The tavern is small, it has a lone bar with several stools. Behind the bar is a large keg of ale and wood mugs. The barkeep has a leather dirty smock over plan small folk clothing. There are 3 young girls, all looking close in age and have stricking looks, they stair the same father and by the looks of it, that's the bar keeper. They are serving the tables (6 table with 3 to 4 per table) and to the far left are private booths (2 booths one empty). The wall are bare, and animal trophy heads mount the rafters.

The tavern is poorly light with candles and lanterns and it smells sweaty, there is a heavy taste of mildew in the air. Sitting at one of the booths, .... Osgred, his son and 2 others. Ser Ackley Selmy is keeping a close eye on the door, .... there's no way to avoid Ser Ackley from seeing who enters.

Mardax enters from the outside, wondering what these men were here for.  Could they be the ones he was sent to seek, or guarding him?  He didn't bother to hide himself, as he entered, not going to the booth, but sitting at one of the nearby tables.  He figured, if they were seeking him out, they would invite him over.

Ser Ackley notices Mardax enter the tavern, when their eyes meet Ackley, he slowly shakes is head gesturing a no, do not approach them. He then looks over to an empty table, its the closet to the booth.

Several of the locals look at Mardax, they stare oddly and it makes him feel uncomfortable, but this was to be expected outside of Dorne. As soon as Mardax steps away from the door it opens again with a few small folk.

There's a battle taking place outside the Slaughter House and in the woods, It looks as if the a small group of raiders have tried to ambush the lords guests, ... A few jump up from their seats and go outside and take a look, other start to gossip, .... Osgred Selmy gets up from the booth. Before Mardax gets a chance to sit or react to the farmer's words Osgred speaks up, "Stop this shit, I don't see children and old hags hear so unless you plan to leave and see it for yourself don't talk non-sense and spread rumors. You all fucken sicken me. In fact you all sicken me so much you all can get the fuck out, NOW! .... That includes you too." as he looks over at the barkeeper and his girls. The smallfolk clear out of the tavern.

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Cyra & Dio are still outside the tavern and the see Mardax enter and before they can cross the road they see the tarven clear out. They seemed rattled but not frantic and they all come out talking as some head in the direction of the Slaughter House. Doesn't look good from this angle, what ever is happening or about to happen gives a chill down Cyra's back and Dio can feel the tension in his veins.

Mardax makes no real indication to Ser Ackley, but a small nod.  However, as he starts to approach the table, ignoring the smallfolk behind him, Osgred Selmy starts to get mad, yelling at the smallfolk.  When he says everyone out, he stops for a moment.

Osgred made no look at him in particular, so he stood and waited, seeing if he was supposed to join this exodus of people, or just stay put.  After all, these were the people he was supposed to be meeting with, and he wasn't some smallfolk.

Upon seeing all the people file out of the tavern, the same one that Mardax went into, Cyra gives a glance to Dio and squeezes his arm and slides the hood of her cloak over hear hair. "Let us get a feel for this. We may need to make a quick escape," she whispered to him, and guided the two of them over towards an outgoing cluster of people.

The Myrish woman made a concerted effort to smooth out her accent and her speech to match the local pattern, careful not to let her voice travel too far, and said, "By the Seven, did the bar close already? I thought it'd be open for at least a few drinks more." She gave the group a bright smile of a woman who was looking forward to a night of drinking and merriment, and standing close to her pirate as though he were her favorite lover. By all appearances they looked as though they were simply late to the bottle.

In reply to Mardax Kaldor (msg # 4):

Once the tavern has cleared out, Ser Ackley raise up from his set. "BY the SEVEN, ... what the hell happened? Mardax, where are the others? We were to meet in secret and it looked like a royal procession gathering for some kind of conference!" He is exaggerating greatly but, Ser Ackley is very upset at the events that took place at the slaughter house and his face and body language is clearly aggressive.

Osgred Selmy walks over to his son as the other men take a guard positions within the tavern. "Men guard the door and rare entrance," .... "Son stop!, we can not change this, we most now gather or wits and spin this so that we are not figured out. These are nolonger our enemies, ... we most focus on the enemies of the throne and protect our king. We have a duty, we have our responsibilities and we must be more carefully going forward."

Odgred turns to Mardax, "We do not have much time. I have paid many of the guards to delay them and re-route their patrols but with the combat outside the town they will be forced to act and begin a search. Your people will need to shatter and regroup quickly back at My Lords home before his son accuses your people of conspiring against him."

"He will look for any reason to place as many under confinement and delay you to King's Landing."

