Our story begins in the year 766, when Duke Thierry of Ardennes called his knights to the yearly spring feast on Monday, April 15, to give marching orders for the war season.

Knights, ladies and nobles from throughout the duchy gathered in Bastogne, filling the great hall.  Large, long, simple wooden tables had been laid out to accommodate the crowd.  A few, particularly at the head table, had individual chairs, but the majority sat on long wooden benches, matching the tables.  Although not as lavish as other feasts of the year, this one always promised to have much better foods than had been eaten at the manor-houses and minor castles throughout the long winter.

Our squires, however, were not given seats as they were expected to continue to serve their knights.  In those days, it was common for a squire to "fill his knight's cup", but in truth it was a more complete domestic duty of bringing food, removing empty plates, and always making sure the feasting knights did not run out of wine.

When the main participants of the feast had their fill, the squires and other kitchen boys gathered up the remains and divided it among themselves.  It was then that Duke Thierry rose and spoke to the hall, "Greetings to my knights and ladies, and especially to our honored guest Prince Charlemagne!  King Pepin has seen fit to make me the prince's tutor in the ways of warfare and nobility, while the king himself makes war against Aquitaine¹."  Here his speech was interrupted by cheers and pounding on the wooden tables by the more raucous knights, eager to follow King Pepin on his conquests.  Duke Thierry continued, "However, I have assembled you for a task closer to home.  There have been reports of a bandit, a robber-knight, who lives in the forest of the Ardennes.  He is most known for the large jewel set into his shield, which he brazenly wears flaunting the rule of law.  I would bid that, starting tomorrow, all true knights sally forth from here and travel with none but a squire in their aid, so that they may find and challenge the robber-knight in a full manly fashion, either on horse or on foot, with arms of your choosing.  Either slay or return with the robber-knight as prisoner, and with his jewel as trophy, and I shall reward you."  Here again many knights began cheering, thinking it would be no difficult feat to find and crush a cowardly robber, and win glory in the process.  The duke concluded, "I give you all one month, that on May 15 we shall again return to this great hall, where each man should make an account of his actions, be they good or ill."

The whole assembly, feeling that such a minor task would certainly be accomplished by at least one knight among them, cheered and returned to their drinks and merriment.  However, the mandate that each knight depart with a single squire put a damper on our characters, as they were not the primary squires for any particular knight.

¹ Aquitaine being a duchy, located in modern south-west France.  It's inhabitants are culturally Gascons, similar to Franks, but much closer to the warmer Mediterranean. 

---

For reference, when posting, OOC and mechanical items go at the bottom in orange.
Also, I forgot that the game starts in 766, not 768 as I previously stated, so you are 19 year old squires.  At this point, you could probably be knighted, but that would require some feat or proving yourself.
At this time, the PCs are squires at the feast during this announcement.  You currently have several options, but can really only choose one

• Try to ingratiate yourself with a particular knight or nobleman
• Trying to chat or impress ladies... but this is very difficult, since you are not belted knights yet
• Attempt to get close to Duke Thierry or other VIPs by serving him
• Attempt gossip and intrigue
• Talk trade and economics

Or anything else you can think of.
Post your own actions, but don't worry about the dice rolls as I will take care of those.  Feel free to have longer and fleshed-out posts, rather than short, one-liners.

Edit: I should say that you are basically shut out from this quest... but you will have another opportunity shortly

This message was last edited by the GM at 17:39, Sun 17 June 2018.

The collective nobility of the Duchy, resplendent in their finest accoutrements, the smell of fine food and wine, the idle gossip as those present eagerly awaited word from the Duke... Walter lived for moments like this.  While most of his peers preferred the lance and sword, words were Walter's weapon of choice; and there was no better place to practice the art than at the yearly feast.  While most of the other squires went about their work in relative obscurity, Walter's striking looks, silver tongue, and most of all, his familial connection to the Duke, ensured that he was always noticed wherever he went in the hall.  And while Walter did not hesitate to flit about the room, serving the assembled knights and ladies, tonight, his eyes were on the high table.

Walter it seems, had almost claimed sole dominion over servicing those seated at the most prominent table.  Or at the very least, he was certainly the squire who seemed to always be present.  Whether that was because he had made friends with the kitchen staff during his childhood (namely in an attempt to sneak food during his younger years), or simply pure luck, it didn't matter, he always seemed to have whatever was needed, be it refilling a wine cup, or bringing the next course out.  While he didn't go so far as to openly converse with those seated at the table, he was seemingly always armed with a warm smile, a few kind words, or a witty quip.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:31, Mon 18 June 2018.

Gontran stood away from the rest, listening to the Duke.  Were he a smaller man, he would have liked to slide back between two beams and out of sight.  Events of the nobility, and his lack of finesse therein, was the very reason he had be allowed -- nay, encouraged -- to stay away from attention despite his otherwise noble upbringing.  Of course, were he a smaller man, he would not have so difficult a time navigating the relatively narrow space between tables.  He was content, therefore, to wait aside and ferry away whatever the bolder squires would bring him to be cleaned.

The Duke's announcement, however, shook him from his complacency.  He would bring no attention nor help to Buchenborg standing off to the side and hoping someone would offer him anything: he needed to be in the fray.  Not unlike a battle, he mused.

He took a deep breath.  "Just don't say anything," he reminded himself under his breath before and stepping out to take a more active role in serving these full-fledged knights.  If he got in the way, he would simply have to hope that his bulk would ensure that he could impress even in calamity.

Maixent had spent some time in Bastogne and had come to know a few people.  He felt he was respected well enough by his knight and by his fellow squires, but, something inside of him always yearned for something more.   Knighthood and his family manor would, at some point, be his...but even those goals were but stepping stones.

The noise of of the knights cheering the proclamation of a quest from the Duke, brought him out of his thoughts.  He quickly refilled the wine and made his way around the hall.

As he passed the Ladies, he showed proper deference and occasionally made a soft comment about their prospects of finding a proper husband amidst these fine knights.  He tried, as he made small talk with them, to make eye contact with Lady Ermeline.  He didn't want to seem too forward, as he knew he was still a lowly squire, but, the rumors were, she was hard to control.  Something about a wild, free-thinking woman, while a bit out of place in proper society, drew his fanciful thoughts of an adventurous life.

 The Great Hall of the Duke’s castle was filled with the finest of Bastogne’s society. From prominent Merchants, Knights, Lord and Ladies, and then there was the Duke himself. The Hall was aglow with the sounds of merriment and dining. The sound of voices, laughter, the clatter of platters and goblet, even the sound of music all blended into a medley of the court at Feast.

 Squires and Servants waded through the maze of tables with pitchers of the finest wine from the Duke’s own cellar in hand; making sure no cup would ever be empty.  The large hulking young man was one of those Squires. Bailain hurried here and there with a pitcher of wine, as he filled the goblet of thirsty patrons of the feast.

 When one of the Stewards stopped Bailain and told him to go and put more wood onto the fire pit. The squire nodded and handed his pitcher to a passing servant, and headed over to the stacked wood near the hearth. Bail caught the eye of his old friend Walter, and gave him a wink and a nod, an old signal that Bail was up to something.

 The Squire had of course, heard the Duke’s announcement of the Quests to see out the Bandit, and the Knights taking a Squire with them. Bail was a junior squire and a low born one at that. His chance of being selected by one of the questing knights was not very good, not unless he did something to stand out and impress one of the knights. So Bail did what he was good at, he selected only the thickest cuts of wood and then attempted to break them in two with his bare hands; He had great strength, so he would demonstrate that with a Herculean feat of strength.

Duke Thierry, seeing the squire Walter, his cousin, filling cups with the other table servers, called him over to the high table.  The Duke stood and embraced Walter, and with his hand on Walter's shoulder said to the other lords, "This is my cousin, Walter, who will make a fine knight one day soon!"  Turning, and in a much quieter voice, he said to Walter, "Gather your fellow unattached squires," his eyes motioned to the others, "and meet me when the feast is done, for I have a task for you."  With that, the Duke sat and resumed feasting.

Gontran, meanwhile, was a giant of a man, and carrying even the largest serving platters was no effort at all.  He found moving among some of the cramped tables difficult, more than once bumping into various knights and ladies where they sat.  Once, he had in his hands a huge wooden dish with a nearly whole roasted pig on it.  When a knight suddenly stood up at the table, it nearly toppled the entire dish and animal, but Gonran was able to keep his balance and hold steady.  The knight asked, "Who is this man, a squire, already larger than most knights in armor?  Come lad, we could use a man like you on the battlefield!"

Maixent contented himself by serving the ladies, particularly the bold Lady Ermeline.  She took notice of this, calling him over.  "You, squire, what is your name?  Though you be a squire, and not at all blessed with a comely visage, you are bold enough to serve the most honored ladies?"  Maixent told his name and lineage.  "Ahh, Maixent, I shall remember that name.  Now go about thy duties, until we should happen to meet again."  She smiled and returned to the ladies, but it was a smile Maixent would remember.

Bailain, tasked with refilling the firewood, made a show of taking a small log and attempting to rip the dry wood apart with his bare hands.  But being a server, and standing out of the way, he did not attract much attention.  This was for the best, because after heaving and grunting, his fingers could make no dent in the bark.  His grip was solid and limbs were strong, but it seemed no amount of human effort could do what one simple stroke of the axe could.  Resignedly, Bailain used the tool, then tossed the log into the fire.  It was only a small consolation that the little attention he had drawn initially proved in his favor, that no one seemed to notice his failing.

---

After a few hours, when the feast was winding down, Duke Thierry called over his cousin Walter and the other squires.  "Ah, yes, you youth of Bastogne.  While the knights and their squires will be out in search of the robber-knight, I need men for another mission.  I suspect you will be knights soon enough - once you have proven yourselves, that is - so I entrust you with the escort of Father Jerome.  You are to escort him to Liege, where the Prince-Bishop has agreed to lend him the use of a relic of Saint Marcian.  You will leave tomorrow, travel to Liege, meet with the Prince-Bishop, and return with the relic straight away.¹  So sleep well, and be ready to leave in the morning."

Early in the morning, while the fires from the previous night's festivities were dying embers, the squires and pages arose early and began busying about.  Most prepared for the coming hunt of the robber-knight, but our squires prepared themselves for the travel to Liege.

