Session Six: The Miller's Tale

The Battle

The company does desperate battle with the undead sailors, trading blows and dodging ancient, rotting arrows. Sabina at last recovers herself and, with a wild battle cry, raises shield and ax and rushes to join the fray. Pierre scurries all over the deck of the newly made ship, providing such physicking where he can. The others give an excellent accounting of themselves, though particular note should be paid to Sir Jean-Marc, whose fury and battle lust crushes at least two of the skeletal attackers to bone meal.

Meanwhile, Magnus stays below, in the ship’s hold, and tries to keep the lion’s share of the folk of Annecy from panicking. He finds that there is nothing that can be done to prevent their seasickness, however.

In the midst of the battle, Maurice makes a daring—and foolhardy—leap onto the deck of the deadship. Once there, he begins prying up any of the remaining blue and sickly green cabochons he can lay his hands upon.

Cutting Ties

As the last of the undead attackers falls, the deadship groans and lists precipitously to its port side. The company realizes that this is likely due to Maurice, who is removing the obviously enchanted gemstones that keeps the ruined ship seaworthy. This would not be a problem, except that the deadship and the company’s vessel are locked together, and if one goes down, it is likely the other will follow.

Sir Jean-Marc, who has learned that his doom is to die in a bed not his own, grows concerned at the lexical curiosity that the sea does, in fact, have a bed. He and most of the others of the company shout at Maurice to stop prying the load-bearing gemstones out of the deadship.

By this point, the deadship has listed so far to port that it is at least half-submerged, and the waters of the sea are almost to the point that they can wash into its open hold, filling it completely. Realizing this, the company leans over the side of their ship and begin hacking away at the broken hull of the deadship. At the same time, Maurice fills his bag with pilfered gems and jumps back aboard his original vessel.

With concerted effort, and quite a lot of cursing, the company manages to cut themselves free of the deadship. Their own ship rocks dangerously back and forth before righting itself as the ruined vessel—hopefully for the final time—sinks swiftly beneath the storm-tossed waves.

The Two Ships Locked in Battle (Cannons Not Included With Playset)

The Grace of the Lady

Though the undead have been defeated, the storm shows no signs of abating. The people of Annecy huddle together, and wonder why the cliffs have not howled to quell the storm, as they once did centuries ago. Several worry that they have, perhaps, angered the Lady. Others believe that Absalome, who bravely remained behind, is at the shrine even now, entreating the Lady for aid. Hearing this, most of the folk of Annecy kneel on the soaking deck and begin to pray fervently. Several of the company—though not necessarily devout—think that this is the right idea and join them.

At that moment, a single bolt of blue-white lightning arcs from the sky and strikes the spire that houses the Shrine of the Miracle of the Howling Cliffs. Squire Henri, thinking that the color might be of some significance, demands that Maurice hand over one of the blue gems he has liberated from the deadship. Maurice refuses to hand over any of the gems for free but, after a brief and heated exchange, agrees to give Squire Henri a blue gemstone in exchange for a bottle of Annecian holy water.

The trade complete, Squire Henri baffles onlookers by immediately tossing the valuable gemstone into the sea.

Whether it is this act, the fervent prayers of all present, or some other power, the awful storm begins to abate. As the clouds roll back, the company is relieved to see that only Mannslieb is in the sky. There is no further sign of the dread Chaos Moon, or any of its other fell enchantments.

Landfall

With the coastal waters now calm, the company, Jean le Bois, and other villagers are able to guide their ship back into shore. They arrive close to where they departed, by the spire of the shrine. Those villagers that investigate report that Albrecht’s work site has been scoured from the spire, leaving no trace behind. They also report not finding any sign of either Albrecht’s body or of Absalome.

Sir Jean-Marc is most relieved to find that his horse, Ambrose, along with all of the animals and livestock of the village, have survived the storm and are no worse for wear.

The company returns, exhausted, to Annecy, where the innkeeper of the Whelm promises them free room and board for their heroic efforts. He also presents a small collection of coins to the company as a token of Annecy’s gratitude, and says that they will always be welcome in the village. Garnier, under his breath, says that he would rather die than return to this horrible place ever again. Several members of the company agree.

