Present
- Abellinut "Able" Ugwistan, 31, Moor Arian Fighter from Septum – Jeff
- Brave Jose "BJ", 22, Arian Visigoth Fighter from Astigi – Jamie
- Fabius Cato, 26 Roman Nicene Temple Fighter from Rome – Richard
- MARMALADE Luigi Abundus Bertolini, 23, Roman Nicene Priest from Ravenna – Chris
- Merkel, 24, Vandal Arian Temple-Fighter from Gades – Kevin
- Hawk-Eye, 22, Arian Visigoth Barbarian from Astigi – Shane
- Velito Rosso, 24, Roman Nicene Barbarian from Venice – Darryl
- Victor Koshenko, 24, Alan Arian Thief from Gades – Ian
- Sister Sarah, 22 Arian Visigoth Priestess from Toletum - Steven
by Richard
It is the 4th of December 710 AD and we have been escorting Lady Florinda for nearly six weeks. We near the end of our journey as we plan to escort her through the river gate into la Real y Rolliza Universidad Visgótica de Corduba (the Royal Corduban Visigothic University).
Fabius, Velito, Florinda, the marmalading Luigi, Elena and two maids-in-waiting are at the Nicene church of Our Lady of Shining Grace.
"We need to hire a boat" states Fabius
"I go I go" volunteers Velito as he scuttles out the door. A few hours later he returns "si si it done – I have a punt hired, with a cabin – it will do nicely – we pretend to be vegetable traders"
"Did you see the men watching outside?" asked Fabius
"Si si, of course" nods Velito unconvincingly.
"We will need to get past them without them noticing the Lady"
"Si si that easy…… for you" says Velito. "I be on the boat waiting"
They agree that they will dress Florinda as a nun (in white) and that she, Justina and Fabius will go to the quay where the punt is. Velito will be at the boat and Able will be half way in between. It is only five minutes from the church to Quay One. The others (Hawkeye, BJ, Victor, Merkel, Sister Sarah) will meet us at Quay Three.
"It’s a plan," said Velito. "Now you go and tell the others," gesturing at Fabius.
"I'm meeting them at 3pm this afternoon at the Aquatic Oasis Inn; what are you going to do?"
"I stay here and guard," smiles Velito who had now reformed his connection with one of Lady Florinda's ladies Isidora Felicia.
We advise Florinda the plan and agree with her that we will get her five ladies-in-waiting into the university once she is safely ensconced.
At 3pm, Fabius goes to the inn, nodding to the "hidden" guards on his way past. The rest of the group discuss the plan and agree to meet at Quay Three. Victor and Merkel want to know where their "keys" are, and Fabius ensures Sister Sarah knows the plan before leaving.
"Tomorrow at first light" he calls out as he strides off.
The next morning, at the crack of dawn, Elena (rescued servant of the Astigi Beggar King) is sent to scout. She returns 15 minutes later with some troubling news.
"The King's Guards are back in town. Able has a price on his head – 1000 silver. I saw some men knifing a black man down the street. It wasn’t Able, I saw him too, lounging by a corner about half way to the quay."
"Are the guards outside?" asks Fabius.
"Oh yes, I saw them too," responds Elena.
With that, Fabius asks Elena to go to Quay One and meet them at the punt. He gathers Justina and Florinda and they exit. They walk past the guards (Florinda not looking at them) and toward the quay. Half way Able falls in behind the three of them some 20m back, looking for followers. None.
Another few minutes and they reach the quay and the punt where Velito is happily making himself a cup of chicory. He has loaded the punt with fresh vegetables.
We climb on and get ready to go.
"Dis is easy" states Velito with a bead of perspiration rolling down his forehead as he loses control of the large punt having pushed it too far out into the river.
"Watch it" calls a very nervous Fabius who has gone white and is gripping the side very tightly.
"It ok – si si" says a relieved Velito as he finally brings it under control.
We head our way to Quay Three and amazingly there are the rest of the group, who also board. We make our way up the river past several more quays until we reach the River Gate to the University.
Lady Florinda is out of sight as we dock the punt. Fabius jumps off, relieved to be on solid ground, while BJ, Hawkeye and Merkel unload vegetables.
Able stays out of site having only recently been informed by Fabius that there is a price of 1000 silver on his head (for impersonating a centurion). Hawk-eye and BJ perk up with this information and stare at Able as menacingly as they can.
Behind the closed gates are two kings' guards, clearly here to stop Florinda entering.
"We have vegetables for the Rector!" calls out Velito "Get the servants."
They are briefly stopped by the guards, who search Justina before realizing she is not the Lady Florinda.
The last of the vegetables are taken through the gate which is closed. Fabius and Justina head off to see Rector Pablo Cassals and explain what is happening.
They get four university passes and then wander around the university noting there are three other gates, all with four Kings' guards on them each. They then leave and head back to Quay One, where hopefully the punt is.
