In reply to Arielle Wood (msg # 90):

The look on the Master of Lists fave changes from jollity to one of shock and horror.
“ Ah now lass, you be having a laugh surely. You’re but a slip of a thing. Surely . . .
By god girl, too many of the men who enter this are murderers. Those fuckers from North of Clennor are here with their mastiff hounds. God Almighty tell me this is a joke now,
 I’ll not have a young lass lose her life ‘cause I turned a blind eye. Ye can enter the archery but never have I heard of a girl wantin’ to fight in the lists.”

Overhearing this as he waits with Sir Brenton, Oswald waits til Arielle has finished speaking with the man. "Pardon me miss, but I have a bow you could borrow for the archery if needed."

In reply to GM (msg # 89):

“Aye! I certainly hope I do turn justice and bring honour to my clan,” Dursturm grins.

Having already signed on and stepped aside, Balavan has his back to the Master of Lists as the man makes his rejection speech to Arielle. Half way through, Balavan's head drops slightly and he lets out a quiet breath that lasts as long as the waffle continues.



'You will need to reconsider,' Balavan turns and subtly leans over the Master of Lists. 'Once I offer the facts you may not have considered.'

The braziers cast a little hellfire into Balavan's relaxed green gaze.

'As an enforcer of the king's law, I hand pick my men. This man, Arielle has lopped hands and skinned men my size for poaching deer and worse. Arielle enforces the law of the crown, and since signing on thus, must be legally considered male. Arielle isn't just a man by law, they are my best man. You speak of murderers and of hounds, Arielle here is permitted to sniff out and savage the worst of them, wolf and wolfshead. And if you're wise, you'll wager a florin or ten on my best knifeman tomorrow. Your purse will swell. With these new facts laid out plainly,' Balavan rests a thumb around the bone-handle of his dagger, 'I'd ask you to reconsider your options. You weren't to know, but now you do. Let's amend the situation so you can get over to that flagon of cider with your name on it.'

Balavan lets his eyes rest on the man's Lions Rampant sigil. 'Being a man respecting of the king's law yourself, I'm sure we can find common ground without a fuss.'
This message was last edited by the player at 10:13, Wed 02 Feb 2022.

In reply to Balavan (msg # 94):

Arielle declined her head as Balavan spoke.

She tried to hide her grin....but a little of the wolf leaked out.

" It is so."

In reply to Balavan (msg # 94):

“Well Balavan Forester, fair play to ye. Well spoken and clearly understood for my own part. I give you my word as the Kings Champion that I’ll do my best to ensure that this young LAD is entered to the lists. I’ll not promise ye good news, nor certainty but I will have an answer to ye before the competitions begin. Thats the best that I can do.”

With that he holds out a hand to Arielle first, and then Balavan.
“I’m Stephan de Montfort and pleased to meet you, Kingsmen. I do not know yet, whether tis bold or dumb you are. We’ll find out I guess.”

OOC: the name Stephan de Montfort is one of near legend. He is the Kings own champion and has fought on three crusades. The last one he saved a legion at a hospital fortress single handedly by holding the gate against hoards of infidel until reinforcements arrived. Story had it that once the siege lifted, a gully of 18 infidel warriors lay dead at his feet.

In reply to GM (msg # 96):

" My name..for the present..is Ari Green, most please to meet you, Sir de Montfort.", Arielle said as she clasped his hand.

'An honour,' Balavan takes the hand firmly and shakes. 'Your further consideration is greatly appreciated.'

Hearing the name of legend, Dursturm lets out an involuntary whistle. So this is the great man i aspire to be someday, he muses.

Sir Brenton dropped his coin on the table just before the lists closed " single combat please" he said in a low voice.

He turned to Oswald " we can't let them have all the fun can we and sadly we missed the mass combat thats always works up a good sweat"

Before dusk, Dursturm will call upon his control over the magical energies to detect magic. He will then rest for the night to prepare for the next day.

