Blood Money: Hunters
The Silver Hilt.
It was a gathering place for bounty hunters, thugs, mercenaries, and assassins since the earliest days of Ferelden. Once it had been just a cave along a rocky outcropping on the king's road. Now it was fully functioning tavern and inn catering to the most…infamous of personages.
It was a place where murders and kidnappings were planned, a neutral ground for the darkest people in Thedas, with a two drink minimum.
Such places were common enough, and usually just enough off the main path to avoid prying eyes. Cobb, the current proprietor of the hilt did his best to keep his rather dangerous clientele happy. Providing both information and vice to any hunter or adventurer who could afford it.
Cobb also acted as a banker of sorts. When moneys were offered for a job, the portly bartender would offer, for a reasonable handling fee, to hold the money in escrow. Useful for service to be sure, some who came looking for hunters were not eager to pay once the job was done, it was far easier to simply take the prize that had been recovered and kill the hireling who retrieved it.
Such was the problem with dealing with the wealthy, righteous anger would prompt them to offer eye popping sums for the heads of their enemies, but once their tempers cooled, greed would reassert itself.
Some often tried to kill the hunter rather than pay. Such foolishness either resulted in a dead hunter or an angry wealthy family screaming for the hunter's blood.
Neither result was good for business, if you wanted to hire someone who worked out of the Silver Hilt you had to go through Cobb.
That was simply the way it was.
Cobb's handling of any bounties therefore served two purposes, one a hunter was more likely to get paid, and two the employer could guarantee anonymity while still enjoying the Hilt's professional service.
Killers and hunters were always in demand, but by the year 9:41 Dragon, that was doubly so. The chaos caused by the opening of the breach and the rise of the Inquisition meant that skilled help was in more demand than ever. The Inquisition, the Venatori, the Orlesians, the Fereldans, and the Chantry all had their ambitions, they all had needs that needed to be tended to. In the Silver Hilt, blood was a business…
…and business…was booming.
One dark night, not long after the Red Templars had first revealed themselves, a lone chantry sister made her way up the side road leading to the Silver Hilt. The young woman's crimson and white robes stood out brightly against the green and brown of the dark path.
No Templars accompanied her, not surprising considering the chaos that now gripped the Grand Cathedral. Most of the Sisters had decided to keep their heads down and await the end of the war...
…Most…but not all.
Sister Yvette gripped her dagger tightly, almost as tightly as she kept one hand on the coin purse she carried. This path was protected she knew, but that still did not mean that some down on his luck hunter might think it worth it to try and kill and rob a sister. In the past, the fear of Templar reprisals had kept such things from happening, but with the Templar order having deserted the mothers…
Anything could happen now.
Still Yvette did not waver, time was short and growing shorter by the moment, the longer she waited, the more the prize she sought would slip away.
She glanced up the path, for the first time seeing the lights from the Tavern
She swallowed hard and mustered her courage.
She could not afford to be timid.
An innocent life hung in the balance.
She would not forsake her.
The sister quickened her pace.
It was time to get some help.
IOI
She stepped through the door of the Silver Hilt and was immediately assaulted by noise and the stench of cheap booze.
The tavern was dark lit only by a few candles and a hearth built into the stone wall. The bartender rushed back and forth refilling goblets and snatching up coins.
Tavern girls made their way through the almost riotous crowd bringing food and drink to those ruffians who had decided to remain at the back. Off key music blared from one corner, suggesting that there might be a band in here someplace, but considering how little the hunters here paid such distractions it likely did no good.
One of the hunters made the mistake of grabbing one of the girls from behind, she turned with a snarl and punched him square in the face, sending him falling back out of his chair and striking the floor hard. Surprisingly enough, her tray, loaded with drinks did not even teeter. Such was the serving wench's balance and poise.
The fallen hunter's companions all laughed and jeered while the server put two boots into the man's side for good measure. She dropped off the pint she was carrying, and fell into the arms of a handsome rogue wearing a long bow, she giggled as he swept her off her feet and carried her up the stair case to the rooms above.
Yvette shuddered.
She felt like a holy pilgrim in an unholy land.
"MOVE SHEMLEN!"