Velito, with some trouble, has managed to get the punt back to he quay. Once Fabius returns we begin to hatch a plan.
After much debate, disagreement and contrary banter we decided on the following:
- We will undertake the same trip with vegetables each morning for three mornings
- On the third morning one of the servants will enter the barge (to get vegetables) and will swap with Florinda who will be dressed like a servant
- Fabius will be ready to create a diversion in need by trying to enter the gate again
- Velito will be offering the guards chicory tea each morning
The one issue with this plan was the servants' clothes were not adequate to hide Florinda's fine figure. They would need more loose clothing with hats. To remedy this, Fabius and Justina went back to the University and confided in the Rector what the plan was. They also requested that for the next three mornings the servants wear looser clothing and hats, and that they be of slightly smaller frame.
On the third morning, one of he servants was to go onto the punt and into the cabin, and would hide there.
Over the next few days, we did exactly as planned. Velito was getting the hang of the river, and Able remained on the punt, fearing for his life. The king's guards became more used to us, and even took chicory from Velito. The servants were dressed exactly as we wanted.
On the third morning, we again travelled without incident back to the River Gate. The gates opened and the servants came out to collect the vegetables, while Velito served the guards a warm cup of chicory and chamomile tea. On the last run of collecting vegetables, a servant entered the punt's cabin and Florinda took his place.
She stepped off the barge carrying the vegetables, while Fabius stood by ready for action. She then walked toward the gate, past the guards and into the university.
We all looked at each other – perplexed – concerned even – our plan had actually worked !
Still caught in the moment, Velito pushed off from the quay but this time was overly zealous and the punt went sideways into the current. The punt rocked dangerously, Fabius vomited and cried in terror like a small child until Velito, covered in sweat, righted the punt and took us home.
[ Had Able fallen in, he is in heavy armour and can not swim... ]
Fabius stood up, wiped vomit from his beard and smacked Velito.
Velito and Able decide to sleep on the punt. Fabius, Hawkeye and Sister Sarah, that afternoon rode to the university to see the Rector and check up on Lady Florinda. After Sarah is searched by the guards they are let in. Fabius has Florinda's chest strapped on the back of the horse.
They see the Rector and are taken to Lady Florinda, who is working in the kitchen. We take her aside and make sure she is alright before getting down to economics. She has the equivalent of 100 silver coins in her chest. Florinda asks us to give 35 to the rector for fees for studying and board. The rest is our pay.
Fabius pays the Rector and returns.
We now have 165 (including the money we got from the Beggar King's safe)
This is divided :
BJ 5 (he's only been with us a few days)
Hawkeye 5 (also only been with us a few days)
Sister Sarah 5 (also only been with us a few days)
Able 20
Merkel 20
Fabius 20
Velito 20
Luigi 20
Victor 20
That leaves 30 silver coins to donate to the church (as Fabius thinks anyway). We also have the crystal vial with red liquid.
Over the next couple of days, we ensure the five ladies-in-waiting get into the University safely. The King's guards have no interest in them.
Our job is done…… or so we think…… that damned spear!
BJ and Victor have started having shared nightmares again. This time they dreamed that Sylvia was dancing on the wagon at the Bishop's manse but this time with the spear in her hand and flames about, dead bodies strewn on the ground.
"We should go and check," says Victor with a spark of red in his eyes.
"That’s a good idea" agrees BJ
"Yeah" says Merkel.
"Ok, lets go" agrees Sister Sarah.
"I can't go," says Able, "I need to hide."
"I'm not leaving Luigi," Fabius snorts.
"Si si – I look after Luigi too," chips in Velito.
"Well, we go," says Merkel and Victor together, and with that, the intelligent part of the group heads off to the manse.
After a couple of hours, they arrive to see the gates blown outward and smoke coming from within. As they slowly enter through the gates, they see dead bodies strewn across the ground, and the wagon at the centre with smoke coming from it. There is no sign of Sylvia or, indeed, the spear.
They quickly check he bodies for signs of life. None, but BJ does spot a set of undamaged lorica squamata (studded leather, 2pt) and decided he will have that, beginning the laborious task of removing it. He was so focused that that only Hawk-eye and Victor saw Sylvia come from the guard tower, Geryon' spear in hand.
"Do you know who Geryon is?" asks Sylvia rhetorically. "I keep hearing his name in my head."
"He's an evil pagan god," Victor replies nervously now the spear is pointed toward then.
"Evil?!" Sylvia curses throwing the spear to the ground (successful Arcane Defense roll).
"Yes, evil," confirms Victor, "and don’t touch that spear – it takes control of you."
"We should get out of here," says a nervous Hawkeye.
"We can't leave the spear here."
"What do we do with it?"
"Wrap it up."
"And take it where?"
"To the prophet in Astigi," says Victor. "He said he could destroy it."
At his point BJ looks up grunting as he continues to remove the armor. "Let's see what Luigi says – meanwhile let's wrap that thing up and get out of here"………….
No comments:
Post a Comment