Post by The Stranger on May 2, 2008 10:26:44 GMT -5
Barris arrived in Myr at dawn, the city not yet awake. However, by the time his belongings had been carried off of the boat, the docks had come alive with shouts and calls. He proceeded into the city, two hundred men at his back from the three ships he had sailed with from the Arbor so long ago. Some of the crew was told to bed up in the various inns of the city, while others were given permanent quarters in Barris' new sprawling manse.
The walls were strong and thick, with arrow slits lining them. That was not unusual, however, for a private home. They had to keep would be thieves and assassins out of their house in some way. After the belongings had been moved in, Barris rested up for the remainder of the day, before rising early after hearing the sound of blade on blade. Curious, he stalked through the halls, until he came to an open clearing that lay towards the north side of the manse. He found Ser Tyler Stynes, his right hand man since they had left the Arbor, training with one of Barris' younger recruits, Hyle Redd. He watched them for a few moments, silent and unintruding, until Ser Tyler knocked the young man on his ass. Barris moved forwards and helped Hyle to his feet. "Do not lunge so, Hyle," he said in a friendly tone. "Remember, balance is just as important or more important than strength and speed." The soldier nodded. "Of course, ser. I will do better next time, I have no doubt." Barris laughed. "At least you have none. You are dismissed, Hyle." The man nodded and exited the courtyard, vanishing into some shrubs.'
"Come, Ser Tyler, I have something I wish to speak to you of." The man nodded and followed him. Barris led them into his own personal chambers, and poured two glasses of wine. After they had spoke briefly for a few minutes over trivial matters, Barris looked at him in the eyes. "Where does your loyalty stand, ser?"
Ser Tyler, a little taken aback by the sudden question, said, "Well, uhh... that would be with you, ser." Barris kept his eyes fixed on Ser Tyler, his face hard. "Wrong answer. Where does your loyalty stand, ser?"
The knight cursed under his breath, and looked at him. "Ah, to hell with it," he said, drowning his wine. "I'll tell you where my loyalty is,ser. It is with King Rickon Baratheon, first of his name. With Lord Regent Benfry Smith and the Hand of the King, Roland Royce. With the good of the realm." Barris still remained unmoving, but finally relaxed into his chair. "Good."
"Of course," he continued, "if you are ever asked by anyone besides me, what would you say?"
Ser Tyler almost answered then thought better of it. He smiled. "That, ser, would depend on who was doing the asking." Barris let a grin fall onto his face this time. "Good."
Refilling their wine, Barris said, "I have not told you all that I do, ser, nor do I intend to. Some things are better left alone. However, I would like to introduce you to something new and intriguing, something real and useful, dangerous and cautious." He motioned for him to lean forwards, and he produced a small piece of parchment. On it was a key of some sorts, with different markings and encoded words.
The two spoke for just thirty minutes. Ser Tyler had few questions and Barris liked that. He had chosen him for that very reason; he was loyal, he was smart, he was skilled, he obeyed, he was composed, and he didn't like to talk alot. He could think of no better man to recruit into the system.
"Your first objective," Barris said, "is to go down to the docks. You will dress in your usual attire, keep your usual name. I had a falling out from my family, no one will suspect why you should be here. I want you to attempt to buy goods from several of the captains of the ships. I want you to talk to all of them; and then I want you to choose one. Just one." Barris sipped his wine. "He should not be the most honest of them or the most greedy. He should be a simple man-- one you like on first impression, and one you think who does not mind selling information for gold. When you have decided in your mind, return to me. That is all for now."
Barris waited in his manse, full of confidence. Several hours later Ser Tyler reappeared. "Ser," he said saluting. "I have done all that you ask. There is a man, a Ghiscari. He fits your description quite well. His name is Ghurzo. Fat and bald, but kind and amusing. He tried to sell me all different kinds of goods." Barris leaned back into his chair. "What was the name of the ship?"
"The Harpy's Chariot, ser," the knight replied. Barris nodded. "You are dismissed." He reclined in his chair some more before rising and undressing. He threw on some plainer clothes, with a hood. The air was dark outside. He moved stealthily through his manse and out the gates. The guards did not look at him strangely. Their captain was known to be a bit eccentric. They loved him all the same.
Barris walked slowly through the streets of Myr, attempting to not let his pouch of coins make any noise. He headed for the docks. Once there, he deliberately paced along the boats, looking at each ship. Finally, he walked up close enough to see the name of it: The Harpy's Chariot.
