we're leaving."

Without another word, he grimly hefts his hatchet and stalks towards the sound of combat, murder in his eyes.

"I will remain behind with the injured!" The Bard shouts after Cormac as he disappears into the snow.

She helps moves the most serious of the injured, probably Reece, to safer and easier to manage to location.

''His name is Torthur. Look for him at the Gorgon's Crown."'

"Very well. I bid you a good day and we shall keep in touch."

Turning to the Gimp and Vollmar who has come back in "Let us depart. Gimp, We head for the Gorgon's Crown. Vollmar, you return to your duties. Your cousin will take care of your new
accoutrement shortly."

She moves to the door which Gimp is already holding open for her "Always a pleasure, Atli. Looking forward to hearing from you in regards to my requests."


Exitting the building, she looks at Vollmar. "I will see you later. Go rest if you wish or start work. I will see you later."


The dwarf leaves and Domenica and Gimp head for the Gorgon's Crown.

[VAN]

Filbert

"An outlaw that gets paid to cover, he should be a high rank officer I presume so he can have access to many documents, locations etc. I bet he is a wealthy man by now if any gang pays him. Anyway, any idea when Terem will be back? Otherwise I can return later."

[Adam]

Cormac begins hustling to the cave. "Maybe this wasn't such a great idea, after all," he mutters.

[Varrus the Ethical]

Searchers

"I think we gave far worse than we got." Road follows Cormac, trying to ignore the aches from all the blows his armor stopped, but did not completely absorb. "And thank you, by the way, for helping Reese. I feared the worst when I saw him fall."