1. Sir Garrick Kallent (PC) - commanding.
2. Shade, Assassin (PC)
3. Squire Cadwal Fortescue of Holdcut (PC)
4. Sir Hugh Orde of Redditch. Platemail, 2-h sword.
5. Lana Greenvale (f), Bargemistress. calf-trews, emerald long-sleeve tunic if cold. club, dagger.
6. Lisa of Swansea (f), slave girl. collar.
7. Cheryle of Boston (f), slave girl. collar. Garrick's dagger to kill Varuna, if necessary.
8. Countess Varuna (f), slave girl/prisoner. collar, chain, manacles, gag.
(9. Beverly Arleigh (f), daughter of the Baron Melchet Arleigh)
Departure
A little while after dawn on the 2/10/97, a small party gathers on the bank of the Arleigh Stream beside a brightly painted riverboat, not far from the walls of Castle Herdley. The knights - Garrick, Cadwal, Hugh, Sir Edward and Sir Gregor - have cleaned the worst of the night's gore from their burnished armour, while Shade stands in his nondescript commoner's garb. Lana Greenvale has a long-sleeved emerald-green tunic on against the morning chill, while the early morning sunlight warms the bare flesh of three nude slave girls - Cheryle of Boston and Lisa of Swansea in their ornate Herdley slave collars, but otherwise unrestrained, and the third secure in Sir Gregor's grasp - the Countess Varuna Herdley, looking shocked and disconsolate, tears in her eyes. Her lustrous black hair is now sheared short and lightened with lemon juice, her wrists manacled behind her back, and her mouth firmly gagged with a sort of leather and wire ball, pierced with breathing holes.
Sturdy Sir Hugh Orde, 'the Bear of Redditch', nods affably to Sir Garrick, Cadwal and Shade. He passes Shade two more of the slave gags, a leather whip, and three slave hoods of black leather, his face showing slight distaste at the objects of bondage.
Hugh: "Good morning Sir Garrick, Cadwal, Shade. We took these - things - from the castle. Sir Edward told me to give you them, for posing as a slave trader - only to be putting them on the girls in case we're stopped on the way by Herdleymen. The hoods will hide their faces."
Sir Hugh pauses and looks over the naked women appreciatively for a moment. Then he frowns slightly, and speaks loudly enough for all of Sir Garrick, Shade, and Squire Cadwal to hear.
Hugh: "Sir Gregor had Varuna well gagged in the pantry, but I still heard her cries through the wall... He did more than shear her in there. She'll be better off with us, I reckon. Right?"
His tone is meaningful as he exchanges a significant look with Cadwal, Shade and Garrick, presumably a warning to the other men not to treat Countess Varuna as Sir Gregor Caskeham has just been doing.
Then Sir Hugh steps back as Sir Edward Kallent steps forward to address the little gathering:
Edward: "My friends, we have won a great victory. Now it is time to secure that victory. As I speak, our doves are winging their way to Castle Kallent with the news. The Earl has already raised the Bannermen - at the news, five hundred swords will be marching on Herdley within the day. But for now we are still few, and we cannot know when our army will reach this castle, so Varuna must be taken safely back to Kallent lands, far away from King Yrag's greedy grasp."
He turns to the slave girls, Lisa and Cheryle.
"You two have endured much horror at her hands. I set you both to guard her, to see that she comes safe back to Kallent. Do this and we will find a place for you at Castle Kallent, perhaps in Sir Garrick's personal service, or if not there, then at least the kitchens. In either case, never again will you be taken against your will. You have my word as a Kallent."
Lisa and Cheryle look nervous at his words, but nod in agreement. There is a barely audible derisory "*hmmf!*" from Sir Gregor at Edward's promise to spare the girls from molestation. Sir Edward ignores it.
Lisa speaks, eyes humbly downcast: "Yes, my lord. Thank you, my lord."
Cheryle: "We'll not let you down."
As she speaks, Cheryle of Boston casts a vengeful glare at the Countess Varuna, giving the impression that Cheryle's guardship of her may be safe, but is unlikely to be very pleasant.
Sir Edward nods.
"Good. Very good. Now before I tell the fair Lana Greenvale to cast you off, any last questions?"
________________
"None that i can think of, Shade, Cadwal anything you have to say before we cast off? If not then let us be on our way, we have a potentially difficult and dangerous journey ahead of us and i will feel a lot happier once we are back in Kallent".
ReplyDeleteSir Edward nods to Garrick.
ReplyDelete"Aye, indeed."
Edward turns to Sir Cadwal:
"God's speed, cousin."
