A Prized Possession for a Noble Obsession [NPC]

[orgo]

Orgo had been given his orders to acquire a weapon from the stronghold of Lord Corbray known as Heart’s Home: a fortress of considerable size given the income and standing that such a Lord had. The weapon, famously named Lady Forlorn, is a sword of Valyrian steel and has a steep history and story to tell. Receiving the last key words from his client, Orgo took note that these were his own men whom he called under his banner; avoid killing at all necessary costs. The travel was minimal, an hour. Maybe two. And with the banquet on for a guest he had heard only rumours of, it was the ideal time to strike; many respectable figure heads would be present to give their graces at the Eyrie this very night.

As he approached the keep, he kept low and in the shadows to avoid detection. Noting the two guards at the gate, he realised that a diversion was needed; something to drag them from the keep gates to tend to immediately. He also noted that the walls were blocked and of relative groove. Enough to scale anyway. Taking the latter option as to stay in line with words spoken to him not so long ago, he graciously sneaked around to the northern side of the stronghold, hugging the wall as soon as he got close enough to avoid the prying eyes of the archers perched atop the roof.

It was undoubtedly the north wall; the winds that pressed against his back as he found his footing send a slight shiver up his back. Noting the cold, he thought to himself as he quietly and cautiously started to scale the wall.

”By the Gods, this wind is cold. To curse the thought of having to grow accustomed to such things~”[/color][/b]

Stopping at regular intervals for a few seconds as the guardsman patrolled, he slipped silently into a window, a tapestry acting a veil to quell the unrelenting northern winds. Now inside, he waited in the shadows to learn his bearings.

[NPC]

It was cold tonight, and his Lordship was dining at the Eyrie. Rumours had spread throughout the Vale since the morning - a Lannister banner had passed through the Bloody Gate. Lord Royce and Ser Brynden were said to be hosting the Lannister men at the foot of the Giant's Lance, while a son of Lord Tywin supped with the Face of Hope. "Marly" grunted Head of the House Guard Arnold Breen, as he gazed out over the courtyard, "Tell Bort and Fent that the guard rotations need to be quickened; I want the Tower of the Sword under watch by Gentle Daniel's and Small Edward's guard all night so they'll have to take up the slack". The mailed man next to him nodded curtly and left. "By the gods" Arnold whispered to himself as he watched two more units of Corbray soldiers moving through the courtyard, "Why couldn't he take that lamentable blade with him tonight?". He shook his head as he tapped the hilt of his sword. Heart's Home was well defended tonight, more so than usual. It was all because of that sword, he knew, the sword that was worth enough Lannister gold to return House Corbray to prominence, if only Lord Tywin's offer to buy it had been accepted.

[orgo]

Hearing the footsteps clatter from within a nearby room, he noticed that the room in question was under heavy guard. Hidden within the shadows, he noticed a knight patrolling along the corridor, his steps lethargic and disapproving of his duties on this night. Amidst the gales that howled in past the large and heavy tapestries, Orgo could notice the yawned and slouched posture that the man took. Moving to the centre of the hallway, he stayed behind the tapestries, directly opposite the room in question. Gauging the ruffled footsteps and talking, he guessed there was at least three others inside the room, but he couldn’t be certain; there could be more, there could be less.

As the knight passed him again, he knotted and looped the tapestry into a small but tight noose end. Tucking it inwards, the tapestry looked undisturbed, with exception to the northern winds of course. Carefully moving some fine ornaments to the edge of a nearby coffer table, he waited until the knight patrolled back down the hall again. With every footstep closer, the seconds began to draw out, as if time was coming a standstill.

With an agile leap, Orgo carried the tapestry inwards as if forced by a powerful gale of the northern wind, hoping to wrap the unaware knight in the tapestry, and dangle him from the window. Keeping his word of not slaying if necessary, he would add to grabbing the attention by smashing the ornaments carefully placed nearby. The weight of a knight’s armour was a burden unto itself, and as his fellow comrades helped the unassuming knight in, Orgo could swiftly duck in and apprehend the Forlorn Lady.

He only hoped that no others entered the hallway as he leaped inwards, or else his order would go with a slight violation.

