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Chapter 18
Ale to the Alienage
First Day Party, Part V
9:29 Dragon, 28th day of Haring -- Winter (cont.)
Bran and Landon returned to Hounds Hall about 4 p.m.; Bran announced his plans for an ale-tasting trip (and dinners) around Denerim. A young red-haired Warden arrived just after that -- her name was Amella. She wanted to do dishes.
After stashing Landon's inherited items in his room, we set out: Alistair, Alpheus, Bran, Eornan, Garrick and Landon. The first place was a Rivaini bar, named The Dragon's Supper, recommended to Alistair by Boaen; the owner had a Rivainian accent, and was named Marcie. The refills of ale were free while you ate; the food was free if you entirely consumed (without crying, or otherwise disgracing yourself) the special Three Chiles stew.
We had our spicy meal, and Landon paid for two kegs of ale (each about 15.5 gallons, 150 pounds, 15 silver).
Next Alistair took us to The Bitter Nug, a dwarven tavern. Most of us refused to indulge in the beverages and foods offered there.
Finally, we went to The Gnawed Noble, an inn for upper-class sorts; the staff wrongly assumed that Bran was King Cailin incognito, and treated the party very well -- much free food and ale. Eventually, Landon felt the need for relief; Bran accompanied him -- just as well, because an assassin and five mercenary men-at-arms attacked us! We drove off most of them in a sharp fight, and captured two. They revealed that they'd been hired by Arl Howe, and had come to capture or kill Garrick.
Another 48 kegs of ale were ordered through the staff of the Gnawed Noble. We returned to Hounds Hall for the night; Landon was asked by Jayce if he would like to become a Warden. Landon said yes, but requested that she put off any formal announcement for a day.
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Garrick's Story
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Garrick told us that while a guest at White River Manor in Amaranthine, he had overheard Arl Howe plotting treason and villainy, with his minions Renald, Mortis, and Hale. The arl had interdicted Redcliffe and Riverdell (sp?), waylaying messengers and preventing contact with the king; there were also spies working for the arl in both areas. The Arl learned that Garrick could disclose something of his schemes, thus the reason for Garrick's flight to Denerim, his conscription, and the attack at The Gnawed Noble. Garrick had no proof of all this besides his own word; the mercenaries who attacked us hadn't been told of the reason.
The Arl had also been holding a captive in the city of Amaranthine for about two years -- Felsi, the daughter of Bann Franderel of West Hill. This young woman had developed magical talents in secret. The arl kept her as captive both for power over her father, and to possibly use her magical abilities for his own purposes. Using his influence over Bann Franderel, Garrick said Felsi and his mother, Esme, a portrait artist were no longer in Amaranthine proper -- the arl had moved them somewhere else.
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9:29 Dragon, 29th day of Haring -- Winter
In the morning, Bran discovered that the stone-swapping experiment was a failure: he and Landon awoke with their own "proper" prophetess stones.
After breakfast, the 50 kegs of ale were gathered, on three large wagons driven by the brewery staff, and taken to the alienage. One keg was dropped off for the guards at the gate, and the wagons moved in as far as they could go. Children and some shiftless elves quickly gathered, while we began unloading. The hahren was unhappy about this delivery without any note.
Eornan spotted a ne'er-do-well elf, Dyeir, a native of the alienage, possibly responsible for the fires in the alienage years ago, and presumed dead. When Eornan called out to him, the ne'er-do-well fled, and we gave chase. Through alleys, over fruit-carts, through a secret door, and down into a semi-abandoned warren, with a few traps and nine elven archers. We overcame the archers -- three died, four were badly wounded, and two fled along with Dyeir into an undergound stream. We took a short rest, healed our wounds, tied up some prisoners, and prepared to follow the elves.
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Bran Tells It His Way
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"So, we are talking with the hahren, standing around the kegs after unloading them from the wagon, when Eornan shouts out in Elvhen: 'Carney! Get him!
"I look where Eornan is pointing and see a fellow sprinting away like a pack of demons was after him. At this time, I was a little surprised to find myself already running at top speed after the man. Da always said my head needed time to catch up with my body; maybe this is what he meant? By the tone of the voices behind me, it seemed likely that my friends were following a ways behind. Not that they are slow, 'tis just the love of violence that comes so naturally to we Fereldans 'twas muted by their growing up so citified.
"So this fellow leads us on a merry chase through alleys, over and around broken wagons, barrels and other sorts of trash that fill the Alienage paths, 'til he hurtles through a door and slams it shut behind him.
"I see the door and figure it is locked or barred so I knew if I wanted to see the other side of the door I had best speed up and hit it my hardest. This, I am happy to say, I did. The door, parts of the frame, and some of the wall all crashed inwards in a cloud of splinters and plaster. 'Tis possible someone was beneath the door, but in truth I do not recall. I got up and lurched into a run through the decaying tenement, hot on the trail of my prey.
"Said trail went cold! By now, the others had caught up and I was joined by Eornan, Garrick, Alistair and Landon. We quickly found no sign of Dyeir: not in the hall, not in any rooms, not under the door, not anywhere. It took Eornan's keen eyes to spot where faint traces of footprints ended at a wall. A secret panel must be there!
"I backed up a few steps and urged all to stay clear of my charge. I sprinted at the wall and burst through to find no floor on the other side ..."
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| to be continued |
On to The Last Party
Comments (1)
Michael said
at 9:44 pm on Jan 6, 2018
Oooh, nice to see the "Bran Slant" is back!
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