Then he turns to the brutish Sir Gregor, who is now idly fondling the Countess Varuna's bare breasts, and motions to him. Gregor nods and propels Varuna over to Shade, handing the commoner the end of the Countess' iron collar chain with a lecherous wink.
Gregor: "Right little goer, this one..."
Countess Varuna gives Shade a plaintive look over the gag.
Sir Edward sighs: "Thank you, Gregor."
He turns back to Garrick and Cadwal, his face grey with exhaustion.
"Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to see if I can catch a couple hour's sleep. Best of luck to you all."
Sir Hugh takes his cue and lightly pats Lisa and Cheryle on their bare bottoms, sending them scurrying up the gangplank with the knight following rather quickly. The rest of you follow in boarding, and Sir Edward Kallent waves you goodbye before departing with Sir Gregor Caskeham back through the trees.
Lana Greenvale watches them go, looking thoughtful. "I wonder if we'll see him again..." she says softly, almost to herself. Then she turns to the men: "Okay then, let's get to work."
Cheryle of Boston moves over to Shade, and points to Varuna's collar chain:
"Sir, I could take that, look after her while you work?"
Under Lana's direction you are soon cast off and moving downstream at a good pace, carried by the current. The morning sun shines down brightly on the shining water. None of the crew have had very little sleep, and are soon yawning.
Lisa of Swansea closes her eyes, enjoying the feel of the sunlight playing on her skin, then looks to Sir Garrick: "Mmm... It's good to be out of that castle. I'm just going up to the front - the prow - going to lie down and sunbathe a little. If that's ok, sir?"
Standing at the tiller, Lana turns to the others and calls out:
"No point raising the mast before the Earlshurst bridge, only have to take it down again. Any ideas on how we approach the bridge guards? I hope we get lucky again, but..."
She shrugs.
(Let me know what you're doing, who is going below decks, etc)
Garrick turn to Lara "You know these waters better than any of us so please excuse my ignorance, i have a few questions to ask of you"
ReplyDeleteGarrick waits a few seconds before ploughing on with his questions
"How long will it take us to get to Earlshurst Bridge and how quickly can we raise sails? I have an idea but being ignorant on these matters i do not know if it will be possible, What if we were to let the majority of the men rest now, and a little way before the bridge we all manned the poles and gathered as much speed as is possible, then immediatly after clearing the bridge a few raise the sails while the others continue with the poles, How much speed do you think we would be sailing, Faster than a galloping horse? could we outrun the bridge guards? or do you think our best bet is to let you do the talking again and try to talk our way through, if the latter we can always give you a pouch of gold to try and sweeten any negotiations if you feel that is needed"
Lana looks thoughtful as she hands the tiller off to Sir Hugh and unbuttons her tunic.
ReplyDelete"It's only a mile to the bridge, Sir Garrick - twenty minutes now, maybe less. You think we should pick up speed, aim to sweep through rapidly? We could do it, though tricky not to hit the bridge. But when we didn't stop they'd likely fire at us from the bridge-top, at least one volley. And personally I'm still hurting from the raiders' quarrels..."
She rubs her Sweetrede-healed flank.
Lana: "I'd have to say talk, then gold. Better the risk than the sure thing."
Delete"With a skilled crew I can raise the mast and sail in a few minutes. But with you lot, well..."
DeleteShe grins, removing her tunic and casting it to one side.
"Thank you for your council, as i said you are better educated in these matters, it would seem our best course of action is for you to try and talk our way past the guards with a possible bribe if need be"
ReplyDeleteGarrick turns to the two knights
"Better get below with the girls, stay alert, we will keep the same signals as before try to keep movement to a minimum, i do not want any noise until we are way past the bridge"
Garrick motions for Lisa and Cheryl to come to one side and positions himself with his back to the rest of the crew
"Lisa, Cheryl, i pray we get back to Kallent, but there is a chance we may not, if this happens can i trust you to do what is necessary?"
Garrick carefully removes his dagger from its sheath and passes it to Lisa,
"Only as a last resort, if we above deck are dead or captured and they start down the step to below, take the countess, and yourselves if you feel capture is more than you can endure"
With the last said he turns back to the rest of the crew
"Let us be on our way all haste, i long to feel the lush green meadows of Kallent beneath my feet and the warm embrace of my wife again"
Lisa takes the knife gingerly, but looks distinctly dubious at the prospect of killing Countess Varuna, or herself: "Umm..."
DeleteCheryle turns to Lisa, hand out:
"Give me the knife, honey. I can do it - kill her, I mean. Not you or me!"
