Dyanna arrives and stows her belongings aft, beneath a bench.  Looking about she shrugs.

"Well, it's good to be back I s'ppose."

Loukas arrives wearing more or less the same clothes as earlier, but bearing his pack, quiver and bow in addition to his sword. Greeting all who arrived be for him he chooses a spot seemingly at random and stores his gear. Glancing around he bows and grins at Dyanna, "Indeed! It feels good to be aboard and feel the beat of the sea as it thrums from our Heart of Oak!"

Jaleh bowed her head in acceptance and agreement to Loukas' reasoning on Balthazar. She wondered if perhaps she was being too harsh in her judgement of Balthazar simply because she had never noticed him cast a spell, but then she she never truly paid attention to him, a fact that made her wonder if perhaps he was magically deflecting senses to keep people from noticing him.

Jaleh remained silent however and kept her suspicions to herself.

Having seen to the disposition of his household Jean and Donnerhuf arrive at the Heart of Oak dressed for travel.

Quickly stowing his gear he he sets to settling the massive horse in the center of the ship. Never an easy task with the fierce destrier.

The captain of the Heart of Oak barks a few last orders to the crew and stand with his foot on the rail, looking into the city that he has called home for the last six months. He leaves his family in the household of the Regent, they will be safe there should the Byzantines find the resources to take their city back, or at least attempt to.

He calls to all..."We wait for just a few stragglers then we will shove off to the capital of the Rus!"

Balthazar and Michael arrive, and Michael stows their belongings in the appropriate cabin.  Balthazar grabs a seat next to Loukas and says, "I wonder what we're getting ourselves into this time."

A'kos laughs at the mage's observation and replies, "Like as not stuff of legends, Mage!"

Finding an empty bench he asks Jaleh, "Will you perch, little bird, or join me here?"

In reply to Balthazar the Hedonite (msg #30):

Loukas smiles, "At least this time we go with better knowledge of each other, if not the mission!"

The voyage to the Capital of the Rus proves uneventful, even enjoyable in some ways. After winter the warmer spring air on the Black Sea is quit refreshing.

Miroslav proves himself capable of handling the ship as does the entire crew. With the favorable winds the ship really needs to be rowed in it's journey up the Danube to the capital.

Once docked, one of the Knyaz advisors, Medved, an older  but obviously military man begins to usher to see the Knyaz himself in his private chamber. Only A'kos, Balthazar, Dyanna, Jaleh, Loukas, Miroslav and Sir Jean are taken to see the Knyaz. Rather than head straight through the palace, they go around the back and enter through a smaller door, weaving through unused corridors and servants quarters until the reach the Knyaz's chamber.

As you walk Medved speaks of the latest history..."Things have gone from bad to worse!

The Knyaz returning from a campaign against the Pechenegs just south of Kiev fell mysteriously ill. No healer can diagnose his ailment. He wastes away day by day.

Even as the word of his ailment spread, the Knyaz's oldest sons, Oleg and Yaropolk, prepare to make war on each other to take the throne. Each claim to be more fit than the other for rule. T Hey refuse to rule together in peach and war is the inevitable outcome should things continue like this.

The Knyaz has summoned the most powerful heroes across the land to deal with this problem. And so it has come to pass that you face the Knyaz in a meeting so secret that even his guards are ordered to stand outside his door.

Medved opens the door ushering you in. He then closes the door after him as he leaves saying..."I will have your mounts seen to and have mounts ready for the rest of you provided that you will need them.

In a rather non ornate and spartan chamber sits the bed of the Knyaz...who himself sits in the middle of it propped up by cushions.

Sviatoslav, once a strong, vigorous man filled with energy, is but a shriveled husk of his old self. His sallow eyed gaze barely able to focus on you as he croaks..."Come closer."

"Some five months ago my youngest some Vladimir and his mother were killed, murdered, by a scheming bastard calling himself Gregor. Gregor made it look like the Boyars did it, to distance my relationship with the nobility. it worked, I lost half my soul that day." he says as he wipes a bony hand across his eyes.