Two men were talking on deck, lounging and laughing. They had yet to notice Barris. No doubt much of the crew was in the city, throwing their money away at the taverns and whorehouses.
Barris approached the men, making a little noise on purpose so as not to alarm them. "Hello," he said, in Westerosi. "May I speak to your captain?" The men looked at each other in confusion and babbled something in their tongue. Thankfully, the captain appeared from somewhere. Barris recognized him from Ser Tyler's description. "Welcome to my ship," the man said in broken common tongue. "What can I do for you, hooded man?" His smile was easy and friendly, but his eyes seemed to stare at the pouch at Barris' side.
"Hello, Ghurzo," Barris said pleasantly. "Let's talk in the captain's quarters. It is a bit chilly out here, don't you think?" The captain gaped at him. He led him into the cabin. "How did you know my name?" he asked. Barris remained hooded. "It is of no matter." He took out the pouch and spilled the coins onto a table. "How often do you dock in Myr?" he asked.
Ghurzo thought about it, hardly able to keep his mind off the money. "Two or three times a year," he said, before staring at the money and saying, "Could be more, though!"
Barris laughed. "No, that will do. You sail as far east as Asshai, correct?" The man nodded. "Good. If you bring back information each time you dock here, you will be handsomely rewarded. Rumors, facts, it does not matter. Just as much information and events as you can truthfully remember. Do not make them up either, for you are not the only one on the job. We will know if you do."
Ghurzo looked at him. "Who are you?" Barris shook his head. "That does not matter, either. I want you to live your life being a merchant as you have before. The only difference is, you will report to a man every three or four months. That is all. Tell no one. Dragons, marriages, assassinations, sailor stories, it does not matter. Just report it. I am just a messenger, a lowly servant. I will report to my master in the city afterwards."
Barris turned to leave. "I look forwards to seeing you again, Ghurzo. The man smiled. "As do I, servant." He played with the coins. "I am going to Asshai, Astapor, and Quarth not too long from now. I will be back to tell you, I mean, talk with you." Barris nodded. "That is well. Good bye for now." He left the coins and traveled back to his manse, still hooded and shadowed.
Results:
Barris improves from expert (twice improved) espionage to master espionage.
Barris improves from beginner to novice leadership.
Barris begins to recruit and build up a circle of informers.
Ser Tyler Stynes is inducted into the network.
The walls were strong and thick, with arrow slits lining them. That was not unusual, however, for a private home. They had to keep would be thieves and assassins out of their house in some way. After the belongings had been moved in, Barris rested up for the remainder of the day, before rising early after hearing the sound of blade on blade. Curious, he stalked through the halls, until he came to an open clearing that lay towards the north side of the manse. He found Ser Tyler Stynes, his right hand man since they had left the Arbor, training with one of Barris' younger recruits, Hyle Redd. He watched them for a few moments, silent and unintruding, until Ser Tyler knocked the young man on his ass. Barris moved forwards and helped Hyle to his feet. "Do not lunge so, Hyle," he said in a friendly tone. "Remember, balance is just as important or more important than strength and speed." The soldier nodded. "Of course, ser. I will do better next time, I have no doubt." Barris laughed. "At least you have none. You are dismissed, Hyle." The man nodded and exited the courtyard, vanishing into some shrubs.'
"Come, Ser Tyler, I have something I wish to speak to you of." The man nodded and followed him. Barris led them into his own personal chambers, and poured two glasses of wine. After they had spoke briefly for a few minutes over trivial matters, Barris looked at him in the eyes. "Where does your loyalty stand, ser?"
Ser Tyler, a little taken aback by the sudden question, said, "Well, uhh... that would be with you, ser." Barris kept his eyes fixed on Ser Tyler, his face hard. "Wrong answer. Where does your loyalty stand, ser?"
The knight cursed under his breath, and looked at him. "Ah, to hell with it," he said, drowning his wine. "I'll tell you where my loyalty is,ser. It is with King Rickon Baratheon, first of his name. With Lord Regent Benfry Smith and the Hand of the King, Roland Royce. With the good of the realm." Barris still remained unmoving, but finally relaxed into his chair. "Good."
"Of course," he continued, "if you are ever asked by anyone besides me, what would you say?"
Ser Tyler almost answered then thought better of it. He smiled. "That, ser, would depend on who was doing the asking." Barris let a grin fall onto his face this time. "Good."