She squeaked and just managed to get out of the way of a tough looking elven woman wearing a full hood and a set of green metal armor. The elf wore a long sword on her back, and carried a small burlap sack in her right hand.
Yvette found herself feeling a little ill when she noticed the red stain on its base, not to mention the slow drip of thick fluid out a small hole in the bottom.
Oh Maker, the sister thought covering her mouth.
She was afraid she was going to be sick.
"COBB!" the elf bellowed throwing the dripping trophy up on the bar with a thump.
"Dougal the Small of West Hill," she said letting her hood fall down, the face beneath was quite pretty, long golden hair, with almost glowing green eyes the color of mint. The tattooing on her face marked her as Dalish, but it was clear that the elf was no mere wanderer.
No, this elf knew how to survive.
"I've come to collect the bounty," the elf declared, "one hundred gold, I believe."
The portly looking bartender came up beside her and opened the bag. He yanked a yellowed wanted poster of the board behind him.
Cobb compared what was in the bag, to the face sketched out on that poster.
He looked in the bag and then at the poster, the bag, then the poster again…
Finally, he nodded.
"The bounty is yours Leria," he announced.
The elf grinned as he dipped under the bar, and pulled out a small chest. One by one he laid out stacks of gold coins.. More than one of the men at the bar looking hungrily at the sight, but none were stupid enough to act on their greed.
Above the bar, in clear block letters: You loose a weapon, you will lose your head.
The sister slid her own dagger deeper into her robes.
There was no reason why she should risk taking any chances.
The bartender brought up five stacks of gold coins.
He pushed them towards the hunter.
"Fifty gold," he said, "All that the house had in escrow for this job."
The elf's eyes narrowed.
"The deal was for one hundred," she reminded him.
"Yes," he nodded in agreement, "Lord Tobias said one hundred, but he only left fifty here in my keeping."
"I will need to speak with the lord then?"
"You can if you want," Cobb said pulling out another burlap sack.
He thunked it down next to the elf's prize.
"Here is what is left of Lord Tobias," he informed her.
The elf blinked.
"What is going on Cobb?" she demanded.
"Bounty was taken out on the lord," he informed her, "Fifty sovereigns."
The elf's ears lowered slightly in anger.
"Who took out the bounty?" she asked.
Cobb shook his head.
"You just brought his head to me."
The elf's jaw dropped.
Several at the bar snickered at her luck, but an icy glare cut off their amusement.
"Who brought in the contract?"
"Who do you think?" Cobb replied, "Your old friend."
The elf scanned the room, she located a dust covered dwarf with long dirty black hair and a beard.
"Zug," she spat angrily, "You goat humping son of a bitch!"
The dwarf chuckled as he looked over at her.
"What is the matter, Leria," he said, "Problem collecting your reward?"
The elf reached for her sword.
"Dirt licking bastard!" she shouted, "You owe me fifty sovereigns!"
The dwarf reached for his axes.
"Knife eared whore! I don't owe you shit!"
The noisy tavern fell silent, you could hear a pin drop. Some ducked expecting a bloody fight, all new people. Those that had worked here longer knew that was not going to happen, they knew what was coming.
The Barkeep motioned.
What happened next was almost too fast to see.
A Qunari with two broken horns appeared out of nowhere, he raised his hands, pointing at both the dwarf and the elf.
They both stopped, frozen in a stasis field.
Cobb glared at both of them.
"I don't care if you two hate each other. You both know the rules," he said flatly, "No weapons in this place, no violence. My place is neutral ground, it is a neutral establishment.
He pointed to the door.
"You want to kill each other, then step outside."
He pointed to the Qunari.
"Sarr release them."
The Qunari snapped his fingers.
The elf and the dwarf both slumped to the wooden floor. Both continued to glare at each other, but made no move take up their weapons.
Sister Yvette watched as the elf slipped past her, muttering curses under her breath. The dwarf, the one that the hunter had called Zug vanished into the crowd.
The music began again, and the conversations resumed, Laughter and shouting filled the ale soaked air.
Once again, people crowded the bar, looking to get Cobb's attention.
Yvette joined in, shouting the man's name trying to get his attention.