In the courtyard, waiting with only a donkey as transport, was Father Jerome.  He was an older man, with greying hair and beard.  He had a reputation of being very pious, being the personal chaplain to the Duke and Duchess.  He was not overly talkative with the squires, being perhaps the third full generation of knights he had seen grow from boys into men during his lifetime, so he simply waited for them to load up and depart.


¹ Depending on the weather and conditions, traveling one-way from Bastogne to Liege is about 3 or 4 days.

---

Walter, gain an XP check for Passion: Family due to the Duke's kind words
Gontran, gain a 10 Glory for being recognized
Maixent, you got a critical on your (below-average) App roll!  Gain an XP check for Proud... but also the attention of Lady Ermeline
Bailain, it was a Str check at -10 to accomplish that feat, so no luck.

Full disclosure: Religion and Intrigue rolls were made and results given in Private Lines to each of you.

Detail what you load up and bring on such a mission.  Traveling with weapons and armor would be normal, or even expected - you are an escort, and there is a robber-knight about!  Even moderate amounts of food should suffice, since you are in local territory and would be afforded hospitality nearly anywhere you might stop.  Also, you may speak with Father Jerome during the travels.  Is there anything particular you wish to do, see or go to while traveling?  Check the map for places of interest between Bastogne and Liege.

This message was last edited by the GM at 04:11, Mon 25 June 2018.

After the Duke dismissed them, Walter couldn't help but grin "Well my friends, I told you tolerating me over these long years would pay off down the road!"  Grinning broadly, he clapped Bailain and Gontran on the shoulder.  "Shall we get to packing before everyone else begins to do the same in the morning?"  he asked, glancing about. And just like that, they were off, scurrying about the castle in an attempt to acquire everything that they might need for the trip ahead.  For his part, Walter packed light, carrying only a moderate amount of necessary supplies.  They were traveling locally, and on a mission for the Duke no less, and as such, could expect hospitality wherever they went.  However, his weapons and armor were a given, especially with this robber knight about.

When the squires all reappeared in the courtyard that morning, Walter was already present, chatting up the Father rather amiably.  "Good morning my friends!" he boomed, gesturing them over "Is everyone packed and ready to go?  If so we should make haste!"

He watched as Sir Walter spoke and clapped his friends on the shoulder.  He only nodded and said, "in the morning, then." Turning, he walked towards his rooms and began to calculate what all he'd need to bring.  He gathered up what he needed and went to bed, planning to rise early to finish readying his mount.

He led his horse to where the Father awaited, and, like Sir Walter, he had packed relatively light but with all his arms.  His crossbow was tied to the saddle, ready for use as needed.  Maixent acknowledged Walter's comment with a nod, "Aye, I am ready and looking forward to successfully completing our first task."  When he finished speaking, he mounted.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:46, Mon 25 June 2018.

   The Duke spoke to the young Squires and told them of an important task set before them. For such as they, to be honored with escorting the Duke’s Confessor on upon an important mission, was a singular honor for the young men. Bailain was not one to speak overly much, but when he did, it was with a rich baritone voce that some had remarked was more a croaking them speech. “ We are greatly honored, My Lord." Said with a bowing his head.

 When the Duke had departed,  Bailain had a smile upon his lips. “ It seems we shall show the world our mettle, Lads.  If we do a good job, his Lordship will look upon us all with favor. And with any luck, we will have some witless brigands attempt to molest the good father…so we can chastise them for their sins." He made a wolfish grin to his friends.

Listening to the stories of the knights, Gontran wanted nothing more than to prove his mettle on horseback against a robber knight.  Being directed to guard a priest seemed like a step in the wrong direction, but obedience to his lord meant following direction.  Lost in thought, he simply nodded and bowed a lot rather than dare speak.

Tying off his saddlebags, he checked his saddle again. At least here, with the horses, he was in his element.  "Check your horse, Father?" he offered.

Being accustomed to deference, and unaccustomed to the labors of preparing a journey, Father Jerome readily accepted the squire's assistance.  The group departs in the morning, while so many other knights and squires were still dressing to chase after the robber-knight.

The journey takes three days, with few delays and beautiful spring weather along the way.  Liege was a stone monastery, surrounded by fields of various crops.  There was a small city nearby, all controlled by the Prince-Bishop.  Although not as opulent as the larger city Bastogne, the monastery was a center of religious life and had various services unavailable anywhere else.

The meeting between Father Jerome and Prince-Bishop Fulcaire is brief and formal.  They each faced the altar in the chapel, knelt, and chanted several lines of Latin.  To a lay-person, it was not clear whether this was an actual ceremony or simply a blessing.  Ultimately, Prince-Bishop Fulcaire retrieved from a side cabinet a small, rectangular box, no larger than a man's hand, covered with silver and small gemstones that sparkle in the sunbeams that entered through the capel's high ceiling.  This was clearly just an ornate container for the relic, which was secured inside.  Father Jerome humbly accepted the box and wrapped it in loose cloth, before tucking it inside his robes.

As it was still daylight, Father Jerome accepted the Prince-Bishop's offer of hospitality to stay at the monastery, then depart in the morning.  The rooms for guests of the monastery were no different than the cells in which the monks spent the majority of their time - small and bland, with scarcely enough room for a bed and small table.  Luckily, the squires had little in the way of belongings and no attendants, so containing their travel gear in such a small room was not a problem.

---

Now the squires have an evening in Liege.  The major options include

•   Speak with Father Jerome and/or the Prince-Bishop about spiritual matters and theology, or the present politics
•   Read from the books in the scriptorum
•   Pray at the chapel for a specific blessing (uses the Love Charlemagne trait, need to specify the object of your prayer)
•   Buy candles, incense, small wood carvings, or other religious decorations from the monks
•   Go into town and speak with the peasants or merchants

Or something else

Gontran unceremoniously settled himself in the small space provided by the Monastery by laying most of his gear haphazardly on the bed.  He peered out the small window.  This was a place of learned men living a quiet life of contemplation and worship.  He would not believed it possible, but here he was even more uncomfortable than he had been at court.

He lingered in the room for what he deemed was a proper amount of time before knocking on the doorframe of one of the others' doors.  "Going into the village for supplies.  Need anything?" he asked.  It was, perhaps, a foolish question, but it was the best attempt he felt that he could make at conversation.

Walking into the village, he immediately relaxed.  Here, there were people he could relate to.  His fellow squires weren't bad, of course, but they were still more learned than he, and the Monks likely beyond them.  He began perusing the local stores and speaking with those who showed an interest in some honest smalltalk.

EDIT: pursuing -> perusing
This message was last edited by the player at 15:59, Sat 30 June 2018.

Walter smiled as Gontran popped his head into the room "If you are heading into town, could you make sure that our supplies are restocked for the return trip, my friend?  Thank you very much!"  After the large man beat a hasty retreat, Walter smiled at the others and said simply "I'm going to ask the Prince-Bishop for his blessing for our return trip if anyone wishes to join me."  In truth, he couldn't resist the chance to rub elbows with the upper crust of society.  The premise was, of course, in securing the man's blessing for the trip ahead, but in reality, he was far more interested in bending the man's ear and getting the chance to discuss matters of politics with one as influential as Fulcaire.  After all, how many chances like this would he get, especially as a young squire?
This message was last edited by the player at 11:56, Sat 30 June 2018.

Maixent dropped off his belongings in his cubicle and, as he made his way back to the group, he heard Walter's statement.  He thought about if for a moment and said, "I, too, shall go speak with the Prince-Bishop." He clapped the other squire on the back and gave him a look as if to say, 'Let's go'.

Maixent had no intention of asking for a blessing...no, he wanted to discuss the current succession and the state of our nation.

Gontran

The village outside Liege was not nearly so large as Bastogne, but was still significantly larger than most any other village in the county.  Although the village was several miles away, the tolling bells from the monastery could still be heard: a fitting reminder of the influence the Prince-Bishop had.  The religious aura extended over the village, with so many monks, nuns, friars, pardoners, deacons and scribes in the streets.  The town was a perfect compliment to the monastery, with two chandlers, a winery, an ink-maker and a parchment stretcher.

Gontran walked about the village and felt at home.  As he drifted between the shops and industries, he was much more comfortable with those who earned their living with the strength of their backs than the frail men whose only tool was a quill.  Wearing a sword, he was immediately recognized as a warrior (though not yet a belted knight), but this did not diminish the affinity with which the peasants regarded him.  What began as a distraction to take his mind off the stiff formality of the monastery ended with an afternoon of pleasant conversation and the blacksmith giving him a new set of horseshoes.

---

Maixent and Walter

The Prince-Bishop Fulcaire ate supper in the common room with the other monks.  It was somewhat akin to the feasts held by nobles, where other knights and ladies all sat together in the great hall of a castle; however this was very different in most other regards: the food was bland, the monks ate in almost perfect quiet (as some had taken vows of silence), and there was no merriment or entertainment.  In short, the meal was not a social celebration as with the nobility, but instead was merely a means for the monks to nourish their bodies.

After this, Prince-Bishop Fulcaire separated from the other monks and tended to the business of governing.  It was then that Maixent and Walter approached, while the Prince-Bishop sat in the candlelight reading reports of how many candles were made in the village and burnt in the monastery.

When the squires approached, they spoke in the most flattering terms asking for a blessing.  The Prince-Bishop sharply rebuked them, saying, "What do you young men of County Bastogne have with the church?  You were sent here on the orders of Duke Thierry, but I can see that you are more concerned with winning your spurs¹ than furthering the church.  You, Maixent, cousin of Duke Thierry, are already well-known for your vanity, and you, Walter, bear the uneven eyes of a cursed man.  Still," he sighed, "you two and your companions are accomplishing a mission for Mother Church.  Bow your heads and pray."  Here the Prince-Bishop quickly and perfunctorily read through a quick series of prayers in Latin, which the squires could barely understand, before making the sign of the cross.  Waving his hand in dismissal, he said, "Now go with the blessing of the Lord, to protect the relic with all the strength of your bodies."

