Is that so?

  Present:

• Abellinut "Able" Ugwistan, 31, Moor Arian Fighter from Septum - Jeff
• Aulius "Owl" Lucius Decanter, 25, Polytheistic Fighter from Gades - Jamie
• Elia Ildaria, 24, Basque Pagan Barbarian from Gasteiz  - Richard
• Luigi Abundus Bertolini, 23, Roman Nicene Priest from Ravenna - Chris
• Merkel, 24, Vandal Arian Temple-fighter from Gades - Kevin
• MARMALADE: Vanker Polyester, 22, Vandal Pagan Rogue from Gades - Shane
• Velito Rosso, 24, Roman Nicene Barbarian from Venice - Darryl
• Victor Koshenko, 24, Alan Arian Thief from Gades - Ian

By Jeff

{A brief interlude:

Each game night we take the opportunity to attempt to increase our character's skills before play. For each character, the player rolls one D20 roll to attempt to increase their current LUCK, and five D20 rolls to attempt to increase five of their character's skills, say One Handed Blade, or Stealth, or Cart Riding etc. If the D20 roll exceeds the current LUCK or skill level, then the LUCK or skill level is increased by one. All the rolls could all be used on LUCK if desired, but for skills you can only increase by one point a night. If you are successful on a particular skill roll, you move on to another skill. 

Richard's character Elia is a Barbarian archetype, so essentially a fighter type. But having had some encounters with the pagan God Geryon, Richard figured that it might be an interesting character development to increase Elia's Arcane magic skill. It was currently at 1 (out of twenty) so increasing it would be a cinch, right? To much hilarity for all present, Richard rolled a 1, and failed to increase Elia's skill. It turned out to have been a 3 rather than a 1, but that didn't dampen the laughter and mocking comments. He was successful however, on the second attempt.

And then Jamie rolled two 20's for his attempts.

More laughter!}

Victor continued to ponder on the strange occurrences earlier that night. The beam of golden light, Elia floating naked in the air with her arms spread and breasts jutting skyward, the shocking explosion from the supposed Holy Spear, the gouts of fire blown from Elia's mouth, and the unsatisfying discussion with Sister Justina regarding religion and Victor's own faith not being aligned to the "correct" principles. "Is that so?" he wondered.

"Elia isn't Nicaean" Victor continued to himself, "And she was obviously blessed by that Spear. Mmmmm"
"And God is God isn't he. Why would he favour her over me?"
"Maybe ...." 

Victor stopped thinking about it, he had got a headache from so much deep thought.
And it was his watch now, he needed to focus in case anything attacked the wagon train in the early hours.

As the sun slowly climbed over the horizon in the morning, a cry came from the wagons.

"Where is Francisco?"

The drivers were missing!

It turned out that five of the wagon drivers had disappeared sometime during the night. No signs of an attack or a struggle, and the watches had not heard or seen anything strange. Nor were there any tracks to indicate what may have happened. At least, that was what Velito reported after his brief scout around the camp site.

"Which of you ugly lot can drive a wagon?" yelled Rodrigo, the Centurian in charge.

Three guards were identified that could in fact drive a wagon, and the troops were reorganised. The makeup of the wagon train was thus:

VANGUARD (mounted)

Guard Isidro Ramirez

Guard Pedro Flores

ROAMERS (mounted)

Centurion Rodrigo de Avila

Optio Carlos Rodriguez

Signifer Javier Torres

AULIUS (OWL)

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1 WAGON - Supplies

Guard Juan Carlos Vasquez

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2 WAGON - Supplies

Guard Sofisto Herrera

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3 COACH - Servants

Coachman Manuel

Attendant Luisa

Servant Juanita

Attendant Esmeralda

Maid Beatriz

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4 COACH - Ladies-in-waiting

Driver VANKER

Guard VICTOR

Camila Isadora

Esmeralda Aldara

Lady Isidora Beltrana

Valentina Leonor

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5 COACH - Ladies

Coachman Diego

Guard ELIA

Lady Florinda La Cava

Lady Isabella de Arvandus

Lady Elvira Juliana

Lady Isidora Felicia

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6 COACH - Ladies-in-waiting

Coachman Alejandro

Guard VELITO

Lady Beatrice Octavia

Adela Ysabel

Amalia Seraphina

Maid Constanza

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7 COACH - Slave girls

Driver LUIGI

NPC Justina

Guard Marius Reyes

Servant Isabella

Slave Maricela

Maid Catalina

Slave Zaida

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8 COACH - Slave girls

Driver MERKEL

Guard Mateo Cortez

Slave Tetona

Slave Puta

Slave Cono

Slave Perra

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9 WAGON - Supplies

Guard ABLE

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10 WAGON - Supplies

Coachman Luis

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11 WAGON - Supplies

Guard Alan Silva

REAR-GUARD (mounted)