Refilling their wine, Barris said, "I have not told you all that I do, ser, nor do I intend to. Some things are better left alone. However, I would like to introduce you to something new and intriguing, something real and useful, dangerous and cautious." He motioned for him to lean forwards, and he produced a small piece of parchment. On it was a key of some sorts, with different markings and encoded words.
The two spoke for just thirty minutes. Ser Tyler had few questions and Barris liked that. He had chosen him for that very reason; he was loyal, he was smart, he was skilled, he obeyed, he was composed, and he didn't like to talk alot. He could think of no better man to recruit into the system.
"Your first objective," Barris said, "is to go down to the docks. You will dress in your usual attire, keep your usual name. I had a falling out from my family, no one will suspect why you should be here. I want you to attempt to buy goods from several of the captains of the ships. I want you to talk to all of them; and then I want you to choose one. Just one." Barris sipped his wine. "He should not be the most honest of them or the most greedy. He should be a simple man-- one you like on first impression, and one you think who does not mind selling information for gold. When you have decided in your mind, return to me. That is all for now."
Barris waited in his manse, full of confidence. Several hours later Ser Tyler reappeared. "Ser," he said saluting. "I have done all that you ask. There is a man, a Ghiscari. He fits your description quite well. His name is Ghurzo. Fat and bald, but kind and amusing. He tried to sell me all different kinds of goods." Barris leaned back into his chair. "What was the name of the ship?"
"The Harpy's Chariot, ser," the knight replied. Barris nodded. "You are dismissed." He reclined in his chair some more before rising and undressing. He threw on some plainer clothes, with a hood. The air was dark outside. He moved stealthily through his manse and out the gates. The guards did not look at him strangely. Their captain was known to be a bit eccentric. They loved him all the same.
Barris walked slowly through the streets of Myr, attempting to not let his pouch of coins make any noise. He headed for the docks. Once there, he deliberately paced along the boats, looking at each ship. Finally, he walked up close enough to see the name of it: The Harpy's Chariot.
Two men were talking on deck, lounging and laughing. They had yet to notice Barris. No doubt much of the crew was in the city, throwing their money away at the taverns and whorehouses.
Barris approached the men, making a little noise on purpose so as not to alarm them. "Hello," he said, in Westerosi. "May I speak to your captain?" The men looked at each other in confusion and babbled something in their tongue. Thankfully, the captain appeared from somewhere. Barris recognized him from Ser Tyler's description. "Welcome to my ship," the man said in broken common tongue. "What can I do for you, hooded man?" His smile was easy and friendly, but his eyes seemed to stare at the pouch at Barris' side.
"Hello, Ghurzo," Barris said pleasantly. "Let's talk in the captain's quarters. It is a bit chilly out here, don't you think?" The captain gaped at him. He led him into the cabin. "How did you know my name?" he asked. Barris remained hooded. "It is of no matter." He took out the pouch and spilled the coins onto a table. "How often do you dock in Myr?" he asked.
Ghurzo thought about it, hardly able to keep his mind off the money. "Two or three times a year," he said, before staring at the money and saying, "Could be more, though!"
Barris laughed. "No, that will do. You sail as far east as Asshai, correct?" The man nodded. "Good. If you bring back information each time you dock here, you will be handsomely rewarded. Rumors, facts, it does not matter. Just as much information and events as you can truthfully remember. Do not make them up either, for you are not the only one on the job. We will know if you do."
Ghurzo looked at him. "Who are you?" Barris shook his head. "That does not matter, either. I want you to live your life being a merchant as you have before. The only difference is, you will report to a man every three or four months. That is all. Tell no one. Dragons, marriages, assassinations, sailor stories, it does not matter. Just report it. I am just a messenger, a lowly servant. I will report to my master in the city afterwards."
Barris turned to leave. "I look forwards to seeing you again, Ghurzo. The man smiled. "As do I, servant." He played with the coins. "I am going to Asshai, Astapor, and Quarth not too long from now. I will be back to tell you, I mean, talk with you." Barris nodded. "That is well. Good bye for now." He left the coins and traveled back to his manse, still hooded and shadowed.
Results:
Barris improves from expert (twice improved) espionage to master espionage.
Barris improves from beginner to novice leadership.
Barris begins to recruit and build up a circle of informers.
Ser Tyler Stynes is inducted into the network.