Post by The Stranger on Apr 30, 2008 10:40:14 GMT -5
Barris turned and watched for a moment. He heard the loosing of the crossbolts, and a soft grunt of pain. Stalking back through the trees, he peered through the shrubs at what was happening. He saw Beric Dayne unsheath his greatsword, the famous Dawn, and let out a war cry. "How did we all miss?" Barris thought, both amazed and angry. When the commander turned, he could barely make out three small lines sticking into his chest and stomach. Barris sighed, relieved. He knew that Dayne was a dead man; he had poisoned each of the crossbolts himself, precise and meticulous.
Barris wanted to turn, to head back to camp, ready the horses for their escape; but he could not bring himself to look away. His view was obstructed as some of his own men swung in front of him to complete the circle around the lone figure. The men moved in, deliberately, swords drawn. At least they obey me well, Barris noted. He felt no joy in killing a man in this manner; he had a feeling that had he been on the other side, he would have been screaming "cowards!". Pushing it out of his mind, he watched silently as a dozen men hacked their general to pieces. Barris turned and walked back to their small fire, preparing the horses. He saw no one around.
Ser Tyler followed less than a minute later, handing him Dawn. Another man carried a sack, with a large lump in it. It was Ser Beric Dayne's head.
"Take it back to Braavos and visit the Splendid Inn when you get there," Barris instructed them. "Be respectful to Prince Aellion as always. Do not let that head rot too much. Ride with all speed. Tell the Prince I will be there as soon as I can. Tell him you escaped but just barely, and I am still on the run, trying to reach Braavos." The men nodded. With a few good byes to their comrades, the three rode northwest towards Braavos.
Barris turned to the rest. "We will not be going to Braavos. That is where they will assume we are going, the trackers. That is, if anyone even comes after us. Better not to take any chances though. We will ride southwest to Tyrosh, another of the Free Cities. We will gain passage there. Come, let us ride." His men nodded, mounting up. A few smiled. They had never been to Tyrosh, and it would be quite the adventure. Too bad they would be shipping out the second they stepped foot in the city. Barris felt awkward with the greatsword, and finally slung it across his back.
When they reached Tyrosh, Barris instructed his nine men to visit the docks and pay thrice the regular price if a ship would sail within the hour. For himself, he visited a tavern, though not for his own personal enjoyment. He was carrying a long sack, perhaps full of some odd groceries. He scanned the crowd for a few moments and performed a few movements. He saw no reaction. Shrugging, he left. He walked into the second tavern. The common room was large and crowded, with ales being swallowed down every other second. The noise was loud and distracting. Barris took a place in the corner of the room and again performed a few movements. He sighed and left. Trying the third tavern, he felt slightly more confident. Its common room was also large, but much less crowded and noisy. The customers sat spread out, a few in the center, and one or two in each corner. Barris performed his "routine", which he actually changed up everytime, and left the tavern. A man had left just before him.
Turning into the street, the air was cold and dark. He saw no one. Heading back towards the docks, a man walked past him and grabbed the sack, deftly and calmly. The man continued to walk by, without looking in either direction. It took all of Barris's self restraint not to scream an alarm and chase after the man. He knew no thief would ever steal like that. As the man disappeared, he noticed his height and his garb; it was the man from the third tavern. Relieved to get that secret act out of the way, Barris quickly returned to the tavern and went into a wash room. Washing the dye out of his hair, he finally began to look himself again. He took out his fake tooth a let a gap be seen in his smile. He dabbed some powder on his face to appear more tan and dark, like the easterners, and he did not shave. His scar was under the powder, and he now had different colored hair and a missing tooth. He also changed his garb into Braavosi fashion after bartering with a bum on the street. Hurrying back to the docks, he saw Ser Tyler approach him.
"Ser!" Ser Tyler said. "Hurry, we are sailing this very moment. We had to pay the captain triple to agree, but at least we are on our way." Barris nodded. "Show me the way, Tyler."
