Eddard's Diary Chapter 3

Inciting the Riot

 

As the afternoon wore on, I made my back to Garrus and Logan.  I told them of the riot I was setting up that night.  They agreed that it would be useful in keeping the city watch off our backs while we ade a play for the captives.  With little information in how they would actually be moved, we did work out the most likely route Denthos' men would use.  We would be ready.

 

At te appointed time, I made my way to the market square.  Using all of my oratory skill, I made the already angry crowd, angrier.  I used the evil lurinking in the neighbourhood line to great effect.  I played on their sympathetic emotions to the orphans by claiming," These unfortunates, who have already lost an incalcuable amount, who have already suffered at life's injustice should have those wrongs compounded by being betrayed by the very people that are supposed to protect them.

 

"These poor children are being sold into slavery, prostitution and worse by the headmaster.

 

"The law does nothing.  They do not care about the fate a few children.

 

"The only people that care are standing here.  The only people with the strength and will to do something stand before me, here, tonight.

 

"We will act when no else will.  We will provide justice to these children.  We will step forward and say 'No!  Not anymore."

 

The crowd starting chanting. "No more! No more!"

 

My own voice was rising in pith of righteous anger," Let's end this!  To the orphanage!"

 

And like water behind a broken dam, the crowd surged in the direction of the orphanage.  I could already see the town guard arriving in force.  Some tried to stop the crowd from moving on the building.  Others engaged the crowd directly with clubs.  Fights were breaking out.

 

I had to be somewhere else, and made my way quickly to where the party waited.  I worried that I could be identified for inciting the riot, and needed to make a fast getaway.

 

I was told that the captives were being transported in 2 wagons.  Each one had guards flanki g either side, a driver, a guard on the roof and one riding inside the wagon to watch captives themselves.

 

We set up an order of battle.  Only Wren and Azzarak were missing.  Wren was to enter the last wagon by stealth.  No one had heard from or seen Azzarrak in 2 days.  He couldn't be bothered to report in.  As we waited, I wondered if I wanted to continue to work with someone as stupid as Azzarrak seemed to be.  After all, anyone with a brain would check in once in a while.  He should be here, waiting for them with us.

 

And then we saw them, coming down the street.  We readied ourselves and then charged,

Eddard's Diary Chapter 3 (Con't)

Eddard's Really Bad Day Part 2

 

I hushed the girls as I crouched low, bow at the ready.  I could hear rummaging around and then I heard the ladder creak.  I waited.  Just a little longer, I thought, wait for it...

 

A head appeared at the the top of the ladder, I kicked at it, knocking him off the ladder. 

 

"There they are!  Get him!."

 

I lined up one with my bow, determined that I meant business.  I let the arrow go, and managed to wing one them in the leg.  By the tears of Mystra, first clouting a little girl, then shooting an unarmed individual.  Would this day never end?

 

"The next one what comes up here, dies!" I called down to them.  That paused the four men. "I will not permit these children to become slaves."

 

"What?"  That from the one I wounded.

 

"These girls were sold as slaves by the headmaster at the orphanage!"  I drew upon my oratory skills for all they worth.  I was at a cross roads here.  If they didn't believe me, they would be back with more people.  I couldn't hold off all of them, though I was confident I could against these four.  I knew that I wouldn't be able to get them all, and I didn't want to.  They were just trying to find a murderer, and a thief.   But maybe they could help us.  We had to prove slavery in a town where those in the trade are established citizens, and even wealthy merchants, important for the economy of the town.

 

"I have been investigating a case of slave taking for some months.  With the help of some my friends, we have already managed to rescue a handful from certain slavery in Amn and returned them to the their homes.  We tracked more slaves, taken from their homes, from their loved ones, by bandits and sent here."

 

The men listened, disbelief slowly being replaced by anger.

 

"Sergeant Rogan was killed in the act of procuring a 12 year old girl for the pleasure of his Amnite master."

 

The men were visibly angry now.

 

"She was obtained, for monetary consideration, from the headmaster of the local orphanage."

 

They became really angry with that last line.  Wren appeared behind the men and made her way forward.

