Refuge in Ironsoul - RPLOG
Participants
Date
10/11/479
Log
The guardsman, a sparrow guard that looks every bit like he got dressed in a hurry for this, speeds off with the hired Freeswords towards the Main Concourse. He's looking over his shoulder suspiciously, waiting until they are out of earshot of any passing beings before he speaks.
"Right boys. Name's Sammy" He says, addressing the group of rag-tag Freeswords. "From this moment until you're told otherwise, you're under the employ of the city guard." He thumbs over to a nearby carriage. "Move on over there, pick yourselves a seat. In just a moment we're going to bring out two prisoners for you to escort to a safehouse outside of the city. Move move move! No time to waste!"
The beings do as they're told, taking up position around the carriage and staying put for another ten minutes. Two beings are brought out of a nearby guardhouse, one short and lanky, the other broad and tall, cowls over their heads, their hands bound behind their backs, and they are stuffed inside the carriage and wheeled off down the street, under heavily armed guard.
Sammy dutifully watches the carriage depart, then retreats into the guardhouse, where Hulda and Big Heart, the two prisoners, still sit bound and sitting quietly on their chairs. "Right, that's the decoy sent." He looks back out the door, waiting for the actual escort party to arrive. "The others should be here shortly." A separate contract, private, had been filed in secret under a different pretense, bringing in a few extra beings to help with the actual priosner transfer.
Fenris is already here. The big tiger wears his Divine Sentinel Unit uniform, which does not mean much, except that he looks outlandish, official, and most guards have to defer to him, which is fun. He is seated beside Big Heart and pats the big guy on the back. "Nothing to worry about Hartford," he says, "I'm here for you."
Fenris, under guidance from one Amos Longtooth, has been "Big Heart's" liason to the children found with the bandit group and has done all he can to befriend Hulda's best muscle.
Angus taps a few fingers on his crossed arms, leaning against the wall within the building. "Lets hope that the decoy is actually taken, I'd hate to bloody the streets." He mutters a bit before Sammy enters and he stands up, giving a bit of a nod before putting his hat on. "Well, lets go meet the rest of them eh?"
It wasn't often that this particular being was called to help the Guard. Mostly due to a few, issues some might have with his being. Nonetheless, he was going to make good on his promise to Angus, and besides, this was a chance to improve relations with the guard. Now that he had established himself as a information broker with his Sailor's Rest, he needed to actually prove he could do it. So, that in mind, the spider-being opens the door to the guard house in particular, and looks over those present, his hood still up. Of course, seen hanging from the sash around his waist, is the pendant marking him as what he really was - A Shadow Being.
Galve had answered the call, wanting to help the Freeswords when he could. He was wearing some of his armor but otherwise wasn't as prepared for combat as the others, but he had his medical supplies with him.... he might not be able to fight, but he'd patch up anyone who got hurt. He followed Glein in, feeling out of place i
Hartford, the tall and broad cactus being, offers Fenris a warm smile. "I know. Thank you." This is met with a 'tsk' from the other priosner in the room, Hulda. The humboldt squid being looks up at Angus, a being she'd seen on occasion since he arrested her at Woodsford Keep. "I still don't understand why we're here. If you're not letting us go free, why bring us out of the cage?" She looks down at the table before her, scattered playing cards clearly indicating a game of go-fish was underway just recently.
The sparrow being clears his throat, and turns to Angus for approval before speaking up. "The reason we're here, and why we're gathered in secret, is that Conrad is dead. He was found dead this morning in his cell."
Hulda successfully hides her surprise, but 'Big Heart' does not. His reaction is immediate, his fists clenching. "What? How!" He turns to Angus, as if expecting the being to have answers. "Did that psychopath do it? The little wench with the lightning?"
Sammy stops the conversation with a raised hand, continuing. "No. Whomever killed him was inside the guard's circle of trust. There was no break-in or smuggled weapons. There is nothing in the duty logs. Whoever did this had access to the cells, all the keys, and the knowledge of where and when to strike." He gestures. "Hence the ruse." He looks at Glein and Galve, smiling. "And the hired help."
He turns back to Angus. "Unfortunately, keeping this a secret from even the guard makes it hard to get these prisoners somewhere safe. There is no plan but the one we create now."
