A Thugs Tale...

Henry Winter B^F · 6th February 2007, 02:44 AM

Dogs snarled and barked in the distance. Tripping on a fallen log Henry hit the floor with thud. Blood gushed from a wound in his head. He didn?t have time to waist worrying about it. As fast as he could Henry got him self up and began running again. The sound of the dogs got closer and closer. Henry knew he couldnt get captured again, after four break out attempts he had finally got on the outside of the prison wall?s. A prison guard yelled in the distance .This way lads, we are gaining on him!
An arrow struck the tree to the right of Henry. He didn?t stop! Keep moving, got to keep moving. He knew he couldnt stop.

Reaching a clearing in the middle of the forest, the brigand looked around. There in the middle of the clearing stood a villa. It?s glass windows glinting in the moonlight. Henry picked up a brick and smashed a window then climbed in. A candle almost burnt to the end sat on a table in the middle of the room. A kitchen knife lay next to it. Picking up the knife and moving up the stairs towards the villas sleeping chambers, the brigand moved as silent as possible. Opening the door and creeping inside he grasped the knife tightly in his right hand.

There in the bed lay an old woman, still as the night it self. Peaceful in her dreaming state, totally unaware of the danger that stood near by. Henry looked at her in the candlelight. He smirked at the grey hair on her hairy chin then moved towards the small table that stood near the bed. He opened the draw and began searching for anything he could steal or use during his getaway. Suddenly the sound of dogs could again be heard, this time they were very close! The old woman awoke, looked at the thuggish character standing in front of her and went to let out a mighty scream! Henry put his hand over her mouth and stuck the knife deep in her back. As the life drained from the old lady Henry muttered "Keep quiet yer wench".

Moving over to the window he peered out into the clearing. Off in the distance he could see a burning torch moving through the forest, about 50 yards away. It didnt stop, but kept moving. Henry wiped the sweat from his brow and let out a sigh of relief. After some while resting and listening for any more prison guards, Henry got him self up and began searching the house. In the old ladys cupboard he found a coat to keep him warm, some old boots to cover his bleeding feet and a small pouch of gold coins. Downstairs he found a cauldron hanging over the fireplace in the sitting room. Inside, freshly brewed stew still bubbled. He ate as much as he could then threw the rest on the floor. After he had finished ransacking the rest of the old ladys house he set out into the night?

Henry Winter B^F · 6th February 2007, 02:45 AM

A few days had passed since his return to the fort. Slowly the old gang reformed and things were getting back to normal. The old fort, not long ago nothing but a ruin of its former self, was now being rebuilt. The days had been filled with hustle and bustle, thugs running back and forth collecting wood and logs for the palisade walls. Meanwhile Henry had been focusing on the northern lands, specifically a town called Valoria. A wealthy township with not much in the way of a guard force to protect it. Not something Henry could pass up.

That night Henry met Dexius, his bodyguard, at the Sword and Shovel tavern in Valoria. When they entered the tavern the room was alive with laughter and banter. Over in the corner sat one of Henrys old adversaries, Lady Tabbitha; she would have to be dealt with soon. He still hadnt exacted his revenge on her for having him placed in jail all those years ago. But for now he had to focus on the business at hand. Just then Tussi de Luxe, the mayoress of Valoria, walked in. She was covered head to toe in fine clothing and jewels. Henry grinned from ear to ear with the thought of all that ransom gold he would soon have his hands on!

The pair of thugs watched Tussi move around the room as she laughed and joked with people for about half an hour. They sipped a couple of ales and allowed the time to pass without bringing too much attention to them selves. Then their chance showed it self! Tussi left the tavern alone; Henry and Dexius got up and followed her outside and down the road.

After about five minuets Tussi turned to see who was following her, now was the time! Henry drew his axe and Dexius leapt at Tussi, grabbing her arm and waving a dagger in her face! Tussis face turned pale as she almost fainted but Dexius gave her a violent shake and she was soon wide-awake again.

After explaining to the mayoress that she would be going with them, no matter if she wished to or not, Henry gave the order and Dexius began pulling Tussi along as they made their getaway. The pair of thugs dragged the mayoress to their hiding place and after beating her up a little, tied her to a wall and left her in her cell..

Henry Winter B^F · 6th February 2007, 02:48 AM

The cold breeze crept under the heavy wooden door and worked its way around the room. Light from a candle flickered in the corner. Henry turned to observe the room, surveying its dark corners with suspicion for a moment. Then he looked back to the fireplace. The warmth of the fire helped him relax and he slipped into a semi sleeping state.

As Henry sat there, the tavern fireplace crackled and popped in front of him. Thoughts began to circle around in his mind. Last eve's meeting with the drows and rogues had gone well. Working with other groups was not something the gang had done before, always turning on those who considered the gang allies.