 

One of the men remembered the money, but before he could say anything, I forestalled him.  "She works with me, and has been crucial in the gathering of this information.  The girls trust her, even as I do."

 

None of the men moved towards her.  She climbed the ladder.  When she got the top, she told me three things.  She learnt that the remaining slaves were going to be moved soon, most likely that night.  She also said that Denthos was behind the slavery operation.  She believed the people would be taken out of Scornubel by river.

 

"Good people, I have just been given some important information.  The Amnite Denthos is behind the local slave operation.  I have been told that the remaining slaves from the baronies will be moved to the river tonight."

 

"Kill the Amnite!  Free the slaves!" came the call from the floor of the warehouse.  It wasn't long before it turned into a chant. 

 

"My friends, please," I said, gesturing to lower the noise from the building.  As they calmed down I said," Do not throw away your lives attacking the Amnite.  His men would kill you without a second thought.  Leave freeing the slaves to us.  We have friends and are getting quite used to this kind of thing."

 

They looked disappointed, but still angry.

 

"But we, as outsiders, can't do anything about the headmaster.  That's what I need you to do.  Go to your favourite hangouts.  Tell your friends and anyone else what has been happening there, gather them," I said a seed of a plan forming in my mind,"and meet me at the merchant square ear the orphanage, one hour after sunset."

 

"Do this and we can put a stop to the evil that has taken root in your neighbourhood.  Do this and we can bring justice to people who have operated without it for far too long.

 

"One hour after sunset.  I will update you all then."

 

The men left.  Talking among themselves. 

 

I think they were looking forward to the coming night.

 

I was happy, too.  I was going to use the riot that I would incite to draw the guard away from the people transporting the slaves, taking the city guard out of the equation. 

 

Inciting a riot.  Should a paladin be doing that?

 

I couldn't let that thought stop me, there was still a lot to do. 



Eddard's Diary: Chapter 3 (Con't)

Eddard's Really Bad Day part 1

Punching an Innocent

 

In the morning, after an uncomfortable night spent sleeping in the loft area of the warehouse, Wren asked me to go keep an eye on the orphanage while she and her charge lay low in the warehouse.  After what I saw last night, I knew that sending Wren  out today would be extremely dangerous as it seemed half the city was looking for her.  I knew that, by now, there would be a bounty out on her.

 

I changed my appearance slightly from the body guard persona.  I wore one short sword, instead of the pair, and carried the short bow.  I muddied my cloak and wore it with the hood up to conceal my identity.  Not being an expert in disguise, I didn't know what else to do, so I left it at that.

 

I made my way to the orphanage, by a round about route.  I didn't dare take a direct route for fear that I was already being followed.  I found a wall to lean against a little ways up from the street entrance of the orphanage.  It wasn't long before I saw a mercenary type- someone I thought I recognised from Minx's the night before- walk into the place.  I waited outside, and when he came out, I followed him.  He went out to one of the caravan holding yards outside the city proper.  The area he went into was obviously rich, likely Amnite, and extremely well guarded.  I noted where this camp was.  It wasn't long, though, before the mercenary I'd been following came out of the camp and made his way back to the orphanage. 

 

This time, when he came out of the orphanage, he wasn't alone.  With him, was a very young girl that bore more than a passing resemblance to the girl in Wren's care.  I didn't believe the girl was a relative of his.  I believed the headmaster had sold another one, because the first had yet to be found.  This belief forced me to do something about it.  I can't stand by and allow a young girl, whose only crime was having no parents, be collected for slavery or prostitution.  I had to act.

 

The problem was, how?  I was alone.  No back up.  No way of getting back up.  If I merely followed, and he made it back to the Amnite Merchant's camp, I'd lose any opportunity.

 

I saw where they were going, into a market square.  I moved down a street, confident of their travel path and ran to get in front of them.  I came to the entrance of an alley that led back onto the main road.  I waited, catching my breath, preparing mentally.  And then they appeared, walking together up the street.  I walked out of the alley mouth, headed for the mercenary.  As I came within half a metre of him, I shoulder charged him, knocking him off his feet.  I scooped up the girl and ran.

