The group of five get aquainted around Chrissa's cooking fire, the agape 'feast' serving to loosen tongues and make the time spent pleasant.  After supper is finished and cleared away, each takes turns telling stories, with Calis being the most dramatic and entertaining of them all.  Using gestures and different voices, he held his tiny audience rapt.
   Chrissa explains about her strange encounter with some wolfmen earlier in the day and how they had vanished as mysteriously as they had appeared.  That bit of information convinced the visitors to set a watch, despite the hermit's reassurances that she had safely lived in her little grove for many years without any real trouble.
    The night passed without incident the only intruders to the camp being the croaks of frogs, the chirping of crickets and the occassional fluttering bat.  The morning brought refreshment, a feeling of blessing being upon the group after Chrissa finished her devotionals and created a simple but tasty breakfast of porridge and honey.
    The decision is made to set out for Jeremiah's hermitage, or at least where Chrissa last remembers him, as soon as possible and horses are saddled and provisions packed for the journey.  The hollow stump, emptied by the horses the previous empty was again filled with oats and gobbled down by the grateful partakers.
   Chrissa directed them back onto the road from which they came and the journed north and east began...

Calis mounted his horse (OOC: I am still assuming he has one? I am not 100% positive he does. :)) and followed the group from the back. As he rode, he kept his thoughts to himself and worked on a refrain for this new adventure, in case he decided to put it into song.

Chrissa regards the tree lined road with pleasure.  She gives Sean an affectionate pat.

"These days my journeys are not usually so far.  It has been awhile since I have been to Jeremiah's hermitage.  It is a pleasure to travel such paths again, and to see old friends.  And it is a pleasure to travel with new friends..."

Chrissa regards her new companions.

"I know your names, but all too little else.  And we certainly have the time.  Please, tell me more of yourselves..."

Pedivere, once more mounted on his charger nods towards Chrissa as she asks about them.

"There is not much to tell Good Chrissa.  I am Pedivere, newly knighted servant of God above and Arthur at Camelot.  Indeed, this is my first quest since leaving the service of Sir Ector whom I had been squired too for some time.

"Of my companions, only Colm here is under any obligation to fulfil this quest, the others", he indicates Manfred and Calis, "are companions on this quest for friendship.

"So, tell me", he returns his gaze to the leech.  "What do you know of Jeremiah?"

"'Beholde in deede an Israelite, in whom is no guile.'"

Chrissa smiles fondly, yet a bit sadly.

"Jeremiah of Castile...  He is Jewish and traveled to Britain from Castile, in Central Spain.  He has lived in Britain since the time of King Arthur's father Uther.  He has seen much and is an expert in alchemy, toxins, and potion brewing.  He lives as a hermit in the Fawr Forest of central Wales.  That would be... about fifty leagues from Sir Ector's Holding."

"He is an old friend, and a mentor.  Yet he still trusts in the Old Covenant, that the Law will save him, rather than turning to the New Covenant of Grace through our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.  For many years he has been in my daily prayers.  Perhaps this journey may provide an opportunity..."

Listening to thier coversation, Calis nods his head at the female that has joined them. "I am Calis, merry met and good journey for us, aye?"

Prince Manfred begins to speak when the party hears hoofbeats coming at a gallop.  The heavy thuds of the earth being beaten beneath horseshoes are quickly joined by the sight of two riders coming hard towards the group.   The pennant atop one of the rider's lance was that of Arthur, though Pedivere and Manfred quickly identified it was not his personal coat of arms.

    The riders come closer and Colm recognizes the knight.  The coat of arms on the shield belongs to Sir Ardan, an auxillary knight of the Round Table.  The knight and his companion slow as they approach, Pedivere and Manfred's coats of arms signifying who they are.  Riding beside the knight is a man of the cloth, his crucifix and robes revealing his calling.

    "My Lords!" the young knight calls, reining his horse.  The horses snort and pant as they come to a stop.  "I bring greetings from His majesty the king and his royal highness, Prince Otto of Bavaria," he nods to the noble and prince.  "Your highness," he begins again to Manfred.  "I have a message from your father," he produces a scroll case and hands it to the Prince.
    Manfred politely accepts the scroll, a look of question on his face.  He reads it and his face becomes more and more serious.  "My friends, I must apologize one thousand times for vhat I am about to tell you, but I must leave for Bavaria immediately.  There are....difficulties," he says looking up from the parchment.  "I will accompany you back as far as the tournament and from there to the coast," he said, making his plan aloud.

    Sir Ardan nods and accepts his proposal with deference.  He then turns to introduce his companion.  "I must introduce you to Father Rys.  He will be accompanying all of you."

     Father Rys, nods, offering up a proclaimation, with the seals of both, Sir Kay and the Archbishop of Cantebury.   "As you can see," the priest points out, "I am to assist you in this endeavour."


OODM  I'll leave it here for all of you to interact and then we can get underway! :)

Pedivere's smile vanishes as his cousin announces his departure.  "You have accompanied me this far cousin, and for that I thank you.  I pray that all is well, or will soon be made so."  The young man clasps his hand upon the shoulder of the germanic knight, kin in vows as well as blood.

"May God's grace guide you Manfred."

Then dropping to his knee in genuflection he regards the priest, introduced by Sir Ardan as Rys.  "Father, I am comforted by your presence on such an undertaking."

The minstrel watched the scene between the nobles while waiting to see if the old one had anything to say to his greeting.

Finally he shook his head and looked at the follower of Christ that joined them. Feeling a little out of place here, he kept to himself but greeted the newcomer with a nod.

"Father, greetings. As I just told this old one, I am Calis, companion and friend to Sir Pedivere."