---

All

The next morning, along with Father Jerome - now bearing the small silver reliquary box held tightly to his chest - the squires mounted their horses and departed from Liege.  They began to retrace the path back to Bastogne, along the dirt roads and paths.

When they had traveled half a day, and were still on the Prince-Bishop's land, they came across a pilgrim walking on the road in the opposite direction.  The pilgrim's clothing was filthy, and he leaned on a walking stick with each step.  He carried a small pack with him, which, as his appearance would suggest, contained all of his worldly possessions.  The pilgrim stopped and bowed his head, addressing the squires, "Please, kind sirs, would you spare a coin for an old man on his way to Saint Hubert's?"<sup>2

1</sup>As spurs were used as a sign of knighthood and ceremonially given to a new knight, to "gain one's spurs" means to be promoted to a knight.
²Saint Hubert's is another local monastery, much smaller and separate from Liege.

---

Gontran passed his Attitude: Commoners roll.  You gain extra horseshoes, which let you reroll a failed horsemanship roll once.
Maixent and Walter failed their Attitude: Church roll and got a scolding.  The Prince-Bishop was too polite not to give them a blessing, but they got an earful first.
Now everyone is on the road back.

As he had upon spotting other passersby on the road, Gontran rode up to the side of Father Jerome.  Having spent an inordinate amount of his youth working alongside peasants who did not value their word as nobility did, Gontran was naturally suspicious; the nature of his role as escort seemed to bring out the worst in him in this regard.  Here, he couldn't help feel something was wrong, despite having no evidence of such.

The man seemed harmless enough, but that didn't mean he wasn't the distraction for an ambush.  Gontran cast his eyes away from the road to scan the nearby trees and brush for signs of others.  He lingered back with the priest to let the others do the talking.

Walter was rather angry at the Bishop's assessment of him, but he managed to keep an impassive look on his face throughout the dressing down the pair received, and when the blessing was concluded, he thanked the Prince-Bishop before departing.  The usually talkative young man was notably subdued over the next day, and it appeared he was deep in thought, and it didn't take much of a guess to figure out why.  However, the appearance of the pilgrim on the road quickly snapped him from his thoughts and he smiled before addressing the traveler."Of course brother.  I'm afraid that I don't have much to spare, but please, take these  and go with God's blessing." the young squire said as he fished out a few coins and handed them over to the man with a slight bow of his head
This message was last edited by the player at 13:18, Thu 05 July 2018.

 The large squire rode along with the others and enjoyed the fresh air and scenery. Once they had departed from the Bishop's holding, Bailain breathed with more ease, as he was not one for the confinement of "churchy" matters.

 As the group rode down the “Road” they spotted what appeared to be a Pilgrim. When asked for alms, the squire knew he had no money, but he rode up to the afoot man and reached into a haversack and offered a sausage almost as long as Bailian’s forearm. “Here. I have no coin, but this will fill your belly, well and good.” He said with a faint him of a smile.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:11, Fri 06 July 2018.

The old man was very appreciative.  "Thank you, kind sirs, for this generosity.  May the Lord bless you!" he bowed in gratitude.  He walked a short distance off the road, then turned around and said to the squires, "If you need lodgings for the night, up the road and to the right there is a hunting cabin.  I stayed there last night.  It is in the woods where the road pulls away from the Ourthe River." With that, the hungry pilgrim could wait no longer, he sat down in the grass, happy to eat the food.

The squires and Father Jerome continued on, the road following the path of the Ourthe River.  About half an hour later, the road led away from the river into a deep wood.  As the travelers enter the shade of the trees, several brigands jump out from behind their hiding places.  These are simple peasant warriors armed with clubs and knives, hardly a match for the armed squires.  Using the ambush to their advantage, they screamed and closed the distance to the mounted travelers, clearly intent on confrontation.  Out of one side of the forest, the old pilgrim can be seen with the brigands.

Gontran smiled grimly.  Clearly his earlier suspicions were right.  It also affirmed for him that the Duke had, in fact, sent them on a mission of some importance; he had, until now, suspected otherwise.

He recalled that he had often been chastised by his tutors for being reckless and impulsive, and he knew that he probably should stop to analyze the situation more thoroughly.  Unfortunately, his insecurities from being among so many learned men -- his fellow squires and the clergy -- had been growing over the last few days, and his desire to prove himself to all of them overwhelmed prudence.

He dismounted and drew his sword, pointing it at his enemy.  "I am Gontran: Son of Baldwin of Buchenborg," he shouted to the brigands. "Surrender and live, or fight and die."

Without waiting for a reply, he raised his shield and advanced.

Despite his words, Gontran will fight to disarm and pommel the peasants into submission unless they actually succeed at wounding him; he is, after all, 15 Merciful.
 I realize that this might penalize my combat roll.

Bailian grunted in annoyance the large Squire reached for that which hung upon his saddle prow. A large cudgel make of polished oak. Three banks of iron had been hammered around the massive club, each band supported four iron spikes. He brandished the weapon and shook it at the would be brigands.

 His companion Gontran had said something that sounded formal, but all Bailian could think of to say was as follows. “ You owe me a sausage!” He shouted those words like the meat was worth a sack of gold.

While Walter's initial reaction was one of anger towards the old pilgrim, he quickly calmed himself.  He didn't know the entire situation after all.  Perhaps the old man's life was in danger, or perhaps his loved ones were.  Or perhaps he had thrown his lot in with these men willingly, there was no way for Walter to know for certain.  However he did know one thing, armed as the brigands were, they truly must be desperate indeed to attack such a group as this.  As so while he drew he sword and shield and prepared for battle, Walter echoed Gontran's thoughts "Friends, we have no wish for violence, but know that we will defend ourselves."  For his part, Walter remained mounted and next to the Father, as he gestured for his fellow squires to follow suit and protect their charge.

The dirty scruff of peasant brigands quickly closed around the squires.  Though they possessed no armor, no horses and only rudimentary weapons, they counted on their vastly superior numbers and the ambush positioning to carry them to victory.  Even their charge was not a disciplined act, but rather an untrained mass of ragged men rushing forward.

Gontran, despite his efforts to subdue the attackers, ran one clear through with his sword.  Bailain, gleefully enjoying the melee, struck one on the head with his club so hard that the brigand fell dead on the spot.  Walter, too, cleaved a great wound into another.  A volley of arrows, more coordinated than the charge, was unleashed from the forest.  Luckily, due to the poor craftsmanship of the brigand's bows, most of the arrows missed their mark.  Gontran alone was struck by an arrow, which pierced his ringmail and bit into his skin, though not deeply.

Seeing how quickly they were falling at the hands of the squires, the other brigands quickly broke and ran, fleeing across the river.  Their flight left a much more distinct trail than their stealthy approach.

Also down the river, a small island was visible, with a wooden hut typically built by a hermit.

---

Gontran takes 3 damage from an arrow, a very minor wound.  Despite your best efforts, you so outclassed these fighters that Bailain killed one outright, Gontran mortally wounded another, and Walter was able to wound another.  These two could be taken as prisoners.  They have no items of value to loot.  You each gain 10 Glory and an XP check for the weapon skill.

The trail the others left is easy to follow, should you wish to follow it.  You also may head to the island by fording the river, or continue on the road toward Bastogne.

Edit: Father Jerome was not injured and the relic is intact

This message was last edited by the GM at 04:12, Wed 11 July 2018.

Sighing as he watched the men flee, Walter turned to his fellow squires "As much as I'd love to catch the rest of these men, we have a mission to complete, and that should take precedent, wouldn't you agree brothers?"  Glancing down at the severely wounded men on the ground, he added "And as for these two, we can take them with us to the closest town and let the authorities handle them.  It won't be out of our way, and we can ensure that justice is done."  While Walter was rather annoyed about missing the chance to hunt down the rest of the brigands, duty came first.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:55, Wed 11 July 2018.

Gontran had laughed heartily when Bailian called out, and echoed with a cry of, "Yes!  For sausage!"  His jovially left him, however, when grazed by the arrow, and he loosed a profanity he would apologize to the priest for later.

The battle, if it could be called that, was over shortly thereafter: it seemed to Gontran that these peasants had practically thrown themselves upon their blades.  His family had faced hardship, but they had never known desperation to this extent.  He frowned as he tried to staunch the bleeding from the gaping wound in the man who charged him; he had found no glory in battle... only pity for this lot.

He was brought back from his thoughts when Walter spoke up, and Gontran nodded his agreement.  "Yes," he said. "Father Jerome is our charge.  Maybe we can come back for the rest..."  It wasn't the same as challenging a Robber-Knight, but brigands couldn't be left to prey on honest folk.

With the brigands driven off, Father Jerome crosses himself.  "Praise the Lord that He has vouchedsafe us this victory."  He kisses the relic, still held close to his chest.  When the squires make their plans known to move on, he agrees.  "Yes, the relic is the cause of this journey.  Petty bandits shall receive their own punishment in time, especially with the knights of the realm out looking for the Robber-Knight.  However, this excitement has made my old bones weary, and I would wish to camp soon."  It was already in the later part of the day, so the group agreed to move a short distance from the ambush spot and make camp off the road in an inconspicuous spot.  The two surviving prisoners had their wounds bandaged, if only to keep them alive.

The night passed uneventfully, but in the morning, the squires found one of the prisoners dead.  The one that Gontran had run through did not survive the night, as the wound was so deep that no amount of bandaging could staunch the slow trickle of blood.  The other prisoner still lived, but silently cried.

While breaking camp and preparing to travel, the squires were greeted by a large group of peasants.  These were distinct from the brigands, as they appeared to be relatively clean and not-at-all armed, also there were several women among them.  As they approached, they saw the squires and hailed them as traveling knights.  One steps forward, wearing the robe of a priest.  "Good morrow, kind Sirs!  I am Father Aigulf of Esneux¹.  Though you be travelers through this land, we beseech you, upon your knightly honor, to oppose the heathen sorcerer who lives on yonder isle," he motions to the small island in the Ourthe River, which the squires saw before had a small wooden shack.  "He uses unholy arts to slow the waters of the river, drying out the watermill of our town.  I see you have killed and captured the highwaymen from these woods, so please lend us the strength of your arm to defeat this sorcerer!"  Many of the peasants line up behind Father Aigulf, attempting to look intimidating.  This was because on the small island, the hermit was outside of his hut and standing in the open.  He did not have a sinister appearance, merely that of a humble hermit.

