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TOPIC: Anglo Saxon Chronicle Season 3 - The Crusades

Anglo Saxon Chronicle Season 3 - The Crusades 8 years 11 months ago #313

  • Eomak
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Timeline: Season 3
1094 - Alexios of Byzantium calls for aid against the Seljuk Turks encroaching into Byzantine lands.
1095 - November - Pope preaches for crusade at council of Clermont to capture Jerusalem. On the way they will travel thru Byzantine territory & defeat the Seljuk followers of Islam.
1096 -November - Events in season 2 - The dying land.
December - The first snows of winter begin to fall heavily across the north. Our heroes return thru undead infested lands to Oakthorpe & the Elven tower. Luckily in some ways the snows of winter prevent more than a few undead reaching the outskirts of Oakthorpe & they are quickly despatched by the fyrd. Upon seeing the recording of the crystal ball given to Septimus, master Auralius is sent into a whirlwind of activity. Despite poor travelling conditions & advanced age, Master Auralius sets off for London & the court of King William II accompanied by the heroes.
December - Godfrey of Bouillon contingent arrives at Constantinople
1097 - Throughout 1097 Master Auralius & co travel to all of the major kingdoms of western Europe, trying to find help to battle the Titan.
March - Robert of England's contingent arrives at Constantinople
April - Raymond of Toulouse contingent arrives at Constantinople
May - After the leaders of the crusader army swear fealty to Emperor Alexios & agree to turn over all captured territory to the Byzantines, the crusaders are ferried across Bospherus & lays siege to Nicaea.
June - After the Crusaders defeat several attempts by Seljuk forces to relieve the city the siege of Nicaea is successfully concluded on the 19th.
July - Battle of Dorylaeum. A combined force of Seljuks of Rum & Danishmandids are defeated by the numerically superior Crusader force.
August - Crusaders capture the city of Iconium. Meanwhile an Anglo Saxon fleet in Byzantine service captures the port of Latakia from Banu' Ammar of Tripoli.
September - Crusaders capture Caesarea Mazacha
October - Crusaders capture Marash. A week later they lay siege to Antioch.
December - Crusader defeat Saljuk forces led by Duqaq of Damascus at al-Bara.
1098 - February - Byzantine army led by Alexios himself advances to Philomelium, Byzantine general Tatikios withdraws his men from the siege of Antioch & rendezvous' with the Emperor at Philomelium.
Cruaders defeat a relief army of Seljuks under command of Ridwan of Alleppo at Lake Antioch.
March - Count Baldwin of Boulogne creates county of Edessa as an independent Crusader kingdom renouncing his oath to turn conquered territory over the Byzantine Emperor.
June - Antioch falls to crusader army but the citadel remains in Muslim hands.
June 14th. Peter the Hermit "discovers" the Holy lance in the ruins of Antioch. Spurred on by religious fanaticism the Crusaders destroy a final relief army of Seljuks under the command of Kur Bugha of Mosul. A day later the citadel of Antioch surrenders & every man, woman & child is put to the sword by hysterical Christian soldiers who claimed an Army of Angels helped them win the battle against Kur Bugha.
Season 3 - The Crusades. Our heroes are called before the King & his council in closed session.
December - Ma'arat al nu'man falls defenders massacred by crusaders reports of cannibalism & torture
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Anglo Saxon Chronicle Season 3 - The Crusades 8 years 10 months ago #350

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It has been eighteen months, eighteen long months with Wolfgar, Madaolf, Tanith and of course Septimus. I should have stayed with Petranella, but Master Auralias insisted I join the others and we would make up his personal bodyguard as he needed to travel round the kingdoms of Europe. I have seen much of the world and more than most people see in a lifetime. I feel my life is slowly being robbed from me. When I should be home with my wife I am out with the boys. Now this may sound like a jolly caper to you, not being home with the wife but out with the lads on a tour of Europe, but let me remind you of my comrades in arms.

The affable Wolfgar, he and I get along very well as we are so alike, happy go lucky type of guys, but Wolfgar does not like the cities, he enjoys the travelling between them. Having to let his Wolf go was probably the hardest thing he has had to do, and he has not formed another bond with another creature yet. So when we are in the city he mopes about and is lethargic and is little in the way of fun.