In reply to Dursturm (msg # 101):

Arielle called it an early night, retreating to the bedrolls she and Balavan had set up and inviting Alfrida to join them.  She tucked a dagger underneath in case she had any night visitors.

In reply to Arielle Wood (msg # 102):

Balavan mirrors Arielle, dagger and all. He'll spend some time laying back listening to the distant revelry, but ultimately he'll drift off, confident they are concealed and removed from the casual wanderer or roving eye.

In reply to Dursturm

Dude turn sits down on his blanket roll. Balavan has picked a secluded spot in the woods at the edge of the tourney carnival.
To all intents and purposes Durstum appears as if he is praying before settling down for the night.

As you have been though by your master, you seek that space between the noise of everyday life, listening and feeling for that ‘other feeling’

"No, sir!" Oswald agrees, glancing around at the other entrants and wondering what the combat itself will entail.

In reply to Balavan

Balavan leads Arielle, Alfrida and Arielle to the secluded space he spied earlier. Close to the first edge and about as far from the edge of the carnival as you can get within the three great fields of the tourney. Durstrum, the tall rangy warrior settles down to pray before sleep.

The strong  barrel chested man with drooping moustache remains behind, as do the knight and his squire.

The noise of the festival gradually diminishes to a more acceptable hum, as the consequences of a days drinking and carousing takes hold. The party atmosphere, while remaining is now much more forgiving of those seeking sleep.

Sleep comes easily.
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:10, Sun 13 Feb 2022.

With a glint in his eye that spells mischief you bid good night to your new friends and head into the depths of the carnival. Well past night and before the sunrise you are at a table drinking with a landless knight, back from the crusades named at Petyr. A middle aged man with thini g brown hair and a a clean chin.
 Like yourself he is a hard drinking man with an appetite for mahem. Well inebriated and long past time when his talk makes any sense, he is slumped over a near empty tankard. No one else remains in the tent of The Red Barrel Inn.

Staring into the pre-morn haze, you see young man dressed in priest cassock strideing across the drinking tent with a crazed look in his eye Petyr has his back to the cassocked priest.

He quickens to a run and raises his left arm, a long bloodied dagger clenched in his fist as he closes in on you both . . .
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:23, Sun 13 Feb 2022.

In reply to Oswald Godloefson (msg # 105):

As Oswald and Sir Brenton make their way from the listing tent, you pass the stabling area. The normal smell of hay, manure and horse sweat intermingles with another scent, more acrid. Like smoke or a smouldering fire.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:48, Sun 13 Feb 2022.

Dursturm tries to determine where the magical energies are concentrated at.

In reply to Dursturm (msg # 109):

Minutes pass, you  discern that the energy is close by..

"Oswald do you smell that?" said the knight as they passed the stables " that does not smell of horse and I should know let us check that all is well" with that the large man headed towards the stable doors

In reply to GM (msg # 107):

Rinan surges to his feet and hurls his tankard at the approaching madman’s head to gain some time to draw his great axe.

He roars “C’mon you bloody god-bothering bastard!  You’ll make a nice appetiser before the main course is served!”

GM please advise if you want me to use the die roller to roll for a missile attack.

In reply to GM (msg # 107):

Rinan surges to his feet and hurls his tankard at the approaching madman’s head to gain some time to draw his great axe.

He roars “C’mon you bloody god-bothering bastard!  You’ll make a nice appetiser before the main course is served!”

GM please advise if you want me to use the die roller to roll for a missile attack.

"I do, sir. Burning?" Oswald follows the knight towards the stable door, mumbling a prayer to the Lord to warn him of him danger. Sometimes, just sometimes, he hears back...

OOC: Oswald will use Premonition - 37% chance of detecting danger in the stable.  I believe the GM rolls? 

In reply to Rinan The Walrus (msg # 113):

Happy for Rinan to roll for missile attack. Please deduct 2 from your attack roll due to the nights drinking.