 

Behind me, he was calling for help, saying I had taken his daughter.  The girl's shock at being taken was quickly wearing off and she started to fight me.  I dodged with her down side streets, I tried to tell her she was safe.  She wasn't buying it.  When I could see one else around, I clocked her one, hard enough to knock her out, if I didn't do something, the mercenary or city watch would catch me for sure, and the girl would be at the mercy of whatever fate awaited her at the hand of these slavers.  I had no choice.  I also wasn't happy about it.

 

I ducked into a small one room hut, grabbed an old blanket, wrapped her up in it, and took her, again by circuitous means, back to the warehouse.

 

I wasn't followed.  I entered the place and took her up to the loft.  I gently placed her in the blanket on the straw.  Wren was no where to be seen, but the first girl was still there.  I started to explain the situation to her, telling her what happened, when there was sound of a search party in the building. 

 

All I heard was," I bet the bitch we're looking for is in here."

 

Terrific.  I got my bow ready.

Quick Notes on Eddard's Diary

There are a few things followers of Eddard's Diary need to know. 

The most important is the idea that I'm four or five posts away catching up to the current game timeline.

The other thing to note is that Chapter 4 ends with a massive fight, and I suspect that combat will take two posts by itself to write.  I am going to try to describe it as much as is practical- but there were large portions of the fight that my character couldn't see.

I hope you are enjoying Eddard's Diary as much as I am enjoying bringing it to you.

If any of you have ideas on how Eddard's might be better presented, feel free to email or comment.

Eddard: Chapter 3 (Con't)

On The Run

 

As soon as that thought entered my head, I knew it was the right one.  Mystra's Tears, what did you do Wren?

 

I knew I had to get out of there.  But instead of leaving right away, I pretended like I found her when I entered an empty room.  I stayed there for about a minute- long enough to check in on my client.  Then I walked down the stairs, and straight out of the building, taking only a quick detour to walk past Ulf, who looked completely unaware something was up.  All I said to him was "trouble."

 

I walked out of Minx's.  It took a heap of effort to keep from running, but I knew that would only draw attention to me.  It wasn't long, however, before the city watch was headed past me to the festhall.  I had made my getaway.  I headed straight back to the Inn where the party was supposed to be staying.  Garrus and Logan were in the taproom with Thoram.  Of Azzarak, Wren, or Ulf there was no sign.

 

I did what I could to alter my appearance, and then sat with the others.  Ulf did arrive very shortly later.  No one knew where Azzarak was.  As we sat there debating our best option, a street urchin arrived and gave a note to Garrus.

 

"It's from Wren," he said," it's directions to a warehouse."

 

"Let's go," I said rising immediately.

 

We walked through the streets, trying not to make ourselves conspicuous because of the late hour.  As we neared the place, we were stopped by the city watch. 

 

"We're looking for a young half-elf female.  You seen her?"

 

I let Garrus do the talking.  I suspected that my presence as her bodyguard would have been noted, and the watch may soon come looking for me.

 

"No, we haven't," Garrus replied.

 

"Do be careful," the guard said,"she is a murderer and a thief.  She is extremely dangerous."

 

Garrus nodded, "we will."

 

The guard called over to his comrades,"C'mon boys, lets try over here."

 

As the guards moved away, Garrus said, "We need to get in here,"

 

I didn't see how we were going to get in, without Wren to pick the lock, but Garrus produced a key and unlocked the door.  I never asked. but the key must have arrived with the note. 

 

We went inside the warehouse.  It looked disused, almost derelict from the inside, but once the door shut behind us, she told us what happened.

 

She came across a deal being made for a 12 year old girl- being sold by a guard Sergeant named Rogan, all happening on the second floor of Mother Minx's.  She felt she had to act, to spare someone from the life she had in Amn as a slave.  Rogan was killed, and the girl taken into Wren's protective care.  According to Wren, the girl was sold by the headmaster of a local orphanage.

 

Committing murder to save someone from slavery, it seemed a fair trade to me, somehow.  I was just happy I got out of Minx's before they got onto me.  It was because of this, that I was nominated to stay with Wren and the child. 

 

I felt obligated to try to save them all from slavery, but I wondered if it was possible.

 

I also wondered how this little escapade of Wren's would affect our chances of rescuing the others.