Through some knowledgeable barginning and some help from Colm, Sir Pedivere's efforts to find a draft horse result in a final price of 150 crowns.  Less than he estimated the horse's worth.  The other magnificent beast was left with the groom.

   The trio reunited with Prince Manfred at the edge of the Wold.  Manfred chose to leave his tent behind, paying a servant of Sir Ector to collapse and store it away until his return.  Sir Ector packed the large green and white silk tent atop his new draft horse Flossy and led her behind his might warhorse Thunder.



   Colm led the way as the four men road the busy road through the Wold past the Flats and Falcon's Rise.  By midday they had reached the Brownway, a stream so named for its sandy bottom that was sandy bottomed and browned up with mud after a storm.  When the West Bank Forest was reached, the bright sunlight gave way to the cool shade of the forest.  The canopy overhead was thick as was the undergrowth of ferns, saplings, bushes and weeds.   The road was dirt, not like a few of the stone roads left over from the days of the Romans.  Calis kept them entertained with jokes, songs, and stories, as was his pleasure to do so.  It passed the time and made the trip go quickly.

    On the way north, the group passed a Benedictine monks protected by a trio of Templars.  Greetings were exchanged and the groups passed along on their ways.  By late afternoon, Colm led them off the road, telling them of a secluded spring and clearing perhaps a half a league off the road.  He lead them down boar and deer trails, eventually forcing them to dismount and lead their horses as the number of low branches of oaks and junnipers.  Summer days were long in Britain, the sun would not be gone for hours, and the smell of a cooking fire tempted the company's noses.
   The scent of the food lead them without fail to the clearing Colm told them about with a diminutive woman crouching by a fire, an iron pot bubbling over top of it...
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:00, Thu 26 Aug 2004.

The woman rises as she beholds these new visitors.  Diminutive form, hair of gray, eyes of blue that keenly pierce the distance between them, despite what would seem to be about half a century of age.  Wise, intelligent eyes.  A kindly visage.

She smiles gently as they approach, nodding in welcome while reassuringly patting her horse.  She speaks softly to it, but those with keen enough ears can overhear her words.

"'Be not forgetfull to intertaine strangers: for thereby some haue receiued Angels into their houses vnwares...'"

The minstrel stopped thinking about the tune that kept running through his head and looked at the woman. After dismounting (ooc: Not sure if he has/had a horse? Will edit that later if i'm wrong and he doesn't have a horse.) he half bows at the elder and greets her, "Elder, I do not know much of these Angels you speak, but I give you my greetings and wish the blessings of the Old Ones upon you."

Sir Pedivere removes the helmet from his head, hooking it over a strap on his steeds saddle.  Moving forward slightly, he bows slightly in acknowledgement of the wizened woman before him.

"Good day madam, I am Pedivere, Knight of the Realm and these" he gestures to the others, "are my companions."

Momentarily, the young knight pauses and he absently moves a lock of hair from his face before continuing.

"We seek a leech by the name of Chrissa who lives in these parts.  Would you by chance know of whom I speak?"

OOC: My apologies everyone for delay in posting.  I am getting married very soon and as the date approaches I'm getting busier and busier.  I am into this game and will make every effort to stay afloat.

IC:  As the Irishman begins to feel frustrated in his dealing with the merchant he wonders how he's ever going to get a draft animal for the Companions.  Much to his releaf he spots Sir Pedivere and the other approaching.  "A good sight that is!  Maybe they can conclude this deal better than I." Colm thinks to himself.  In short time the party has their draft animal and is underway.

     They travel for part of the day without much happening.  After awhile Colm spot a minor trail he'd been looking for.  He knew that the leech they sought had her abode near abouts.  After traveling a few game trails through the woods the Companions stopped.  They all smelt the heavenly sent of open fire cooking.  As the group emerged into the small clearing Colm's stomach began to rumbble and he was sure they had found the person of their search.

     Calis and Pedivere exchange pleasantries with the stranger as Colm circles the clearing and scans out into the surrounding woods using both his eyes and ears.

OOC:  I have subtracted Sir Pedivere's gold off my char. sheet for the horse purchase.

The woman's clear blue eyes twinkle as she beholds the visitors before her.

"'Seeke, and yee shall finde'..."

She inclines her head slightly in acknowledgement.

"I am Chrissa, a humble servant of the One God. 'Peace be vnto you.'  How many I serve you?"

A bright smile came to the face of Pedivere upon discovering the woman infront of him was indeed that whom he sought.  Indeed, the first part of the quest (though indeed a small part) had been completed.

"Colm, Calis, might you ensure that this area is indeed secure whilst I treat with Good Chrissa here." states the young knight, though doubtless that the area was free for speech he would not risk fault on this first task appointed to him by his king.

Seeing that he wasn't going to be much help again and his friend requested some thing from him, Calis moved off into the trees. He was soon lost from view as he moved around the area while keeping watch and listening to any strange sounds.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:31, Sat 28 Aug 2004.

Colm nodded  at Sir Pedivere's direction and followed Calis' lead.  He quietly strode into the undergrowth, the ferns and grasses rustling against his legs before he completely disapeared into the shadows...