In addition to these rewards, the company has managed to salvage several sets of sea-ravaged, but still serviceable, armor from their undead opponents. Maurice, who was unprotected at this point, dons a pickled leather jack and what remains of a barnacle-encrusted tunic of lamellar.

Lastly, Jurgen takes Sabina aside and, using his scant knowledge of Bretonnia, brings her over to his wagon. He tells her, with a few words and many gestures, that he isn’t terribly broken up about Albrecht’s death. He also says that, as Albrecht took responsibility of all the crates upon delivery, it is solely his fault that they have been destroyed.

Bemused by these statements, Sabina watches as Jurgen lifts the seat of his wagon, revealing a compartment that contains a blunderbuss and quite a store of shot and powder. Jurgen says that he needs to keep some of it for bandits, but offers Sabina five loads of shot for her pistol, which she accepts.

In the meantime, word spreads around the village that Absalome died a heroic death saving the village and is already being regarded by some as a saint. Garnier scoffs at this, but becomes more interested when he hears that villagers are going through Absalome’s hut looking for “relics.” He joins the search, expecting to find another wish on yellow parchment, but leaves immediately when he turns up nothing.

Annecy's Newest Saint--To The Disquiet of Several

The Next Morning

The company avails itself of the free rooms in the inn and gets some much-deserved rest. They all dream troubling dreams. In each, they see the Lady, clad in grey wool, with her back to them. They are not sure what this means.

It seems, though, that their actions have defeated not only the storm and the deadship, but have also set the flow of time in Annecy back upon its proper course. The fields are plowed and nearly ready for planting. The pear tree has no fruit—and the pears in Squire Henri’s bag have turned to seeds. The pregnant goat is unpregnant, or not yet pregnant, and no worse for wear. Most importantly, the company learns that they have spent only two days in Annecy, and not the many months that they had feared.

The villagers direct them to the next nearest settlement of Berjols—a town of significantly larger size—which is famed as the home of Saint Gwen the Kind, the patron saint of small animals (but especially cats). The company is informed that the pilgrims have undoubtedly gone there, and that they may stay for a time to see the holy shrine and take in the sights. The company is also warned that things are quite expensive in Berjols, but that they will find cheaper lodgings and food in the nearby village of Montressor.

With some encouragement by Magnus that they get a move on, the company sets off eastward, toward Berjols.

Session Five: The Miller's Tale

The Chaos Moon Rises Over Annecy

Escaping Annecy

Sabina reaches the Whelm, pounds on its barricaded door, and begs the people within to come with her to the shore. When they hesitate, Sabina calls out to Allison, who is inside, and tells her that her father is there, and that he has built a ship to take them all to safety. Allison convinces the villagers to exit the inn and gather everyone else in Annecy, while Sabina opens the barn and frees all the animals, including her horse, Hellbitch, Squire Henri’s unnamed horse, Sir Jean-Marc’s horse, Ambrose, and Bartholomule.

Sabina leads the village down to the beach, to find that Magnus and Jean le Bois have all but finished the ship. She and Magnus begin loading people in as storm clouds pour across the sky to cover Morrslieb and the tide rapidly rises.

Escaping the Caverns

Seeing that the tide is coming in unusually fast, the company decides to abandon their explorations and flee the caverns. As they do, they note sparks of green lightning playing off all of the flotsam and jetsam around the floor of the cavern.

By the time they reach the first cave, the water has already risen high enough that the derelict ship has righted itself. The remaining gemstones placed in its handrails crackle with green flame, and greenish light shines out through gaps in the hull.

The company retreats up the tunnel to the beach, but find themselves fighting against the storm-tossed waves that are now pouring in through the entrance. Squire Henri acquires some rotten rope and ties Pierre, Garnier, Maurice, and himself together, allowing the four men to combine their strength to leave the cave. Frieda, Renee, and Jean-Marc go it alone. Eventually, all of them pull free of the cave and go down the now narrow strip of beach to the shrine.

Absalom and Albrecht

The Spire of the Shrine of the Miracle

The company reunites at the shrine and helps to load the villagers onto Jean’s ship. As they do this, a second group of torch-wielding villagers—led by Absalom—march up to Albrecht’s work site and demand an accounting of the scholar. Several members of the company try to dissuade the mob and get them on the boat, but all are in the throes of the charismatic—albeit nasal—Absalom, and do not listen.

