Post by The Smith on May 15, 2008 1:04:12 GMT -5
The night cloaked them as they stalked through the alleyways of Lord Harroway’s Town. To one born and raised in King’s Landing, Harroway’s seemed laughably small, a toy of a town. But it was one of the largest trading centers in the Riverlands, and anywhere commerce flourished so did whispers. Marei paused as she came upon the building that was their target, a tavern where they would meet a local merchant. And a spy. Horas’ spy, once. And perhaps he would be once again, if their meeting went well.
She and Torrhen had been to many such meetings over the last few months. Other agents were doing the same, she knew, but Marei prided herself on the fact that her lord sent her after the most valuable of his former spies, and the ones he anticipated would be the most difficult to convert. It was a delicate process. They would track down the agents and meet with them. Then they would have to be convinced to switch sides in some manner or another. They would be pumped for information on Flea’s network, then given new contacts, ciphers, and passwords. Some would have to die; that was simply unavoidable.
---------------------------------------------------
Marei entered the establishment, Torrhen shadowing her silently. It was empty save for two men. One was the bartender, futiley wiping mugs with a greasy rag. The second was their contact; Jonothor Fairall, merchant and spy. Marei slid smoothly into a chair across the table from the man. Torrhen did not sit, his hooded eyes taking in everything about the tavern.
“You are the one who wanted to talk about… re-establishing the old guard, so to speak?” Jonothor’s eyes’ flicker constantly across the table. A nervous man.
“Indeed,” Marei said smoothly, “I believe we can make it worth your while, Master Fairall.” She reached into her cloak and withdrew a small pouch, heavy with coin. The first temptation. “Your current master is but a boy.” Marei smiles, and there is something predatory about the grin. “And I assure you, he will not be around much longer.”
“A boy… perhaps,” Jonothor licked his lips nervously. “But a boy who pays well. And a boy who is not in disfavor with… the powers above.” The merchant-spy’s eyes flickered upwards, and it is unclear whether he is talking about the king or the gods.
Torrhen flexed his right hand idly. Marei raised a single, fine eyebrow. “Our lord rewards those who serve him well. But he does not look as favorably on those who betray him.”
Fairall shook his head slowly. “Be that as it may… the Crow does not rule in these lands any longer. Most think him dead. Some say he does not have the reach to punish anyone any longer.”
From the corner of his eye, Torrhen noticed the barkeep set down his dirty cup and reach slowly under the bar. Without hesitation, Keath grabbed an axe from his hip and threw it sidearm at the man. The man’s eyes widened for a second, and then the axe embedded itself in his skull. As he fell backwards, his fingers tightened on the hidden crossbow, sending the bolt thrumming into the ceiling.
Fairall fell backwards in horror. “Now!” he screamed, but before he could utter more Marei had vaulted over the table and embedded her knife in his neck. Seconds later, more men poured into the room from the kitchens, rushing to block off the exits.
Marei cursed her foolishness. She had walked straight into a trap, and not even a particularly clever one. She dashed towards the nearest window, knives out. She rolled past one assailant who moved to block her path, then leapt to her feet and stabbed her weapon into the next man in her way. She chanced a glance back and saw that Torrhen, incredibly, did not seem to be trying to escape, only to hold his ground. His great axe flashed and limbs flew, severed from their former owners. Two opponents already lay dead at his feet, and another two were backing off warily. She was so distracted that she nearly forgot about the first thug she dodged, and barely moved out of the way in time to avoid his second strike. Hissing her frustration, she retaliated, only to be blocked by the man’s sword. The two fought back and forth for nearly a minute before the man slipped on a patch of his companion’s blood and Swiftwaters lunged in for the kill.
Keath was wiping the blood off of his axe on a dead man’s cloak when she finished.
“The watch will be here soon,” Marei said breathlessly, “We should depart.”
Torrhen merely smiled queerly and nodded, then walked out the door.