[NPC]

"Where is Gentle Daniel?" Arnold barked at the ten assembled men as he entered the Sword Cell through the secret passage behind the hearth - it was important to keep the passage clean, lest vermin use them. He stood beside the locker containing Lady Forlorn, staring at the men donning the Corbray sigil before him. "Why is the head of this unit positioned OUTSIDE the door, instead of guarding the blade in here, having put one of YOU outside?" he snarled in the face of a young blonde guardsman. The young guard coughed out a weak reply, something about the knight being bored by guarding an over-valued knife. Arnold Breen bristled, but before he could reply a cry rang out, followed by a clatter from outside the Sword Cell door. "To arms men!" he shouted as they poured towards the door in a disorderly fashion. When the door swung open Arnold leered at the tangled mess that stood before him - "Ser Daniel" he said through gritted teeth, "How did you ever become a knight?". Arnold gestured as three guards began to cut down the knight. "Need I remind you fools of the value of that sword?" he yelled as the others filed back into the cell. He slammed the door behind them, barring it. "Now, I will send up Small Ed to add his numbers to your guard. Try not to lose the sword while I am gone" he snapped before vanishing through the secret door once more.

[orgo]

As the men scurried out to assist the now known Ser Daniel in heaving him from out the window, Orgo took his opportunity and tucked into the Sword Cell. Quickly navigating into a shadowed corner, the Faceless Man poised as he noticed the guards quickly reenter the room and bar the door.

”Only exit blocked. This should be interesting~”[/b]

As he thought to him himself, he noticed the way the guards stood and “guarded” the prized possession - the Forlorn Lady. Chairs weaved around the sword, all facing inwards. What was of more interest was the design of the room. Drapes and material gartered the ceiling, and an ornate wooden chandelier hung low, the candles casting a flickering light throughout the room. Held in place by a large rope, a plan began to formulate in his head. Noticing that the drapes are attached to the higher frame of the ornate candle holder for aesthetics, Orgo crept quietly toward the holster, and unravelled the knot. Holding the rope, he waited for the perfect time amidst some riled chatting to free his grip, sending the chandelier crashing down, along with the draping fabric, aligned above the knights sitting in the room.

As the chandelier crashed down hard, expunging the room of any decent light source, Orgo made his move. Quickly dashing across the room, he leaped over some of the now damaged furnishings, his aim at grabbing the hilt of the Valyrian steel sword and opening the door that Ser Arnold had exited only moments ago. He reckoned that he still had time to make it down the hollowed escape route before the titled “Small Ed” made it to the entrance.

[NPC]

The men stood huddled near the prized possession of House Corbray. The banter centred around the tangled mess of a knight that was by now barking orders at the three guards outside. Darkness suddenly fell over the room as the wooden candle rack above dropped to the floor, dragging the drapes down with it. The guards fumbled underneath the soft cloth as the guards and knight outside pounded on the barred door. "To the outter passage entrance!" said a voice from beyond the door.

Yells and shouts emanated from the yard outside the Sword Cell the men of Home's Hearth became aware of something happening in the room above. The assassin grabbed the blade by the hilt and concealed it. The passage lay before him, bathed in the light of many torches. The passage was thin and winding with a high ceiling. Voices echoed up the tunnel eerily - there were men entering the tunnel from the other end.

[orgo]

Pushing into the tunnel, Orgo sprinted downward as the knights still came to terms with the dazed reality of what just happened. He heard the knights stationed outside attempting to enter the room, but alas the barred door prevented them from entering. The hallway was thin to the point that Orgo could just about lie length ways and firmly place both hand and foot stably on either side.

As the echoing voices resonated up the passageway, he knew he’d have company soon. With hesitation to fighting his way out of this scenario, he could hear the rigid instructions ringing throughout his head: Avoid killing at all costs. With an agile leap, Orgo pressed both his feet on the dark stone wall. Locking his knees and firming his hands on the wall opposite, he quickly shuffled higher up the wall, his back pressing against the high cobb-webbed ceiling. Slowly moving sideways with a caution mind on his footing, he intended to stop as the knights came past, before landing and pressing onwards.

"Wait it out, and don't let them suspect a thing~"[/i][/color]

His thoughts were ever clear as he pressed forward, knowing that one mistake on his behalf here could result in a stipulation being forfeited. Orgo had no intention of making any mistakes however; a Faceless Man makes no mistakes.

[NPC]

The sword was gone - that much was known now to the men in the Sword Cell. One of them ran to the window and bellowed the news to the courtyard below where men were already running around aware that something was wrong in the Sword Cell. The indomitable Small Ed and his men had entered the tunnel at the other end and walked with blades drawn, towards the Sword Cell. The passage was thick with men - Small Ed himself was a wide, tall man, but he had 20 large men at his back too. The men in the Sword Cell saw the door was still barred, so the passage was the only way the thief could have left - "HE'S IN THE PASSAGE!" roared one barrel chested guard as he and his compatriots began to file into the passage through the Sword Cell entrance. With men filling the passage from both ends, the Faceless Man was trapped.