Bretonnia Tales: General Prologue

The members of the soon-to-be company are contacted severally by Gascon Gascoigne, who introduces himself as a priest of Verena and a leader of pilgrimages. In the spring, he will take pilgrims from Brionne, through northern Carcassonne, and ultimately to Turin to see the Shroud of Gilles du Breton. He wishes to hire the members of the company as guards and proposes giving them each four Crowns for three weeks’ work.

Gascon Gascoigne, Priest of Verena

The members of the company agree. Gascon tells them to finish their current visit and to meet him at the Surcoat Inn, in Brionne, no later than the evening of Rachexen 16^th, the first day of spring.

Arriving in Brionne

An unusually wet spring has washed out roads and flooded bridges, making travel difficult. Despite their best efforts, the company arrive late in Brionne, reaching the city on the morning of Rachexen 17^th. They note a festival air in the city and learn from the locals that the Tournament of Snowdrops has just concluded. This is a festival in which the city’s knights display their prowess and also recruit new men-at-arms. There is much talk of the scion of House Azalais, who was knighted on the last day of the tournament.

The company hurries to the Surcoat Inn, hoping that the ill weather has also delayed the departure of the pilgrims. Upon arrival, however, they learn that this is not the case. Within, they encounter the innkeeper, one Henri Cachot, apologizing profusely to a young lady from the Empire named Frieda Taste. Frieda had hoped to join the pilgrimage and also arrived late, while Henri was planning to go, except that his, “wastrel of a nephew,” had not returned to spell him at the inn, like he had promised.

Henri Cachot, Proprietor of the Surcoat Inn

The innkeeper greets the company and discovers, to his astonishment, that they, too were meant to accompany Gascon on his journey—and as his guards, no less. He says that, if they are indeed meant to go on pilgrimage, he will feed them a hearty breakfast for free, since Gascon vastly overpaid him for the pilgrims’ meals. The company breaks their fast and introduces themselves, all the while discussing what they will need to do to catch up to the pilgrims.

Magnus opines that he would very much like to catch up with the pilgrims and his pay, to which several of the others agree. Garnier suggests that pilgrims will move quite slowly, especially with the roads in their current state. He says that the company could catch them if they were willing to travel overland. The company agrees to this.

Frieda Taste speaks up and asks the company to include her in their ranks, as she had also wished to go on pilgrimage. The company tells her that she is most welcome.

Frieda Taste, a Woman of the Empire

The Lady’s grace soon smiles on the innkeeper, for his nephew—battered and bloody—staggers through the Surcoat’s door but a few moments later. Jean-Claude, the nephew, relates a sweeping epic of star-crossed lovers, duels, high dudgeon, thrills, chases, and also how he lost all his money gambling on the Tournament of Snowdrops and was subsequently soundly beaten for it. His uncle sends him up to rest and then also asks the company if he can accompany them on pilgrimage. He, too, is accepted.

While Henri the innkeeper makes ready his donkey and cart, the company sets out into the nearby marketplace to purchase last-minute goods for the journey. Chief among these is a worn-out mule named Dominique, who Sir Jean-Marc purchases from her original owners. The mule and the knight do not quite get along at first, but neither is kicked or bitten as Jean-Marc brings her back to the Surcoat’s stables.

Meanwhile, Marcus casts around the Surcoat for dice or other small, pocketable items. He also warns Henri the innkeeper against leaving his silverware in the care of his nephew. “He’ll just sell it, you know.” Henri says that if Jean-Claude does so, he will kill him with his bare hands.