¹  Esneux is a small town downstream from where you are currently.  Like many of the small towns in Bastogne, you have heard of it and have a rough idea of where it is, but have not been there.  It is still within the lands of the Prince-Bishop of Liege.

---

Now you are in the middle of this.  Talk with the peasants or the hermit, or find some other action.  At this point, given the accusations, if you simply walked away you would get XP checks for negative traits such as Lazy, Cowardly, Arbitrary, or lose a point of Honor or Attitude: Commoners (I mean, probably just one or two of those, depending on your rationale).

 Bailian looked the mob of peasants over, and then had to force himself not to make a sound of derision when told that the man on the island was a Sorcerer. “What proof have you, good priest? What makes you think that Hermit be a sorcerer?”

"Of course Father, that won't be a problem at all."  Despite the fact that they had rather handily dispatched the would-be brigands, Walter wasn't sure that they wouldn't return under cover of darkness, and so he insisted that the squires maintain a strict watch so as to ensure that they weren't slaughtered in their sleep. Whether it was their vigilance, the Almighty looking out for them, or simply luck, the night was uneventful.  It wasn't until the next morning that things took a turn.

Seeing the group, Walter smiled and dismounted before approaching.  "Hail and well met good people!  I must apologize, but we are not knights, but rather squires in the service of the good Duke Thierry.  Still, who are we to ignore such a request, especially if, as you say sorcery is involved?  After all, it is a most serious accusation, wouldn't you agree brothers?  And I trust that as my friend Bailain says, you have some sort of proof?  And why might the hermit wish to cause harm to such good and gentle folks as yourselves?"  As he talked, Walter's gaze scanned the villagers present, flashing a disarming smile, or knowing nod as the various peasants caught his eye.  Especially the women.  After all, Walter always had something of a soft spot for gorgeous women.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 16:14, Mon 16 July 2018.

Having planned to travel a short ways, lest the peasants strike with reinforcements, Gontran brought the body of the man Bailain had slain.  After they had set camp, Gontran sought out some soft soil that might serve for a shallow grave, for he had no tools to dig a proper one.  Although he had little knowledge or appreciation of things holy, he tied sticks together into a makeshift cross.  Once finished, he invited the priest to say some words over this meager grave.  Afterward, he pushed the dirt back over the body.

Later, Gontran tried to question the remaining prisoners by providing food.  It struck him that they were probably desperate, rather than merely greedy.  He also knew firsthand that, although sometimes desperation is earned, most is beyond the control of mere men.  Gontran was interested in the circumstances that led to the attack, but he also pressed to know how many more they were likely to face when they came back this way.  There were no words that could convince Gontran to release the men, for although he was merciful, he also knew that justice needed to be done.

A night in camp did something to raise Gontran's spirits: in the monastery, he feared the small bed would give under his frame, and he felt he had barely slept before the monks rose to chant their hymns in the early hours.  Being out in the wild was much more restful for him.  Even when he had access to the rooms of Buchenborg, he often spent a night out of doors, particularly when he was young.

The following morning, finding that a prisoner had died, he dug a second grave beside the first.  This one felt a more solemn task than the first, because it was by Gontran's sword (and, perhaps, ineptitude at healing) that this man had perished, and he was unaccustomed to taking men's lives, even if justly.  He tied a second cross together and planted it in the ground.

Gontran's arms were still sore with excursion, and his hands still muddy, when the townsfolk approached.  As Walter and Bailain approached, Gontran lingered back with the priest as he had upon the road.  The recent betrayal of the pilgrim set him on edge, and even a priestly robe did nothing to assuage his suspicions.  "Do you know this one, Father?" he whispered to the priest.

Standing and speaking with the assembled peasants, the squires were unsure what to do.

Father Jerome turned to Gontran, saying, "No, but he appears to speak the truth, as the waters of the river are clearly over their banks on that side."

As the squires were speaking with the peasants and priest, several armed men approached.  They wore simple leather armor and were armed with spears, not as fine as the gear possessed by the squires.  This was a common sort of armament among the footman and yeomen in the area, not the brigand rabble that had attacked the night before.  One raised his arm in a gesture of peace.  "Hail, travelers, ye seem to be of noble stock, what with horses and arms.  We have come from Sir Eingar, lord of Esneux, with instructions to bring the peasants back to work and till the land.  The river dried up two days ago, and these peasants abandoned the land, instead of working it by hand.  They ought to be brought back and forced to complete their labors."

Amid all this shouting from the peasants and now from the men-at-arms, no one seemed to notice the hermit of the isle was outside, standing on what little solid ground of the island was left.  He waved his hands and began shouting just to get the attention of the others on the opposite bank of the river.  "Calm yourselves," he said.  "I am not to blame for the river, unless the Lord Jesus Christ sought to punish me by slowly raising the waters to make me drown in my own hut.  Despite my prayers, the course of the river has not straightened out, and every hour the waters take away more of my isle."

---

Now a standoff with peasants, the men-at-arms, and the hermit!  What to do...

Gontran frowned: there were too many people near his charge for his liking, and all of them wanted to take his attention away from the matter at hand.  He felt that, were he to have any luck with words here, it would be with the peasants.  He took a few of them aside.

"Good people, do you think a sorceror would call a river from you to wash away his own house?  His predicament seems as grave as yours."  He waved idly at the man shouting on the island.  "I suspect both your lots will worsen if you continue on this course: he will drown if he does not leave and, if you remain, these armed men will surely force you back to a very displeased lord."  He patted one on the shoulder congenially and walked out to the river bank.

"I doubt you are deserving of punishment, sir, but the waters rise all the same.  Swim over, if you can."  He cast a meaningful glance back at the peasants.  "You shall not be harmed."

EDIT: Punctuation
This message was last edited by the player at 20:53, Fri 20 July 2018.

 Bailain sat astride his horse,and watched events for a few moment. Without warning, the Squire kicked his horse over to the river bank then guided his horse into the water. His intent was to head over to the man upon what was left of the island and bring him over.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:53, Sun 22 July 2018.

Walter frowned.  Things had rapidly gone from bad to worse here.  First the brigands, and now this mess?  Surely the Almighty was having a bit of fun at their expense.  "It almost seems as if the waters are being diverted somewhere upstream, wouldn't you agree brothers?  It strikes me then that we'd be well served by seeing what is causing it.  Of course, it also seems like the minute we depart to see if we can find out more, that these people will come to blows."  Nodding approvingly at Gontran as he signaled his desire to speak to the peasants, Walter approached the men at arms.

"My good men, we obviously have a predicament here.  But surely your lord would prefer to see the river's course returned to normal, yes?  It would solve the issue at hand with his peasants while ensuring that their work is far more productive.  So please, I urge you patience while I see what might be causing this calamity.  My brothers will remain here to ensure their compliance in the interim."  And with that, Walter took off, urging his horse onward.  Rivers didn't just suddenly dry up like this, something had to be causing it, and he intended to find out what.

While Gontran separated all the different groups, Bailain forged ahead, his horse wading into the overflowing river banks.  The crowd all began to ooh and ahh, all other arguments silenced as they watched.  Fording the river on horseback was dangerous under normal conditions, let alone the flooding and currents.  Very quickly the horse was up to its shoulders in the water, and Bailain became soaked.  As the horse approached the middle of the river, it lost its footing and had to totally swim.  After only a short distance, the horse regained its footing and pulled out of the river on the hermit's island.

"Mercy!" cried the hermit.  Bailain scooped his brittle bones onto the horse and wheeled about, to cross back.  Again the horse kept its footing until the middle of the river, then went into a full swim.  Bailain and the hermit each were submerged and had to swim a distance until the horse regained its footing.  Luckily Bailain was a strong swimmer, and was able to pull the weak old man to safety.  A cheer went up among the others on the riverbank, while Bailain and the hermit each began to wring out their soaked clothes and the horse shook off the excess water.

Meanwhile, around the far side of the small island, Walter located a small dam of sticks and branches.  As he approached, two beavers hissed at him, but then turned tail and ran off.  Carefully removing a few of the sticks, Walter allowed a small trickle of water to pass and, over the course of several minutes, slowly restored the flow of the river.  Walter left a portion of the dam intact, as it actually improved the flow of the river.

The peasants cheered once the river's flow was restored, and turned to walk back to the village.  Father Aigulf said, "Thank you, kind sirs, for saving the hermit and restoring the river.  Please come back to the village to warm your wet bodies and celebrate your success!"

The men-at-arms turned to the squires and said, "You have averted this disaster, and done a good service to our lord, Sir Eingar.  Come see him in his manor home in Esneux and he shall reward you for these deeds."

Lastly, when the other crowd had dispersed and the squires were left with their own, the hermit knelt before Bailain.  "Thank you, kind sir, for saving me from certain doom.  My name is Doolin, a hermit for more than twenty winters, and I am in your debt," and he kissed Bailain's hands.  Before Bailain could reply, Father Jerome spoke, saying, "Rise, humble hermit, for it is unseemly for a man of the church to kneel so before a squire.  Come with us to Esneux, so we may restore you to fresh clothing."

---

Wow, great luck this time.
Gontran gets an experience check for Attitude: Commoners due to calming everyone down (and everyone is basically a commoner, even the men-at-arms and the hermit).
Bailain successfully made his horsemanship roll to cross the river and not lose his horse.  Gain a check for Horsemanship and for Reckless ('cause your horse almost drowned)
Bailain also gains Doolin the Hermit as a Follower, if you wish.  You have to pay each year 0.5£ per year upkeep, but he becomes an NPC Follower of yours (you may basically write for him) and use his Religion 15 and Read: Latin 15 anytime it is necessary.
Walter then got a critical success on his Siege check.  (If you had failed, you simply knock down the dam all at once, which would have flooded parts of the village).  Because of the critical success, you improve the village and will likely receive some reward.

Next, you all go to the village of Esneux (it is basically on your way anyway).  You may speak with the commoners, Father Aigulf, the men-at-arms, or speak with Sir Eingar himself.  Or do whatever you can think of.