Signs the cross in front of the Knight.
May The Lord God bless you and guide you Sir Knight. But please, such obeissance is not needed. I am not worthy of such attention.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:12, Wed 08 Sept 2004.

Extends his hand
Greetings Calis.

Taking the priests hand, Calis gives it a fair grip and nods again. "Merry met, Father."

Chrissa nods and looks as if about to answer, when the sound of hoofbeats are heard...

After Manfred takes his leave of Pedivere and prepares to depart, and the others converse with the new arrivals, Chrissa speaks softly to him.

"'The Lord blesse thee, and keepe thee,
The Lord make his face shine vpon thee, and be merciful vnto thee,
The Lord lift vp his coutenance vpon thee, and giue thee peace.'"

Raising from the ground, Pedivere climbs back into the saddle, and lifts his lance, the green and white pennant fluttering in the breeze.  "Tell me Father, as we ride, for what reasons were you inducted into this quest?

"I was given this task by Sir Ector and our Liege, King Arthur, Colm too was given the task, whilst Calis and Chrissa here undertake this perilous quest of their own volition."

Chuckles at Sir Pediver's question

What reason I am here? Why, because His Grace told me that King Arthur would be sending people to find one named Jeremiah, and that His Majesty asked His Grace for someone to join the group. Beyond that, I do not know much about this endeavor.

Looks at the others in the group.

Calis I have just met, but would you, Sir Knight, do me the honor of introducing me our other companions?

Speaks to everyone

I hope my presense is not troubling to any of you.

And how go things with you?

"It goes alright. I am just following my friend here on his quest. At least for now, and I'm here to report to the druids and maybe to put our adventure into song or story."



A bit later, he climbed back up on his horse and sat in the saddle waiting.

Colm introduces himself to the good padre before looking down the road as the Prince and his knight escourt disapear around a turn around in the road.  He turns back to the group and waves them forward on the road north.  At his small urging, the party spurs itself forward.

    The 4 men and one woman road at an even pace through the day, stopping as the sun reached its zenieth at a manor house.  The knight in residence made his simple table available to the travellers before they remounted their animals and continued on their way.  The afternoon was a pleasant ride.  The group passed travellers of various descriptions on their way to the tournament at Sir Ector's from peasants to nobles.  Some were familiar, most were not.  It made the road busy and the journey safe.

     The decision was made to halt for the day at the village of Briarworth.  The village had a monastary and offered its hospitality in exchange for alms for the poor.  Given the wealth of the party, a few coins for the monk's coffers were more than a fair exchange.  The food was nothing more than warm gruel and bread, and the accomadations, rushes on the floor covered with the partie's own cloaks and blankets.  The morning brought porridge much like Chrissa's own fair. The monks were accomodating and friendly and sent the party off in the morning with wishes of a pleasant journey.
    Continuing east, the party's second day of riding began...


OODM:

   I'm not sure how much rping you want to do or if you want to pick anything up along the way, just let me know... :)

As the company continues its journeys, Rys spends much of his time going through the Holy Word, which he keeps in a pouch on his belt.

The morning is lovely and the hills outside of Briarworth are rolling and green.  Sheep and cattle graze behind short, moss covered, stone walls.   Wheat, barley and oats matured in fields, beginning to turn from shades of green to shades of gold in the daily warmth of the summer sun.   The gentle breeze caused Sir Pedivere's pennant atop his lance to flutter softly.

    At mid-morning Colm and Sir Pedivere assisted a merchant with a wheel that had come loose from it's axel by providing the muscle to lift the rig high enough for it to be pounded by into place by several well-placed mallet strikes.   At noon the band found the Roman road of Watling and used its stone path to travel north and east, allowing it to guide them along their way.  The stone road made the going faster and easier.  It was well-travelled and safe.  By supper, they had crossed the Foss Road that ran north and continued east on the Watling road.
    Camp was made on the roadside with a merchant caravan that had also stopped for the night.  The party had its choice of the well cooked fare of the merchants, that which was carried within its baggage, or the blessed meals of Chrissa. The party ate well and Calis made a few coins for his entertaining of the merchants.
     The morning brought a another day of sunshine and a ride east to the Cathedral town of Lichfield.  Chrissa was noticeable ill at ease among the buildings and shops of the town, whereas Father Rys made a specific effort to visit the see at Lichfield and to pray at the wonderous structure and shrine.

    The morning brought the road again, and by supper time, they had reached it's end, and the banks of the River Severn.  It would be wilderness riding from then on, Colm announced with some degree of certainty.  There were no Roman roads stretching into Cameliard.  There were however, mountains-  mountains outlined by the setting sun in the west.
    Setting up camp on the banks of the river there was plenty of water for drinking, cooking, washing, and for the horses.  They were almost there, by both Chrissa and Colm's reckoning....

Looking at the river Calis smiled, chucked off his clothing and belongings, and dived into it with a splash. Coming up for air, he looked around at his surroundings before looking at the others. "Well, I smell like horse and it is refreshing to bathe," he called out before grinning and laughing.

Rys grins at Calis' antics.

Aye, bathing sounds like a good idea.  However, don't you think modesty, looks towards Chrissa, would have been more prudent?. He continues to smile at Calis' antics.

Calis looked at Chrissa and then back to the Father after shaking the water from his wet hair. "Well...." he shruged, "I doubt that she has never seen a naked male before, aye? But pardon me if that is so. I also beg your pardon Father, I, unlike those of your faith, was raised and taught differently."

What, bathing in the nude? No, I have done that before, and you being naked does not bother me. I have met people, both male and female, who such actions do cause offense. It was to that I was alluding

He shook his head and looked at the Father with confusion plain on his face, "I'm not sure-" before he could finish the water behind him erupted.