After returning to their manors, the trio take care of any estate issues, deposit their goods and coinage, and prepare for another foray into Salisbury.  Sir Rhydwyn joins the group, although the other knights from the raid beg off, having had quite a profitable summer and wishing to spend their new found wealth as soon as possible.

The first hurdle is figuring out where Loorette might be.  The information you have is somewhere up the road leaving Sarum to the northeast toward Levcomagus.  The most likely manors being:  Porton, Boscone, Allington, Bulford, Idmiston, Newton Tony, Choulderton, Kimpton, Grately, Over Wallop, Monxton, Clatford, or one of the manors along the road leaving Levcomagus to the northwest.  That is a lot of manors.

Having already freed two young ladies, it is possible that word will get out that it is likely an attempt at rescuing the third will be undertaken, although the fact that you have been gone a few days may make that appear less likely.

There is also the very real possibility that wherever she was got torched by the Saxons.  Which would be a bit of a downer.  As the Salisbury army headed east from Levcomagus, that is likely the first place to which they will return and is a great distance from Cornwall and most friendly faces.  So spending too much time in the area is probably dangerous.

Note: I forgot to mention that you each received £5 in plunder from Bristol and Wells.

Sir Daron feels it his responsibility to rescue Loorette, as his brothers had saved their fair maidens.

"As I see it Loorette is most likely kept to be a wife to a single knight. If we can discover which manors have no unmarried knights we can rule them out of contention," he explains to the others. "Therefore we should find someone who knows Salisbury well - a bard or herald, or priest or even a noble lady who has married into Cornish blood."

"I agree, Sir Daron, but then again, who knows what it could be - could have been some knight in an affair with Loorette. I'd say be prepared for anything, in all honesty."

Sir Aeddan is surprised and deeply impressed at Sir Daron's idea.  Which reminds him of an earlier time that Sir Daron had an inspired thought:  "Sir Abloc, I know you may be hesitant to pursue this course, but...Sir Daron once suggested that we might consult the wise young Lady Morgana for information about Loorette's whereabouts.

"Let me defend my notion.  First, we know little of Salisbury and even less about the manors and their inhabitants, aside from what we learned firsthand a few days ago.  Second, it's unlikely we would find someone in Cornwall with current information about the marital status of knights there.  Third..." he clears his throat, "the Lady Morgana has keen understanding and a surprising ability to know of remote events, no doubt because information flies to her on the swift wings of others.  Indeed, she has nearly the sight and range of a bird herself.

"I mean to say that, if our goal is to find the location of the maiden Loorette as quickly as possible, so as to effect her rescue before Salisbury's soldiers return or the people of Salisbury take umbrage with us, we might consider starting our intelligence-gathering with a visit to the convent at Amesbury.  The young lady may be willing to aid us if she knows our intention is to protect the maiden's honor and return her to her family, rather than to seek our own glory or riches."

"To consult with witches is dangerous ground to tread my brother. I do not share Sir Rhydwyn's idea of Lady Loorette merely having an affair - we saw what happened to the other fair Maidens of Cornwall and I am sure Lady Loorette is in dire need of our aid. But surely ... do we risk asking Lady Morgana for her aid? I fear she will make us pay a terribly price for her assistance - and I am not talking about gold or silver here my brothers. Mark my words - never trust a witch!"
This message was last updated by the player at 21:27, Thu 10 June 2021.

Sir Daron hesitates. "I am not familiar with the ways of Morgan le Fae and I am not happy to consort with a soulless witch... but she is said to be clever. Perhaps she is maiden enough to sympathise with a kidnapped girl of Cornwall. Yes, let us visit her - but we better keep our minds sharp."

The tide seemingly heading toward Amesbury and the nunnery therein, the next question is how to get safely to a location in the heart of Salisbury?  (A question which requires an answer regardless of the destination.)  Generally speaking, only other knights would be likely to guess that you are not from Salisbury.  Although you probably don't want to get too close to the manors you raided.