Albrecht emerges from his work site and pleads with Absalom, explaining that all of his research was to learn if, and when, another Chaos storm would assault the coast. He says that the storm is coming now, and that he would have known that months ago if not for the delays in his research.

Albrecht attempts to explain how he really wanted to aid Annecy fall on deaf ears. Absalom orders his followers to seize Albrecht, at which point the scholar begins to make arcane passes through the air with his hands.

Several members of the company intercede in various ways. Sabina fires her pistol into the air and warns that the next shot will not miss. This shakes several of Absalom’s followers so badly that they break off and board the ship. Garnier and Maurice both fire arrows at Albrecht to prevent him from using sorcery, while Jean-Marc and Renee race up to the worksite to intercede in a more personal manner.

Renee produces her net and shouts that, as a bounty hunter, she is arresting Albrecht. It is her hope that by trussing up the scholar, she can de-escalate the situation and get everyone onto the ship. Unfortunately, Sir Jean-Marc is faster than she is and, with a mighty shout, swings his hammer at Albrecht. The scholar just manages to dodge out of the way and blasts Sir Jean-Marc in the face with a powerful magical dart.

As the rest of Absalom’s followers cast aside their torches and retreat to the ship, Maurice fires a second arrow that pierces Albrecht through the heart. As he dies, Absalom continues upward to the shrine, ignoring the company’s calls that he should join them on the ship.

The Storm

Green lightning arcs down from the clouds, striking land and sea and shattering the air with thunder. The company helps Jean le Bois push the ship into the churning waters before getting aboard themselves.

The ship is swiftly carried away from shore by a powerful undertow as the sky opens and rain pours down. The company learns, to their horror, that neither they nor the people of Annecy have any experience with ships. It is only through luck and a carefully coordinated effort on the company’s part that the ship clears the rocks surrounding Annecy and makes it into open water.

Just when they think they have succeeded, the derelict ship sails out of the partially submerged cave. Its unfurled sail glows a sickly green and bears the same strange symbol seen earlier. Lightning sparks from the ship to the sea as it turns and sails toward Jean’s ship, seemingly unhindered by wind, wave, or storm.

There is little that the company can do but watch as the derelict ship sails unerringly toward them. Moments later, it comes along side of them, crashing into their hull with such force that the two ships are locked together. The people of Annecy scream in panic as the crew of the derelict ship—skeletal sailors animated by the foulest magic—ready their weapons and prepare to board.

Even the members of the company, many of whom have been hardened by battle, are horrified at the thought of facing skeletal warriors wreathed in green fire. Fully half of them recoil in shock or—in Garnier’s case—adopt a fetal position and pray to the Lady for aid. Sabina is so overcome with fear and panic that nothing, not even Pierre’s desperate please, can bring her back to herself.

The rest of the company ready their weapons and attempt to repel the boarders. A battle begins!

The Deathless Sailors Prepare for Battle

Session Four: The Miller's Tale

The Delivery

Out of fondness for Jurgen, most of the company assists him with delivering Albrecht’s equipment to the worksite near the shrine. The sun sets, and the steps up to the site are treacherous in the dark. Sabina trips and smashes both her knee and the corner of her crate. Albrecht chastises her but, fortuitously, the crate contains only books, and so the likelihood that anything has been harmed is minimal.

Once all the crates are brought to the site, Albrecht—too preoccupied to look for a lantern, stuns the company by conjuring a small sphere of light. Beneath its lambent glow, he fetches up a crowbar and pries open the crates, checking their contents for damage. The company sees the aforementioned books, as well as numerous instruments of brass and glass.

Albrecht continues to berate Sabina for her clumsiness. She replies with some hostile words of her own and departs. Garnier follows her.

Albrecht von Juntz, a Student of Altdorf

Pitchforks and Torches

A small group of villagers, led by a man in the habiliments of a servant of the Lady, arrive on the beach. They carry torches and lanterns, and Garnier assumes they are what passes for a mob in Annecy. He and Sabina join the group, and Sabina notes that Allison le Bois is standing well to the back of the group, looking nervous. Sabina moves closer to her.

The religious figure is a man named Absalom who, unfortunately possesses a voice most nasal. He calls up to Albrecht, upbraiding him for causing all manner of mischief in the village. He also points out Albrecht’s floating light, and says that he now has proof that Albrecht is a foul sorcerer.

