Post by The Stranger on Apr 23, 2008 11:40:52 GMT -5
"Thirty-four." Gaharr said, looking at the list of men they had hired over the last two weeks.
"Is that all? Damn." Beric had hoped a large city as Pentos would have more to offer. He would
stay for longer but they would have to leave on the morrow if they ever hoped to return to Braavos.
"Send messages to the men. Tell them to meet at dawn tomorrow by the hill right outside the gates."
Gaharr nodded and went off to order the men that had joined with Zarztahn to deliver the messages.
Beric cradled Dawn's hilt. The ornate carving on it had attracted more than one greedy look from
the men that had come to join. From now on he would not leave the sword out of his site. At night
he would share watches with Gaharr and Zandros. One of them would always be awake and keep their
eyes on the sword... and watch for any trouble. With this rabble there would always likely be
some disputes, but Beric trusted his leadership. None of the men seemed like brutes, so Beric was
glad about that.
As Beric strode out of the Green Salamander, a man approached him. "You... hire men?" the man said
simply. Beric nodded. "Indeed I do. Would you like to join us?" "Yes." The man took a crossbow off
his shoulder and held it up. "Good with this. Want to see?" Smiling, Beric nodded. The man grinned
and led the way to a small park. He pointed at an apple hanging from a tree, drew his crossbow and
shot the bolt right into the apple, causing it to explode. "You have great skill. I myself handle
a crossbow quite well. I haven't had the chance to practice with it of late, so how would you like
to give me some advice on how to handle it as well as you?" The man grinned even more and nodded.
He handed his crossbow to Beric and watched him reload. As Beric aimed the man put his hand on the
weapon. "Left hand, not there. Hold further down." He said, indicating the area he meant. "More
solid grip. Now, set higher in shoulder." Beric did he the man told him, then aimed for the tree
and shot. The bolt hit the trunk and Beric reloaded. "Aim for trunk? No good. Only challenge make
better." The man told him. He walked over to the tree and pointed at one of the larger apples.
"Aim for this." He said, stepping aside. Beric nodded and aimed, remembering what advice the man
had all ready given him. He shot, his bolt flying a yard wide of the apple. The man clapped once.
"Good... not perfect. Again." Beric reloaded and fired again. He missed and it went on like that
until five shots later, when he finally hit the apple.
Grinning, the man walked back to him. "You good, but not as good as Rynth." he said, tapping
his own chest. "Well, Rynth, welcome to the company. We haven't got a name at the moment, but I
will think of one soon. Now, we ride for Norvos tomorrow, so meet us at dawn on the hill outside
of the city gates." The man named Rynth nodded, took his crossbow and wandered off.
As Beric returned to the tavern, Gaharr was waiting there for him. "So, looks like you've found
us an archer." He said. "Yes, and a very good one at that. I trust a man who prefers the crossbow
to the bow." Gaharr chuckled as he and Beric went inside.
As they sat down by a table, a mug of ale in Gaharr's hand and a cup of wine in Beric, the Lord
of Starfall grimaced. "I just hope we'll be able to find as many, or more men in Norvos. Otherwise
this whole trip would be futile."
Beric advances to Expert with the Crossbow
"Is that all? Damn." Beric had hoped a large city as Pentos would have more to offer. He would
stay for longer but they would have to leave on the morrow if they ever hoped to return to Braavos.
"Send messages to the men. Tell them to meet at dawn tomorrow by the hill right outside the gates."
Gaharr nodded and went off to order the men that had joined with Zarztahn to deliver the messages.
Beric cradled Dawn's hilt. The ornate carving on it had attracted more than one greedy look from
the men that had come to join. From now on he would not leave the sword out of his site. At night
he would share watches with Gaharr and Zandros. One of them would always be awake and keep their
eyes on the sword... and watch for any trouble. With this rabble there would always likely be
some disputes, but Beric trusted his leadership. None of the men seemed like brutes, so Beric was
glad about that.
As Beric strode out of the Green Salamander, a man approached him. "You... hire men?" the man said
simply. Beric nodded. "Indeed I do. Would you like to join us?" "Yes." The man took a crossbow off
his shoulder and held it up. "Good with this. Want to see?" Smiling, Beric nodded. The man grinned
and led the way to a small park. He pointed at an apple hanging from a tree, drew his crossbow and
shot the bolt right into the apple, causing it to explode. "You have great skill. I myself handle
a crossbow quite well. I haven't had the chance to practice with it of late, so how would you like
to give me some advice on how to handle it as well as you?" The man grinned even more and nodded.
He handed his crossbow to Beric and watched him reload. As Beric aimed the man put his hand on the
weapon. "Left hand, not there. Hold further down." He said, indicating the area he meant. "More
solid grip. Now, set higher in shoulder." Beric did he the man told him, then aimed for the tree
and shot. The bolt hit the trunk and Beric reloaded. "Aim for trunk? No good. Only challenge make
better." The man told him. He walked over to the tree and pointed at one of the larger apples.
"Aim for this." He said, stepping aside. Beric nodded and aimed, remembering what advice the man
had all ready given him. He shot, his bolt flying a yard wide of the apple. The man clapped once.
"Good... not perfect. Again." Beric reloaded and fired again. He missed and it went on like that
until five shots later, when he finally hit the apple.
Grinning, the man walked back to him. "You good, but not as good as Rynth." he said, tapping
his own chest. "Well, Rynth, welcome to the company. We haven't got a name at the moment, but I
will think of one soon. Now, we ride for Norvos tomorrow, so meet us at dawn on the hill outside
of the city gates." The man named Rynth nodded, took his crossbow and wandered off.
As Beric returned to the tavern, Gaharr was waiting there for him. "So, looks like you've found
us an archer." He said. "Yes, and a very good one at that. I trust a man who prefers the crossbow
to the bow." Gaharr chuckled as he and Beric went inside.
As they sat down by a table, a mug of ale in Gaharr's hand and a cup of wine in Beric, the Lord
of Starfall grimaced. "I just hope we'll be able to find as many, or more men in Norvos. Otherwise
this whole trip would be futile."
Beric advances to Expert with the Crossbow