Things had gone even better than Walter had hoped!  His foul mood immediately abated, Walter chatted amiably with the men at arms while they made their way to Esneux to meet with Sir Eingar.  Walter was something of a social butterfly, so he was excited about the prospect of meeting with the knight.  After all, he had yet to meet a nobleman that he couldn't charm!

And so when they finally arrived at the village Walter immediately approached the man and introduced himself and his traveling companions to the knight.  However, he's quick to dismiss any praise that he personally receives, insisting that it's simply what any man would have done; while at the same time, playing up the actions of his fellows.  It seems that the recent dressing down he received from the Prince-Bishop about his pride had an effect after all!

The ride to Esneux was sobering for Gontran: despite his desire to prove himself, it seemed to him that his companions outshone him at every turn.  After being the only one injured in combat and the only one not committing heroic deeds, he felt small which was unusual for him.

His grey mood was worsened further because he strongly suspected that the peasants he traveled with would be punished for their insubordination by their lord.  It was, however, not right that the peasants should take it upon themselves to leave the field and seek help.  He hoped this Sir Eingar would be merciful to them.  He tried to linger on his pity for them, as self-pity was unbecoming.

Upon reaching Esneux, Gontran lingered back to take the horses of his betters.  He was, after all, a squire and today he felt more a squire than a rising knight.  Additionally, he hoped that his presence among the peasants might lead to some amelioration of their punishment.

 The ride to the village was done with each of the squires left to his own thoughts. As for Bailain, he was pleased with himself, and actually thought the journey on the whole had been a rather grand adventure. There had been the battle or as close to a battle as Bailain had ever been in, with the bandits, then the river crossing to save the Hermit. Indeed, it had been a grand adventure for the young squire………until…..

 The group rode along the trail with the rescued hermit riding behind the squire. The old man was not fit to walk the entire way, so the squire felt responsible and allowed him to ride with him.

 Hermit.” A thousand thanks be to you, good squire.”

Bailain: “No needs for thanks, Sir”

Hermit:” But you saved this miserable one’s life. Blessing be upon you, young man. Thank you, thank you.”

Bailain: “You are more than welcome.”

Hermit: “Blessings be upon you good squire.”

Bailain: “Thank you.”

Hermit: "Blessings be upon your brave steed for daring the torrent of the river."

 Bailain: “Thank you.”

Hermit: “May the Virgin Mary smile upon you, your brave horse, and your family. Thank you for saving me.”

Bailain: “Thanks”

Hermit: "There I was, trapped like Noah without his arch, with the flood. And then, and then you came across the waters like Moses that parted the red Sea to rescue the chosen people. I was not worthy, mind you. I am but a simple servant of the divine father. But you risked life and limb to rescue a wretch like me. Bless you, bless your horse, and bless your gracious lord for sending you along this road today."

Bailain: through gritted teeth:” Thanks”

 Hermit: Now singing the praises of his savior at the top of his voice. “This young man, this one here!” Pats the squire on the head several times.” He risked his life to save a wretch like me, one totally unworthy of such a brave and selfless act. Bailain is the name of my rescuer, it must be shouted from on high, He is the bravest of the brave. And I, a simple hermit, unworthy of such a Christian act of charity, bless Bailian with all my heart. May God the father, our Savior Jesus Christ and all the Saints smile down upon this brave young man! Behold, Bailain the Bold!!!”

 When the squire heard that bit about Bailain the bold, he turned around with a frown that would have put a dent in a stone castle wall. The Hermit went silent with a sheepish grin.

Bail resumed his looking forward and gave thanks in his mind for the silence that followed... Indeed, the only sounds where that of the horses plodding along the road, the jangle of armor and tack. Indeed, thought the squire, all was right with the world again……………

 Hermit:” Bless you”

 Bailain:” SHUT UP!!!”

The squires, together with Father Jerome and the Hermit Doolin, follow the peasants and the men-at-arms back toward the village of Esneux.

As they approached the village, Father Aigulf fell back from the rest of the peasants and spoke with the squires.  "I do not wish to speak out of turn, and I hope that you will not hold it against me, but I wish to caution you about Sir Eingar.  He is a knight and loyal enough to the Prince-Bishop, but is a heartless and cruel man.  He is my brother-in-law.  Just yesterday he burst into my small chapel and tried to interrupt the wedding of two peasants because one was from another village.  Luckily, I had just finished the ceremony and they were married, so he stormed out in a huff.  Beware his selfish and cruel nature."

The village itself was an average village for the area: several small houses and huts, a water mill - which now ran again due to the river flow - several small shops, a smithy, a chapel, and, atop a small hill, the knight's manor.  The villagers returned to their various homes, the men-at-arms returned to the manor house.

When Father Aigulf approached the chapel, he cried out, "Good heavens!  What have you done to them?"  For in the open space between the chapel and the manor home, there was a huge hollowed-out log that was split in two length-wise.  The two halves were bound together by numerous ropes, but upon closer inspection, between the two logs there were a man and a woman, apparently crushed to death!

From out of the manor house, Sir Eingar strolled with a casual stride of self-satisfaction.  He wore a long, black coat of wolf fur, despite the warm weather, another nod to his pride.  "Now father," he began in a patronizing voice, "you said 'what God has united, let no man separate.'  So I put them together, and now they can stay united!"  He laughed heartily at his own joke, while several peasants quickly untie the ropes.

Father Aigulf shouted to the knight, "You are no noble knight, but a villain and thug!"  Sir Eingar replies, "Calm down, you stuffed shirt, they knew I did not wish for them to marry."  With the logs removed, the female peasant lied motionless; the male attempted to stand and walk toward Sir Eingar.  Sir Eingar, without even drawing his sword, simply walked up and struck the man across the face with his mailed fist.  The man collapsed and stopped moving.  "There now, they will not disobey me again," Sir Eingar states.

Seeing the squires approach, along with their wounded prisoner, Sir Eingar greeted them warmly.  "Ah, knightly visitors, I see.  Come in, come in!" he motions to his manor house.  "And you have brought me a prisoner, excellent!  Those peasant rabble are too lazy to work so they leave the village and wait out in the forest to ambush travelers on the road.  I am glad to see that you all were not injured - or mostly uninjured," he says, seeing Gontran's bandaged arm from the arrow wound.  "Anyways, please come in to my home!"  While Sir Eingar directed the squires away, two of his men-at-arms roughly seized the peasant bandit and dragged him off.

---

Clearly, Father Aigulf was correct in his assessment of Sir Eingar.  Though some interpretations of law could mean that Sir Eingar has power to execute the peasants on his land, this is an extreme case; add to that, the staggering cruelty and carelessness that he exhibits makes any true Christian knight shudder.  How does this effect each character?  How do they view it?  And what do we do next?

It was not Gontran's place to confront a knight, but his hands trembled in anger at the cruelty of this Sir Eingar.  He could only now think it a mercy that the peasant he had subdued had perished from his sword.  He remembered that the third man had cried at night in the encampment; at the time, Gontran attributed this to fear and the death of the others, but now Gontran suspected that the prisoner had cried for fear of what awaited him.

He wished the peasant might have given him some warning as to the cruelty of his lord.  Would Gontran have believed it?  He liked to think that he would have.  Even so, what could be done?  Did the peasants' actions still demand punishment if they had been driven to their desperation by an evil man such as this?  Was that justice?  He tried to think back on his lessons, but he had regarded them with such disdain.  Now, he wished he had paid better attention.

Gontran resolved himself to find out.  He allowed himself to be led into the house, but at the first opportunity, he decided he would find his way back out to talk to the people.  Perhaps, he knew, he would have attributed the prisoner's description of Sir Eingar to the desperation of having been caught.  Now knowing the knight's cruelty, he was inclined to take them at their word.

He cast his eyes to the banners on the walls of this man's home (if the title of "man" fit this one at all... he was more a beast!)  How foolish of him, he realized, to have been so fixated on the notion of the Robber Knight when there were truly evil men in the world.

 The group travelled to the village of Esneux.  Upon arrival, the Priest warned them of the land holder of this place, it seemed the man was thought to be cruel, but the squire reserved an opinion, until he saw evidence one way or the other. Baillian had little use for priests, always seeking to tell others what to do, and always asking for money.

 When the small band of squires and such finally arrived at the village, the opinion was quickly arrived at. Baillian saw the man and woman that had been executed, and the method was cruel, to say the least. The burley squire sat astride his horse and said nothing, but the expression upon his face was a deep frown.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:42, Tue 31 July 2018.

Wonderful!  So the Father was right, Sir Eingar was a heartless monster.  There went Walter's plans of an enjoyable night of conversation with the man.  Still, he put on his best face and went along with the knight.  This was hardly the first time he had been forced to make nice with a man he detested.  And while this man was undeniably a monster, there was little they could do about things at present, because as the lord of this manor Sir Eingar was free to punish these peasants as he saw fit.  Still, Walter couldn't just sit by and let this sort of thing go unchallenged and so he vowed to do something about it.

Playing the role of an inexperienced squire hanging on the older man's every word Walter began trying to get the man to share more about his 'leadership' style and past instances of punishment.  After all, he had never met a man like this who didn't take the opportunity to brag to a captive audience.  And if they're going to be able to make a case against the man to the Prince-Bishop, having him admit to such cruelties in front of numerous witnesses would be ideal.

 Bailain spared a glance at Walter, Walter knew his friend enough to know  when he was quiet, he was angry. Bail seemed about to say something, then then returned his gaze to the front.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:28, Tue 31 July 2018.

Father Aigulf, seeing Sir Eingar motion and the squires begin to follow, cries out, "What, are ye squires content to sit silent while this man executes his own villagers?  Have you no honor, no compassion?"  Sir Eingar whirled around and stormed up to the priest, striking him with the same gauntleted hand he had struck down the peasant.  "Quiet, fool!  You know not what you speak, the ways of knighthood.  Return to your altar and your prayers, thankful that I have spared you a similar fate for marrying those two!"  Turning back to the squires, Sir Eingar was again calm, and motioned toward the manor house.  Several peasants came forth and helped Faither Aigulf.