Albrecht descends to argue with Absalom, and most of the company go with him. Only Maurice stays behind, and only so that he can root around in the crates for valuables. He finds a long, yellow-colored gemstone, which he pockets.

Albrecht is quite hostile and indignant, until Garnier actively incites the mob against him. This causes Albrecht to fall back in terror, and to quickly admit that he only knows petty magic. He insists that his research will only benefit Annecy, and will likely bring more people out to see the miracle of the shrine. He promises that any villagers who wish may come up to the worksite in the morning and look at his instruments, if that will calm them.

It seems not to, but Allison steps forward and prevails upon Absalom to not press the matter further. Absalom places his hands rather possessively on Allison’s shoulders and relents.

The villagers and their priest return to town, as do Jurgen and Magnus. Albrecht retreats up the hill to his worksite. The rest of the company, noticing that the tide is out and seems to be staying out, decide to investigate the cave in the sea cliffs that they spied earlier.

Realizing that they have no light of their own, Squire Henri chases off after the villagers and hastily arranges to pay one of them two shillings for the rental of her lantern.

Absalom, Priest of the Lady

Pierre and Magnus

Still in the le Bois residence, Pierre helps himself to some food before leaving. He runs across Magnus in the village square, and the two men exchange words. Magnus, sick of the whole business, plans to go to The Whelm to drink and unwind. Pierre shows Magnus the parchment he discovered and—when Magnus reminds Pierre that he cannot read—reads it for him.

Magnus confesses that he could not care less if he tried and goes to make sure that Bartholomule has not suddenly died of old age in the last couple of hours. Pierre, meanwhile, seeks out the rest of the company and hopes that they will find his discovery a bit more interesting.

The Whelm

Upon entering the inn, Magnus is invited by both Henri the Innkeeper and the Whelm’s proprietor to play cribbage.

The game is interrupted a short time later when a distraught Allison comes in and hurries to hide next to the Whelm’s large fireplace. The priest, Absalom, enters shortly thereafter, stalks after Allsion, and begins wheedling at her. He tells her that he was right, that something was, indeed, wrong with Albrecht, and that on no account should she have anything further to do with him. He then tells Allison that she should be with him. Allison vehemently denies his advances—something which Magnus suspects she has had to do many times before.

Magnus turns to the Whelm’s innkeeper and asks the man to hand over one shilling. The innkeeper, bemused, does so. Magnus takes the coin, rises, marches over to Absalom and, with great force, hoists the priest’s smallclothes into his privates. While Absalom sputters and whimpers, Magnus tosses him out of the inn. Absalom promises revenge, but is too overcome with pain to be much of a threat to Magnus, a hardened mercenary. Magnus watches with satisfaction as Absalom scurries back to the shrine of the Lady.

A grateful Allison thanks Magnus and departs for home shortly thereafter.

The Cave

The Howling Caverns

Pierre catches up with the rest of the company as they approach the cave. He finds that they are, indeed, more interested in his discovery than Magnus. Sabina says that the words on the parchment simply confirmed her suspicions.

Worried that the tide will rise unnaturally fast and trap them in the cave, the company splits into two groups. Garnier, Pierre, Sabina, and Frieda will keep a watch outside the cave, while Sir Jean-Marc, Squire Henri, Renee, and Maurice venture inside.

The explorers do not have to travel very deeply before they find an old and derelict ship, its mainsail furled, resting on the sandy floor of the cave. Peering through the gaps in the hull, the explorers see that it is empty apart from scattered oars and a wash of sand. Henri and Jean-Marc smash at the hull, attempting to make a large enough hole to gain access. Despite its great age and rotten state, the ship’s wood resists their efforts.

Sir Jean-Marc soon finds a long rope hanging down from the top of the ship’s mast, and uses that to hoist himself onto the deck. He is soon joined by Squire Henri. Renee and Maurice circumnavigate the ship and find a relatively new-looking length of rope that has been secured to the handrail of the ship’s main deck. They use this to reach the deck and, while doing so, notice that something has scuffed the ship’s hull in places.