Henry thought back to those days long ago when the gang had kidnapped Baroness Twothumb and had eventually been thrown out of their own fort for doing so. He knew that should not happen again, it could not happen again! If the gang were to stand any chance of earning real large amounts of gold, alliances would need to be forged and honoured, as much as that idea bothered him.

Thoughts circled around in his mind for a while and eventually broke him out of his relaxed state. He sat up and grabbed the rusty tankard that sat on a table next to him. Before standing he slugged back a few gulps of ale, threw the tankard aside and picked up his axe. Time to go check on that wench mayoress Tussi de Luxe, he muttered to himself, no rest for the wicked?

Henry Winter B^F · 6th February 2007, 02:52 AM

Fierce winds blew past the window out of which Henry was peering. Heavy rain hailed down on the thugs standing guard outside, Henry grinned slightly as he watched them. His thoughts drifted back to that wench Tussi de Luxe and how she had escaped with the aide of her Valorian followers. Hearing a noise he turned to face the brigand standing at the entrance to the room. Henry took a quick sip of his ale then placed it on the cluttered table in front of him. The brigand began his report of the raid on stonekeep that had taken place the night before. Henry shook his head as he heard of how the multiple waves of thugs sent against the Yewish militia had been repelled time after time. This was the second battle the gang had lost to the militia! The first being the cowardly attack on the gang’s own fort! A new tactic would be needed. Perhaps the militia were too strong to stand face to face against. Only a fool fight’s fairly! Henry realised he would need to cripple the militia before they could be destroyed! The brigand listened as the boss gave his next orders. Burn their fields! Destroy their caravans and shipping lanes! Starve and weaken them before we strike again!

Brigands assault Stonekeep, home of the Yewish Militia!

Henry Winter B^F · 10th January 2008, 06:54 AM

Henry thought back over the last, uneventful year. The gang hadn't exactly been the terror of Britannia. The gang's old foe the Yewish Militia, had grown even stronger and often sent patrols along the borders of the gang's lands. The gang were simply unable to stop them due to numbers! That war all those years ago with the Militia hadn't ended well for Henry's gang, many thugs were slain! Henry gritted his teeth at the thought of Klion and his militia sat on their royal backsides, up in Stonekeep. No doubt still gloating over their success against the local bandits!

Henry took a stroll around the gang's lands, as he did so he kept his eyes open for any would be assassins or worse yet, attempted coos by other gang members, as he always had! This wasn't the time to relax or drop his guard. Especially as he had managed to get him self jumped last evening in Trinsic and had only narrowly escaped being recognized during his time in the local cells. The gang's turf wasn't looking to bad considering everything, the old tavern still stood and its recent repairs were going well. The fort was looking strong and sturdy; something that the gang would need soon, should Henry's plans for the near future go wrong!

The meeting with Lady Jade and Tremere the other night had brought some nice little earners for the brigands. With one of those targets now battered and bruised, and the other jobs soon to be complete, Henry couldn't wait to get his hands on that promised pouch of gold coins!

From behind the tree line Henry could see a cloaked figure moving, watching him from a distance. Perhaps this figure was awaiting his chance to strike. Henry thought for a moment then turned his back to the tree line, as he did so he gripped the handle of the poisoned butcher knife at his side. The figure moved swiftly from the shadows, dagger clenched in hand, eyes glinting with a mixture of fear and excitement! Henry turned and with a single stroke of his blade, cut the would be attackers throat! The cloaked man stumbled back, dropped his dagger and fell to his knees. Henry shook his head, the attacker was a gang member! Henry couldn't blame the thug for trying; after all it's how Henry had once taken control of the gang! As the life faded from the man, his body slumped to the floor. Henry spat on the lifeless body then continued on his stroll around the gang's lands.

Henry Winter B^F · 13th January 2008, 05:26 AM

Henry could still taste the bitterness of defeat as he sat there sharpening his axe. The other night’s raid on the swaggers hadn’t gone too well, and although the gang had already wrecked revenge on the bar hands of the swaggers for putting up such a good defence, the rusty dagger still didn’t have a full ale supply! Henry at least, took some amount of happiness from the thought of that 100’000 gold Talia, one of the gang’s thugs, had gotten as payment for the veetie she had kidnapped and threatened to kill.

The attempted kidnapping of Captain Kaelyn however, did not bring a smile to Henry’s face, not even a slight grin, in fact it outright annoyed him. The bumbling gang members had not only kidnapped the wrong guard, they had also travelled to Minoc and killed Captain Kaelyns parents! Henry threw the sharpening stone to the floor, turned and left the tent in which he had spent the night, inside the fort. He hadn’t felt safe enough spending the night in the rusty dagger, as he usually did. He knew the situation with Kaelyn wasn’t going to end well for anyone. But he had a job to do, and do it he would! After all, gold is worth dieing for.

Captain Kaelyn hopes her family are safe!

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