Falcon Warchild's page

"Yintarah shall we go now to see the room where Badder was killed?"

"Officially, it will have to be Chiron, Badder's replacement -- unless my father does something unexpected (which is to be expected of him). Any rumours you hear, report to me or Lady Yin ... I mean Yin," says Falcon having allowed Manfred's sense of rank and propriety to influence him.

"A healer examining te body would be good. Maybe I could help, I know a little about poisons, there was a chapter on them in my favourite alchemy book" She mentions with a small shrug "I could perhaps try to assertain if it's a local substance or not."

"If you could come with me, Yin, and look at Badder's quarters ... As captain of the Third Watch, he had a private room but to access it one would have to walk past the bunks of the soldiers under his command or climb through the second story window! Frankly, it is a bit of a mystery to me."

"Ah, this is not truly something that I have trained for. Perhaps get a healer to examine the body? What say you Yin?"

"You have been trained as a fighting man ... Would it be dishonourable if I asked you to join the third watch, temporarily, and try to gather any hints or rumours from Badder's colleagues?"

"Well ... then perhaps if Orlan could keep his ears open well he goes about his business... This is really a new one for me. Most of the crimes we have in the Keep involve two men and two swords and take place in front of a crowd...," says Falcon, hesitantly.

"We had some trouble with bandits on the road to the Keep last fall and this spring. We suspected but couldn't prove that one of our guards was feeding them information on which merchant wagons to waylay. We did manage to dispose of those bandits though."

"Yin, Manfred, do you have any suggestions about how we could find this murderer?"

"So," says Falcon "Why don't we share what we know. ... Unless you need to get settled in first? You're welcome to stay here in the inner fortress with father and I. Or, there's the Sirap's hotel."

Sir Manfred replies; "On my honor as a Knight, neither I, Sir Manfred VonFalkenburg nor Yintara Fireweaver nor Lord Orlan had anything to do with that mans death. I swear that to be so." He seems very certain.

"Good. ... While 'Lord' Orlan is doing business in the Keep, would you be able to help me? Perhaps we can help catch the murderer and help your friend..."

Seeing Yin look at him and being reprimanded by his father in the middle of his investigation, Falcon looks aside. Looking at his father, not the party, he says: "I have to ask. If they are not in any way connected with this then they might be of some use ... both to us and to their friend."

Lord Kerrigan ignores Yin's question for now.

Falcon Warchild "You arrived at the Keep this morning. Correct? ... And you have no allies within the Keep?"

"Usually criminals in the Keep are given a bow, three arrows, and kicked out to fend for themselves ... but ... we will offer him safety within the keep IF THE INFORMATION HE GIVES US IS ACCURATE," says Falcon.

"Father, perhaps I could ..." begins the man who had been introduced to you as Falcon Warchild, a tall Shoanti man dressed in simple robes.

"OK,OK, I'LL COME NOW." Says lion, more harrased than ever."can't even let a man sleep." He mutters

"But I still want the bullets".

Falcon reaches inside his robe and pulls out a sling and a small pouch and tosses them over with a smile "Well, that was easy. Anything else?"

He turns to Larjen and says "Could you take these gentlemen to the stables after breakfast. I want to get back to my quarters before too many people see me. Lead them on the road back towards Korvosa. If, after three hours, no one attempts to stop them, we will just have to try something else."

"If you need anything else, ask Larjen."

Falcon nods to all of you and smiles again at Yaja.

"It is my experience that such men only underestimate them once."

The new voice belongs to a tall Shoanti woman.

"Let the sluggards sleep Falcon Warchild. Others are ready to protect the honour of the keep. If you will permit me to add rope to my equipment, I will be ready to set out as soon as you wish."

So saying, with a backward disdainful glance at the slothful heroes, Yaja turns on her heel and leaves the room.

"Yaja," says Warchild smiling for the first time since you have met him, "Perhaps they have not understood how serious this is."

Turning back to the 'slothful heroes' Warchild says "These men the bandits kidnapped may be dying or dead. If you will help them, get out of bed and do so. If not, tell me now and we will try another way!"

Ooops. Lion beat me by a few seconds.