On the ship, the explorers see numerous footprints—not their own—that have been left in the sand on the deck. They also note that the handrail has been inset with blue and sickly green cabochon gems. Maurice takes a closer look and discovers evidence that several of these gems have been pried out recently. Using the point of his dagger, he wiggles free one blue and one oddly slimy green gem and adds them to his spoils.

The explorers descend into the oddly empty hold. Sir Jean-Marc discovers strange symbols carved into the hull of the ship—all of them the same—and that they seem to form a ring which encircles the ship. The explorers lack the means of reproducing the symbol, until Squire Henri daubs one of them with silty mud and presses his tabard against it to make a rather crude woodcut print.

The explorers consider what to do next when they hear an ear-piercing shriek from the direction of the beach.

The Symbol Carved on the Ship

The Coming of Morrslieb

The watchers remain on the beach near the cave, occasionally checking the tide while chatting and playing cards. In the midst of a rather intense game of Go Fish, Frieda happens to look up at the sky. What she sees causes her blood to run cold. She points in terror at the heavens above her, collapses into a ball, and screams.

The rest of the watchers look up to see that Morrslieb—the Chaos Moon—hovers over the shoreline, full and eerily close. Garnier and Pierre panic at the sight of the moon and flee into the cave. Sabina, meanwhile, helps Frieda pull herself together.

Sabina looks over at the Shrine of the Miracle of the Howling Cliffs. When Sabina sees that Albrecht’s worksite is now a small building that seems to be lit from within with horrible, greenish light, she sets off for it at a dead run, pulling Frieda along after her.

Back in Annecy, the villagers flee from the Chaos Moon, barricading themselves indoors. Magnus, hearing the commotion, blocks the doors into the Whelm with a table and other furniture. Once this barrier is in place, Magnus happens to hear Allison outside, calling for her father.

Against his better judgment, Magnus unblocks the door just enough to get out and—after telling the inhabitants of the Whelm to seal the door after he leaves, goes to confront Allison. She is panicked and inconsolable—apparently, her father, Jean, saw the Chaos Moon and ran off to the beach to finish his boat. Magnus promises Allison that he will bring her father back and orders to get inside the Whelm. 

She does.

At the Beach

Magnus finds Jean le Bois hard at work on his ship, which is somehow almost complete. The carpenter refuses to come back to the village, and tells Magnus that he needs to finish his ship so that he can “save all Annecy when the storm comes.” Magnus, realizing that the carpenter will not leave, offers to help him complete the boat. Jean accepts.

Sabina and Frieda arrive, and Sabina and Magnus quickly catch one another up on what’s going on. Sabina tells Frieda to go back to the cave and inform the rest of the company about what’s happening. She then races back to Annecy to warn the villagers.

In the Cave

Garnier and Pierre catch up with the explorers and tell them that the Chaos Moon has come. The explorers decide that it would be much safer to remain in the cave than dare the baleful eye of Morrslieb. As they make their way off of the derelict ship and deeper into the cavern, Frieda eventually joins them and tells them what she and Sabina saw on the beach.

The explorers push onward, through a tunnel, and into a second chamber, which seems to be covered by splintered wood, rusted bits of metal, torn cloth, and rotten rope. They hear the sound of water lapping on rocks and follow it, pressing onward into a third, half-flooded cave that seems to have an outlet to the ocean.

The explorers look over the detritus that litters this cavern as well before several keen-eyed members notice a hole in the ceiling that leads to an uneven shaft. Dangling down from the hole—low enough to see, but not low enough for one person to easily reach—is the bottom of a knotted rope.

As the explorers decide how and whether they should make their ascent, they hear the roar of surf echoing throughout the cavern. Looking at the subterranean beach, they see that the waters are rapidly rising…

Session Three: The Miller's Tale

A Barge Tale

Garnier secures passage for the company on Our Lady's Soul, a sturdy, if malodorous, barge that ferries livestock across the Bay of Brionne. The nominal fee is further reduced when Henri the Innkeeper offers to cook a good meal for all and sundry. The company spends a pleasant evening gambling and drinking. Frieda does not participate in the latter, instead writing furiously in a small journal.

The next morning, Our Lady's Soul pulls into an inlet on the far side of the bay. The company says their farewells, complains bitterly of their hangovers, and sets off for Annecy. 