The quickest, and most direct, route is along the good road to Vagon, head north across the river and through the toll bridge controlled by Codford Manor, keep heading north-east to Shrewton, then head south-east to Amesbury.  There are plenty of other ways to get there, just figure out which way you want to go and where you want to stop for the night,  Figure you can cover ~20 miles a day easily as you are not stopping to raid.  That will keep your horses from getting overtired in case you need to fight or flee.

"Noone will believe we are pilgrims if they spot the armor under our robes or our horses for that matter. Better if we just travel as knights, avoid the main roads and then head for the convent. Question though is how we make it past Codford Manor without they raise the alarm about Cornish knights entering Salisbury?"

He lowers his voice and continue "But it wont matter anyway. Sorcery ... she will turn us all into frogs or worse ..."
This message was last edited by the player at 07:30, Fri 11 June 2021.

Sir Daron looks uneasy - evidently the thought had occurred to him to.

"Perhaps if we we're escorting a maiden to the nunnery to take her vows at the convent? I think even Salisbury men would hesitate to attack knights guarding a young woman devoting herself to god, and it would give us generous reason to go to Amesbury."

Sir Aeddan smiles at Sir Daron's suggestion.  "Well, unless you're planning to shave your beard and dress as our maiden, I suspect we'll move fastest and attract the least attention if we simply move as four knights."

Sir Aeddan suggests that the group head east on the good road, turn left at Sutton Veny and take the road that intersects at Warminster with the bad road as it goes east.  By leaving the road briefly, they can skip any potentially awkward encounters at Cordford or its bridge, going northeast on the old trail and then turning right at Shrewton.  From there the poor road to Amesbury will surely seem heaven-sent in comparison to the old track.

As far as camping goes, the party will likely be ready to rest--and will be unlikely to be seen--off the old trail, in some quiet area.

Sir Aeddan decides to keep his helmet on when they encounter other people, as the combination of his height and red hair might trip a memory in someone who witnessed their visit last week.  Surely this group of knights, being only four rather than twelve, wouldn't immediately call to mind that group of marauders from before.  Sir Aeddan suggests that, if anyone should ask, they claim to be from Estragales and looking to join up with the rest of the army, and could the kind person direct them toward Levcomagus?

OOC: I hope you were not waiting for my reply??

---

Sir Abloc goes along with the plan in silence still worried about approaching a sorceress in a convent. It feels so very wrong - and he does not want to be turned into a frog ...

The sally into Salisbury is not without incident.  Making it to the borders is no real issue but once inside Salisbury, it feels a bit like the walls are closing in.  Eight knights with few enemies around felt pretty safe.  Four knights with an entire army returning at an indeterminate time, is a little more dangerous.  Adding that people from any of the manors the group raided may recognize them by their horses or squires, makes it a more perilous journey.

The group successfully makes it to the bridge at Warminster, and Sir Abloc is preparing to ride across, blissfully ignorant of the small garrison watching the far side.  Fortunately, Sir Aeddan and Sir Rhydwyn notice the group and the four backtrack until they are out of sight and then watch the guards from some cover.  The small group of soldiers head back into town at nightfall, leaving the unlit bridge unguarded, and the knights are able to cross in secret.  Spending a night in the woods, the quartet are up early and on their way along familiar ground come sunup.

Sir Rhydwyn, rolled 1 using 1d20.  Awareness.
Sir Daron, rolled 16 using 1d20.  Awareness.
Sir Aeddan, rolled 4 using 1d20.  Awareness.
Sir Abloc, rolled 20 using 1d20.  Awareness.

Sir Abloc takes a point in Awareness for fumbling.
Sir Aeddan and Sir Rhydwyn take a check in Awareness.

They make their way to the bridge west of Codford before bypassing the manor and heading up the dirt track toward Shrewton.  Camping off the path, they have another uneventful night, although they know they are getting closer to the area pillaged by the Saxons and where the Salibury and perhaps Escavalon knights will soon return.

The following day they make their way to Amesbury and easily locate the nunnery.

