Session Twenty-One: The Man of Law's Tale

Another Army

The Dauntless Sir Maximillian

The now Baroness Josephine asks that her mother’s body be taken to the crypts for now. This raises hackles among the company—especially with Renee, who fears that placing the body of a known Chaos worshipper and necromancer in a place with ready corpses may not be wise. They are outvoted, alas, and Baroness Louise’s body is taken away.

Baron Stephane, Lord Alexandre, and Sir Maximillian arrive in the receiving hall and report that the remaining bloody skeletons all fell as one mere moments before. They are all brought up to speed by the company and by Baroness Josephine. Baron Stephane congratulates her in his usual phlegmatic way.

Before much else can be sorted out, one of the castle servants runs into the hall and asks for Baroness Louise. He is baffled at the expressions that meet his request, but quickly recovers and tells Lady Josephine that there is a peasant army at the gates, demanding entrance.

Everyone in the hall goes out to the castle courtyard, where they find both the castle’s servants and the remainder of the company’s swiftly mustered army huddled for protection. The company follows Baroness Josephine up to the ramparts, where they spy a sizeable peasant force from the village of Paix, which counts Guillaumette, Henri the innkeeper, and Lady Valerie among their number.

Lady Valerie reports that she had snuck out of her castle to follow her brother and her father to Maisy. On the way, she encountered the peasant army who, fearful that warfare had broken out in the valley, had mustered out to Maisy to beg them to stop. The peasants are relieved to learn that Grandcamp marched to Maisy to aid them with a hidden Chaos threat, and all are glad to hear that they have excised Khorne’s cancerous influence and have saved the valley from further intrigues and bloodshed.

Lady Josephine orders the gates open and welcomes in the outsiders with open arms. She asks Ines to open the larders for a victory feast, and commands her staff to bring tables and chairs out into the courtyard to seat the full assemblage. The company notes some physical similarities between Lady Valerie and Ines the cook, which confirms their suspicious. Ines, for her part, quickly makes for the kitchens.

The Victory Feast

Henri the innkeeper reunites with the group and congratulates them on their heroic work. He says that he heard the fighting had started, “I knew it was your work, good masters, and that of the Lady, putting another wrong to right! Why, I said, considering your brave deeds in other places, this was likely but a trifle. And I see I was right!”

Garnier and Pierre do good work patching up the surviving peasants, priests, and knights who were injured in the battle beneath Castle Maisy.

Meanwhile Sabina finds Constance, who has ensconced herself behind a wagon in the courtyard’s corner. The two women discuss whether or not Baron Stephane will still blame her for Lord Arthur’s death, as well as whether he will execute her on the spot. Sabina promises to bring Constance food and tells her the layout of the castle, so that she can hide in the event that Baron Stephane comes looking for her.

In the meantime, the tables for the feast are laid out, and food and wine are brought up from the kitchens. The company sits in a place of honor, at the same table as the baron and baroness, Lord Alexandre, Lady Valerie, Sir Maximillian, and Dame Jeanne. Sir Maximillian becomes enraptured in Magnus’ recounting of the battle with Baroness Louise, becoming so excited and loud that he has to be shushed a few times by the new Baroness.

The baroness then makes a simple, but moving speech, in which she says that her mother was behind many of the intrigues in the valley. She sees no reason to follow in her mother’s footsteps, renounces all things Chaos, and promises to work with Baron Stephane to maintain peace in the valley. This is met with much fanfare and applause.

The guests fall to eating and drinking, and several of the company imbibe far too much of the valley’s imported wine. Throughout the feast, several important conversations occur, which include:

• Magnus asking Sir Maximillian if he has “a shot” with Baroness Josephine. Sir Maximillian says that perhaps Magnus does, but he also needs to remember that he just killed the baroness’ mother in single combat. Sir Maximillian suggests that Magnus give her time to grieve.
• Sir Maximillian having a quick discussion with Baron Stephane. Garnier happens to overhear the knight say words to the effect of, “I think I’ve found him!”
• Several of the company note Lady Valerie in an animated discussion with Baroness Josephine, during which both steal glances at Sir Henri.
• Andre laments not having a boat and asks if there is any way for him to get one. This baffles Frieda, who says that the company is quite far away from the sea. Andre begins to talk about all things boat and ship related, which interests Maurice and draws some slight mockery from Garnier.
• The most important conversation that occurs, however, is the one involving the murder of Lord Arthur. The company has sufficient evidence to blame Baron Stephane, but not nearly enough to convict him. Some of the company feel that it would be sufficient to abandon the entire business and leave the valley in the morning. Others say that they can’t get paid without reporting in, and so feel that they must report to the baron and baroness. The company ultimately resolves to let Garnier do the talking, to blame the entire thing on Baroness Louise, and to get the hell out of the valley while they still can.
• It soon becomes clear that Baron Stephane intends not to further persecute Constance—at least not tonight. Sabina gives her the all-clear and offers Constance a place with the company. Constance, having had plenty of awful experiences in the valley of late, eagerly accepts.