To Annecy

Henri the Innkeeper proves to be quite the chatterbox and font of local knowledge. He once again thanks the company for limiting the violence caused by Dame Marie’s bizarre love triangle. He goes on to say that the knightly houses control various districts in Brionne and, had the duel between Sir Charles and Sir Gerlaine continued unchecked, various old grudges and alliances would have forced the houses to rise up against one another, plunging the city into open conflict.

The company asks Henri about their destination, and he relates the tale of the Miracle of the Howling Cliffs of Annecy. The story goes that a terrible storm bore down on the coast some three hundred years prior. It would have devastated the coastal villages and caused untold loss of life and property, had not the cliffs let out a mighty wail when the storm was about to make landfall. Legend has it that this howling noise quieted the storm and turned it aside, sparing the Bretonnian coast. In gratitude, the people of Annecy built a shrine to Manann and the Lady for sending them this miracle.

Jurgen

As the company travels, Pierre discovers that his bladder has grown weighty with the previous night’s wine. He separates himself from the company to relieve himself in a stand of trees. Just as he has finished his business, a rotund gentleman pops out of the underbrush and begins speaking to him in broken Bretonnia. The man, Jurgen Spandau, seems quite intense and earnest, and it becomes clear to Pierre that he requires some assistance.

Jurgen

Pierre brings Jurgen to the rest of the company, where he pleads his case. Fortunately, Sir Jean-Marc speaks a bit of Reikspiel. Jurgen tells the knight that his wagon, carrying supplies from the University of Altdorf to a student living in Annecy, has be come thoroughly stuck in the mud and cannot be moved. 

Several of the company, including Sir Jean-Marc, are dubious about the man’s claims. The company is also split on whether to stop and help Jurgen or to continue on to Annecy to meet up with the pilgrims and their salary.

Jurgen, noticing their hesitation, produces a large sheaf of documents from inside his shirt and presents them to the company. They consist of two letters written in Reikspeil, as well as two copies written in Bretonnian. Pierre reads the Bretonnian copies, which confirms Jurgen’s story that a student, Albrecht von Juntz, is currently in Annecy and has requested several astronomical items to complete his research. These items have been sent under the seal of Herr Doktor Professor Kadavaross, of the University of Altdorf.

Letter from Albrecht to the University

And the Response

Jurgen says that he has very little in the way of money, but that he will happily visit the Bursar’s Office once he returns to Altdorf and have them send a small reward. Those in the company who were already willing to help deem this acceptable, and Jurgen is soon provided with a list of names. He tucks that, along with all of his other documents, back into his shirt.

The company eventually splits up. Henri the Innkeeper, Garnier, Renee, Maurice, Magnus, and Bartholomule continue on their way to Annecy. Frieda, who has been out of sorts ever since Jurgen mentioned he is from the University of Altdorf, joins them. Pierre, Sir Jean-Marc, Squire Henri, and Sabina follow Jurgen to a wagon whose back wheels are half submerged in mud. The wagon is heavily laden with six crates covered by tarps and tied down with rope.

With some planning from Squire Henri and the combine strength of his own, Sabina's, and Sir Jean-Marc's horses, the wagon is soon freed. Jurgen says that he will check the contents of his delivery but, knowing that the company is in a hurry, tells them to go on ahead to Annecy. 

Arrival

Sir Jean-Marc’s party soon catches up with the rest of the company. Together, they travel for another hour or so to Annecy.

Immediately upon cresting the little hill that provides the southern boundary of the village, the company notes some odd things. For one, the air has become quite hot, the grass in the village is sere and dead, and the earth looks unusually dry. Squire Henri plucks a few almost ripe pears off of a tree that he passes, only for Sabina to point out that, as it is early spring, the tree should have no fruit on it at all. Others notice that several of the houses are in states of light disrepair, featuring broken fences, leaning shutters, missing tiles, and the like.

The affair of the pear causes significant consternation amongst the company. So much so that Sir Jean-Marc suspects that they are either enchanted or poisoned. He casts around to find a local animal to feed one of the pears to and sees a heavily pregnant goat ambling up to him. This is also very unusual, considering the time of year. Sir Jean-Marc, undaunted, feeds the pear to the pregnant goat, but there is no obvious ill effect.