Madolf, is still as mad as a bag of hammers. He is almost opposite of Wolfgar, you think a barbarian would enjoy the outdoors, but Madolf seriously enjoys the cities and I believe, (Septimus and I did work it out once) that he can drink his own body weight in ale in a day, which he does regularly he seems to make it a personal challenge. We arrive in a city Madolf goes off and he turns back up when it is time to leave. He now has his own STD named after him “MadPox” and this has to be treated with a course of lead medicine, Madolf being patient zero seems to be immune but infects every female he meets on a personal basis if you catch my meaning. On the upside Septimus earns some coin by selling the cure. What goes around comes around is a good way to describe Madolf’s purse.

Tanith has loosened up considerably but he is still annoying and devout in his beliefs. He like Madolf dislikes the travelling and enjoys passing his time in the cities in quiet contemplation of his false god. The closest he comes to drinking is holy communion (I think that’s what he calls it). Anyway Tanith has not changed much.

Then there is old bossy boots himself, Septimus. Even though I am a free man, a man with land and a wife he seems to be unable to grasp this concept and even more inexplicable I seem to still do his bidding feeding his delusion. “Kyrias, take my washing to be cleaned”, “Kyrias, you have been neglecting your cleaning duties”, “Kyrias where is my breakfast”, “Kyrias the bath is not going to fill itself”. He does have his moments though and we have enjoyed a fair few evenings in an Inn. But not as many as red blooded males should.

We are now the closest I have been to home in months, we are in London. Master Auralias’s search is now over and I am hoping our return to Oakthorpe will not be much longer. An outbreak of MadPox has broken out and Septimus is getting rich off the cure.

We have been called to escort the Master to visit the King. Once we found Madolf we quickly realised it was going to take two days for him to sober up so Septmus has put a tonic down his throat and we are hoping he can hold it together for a few hours.

We are standing outside the chambers, and we are very bored now. The only thing keeping me going is getting out of these lunatics company, and getting back to Petranella.

Well that went well!!!

Where to start, where to start.

Okay we were standing outside the king’s chambers when we were invited in to see the King. The King and Master Auralias were talking in French but Septimus and I can both speak French and the Master knows that so I am unsure as to why. Anyway the King looks at us and says

“You say these are they?”

“Yes my liege, these are the warriors, soldiers, heroes, men you have heard about”

“These” he points vaguely in our direction “are men?”

“Yes my liege”

“Very well.” He then addresses us directly. “Master Auralias as I am sure you are aware has worked tirelessly these last eighteen months and has found out some information in our quest to purge these lands of the Titan” he takes a sip of his wine, a course of action a man less comfortable in the protection he has may not have taken as Madolf is eyeing the contents of cup up with more than a little interest. He is sniffing the air and licking his lips, a bead of sweat trickles down his face. Tanith’s hand reaches out and joins Wolfgar’s holding onto the back of Madolf’s armor. “What we require, neigh need is some heroes to collect the Spear of Destiny, from the city of Antioch. A city our Crusaders have recently conquered we are in fact Liberators and those Grapes of Wrath have brought our holy vengeance upon them.”

“Well I wish you well with finding these heroes, sounds like a lot of jolly good fun”

“I hadn’t finished”

“Oh”

“You are the heroes we seek, you Septimus are the traveller, The Outlander who will carry the Spear of Destiny”.

“I am?”

“Yes”

“You sure, it doesn’t sound like something I would do. Does it Kyrias?”

“Definitely not Septimus, people may say many, many things about you, and they do. But a Hero and a warrior carrying a great artifact is not one of them.”

“What!! What do they say about me Kyrias”

“Errr”

“C’mon out with it”

“They say you are a Pumpkin Man, The Wheel that doesn’t turn”

“Oh, not things like that Stranger in our Town, he is a Liberator”

“No Septimus, they are ..”

“Enough!!! Quoting that band of minstrels really!” Interrupted the King, “My brother Robert II, Duke of Normandy has started the crusade and has won a mighty battle and taken the city of Antioch, it is there you will travel.”

“That will take months” says and excited Wolfgar

“No we are going to transport you their directly, you will be there in a matter of minutes.”

“I’ll drink to that” Says Madolf hopefully. Everyone ignores him and Wolfgar looks crestfallen.

Master Auralis speaks.
“Your possessions await you in the travel room. You are to claim the Spear, then find an annotation and then a great artifact to push the Titian back”

“Can we ..”

“That is your job and duty”

“I’ll drink to that?” says a still hoping Madolf.

