Post by The Stranger on Apr 25, 2008 10:39:41 GMT -5
Barris, shadowed by eleven men, left the free city of Pentos in the midst of night. They had been in town for only six hours; enough time to eat, treat the horses, wash up, ask some questions and get some answers, use a whore or two, and then get back on the road. Such had been life for the traveling dozen for the past month, always in pursuit of Ser Beric Dayne.
They had left Braavos and struck east, passing through small town after small town, each more different than their own Westerosi culture than the last. Finally, they had arrived in Pentos, only to find the Sword of the Morning and his now sixty men with him left the city not two weeks prior. By now Barris knew they would not be returning to Braavos quickly, unless he killed Dayne immediately when he found him, which was probably not going to happen. Instead he had a hunch that they themselves would be joining this so called sellsword company.
Along the way to Norvos, Barris went over and over with his men on their new identities. They were broken men from Irwyn’s army in the Dornish war, seeking work and gold. He had thought it was a good idea, considering that they did not have to worry about their reach accent being detected now, as it would be expected. For himself Barris took the name of Ser Farren Flowers. Most of his own men kept their same names, but Barris was careful to make sure they knew their background.
Upon entering the city, Barris told his men to lead the horses to the stables and seek out temporary residence. “Do not go horsin’ around,” Barris warned. “I may need you upon the shortest notice.” Barris himself asked a few townspeople some questions, before feeling certain that The Falling Star was indeed the place he needed to be visiting. He traveled, undisguised, but with a heavy cloak on, hood pulled close over his face, shadowing his features.
There were a group of men, all strong and crude looking, but at the bar Barris spotted Ser Beric. Slithering his way too him, Barris subtly whispered something in his ear before turning and taking a seat in the corner. He did not look back to see if Beric followed, but was a little relieved when he saw that he had. Sliding into the booth, Barris produced a blank piece of parchment, and then a pen and ink from nowhere. "You know who I am and what I do. No words. Just write. Tell me what you are doing, why, and what your plans are. No lies."
The two had traded notes for no longer than ten minutes, but Barris had heard enough to make his decision. The Crown had been merciful to give this man an opportunity to win a pardon by killing that bitch Tristeza Blackwood or the half-mad Aellion, but he had really had the nerve to throw it all the way to go galloping across the east, forming some kind of ragtag sellsword company. And on top of all this, the man still expected to be rewarded by the Crown. I left Janos in charge, Beric had told him. Oh, that’s just great, Barris thought. We now have the famous Janos in charge of assassinating the two most threatening enemies to Rickon’s rule. Brilliant.
Rising to leave, Barris shook the knight’s hand and then, head down, shuffled out of the common room, still dressed in his plain clothing. He went to seek out his men, where he would inform them that they were now part of a sellsword company. Nobody had seen them yet, so Barris did not have to disguise them, although he did go over their background stories one last time. After being satisfied with their knowledge, Barris changed clothing, shaved his beard, revealing a long scar that had invisible before. “This will definitely throw them off,” Barris thought approvingly. That scar was completetly hidden by the beard he usually wore. After all this, Barris rubbed some dye into his hair to change it from the usual reddish-auburn color to a deep black. Looking at himself in the mirror, he hardly recognized himself, and his men also voiced their surprise. Despite shaving, his new look made him seem ten years older, with the dark hair and jagged scar.
The next morning, the dozen rose, heading to The Falling Star to join a sellsword company.
Results:
Barris improves to apprentice disguise.
Barris improves to expert (improved) espionage.
They had left Braavos and struck east, passing through small town after small town, each more different than their own Westerosi culture than the last. Finally, they had arrived in Pentos, only to find the Sword of the Morning and his now sixty men with him left the city not two weeks prior. By now Barris knew they would not be returning to Braavos quickly, unless he killed Dayne immediately when he found him, which was probably not going to happen. Instead he had a hunch that they themselves would be joining this so called sellsword company.
Along the way to Norvos, Barris went over and over with his men on their new identities. They were broken men from Irwyn’s army in the Dornish war, seeking work and gold. He had thought it was a good idea, considering that they did not have to worry about their reach accent being detected now, as it would be expected. For himself Barris took the name of Ser Farren Flowers. Most of his own men kept their same names, but Barris was careful to make sure they knew their background.
Upon entering the city, Barris told his men to lead the horses to the stables and seek out temporary residence. “Do not go horsin’ around,” Barris warned. “I may need you upon the shortest notice.” Barris himself asked a few townspeople some questions, before feeling certain that The Falling Star was indeed the place he needed to be visiting. He traveled, undisguised, but with a heavy cloak on, hood pulled close over his face, shadowing his features.
There were a group of men, all strong and crude looking, but at the bar Barris spotted Ser Beric. Slithering his way too him, Barris subtly whispered something in his ear before turning and taking a seat in the corner. He did not look back to see if Beric followed, but was a little relieved when he saw that he had. Sliding into the booth, Barris produced a blank piece of parchment, and then a pen and ink from nowhere. "You know who I am and what I do. No words. Just write. Tell me what you are doing, why, and what your plans are. No lies."
The two had traded notes for no longer than ten minutes, but Barris had heard enough to make his decision. The Crown had been merciful to give this man an opportunity to win a pardon by killing that bitch Tristeza Blackwood or the half-mad Aellion, but he had really had the nerve to throw it all the way to go galloping across the east, forming some kind of ragtag sellsword company. And on top of all this, the man still expected to be rewarded by the Crown. I left Janos in charge, Beric had told him. Oh, that’s just great, Barris thought. We now have the famous Janos in charge of assassinating the two most threatening enemies to Rickon’s rule. Brilliant.
Rising to leave, Barris shook the knight’s hand and then, head down, shuffled out of the common room, still dressed in his plain clothing. He went to seek out his men, where he would inform them that they were now part of a sellsword company. Nobody had seen them yet, so Barris did not have to disguise them, although he did go over their background stories one last time. After being satisfied with their knowledge, Barris changed clothing, shaved his beard, revealing a long scar that had invisible before. “This will definitely throw them off,” Barris thought approvingly. That scar was completetly hidden by the beard he usually wore. After all this, Barris rubbed some dye into his hair to change it from the usual reddish-auburn color to a deep black. Looking at himself in the mirror, he hardly recognized himself, and his men also voiced their surprise. Despite shaving, his new look made him seem ten years older, with the dark hair and jagged scar.
The next morning, the dozen rose, heading to The Falling Star to join a sellsword company.
Results:
Barris improves to apprentice disguise.
Barris improves to expert (improved) espionage.