"Sit Mardax," as Odgred pours a glass of ale. "In some circles they call me the 'Butcher', I play my part in the game of thrones as a weak servant for other nobles and lords, but in fact I control a large number of skilled men who's unpleasant duties sometimes includes killing others for the better of the kingdom. Some months ago my agents were approached by members of House Chiffon, and House Steiner .... They paid well to have members of other Dornish family heads killed and were looking to establish trade north of the Boneway. These 'Princes of Dorne' put in motion events that just continued in the deaths of many, it was meant to join the nations and bring peace. But the worst has come up in these men and I was a foul to believe them. My circles have uncovered that they were never interested in peace, but wanted to make sure those that did, were killed and stopped. This is not new news to you but since our regions were not at peace the news traveled to my spies slowly"

"It turns out Mardax your family is in great danger and so are the rest of those you travel with. Lord Kolwyn's ships are being followed by Ironborn raiders and spies, when ready they will attack his ships as pirates under false banners, their plan is to disrupt you and the other families so that you do not make it to King's Landing and gain anymore favor from the throne, .... I have called members of House Fell of Timberwood, they are loyal to the throne and will escort you all to King's Landing. But These Devil of Noblemen look to kill you in particular Mardax, it seems your fathers lands and his favor with certain noble lords is a large enough threat to them that they wish to slowly end your family line. Your brother knew these things but was delayed, I fear he maybe in the hands of the enemy. They want you to look for him, do not fall into their trap. Make it to King's Landing and gain the King's favor, if your houses succeed them there effort will be wasted."

"I most speak of a greater threat, unfortunately I have yet to uncover all of it completely. What I do know is that members of my circle were paid a kings ransom for a kings death. These men are no longer in my service for I would not ever go against my king. But it seems they have gone to extreme efforts to place and blame these events on your family and their allies. This is why it's so important that you and the rest make it to King's Landing. I do not know who is part of this conspiracy, but it must rank high, ... could be as high as the kings family. So we can not just approach the king and accuse his most trustworthy as betrayers and traitors of the crown."

"DO you understand what must be done?"

Osgred is emotional his voice sounds sincere, his son has claimed as he too listened to his father's words, then Ser Ackley Speaks Up "Father! Do not forget the price for such information, ...."

"Yes, Son I have not forgotten, .... Mardax this information and our support as allies comes at a price, ... as all things do in life. My son needs to wed, and our circles need to grown in the south, so Ackley needs to marry and if you and the rest are successful we wish our pick of House Ravenhowe. My son fancies the Lady Fatimah Ravenhowe. Have House Ravenhowe sworn to this and I will use all my influence and circles to see that you and they are successful, .... not only for the kingdoms, .... but for our known families as well"

Dio, for his part, didn't really understand what was going on.  Clearly the knight had also followed this group of shadowy figures and had stepped into the bar before the patron's all emptied out as if there was about to be an altercation within.

So far though the sounds of a fight haven't permeated the air outside the dive.  For the moment Dio stood there with his arm wrapped up in Cyra's and his eyes on the locals in case they decided that beating up a foreigner was a fun nights entertainment.

Mardax looked at Ackley and was about to respond when Osgrad stepped in.  He looked at Ackley, and the Butcher, and simply said. "Whoever told me wasn't very discreet about it, and I noticed the man who told me talking to a women.  She tried to play it off like they were dancing, but he stopped dancing her her, came to me, told me, then went back, recieved more 'flirts' she slapped him, and he went to find others.  I didn't even tell my cousin, but he must have found out.  As for the others, I have no idea.  It is like none of them have ever met people in secret before."

When Osgrad told him to sit, he did so, watching him, and the other men.  Something seemed off, and he listened silently for the duration, his face seeming focused on the man speaking, but his eyes were looking at others, and his hand kept still on his weapon.  He would die, if this was an ambush, but he would be sure it would not be without a fight.

He listened to Osgrad, as he spoke of plots, calling himself the butcher.  That was his first red flag, or at least in his mind.  He spoke about events, making it to Kings Landing, and his brother.  That means this man would KNOW what name his brother used for him, would he not?

When the man then brought up marriage into his own House, through Ravenhowe, his eyes narrowed slightly.  He was silent for a moment, before he finally spoke.  "That is a good tale, but before I make any response, their is a question I must ask you."  His eyes homed in on Osgrad's.  He then said.  "What name would I know you by?"

Osgrad smiles at Mardax, "Yes, you are correct I'm am not known well by my true name and your family would not know of my true identity. I am known as 'Aromus Sands the Butcher'. You brother know me by a false name."

"I know that House Martell, is also in danger, this was way your brother was coming to me, because I received this letter." He takes out a small paper parchment rolled like a scroll tied in red cloth. "This is a letter by the hands of the Red Twins requesting my service for the life of the Princess Myriah Martell, in order to stop the unification of Dorne." "I was to stage an ambush along the Boneway and dispatch her and any with her. But your 'Brother' was wise enough to send word to Dorne so they are now traveling by ship. This is way the Iron Born Pirates are shadowing House Kowlyn's vessels. They received false information that Myriah was traveling under a false name, as Cyra Vyraes a merchant nobles daughter."