“My brother will meet you on the other side of the portal, he has only been told of your arrival not your mission. He will provide you with the rest of the items required to succeed in your quest”

“I’ll drink to that” says Madolf in a high pitched voice somewhere between pleading and hoping.

“Oh here you are” and the King passes his goblet to him. Madolf throws the contents down his throat
“mmm not bad”

“Not bad” the King mumbles to himself “two pounds a bottle and he says not bad”

A door opens and they are ushered through.
Master Auralias bids them “Good luck and good fortune”. The door closes behind them and they can faintly make out the voices of the King and Master Auralias.

“What have I done?”

“You have done the right thing setting them off in search of these items”

“Not that, I know that is the right course, but those men, they do not strike me as heroes or finely honed warriors”

“They get results my liege”

“They’d better or…” The voices grew fainter.


“Right then, who is up for a nice portal jump”

“Does it hurt?”

“Yes, I mean no”

“You can tell us, we are heroes.” Says Wolfgar

“The best way to describe it is disorientating”

“That means agonising pain” says Tanith

“Mommy” says Septimus and makes a break for the door, but I was too quick and caught his arm.

“Unless you want to do your own washing, cooking, cleaning and many other manual chores I suggest you follow me Septimus” and with that I dove through the portal.

The world vanished and was replaced by a swirling mist and I spun and spun and felt as if I was being ripped apart, and then put back together all going on at once. I landed in a heap on the floor, the air was so hot and dry and I took a lung full of dust. I got to my feet coughing and spluttering as Septimus came crashing though and instantly emptied the contents of his breakfast (Breakfast for Septimus starts at six and finishes just in time for lunch) all over his toga and the feet of the man standing in front of us. Nice open toed sandals, there was also a pair of feet in shoes but they moved quickly back and missed the disgorging. Looking up at the feet with shoes, they belonged to a man who looked rather like the King so this must be his brother. The open toed sandals belonged to our old friend the Cardinal, the one who had Tanith, Septimus and I imprisoned for a year for heresy. Tanith, Wolfgar and Madolf all arrived and stayed on their feet.

“My brother said we were receiving men on an important mission.”

“These heathens are not to be trusted” Robert looked at the Cardinal “They are blasphemers and heretics”

“But they are the men, my brother sent”

“He must have been deluded…..” this exchange went on for a while, we could tell the Cardinal was still not a fan. However Robert had the good sense to let us continue. Although he did ask a lot of questions about our mission and due to the Cardinals presence ones we did not feel inclined to answer.

“As you will tell me nothing, I cannot help you”

“Er your brother said”

“My brother is not here”

“Oh.” Septimus asked for an audience one on one with Robert and quickly persuaded him to help us and let us go with his logic or Robert just wanted to get away from the smell of sick.

“The Cardinal will see to your needs, take these and put them on” and he handed out some silver crowns,
“They will give permanency to the polymorph”
“To the what?”

“Polymorph, it is a spell that can transform one person into another” said Septimus knowingly

“Magic?”

“Yes, of course”

“Magic like the portal” I asked

“Yes Kyrias”

“Why can’t you do any of this good stuff then?” asked Tanith much sniggering sounded.

“I do, do..”

“Sorry Septimus” said Wolfgar

“Thank…”

“But you really, really don’t do anything useful” continued Wolfgar

“Well why am I here then” asked Spetimus

“A question I ask myself repeatedly”

“Et tu Kyrias, Et tu”

“When you gentle… whatever have finished, I wish you luck”

“Can we have the Spear?”

“Sorry, the spear that provided proof of our assured victory”

“Yup”

“The Spear that pierced the side of Christ”

“Is there another?”

“The Spear that many of the knights now hold reverently in the Christian hearts”

“Sure”

“No”

“I am afraid your brother said I was to have it”

“Really sire this is too much” injected the Cardinal

“My brother said I am to give you the Spear”

“Yes”

“You people, very well. You bring this ma…… ma….. Roman the spear”

“I really must object sire” countered the Cardinal

“Noted but I am leaving before I can change my mind”.

Robert turns and walks away, “M brother must be losing his mind….. A band of legendary heroes he said………. Men harder than cold forged steel………… Men I am sure he said men”

“Drink this” The Cardinal hands us a phial each. We look at it and look at him “If I wanted to kill you, you would be dead already”

Madolf drank his potion, I think he thought it wine or spirit. He stretched and grew and from a dwarf in front of me stood a man the like of which I had not seen before.

