Birthright: The Worm's Supper, Chapter Three

[ewancummins]

...

[ewancummins]

Domenica

While she waits for Filbert to make a decision about this afternoon's investigations, Domenica has time to go over reports from her factor. The man has scrawled notes next to some of the business entries, about goings on in the duchy and beyond that might affect various operations.

From these side notes and from the main body of dry import/ export details, she learns:

Firewood sells well now. No big surprise there.

So does coal, which she can buy from Ghonallison province. Even better stuff can be imported from further north, but the trade routes through the Stonecrowns look dicey. The factor has added "hungry ogres!"

The factor has added a note about a northern barony, Dhoesone. " Duke's coz. Fhiele, Baroness, dead, autumn, snakebites. New ruler, Elamien. Biz effects unknown."

Uptick in ice crates going by flatboat to the Free City of Endier

Uptick in meat orders to Lofton, even three day beef and other low end stuff

wheat and beer prices up around Haes
Factor has noted" reports of spoilage in countryside and city, workers dancing instead of milling and brewing"

[VAN]

Filbert notices that Dominica has other papers to read and probably others business to attend so he takes a cup of tea and a buscuit thanking both Dominica and Gimp.

"Sounds like a plan, we will go there and see what we can find out. Just give me a moment to write the letter and I will let you handle your other business. Only thing please tell you man to give the letter only to Sergeant Gilly and wait till he reads it because he might want to write me back."

Then Filbert gets the pen, the ink and the paper and writes a letter, not a formal one since he isn't that experienced in ettiquete but he gets to all the important details. He doesn't mention at the letter that he is part of the gang in case someone else read the letter.

To Sergeant Gilly, second in command of the Watch.

Sergeant, I'm lord Filbert close friend and ambassador of His Grace Duke Devlin. You may also remember me from the attack to Haes, I was with Captain Ghonallison and he vouched for you as trusted second in command. I would like to inform you that many members of the Watch, I don't know their names, get paid by someone to not doing their jobs and actually help gangs. I know for sure that in the inn The Three Penny there is a thief's guild and its leader Terem was behind the riots of last night and the poisoning. He is a pawn himself, takes orders from someone else and without second thoughts do what he orders. That man has ordered Terem to use his gang to create a fuss, provoke people in Tuornen against Alamies and beat, steal etc the Alamiens the gang would find last night. The gang members wore hoods so their faces were covered. I don't know what you can do about all that Sergeant, but I think you should know that Watch isn't as you may think it is and maybe you cannot trust them as you did. Maybe you can arrest Terem and his gang but I don't know if he will tell you who is his boss. Another idea is watch Terem closely and maybe he will lead you to him. I leave that to tou. If you want to contact me please don't do it directly, better send a message with the man that fetch you this letter.

Thank you and I do hope you get the boss soon, I will trying to do the same thing. We will keep in touch.

Lord Filbert

[Adam]

Cormac scratches at his beard. "Well if dwarfs made this place, i feel a damn sight better abou' it not fallin' on top of our heads," he mutters.

He points at the mine-devil nearest him. "You there," he says in elven, "The dwarves still aroun'? Or did yer lot kill 'em off." He points at the runes to emphasize who he's talking about.

The mine devil squirms. Something that looks like wet lime falls from between its scrawny legs.
''Not us! The big ones! BIG!"

He holds his hands up in a placating gesture. "Alrigh', alrigh', don' have a fit," he says. Then, feeling a chill settle into his guts. "Wait, what big ones? You mean the elves?"

[ewancummins]

Cormac scratches at his beard. "Well if dwarfs made this place, i feel a damn sight better abou' it not fallin' on top of our heads," he mutters.

He points at the mine-devil nearest him. "You there," he says in elven, "The dwarves still aroun'? Or did yer lot kill 'em off." He points at the runes to emphasize who he's talking about.

The mine devil squirms. Something that looks like wet lime falls from between its scrawny legs.
''Not us! The big ones! BIG!"

He holds his hands up in a placating gesture. "Alrigh', alrigh', don' have a fit," he says. Then, feeling a chill settle into his guts. "Wait, what big ones? You mean the elves?"

CORMAC



"Not elves." The mine-devil perks up its ears. It sniffs the air. Its eyes go wide, pupils dilating to thumb size.

Tramp.

Tramp.

Tramp.
Heavy footfalls echo from one of the near tunnels. Marching.

The little monster crawls into The nearest crevice. Peering out at Cormac, it whispers,
" Too late. They are coming."

.....

