Session Twenty-Three: The Canon Yeoman's Tale

Frieda’s “Trial”

Udda, an Imperial Witch Hunter

Sir Henri musters up everyone in the company apart from Maurice, who has gone off to meet with Michel the Toothless. When Sir Henri explains the situation, several of the company try to beg off, as they realize that the woman who has arrested Frieda is likely a witch hunter. Sir Henri, however, refuses to leave a companion behind, and so goes riding to Frieda’s aid anyway. The rest of the company go with him—some overtly, others much less so.

The company arrives just as the witch hunter (who later introduces herself as Udda), has brought Frieda over to two large and lumpy men from the Empire. These men are Karl Pfannkuchenfaust  and Heinz Hühnerschmidt, two food peddlers from Altdorf. They have employed the services of Udda to track down one Freya of Middenheim, who is wanted in Altdorf for fomenting rebellion, consorting with the Ruinous Powers, and damaging their carts.

Sir Henri, secure in Frieda’s good character, tries to pay Udda some silver to compensate the peddlers for their carts. Before a bemused Udda can say anything, Garnier steps in and warns Sir Henri that, from a certain point of view, it looks like he is trying to bribe a witch hunter. Sir Henri demurs.

Heinz Hühnerschmidt

The company soon discovers that Udda is more reasonable than other witch hunters they have heard about and that the two peddlers are idiots. This causes their courage to return and allows them to vociferously defend Frieda. They point out that Karl and Heinz have gotten Frieda’s name and home city incorrect, and demand to know why they think that they have finally gotten the right woman. They also ask for a description of Frieda’s alleged crimes.

Here, the two peddlers launch into lurid descriptions of a student protest about tuition fees turning violent and of flagrant displays of Chaos magic in the marketplace. Heinz goes into lurid detail about how all his eggs were turned to cockatrices. Andre, who happens to know a thing or two about cockatrices, disputes the veracity of this claim.

Sabina points out that the company has fought numerous Chaos incursions in recent days, and that Frieda has aided them each time. The company backs up Sabina’s statement as she goes on to say that, if Udda wants evidence, all she need do is go to Poissy and talk to a bowyer in the marketplace. Frieda, realizing that her public display of gratitude for the loan of some bows is going to be the thing that saves her, nods along vigorously and confirms Sabina’s description of events.

Karl Pfannkuchenfaust   

Amused that the company has provided evidence and a witness to support Frieda’s innocents, and seemingly thoroughly disgusted with her two traveling companions, Udda releases Frieda into the custody of Sir Henri. She says that she will ride westward to check the company’s story, and she will find them on pilgrimage and re-arrest Frieda if things still seem suspect.

Udda releases Frieda from her chains and departs, all but dragging the two outraged and querulous peddlers behind her.

Michel’s News

The company catches up with Maurice, who is enjoying a cup of ale with Michel the Toothless. Michel greets Magnus and Garnier warmly and asks if they are there to join up with the Company of Ash. They reply that they are going on pilgrimage, but that they may come back this way. If they do, and if the Company of Ash is still here, they may see about mustering out with them.

Michel goes on to say that he thinks the Company of Ash will be leaving soon (though hopefully not before one of the local barber surgeons finishes Michel’s new set of false teeth). He says that a force of orks and goblins have moved out of the mountains into the southern plains of Carcassonne, and that the mercenary companies will earn plenty of coin by fighting them. He also mentions rumors that a large band of skaven are responsible for displacing the greenskins, and that he hopes to fight “those Chaotic bastards,” too.

A side conversation occurs, in which Garnier suggests offering some money to Michel to bring him along on the pilgrimage with them. He says that Michel is a formidable fighter, and considering how the company’s journey has gone so far, another warrior would not be remiss. The company, however, decides not to hire on Michel and, with pleasant goodbyes, allows him to go back to the Company of Ash.

Michel the Toothless

Ambush!

With Frieda released, the company well rested, Renee freed from the taint of Chaos, and the last of their purchases made, the company packs up their encampment and prepares to set out. Just prior to departure, Sir Henri visits Sir Matthias’ camp and asks if the knight errant would like to accompany them eastward. Sir Matthias graciously accepts.

The company has now grown quite substantial and includes Andre, Sabina, Renee, Garnier, Pierre, Magnus, Maurice, and Sir Henri. Though they have lost Sir Jean-Marc somewhere along the way, they have been reunited with Sir Jean-Marc’s horse. In addition, the company includes long time companions Herni the innkeeper and Frieda, as well as the new arrivals of Jim, Jules, Constance, Bram the Yeoman, and Sir Matthias. Sabina quips that, if this keeps up, they will rival the original pilgrimage in size by the time they reach Turin.

The much-enlarged company sets out eastward, and soon reaches a part of the road where the woods stand relatively close on either side. Garnier realizes that this is an ideal spot for an ambush, and remarks as much to the others.

It is at this moment that the holy woman they had met the night before leaps out onto a nearby boulder, a bow in hand. She laughs at the company and says, “you should have taken the Brethren up on our hospitality! You could have died peacefully in your sleep instead of messily in battle! Attack!”

With that, perhaps a dozen or so other people step from the forest, armed with bows. Coming up behind them is an unarmed man with a wild look in his eyes. He raises his hands to the sky in an opening gesture to summon the Winds of Magic and shouts a challenge at the company.

“Kill the cultists of the Stranger! For the Changer of Ways! Death to the enemy! Death!”

A desperate battle begins. The sorcerer is wounded badly by an early volley of arrows and retreats into the forest, only to return moments later escorted by a hideous, pink daemon creature that teleports around the battlefield, slashing and roaring at the company. The other cultists answer the company’s own arrow volleys with their own, badly wounding Garnier, Maurice, Bram, and Jules.

The injured and the noncombatants retreat to the cover of Henri the innkeeper’s cart, while those skilled in close combat rush the cultists in an attempt to strike them down. This goes well, until a hail of Chaotic energy blows Sir Matthias off his horse and the pink daemon teleports behind Sir Henri and tears up his left side.

While the frontline fighters rush to aid the two knights, the cohort at the wagon try to treat the injured, ready their bows and crossbows, and pray to the Lady for a miracle.

An Awful Pink Thing