Decanus Ines de Leon

Guard Alejandro Soto

Guard Arturo Miranda

The wagon train set off for Hispalis. We were ahead of the original travel schedule by one day, so it was considered "safe" to push on. We would arrive at Hispalis, the great crossroads city of Baetica, this afternoon. (710 AD pop 14K)

Just before midday, the vanguard returned to report a body lying on the road ahead.
Fearing an ambush, a cautious reconnaissance (Victor snuck ahead beside the road) was undertaken, and once it was deemed clear the guards approached. It was Pedro, one of the missing wagon drivers from last night. His head had been caved in by a large, heavy, blunt instrument. Lots of blood, but no sign of the others, or even any recognisable tracks. 

"Nothing has passed along the road, or the surrounds, in weeks" reported Merkel.

{Failed his tracking roll spectacularly}

Pedro's body was carefully wrapped and placed in the empty supplies wagon; "For a proper burial" explained Luigi.

A little later the wagon train circled up for a lunch break.

"Hey, what about healing my burns?" asked Victor, still in some pain after the Spear's explosion yesterday.
"Oh, and I'm still suffering from this head wound" grumbled Merkel.

"I'm sorry" responded Sister Justina, "There is no consecrated ground nearby"

"Perhaps the Holy Spear will bless you with sufficient Power" suggested Owl with a sly grin.

Retiring some distance away from the bulk of the group, Owl unwrapped the Spear and Sister Justina grasped it firmly in her right hand. Her head tilted upward and the familiar intense glow suffused her eyes. Reaching across to Victor with her left hand, Sister Justina invoked the Healing powers of God in mighty prayer and the response was instant. A light green nimbus flashed into being around Sister Justina's hand, and then shot across into Victor's body. Victor gasped lightly as his burns miraculously healed, his headache melted away, and energy filled his soul.

"Ahhhhh" Victor sighed happily.

"My turn" demanded Merkel.

"I think not" stammered Sister Justina, "I am harbouring doubts"

"What do you mean?" asked Owl, "How can you doubt?" 

"It's the voice" replied Sister Justina, "Whenever I touch the Holy Spear, it calls me Whore"

"Well" rationalised Owl, "That's obviously a term of endearment. Wasn't the Holy mother also labelled Whore?"
"And just consider the miraculous Healing you have just performed with the God's holy power" Owl continued.
"Perhaps" muttered Sister Justina, stepping back with a frown, "But I believe I need a break".
"I'll do it" exclaimed Luigi excitedly.

Luigi grasped the Spear with his right hand, his eyes beaming with gifted power. Reaching out his left had to Merkel, Luigi invoked the Healing powers of God in mighty prayer and the response was instant.

"BLAM"

A brief vision of Hell

A loud concussive blast erupted from from the Spear, shot through Luigi, and threw Merkel five meters across the road. As he tumbled through the air, Merkel experienced flickering visons of of dark creatures, backbones being ripped from bodies, and people being immersed in flame. Hell itself!

"What the hell" shouted Merkel, picking himself off the ground, "You were meant to Heal me you idiot"

"It seems Healing does not work for Arian heretics" stated Luigi, "Apologies"

"Bugger that" spluttered Merkel, pointing towards Victor, "What about him?"

Victor had indeed been healed.
"And I am indeed Arian" Victor mused to himself. Something does not add up here"

Elia calmed Merkel with some prompt First Aid and soothing words, and we re-joined the main wagon train group, setting off towards Hispalis soon thereafter. We soon found ourselves travelling through somewhat developed land with small holdings and farms scattered across the countryside. 

Then the walls of Hispalis came into view, and a squad of mounted soldiers.

Centurian Anton Esconda drew his horse to a halt in front of our Centurian Rodrigo and saluted.

"We have come to greet the Lady Florinda" he reported.
"You are early, and have been preceded by rumours of evil among your group" he continued.

Owl discreetly tucked the Spear down beside his horse. Luigi stepped forward and described the attacks and resulting desertion by the drivers, and the subsequent killing of one of their number, probably by the rest of them. 

"Likely they were all involved in the attack on Lady Florinda" Luigi pronounced, "Look to them if you are looking for evil, rather than the good Lady or her remaining party members"

"Well, know that Duke Alfonso Cruz has invited you all to dinner this evening" stated Centurian Esconda.