Lisa nods, and hands her the knife with a relieved expression; Cheryle turns back to Sir Garrick, and nods.
"You can count on me. Sir."
Cadwal looks forward to the boat ride even a little exersice at Earlshurst Bridge.
ReplyDelete"Why don't we just jog on ahead and brush the Hurdley dross from the bridge?"
"It'll save our lovely skipper lots of boat gymnastics..."
Sir Hugh grins at Cadwal's words, gripping the hilt of his greatsword.
Delete"Aye, I'd rather be fighting in armour, than posing as a boatman! But I don't know this land, and I was below decks on the way here. What say you, Boatmistress?"
Lana looks uncertain.
"Well... the north bank is open, unwalled. I could drop you off in the rushes on the north bank, just out of sight. Perhaps you could sneak up, take the bridge by surprise and hold it while we punt underneath, then jump from the bridge, back into the barge... Very risky though. They'll have archers at the north gate, right by the bridge. In daylight they'll spot us and we'll be shot at, surely. At night, though... hmm..."
Lana looks thoughtful.
"If we wait here till nightfall, you'll all have a chance to rest - I'd rather have a fresh crew. In the darkness I think we could take the bridge, get through perhaps without even being seen. And even if the Gate archers spot us, they're likely to miss in the darkness... aye, it's a good plan. I can put us to there, ahead, to rest till nightfall..."
Lana points to a sheltered cove on the north bank, willow trees trailing in the water, with meadows visible in the distance. You can see a few sheep grazing the meadow, which might indicate that Odric's raiders and the war have not yet reached this far.
Lana:
"You have my vote, Sir Cadwal. I just ask that if ye can, you knock out the Herdleymen instead of killing them. I know some of them - their lords may be evil, but most of them are just regular folks."
Sir Hugh grunts noncommittally, rubbing a thumb on the edge of his blade.
GM: Let me know if you follow Cadwal & Lana's suggestion to rest in the cove for now, then storm the bridge at nightfall.
ReplyDeleteBTW the Herdley soldiers and the raiders who shot at you on the river had "Herdley crossbows":
ReplyDeleteHerdley Crossbow: This is a slightly improved light crossbow used by men-at-arms, brigands etc. FR 1 damage 1d4+1/1d4+1.
Better than the usual 1d4 damage of a standard light x-bow, but still nowhere near as good as a bow (FR 2 1d6/1d6).
"Yes, it makes sense to sneak past at nightfall rather than the middle of the day"
ReplyDeleteGarrick turn to Lana
"i do not suppose you know the time of the guards shift change do you? if they were to change guards during the night that also could give us a further advantage"
Lana nods as Garrick supports the plan, and has the boat brought into the cove she spotted, tying off to pair of willow trees. You're less than a mile from Earshurst here, but it seems peaceful enough - there are trees here lining each side of the river so you can't easily be seen from the land, though someone passing by on the river itself would spot you easily enough.
DeleteLana shakes her head at Garrick's query.
Sir Hugh proffers his advice:
"Midnight is the usual time for shift change, they go by the church bells. Were you thinking we'd strike just before midnight, when they're most tired?"
Hugh scans the river upstream and down.
"I think we can keep our armour on today while we rest - dulled and with tabards it's not so obvious; and if we're stopped we can claim we're hired guards for the cargo? I don't fancy being skewered by Herdleyman or brigand for want of steel on my chest."
Lana looks a little uncertain, but nods.
"Okay, I'll take first watch with Shade. The rest of you catch some sleep below."
GM: You settle down to rest in shifts, the warm early-autumn sun beats down, it's very restful and peaceful on deck. Belowdecks in the hold the smell is not so great after twenty nights spent two days there, but at least there are plenty of bedrolls. Around lunchtime Sir Hugh leads Countess Varuna up on deck so she can relieve herself off the side, then takes her back below where he removes her gag and manacles so she can eat and drink, but keeping her under close watch. Varuna rubs her wrists, regarding him darkly, but drinks eagerly from the water flask he proffers. She nibbles a little bread with a distasteful expression. Then Hugh lets Cheryle of Boston re-manacle and gag Varuna, which she does with considerable satisfaction.
ReplyDeleteTime passes... It's mid-afternoon, and most of the crew are sleeping belowdecks, Cheryle is keeping close watch on Varuna while Lisa, Shade and Sir Hugh are sleeping. Garrick and Cadwal are now keeping watch up top, much refreshed after their rest, while Lana Greenvale is sunning herself lying on a bedroll near the stern, enjoying the dappled sunlight that filters down through the willow branches.