"Greetings good voman," the prince began in his accented baritone, bowing slightly at the waist in respect for her gender and age.  "I am Prince Manfred of Bavaria, ve have travelled from Sir Ector's keep to speak vith you.  May ve speak?"  He regarded Chrissa with his green eyes with question.

Once it appeared that the area was secure, Pedivere again began to speak.  "Good Chrissa, we seek one Jeremiah of Castille, a man known as a skilled apothecary.  The King's men have only been able to assure his majesty that this apothecary is somewhere within the boundaries of his kingdom and no more.  Yet word there is that you may know of his whereabouts."

The young knight removes a silk wrapped bundle from his pack with care, gently removing several folds of the cloth to reveal a chalice as would befit one of noble or royal blood.

"This belongs to a good friend and ally of our king.  Yet it was used against him in a manner most foul." Wrapping the blundle back up, he continues.  "Poison.  A most ignoble act and one that causes great angst and pain."

Placing the chalice back in his pack he implores the leech.  "Good Chrissa, if you know the location of this apothecary it is important that you either instruct us as to where he can be found, or that you take us there.  The kings favour would grace thee well if you could help," he adds as an after thought.

Chrissa nods affirmatively to Prince Manfred's query, waiting until Sir Pedivere sees fit to speak...

Upon hearing of the errand and the need, Chrissa murmurs softly, "'Verely I say vnto you, in as much as ye haue done it vnto one of the least of these my brethre, ye haue done it to me.'"

She nods somberly and thoughtfully.

"Of course I will give whatever aid I am able.  But the journey would not be a short one..."

"Where is the victim now?  And what is his condition?  The powers God grants me to heal wane away from the wilderness, yet I may be able to help him myself, unless he be in a metropolis such as London.  Jeremiah's healing abilities are greater than mine, but he is further away.  Can the victim wait for us to journey even to central Wales, where Jeremiah dwells?"

Pedivere smiles weakly at Chrissa's comments.  "Nay, the victim does not lie in this Kingdom, but across the sea.  And such is the power of the poison, that it is told only Jeremiah may be able to identify it and create the salve required.

"As for the time, it is of the essence, and scurrilous villains may dog our trail.  It is not known if the King's ally will survive, but we must believe he will, else our quest already is failed.  If Jeremiah resides in Wales, then indeed we must depart with haste for it is some travel there and back."

Pedivere bows deeply to the elderly leech.  "Many thanks for your guidance and compassion.  How long before you would be able to journey with us?"

"We may depart immediately.  However, we must last the journey through, and you have ridden already to meet me.  Did I not see your faces as the scent of my humble meal greeted your nostrils?"

"I would be honored to provide food for you ere we depart.  A few minutes spent wisely here may save time later, by strengthening us for the journey."

"Whichever way ye think best, I am ready to serve."

"Then indeed we shall share of your hospitality.  Many thanks indeed.  Colm, Calis." the knight calls out to his companions.

Stepping out of the the lands around the meeting, Calis looked at his friend. "Yes? You called?"

It's about 5:15 PM at this time. :)

"We have a new companion, somebody who knows the whereabouts of Jeremiah.  This is the leech Chrissa, and these are my companions and friends, Calis", he nods towards his friend, "and Colm who has not yet returned from the woods edge.

"Chrissa has offered us the hospitality of her cook fire before the long journey," he mentions to Calis.  It would be rude to decline," he says with a grin.

Moving to Thunder he removes the saddle from the steed and tethers it to a nearby sapling before moving over to the fire.

"Well now, I don't want to seem rude, yes? So you have my thanks for the fare and the fire. I hope Colm didn't run into trouble..."

Chrissa begins preparations for their meal together.  She murmurs softly and contentedly to herself.

"'Come ye blessed of my father: take the inheritance of the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world.  For I was an hungred, and ye gaue me meate: I thirsted, and ye gaue me drinke: I was a stranger, and ye tooke me in vnto you...'"

As she works, she keeps an eye open with slight concern for the missing member of their company...

OODM  There is no missing member, Colm is standing right next to Calis in the shadows! :)

Colm gives Calis a sideways smile and motions for Calis to follow along.  Walking around the outside of the pond Colm traverses the distance to the cooking fire where the two knights had gathered.   "Mmmmm....smells delicious," the scout comments, inhaling deeply and smiling at the hermit.
   "Visitors today gentle woman?" he enquired of Chrissa, an ironic smile on his face.  "We found tracks all around," he gestured out towards the surrounding forest.

"It's all the- Well ah um. Ah forget it I guess I am just blind," Calis mumbles while looking sideways as Colm.

With a shrug he joins them at the fire and quietly sits down.

Chrissa begins to spoon forth a stew of vegetables.  As she fills wooden bowl after wooden bowl, the amount of stew in the pot does not seem to diminishing nearly as much as one would think it would.  Instead, it continued to bubble and simmer in the pot, aromatic and mouth watering.   Likewise the hollowed out tree trunk her horse used for a feed trough was filled to overflowing with oats.

   Prince Manfred waits for everyone to be served and then for the blessing as Chrissa says it before dipping a wooden spoon in and beginning to eat.  The food was as good as it smelled.
    The stream and back drop of the pond made for an idyllic setting.  The sat upon a fallen log, convieniently placed west of the fire to keep the smoke downwind.