Post by The Stranger on Jul 10, 2008 18:08:05 GMT -5
Foreman Robar Snow clutched his cloak about his shoulders tighter as he stood shivering at the edge of the Moat Cailin construction site. Despite the chill in the boggy night air, he dared not return to the warmth of the hearth-fires; the Reed lordling was expecting to meet him here to hear the report. Robar thought it queer that he would request to meet outside the castle site, but far be it from a man of his station to question his command.
From behind him came a sudden rustle that near scared the hide right off his back, yet when Robar spun, he found it to be the man he came to meet, with two steaming mugs in hand. “Foreman Snow,” Olander Reed said, offering him of the fragrant cups, “Mulled cider?”
Robar took the mug thankfully and drank deep. With a sigh, he felt the warm fingers spread down his chest and into his belly, driving off what chill they could. The cider was strong, but good, with a strangely tart aftertaste. “Master Reed,” he said loudly, then tentatively lowered his voice. “Er, Master Reed... I've got the report you wanted.”
The crannogman held his own steaming cup in both hands to warm them, though he neglected to take a sip himself. “And?” he prompted, simply.
“The uh, er,” Robar began, trying to find the right word. “The, um... passageways you were wanting. They been added to the design plans.”
Olander nodded, pleased. “Well done, Foreman Snow. They run throughout all the chambers of the central keep, as well as in Mu-... mmmerr... I mean, the three towers.” The northmen sent to aid in the construction has taken to calling the towers that remained of Moat Cailin 'Mud, Moss, and Muck', though Robar could scarce tell Master Reed that. He seemed to hesitate on a matter, then finally said, “Though, no offense to your design Master Olander, but not a soul would be able to find 'em unless he knew they were there. Them doors are straight flush with the walls, and 'em trapdoors'll be back behind furniture or... or in the hearths. My fuckin' men won't... 'scuse me, but my men won't even see the insides of 'em passageways, what with the way the walls're goin' up.”
Olander nodded again, though whatever pleasure had been apparent on his face had vanished. “Exactly. You have done well, Foreman Snow. And I trust that your men will follow the designs to the letter?”
“Well... I, yeah, they ought to, bu-” Robar began, but suddenly stopped as a lance of pain shot through his gut. “Nn-... Nughh...” he moaned, as a thick gurgling came from his throat.
The tiny crannogman was silent, but watched on with an inquisitive eye. With a suddenness, the foreman sank to his knees and gasped silently into the cold night. Clutching his gut, Robar Snow gagged as the blood began to spew forth from his lips, pooling on the ground in a wet, red mess. He was like that for a time, violently vomiting his lifeblood into the murky moat surrounding Cailin.
“Seems one was enough then,” Olander said off-handedly, pouring the second mug of mulled cider into the moat. With a silent thrash that broke the surface of the water, the scaly back of a lizard-lion appeared, no doubt drawn by the blood.
Collapsed in a crimson mess, the foreman lay motionless. Olander nudged his shoulder with the toe of his boot, and satisfied, pushed the body into the moat. With a second splash of water, the bloody body was pulled under by a pair of sharp, waiting jaws.
Wiping the smear of blood from his boot on the weeds, Olander Reed turned on his heel and returned to the castle site. “A man ought to watch how much he drinks...” he murmured to himself.
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Olander Reed advances to Expert+ Poison
Olander Reed advances to Noteworthy Intrigue
Unbeknownst to the workers rebuilding, a series of secret passageways will be constructed within Moat Cailin, giving Olander Reed hidden access to all main chambers within its walls.
From behind him came a sudden rustle that near scared the hide right off his back, yet when Robar spun, he found it to be the man he came to meet, with two steaming mugs in hand. “Foreman Snow,” Olander Reed said, offering him of the fragrant cups, “Mulled cider?”
Robar took the mug thankfully and drank deep. With a sigh, he felt the warm fingers spread down his chest and into his belly, driving off what chill they could. The cider was strong, but good, with a strangely tart aftertaste. “Master Reed,” he said loudly, then tentatively lowered his voice. “Er, Master Reed... I've got the report you wanted.”
The crannogman held his own steaming cup in both hands to warm them, though he neglected to take a sip himself. “And?” he prompted, simply.
“The uh, er,” Robar began, trying to find the right word. “The, um... passageways you were wanting. They been added to the design plans.”
Olander nodded, pleased. “Well done, Foreman Snow. They run throughout all the chambers of the central keep, as well as in Mu-... mmmerr... I mean, the three towers.” The northmen sent to aid in the construction has taken to calling the towers that remained of Moat Cailin 'Mud, Moss, and Muck', though Robar could scarce tell Master Reed that. He seemed to hesitate on a matter, then finally said, “Though, no offense to your design Master Olander, but not a soul would be able to find 'em unless he knew they were there. Them doors are straight flush with the walls, and 'em trapdoors'll be back behind furniture or... or in the hearths. My fuckin' men won't... 'scuse me, but my men won't even see the insides of 'em passageways, what with the way the walls're goin' up.”
Olander nodded again, though whatever pleasure had been apparent on his face had vanished. “Exactly. You have done well, Foreman Snow. And I trust that your men will follow the designs to the letter?”
“Well... I, yeah, they ought to, bu-” Robar began, but suddenly stopped as a lance of pain shot through his gut. “Nn-... Nughh...” he moaned, as a thick gurgling came from his throat.
The tiny crannogman was silent, but watched on with an inquisitive eye. With a suddenness, the foreman sank to his knees and gasped silently into the cold night. Clutching his gut, Robar Snow gagged as the blood began to spew forth from his lips, pooling on the ground in a wet, red mess. He was like that for a time, violently vomiting his lifeblood into the murky moat surrounding Cailin.
“Seems one was enough then,” Olander said off-handedly, pouring the second mug of mulled cider into the moat. With a silent thrash that broke the surface of the water, the scaly back of a lizard-lion appeared, no doubt drawn by the blood.
Collapsed in a crimson mess, the foreman lay motionless. Olander nudged his shoulder with the toe of his boot, and satisfied, pushed the body into the moat. With a second splash of water, the bloody body was pulled under by a pair of sharp, waiting jaws.
Wiping the smear of blood from his boot on the weeds, Olander Reed turned on his heel and returned to the castle site. “A man ought to watch how much he drinks...” he murmured to himself.
==========
Olander Reed advances to Expert+ Poison
Olander Reed advances to Noteworthy Intrigue
Unbeknownst to the workers rebuilding, a series of secret passageways will be constructed within Moat Cailin, giving Olander Reed hidden access to all main chambers within its walls.