THE OTHERS

The others, standing further away, might not hear the footfalls Cormac hears, but they do notice that the mine- Devils seem more jittery than ever. The ones oiling the carts work at fever pitch. The others scrabble about the base of the vertical shaft, trying to climb up, or else investigate any small clefts in the rock walls that could lead into little tunnels and hidey-holes.

[ewancummins]

Domenica

Information gathering


Spending the midday visiting Watch officers. Flirting with them, dropping off little gifts, and eavesdropping on conversations, she learns that some Watchmen at the River Gate are now under suspicion of taking bribes to allow the hooded mummers to pass the gatehouse and assemble in Riverside, when they may have known a riot would follow.

The slow response of the Watch that night might not have been entirely due to corruption. There was also a disturbance near the West Gate. Several men went on a drunken rampage, screaming obscenities and ripping the clothes from their bodies. The drunks danced in the street and attacked anyone who tried to stop them, biting and snarling like mad dogs. Not only that, but a noblewoman and her maid servants, staying in the south side of the city ahead of the upcoming wedding, reported a burglary. Being as this woman is someone important, the Watch turned out in force.
They corralled the drunk madmen, but they did not catch the burglar. They did get a description of the housebreaker: a paunchy man with a sooty beard and a big sack thrown over his back. He climbed down a large chimney and stole all the toys from the rooms of the noblewoman 's daughter.
The Watch officers confirm that this is actually not the first such toy robbery. But heretofore it has only been the families of merchants who complained, not somebody really important.

[ewancummins]

Later in the Day,
Riverside Hostel and Ordinary House

(The inn and tavern that serves Riverside, where Safana and Termelan has visited a few times now)

Filbert and Domenica, their earlier intelligence gathering efforts completed at least for now, enter the only inn and tavern in Riverside. There had been another place, just a shack that sold sour beer and out a leaky roof over travellers' heads at penny rates, but it was flattened in the riot.

This place would hardly compete inside the walls, even with a flophouse like the Three Penny or a brawler's pit like the Gorgon's Crown. But out here in the wooden labyrinth and icy mud lanes of Riverside, a building with four walls, a roof that does not leak, and a fireplace that puts out as much heat as smoke counts as good quality.
That alone might not explain why the hostel has drawn such a large crowd today.

A man seated close to the fireplace, surrounded by others of both sexes and all ages, begins singing. And he's good! It's a love song that neither Filbert nor Domenica have heard before. The crowd listens without chatter, and when he finishes, it rewards him with loud applause.
If the people noticed the man's voice growing hoarse near the finish, it seems not to have dampened their enthusiasm for his singing.

[Adam]

Cormc's eyes go wide at the tramping of the feet, and he readies his longbow and slides behind some cover, pointing an arrow at the approaching sound. He hisses a warning to the others to make ready.

[ewancummins]

The Searchers

Cormc's eyes go wide at the tramping of the feet, and he readies his longbow and slides behind some cover, pointing an arrow at the approaching sound. He hisses a warning to the others to make ready.

Nevil draws his long dirk and seeks cover behind a minecart.

Half the minedevils scurry into the ruined building.
The rest climb up into the carts and ducked down out of sight.

Seeing the scaly little dog men react in this way, Sir Boarhort, Reese, Sevett, and Gatt all seek cover behind the row of mine carts.

[steveflam]

Later in the Day,
Riverside Hostel and Ordinary House

(The inn and tavern that serves Riverside, where Safana and Termelan has visited a few times now)

Filbert and Domenica, their earlier intelligence gathering efforts completed at least for now, enter the only inn and tavern in Riverside. There had been another place, just a shack that sold sour beer and out a leaky roof over travellers' heads at penny rates, but it was flattened in the riot.

This place would hardly compete inside the walls, even with a flophouse like the Three Penny or a brawler's pit like the Gorgon's Crown. But out here in the wooden labyrinth and icy mud lanes of Riverside, a building with four walls, a roof that does not leak, and a fireplace that puts out as much heat as smoke counts as good quality.
That alone might not explain why the hostel has drawn such a large crowd today.

A man seated close to the fireplace, surrounded by others of both sexes and all ages, begins singing. And he's good! It's a love song that neither Filbert nor Domenica have heard before. The crowd listens without chatter, and when he finishes, it rewards him with loud applause.
If the people noticed the man's voice growing hoarse near the finish, it seems not to have dampened their enthusiasm for his singing.

Domenica finds herself enjoying the song and once the man is done singing, waves over a serving wench. She addresses the girl in a nice friendly tone. A singing man always knows and has heard things, is her thinking. A good source of information if any. Coins might loosen his memory as well.

"Good afternoon. A hot beverage for myself and whatever my friend here wants. Please, make an offer of an ale to that nice singing man over there and invote him to our table,"

Several coins find themselves in the girls hands even as Domenica is done speaking.