Fenris frowns, and shakes his head. "Conrad did not deserve that," he says, patting Hartford on the arm, then leaning on the table, "Where are we supposed to go, then? Out of the city? I can think of plenty of places to hide a couple of beings, but if you are going to take them out of guard custody, you might as well let them go free. What is the goal here?"
Angus looks Hulda in the eye when she starts talking to him, letting the sparrow explain the situation. "While we do not know who killed him as of yet we are looking into it." He gives a nod to Glein and Galve as they show up, standing up straight as it was his turn to adress the group. "We are running under the assumption that this isn't one person looking to silence witnesses, letting you two go would be just as effective as killing you ourselves. With that in mind I've contacted an old friend of mine who can help us with a new location. It's ioslated, secure, and since a few years back? Most people think it's completly abandoned."
Glein tilts his head. "If you'd like, I can see about having my network listening for anything we can use about this attack." He says, though he does keep his hands in plain view, away from his weapons hidden on his person. "That said, the immediate issue will be getting these two to this safe house I assume?" He asks, looking over the pair.
Galve kept out of the conversation, not really having anything to add to the conversation as he was neither swordsman nor guard. He was just 'the help".
Assuming the conversation doesn't drown them out, the quiet sounds of footsteps approaching the group. Not bothering to knock for once, and potentially to the irritation of the guards in the main room, Selena pulls open the door to the room they're congregated in after checking a note and stowing it in her backpack. "Angus, you asked for me?" She asks, offering a quick wave to the group even as an ear flicks in irritation or annoyance at something or another. "You really made this short notice. I prefer not having to cancel classes for the day for these errands, you know. Could you give me a little more advance warning next time? Or possibly be a little less vague?" She shakes her head, looking over the group and those two now out of their cells. "Particularly after I've been trying to get in contact with your for the last month. I'd like to have a word with you after this; shall we get to business, then?"
The sparrow nods at Angus. "We've facilitated another carriage to transport you all to wherever you wish to go, private hire." He pauses, looking over at Hartmant. The being looks clearly distraught, but is sufficiently calmed down by Fenris' presence that he does not fly into a rage.
Hulda breaks her silence with a scoff. "He probably mouthed off to some guard. I could never keep that boy in check." Hartford's harsh glare is silenced by Selena's arrival. A moment of tension is felt as the guards present all turn to the door and reach for their weapons, but stop as the being there addresses Angus.
With that situation momentarily resolved, they return to their posts, with Sammy the sparrow raising his hands to try and get everyone to calm down. He turns to Angus and nods. "This sounds like a plan. What do you need from me?"
Fenris nods at Angus. "Sounds like as good a plan as any," he says, rising to his feet and stowing the playing cards, "You want me to scout ahead?" He glances at the agitated Hartford. "Or should I stick close?"
Angus chuckles a little as Selena appears. "Sorry for the short notice, but to the point? I was wondering if you would allow us access to the Ironsoul Defenders stronghold, these two we are going to be escorting are under threat and we need to keep them safe till we can deal with the situation, after that we can talk alright?" He then turns his attention to the rest of the group. "The place we are going to was built by Kilsa Ironsoul, the founder of the Ironsoul noble house and the only member, she's gone into seclusion over the last few years and no one has heard from her sense. The Defenders were her response to the ever growing threat against Sweetwater, just as the Lightbringers were. She was a bit...egocentric, but when it comes to building nothing is stronger." Angus shakes his head at Sammy. "Just be prepared to move soon."
With a quick nod, Glein now reaches across his person, checking his two pistols on his back, several knives hidden in various points and the sword sheathed at his side. "Ready when you are." He says, looking over the rest present.
Galve nods his agreement, looking over the two escortees then back to the others. "I'm also ready." He adds shortly after Glein speaks up, a little nervousness in his voice.
The guards reaching for their weapons certainly doesn't go unnoticed by the canine, who scoffs quietly. "Sweetwater certainly has the shortest memory of any nation I've heard of." she mutters under her breath, rolling her eyes. "It's only been a few years... Didn't you at least tell your friends I'd be coming?" Selena asks, turning again to Angus with a raised eyebrow.