She seems half-asleep. At this point, Sir Garrick and Squire Cadwal spot a large boat approaching from upstream, unmasted, drifting lazily on the current and turning in a slow circle. A trail of crows is following the boat, a sign of carrion, and at first there seems no sign of life - a body, a helmeted soldier, lies slumped half over the prow, a crossbow quarrel protruding from his back. But as the boat gets closer you see at the tiller an auburn-haired woman, attractive, mid-thirties perhaps, wearing an ornate blue nobles' dress heavy with frills and ruffles, but now rent and torn. A pearl necklace glistens at her throat. She is struggling desperately but ineffectually with the tiller as the boat drifts closer.
Finally she looks up and spots you, waving and calling out plaintively:
"H-help! Please, help me!"
On the rear deck Lana's eyes blink open and she rises, yawning.
Garrick quickly turns to Lana
ReplyDelete"do you recognise the boat or woman at the tiller?"
he grabs hold of Cadwals elbow
"Wake up the men, i fear this may be a ruse to catch us off guard"
Lana stands, looks to Garrick and shakes her head.
Delete"No, I don't recognise her. But that's an Arleigh accent. Aristocrat, I'd say."
(I'll take it) Cadwal goes below to wake Shade and Sir Hugh.
As the boat gets closer, you can see there are bodies littering the deck - soldiers.
Suddenly the woman shrieks as one moves, then lurches to his feet. Drying blood crusts the hair and head of a fair-haired young man in chain hauberk, the Golden Falcon emblem of the Royal Domain on his tabard. He groans, touching his head.
With terror in her eyes, the auburn-haired woman releases the tiller and throws herself over the side. She disappears under the water.
Lana mutters: "That dress looked like it could drag her down..."
A moment later the woman resurfaces, now bare-shouldered and sans dress, and starts trying to swim in your direction, not very well. The tawny-haired young soldier is still standing on the other boat, groaning and looking dazed. The woman in the water and the drifting boat are both now close to your position, and it looks as if the current may carry her past before she can reach you.
Lana grabs a rope to throw to the woman, but pauses, looks to Garrick: "Should I throw her a line?"
Hit Points - you recover 1 hp for rest.
ReplyDelete"Yes Lana, throw her the line"
ReplyDeleteGarrick rushes to the entrance to below decks
"Bring Ranged, we have a foe we need to dispatch quickly, Damn! This boat floating downriver is going to ensure that sentries are sent, we might have to break cover early"
(Does the youth look like he has spotted us, and how far away is he?
Lana throws the line, the woman catches it and Lana starts hauling her in. The boat is now within 40' as it drifts past. The young Dunfalcon soldier standing on it still looks dazed, but he has noticed your ship now, and regards you dully. Shade, Cadwal and Sir Hugh come up on deck; Hugh moves to help Lana get the woman aboard, while Shade & Cadwal have their bows.
ReplyDeleteGM: Let me know by tomorrow if Shade & Cadwal shoot the Dunfalcon soldier; if I don't hear anything I'll take it they follow Garrick's order to do so.
The auburn-haired woman reaches your boat and Lana & Sir Hugh swiftly haul her out of the water, now naked but for a black silk loincloth and considerable jewelry - necklace, ear-rings, bracelets and rings.
ReplyDeleteThe woman - http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YLFZLc5thRw/UfzjI9OfNYI/AAAAAAAAA3k/3NDw_31eWWg/s1600/Beverly+Arleigh.jpeg
Sir Hugh helps her over the rail and onto your deck.
She gasps: "I'm Beverly - Beverly Arleigh. My father will reward you well..."
DeleteCadwal will not shoot the soldier 'Darned unsporting Sir!'
ReplyDeleteAs the lady is safe ( he did think of jumping in to save her plate mail be bugg
Sir Hugh Orde nods in agreement at Cadwal's words, his face dark, and gestures to Shade to stand down:
ReplyDelete"Aye, it's not right to shoot a man down like a dog. Save the arrows for deer, and orcs."
The boat is now well past you on the river, not far from a bend that will take it out of sight. The young soldier has been scanning the corpses scattered on the deck. Now he starts to make his way to the tiller.
Sir Hugh Orde turns away from watching the drifting river-boat to attend to the auburn-haired woman, Beverly Arleigh. Wet and half-naked, she's shivering despite the warmth of the day, perhaps from shock. Seeing Sir Hugh looking appreciatively over her body, Beverly Arleigh blushes and looks down, her slender hands going to cover her breasts - this draws a wry smile from Lana Jameson, who's topless as usual.