"I am dying, there is nothing any healer can do to save me. But you are not here to listen to my past. You are here because I have summoned the greatest bogatyri in all the land. I give you just one task."

The Knyaz's speech is interrupted by a fit of coughing. His pained expression speaks a volume. When he finally props himself up on one elbow you can see the desperation in his eyes.

"The last healer I saw was an old withered hag. She told me my youngest son Vladimir lives yet. WHen I inquired where I would find him she gave me this wooden ball."

"She said, "roll this ball before you and it will restore the prince to the throne."" He reaches beneath a cushion and rolls a small wooden ball tot he end of his bed saying..."Take it, follow it."

He then closes his eyes for a long time, long enough that you think he may have fallen asleep. When he opens them his voice is but a whisper..."Go quickly. The father waits for his son...longs to be with his wife." With what little strength he has left in him he rings a small bell by the bed.

A'kos reaches down for the wooden ball, grasping it in his callused hand.

"Some quest," he whispers solemnly, sliding the globe into his pack and away from prying eyes.  "There is no war more insidious than the internecine."

To the others, and prior to Medved's entrance, he says to the others, "We must away quickly out the gate and let this trinket determine our fate.  Are we all in agreement?"
This message was last edited by the player at 17:15, Sun 01 Aug 2010.

Loukas steps up and bows to Sviatoslav, "We shall get you to your wife's side and Volos's care swiftly, Your Majesty. This is my oath and promise."

Turning to A'kos, "You have it right, my friend. Let us be away."

Miroslav says nothing but nods his head in agreement. It is obviously painful for him to see the Knyaz in such a state.

"To thwart such evil would be a worthy cause e'n were it in the cause of a stranger."

Sir Jean looks grimly determined.

"The Knyaz is our friend and God willing I will not see his house fall."

"A fascinating item," mutters Dyanna softly.  "I would like to learn the trick of creating such an item..."

"I chafe at waiting," hisses A'kos impatiently to Medved.  "Our horses, man!"

Medved, who arrives after the bell is sounded nods at the Magyar and says..."We go through the main gate this time. Your ships is well looked after and your mounts are ready. We have packed each of you provisions for 30 days. Our best healers feel that after that time the Knyaz will have gone on...so time is of the essence."


That said you are ushered out of the room. Nobles whisper and point as you pass through the great hall, out of the palace and to your horses. Your mounts are tacked and saddled, your provisions packed. Not a moment to be wasted.

Oleg, Michael and Radvila are resent seeing to the mounts and equipment.

"So ... let's roll the ball."

Loukas laughed, albeit a rather macabre laugh, in spite of himself, "I had not thought of it before, but as difficult as this situation is, the fact that this ball makes it seem more like a game. Perverse, isn't it?

"Yes, let us get things underway!"

A'kos takes the ball from his shirt and hefts it, tossing it lightly and catching it before taking a few steps and heaving it along the earth as if he were playing a game of pins.  Standing up, he mounts Storm's Wind and watches as the ball rolls along.

"Do we follow?" he asks of those who are purveyors of magic.

Before anyone has a chance to answer the ball takes a sharp turn on it's own and heads for the open palace gate.

A'kos lets out a roar of laughter and kicks his steed into motion.

Balthazar laughs, "This reminds me of those Quidditch sessions back at Hogwarts, where I learned my magic.  Onwards!"

The party lead by A'kos and Balthazar follow the wooden ball out of the palace then out of the city itself and into the open plain to the north. The ball keeps and even traveling pace and seems to know that whoever follows it will need to rest now and then. Every three hours it stops for a half hours rest and it stops completely when the sun goes down.

With sundown on the first day the party finds themselves traveling north by north east. The foothills of the Carpathian mountains loom in the distance.

"Some interesting peaks, there," nods Dyanna in the direction of the looming heights.  "A'kos, what can you tell us of them?"