“That was strong made me feel all funny, why is my armor so tight” Dwarven sized armor fits badly on a six foot human luckily a set the right size was there for Madolf to don.

We all drank our potions. The pain was excruciating, the stomach cramps, the nausea, every bone, muscle and sinew feeling like it is on fire and ice. That describes badger surprise, but this was a close second.

“Right then you have everything” we nodded, taking in our different forms and moved out following the Cardinal.

The horrendous scene of horror before our eyes, how men can treat other men this way is not believable. We witnessed more barbarity and cruelty in those few minutes than I would in my entire lifetime. I will not go into more.

The Cardinal took us to the edge of the city, to the quartermasters building to get water and final supplies, as soon as we entered I felt it was not right. The Cardinal had delivered us into a trap. I reacted swiftly striking the cardinal and caused him some harm, Madolf backed me up and struck him as hard as he could. The fight was swift and hard and brutal. I believe if these men had been better fed and rested would have won this day. But they weren’t and they didn’t the Cardinal and one of the guards escaped. We grabbed some supplies and made a fast exit.

We had a rough idea where we needed to go and soon found a gate leading outside. It was guarded by three guards. As we now look like the indigenous populace, and that populace is being tortured and brutally murdered we decided against talking our way out.

“I will cast an invisibility spell which will cover us all and we can sneak out”

“Tanith does not know the word Sneak”

“Well Tanith, to sneak means…”

“HE knows the word Septimus it was rhetorical. I meant he can’t do it”

“Course he can, right and ……..” Septimus makes much flourishing and arm waving “Right then we are now covered let’s move quietly”

“But Tanith…..”

“SSSHHH, I may not do much but I do make the decisions. It’s all in your head Tanith, now I want you to believe you can. Can you do that for me” Tanith scrunches his face in concentration.

“We go on three, one…. Stop. Madolf what are you doing?”

“You said we go on three”

“I did so why did you go on one”

“I can’t count”

“But you can understand words”

“On three, right one …Stop.”

“Why did you go this time Madolf?”

“I was preempting the three!”

“Yes but we have to get past two to get to three. Right let’s try again”

“Three” I say and we all start moving, we are all as silent as the night except Tanith Clang, bang Squeek
“Oh really Tanith” Septimus points and knocks out the three guards.

“Why didn’t you just do that in the first place?”

“Didn’t think of it”

We leave Antioch and head off into the desert night.
Last Edit: 8 years 10 months ago by Bane.
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Anglo Saxon Chronicle Season 3 - The Crusades 8 years 10 months ago #351

  • Eomak
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Excellent write up.
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Anglo Saxon Chronicle Season 3 - The Crusades 8 years 10 months ago #354

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To say it has been an interesting day, is a bit of an understatement, we started the day bored and wanting some excitement other than Madolf`s tales of cookery skills and the tales of his time team finds and item reallocations. Kyrias is still making sure that Septimus has not put his foot in it, but he seems tired and maybe the distance between him and his beloved is weighing on his mind, Wolfgar is also quiet but this is more due to his wolf vanishing when we entered London 2 weeks ago.
We are summoned to a meeting with the king (a joke is made regarding Septimus and magic skills?????) And before we know it we are the other side of the world. Then we are given proper magic items to be able to communicate in any language and our appearance altered. The main problem as we found out quickly with this, was that trying to have a conversation (in private about our secret mission) was blown out of the water straight away due to Madolf straight talking attitude and refusal to be underhand (there is hope for him yet to become a crusader of light).
This unfortunately drew the attention of the cardinal who imprisoned Septimus etc. in Rome. We are marched to the church and the last magic effect is applied, this is to change our appearance. Septimus sees the spear in the church and claims it , brandishing it like a tree branch and swinging it wildly , it is just after this time the cardinal leads us into an ambush , we survive just and escape (using Septimus magic) I think the spear has enhanced (sorry wrong word gave him magical ability). We realise we are now our own in this place and head off towards the next town.
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Anglo Saxon Chronicle Season 3 - The Crusades 8 years 10 months ago #355

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Ahh A new perspective. Good supporting story & Tanith displaying a sense of humour??? surely not...
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Anglo Saxon Chronicle Season 3 - The Crusades 8 years 10 months ago #375

  • Bane
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For a nice change we are walking, so far I have walked most of Northern England, Europe and now for a change the Holy land as they call it. Grass and mud has given way to blisteringly hot sand. Our dress is for the heat which is good but Madolf is rocking a socks and sandals combo which is raising some eyebrows, he says even though he looks like a human he is still a dwarf and he promised never to take his socks off till the day he dies and from the colour of them he has been true to his word.