ReplyDeleteBeverly speaks again, in aristocratic tones: "Th-thank you for rescuing me. We - we must reach Earlshurst, warn them. The Dunfalcon have taken Etting! My husband Sir Samuel Etting is lord there - was lord there. I fear he's dead, and my boy..." She sobs pitiably. "Samuel sent me away with the jewel-chest, to the boats - but the Dunfalcon soldiers pursued us. Their boat caught us just before the Kalton bridge. Some of their men got onboard. There was a battle... but their boat hit the bridge, ours got through. The men were killing each other, until - I hit the last Dunfalcon man with the boat-hook. I thought I'd killed him... until... you saw just now." She looks downstream.
"We should recover my jewel chest and get to Earlshurst, inform the Mayor. My father is the Baron Melchet Arleigh, lord of Bury St Farlan. The most powerful man in all Herdley. He'll reward you well."
Sir Hugh Orde exchanges a meaningful look with Cadwal and Garrick - according to her account, this Beverly is the daughter of Melchet Arleigh. Melchet is the second most senior noble in Herdley, after the Countess Varuna - he's the biggest threat remaining to Kallent's ambition to take Herdley for herself.
Central Herdley page - http://smonsyggsburgh.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/central-herdley.html
"Do we make a break for it now and hope the bridge guards are busy with them and we can just get waved past? or do we stick to our plan of waiting until darkness, if Dunfalcon hold the bridge we could end up being captured, Shade can you go ashore and scout ahead to see who holds the bridge?"
ReplyDeleteGarrick removes his travel stained cloak and places it around the shoulders of the noblewoman and sits her down on the deck
Delete"Do not worry my lady, we will not let those ruffians hurt you anymore"
GM: Beverly says that the Dunfalcon have taken the bridge upstream at Etting, her husband's village - check the map. There is no suggestion from Beverly that Dunfalcon has taken the Earlshurst bridge downstream from you, on your way home to Kallent.
DeleteAfter talking quietly with his men, Garrick chivalrously places his cloak around Beverly's wet shoulders; she wraps it round herself and sits down gratefully atop Lana's soft bedroll (Lana frowns in slight annoyance).
Beverly to Sir Garrick: "I thank you good sir, you are most kind. I... by your armour, you are not mere river-traders?"
"My good lady i cannot tell you much apart that we are guarding a precious cargo that cannot fall into the enemy hands, the war depends upon it"
ReplyDeleteGM: The other boat has now disappeared downstream round the bend in the river. Sir Hugh heads downstairs to the hold where the slave girls are, returning a short time later. He beckons Sir Garrick and the other PCs over to the prow, where they can talk out of earshot of Beverly Arleigh, now attended to by Lana Greenvale, who offers her a drink of water.
ReplyDeleteSir Hugh: "I've put the capture hoods and manacles on all the girls, so this Beverly Arleigh won't recognise Varuna if she sees them. They look like slaves being transported."
He pauses, rubs his chin thoughtfully.
"Sir Garrick, it seems to me that this Beverly is a great prize, also. Her father Baron Melchet is the only force remaining in Herdley that might resist us. She could help end the war - especially now that she's a widow... I think we should take her captive and bring her back to Kallent, along with Varuna."
Young squire Cadwall shakes his head at what he considers less than chivalrous behaviour. One simply can not go around rescuing damsels (especially those of gentle birth) and then kidnap them!
DeleteThe poor ladies jewels are floating off down river, her husband likely dead and you talk of using the poor girl for politics? Not sporting Sir.
"Sir Hugh, The thought had already crossed my mind and there is much to gain by it, Cadwall i share your reservations in this matter but think of the lives that can be saved this way, if we have open warfare with the Arleigh's many nobel women will be widowed and the general populace of both Kallent and Herdly will be greatly diminshed, if that should happen it would leave us open to attack from any one of our enemies, I fear we may have to commit a small evil to stop a greater one being thrust upon us"
ReplyDelete(from Simon)
DeleteSir Hugh looks to Cadwal and sighs, then to Sir Garrick and nods.
"Aye. Taking her could save hundreds of lives - Herdley and Kallent both. Even if Melchet cares naught for her - for he is by all accounts an evil man - her wellbeing could for instance give him an excuse to surrender to us with honour, if he sees that Herdley's situation is hopeless. And if we can subdue Herdley with ease, that may then deter Dunfalcon from warring against us... Then thousands of good Kallent folk would have cause to thank us."