Sir Daron approaches the door of the nunnery and knocked on the door. "Good sisters we are a party knights come to seek the advice of the Lady Morgana."

It seemed best to be honest - but not too honest! No need to mention Cornwell yet...

A pair of nuns in habits answer the door.  A tall thin woman who introduces herself as Sister Margarette and an older, shorter woman who is introduced as Sister Yvette.  The pair give a suspicious look at the armored men, and Yvette scowls at mention of Lady Morgana.  Sister Margarette replies, "we do not allow strange men in, especially those looking for Queen Ygraine and her daughter.  The last such group kidnapped the pair and only by the Grace of God were they saved from a nasty fate."  Sister Yvette snorts at this and crosses herself.

"Anyway, sister Morgana is not really in the habit of speaking to strange men, much less giving advice, so perhaps you would do well to seek counsel elsewhere," she suggests.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:44, Wed 16 June 2021.

Sir Aeddan gives a little cough and steps forward, hoping that for once he can say what he means.  "Good sister, please forgive our intrusion.  The ladies you speak of are not strangers to us, but are indeed the objects of our deep respect and admiration.  Please be so kind as to inform the Lady Morgana of our names -- Sirs Daron, Abloc, Rhydwyn, and Aeddan, all of Cornwall -- and ask her if she would do us the honor of hearing our reason for imposing our presence on your order."

In truth, it did sound a bit better in his head but the basic thought got out and although not exactly charmed, the pair nod and close the door, expecting this to be the last they will see of these knights.

Sir Aeddan, rolled 11 using 1d20.  Courtesy.

Some five minutes later, the door opens and Sister Margarette hands Sir Aeddan a piece of parchment.  The nun seems quite shocked that Morgana deigned to reply much less to write a poem to them. After handing Sir Aeddan the parchment, she shuts to door once more.

Sir Aeddan, who studied Latin under his mother's watchful eye, reads a short poem to his companions, none of whom read Latin.  They are all more than a little surprised that a woman would not only read and write Latin but also compose a poem so quickly.

In a flowing script, the poem reads:

Ere the cock calls,
Medial of partial walls,
The start of what follows,
Drowning one's sorrows.

Reciting lost tomes,
Undulating gold domes,
Ill-gotten wealth,
Delighting in stealth.

'neath bridge of stone,
Scattered and alone,
Course fabrics you seek,
In sewers that reek.

Restless corpses laid bare,
Crypts collapsed in despair,
Like a centurion's plume,
Else the maiden will swoon.

Although Aeddan can read the words, they don't seem to make any sense.  It starts off alright, a little cryptic but maybe making some sense.  However, it quickly devolves into little more than random lines.  It seems that there must be something more to the message.

Sir Aeddan, rolled 2 using 1d20.  Read (Latin).

Sir Aeddan takes a check in Read (Latin),

Sir Abloc had remained quiet until now only occasionally mumbling something about frogs. He seemed to relax (somewhat) now but looked puzzled when Sir Aeddan had read the poem to them.

"Restless corpses and crypts. I fear ther lost maiden may be in more peril than we first imagined." He sighs and looks up at the sky. "I hate riddles but it must point us in the direction of our goal. And it looks like it is going to rain soon as well."

Sir Daron strokes at his beard trying to make head of the poem. "Could the 'bridge of stone' mean Stonehedge? 'Tis near this place."

"Yes!" Aeddan exclaims.  "The pattern that 'follows' is the words "druid's circle"!  Stonehenge, the partial walls of which she speaks first, and the 'medial' must be the center.  At the center of Stonehenge, before the cock crows."

Sir Aeddan hopes, with little basis to do so, that the text burying the clue "Druid's circle" wasn't intended to convey anything but that.  The words are ominous, and he suspects that being turned to frogs would be the least terrible fate that could befall them.

"We must ride with all hate then brothers. I fear something terribly will befall Loorette if we do not get here in time." Sir Abloc is already half-way up his horse. "Come now. Let us ride" he pauses, snap his reins and adds with a big grin on his face "Nimble horsemen approaching, remember?!"