It will take us three days to get to Niceph. On a positive note Wolfgar seems to have embraced this opportunity and has bonded with a Hawk, although there is no dissuading him to give it a sensible name. He is insisting on calling it “Bob” Talking of names we are going to have to take on pseudonyms, in my journal I will refer to us by our normal names but we are now

Madolf = Beligh (means Eloquent)
Wolfgar = Adam (Adam, the first one)
Tanith = Mahfoud (means Protected)
Spetimus = Moktor (means The selected one, and he sure is)
Kyrias (me)= Mulayl (means companion, oh the laughter)

It is nice not to be starving and have provisions on one of our outings, and the other bonus is the lack of Walking Dead™. We are walking and having a conversation,

“What is the first thing you’re going to do Tanith when we get to Niceph” asked Madolf

“I think get in the shade, and have a cool drink”

“I don’t think it will be a cold, Tanith, well not unless you want dysentery” said Septimus

“What do you mean?”

“The water has to be boiled so they drink tea here”

“and wine” said Madolf

“Er, I had rather been hoping to be in Niceph when I told you this Madolf, my old friend”

“Told me what Septimus?”

“In their faith, they are not allowed to drink anything made from hops or grapes”

“Okay but what has that got to do with wine?” asked Madolf

“Madolf you do know what wine is made of?” asked Tanith

“I sure do, red water and the other kind is nearly clear water”

“Er no, it’s made from grapes”

“You’re pulling my leg, I’ve eaten loads of grapes and never got drunk”

“You’ve also, a long time ago admittedly, drunk water and that didn’t get you drunk”

“No, but that was that clear water you guys are so fond of. Wolfgar!! WOLFGAR!!! WOLFGAR STOP PLAYING WITH THAT PIGEON AND COME HERE”

Wolfgar landed Bob the hawk and put the hood on, then came over “What Madolf?”

“You and me are bud’s right”

“Of course, as we all are”

“Yeah and you all like to have a little joke at my expense sometimes”

“Only in jest though, no harm meant”

“Yeah I know that, that’s why I don’t kill you all. But this next question I want you to be truthful, can you do that”

“Of course”

“What is wine made of?”

“I thought we agreed not to tell him till we arrived at Niceph?”

“Don’t look at them, tell me the truth”

“I’m not sure you can handle the truth”

“Tell me” Wolfgar looks round for support, I have seen a fly by Septimus and am busy whisking the air. Septimus has found something far more important in the other direction to look at and Tanith has struck a pose with concentration on his face.

“Gapes?” says Wolfgar Tentively

“Are you telling me or asking me?” replied Madolf, still no support

“Telling”

“It’s okay, thank you for being honest.” Wolfgar looks relived and the atmosphere relaxes.

“Whew, wait till he finds out Ale is made from hops” said Septimus to me

“What?” asked Madolf rounding on Septimus. The fly had moved a good thirty yards on and needed to be swished away so I headed off to do that job. Tanith realising that Madolf was paying him no attention at all, took some long strides and I must admit for a man who said he could not sneak, was amazingly quiet and sat behind a rock in the shade. Wolfgar seeing his opportunity took a step, “You can stop right there, Wolfgar” He froze, Madolf turned his attention back to Septimus “What did you say?”

“Er, KYRIAS!! KYRIAS COME HERE THIS INSTANT”

“Sorry Septimus, I can’t hear you”

“He can’t hear you, now can you repeat what you just said!”

“No”

“Did you not just say that ale is made from hops”

“You know I don’t think I like this comprehend and speak any language things we have”

“Answer the question” Madolf looms, as he is a dwarf no one has ever seen Madolf loom before it is very imposing.

“Maybe I said Gail has gone to the shops”

“Did you say that, Septimus”

“Unfortunately, it is one of my many”

“MANY”

“Yes thank you for your input Kyrias, many character flaws. I cannot tell a lie, distort the truth yes but not lie.” Septimus hangs hoping Madolf will have lost his train of thought , but Madolf motions with his hand for Septimus to continue. “You are going to find out so I suppose, KYRIAS MADOLF HAS A QUESTION FOR YOU”

“Sorry Septimus still can’t hear you”

“He can’t hear you, please continue” That word “please” struck home how important this question was for Madolf, a bead of sweat trickled down Septimus’s face.