At about this time, a woman (who the company later learned is named Annette), steps out of a nearby house. The company asks about the strange goings on in town, which causes Annette to regard them with some bemusement. She informs them that everything is fine and normal, and she seems to think that it is actually nearly midsummer, not spring.

Confused, the company inquires about the pilgrims that they are following. Annette says that summer is not the season for pilgrims, but that they did have some people on pilgrimage pass through town several months ago, in the early spring. After further questioning, the company learns that these are the pilgrims led by Gascon Gascoigne and that, somehow, they have misplaced several months of time on their journey along the coast.

The company also learns that the disrepair in Annecy is the result of Jean--the village’s only carpenter--shirking his duties. He has apparently befriended a student from Altdorf named Albrecht, and has become so fascinated with astronomy that he no longer practices his trade.

Most of the company decide to visit the Shrine of the Howling Cliffs. Pierre chooses to help Henri the Innkeeper bring his cart over to the Whelm, Annecy’s only inn.

Annecy

The Shrine of the Miracle of the Howling Cliffs

The shrine is built on a tall outcropping of rock that juts out over the sea. A mostly natural staircase allows access to the top of the rock and the shrine built upon it. The company also notes that there is a work area near the shrine that is covered by a tarp. On either side of the shrine, two sea cliffs of limestone rise up to provide a bulwark against the waters of the bay. It is high tide.

They also note that there is a man on the shore in the process of building a large boat. The company hails him, and he walks over and introduces himself as Jean le Bois, the carpenter of Annecy. He is friendly enough, but he also seems distracted and eager to return to his work. He also  looks nervously at the sky several times. The company confirms that Jean also thinks that it is midsummer and that he is, indeed, friends with Albrecht, who Jean describes as a very clever man and an astronomer.

Jean takes his abrupt leave of the company and returns to his work. Maurice decides to stay behind, offering the carpenter an extra pair of hands to help him build his boat. Jean gratefully accepts the help. As the two men work, Maurice tries to get more information from the carpenter. He learns that Jean thinks that “a storm is coming,” and that he is building the boat in preparation for it. He also secures a promise from Jean that the carpenter will introduce him to Albrecht.

The rest of the company proceeds to the top of the shrine, where they hear the tale of the blessed miracle from the devotees of Manann and the Lady who tend to the shrine. They also purchase some of the “blessed” water from the bay, which is purported to be able to cure gout, palsy, the pox, the bloody flux, and numerous other ailments. They also purchase pilgrims’ badges, all of which are cast in the shape of vulvas.

The shape of the pilgrims’ badges becomes more evident when they survey the coastline. The cliff face to the west has a large, dark patch of rock that splits it down the middle and looks rather like a vulva if one squints. As it is now low tide, the company also notes that there seems to be a tidepool or a hollow at the base, which may allow access to a cavern or grotto inside.

The company then realizes that the tide has gone from high to low in less than a quarter hour and worriedly discuss what that means. The attendants of the shrine, unsurprisingly, do not notice anything strange and also think that it is midsummer.

Curious about the work site, the company pulls back a corner of the tarp and investigates what lies beneath. They see an intricate design carved on the rock beneath, but they lack the knowledge to determine what, exactly, it is. They ask the attendants, only to be told that the attendants have no idea what it is either. They do know that the carvings were made by Albrecht, the Imperial Scholar, as part of his research. The attendants also mention that there is quite a bit of contention in town because Albrecht has chosen to deface an area so close to the shrine.

From their vantage, the company can see the village of Annecy, which still looks as quiet and untroubled as when they had entered. Sabina notices that a mud-covered wagon, with Jurgen on the seat, has just crested the low hill at the entrance to Annecy.

She also notices that the sun is setting, though, by her and the company’s accounting it should be no later than noon.

Gravely concerned, the company bids farewell to the attendants and descends. They meet up with Maurice and Jean, and note that Jean has done an inhuman amount of work on his boat in a very brief amount of time. Maurice informs them that Jean is only too happy to introduce the company to Albrecht, and so they return to Annecy to meet him.

Jean le Bois, Carpenter of Annecy

Pierre, Allison, and Albrecht

Pierre rests in the Whelm and observes the locals. All of them seem to be unaware of the odd way time seems to be passing except for one—a young woman who keeps peering out a window and staring up at the rapidly darkening sky.