When Sir Eingar had taken a few steps and was out of earshot, Father Jerome said in a hushed whisper to the squires, "You are not yet knights, but mere boys, who would allow such disgrace to go on.  Do you not yearn to take the vows of knighthood, to hunt evil wherever it may be, and whatever form it takes?  Yet you all stand mute in the face of this man, in deference to a mere title when he commits the most flagrant acts of cruelty!"  Pulling the small silver reliquary from his cloak, he continued, "I do not feel safe that the relic should rest under the roof of such a tyrant, and I fear that he has no respect for the laws of man and may simply seize it if given the chance.  I urge you to confront this man, for he who disobeys the laws of God has no claim to be a ruler.  All the other knights and squires are off chasing the robber-knight, a man who has a title but is a thief and mercenary; now in front of you is a man with a title who uses torture as a jest, and strikes a man of the cloth with impunity."

---

Because everyone delayed and Sir Eingar struck the priest, everyone loses one point of Attitude: Church.  You can confront Sir Eingar before he returns to his manor house, and the peasants are in an uproar.
You could try to invoke some Passions here, or strike him from behind or while outnumbering him.  This would make you lose a point of honor, but regain the point of Attitude: Church, and just to redeem yourselves.

 The young squire heard the good father chastise them all for their lack of action. Bailian’s frown deepened, if such where possible. He shook his head several times, but then sighed deeply and spoke.

“Father Jerome, I am sure my friend Walter could explain this better than the likes of me, but what would you have us do? Should we club the Knight over his head, within sight of his own Hall? Our duty is to safe guard you and what you carry, and see both return to our Lord, the Duke. “

 The squire’s voice deepened from his usual baritone, until it sounded like a rumble of thunder, even if it was a whisper.

“That...Bas…Knight is on his own land, with men at arms at his command. He is a vassal of the Prince Bishop, not the Duke, and if we molested one of the Bishop’s vassals, it could be considered an act of war. Say we had acted, as you think we should have, what if we failed and the Knight and his retainers bested us? He would have you at his mercy and the relic within his grasp. Nay, I say. We did right, as our first duty is to see you and what you carry safely home.”

This message was last edited by the player at 21:56, Fri 03 Aug 2018.

Gontran had no love for priests, but he still winced when Aigulf was struck.  Still, it seemed to him that it was not his place to challenge a knight in his own house punishing a man in his lands for insubordination.  It was not his place to challenge, although he might be challenged.

"Father Jerome," he said, struggling to maintain a civil tone.  "I am not a knight, and I know my place.  However..."  He shifted his weight purposefully and took a deep breath.  "If you were to feel unsafe in this house, I would not blame you.  This is an unstable house, which tries desperately and fails use brute force to keep its people in check."  He sighed.  "And were you to feel unsafe, it would be our charge to ferry you to the Prince Bishop with all haste.  I am sure you will have much to discuss."

Frowning slightly, Walter clapped Bailain lightly on the shoulder and shook his head.  "Not at all, you are quite correct there my friend."  Blowing out a heavy breath, the young man took a moment to compose himself before continuing "Brothers, I worry about this the same as you, I truly do.  But if we were to attempt to do anything through force, it would be a mistake.  We are a country of laws, not one ruled by the whim of he who holds a sword, despite what some people might think" he said with a pointed glare in the direction of their host.  "And while we might be powerless to act, legally speaking, there is one who can.  The good Prince-Bishop would be well within his right to mete out punishment, as this... man serves at his pleasure."

Tipping his hand towards Gontran, Walter smiled "Oh I'm certain that it's nothing so serious, and that you all would love to accept the hospitality of this upstanding knight."  Holding up a mailed fist to forestall any rebuttal, the squire's smile turned almost wolf-like "But I seem to remember that the good Father left something rather important in Liege.  Would you two be so kind as to escort him there?  I, on the other hand, will remain with the good Sir Eingar and see what I might learn from the man.  Far better to have him confess to his cruelty first hand, yes?"

Glancing about to make sure they weren't going to be overheard, he continued to quickly whisper "If we agree that this is the best course of action, Father, could you please speak with your fellow and ask him to ensure that the peasants don't do anything rash in the interim?  The last thing we need is for this to turn bloody."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:02, Sat 04 Aug 2018.

 When Walter bespoke of his plan, the frown on Bailain’s face grow more severe, if such was even possible. “ Nay, I say nay to that idea, Walter. I’ll not leave my friend at the mercy of…….. He indicated the Knight……of that.” One wrong word or gesture from you, real or not, and you get squeeze between two logs like a grape. I won’t abide it, we stay or go as we arrived, together."

Walter chuckled slightly, but his expression was serious "Worry not my friend, I am in no danger here.  I've seen his like before, and know how to handle him.  And if truth be told, of the three of us, I am by far the safest.  Do you really think that he would attempt anything to the favorite cousin of the Duke?  No, the worst he'll do is talk my ear off, which is my hope in fact.  For if we are to bring this man to justice, then it is essential that I do this."  Gripping his fellow squire's shoulder tightly, he looked Bailain in the eyes "I need you to trust me.  We don't have much time my brother, lest our host grow suspicious."

  Bailain wanted nothing more than to club Walter on the head, and ride away from this place. But  as usual, and more times the Bailain could recall, Walter seemed to make sense, even of it made no sense to Bailain. " It is times like this, I really want to punch you, Walter. Really, really, want to punch you. " He made a heavy sigh. " I do trust you, but if get yourself killed, I will kill myself just so my spirit can punch yours, for eternity.” His tone was one of admonisment, but then he smiled to his friend.

While Sir Eingar walked back to his manor, the squires continued to chat.  Realizing that his guests no longer followed him, Sir Eingar wheeled around.  When he saw that the squires had not moved, he quickened his step back to the squires.

As he approached, he said, "I invited you back to my home as a gesture of goodwill, I consider it rude that you tarry here."  However, he heard the discussion that was going on among the squires and immediately his face reddened with rage.  "What manner of men are you that would plot and gossip behind a knight's back?  You new squires have no honor and quibble like women or dandies.  Perhaps you have been in the company of men of the cloth for too long," (here he pointed to Father Jerome, Father Aigulf and Hermit Doolin), "I doubt that you would even fight to prove your cause.  I shall not give you the chance to fly, so arm yourself!"

With that, Sir Eingar drew his axe and attacked Walter, who stood in front.  Walter quickly drew his sword and defended himself, but Sir Eingar was too quick.  Sir Eingar's heavy blow cracked Walter's shield nearly in half, but Walter himself was unharmed.

Meanwhile, two of the men-at-arms began attacking Gontran and Bailain.  Gontran parried the clumsy spear thrust with his sword and struck back, wounding and knocking down the attacker.  Bailain swung with his club, but missed the spearman while the spear glanced off his shield.

---

Now the fight is on!

Sir Eingar rolled 16 for damage, which is exactly Walter's defense.  Sir Eingar rolled 2x 6's on his damage roll, which (because he is using an axe), reduces Walter's shield by 4 points (only 2 left!), mostly shattering it.

Gontran did 11-4=7 damage to the spearman, but 11 was equal to his size so it knocked him down as well, putting him at a disadvantage for next round.

Bailain lost to the spearman, but he did 9-11=0 damage.

There are still many bystanders, including the priests and many peasants, with other spearmen coming this way from the manor house.

Gontran quickly had found himself in the thick of things, but rather than engaging the knight as he intended, he was left to deal with this rabble.  Knocking the man off his feet, he pointed with his sword.  "You fought well, but now you must yield and stay down," he growled, "Or next time I will not hesitate to finish you."

Without waiting for a response he turned to move toward Walter and the knight, hoping that defeating their leader swiftly might force a surrender with minimal bloodshed.

 It seemed the Knight took exception to the impromptu conference the Squires had with one another. The bloody lack wit actually attacked them. Just for not following the Knight, he attacked them. Bailian responded to this matter in an odd way. He actually laughed. " THANK YOU!!" was all he said. Then let his spiked cudgel continue his dialogue.

 Bailain entered the melee with a grin upon his face as he layed about him with the oak club with iron spikes.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:51, Thu 09 Aug 2018.

"So you're a heartless monster, a coward, and an oathbreaker for attacking guests in your own home then hmm?  And here I thought my opinion of you couldn't sink any lower" Walter replied as he swung with his sword, forcing the knight to step back and cease his assault on Walter if only for a moment.  Pressing the offensive, he quickly added "Some knight you are!  No, you're little more than a rabid dog, and deserve to be put down as such!"  Walter's words were intentional, for one, he hoped that they might cause the man to lose his cool, and such a thing was often quite lethal in a fight.  However, more importantly, he saw Gontran looming in the distance, and his words and strikes were aimed to keep Eingar entirely focused on him, rather than the large squire rapidly approaching.  If he managed to do this correctly, the knight wouldn't even notice Gontran until it was too late, and would thus be unable to mount an effective defense.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:27, Thu 09 Aug 2018.

Gontran stood over the fallen peasant warrior, his sword pointed down at the man in the signal of a victor allowing the vanquished to submit.  The spearman spoke no word, but awkwardly shuffled back until he could stand and flee, leaving his spear and shield on the ground.  Looking up, Gontran could see several other would-be spearmen coming from the manor home, but upon seeing their fellow wounded and fleeing, dropped their arms and fled as well.  They were not professional warriors, they were not oath-bound knights, they were mere ruffians, kept by Sir Eingar to enforce his rule.

Bailain, of the three squires, was happiest to plunge headlong into battle.  The spearman attempted to use the length of his weapon to the advantage and keep Bailain at a distance, while Bailain tried to close the gap and make a close strike with his club.  Neither were successful, and they ended up entangled closer than the spear point, but not close enough to land a cudgel strike.  Each man struggled, but Bailain was larger and quicker and stronger, landing a solid club strike.  The spearman's poor armor did not abate the blow, which broke several ribs.  The spearman crumpled to the ground in a heap.

Meanwhile, Walter continued his struggle with Sir Eingar.  After cracking Walter's shield, Sir Eingar had to wrench the axe free, while Walter berated him, then responded, "Ha!  Am I to be lectured by a squire, who barely can hold a sword and has no arms¹ himself?  Begone from my realm with your sniveling churchmen!"  With that, Sir Eingar raised the axe to strike again, but Walter was too quick - the squire had moved inside the arc of the axe, but was unable to strike with his sword.  Each combatant repositioned, but having seen Sir Eingar's swings, Walter judged precisely the timing and was able to strike a blow against the knight.  Sir Eingar's shield deflected some of the force, but it still caused him to be knocked down.



