Hunt A Crow

[imbroccata]

WHO: Byerly, Fitcher, Lino, Yseult
WHAT: Hunting down and killing Lino for being a shitlord
WHEN: mid-late Solace
WHERE: Denerim
NOTES: violence and death, but don’t worry; lino won’t succeed in murdering a child

Here’s the sitch:

• Early in the month of Solace, an Antivan Crow by the name of Gio will visit the Gallows. They’ll snoop around briefly but mostly they’ll seek to parlay with leadership. Turns out, Lino is on their shit-list and Gio has been sent to kill him. Gio sees an opportunity for Riftwatch to get some approval points with Antiva and the Crows. Why not just kill him yourselves? Save Gio the trouble, yeah? They can’t offer the name of Lino’s contractor or target, but they give a location: Denerim.


• By the looks of it, Lino barely has a day’s lead, having scarpered as soon as he got wind of Gio being at the Gallows.


• To make matters worse, Denerim has decided to hold a cèilidh, at which all manner of folk will be in attendance. Queen Anora will be making an appearance, and lesser nobility from all across Ferelden will be there. It’s a veritable smorgasbord of assassinatible targets. Byerly will have gotten word of this celebration. Stands to reason that whoever Lino’s target is going to be at the cèilidh.


• Your mission, whether or not you accept it, is to leg it to Denerim as fast as you can and stop Lino. Kill him. Stop him from killing his target. Feel free to get yourselves a funnel cake or two from the shindig.

Comments

[hassaran]

If this is as urgent as your posture suggests you might simply tell me straight out, [ is her complaint as she reaches for the letter. ]

We're a strange detour from the queen. You've alerted your employers?

[bouchonne]

[ He nods, and lets out a slightly breathy: ]

Yes. But they want what assistance we can spare. [ He shakes his head. ] If none from your division, then I at least must go. But I'd sooner have someone -

[ His vague gesture is a substitute for a word adjacent to competent. ]

[hassaran]

So that they can blame us should he succeed. [ Lovely. She presses spidered fingertips to the blotter, thinking. ]

You've arranged passage to Denerim?

[bouchonne]

[ A nod. ]

Aboard a courier ship. It leaves in two hours.

[hassaran]

The regular packet at the southwest pier? Fine.

[ She nods. ]

I'll meet you there.

[bouchonne]

[ Ah. ]

Personally?

[hassaran]

[ A brow is arched, more obvious than the faint narrowing of eyes. ]

Would you prefer someone else?

[bouchonne]

Quite the opposite. My luck seems - excessive.

[hassaran]

I've no interest in seeing Anora killed, least of all by someone they'll call ours. But you can repay it by not pointing me out to your masters.

[bouchonne]

[ A hand pressed to his chest. ]

You have my word.

[ Unusually for him, there's no artifice or pretense in the gesture. It seems like an honest vow. ]

Any others?

[hassaran]

[ She observes that sincerity for a moment and then seems to accept it with a little nod, and moves on. ]

Those I'd normally trust with this are elsewhere. But there may be one. Leave it with me.

[bouchonne]

[ A nod, and he lowers himself in a bow. ]

I shall. Thank you, Scoutmaster.