As the feast winds down, Henri the innkeeper tells the company that he has secured rooms for them at the Truce Inn, if they wish to sleep there. He then bids them goodnight and goes off to his own room. The company tells Baron Stephane that they wish to report their findings to him, and he replies that they may do this tomorrow morning. He leaves soon after with his son and daughter. Baroness Josephine excuses herself sometime later, and soon, the rest of the guests begin drifting away toward their homes.

Magnus' Crush, the Now Baroness Josephine of Maisy

Nocturnal Activities

A very drunk Andre leads a very drunk Maurice down to the edge of the lake, and begins unmooring a boat. They are soon joined by a less drunk, but annoyed Garnier, who is worried that his companions’ nightly sailing jaunt will get them into unnecessary trouble. Maurice explains that they won’t get in trouble, and it soon becomes clear to Garnier that Maurice thinks the boat actually belongs to Andre.

Garnier joins his two drunken companions in a brief tour of the lake. During this trip, Andre begins searching the boat for loot. When he is noticed, he says that he “left something behind” on his last trip, and is trying to find it. Maurice, ever the helpful one, rummages around and soon discovers a small wooden container stuck to the underside of a rowing seat with a daub of tar. Opening it reveals a bright and gleaming fishhook, which he gives to Andre.

Magnus, utterly besotted with Baroness Josephine, remains in Castle Maisy once all the other revelers have left. Paranoid that the new baroness will be attacked, and desperate to win her admiration, he vows to camp out in the hallway in front of her door all night to guard her against plots and intrigues. He falls asleep three minutes later.

The rest of the company go to their rooms at the Truce Inn and go to sleep. All is well except…

In the middle of the night, Frieda wakes Sabina and points to their roommate, Renee. Frieda quietly says that she woke up a short time ago, and that Renee is doing something weird.

The two women observe Renee, who is muttering in her sleep and tracing her left hand in the air above her head. Frieda and Sabina have a quick discussion about whether or not to wake her—and if doing so would be bad luck. Sabina ultimately decides to awaken Renee while Frieda looks on.

Renee is jostled awake from a wonderful dream, in which she is riding across beautiful landscapes astride the golden horse of the Yellow Knight. She blinks and finds Frieda and Sabina looking down at her. Renee answers their questions to the best of her abilities. 

The three women are so disturbed by this incident that they travel to the Shrine of Saint Jacqueline ask the priests there for help. Their questions are answered in a not particularly useful and vague way, but the high priest does anoint Renee with holy oil to protect her from the Ruinous Powers. Feeling slightly better, the three women return to their room and sleep the rest of the night through, without incident.

A Final Report

The next morning, the whole company (apart from Magnus, but including Constance, who waits outside), travel to Castle Grandcamp to report to Baron Stephane. They find him in his receiving hall, along with his daughter and son and a very expectant Sir Maximillian. The knight is annoyed that Magnus is not among the company, but is told of his location and is quickly given leave to go and fetch him by Baron Stephane.

While they wait, Garnier approaches to give the company’s report to the baron. He has recently borrowed the still bloody handkerchief, donated by the Baron, that was recently used to bind Andre’s wound. He prominently displays this handkerchief as he tells the baron the company’s findings. He says that the company believes that Baroness Louise likely used her terrible Chaos powers to murder Lord Arthur and bring the valley to the brink of war. He locks eyes with the baron and is pleased to see that the lord nods once in understanding.

“Well then, I suppose we may allow the matter to drop,” says Baron Stephane, before ordering the company to be paid.

Did the Baron Just Get Away with Murder? Maybe!

Goodbye to Maisy

Magnus awakens on the hallway floor outside of Baroness Josephine’s room. He is bemused to find that both the baroness and her lady in waiting are staring down at him in confusion.

“I just found him like this.”

Magnus explains what he is doing in the castle and once again confesses his love to the baroness, who seems less than impressed. He is saved from being rebuffed by the timely arrival of Sir Maximillian, who comes roaring into Castle Maisy looking for him.

The knight all but drags Magnus out into the castle courtyard and demands to know why the hell he isn’t in Grandcamp with the others. Magnus once again explains his actions, drawing a rueful sigh from the knight.

Sir Maximillian says that he is impressed with Magnus’ bravery, forthrightness, and battle prowess and has decided to make him his squire. He says that he wanted to make a big announcement in front of everyone in Grandcamp, but that this will have to do. He also says that he knows that Magnus is going to continue on pilgrimage, for now, but that Magnus can start his training once he gets back.