¹ Here "arms" meaning "coat of arms", which only knights (or ladies) were allowed to display.

---

Gontran inadvertently drove away the reinforcements, which was a good move.
Bailain, both you and the spearman failed your rolls.  That was fun to narrate.
Walter, both you and Sir Eingar failed your rolls too!  This was an all-around bad round... should just redo it.

In the interest of time, I continued for a second round since nothing was decided.

Next round, Bailain does 14-4=10 damage, for a knockdown and major wound.
Next round, Walter does 17-14=3 damage, but 17 is good enough for a knockdown!

"I may be a squire, and without my arms, yet I am more of a knight than you will ever be oathbreaker!  And yet, which one of us is on the ground bleeding I ask you?  And so I will give you this one and only chance, yield now, or we will kill you where you stand.  After all, I'm sure my good friend Squire Gontran there would for nothing more than the chance to rend your limbs asunder for your crimes."  Walter said with a jerk of his head towards his fellow squire.  While Walter's words would have hardly been scary in and of themselves, as the young man was anything but imposing, Gontran also loomed over the man, finished as he was with his own fight.  And Gontran, now Gontran was imposing as all hell, what with being built like a bloody bear.

For what it's worth, if nothing happens in a round, I'm quite alright with you doing just that.  2-3 rounds at once really speeds things up.

Gontran, I hope you don't mind my post.  You said you were coming this way to help, so I took very minor liberties.  Say the word though and I'll change it!

Gontran barely cast a glance to ensure that the spearman didn't take an opportunity to stab him in the back.  Seeing the fallen weapon on the ground without an owner, he stalked towards Eingar and Walter, seething, and with sword at the ready.

"This one will not yield, Walter," he growled.  "He is not as smart as his men, who now flee the field."  Gontran looked to Eignar while pointing after the men-at-arms with his sword.  "A man merely paid acts only in his best interests... a cruel man effects no loyalty."  Gontran said.  "I may be no knight -- and at this rate I may never be -- but even I know that."

Gontran cast his eyes to Walter and then back to Eignar.  "Now, my companion has offered surrender," he continued, "And I will not betray his generosity.  I do hope, however..." and here Gontran's sword-hand seemed to twitch anxiously, "...that you prove me right and dare to stand up again."

No need to change anything, Walter.  You followed precisely what I said I was doing.

I second Walter's statement about running several rounds -- as many as it takes to see some meaningful change in the battle -- to keep things moving.

EDIT: Changed it slightly so it didn't sound like I was lecturing Walter, but rather Eignar.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:39, Mon 13 Aug 2018.

Agreed

  Bailain brandished his club and looked for more enemies to fell.

This message was deleted by the player at 23:45, Thu 16 Aug 2018.

Sir Eingar, on the ground and at the point of Walter's sword, laughed at the squire's offer of surrender.  "What manner of craven coward would I be to surrender to one such as you?  A single blow from a sword, even delivered by a lowly squire to peasant, can by fate fell any knight but I will not be accounted a timid man."

Here his speech was cut off, as the peasants from the village had stormed past the squires and fell upon Sir Eingar with hatchet and spade and all manner of tools.  The squires could not hold back the communal release of rage as the villagers pounced upon the knight like a pack of wolves rabidly devouring their prey.  Father Aigulf shouted fruitlessly for the peasants to stop, and slowly one-by-one they stepped away.  As each turned, their tools and hands showed evidence of the spattered blood droplets, and, like a wave receding away from the beach, the whole group of peasants slowly flowed away from their former lord.  When the last of them had abandoned the body, and the squires could get a look at him, his face still displayed a surprised look.  His clothing was torn to ribbons and his body was pierced in many places.

Father Jerome, Father Aigulf and Brother Doolin each crossed themselves repeatedly at the grizzly sight, while the peasants cheered the downfall of their cruel overlord.

---

What are you to do?  Peasants rising up against their lord was technically treasonous, but he was a jackass and had just killed two peasants.  What of the town, and who is to govern it now?  What of the (average) store of riches in his manor house?

 Bailian watched the peasants fall upon the honorless Knight, and tear his to pieces like a pack of dogs upon a Coney. He was not sure what he should do in this situation, as the man had deserved what he received. But peasants slaying a Knight, they could all face the gallows for such a deed. But he then fell back on what he knew, the mission.

 The squire moved his horse forward then wheeled to face the group.“We must leave this place, and in haste, We are on our Duke’s business, and a mighty important business it be. Let the Bishop see to his own."said as Bailian made a sweeping gesture with his arm towards the peasants and corpse. "And we, to ours.”
This message was last edited by the player at 17:14, Sun 19 Aug 2018.

Well, there went Walter's chance at a reward for his actions in restoring the river's course.  Not that he had expected one given how things had been headed, but it would have been nice.  A knight wasn't supposed to worry about money, but for a young man, it was still an essential part of life.  His friend's words forced him from his thoughts, however, and he shook his head.  "No, we need to return to the Prince-Bishop and inform him of what happened here.  As witnesses to today's events, our testimony is crucial.  We're only a day's ride at most, and I'm sure that the Duke will be understanding of the need for a delay given the circumstances."
This message was last edited by the player at 11:33, Mon 20 Aug 2018.

  Walter could tell by years of experience, his friend Bailian was going to be difficult on this matter. His usual stone faced expression was now formed into a deep frown, a sure indication that he was not going to be moved, or at least not with ease. “Go to the Prince-Bishop?!?   Say we go tra-la-laing off to the Prince Bishop, and what are we supposed to tell his nibs? He was harsh when asked for a blessing. What do ye think his humor will be, when you tell him one of his vassals is as cold as day old bread?"

 Bailain Looked hard at his well-meaning but misguided friend, and did his best in his low born gruff way to convince his brother, for he thought of Walter as such, to change his mind.” What do we say, when his nibs demands why we did not help the lord of this manor, when he was set upon? How are you going to explain why a Knight attacked you?  And why we have not reaped these peasants like wheat before the sickle, for daring to attack their lord?  Nay, we need to complete the task as set to us by our liege. Report what happened here to the duke, and let those above our lot deal with this mess.”

 Bailain Was about done, but had two last thoughts, he hurled at Walter. “What if his nibs changes his mind and refuses the loan of whatever the good father has. And last but not least, what if we are blamed for the death of the lack wit knight? I do not fancy being a guest in the Prince-Bishops Dungeon.”

Gontran looked at the remains of Sir Eignar, wiping the blood from his blade.  He turned then to Father Aigulf, ready to comment crudely, but then remembered the priest had been injured and thought better of it.  He looked around for further threats and, spying none, sheathed his blade.

"If the Prince-Bishop does not hear it from us, who will he hear it from?" he asked his colleagues.  "These good people who will deny slaying their lord and set the blame on us?"  He gestured to the people.  "Or shall we force Father Aigulf to choose between betraying his flock to the gallows or committing a falsehood?"  He frowned.

"I think that, perhaps, we need to accept the responsibility here.  At the very least, the Prince-Bishop is more likely to believe we squires who are outsiders than peasants who might be considered malcontents."  He paused thoughtfully.  "Of course, we must defer to Father Jerome, our ward.  If he wishes to press on, then so we shall."

Father Jerome, hearing all this debate, finally spoke up.  "What you say is true, that the Prince-Bishop ought to hear about the death of one of his knights from another noble.  It is important to mention the way he struck Father Aigulf, as the Prince-Bishop will have little tolerance for violence against men of the cloth.  I am not so frightened by the idea of taking an extra couple days out of our way to deliver this news and then proceed on.  As you say, the Prince-Bishop has a right to know of the happenings on his own land."

The squires were able to trace their way back to Liege with little difficulty, as a large portion of the day's journey was following upstream along the river.  As evening fell, the city of Liege itself appeared to have closed its doors to outsiders, a different pace of life than the frenetic case of Bastogne.  The squires were in no way held or delayed when they knocked on the abbey door, but led inside by one of the brothers and brought to a small meeting chamber.

Shortly, the Prince-Bishop entered from a different side room and greeted the squires.  "Oh, hello again."  The greeting was less than enthusiastic, after the last meeting where he had nearly accused some of the squires of being glory-hounds.  "Have you returned with the relic so quickly?  That could not nearly have been time to travel from here to Bastogne and back."

Father Jerome pulled back the cloth of his robes to show that he still possessed the silver reliquary box and contents.  "No, Prince-Bishop, we have not yet traveled to Bastogne, but the squires wished to tell you of the strange and curious behavior of one of the knights on your own lands."  Here Father Jerome nudged the squires forward.

Arriving once more before the Prince-Bishop, Walter bowed deeply, his face an emotionless mask.  "Indeed sir.  As the good Father said, we are here due to some troubles that we encountered during our return trip."  Taking a deep breath, Walter began to outline their adventures, describing the bandits that they initially encountered, and their captive's claims about the now-departed Sir Eingar.  Next, he told the tale of the peasants and the river, taking great care to describe the heroic rescue of the hermit by Bailian, and Gontran's key role in keeping everyone calm and collected.  However, when it came time for his own exploits, he was quick to gloss over them, saying simply that "We managed to correct the course of the river by destroying parts of the dam, and it is in fact, my understanding that things should be even better than before thanks to the new flow."

But finally, he arrived at the crux of the matter, Sir Eingar.  Describing the scene that awaited them as they first arrived, Walter's voice cracked slightly, and he was forced to pause a moment to collect himself.  However, he quickly recovered and continued with his tale, freely sharing their shock and horror at the sight, to say nothing of when Eingar struck the Father.  "He then offered us his hospitality, but given what we had just seen, we were obviously very conflicted.  It was then that the man threw himself at us, screaming about our being little better than women, and too long in the company of men of the cloth."