We continued on and entered the city through the southern gates, escorted by Centurian Esconda and his men. Our first stop was the Cathedral of the Heavenly Beacon where the Lady Florinda was going to be staying. The horses and wagons were settled there, and Lady Florinda's ladies and slaves were housed. Priest Juan Gomez was in charge. Hispalis Bishop Esconda was out.

Then on to the Duke's palace where a sumptuous dinner had been prepared. Lady Florinda of course dined at the High Table with the Duke, and so too did Luigi, Sister Justina, Owl, and Elia. The rest of the party were assigned one of the low tables, although Able was sent to the outer rooms with the other "blacks"!

The dinner was lovely, the Duke entertaining, and a good time was had by all. Elia even managed to engage the duke in conversation and appeared to captivate him with her exotic beauty and charm. {Literally rolled a success against her Persuade skill}

After dinner, the party divided their forces. Luigi, Velito, and Sister Justina chose to stay at the Nicaean Church of the Luminous Hope (Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Esperanza Luminosa); Elia was offered a full stateroom by the duke and stayed at the palace, while the rest of us accompanied Lady Florinda and the guards back to the Cathedral. Luigi took advantage of the consecrated ground of the Church to cast a Heal Major Wounds on Merkel ("No explosions or visions of Hell" noted Merkel to himself).

St. Eulalia of Merida

The next morning the plan was to assemble at the Cathedral one hour after dawn and escort Lady Florinda to her first shrine visit. There were five shrines in Hispalis that Lady Florinda wanted to visit, so our stop at Hispalis was going to be at least five days. The first shrine was to be the shrine of St. Eulalia of Merida, an Arian saint. 

Once again, at first light we found that last of the wagon drivers had disappeared. Now there were no fully qualified drivers left from Lady Florinda's original compliment, so we had to improvise with our own party, and hope that no serious difficulties would be encountered. None of us were particularly skilled in wagon riding! A smaller wagon compliment of three was used for the Hispalis shrine excursions. The city was very busy, even at such an early hour, and all the guards were on foot. There was much shouting and pushing to clear the roads in front of the wagons to allow us to pass.

We were keeping a sharp eye out for any issues and did spot a suspicious black-clad person loitering on a street corner watching us. Victor was assigned to watch the watcher, and quickly faded into the crowd. Elia then openly "spotted" the person and started towards him, at which point he backed away and disappeared into the crowd himself. We continued on to the shrine, where Lady Florinda spent three-four hours in quiet contemplation and prayer.

Victor later returned and reported that the black-clad spy had retreated to the roof tops, where he had then followed the wagons to the shrine, watched there for around thirty minutes, and then made his way to the Velvet Ribbon Tavern and met with two others in a dark corner booth. Some unheard discussions occurred, and then the spy had returned to the shrine and maintained a watch on Lady Florinda's group until they returned to the Cathedral in the afternoon.

Later that afternoon, Victor returned to the Velvet Ribbon Tavern to see if he could find out anything about the two men he had seen there earlier. Having named them Broken Nose and Eye Patch, on account of the one having a distinctive broken nose and the other wearing an eye patch, Victor peered in through the window beside the door to see if he could see them. They didn't appear to be there, but the black clad spy was, and he was looking straight at the window as Victor peered in. "Bother" muttered Victor as he hastened away into the crowds, "Busted"

Elia, on the other hand, had been invited to the grand Hispalis Library by the duke once he heard about her interest in learning and ancient history. Once there Elia had perused the ancient stacks, looking for a hidden and quiet corner where she might experiment with her newly improved Arcane Magic skill. Finding a likely spot, settling to the floor and quietening her mind and racing heart, she "reached" out with her thoughts.

"Geryon" she thought.

"WELCOME MY FRIEND" came the immediate reply.

"I seek to Detect Magic" she earnestly prayed.

"OF COURSE" the reply echoed throughout her mind.

And then a tingling sensation crept down from her head, through her entire body, and manifested at her feet as a soft red glowing circle on the floor around her. That glowing circle then slowly enlarged and crept across the floor towards the stacks around her. Elia could feel its progress as the ring of expanding magic slowly traversed the whole of the level that she was on, passing every item, scroll, and book present. 

"NOTHING" came the disappointed response after the magic circle had expanded and then faded out to nothing.

"Nothing" whispered Elia in reply, "But WOW, just so cool, I did it ... um, we did it"

Leaping up with an excited buzz and a huge grin, Elia hurried back to the duke and led him back to the palace.