Sir Maximillian says that Magnus should come with him to Grandcamp, to make everything official. Magnus says he has one last thing to do and runs off to have a final conversation with Baroness Josephine. He tells her of his recent good fortune, that he will return to the valley soon, and that he wishes permission to write to her of his exploits while he is on the road. The baroness replies that she will receive letters from Magnus, but only if they are written in his own hand. Magnus, who is unlettered, is undaunted by this task and leaves with a song in his heart and the company’s wages from Maisy in his pouch.

As the knight and future squire ride around the lake to Grandcamp, Magnus asks if he can keep the borrowed horse.

Elevations and Rewards

Magnus and Sir Maximillian arrive at Grandcamp, and Magnus’ position as Sir Maximillian’s squire is made official.

Not to be outdone, Lady Valerie then rises and says that, with both her father’s and Baroness Josephine’s permission, she has decided to offer Sir Henri a position in her household as her first knight. The baron comments that his daughter has done well to select a “man of quality” for this position, while Lord Alexandre merely smirks in reply.

Sir Henri is overcome with this gift and is profuse in his promises and praises to his new liege lady. Garnier interrupts him and pulls Sir Henri to one side, where he tells the knight to acquire Lady Valerie’s colors as quickly as possible. Garnier explains that this will make any future encounters on the road go much more easily in the company’s favor, since Sir Henri has the authority of a noble house on his side.

Sir Henri asks for the standard of House Coligny and is granted it. In addition, Baron Stephane offers to provide a horse to anyone in the company who does not have one. This turns out to be a double-edged sword, as there are far more members of the company than he was expecting—including, ironically, Constance. It does, however, permit him to get rid of his least valuable horses and clear out some room in his stables for some new foals, so there is that.

Sir Henri is provided with a powerful warhorse, as befits his new station. He gifts his original horse, Brielle, to Henri the innkeeper, who is baffled at the knight’s generosity and is unsure what to do with such a fine steed. Despite this, he promises Sir Henri that he will take very good care of her.

Sir Henri's New Heraldry

To Castle Carcassonne

The company at last leaves the valley of Grandcamp-Maisy and travels eastward to the next stop on their journey—the fortress and military encampment of Castle Carcassonne. Henri the innkeeper excitedly tells the company about the Shrine of the Sword, which is inside the fortress, and which honors all the unknown soldiers who have fallen in defense of the region.

The company reaches the fields outside of Carcassonne shortly before sunset. They find the fields filled with encamped soldiery and mercenary companies, as well as tinkers, smiths, shops, camp followers, fortune tellers, musicians, and the like. They soon grab a section of field for themselves and set up their own camp. Henri the innkeeper prepares one of his delicious meals while Andre goes out wandering.

Castle Carcassonne is built near to a tributary that flows north toward the Brienne. Andre finds a quiet spot on the shores of this river, ties a bit of string to his newly acquired fishhook, and tries his hand at a little fishing. His attempt draws the amusement of a nearby fisherman, who suggests that Andre won’t catch anything with just a bit of metal and string. He needs a proper pole first!

Andre calls the fisherman’s bluff and offers him three silver to purchase the man’s own pole. The man happily accepts, hands over the pole, picks up another one from the long grass at his side, and resumes fishing. Meanwhile, Andre ties the hook onto the string of his new pole, baits it, and casts it into the water.

The second the hook hits the water a fish takes the bait. Andre struggles against the large fish, but quickly pulls it to shore, to the bafflement and jealousy of the fisherman. Andre catches four more fish almost as quickly, causing the fisherman to throw up his hands, pack up his things, and leave the riverside.

Andre, now convinced that his fishhook is enchanted, takes his catches and his new pole, and returns to camp.

An Old Friend Returns

As Andre returns with his fish, several of the company see a knight riding by on a familiar looking horse. After some conversation, they become convinced that the horse is none other than Ambrose, the horse of Sir Jean-Marc, though they are also sure that the knight riding Ambrose is not Sir Jean-Marc. The company also notices that Ambrose has numerous superficial injuries.

Garnier calls out Sir Jean-Marc’s name and gets no response. He then calls out “Jules,” Ambrose’s original name. The horse reacts and, upon seeing the company, trots over to them. His knightly rider is surprised by this, and asks the company how it is that his horse seems to recognize them. The company offers the knight to rest a while and share their meal, for that, they say, is a long story.

The knight graciously accepts, dismounts Ambrose, and introduces himself as Sir Matthias. He then doffs his helm, revealing that he is, at least in the face, a physical twin to Nikodemas de la Tour, the Yellow Knight.

Sir Nikodemas, or Sir Matthias?