[Varrus the Ethical]

Searchers

Roald follows Reese and Sir Boarhort behind the cart. He readies his bow and knocks an arrow.

[ewancummins]

Later in the Day,
Riverside Hostel and Ordinary House

(The inn and tavern that serves Riverside, where Safana and Termelan has visited a few times now)

Filbert and Domenica, their earlier intelligence gathering efforts completed at least for now, enter the only inn and tavern in Riverside. There had been another place, just a shack that sold sour beer and out a leaky roof over travellers' heads at penny rates, but it was flattened in the riot.

This place would hardly compete inside the walls, even with a flophouse like the Three Penny or a brawler's pit like the Gorgon's Crown. But out here in the wooden labyrinth and icy mud lanes of Riverside, a building with four walls, a roof that does not leak, and a fireplace that puts out as much heat as smoke counts as good quality.
That alone might not explain why the hostel has drawn such a large crowd today.

A man seated close to the fireplace, surrounded by others of both sexes and all ages, begins singing. And he's good! It's a love song that neither Filbert nor Domenica have heard before. The crowd listens without chatter, and when he finishes, it rewards him with loud applause.
If the people noticed the man's voice growing hoarse near the finish, it seems not to have dampened their enthusiasm for his singing.

Domenica finds herself enjoying the song and once the man is done singing, waves over a serving wench. She addresses the girl in a nice friendly tone. A singing man always knows and has heard things, is her thinking. A good source of information if any. Coins might loosen his memory as well.

"Good afternoon. A hot beverage for myself and whatever my friend here wants. Please, make an offer of an ale to that nice singing man over there and invote him to our table,"

Several coins find themselves in the girls hands even as Domenica is done speaking.

The girl approaches the minstrel (TERMELAN) and says to him, "Master Singer, the lady just arrived," she indicates a woman seated near the entrance, " wishes to buy you an ale and invites you to join her at her table."


While all that is going on, four burly men with unkempt beards and travel stained clothes come out of the back section, where the rented rooms may be found.
They all wear knives or hatchets at their belts.
They salute two other rough looking fellows who sit at the bar. The pair at the bar wave them over. The men drink some soup and gobble loaves of bread. One of them gives a sack to a thin old woman in the crowd. He says something to her, but it is not audible at a distance.

[steveflam]

Filbert, Termelan and Domenica[accompanied by Gimp]

Termelan sees a woman who appears to be in her mid twenties. Black hair, blue eyes and what appears to be a scar running down her left cheek. She is taller than 5 and a half feet and looks to be in good shape. Attired in a Dark winter cloak and boots. Beneath the cloak it seems like she is wearing a tight, black leather bodysuit if for no better word for it. As she is seated, no weapons are apparent on her person. Next to her sits a young man who can not have seen more than twenty summers. He sports a winter cloak as well. As with her, it looks like he sports the same type of bodysuit. It is hard to discern if he is armed as well. The young man has black hair, is neatly groomed, has green eyes. His eyes seem to never stray far from the woman. His hands reside under the
table.

[alhoon]

Termelan, Domenica, Filbert

Termelan is a man of average height, wavy blond hair and a cheerful and approachable demeanor. His pretty facial features and skin complexion mark him as a foreigner. At the time he is dressed in a minstrel's shirt, pants, coat all colored of vibrant hues of red, greed and orange and accompanied by a heavy and also vibrantly colored cloak. Being informed about the woman and her companion, flashes them a big smile.
He shakes hands with a few of the audience, seemingly uncaring if they are local, Alamiens, dirty or not and makes his way to the table he was called. He takes his time it seems as he offers a witty comment here, a hello there as he crosses the tavern. He doesn't seem to mingle, talk or care about the rough fellows.

Reaching the table, he makes an elaborate bow flourishing his impossibly colored showman's attire.
"Good afternoon madam, good afternoon sir!" he greets the two people as he pulls a chair. "Thank you for buying a thirsty minstrel a round. I am Termelan. A Singer, a storyteller and a traveler from far, far away lands."
He takes a seat and sits easily, relaxed. He orders some warm soup and a beer for himself.
"Would you like to listen a specific song? Would you be more interested in a tale? I am afraid that as a recent arrival in this beautiful city I haven't picked up many of the local songs."

[kintire]

Safana wanders the town listening for rumours, and assessing the people. She cannot shake her surprise at the size of the riot last night: a brazen attack indeed. She glances around the streets as if seeking inspiration from the buildings themselves.

After no very great time, however, the cold begins to pierce her cloak, and she wends her way down to the riverside tavern to seek something warm, and something wet!