The group was again split up between the Cathedral, the Church, and the Palace.

That night passed without event. 

St. Ignatius of Antioch

The next morning, Velito and Elia travelled to the Velvet Ribbon Tavern, to have breakfast and enjoy a quiet day together at their leisure. Well, to watch for Broken Nose and Eye Patch and hopefully follow them back to whoever was pulling their strings. 

The rest of the party assembled at one hour after dawn in preparation for the next shrine visit, to the shrine of Saint Ignatius of Antioch. 

At the Velvet Ribbon, Broken Nose sidled into the tavern around eight, and slipped into the shady back corner booth. Some minutes later, another man entered the tavern. 

No eye patch, but Elia recognised the black-clad spy as he crossed the tavern and joined Broken Nose in the corner booth. He slipped around to the back of the corner table and turned his back to the wall. Just before he sat down his eyes scanned the room and rested on Elia. 

{Richard rolled a twenty against Elia's Luck, automatic and spectacular fail}
He gave a start of recognition and leapt out of the booth and hurried for the door.

Elia watched the tavern door crash closed behind spy and gave chase. Crashing through the door only seconds behind the spy, a knife appearing in each hand, Elia let fly one knife and followed immediately behind it into melee. Still buzzing from the previous night's successful spell casting via Geryon, Elia attempted the Cough of Flame skill she had picked up during her transfiguration a few nights ago. But this proved unsuccessful, as she would have known if she had had any experience as a spell caster. You cannot maintain the required concentration for magical effects (spell casting) while in melee combat. That momentary distraction opened her to the spy's attack, and Elia was struck a wicked blow across the shoulder (five points of damage) by the spy's blade. Elia made the next successful hit with her weapon, and the spy went down. 

The streets were crowded

Pausing briefly, Elia considered her options. "We could question him" she thought.

But she leaned forward and pulled her blade across his throat. "Or not" she concluded.

A quick search brought her a nice knife, a few coins, and a small dark red ruby, all of which she tucked quickly away.

Looking up she watched Broken Nose and Velito fly around the distant street corner.

Seconds after Elia had chased the spy from the room, Broken Nose had stood, glanced around, and also slipped out the door. Velito followed. As Velito exited the tavern behind Broken Nose, he could see Broken Nose walking hurriedly off among the crowd. Keeping one eye firmly focussed on Broken Nose's dark cloak, Velito gave chase. Dodging the pressing crowd, Velito was able to keep close behind Broken Nose as he ducked and dodged through the crowds and eventually turned down a small ally.

Hastening to the entrance of the ally, Velito ducked low and peered around the corner. Broken Nose was just disappearing out the other end of the ally, so Velito prepared to again give chase. As Velito turned into the ally, Broken Nose stepped back in at the other end and drew a weapon. He stood there comfortably, flicking the knife from right hand to left hand and grinning wickedly. 

"Guards, guards, help, heelllpp" yelled Velito as he paused and warily watched Broken Nose play with his knife.

Broken Nose suddenly turned and disappeared out of the end of the ally with a snarl.

Velito again gave chase. Velito was quite far from the tavern now, and he wondered at the wisdom of chasing down an obvious thug, in his home environment, with none of his own allies nearby.

"What am I, Barbarian or pussy?" he briefly wondered, then ran after Broken Nose, blades in hand.

Rounding the corner at the end of the ally, Velito saw Broken Nose a short distance ahead. He wasn't running though, he had stopped and was waiting for Velito, knife in hand. He charged.

Velito had a chance to throw one of his own blades {a hit, four damage} before melee commenced. A rapid exchange of blows followed, and Broken Nose soon collapsed to the rough cobbled pavement, blood welling from a series of deep cuts. {Darryl's judicious expenditure of Luck during the combat ensured successful attacks and the battle was won without another scratch to Velito} Hoping to be able to question Broken Nose later, Velito attempted to render First Aid, but Broken Nose bled out and died under Velito's ministrations. 

Which was unfortunate for a number of reasons, primarily because just then the city guard, whom Velito had called for he recalled, also exited the ally just behind him and rushed over.

"What have we here then?" said the tough looking guard with the armour and drawn long sword.

"He attacked me" declared Velito, "I am the personal guard of the good Lady Florinda, guest of the duke"

"I can only assume this man was part of the plot to attack and capture the good Lady" Velito suggested.

"Is that so?" exclaimed the guard, grabbing Velito by the shoulder, and leading him off.