Goffery moved along with the two, listening to their duel of wits and words.  The verbal feints, lunges, parries, and the Errol Flynn level of banter that was passed back and forth was enough to make his question the matter of secret societies, given that they both seemed to know enough about each other that it seemed more like a business convention than two separate individuals beyond the veil of normalcy.

To think he would almost be thankful of the arrow that shot out at them.  With Sir John Hobbs ducking down, Goffery stepped up between him and the source of the attack.  His arm raised to help deflect anything that might come towards his head, his other arm moving to cover Sir Hobbs Jr's back.  "We must keep moving Sir John Gates Hobbs Jr.  Allow Cival to distract our assailant.  Our Mission must be accomplished." He said, using his form to create a stone barricade for the senior Watcher.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:14, Sat 22 Jan 2022.

"Of course," says Sir John and began once more to move.  "As long as the threats are only from the Fae, he should be safe, unless of course he were to get lost, but it seems he is highly experienced."

He turned left and moved closer to Percival as he moved around the outskirts of Newnham to the old Newnham village site itself before moving off toward Wolfson and Selwyn.

OOC Mechanics
09:00, Today: Percival Galois rolled 19 using 1d10+11.  "Now, where would I shoot from...?".

By the size of the arrow and the angle it could be either four to five hundred yards away (but from that distance, the target would not be visible) or from a branch of a tree.

It wasn't an arc you fool, but higher elevation! he thought to himself, cursing his own initial reflexes.

Reorienting himself to where he would have fired from, given that direction and the lack of an arc, Percival ran straight for a stand of a half a dozen trees that might be able to support the weight of an archer. Still he used his duster as an impromptu shield to protect his unarmed head, but he made sure to not obscure his vision as he hunted for Sir John's hunter.

In a crook between the trunk and a large branch on the fourth tree you try there is a fragment of bright green cloth.  The wood there is warmer than everywhere else on this night and there is a distinct smell of ozone.

OOC Mechanics
14:27, Today: Percival Galois rolled 16 using 1d10+8.  Occultism.

You know that the smell of ozone could indicate high voltage electricity but with no nearby source, it is more likely to indicate a place where a being has passed through the 'hedge' from mundane reality into Tir na Sidhe

Not knowing if their were more assailants, and unwilling to leave a man ostensibly on the side of good to be murdered if he could do anything about it, Percival pocketed the torn fabric and took off after the fleeing duo. Percival wasn't worried about arrows being a danger to Goffery, but at the moment the two were ignorant of the probable identity of Sir John's attempted assassin. And so he sprinted into the early morning, duster sweeping out behind him as he attempted to catch up.

Sir John continues walking slowly along the road, letting the trail of iron filings fall down behind him to somehow dissolve into the ground beneath, forming a wall that is impenetrable to Fae but to everyone else, not so much.

"I'm grateful for the attempt but I'd be careful if I were you.  This time it was an archer but sometimes they try enchanters and illusionists.  My predecessor was lost back in 1957, we believe he may have followed some kind of illusion and wandered into Fae.  He may still be there for all I know." Sir John sighed almost wistfully, "And less than five minutes older.  Time moves differently over there."

Sir John trudged not slowly but certainly not at any great pace as he moved onward, enclosing Selwyn and Wolfson within the wall before making his way along the backs, cutting the Fae off from the verdant spaces of various college playing fields.

"To be frank, I am surprised that they missed. They had the high-ground, there was no wind, you were unaware of the potential attack, and Fae hone their skills over the course of centuries. By all rights, you should be dead, Sir. I am clearly relieved that they failed, however. Might you be acquainted with any Fae who's fashion sense goes along with this cloth?" Percival puffed when he finally caught up with the odd pair, and held up the green cloth.

Goffery moved along with Sir John Hobbs, trying to keep his vision out for any sort of attackers that may be coming still, noticing the return of Cival was not a horrible thing, though chasing after a fae always seemed a fools choice, though it could have led to Cival returning with the head of an Ass, so it might not have been that bad a move.  Upon Cival's declaration of fatality, Goffery spoke up.

"There are two factors that could play in to that.  One the assassin knew of the situation of the goblin and changeling and hesitated on the fear that the opening of the realms would allow the two to meet and cause far more damage, so they only made a token effort and showed what they could have done."  He then looked at Sir John Hobb's naked head and commented, "Second they misjudged the protective powers of a well made watchers bowler hat, and how well it can protect one's head."  He said with a small, "We shall need to fetch your hat on the way back Sir John Hobbs.  Perhaps see if the fletching of the arrow holds some heraldry we can use." He said before focusing again on the task of Protecting the Master of Emmanuel College.

OOC: Goffery Lemnin rolled 16 using 1d10+7.  Notice Roll.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:13, Sat 22 Jan 2022.

"It is cold iron that protected me," said Sir John, "Were the creature not Fae, I would indeed be dead, Milord.  Then again, were the creature not Fae, it would hardly be shooting at me.  I've never heard of them hiring mercenaries, although with this goblin, things may change."