While Pierre ponders what this means, Jurgen pulls up in his wagon outside the Whelm and loudly greets the villagers in his broken Bretonnia. He again pulls out his sheaf of letters and passes them around, trying to get the villagers to point him in the direction of Albrecht von Juntz.

As Pierre goes outside to investigate, a young man emerges from a nearby building and strides angrily up to Jurgen. The two men engage in a rather loud argument in Reikspiel, with Jurgen bowing and scraping and Albrecht shouting in an apoplectic rage. Pierre notes that the young woman he saw in the Whelm is now standing just outside the inn’s door, regarding the argument with growing worry.

A crowd begins to gather as the argument continues. Fortunately for Pierre, he is soon joined by his companions who have returned from the shrine and are curious as to what is going on. Jean le Bois is with them, and his presence starts a second argument between himself and several of the townsfolk about all the carpentry work he should be doing, but isn’t.

Those in the company that can speak Reikspeil quickly understand the nature of Albrecht’s verbal abuse of Jurgen. He was expecting his equipment at the beginning of spring, but it is now midsummer and he has “lost so much time.” A perplexed Jurgen keeps trying to tell Albrecht that it is Rachexen and that he is on time. He attempts to show Albrecht is letters, only to be repeatedly rebuffed.

Pierre points out the young woman to the company and several members, including Jean-Marc, Squire Henri, and Sabina go over to speak with her. They learn that the woman is Allison le Bois, the daughter of Jean the carpenter.  They also learn that she is apparently the only person in Annecy who is aware that time is spiraling out of control. She is visibly relieved when the company says that they are also aware of the strange time changes.

Allison le Bois

Allison says that, from her perspective, the pilgrims left early that morning. She says that she remembers Gascon, that he made unwanted  advances on her, and that she doesn’t like him. A suspicious Sabina asks if any monks came through with the pilgrims or shortly before or after them. Allison says that there were several religious people amongst the pilgrims, including one or two people in monk robes.

The company asks Allison what is going on in the village. She says that Albrecht arrived shortly before the previous winter, that he is very brilliant, and that there is suspicion amongst the villagers (including someone named Absalome), that he is a sorcerer. Albrecht has been staying at her house and has been doing certain astronomical/astrological research in the area. She states that he has become obsessed with his research, and that he has started to behave and act very strangely. She thinks that the carvings near the shrine are meant to be used to measure the paths of stars in the sky, but she doesn’t quite know how. The company notices that she either is or may have been sweet on Albrecht, and that she is very worried about him.

Allison mentions that Albrecht has some notes in his garret room at her and her father’s house. She says that, if the company distracts Albrecht, she can let in their literate members to study his notes and see if they can learn more. The company considers this plan.

Pierre's Investigation

In the meantime, Albrecht finishes yelling at Jurgen. He informs the waggoneer that he should bring his equipment to the worksite, so that he can get a fresh start in the morning. Several people, including Jean, protest that this may not be a bad idea, as attempting to climb up to the worksite in the dark is very unsafe. Albrecht scoffs at this, and orders Jurgen to do it anyway.

Seeing their chance, the company volunteers their services to help Jurgen bring up the equipment while there is still enough light to see. Jurgen is profusely grateful.

Albrecht and Jean lead Jurgen and most of the company back to the shrine and the worksite. Meanwhile Pierre accompanies Allison to her house to search Albrecht’s room.

The room is a hastily converted loft in the back of the carpenter’s house. It is rather messy, with an unmade bed, plates of half-eaten food, and books and papers strewn all over the place. The room is equipped with a small, portable, metal stove, which is currently cold.

Pierre searches through the papers and finds that they are scrawled with various shapes, numbers, and symbols, all of which are meaningless to him. He also notes, to his consternation, that, of the two books on the table, one is written in Classical and the other is written in Reikspiel. The Reikspiel book at least has pictures—mostly of star signs—and so Pierre can at least guess at its contents.

Stymied, Pierre scratches his head and studies the room. He happens to notice a partially burned slip of yellowed parchment laying in the ashes of the small stove. Fishing it out, he discovers that the parchment is almost identical to the one that the company found in Brionne. It features another curious symbol and the words, “Great Lady, Albrecht of Altdorf wishes to make such a discovery that he becomes famed among scholars.”