Walter's account of the battle itself was brief, much like the conflict itself.  However, he did his best to emphasize the fact that the man seemed keen to continue to fight, despite the fact that he had been knocked down and offered the chance to peacefully surrender.  "It was then that the people rose up and struck the man down."  Pausing to blow out a heavy breath, as if having just completed a heavy labor, Walter quickly added "I beg thee sire, please don't judge the people too harshly, for they were little more than products of their environment.  I do hope you'll forgive me for speaking ill of the dead, but by all accounts, Sir Eingar was a monster, who regularly abused his station.  He spat in the face of the Church and its teachings, as does the Bible not say that 'He who oppresses the poor taunts his Maker, But he who is gracious to the needy honors Him'?"

Eloquence and or Intrigue test?
This message was last edited by the player at 14:07, Sun 26 Aug 2018.

Once again, Gontran found himself in the company of learned men.  As he listened to Walter speak, he was reminded that he was always in the presence of his betters, although he occasionally let himself forget it.  Since he had known Walter, during happier days at Buchenborg, Walter had possessed a gift for speaking.  As Walter continued, Gontran stared at his own arm, still bandaged, and wondered if he had anything to contribute in such company.

Walter's gift weighed heavily on Gontran, for he was compelled to break the spell Walter had woven with his own clumsy words.  "I have two regrets in the matter, Your Excellency."  He paused, already questioning his decision to speak up in this company.  "We could not have prevented the deaths of the peasants, for we arrived too late, but had I issued a challenge immediately, perhaps Father Aigulf might not have been struck."  He frowned, for he had been dwelling on this long.  "Had the Father not been struck, perhaps the people would not have been so enraged as to set upon Sir Eingar."

During their last visit to Liege, Gontran had avoiding meeting the Bishop and, from what he could tell, it had been the right decision.  Now, rather than return down that path of wisdom and hope to continue to be overlooked, Gontran had spoken up.  His discomfort -- stemming both from admitting his faults and doing so to this man -- was evident.  Nonetheless, he promised two regrets, and he had yet to express the second.

He shifted uncomfortably.  "And had the people not set upon him -- and I tell you honestly, we would have prevented that if it had been possible, but they were driven in such a fury as I have rarely seen to defend their shepherd -- then he would be alive to answer for his misdeeds.  Perhaps..." he sighed.  "Perhaps Sir Eingar might have sought to atone."  Gontran considered trying to add something like 'God rest his soul,' but it certainly would have been a false affectation coming from Gontran.

If there were a God -- and Gontran oft doubted after the misfortune that had befallen his family -- then surely Sir Eingar was now in Hell.

 Bailian, his opinion having been discarded, yet again, fell silent and remained so  on the journey back to the Prince Bishop. The deep frown seemed chiseled upon his features, for it did not change over much .

 When the small group went before the Prince-Bishop, Bailain did not break his self imposed vow of silence. He stood behind the others and let them do the talking.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:02, Sun 26 Aug 2018.

Prince-Bishop Fulcaire patiently listened to the squire's stories.  For much of the story, he simply nodded silently, but when the details of Sir Eingar's death came up he too crossed himself.  "It is not right for men to behave like a pack of wolves and tear apart a man, but in this case it may be excusable since the target of their anger was the one who caused them so much pain."  When Walter went on and called the Bible verse, the Prince-Bishop appeared happy.  "Well, perhaps you have taken the lessons of the Word of God to heart and are not as pompous as you first appeared.  And so I will tell you that Sir Eingar was a loyal knight, but did not seem genuinely pious in the least.  It does not surprise me that he could be so abusive toward those below him."  For a time, he waited in silence, contemplating his response, eyes closed as if in prayer.  Finally, he added, "Go, return to Duke Thierry, deliver the relic as you were instructed.  I shall not hold you to blame for a mad-man's self destruction.  But let this be a lesson to you, that when you are appointed knights of the Christian faith, you do not forget the teachings of our Lord and Savior."  With that, he departed.

The squires stayed another night in Liege, then re-embarked on the road to Bastogne in the morning.  This trip, unlike the previous one, was thankfully uneventful, and the squires reached Bastogne quickly.

The knights of the realm, along with their chosen squires, assembled at La Roche at the completion of their mission to track down the bandit-knight who bore a jewel on his shield.  With Prince Charlemagne and Duke Thierry seated at the head table, the knights one by one came up and told of their adventures to the hall.  Several of the knights produced pieces of the bandit-knight's corpse: his head, hands, feet, and so on.  But when pressed, each knight admitted that he found them in the forest, and that he did not slay the bandit-knight himself.

The last knight was Sir Milo, who stated that he found the bandit-knight's armor, but no shield with the famous jewel.  However, the whole hall quickly turned when behind Sir Milo, his son and squire Roland, appeared with the very jeweled shield.  At first, Roland was bashful, but when pressed by the Prince and the Duke, he told the story of how he encountered and slew the bandit-knight, man-to-man.  There were great shouts from the men in the hall, praising Roland and raising toasts.

Once the commotion had died down, several other knights told of minor adventures they had while searching for the bandit-knight.  Finally, Duke Thierry motioned to Father Jerome to approach, who in turn brought the squires to the fore of the hall to tell their tale.

---

Walter: citing a specific Bible verse requires a Religion check... which you luckily passed!  Gain an XP check for that skill, and 5 Glory.

Now, you have another chance to tell your story, this time in front of your own lord.  Possibly the use of Eloquence, depending on how elaborate and braggy you wish to be.

"Well I'm not sure how our little adventure can compare to that of the mighty Roland!  Surely they will tell legends about you one day my good man!" Walter exclaimed, raising his cup once more in the rather embarrassed man's direction.  "Still, I will endeavor to do our tale justice."

And so once again Walter found himself thrust into the position of telling their story.  And much like before he played up the actions of his fellows, describing in great detail how Gontran ably dispatched the bandit who accosted him, and Balain's rescue of the hermit from the raging waters.  Though rather than downplaying his own as before, he attempted to make light of his furry encounter.  "And little did I know, I would be confronted by that most dangerous of creatures, the wild beaver!  There must have been hundreds, and yet I somehow managed to fight them all off single-handedly!"  Waiting for the laughter to die down, Walter chuckled, before adding "Well, perhaps I miscounted their numbers, arithmetic was never my strongest subject."

Walter it seemed, was quite an able storyteller and knew how to best play to his audience, pausing as necessary for cheers from the crowd, or raising his mug in toast at the proper moment.  However, when discussing their arrival at Sir Eingar's manor, his mood immediately shifted, and his expression became rather serious.  Though once again, Walter seemed to be able to tell when the crowd would gasp, or let out a cry of disbelief, and so again he allowed time for such things to occur before continuing on.

Eloquence for sure!  The man's got a story to tell here!
This message was last edited by the player at 23:52, Thu 30 Aug 2018.

Gontran listened to Walter talk.  This was something he would not attempt himself, for he knew he had no gift with words.  Even so, nearing the end of Walter's story, he nudged Walter with his elbow.

"Show them your shield, my friend," he suggested.

At the nudging of his friend, Walter smiled and produced his shield as he continued to talk about their adventure.  "And so the coward assaulted me, and it was all I could do to get my shield up in time to deflect his blow." he said, raising the all but shattered remains of his shield high.  "But undeterred by his cowardice, we resisted, like true men of Bastogne!" he roared, raising his mug once again in a toast.

Letting the cries die down, Walter continued his tale, telling of their triumph in combat (again eliciting more cheers), and the eventual mobbing and subsequent mauling of the late Sir Eingar at the hands of his peasants.  Only once his story was complete did Walter turn his attention back to the two men sitting at the front of the hall and bow deeply.  "And so my lords, we return with the relic as requested."

Split the post a bit in response to Gontran to make things flow a bit better.

 " Bah!" Was all that Bailain said during the celebration.

Walter's tale was met with a disappointing reaction from the assembly, a squire telling of an escort through friendly territory hardly compared with the excitement of finding and defeating and dismembering the bandit-knight (even though that too was accomplished by a squire).  Still, being a relative of the Duke's he was allowed to speak.  The beaver dam incident drew a few laughs, but many began to lose interest and think it was merely the Duke's family hogging the spotlight.

The rescue of Brother Doolin was of minor interest to the knights, particularly because he himself was there to verify the tale.  However, the knights grew more interested when Walter described Sir Eingar, his villainy and cruelty.  Sensing that the tale of a fight was near, the audience focused their attention.  As Walter described the battle and the death of Sir Eingar, the knights had mixed reactions, just as the squires and the Prince-Bishop before them.  However, at Gontran's urging, the display of Walter's shattered shield gave an uproar - for there was nothing that knights loved more than battle.

Soon, from the back of the room, a messenger spoke up.  "Lords, I have been instructed to bring this message to Prince Charlemagne, from Prince-Bishop Fulcaire."  The Prince, sitting on the high dias at the front of the room, motioned for the messenger to approach.  Breaking the sealed letter open, the Prince read it aloud.  It confirmed the story as related by Walter, and further went on to state that when Walter was knighted, he could claim the Manor of Esneux as a vassal of the Prince-Bishop.  There was an uproar in the court that a manor - any manor - should be passed to a mere squire, even an unknown one in a different county.  Prince Charlemagne quieted the assembly and said, "It is the rightful choice of the Prince-Bishop as to whom he may grant land and vassalage, and besides it is a fitting reward for besting the selfish Sir Eingar."  This caused several knights to shout out, until Prince Charlemagne reminded them that they had not accomplished anything of note on their adventures.

On the contrary, some knights called that the squires should be knighted immediately, or at least Walter, so that he might receive the manor without any delay.  Prince Charlemagne here balked, stating that the squire Roland had done a greater, knightly deed, yet he too was prohibited from earning spurs based on his age.  And so it was with Walter and the others.

Immediately after, Father Jermone presented the reliquary to Duke Thierry.  The Duke gladly accepted, declaring that the relic shall protect against the packs of wolves at night.

The revelry continued into the night, as was the custom with Duke Thierry.

After, the squires separated and went back to their family manor-houses.  The remainder of the year 766 AD was spent with the less exciting details of a squire's life, tending to the family's land and learning the ways of knighthood.

---

Walter, gain 10 Glory and a check for Eloquence.
You each are awarded £1 for completion of the task.
Everyone now proceed to the Winter Phase.  Since you are not knights and do not actually own the manors, skip the income in Step 4 and gain £6 stipend instead.  If you have questions about any step, ask me.