Once on board, the captain gave Barris little more than a glance when he saw the money they were shoveling over. They sailed out to sea and Barris sat with his men, silent. Finally, he said, "Where are we sailing by the way? I have forgotten to ask."
Ser Tyler looked at him and grinned, as did the others, when he said the ship's destination. Barris smiled, too.
Results:
Espionage improves to expert (double improved).
Disguise improves to noteworthy.
Barris wanted to turn, to head back to camp, ready the horses for their escape; but he could not bring himself to look away. His view was obstructed as some of his own men swung in front of him to complete the circle around the lone figure. The men moved in, deliberately, swords drawn. At least they obey me well, Barris noted. He felt no joy in killing a man in this manner; he had a feeling that had he been on the other side, he would have been screaming "cowards!". Pushing it out of his mind, he watched silently as a dozen men hacked their general to pieces. Barris turned and walked back to their small fire, preparing the horses. He saw no one around.
Ser Tyler followed less than a minute later, handing him Dawn. Another man carried a sack, with a large lump in it. It was Ser Beric Dayne's head.
"Take it back to Braavos and visit the Splendid Inn when you get there," Barris instructed them. "Be respectful to Prince Aellion as always. Do not let that head rot too much. Ride with all speed. Tell the Prince I will be there as soon as I can. Tell him you escaped but just barely, and I am still on the run, trying to reach Braavos." The men nodded. With a few good byes to their comrades, the three rode northwest towards Braavos.
Barris turned to the rest. "We will not be going to Braavos. That is where they will assume we are going, the trackers. That is, if anyone even comes after us. Better not to take any chances though. We will ride southwest to Tyrosh, another of the Free Cities. We will gain passage there. Come, let us ride." His men nodded, mounting up. A few smiled. They had never been to Tyrosh, and it would be quite the adventure. Too bad they would be shipping out the second they stepped foot in the city. Barris felt awkward with the greatsword, and finally slung it across his back.
When they reached Tyrosh, Barris instructed his nine men to visit the docks and pay thrice the regular price if a ship would sail within the hour. For himself, he visited a tavern, though not for his own personal enjoyment. He was carrying a long sack, perhaps full of some odd groceries. He scanned the crowd for a few moments and performed a few movements. He saw no reaction. Shrugging, he left. He walked into the second tavern. The common room was large and crowded, with ales being swallowed down every other second. The noise was loud and distracting. Barris took a place in the corner of the room and again performed a few movements. He sighed and left. Trying the third tavern, he felt slightly more confident. Its common room was also large, but much less crowded and noisy. The customers sat spread out, a few in the center, and one or two in each corner. Barris performed his "routine", which he actually changed up everytime, and left the tavern. A man had left just before him.
Turning into the street, the air was cold and dark. He saw no one. Heading back towards the docks, a man walked past him and grabbed the sack, deftly and calmly. The man continued to walk by, without looking in either direction. It took all of Barris's self restraint not to scream an alarm and chase after the man. He knew no thief would ever steal like that. As the man disappeared, he noticed his height and his garb; it was the man from the third tavern. Relieved to get that secret act out of the way, Barris quickly returned to the tavern and went into a wash room. Washing the dye out of his hair, he finally began to look himself again. He took out his fake tooth a let a gap be seen in his smile. He dabbed some powder on his face to appear more tan and dark, like the easterners, and he did not shave. His scar was under the powder, and he now had different colored hair and a missing tooth. He also changed his garb into Braavosi fashion after bartering with a bum on the street. Hurrying back to the docks, he saw Ser Tyler approach him.
"Ser!" Ser Tyler said. "Hurry, we are sailing this very moment. We had to pay the captain triple to agree, but at least we are on our way." Barris nodded. "Show me the way, Tyler."
Once on board, the captain gave Barris little more than a glance when he saw the money they were shoveling over. They sailed out to sea and Barris sat with his men, silent. Finally, he said, "Where are we sailing by the way? I have forgotten to ask."
Ser Tyler looked at him and grinned, as did the others, when he said the ship's destination. Barris smiled, too.
Results:
Espionage improves to expert (double improved).
Disguise improves to noteworthy.