Falcon Warchild looks glumly at the sleepy men and wonders if these are indeed the heroes he has been looking for.

"Let me know what you need. We will be getting Longfellow's horses from the stable. I've spoken to Longfellow. He will not come with us. Instead, I am asking Larjen to come. I will also ask one of the local clerics to accompany you in case those who have been kidnapped need some healing when ... if ... you find them," says Falcon. "I don't think that the female cleric will scare off the bandits. Most men underestimate women."

If you want any extra equipment, let Falcon know now.

I think the board ate my post from last night. I'll try again.

You return to your rooms at the inn and fall fast asleep. After many nights sleeping on the caravan, sleeping indoors is strange. It is only a few hours later -- just before dawn -- when you hear the <<TOCK TOCK TOCK TOCK>> of a quiet but determined knocking on your door.

The door opens and in comes Falcon Warchild. Behind him is Larjen Widebottom with the door keys. Warchild invites him in as well.

"I'm sorry gentlemen. I intended to let you rest but our mission has become more urgent. The man you rescued awoke and told us what happened. The other people he left the keep with yesterday morning were with him when he was attacked. Both he an his horse were shot. His horse was dead and he pretended to be dead. He saw the bandits kidnap his companions. We need to rescue them."

"In the past, we have tried to trick the bandits by trying to send out some of our soldiers disguised as merchants or as a caravan. They never fall for it. We think they have a spy in the camp who tells them."

"Everyone here believes you to be part of a caravan however. I would ask you to try this. Leave this morning on the road heading south. If the bandits attack you, then try to get at least one and bring him back ALIVE so that we can find out where the camp is."

"Will you do this for Kerrigan's Keep?"

"Gentlemen. I need to speak with my father first, but I want to talk with you again tomorrow," says Falcon. Looking at Lion and Uemala he says "I will take you as my students but first, I think I could use your help. For now, please stay in 'Sirap Hilltown's Inn' and dine at 'The Old Mess Hall' with all the other merchants and caravan guards. Do not tell anyone that we have talked. Just pretend to be normal visitors of the keep. Come back to the chapel tomorrow and I will tell you how you could help me."

"In that case he was probably a trader himself. Anyway, what else do you know about these bandits?, where are they coming from?, and can you heal him?

"Yes, this man was a trader. He left our keep only this morning. There were two others with him," answers Falcon. "Can you heal him, Curate Dassjin?"

"He is healed," answers the Curate, "He is sleeping."

"My name is Uemala Neddam, I was not talking because I am a Shoanti. The arrows that killed the horse were badly made and I think they where made by renagade Shoanti." As Uemala says this he glumly looks down at the ground. Then asks Falcon Warchild "Are they Shoanti?"

"Many people in the keep think they are Shoanti. A group of thugs hired by some local merchants -- against my father's wishes -- recently raided a Shoanti camp north of here looking for stolen supplies and found none. Do you think they are Shoanti?" asks Falcon, "I was not raised by the Shoanti but I have spent years being tutored by one and I have never seen such poorly made Sklar-Quah arrows."

"Where is the base of these bandits? How often do they attack?" asks Kornelius.

"I do not believe the base is one of the Shoanti settlements as many others do. I believe they have a base on the other side of the river. They never seem to attack after a rainfall when the river is high and rapid. ... They attack whenever a small enough group leaves the camp heading south."

"Gentlemen. This man was shot by bandits. The bandits started to attack us last winter. Last winter, they attacked caravans loaded with supplies coming into the keep. I guess they have all the supplies they need, because now they only attack traders leaving the keep and stealing silver and gold coin."

Ask any questions you want about the bandits now

"Ah, Falcon Warchild, I'm ...... Lion of Irori. So, you're training me, right?"(He's very bad at being polite)

"Lion of Irori. ... Yes, you have been recommended to me as a student. But, I would like to know more about this man and how you came upon him. We've been having some trouble with bandits around the keep. Please tell me everything you can."

After a few moments of silence as the Curate examines the man, wiping his brow and checking for more wounds, you hear a voice. The voice is commanding but gentle. "Please tell me how you came to find this man."

Turning, you see that a tall Shoanti man dressed in a simple cloak has entered the chapel. You do not need to be introduced to know who this is.