Results:
- Horas is able to establish a small number of his initial spies, who establish a small but cohesive network in the Riverlands.
- Marei Swiftwaters gains noteworthy dagger
- Marei Swiftwaters gains master intrigue
- Torrhen Keath improves once again in master axe
- Torrhen Keath gains master throwing axe
She and Torrhen had been to many such meetings over the last few months. Other agents were doing the same, she knew, but Marei prided herself on the fact that her lord sent her after the most valuable of his former spies, and the ones he anticipated would be the most difficult to convert. It was a delicate process. They would track down the agents and meet with them. Then they would have to be convinced to switch sides in some manner or another. They would be pumped for information on Flea’s network, then given new contacts, ciphers, and passwords. Some would have to die; that was simply unavoidable.
---------------------------------------------------
Marei entered the establishment, Torrhen shadowing her silently. It was empty save for two men. One was the bartender, futiley wiping mugs with a greasy rag. The second was their contact; Jonothor Fairall, merchant and spy. Marei slid smoothly into a chair across the table from the man. Torrhen did not sit, his hooded eyes taking in everything about the tavern.
“You are the one who wanted to talk about… re-establishing the old guard, so to speak?” Jonothor’s eyes’ flicker constantly across the table. A nervous man.
“Indeed,” Marei said smoothly, “I believe we can make it worth your while, Master Fairall.” She reached into her cloak and withdrew a small pouch, heavy with coin. The first temptation. “Your current master is but a boy.” Marei smiles, and there is something predatory about the grin. “And I assure you, he will not be around much longer.”
“A boy… perhaps,” Jonothor licked his lips nervously. “But a boy who pays well. And a boy who is not in disfavor with… the powers above.” The merchant-spy’s eyes flickered upwards, and it is unclear whether he is talking about the king or the gods.
Torrhen flexed his right hand idly. Marei raised a single, fine eyebrow. “Our lord rewards those who serve him well. But he does not look as favorably on those who betray him.”
Fairall shook his head slowly. “Be that as it may… the Crow does not rule in these lands any longer. Most think him dead. Some say he does not have the reach to punish anyone any longer.”
From the corner of his eye, Torrhen noticed the barkeep set down his dirty cup and reach slowly under the bar. Without hesitation, Keath grabbed an axe from his hip and threw it sidearm at the man. The man’s eyes widened for a second, and then the axe embedded itself in his skull. As he fell backwards, his fingers tightened on the hidden crossbow, sending the bolt thrumming into the ceiling.
Fairall fell backwards in horror. “Now!” he screamed, but before he could utter more Marei had vaulted over the table and embedded her knife in his neck. Seconds later, more men poured into the room from the kitchens, rushing to block off the exits.
Marei cursed her foolishness. She had walked straight into a trap, and not even a particularly clever one. She dashed towards the nearest window, knives out. She rolled past one assailant who moved to block her path, then leapt to her feet and stabbed her weapon into the next man in her way. She chanced a glance back and saw that Torrhen, incredibly, did not seem to be trying to escape, only to hold his ground. His great axe flashed and limbs flew, severed from their former owners. Two opponents already lay dead at his feet, and another two were backing off warily. She was so distracted that she nearly forgot about the first thug she dodged, and barely moved out of the way in time to avoid his second strike. Hissing her frustration, she retaliated, only to be blocked by the man’s sword. The two fought back and forth for nearly a minute before the man slipped on a patch of his companion’s blood and Swiftwaters lunged in for the kill.
Keath was wiping the blood off of his axe on a dead man’s cloak when she finished.
“The watch will be here soon,” Marei said breathlessly, “We should depart.”
Torrhen merely smiled queerly and nodded, then walked out the door.
Results:
- Horas is able to establish a small number of his initial spies, who establish a small but cohesive network in the Riverlands.
- Marei Swiftwaters gains noteworthy dagger
- Marei Swiftwaters gains master intrigue
- Torrhen Keath improves once again in master axe
- Torrhen Keath gains master throwing axe