"Messere!" she called out.
"Messere!"
Cobb hurried back and forth, tending to the hunters that surrounded him. The sister's mousey voice was drowned out by the chaos around her.
Finally, she grew frustrated. She took a deep breath and…
"I HAVE A CONTRACT I NEED FULFILLED!"
Again all the noise stopped. Everyone turned to face her.
Yvette blushed a deep scarlet.
The bartender pinned her with his even gaze.
Finally, he chuckled.
"And the chantry mouse roared," he cackled.
The rest of the bar snickered at his comment.
Yvette ignored him, and finally managed to push her way to the front.
"I am here to post a bounty," she said trying to sound professional.
"If the Chantry is looking to hire someone to kill the Inquisition's Herald of Andraste, Sister, I'm afraid you will be disappointed."
Cobb sighed.
"The Inquisition all but rules Southern Ferelden now, no one here is going to risk angering them."
Yvette paused. She had heard that the mother's in Val Royeaux had a problem with the Herald, but that was their issue, not hers. They no doubt feared the Herald's rise to power, but that was not why she was here.
She was not here for political reasons.
"A thief stole chantry property," she continued, I wish it recovered, and the man brought to justice!"
Cobb leaned in, up close she could see the scars on the man's face, they suggested long ago healed blade wounds.
Clearly this man was no simple barkeep.
"And how much coin is being offered?" he inquired, "This lot won't work on love of the faith, you know."
Yvette shifted. Had she had more time, she could have raised a much higher bounty, but time was something she did not have.
"I have five hundred silver," she said.
Cobb snorted in amusement.
Most of the bar joined him.
"Not going to get much with just five gold, love," he said, "I'm guessing the chantry has gotten cheap since it lost its Templars."
"More coin can be gathered later, Messere," she continued, "This is simply a down payment."
"That is not the way things work here," the barkeep shrugged.
"Talk to the Inquisition. Maybe they have time to aid you."
The sister's eyes narrowed.
"Time is of the essence, I can't simply…"
"Be off with you sister, no one here will take such a paltry sum."
Yvette felt panic starting to rise in her breast, if she left here empty handed…?
No!
She would not accept that!
Panic turned to fury as the hunters pushed her away from the bar.
No!
She would not be denied.
"Edmond Dumont must answer for his crimes," She shouted.
All the pushing stopped, everyone in the tavern stopped what they were doing.
They were all looking at her now.
The sister blushed, suddenly nervous about the attention.
Dumont was said to have many friends on the fringe of civilization, she had hoped to avoid using his name so publicly.
"Sister?" she turned to find a dwarf standing behind her, not the one who had quarreled with the elf, but another one, much older. His snow white hair and beard fell almost to his chest. His eyes though hard, flickered with at least the barest glimpse of compassion.
"Do you know where Edmond Dumont is?" he asked.
She swallowed hard, mustering her courage.
"We know where he was headed," she said, "The man is notoriously hard to track, but if he seeks reward for his theft…"
"Aye," the dwarf murmured.
He looked over at Cobb.
"We will take the bounty," he said.
Cobb nodded, though he gave the dwarf a crestfallen look.
"You and Bryce are wasting your time again, Jek." He said.
The dwarf, Jek, shrugged.
He gave the barkeep a sad smile.
"Our time to waste," he said.
He turned back to Sister Yvette.
"This way lass," he said, "My partner will wish to hear what you know."
She nodded, and followed.
IOI
The dwarf pursed his lips.
Jek and Bryce had been hunting Edmond Dumont for almost ten years now, and had only gotten close a few times. The thief was a slippery one.
Jek sighed.
It was a shame that the hunt only offered such a paltry sum, but he knew enough to take it. Bryce would hunt the thief for nothing if that was what was required.
To some revenge was more valuable than coin, and Edmond owed Bryce a debt.
Maybe this time…he would pay it.
Maybe this time…it would end.
A/N: I thought up this story yesterday, not sure if I want to continue it or not. If anyone is interested shoot me a review. Some cameos by characters from Inquisition later, but a lot of OCs and a few surprises around the corner, just let me know if you like it.
DG