Angus's response is met with a slight sigh and a nod. "Yes, I can do that. " She replies simply, before turning back to the group. "Not that I expect it to mean much to anyone here, but I did do my share of work on the building as well; it was in fairly bad shape when we reclaimed it. I can tell you it's in good shape now, and I'd like to hope that if you know anything at all about me, it'd be the work I've done in spellcrafting and magic. I do take some pride in my work."
Stretching and managing a quiet yawn, she looks back to Galve. "Don't worry too much. It's been a while since any especially bad attacks have happened around here, and the road out to the fortress is fairly quiet." Perhaps unlike the rest of the beings present, she doesn't seem to check for any equipment or gear in her own right, rather pulling out a small book and scribbling down a quick line before it too is returned to her bag. "Whenever you need to head out, let me know."
Sammy nods. "Alright, looks like we have a plan. Stay here one moment." The sparrow being departs via the double doors, leaving the prisoners and the impromptu escorts in the room for a few minutes.
Hulda finally speaks up again, seeming to address Angus every time she speaks. "So we're being ushered off to some stronghold?" She smirks. "Aren't you afraid we'll take it over? I mean.. we did take one of your forts before."
"Be quiet." Comes Hartford's reply, unusually harsh for the big catcus being. "They're trying to help. I don't know why you refuse to see this." He looks up at Fenris briefly, then back to Hulda. "Sorry boss, but this time you're in the wrong." He turns to Angus. "We'll fully cooperate with anything you need us to do."
Not long after the sparrow returns, opening the double doors and ushering everyone outside. The two prisoners are escorted into what's clearly a trading caravan, the top stacked with bags of produce. "Everyone inside, there should be just about enough room." He smiles. "I'll stay here and give the other Freeswords their payment when they return."
Fenris answers Hartford's glance with a smile and follows quickly after, ushering others into the cart. "I'll run alongside," he says, "Don't worry, I can keep up." It would be good to have a pair of eyes on the outside.
Angus watches the door as Sammy leaves, tapping his foot once against the floor. "Well I was thinking you could put on a dress and entertain the defenders for a few crowns a night, but then I remembered we still haven't sat down and chatted over the situation. The place is isolated, all but abandoned with only the defenders having the keys to access every thing. As of right now the only available defender within Sweetwater is right here giving us permission to use her location to protect you until you can help others." With that said the fox follows the rest of the group. "I'd rather have someone sit up front with the driver in case of a problem." He comments towards Fenris, before deciding he'd take that position himself, pulling the brim of his hat down a bit farther to keep his face ot of view while laying his blunderbuss across his lap.
"I can watch over our charges." Glein states flatly, climbing into the bed of hte carriage and settling into a little niche that could see most of the interior. He didn't exactly have a lot of other means of helping, since he was more about infiltration and the like, over overt displays of power.
Galve nods. "I'll watch them as well." He said, following the spider being into the bed of the carriage and finding a similar spot.
Gesturing back to Angus as he makes his statement. "You think I have any reason to be afraid of you?" Selena asks evenly, raising an eyebrow, waving off Hartford's response. "I think you'd value your lives a little more than your pride, and the only way to guarantee the former is if you keep your heads down. That means not taking drastic action that's going to be plainly obvious." She shrugs, boarding the cart. "You understand that, I hope. Of course, if you really wanted me to take some extra precautions, I could seal the room shut and leave a few airholes for you, and a little hole at the floor to slide food through. Your choice." Setting herself down on the cart, she shrugs. "Anyway, whenever you're ready."
With every being loaded into the caravan, the driver spurs the horses into motion and soon the group is on it's way down the Main Concourse and over the bridge, quickly departing Firmament's inner boroughs and out into the outskirts. The silence is somewhat awkward, the two beings - Hulda, the squid, and Hartford, the heavy clanner who barely fits in this small carriage. They glide along the countryside, on their way to the keep that will soon be these prisoners' new home.
It was probably for the best that Fenris is trotting along beside the coach instead of stuffed inside with the even larger Hartford. Cactus cuddling is not exactly high on his list of priorities. Fortunately, all of those long, grueling hours under Sally's loving tutelage and brutal application of force have paid off and the tiger has no trouble keeping pace while keeping an eye out along the roads, his long coat fluttering behind him. "Everything good in there?" he calls out by the carriage door.