“Yes it’s true Ale is made from hops”

“And they don’t drink hops?”

“Ergo no one brews ale. Glad that all sorted ou……..”

“AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH”

A short while later…..
“HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH”

Much much later………. “HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH”

“I must say he took it better than I thought”

“I’m going to find something to punch” Madolf walks off

“Rather better than I expected to be honest”

“Oh decided to come back now have you Kyrias” In the distance the top of a tree shakes and a bleat can be heard. Bleat, Bleat the towering figure of Madolf returns dragging a dazed goat.

After a couple of hours Madolf has not spoken a word and seems to be shaking a little bit.

“You alright Madolf?”

“How can they not drink”

“They have Hookahs instead”

“I’ve had plenty of hookers and I still want to have a drink”

“Not Hookers Madolf, Hookahs with an A” why on earth Septimus thought a spelling would help a barbarian understand is a mystery for the universe to unravel.

“I’ve done plenty hookers in the….”

“Thank you Madolf for that enlightenment” I quickly intercede. “No a HooK HA is smoke drawn through water to give it flavor and sometimes you know they smoke funny stuff”

“What funny stuff”

“Like herbs it is very much like getting drunk”

“And how do you know this Kyrias” asked Septimus eyeing me suspiciously. The debate lasted all the way to Niceph. As soon as we arrived Madolf said,

“Right I’m off to find me a hookah r”

“Which one do you think he meant?”

“Well I’m hoping the ladies as I seem to have brought quite a bit of that medicine with me Kyrias” said Septimus.

The rest of us set off to find information. Septimus starts asking where the closest library is, which I must admit is rather a good idea. It seems pretty common knowledge to everyone but us the place we need to be is Tripoli so we decide to head through Palmgra and Emesa to Tripoli.

“We spoke to one man who had some stone tablets that Septimus informs us are in a forgotten language called Cuneiform and it may be what we seek. Tanith and Wolfgar start the business of haggling.

“I’ll give you five for it” said Tanith

“Ah, my friend why would you insult me this way?” Said the man

“I’ll give you seven” said Wolfgar

“Really, your friend he insult me and you insult me further”

“10”

“12”

“15”

“Kyrias are they bidding against themselves now?”

“Looks that way, here you got any paper?”

“No, only my spell book which has a few blank pages” The sound of tearing can be heard. “That had better not be my spell…”

“Not like you are going to put anything useful on it, is it Septimus?” Stuck for a reply Septimus glares at me.

“20”

“25”

“Really my friends you are too kind, if we can…”

“30”

I go over to the stone and take a rubbing, then I notice a second stone which I appropriate

“225 and that’s my final offer”

“Really you two are the best, I shall just wrap it ….”

“I don’t want it now” said Septimus, the man’s face fell, but ever the opportunist he quickly regained his composure.

“I take you on nice day trip to see ruins, yes, very cheap” We spent the next two days travelling round looking at bits of rock where buildings once stood, Septimus enjoyed it. We needed to press on and get to Tripoli, at the end of second day we went in search of Madolf, I found him and he had had a very nice time, that good I could have tied a piece of string to him and flown him home.

In the morning we set off towards Palmgra the first town we have to pass through on the way to Tripoli, it is a five day journey and Madolf now has a hookah strapped to his back, we notice dust and sand riding high in the sky (nearly as high as Madolf) the crusaders must be moving towards us and we quicken our pace.

Palmgra, small not that friendly, stayed the night and moved on to Emesa another three days travel.

Madolf must have picked up some funny stuff as he is just following us staring blankly into space with the occasional puff of smoke rising into the air, and very strange laughter when he points at stuff no one else can see.

Half a day out of Emesa, Septimus is sorting out Madolf, he has taken his hookah off him and I am now carrying it. The dust cloud that seemed so far away is getting ever larger.

Emesa is a large town, with little in the way of defenses. Whoever picked this local to put a settlement was a smart Ghorayebah, as it is naturally defended from the South by the river and the sides by the mountain, the only way in is through the front, however when it was built they had not taken into account European warfare and sieges. Emesa is full of scholars and the brainy type, so Septimus will stand out like a sore thumb. As we have arrived late afternoon (again, how do we do it) we will spend the night and in the morning board a boat crossing the river.