Sir John climbed over a fence, making sure there was no break in the thread and just to make sure, he bent down and passing the bag underneath the fence and closing the line of iron beneath the wire.

"Make sure you stay to the right of the brook", said Sir John as he continues moving, this time across a small field containing a large, brown bull.  "Damn!" he whispered, "that's not supposed to be there."

Offered Sir John Hobbs help over the fence, his own efforts started by looking for a more sturdy point as he did not want to crush it getting over it, He would also offer Cival aid in getting over the fence.  Making his way back to Sir Hobbs and Percival, the sight of the brown bull was a bit off putting.  "Indeed, that is some bull right there." He said with as neutral a tone as he could.

He inclined himself towards Percival, "Would you care to act the Spaniard and use your coat to draw the bull off?  I feel you have the style amongst us to play the Matador."  He offered personally not wanting to have to take the bull by the horns in this situation.  And figured that offering Percival a chance to play the hero would be hard for the man to pass up on.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:14, Sat 22 Jan 2022.

"Well, when you are right, you are right, Mr. Lem," Percival replied merrily, hearing the flattering but agreeing that he was best suited for the task at hand.

"Well, he is certainly no Toro Bravo, but still..." the young man began, pulling off his duster and placing it in his hands before him.

"Buenos días Señor Toro! Olé! Olé! he called, waving the duster and stomping his feet to get the creature's attention.

It is not red that a bull charges at.  After all, bulls see only in black and white.  It is the movement that attracts them and so, naturally enough, the bull charges at Percival's duster while Goffery and Sir John move slowly across the field, laying a trail of iron filings as they do so.

Dex + Getting Medieval please Percival

OOC Mechanics
15:20, Today: Percival Galois rolled 17 using 1d10+12.  Bull Dodging.

As Goffery and Sir John kept on walking, Percival was able to encourage the bull into five separate charges, the last of them sending the bill to the opposite end of the field so that he was able to clamber over the stile mere seconds behind and they were able to continue their journey.

"Adiós Señor Toro!" Percival called back over his shoulder as he shrugged back into his duster.

Ambling back up to his two new companions, the young man looked like he had just done something naughty and bracing, like streaking. Smiling that way made him look even younger than he already looked.

"Well, Sir John, assassins, angry bulls...what is next? Moats full of piranhas? A Troll under a bridge? A dry pub crawl? Where does our path take us next?" he chuckled, clearly in a good mood now.

Sir John grins a mirthless grin that fails to reach his eyes.  He doesn't think the bull had any connection with the Fae but he can't be sure.  "Next we move North to Madingley Road, enclosing the bulk of the University within the Iron Wall.  It's 2 AM and we're slightly behind time.  Let's hope we can move a little faster over this section."

Following close to Sir John Hobbs, Goffery only partially watched Percival's theatrics, a small shake of the stone head before focusing again on the task of watching over the Master of Emmanuel College.  After clearing the field Goffery couldn't help but consider the things left to chance in this situation.  "It would seem a consortium formed to purchase or at least have stewardship over the lands that must be walked would make this ritual a much safer task in the future."  He might have to do some research into the lands they travel to find ways to make this maintenance much safer.  A task to distract him in his sleepless state was always welcome now.

"Then let us be on our way, we wouldn't want to disappoint the work of Isaac Newton."  He said as he maintained a protective stance around Sir John.

The next few hundred yards or so does indeed belong to the University of Cambridge, being part of the University joint sportsground.  To the lest is a running stream which should add it protection against any fae interference for now and indeed it does.  Within five minutes even at walking pace, the trio arrive at Madingley Road where Sir John comes to a halt and thinks for a while.

"We have yet to find a route to include New College." He says, "For now, Professor Brunhilde Sorensen walks as best she can to form a separate wall around New College, but the walls would be stronger if they were one.  Perhaps someone could remind me to contact Professor Sorensen and check how it went sometime in the next week?"

Percival walked along with the pair, spreading his iron filings as he went, lost in thought for a moment. This Iron Wall was a good idea, and despite the events of the night was rather easy to maintain. But it still struck him as inefficient, and he worried about seeding the local ground water with iron if this process has been going on for centuries.

"Sir John, have the Watchers ever considered making treaties with the Fae Courts? They lie, and play games that we can barely fathom, but they are bound by their word. You would need to provide them with some material or territory in recompense, but surely some isolated islands or tracks of empty tundra would be enough to let them ignore your holdings, no? You'd need a savvy negotiator of course, and someone so adept at reading fine print that it bordered on supernatural insight, but still, it is possible..." he mused, thinking of the Fae and their love of deals.

Sir John thinks as he moves along, across the main road and in the direction of the Isaac Newton and the Saracen's Head.  Before he answers he stands stock still and speaks to thin air, saying,

"As-salamu alaykum Selah Huddin Malik! Salve Domine Isaac, quomodo es?"