Robbing Down the River

Writers: Jelena, Leigh M-F., Paula, Suzee
Date Posted: 26th October 2016

Characters: Hakob, Gravink, Ullben, Silesta, Adrik
Description: The Cornflower is besieged, first by technical trouble, then by bandits.
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 7, day 28 of Turn 8

The riverboat Cornflower had been loaded with Emerald Falls' tithes
two days ago. Crates, sacks, wineskins and barrels, bales of clothes
from Weaver Hall, anything a Hold produced, really. Bag filled with
personal mail and parchels to be delivered. This time there were no
livestock, which the Captain Hakob was grateful of. Live animals were
annoying to transport: they took room, made noise and they needed to
be fed...and then there was the manure. Their first stop had been
Field Meadows, for even more cargo. The past months rains and storms
had made the river swell and run wild. They made swift progress
despite stopping for the nights. Then the storm broke out. Hakob sent
look outs to the bow, worrying about obstacles. Storm sometimes felled
trees to the river and hitting one would be disaster for a riverboat.
Not to mention that the rain made it hard to see ahead. He told the
engine room to reduce speed.

**Seriously, why me?** Gravink grumbled to himself as he made his way
across the boat, shuffling along slowly because of the storm. His head
was exploding from a terrible - well he had to admit it to himself at
least - hangover and the storm that was howling about his head didn't
help much. And besides, there was nothing to see in this rain, if he'd
spot an obstacle, it would be already too late, right?

A strange shuddering emanated from the engine room, followed by a
muffled bang. A few moments later, Ullben, leader of what he called
"the sooties", came storming onto the deck, covered in soot and even a
little oil, trying to rub off the mess with an old rag. "Well, Cap'n,
we'll have no trouble reducing speed now," he called to Hakob, looking
seriously displeased. "We just blew something vital down there and I
have no idea how long it'll take my team to fix it. We need to drop
anchor now."

Hakob let out of string of his favourite profanities and took the helm
himself. "I'm taking us to the river bank, the trees should give us
some shelter", he called out. "Unless they fall on us," he muttered
darkly. "Prepare to drop the achor and moor us to the bank!"

Gravink barely heard the orders being given, but he too prepared for
anchoring, feeling more queasy by the minute as the terrible day just
seemed to get worse by the second.

The muffled bang from somewhere inside the boat was her cue to take
action. She had studied the riverboats crew and their families
carefully and knew who was who and who was responsible for what.
Pretending to be a panicked passenger, she soon lured the Captain's
wife (who was in charge of all things domesticated and people-related
on the boat) out of her quarters. Pulling a big knife out from her
skirts (it had been tied to her calf) she soon had her keys and all
off-duty riverboat folk locked into their quarters.

"Take her to the bridge, I'm sure the captain will do anything we want
if you keep a blade on her throat," she told the others.

A broad and muscular, dirty looking young man grabbed the hostage and
pulled his own knife on her. "Gotcha," he almost spat at his female
companion, before motioning at the man next to him to follow with a
flick of his head. "Come on, lassy, let's go see your hubby, eh?" His
tone of voice betrayed he took perverse pleasure in the fear radiating
from his squirming hostage as he dragged her up deck.

"Who helps me to lock up the passangers?" the female-bandit asked.
Last thing they needed was some hero trying to fight them.

"I will," a large man answered, and three others also chimed in,
moving in to herd the passengers.

"I need to signal everyone else on the shore," another woman said,
taking off her sash, which was a brilliant orange. "Once we're
anchored, they'll come on the runnerbeasts with their planks and
grappling hooks. Let's go, everyone."

The bandits scattered to do their tasks. Captain Hakob was very upset
when his wife was brought up, knife blade against her throat. He loved
his wife and couldn't do anything to endanger her life. But he could
curse and he did, a lot.

In the chaos caused by the bandit take-over, Gravink managed to go
unnoticed, having just found a quiet corner in which to throw up his
breakfast when it all broke loose. For a moment he observed everything
that was happening from his hiding place and then he quietly slipped
over the edge of the boat into the water, the splash masked by the
scuffle and shouts of those on board. No sense risking his life over a
lost cause.

Silesta's eyes were wide with fear as she was held against the grimy
bandit. She sobbed once but his grip only tightened and she felt the
edge of the knife at her throat bite her skin. She almost held her
breath for fear of what they might do.

Arvidon hissed in the woman's ear. "Shut up!" he spat at the boat
captain. Then his eyes caught movement along the bank. "There they
are," He nodded toward where runners and a couple of wagons could be
seen through the trees.

Hakob watched them come with sinking feeling. This was a well run
operation. It made him wonder if the engines had been sabotaged.

The orange signal meant to bring up the wagons. Adrik waited till he
was sure it was right, then he led the runners pulling the wagon up to
the water's edge. They'd have to move quickly to get the cargo loaded
up. But it was going to be so worth it to have all of this loot!

Arvidon watched the captains reaction to his handling of his wife with
a nasty smile. "You don't get any ideas," he said. "Git 'em down with
th'others," he added to the woman who'd been their inside help. While
he watched the offloading begin. If they were quick enough they could
be gone by sunset with no one able to follow them.

Last updated on the December 17th 2016

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Robbing Down the River