"There is no profit in this for me and I nor my men stand against the Kings wishes."

"There was a second request that was made in person by a man that is still unknown to me, he was willing to pay 10,000 gold stags to ensure that our Blessed King not see the wedding and that it be done so Dorne would take the blame."

From the front door one of the men guarding, "A Patrol is coming they are headed into the woods and it seems they have dispatched the attackers, ... Me must go now or be figured out and exposed."

Ackley walks over to the door, "Father a second patrol, they are starting to check the shops, we must leave through the back," he takes a small bag of coin and hands it of, ... the bag of coin is on the bar and Ackley puts his dagger to his bar keepers neck, "You know who we are, and you know what we do, you will pay the rest that you can trust, and we were hear for a drink and left, nothing else or your daughters pay for your untrustworthy actions, .... You wouldn't want me back, and know we are able to do what we say, so service well and you and your family will continue to be rewarded."

Mardax relaxed slightly, when he heard the name, though, while he was a man of intrigue, these men outclassed him by allot.  For now, he just listened, when things continued to go on.  Ironborn raiders, this far from home, was strange, but not unheard of.  The attack on his house and himself made sense, but a attack against House Martel?  That could not be tolerated.  The Dragon King he could care less about, but his houses loyalty was to the Martel, and if things went south, it could be bad.

"One question, if I may.  Have you heard or seen my friend, Brindal?  During an attack on my life, he defended me, and after a few stab wounds I got a bit aways and passed out.  Someone survived the attack, but I lost the trail because of the rain."

In reply to Mardax Kaldor (msg # 10):

Osgrad now also known as 'Aromus Sands the Butcher', gets up and throws down his ale (chugs). As he finishes the ale his men look nervous, one of them makes way to the back door to make sure its clear. "Aromus we most go, now!"

Osgrad replies to Mardax, "I don't know anything about this Brindal, but if I do I will get word to you."

"Come Mardax, leave with us out the rare and go back to your friends, stay together and be safe. I will have our contacts in King's Landing find you and get word to you if I have any new news." "I will need to know where you were attacked and I will send men to the surrounding areas and see if we can find this Brindal." "Use the servant girl in Castle Blackhaven with the information. She will get it to me." .... "We must go now we have run out of time."

No not at all they are open but we have all come out to take a look, ... we were told that some men were having some kind of a battle. BUT it seems as that it is close to the end of town.

Dio can tell he is not being completely truthful, ... and as they are now closer they can hear men talking inside the tavern. In the near distance a patrol is making their way to the group and tavern.

Mardax frowned a bit, but nodded, and headed towards the back with the rest.  No time for this now, he had to make it back to the castle, so he was told, and that was where he SHOULD be.  Sneaking in might be harder then it was to get out, but he had to try.  The soldiers would draw too much attention, but he knew that he would need his cousins help.  The marriage proposal not withstanding.

"I think I remember the women you speak of.. I will get you the information you need."  He stated, his voice rather edged, as he seemed to think of the farm family again, and what he would do to them had they survived.

In reply to Mardax Kaldor (msg # 13):

He doesn't understand what's being said but the old pirate knows the familiar tension in the air.  Between the crowd and the circumstance and the patrol trouble was brewing and close to boiling over.

Subtly, slowly he let his free hand drift to the hilt of his sword ready for whatever might come down on him and his charge.

In reply to Caladin (msg # 12):

Cyra's merry making grin shifted to a frown of concern, concern that happened to interrupt a night of booze and talk. "A battle, you say, not a brawl? Has anyone called the guard?" If she noticed Dio's subtle shift in movement she made no outward show of it. Dio was doing his part, and she was doing hers. And hers was not to balk once she cast the dice.

Not for the last time that night she was glad her pirate was with her.

OOC: I'm not able to post because players are in the middle of actions, so I need players to continue with what they are doing, before I post.

Please post actions or intensions so I can reply :)

PM

In reply to Mardax Kaldor (msg # 18):

PM

OOC: Cyra Vyraes & Dio Diosanta, we are waiting on your posts before moving IC: 'Poppy Ale' Tavern forward. I need to know if your entering the Tavern, waiting outside or leaving altogether?

Experience Point Awards

Follow Osgred Selmy & Ser Ackley was an important part of the story and I will award 2 exp to all that did, please if you need to only post one more time in this thread to show in IC were you go and what you do to close this thread. NO INTERACTION THAT NEEDS REPLIES.

This closes this IC please see below for additional exps

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This message was last edited by the GM at 17:31, Tue 18 Aug 2015.