Septimus is having a conversation with some scholars about the cuneiform tablets and it appears they are a list of inventory, a good job we didn’t pay for them. Madolf has gone for a walk on his own, when suddenly he bursts through the doorway.

“They’ve barred the gates”

“We are leaving by the river? Maybe we should head there now?”

We set off for the dock and find it full of people trying to get onto the boats, hundreds of guards are stopping them.

“I have an idea” says Tanith, we follow him to the repair and beaming he say “Yes, look” he points out a boat with the hull missing, we look at Tanith as if he has something missing. “Look Septimus can cast repair on it and hey presto we have a working boat.”

“Let me stop you right there Robbie Rocket pants. Firstly let’s not forget Septimus is not a particularly good mage. “

“I am stood right here, I haven’t cast invisibility by accident have I?” said Septimus. I continued,

“Mend as he calls it can only repair broken things that have all the component parts together old parts not new. Do you not think if you could just get whatever materials you needed and then cast mend, that if, and I mean if, things could be made that way people would not do everything that way. A pile of wattle and daub, and hey presto a hovel. Cut down some trees and create a boat”

“I just thought”

“It was a good idea Tanith, but Kyrias is right I’m just not that good” We leave the boathouse and make our way down through the crowds. Septimus had been thinking and said “Let’s weigh up our options. As I see it we have two, stay and fight, or try to escape”

“Escape” says Wolfgar, everyone agrees
“Escape it is then, next question how” many options are raised. “ Okay so we have over the wall, Kyrias will go and see how practical that is. Tanith will try and bluff us onto the boat.”

I went up on to the wall, it was well guarded and it was an option, but Tanith is not a good climber and if anyone slipped it would be instant death. This was a no go, I hoped Tanith fared better.

“How did you get on Tanith”

“See the Captain of the guard over there” I looked he was easily identifiable, and I nodded. Wolfgar interjected.

“He said” and pt on an excellent impression of Tanith “I am a great healer, and my friends and I need passage on a boat, then the Captain says. You are a great healer? Yes I am.” Wolfgar is wiping the tears away Septimus and Madolf are propping each other up and and Tanith is very red faced from embarrassment mixed with anger. “Then he says, in that case, You are not to leave twenty foot of me”.

“We will chalk that up to a whoopsy mistake Tanith. This is what happens when you don’t let me do the talking” said Septimus. “How did you get on”

“It is achievable for me but I doubt we would all make it, so it is another closed option”

“Fight it is then” says Madolf looking happy, “Right I’m off to organise some defenses, you come up with a plan”

Sometime later.

“So the plan is to bring them to the docks and pincer them from both sides.”

“Yes”

“This will not end well, but okay”

We waited and after a few hours the crusaders had breached the gate and were ransacking and killing everything they came across. A small contingent entered the docks and was quickly taken out. They were shortly followed by the main group. All I can say is, we fought long and hard, but hardy warriors ready for a fight were too much for us and eventually we were overpowered, but they had sustained heavy losses.

Septimus came up with the idea for a minor illusion where the dead soldiers raise, and hoped this would distract them long enough for us to launch the ships. It was an amazing idea and I congratulated Septimus on it, it’s like dogs you have to encourage them otherwise they give up.

This plan worked and we are now crossing the water.


To be continued.
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MellyMel - Thu 28 Mar - 16:30

i fancy mothership if there is space (get it?) - no actually i really do

Sarge - Thu 28 Mar - 15:00

Galleons players. Sant is running a Mothership RPG one shot tonight as Coriolis is off, come join the fun!

mikeawmids - Thu 28 Mar - 14:37

Perhaps Charlie Rumble will reach Cook Island after all....

Temrane - Thu 28 Mar - 13:07

galleons folks, no game tonight, work calls unfortunately! back next week

MellyMel - Thu 21 Mar - 15:38

i believe some new user(s) are awaiting authorisation. if so please recreate request as i've just deleted the russian bot swarm and your request might be spotted this time.

Inept - Thu 29 Feb - 17:07

Apologies decent guys... Hell has obviously inflicted itself on my van... It's broke. Won't be there tonight.

rhodsey - Tue 27 Feb - 09:09

I can't accomodate two sorry but I'm happy if they want to come and observe for a bit at least then see if there's a game while they are here.

mikeawmids - Mon 26 Feb - 17:36

Two people have contacted club through Facebook page to join a game. Can any of the R2 DMs accomodate two more new players?

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