You ride out to Stonehenge, barely taking an hour, and make a camp among the stones.  Keeping a careful watch in this holy place and within enemy territory, there is no sign of anyone and with the full moon, you can see easily for a long ways in any direction.

As the moon heads toward its resting place in the west, the four knights gather in the center of the circles of stones.  They do not have long to wait as a shadowy figure in a long, black, hooded cloak emerges from behind one of the large sarsens.

It is clearly a woman even before Morgana removes the cloak, to reveal a slim woman with black, piercing eyes.  Although you all saw her and her mother and sisters at the funeral, that was in the day and dressed demurely for a funeral.  That appearance gave only a hint at the beauty (APP: 23) now on display in the light of the full moon.  She is absolutely gorgeous.  She has long, black hair that seems to glimmer as if lighted by fireflies or far-off stars.  She moves with the grace of a dancer but her hips sway like a woman.  Other than her mother, Ygraine (APP:29), you have never seen anyone so beautiful.

She walks up to you without any trace of apprehension, looking all four of you over for a long oment before a slight smile crosses her lips.  Sir Rhydwyn notices that Morgana's eyes seem to linger on Sir Daron quite a bit longer than the others, although Sir Daron himself only notices that she smells wonderful, like oleander.

Sir Rhydwyn, rolled 6 using 1d20.  Awareness.
Sir Daron, rolled 20 using 1d20.  Awareness.
Sir Aeddan, rolled 18 using 1d20.  Awareness.
Sir Abloc, rolled 17 using 1d20.  Awareness.

Sir Daron takes a point in Awareness for fumbling.
Sir Ryhdwyn takes a check in Awareness,

"Good morning, noble knights," she says.  "Your fathers were special to my family, the only ones who remained faithful, even after that meddling charlatan tricked them," Morgana spits out these words like some pastry turned rancid.  "Their passing was a great loss, for which we are both truly sorry.  We will always help you in your need, so on what can I now advise you?"

Sor Daron feels a flicker of uncertainty, the mention of their fathers sparking a few memories him less complimentary to Morgana's mother. Still, he had resquested this so he tried to push down his fears.

He bowed before the beautiful woman, then spoke:

"I thank you for this meeting my lady. We seek a maiden of Cornwall stolen by the honourless dogs of Salisbury. all we know is that she was born away to the north and east but we know you are wise in many ways. Can you aid us with your knowledge to rescue the maiden Loorette?"

Believing that Sir Daron has spoken wisely, and knowing that it'd likely be unwise to open his own mouth, Sir Aeddan merely nods solemnly at Sir Daron's words.

Morgana moves closer to Sir Daron, her scent intoxicating, her dark eyes fathomless.  The young knight can imagine getting lost in the blackness of her glinting orbs forever, floating on the sweet scent of her body.

"Seeking the trifecta?" she muses.  "The young lady was taken by Sir Lifris of Cholderton Manor, on the other side of the River Bourne, a ways north of the road to Levcomagus," she replies barely even pausing to consider the question.  "The Saxons raided the place though, and I fear she is no longer there.  After the battle of Levcomagus, the Saxons retreated East, followed by King Nanteleod.  The two armies fought again in Hertford at Royston but neither came out the victor.  The Saxons retreated back toward their lands and King Nanteleod is planning to attack the Angles.  Lost Loorette is likely still with the Saxons, heading south.  Once in Sussex, I fear she will be beyond your reach."

She allows her words to sink in before adding, "attempting to extract the young lady from the Saxon camp may be possible but likely will require some sort of distraction or means of cloaking yourselves."

Sir Abloc has been silent until now not daring to accidently insult the sorceress and be turned into a frog. He listens closely to what she tells them about Saxons and lost Loorette. "We can not stand idle by and watch a maiden of Cornwall be dragged away by Saxon dogs. We will do what needs to be done to bring her back."

He just havnt got a clue to how four knights can defeat the Saxon army.