Angus takes a deep breath as they start going, letting it out as he rests back against the wagon. His eyes stay constantly moving, inspecting every being they go by as he keeps his hands on his lap, cloak drawn around him for a few moments before turning towards the driver. "If I may, what is your name?"
Galve looks over the beings he was being paid to escort, not having seen any quite like them before in his time here. He idly checks in one of his belt pouches while the cart moves.
"No trouble here, Fenris. Though I could probably be moving a little faster if I decided to use some air magic, I've had a fairly long past few days. Not having to travel on my own feet is a nice change of pace." She replies, closing her eyes for a moment. "Must say you're doing a good job of keeping pace yourself. I don't see many beings that can move quite this fast without a bit of magic."
Hartford certainly looks uncomfortable inside the cramped space, but he's used to enduring. He looks over at Selena, who's sharing the cabin with him, and offers a soft smile. "Apologies, I did not mean to sound ungrateful. I'm just.." he clenches his fists. "I just want to find whoever killed poor Conrad and punch him until there's nothing left."
"Be quiet, Hartford." Says the squid, eyeing Selena with some suspicion. "Remember, these people are also our captors, and they're taking us to some far off location. There no telling what will happen to us when we get there."
The drive is a sullen looking donkey being, clearly in his twilight years, but he offers Angus a tired smile. "Jeffrey, my good boy." He works his jaw briefly. "You'll forgive me for not saying much, but I was told to keep me mouth shut during this here job. I-" The driver gasps and pulls the reins, spurring the horses into a sharp stop that jostles the beings being carried inside.
A large tree has been felled and lies across the road. It's clearly there for the purpose of ambushing a caravan, especially taking into consideration the beings that spill out from behind the trees the moment the caravan stops. At least ten in total, and maybe more hidden by the darkness that surrounds you, they converge on the caravan, clearly armed and dangerous.
"Your money or your life!" Calls out a lanky platypus being that moves up to the front of the caravan, pulling a pistol on the driver.
"Everyone out of the carriage!" Calls out another being from the darkness..
"I do my best to stay-" Fenris starts to say, then spots the fallen tree up ahead. "Stay in the carriage," he shouts, not slowing as he continues to charge toward the ambushing beings. The tiger grins, showing rather more teeth than is strictly necessary and starts to laugh, raising his arms and charging. Imagine yourself in the other being's shoes as a huge, laughing tiger in dark leathers comes crashing toward you like a runaway cart. Yup. That is the plan.
Angus sighs as it seems they were going to be stopped, grabbing ahold of the railing upon the seat as they come to an abrupt halt. He leans forward a bit as he looks at the Platypus as he starts to speak. "Intresting time of day to start a robbery, but of cou-" Then comes the lions charge, no time to play this nice it seems, already drawing the pistol from his belt to shoot the armed bandit.
Glein simply looks at those present in the cart, and gives a small nod towards the exit, reaching back and drawing one of his pistols, quietly checking to make sure it was primed and ready, then also drawing one of his knives, the metal oddly dulled so that it wouldn't reflect light. It didn't seem any less sharp a blade, just not as reflective. He shifts slightly, making sure his weight and movement didn't alert anyone outside to her presence.
Galve feels the jarring stop and wonders what was going on, before he heard the bandits speak up. Staying quiet, Galve's hand drifted to the sword at his waist, the only weapon he'd bothered to bring with him.
Looking back to Hartford, Selena returns the smile and nods. "You've lost someone close to you. I know that can wear on someone." She replies softly, chuckling a little as the squid makes their skepticism well known. "You're right to be suspicious. But for my part, all I intend to do is what I've been asked to - ensure you're at least somewhat safer than you'd be otherwise. I'm not here to try to enforce any laws or appoint myself your judge, jury and executioner. That's not my place." The canine sighs and rolls her eyes a the bandits arrive. "Well, if you'd excuse me for a minute, it sound like this won't be a good time for a chat." She shakes her head, stepping out of the cart with a quick flourish of a hand, her variant of calcified flesh coming into action to make her a little less easy a target.
"Interesting choice of roads." She comments to no single bandit in particular. "I'd have thought there would be some more active trade routes for you to lie in wait on."
