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>>5785267

Walking through marshlands was sometimes mortal, often dangerous and always unpleasant even for goblins. Contrary to popular belief goblins disliked marshlands as much as humans but, driven off the plains and forest by better armed elves, orcs and men they often had to hide there, even then, when they had the occasion they preferred to leave in caverns, forests or hills where they could avoid the stinking marshes. But for the snaga tribe there was no choice, they had to move undetected through marshlands because the main roads were controlled by the accursed imperials and other forces of the so called "good" and the underworld where agents of B'beg the terrible pursued them for their desertion. Of course B'beg considered them vermin and probably was not even aware of their fleeing but local orc chieftains, other goblins, dark elves and evil men who were deprived of their favourite snacks or torture victims must have complained to some middle managers in the colossal organisation of organised evil and those had decided to dispatch some scouts and warriors to kill the renegades. So the snaga tried to hide, ate rarely and some of them fell of exhaustion and were soon devoured by their comrades in true goblin fashion, some got lost in the marshes while following the instructions of their shaman who had his dreams more and more frequently about the location of their target but nothing more. Fortunately the main group survived and was ready to move on.

It was after many weeks, even months that they finally managed to get their hands on what they wanted, a lone shaman wandering in the wilds. Captured in his sleep he was brought before the leaders of the tribe. The old grizzled warchief Shitbag and his now enthusiastic shaman, Dumbgit. His visions guided him towards the faraway lands of Bifuria and precisely towards the place where the spirit of the boy king that their old master ordered to retrieve was hidden. And now they had it, they had the shaman containing the spirit, and it was time to act. Throwing a bucket of water on the green goblin they surrounded him and Shitbag began.

-Is it you who communicates with the boy king ?

The green shaman, realizing where he was looked at all of them and spat at the leader.

-I have nothing to say to you, snaga filth, release me or I shall burn you all with my magics and curse you and your brood ! Yours have no magical powers and displease even B'beg !

The fact that his people was reviled by even goblins that never saw them filled the snaga warchief with rage and he kicked the shaman in the ribs before grabbing him by the collar and telling.

-No, no, no... We have the favour of the Master now, so you will obey us or I shall burrow small holes in your chest and put man eater worms in it. I...

>>5785268

The snaga shaman tried to stop his chief telling him in a timid voice.

-Warchief, maybe killing him is unwise, we need to throw him into a mushroom soup for him to become all possessed first, and then follow the instructions...

The leader nodded.

-Yes, yes, you need to do a ritual to absorb the spirit of the boy king at the place of the shaman, and I know that you never performed it because you had never magic before but we should...

-Actually... No warchief...

-What no ?

-I mean, I can now speak with the Master, but he is very powerful, he takes all the "places" in my possessions if you want, and if we need to absorb the soul of the boy king I will need to stop being able to speak with the Master...

The old goblin had a blank stare at this moment, by all the pointy sticks of goblinkind how could this be so complicated. Would they need to keep this green bastard alive ? He refused it. And even if the Master wanted two centuries of vacations not being able to communicate with him was akin to treason. So he told.

-And what solution do you propose ?

-We could... We could make someone possessed by it...

Some snagas looked around, wanting to be chosen for the task, some even began to tell "me me me, choose me" before being slapped around by their peers.

Shitbag thought, no, it was a bad idea, the position of warchief never existed in goblinkind, only the snagas had it, and it was because their shaman did not have visions and could not lead the tribe, as long as the Master was in vacation Dumgit would not have visions from him and so his position was secure but if another goblin was possessed he would be the new leader of the tribe, and it was to be avoided at all costs. Being possessed himself was out of the question too, being unable to control his own body freaked the old goblin so he decided to tell his tribesmen.

-Silence, you maggots, you think that a king would want to live in your shitty bodies... If we need a boy king we need to snatch the body of a boy, but what race is it ? Hah, no matter, we will try to find one suitable enough. Once he will be here he will lead us...

Of course having a stranger ruling will permit him to be his right hand, allocating the tasks for goblins, this thought made Shitbag smile at his own cleverness, but it was normal, a stupid goblin never lived as long as him, two full decades could you imagine ! The other goblins nodded and agreed with their old leader who was now thinking how to snatch a kid from a human village without being slaughtered by armed humans or adventurers while Dumbgit interrupted his train of thoughts by saying.

-Euuuum... Warchief, I... I think that while we fled the underworld caverns I forgot some mushrooms for the ritual and...

-Do not tell me we will have to come back to the regions that we tried to avoid for so long. That after we lost practically half our number fleeing this place we will have to go back ?

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>>5785269

The pained smile of his shaman comrade made him realize that maybe it was not only beasts, the elements, or illnesses that killed many goblins early, suicide from despair at their compatriots stupidity could be an important mortality cause.

=======================

MEANWHILE IN LOCAL :

After your feast where you boasted about your will to best a boar and you decided that you would be ready to hunt it in three days. Effectively you were a solid man of stout build and of good frankish race, you would not be killed by a mere drop in some cold water. Hot wine, some days in your bed with reading lessons and the sweet attentions of Stacy would probably be not so boring when thinking about your next hunt.
Of course you should catch the boar "par force" by exhausting him with your hounds, all fifteen of them unfortunately since your keep was quite small and you were not a king who could afford several hundred hounds. With a bit of hope you thought that you could corner the beast and then finish it by dismounting your horse and fighting it. It would be beautiful, a true ritual.
This was the true difference between peasants who used traps and bows in their hunts (of small game and if they paid taxes for it of course) and noblemen, who knew that it was more interesting to leave a chance to the beast and take pleasure in the process itself. You still wanted to feel the wind in your hair, hear the hounds, push your horse to it's limits and blow your horn when you see the beast. But still, you had three days to prepare.
Of course you still had to plan your boar hunt, if Ancel could be relied upon to track the beast you would still need beaters to bring the game towards you and canalise the hounds on the good boar (it was not good sport to change the beast that you tracked), and some "piqueurs" with boarspears in case of disorder. Fortunately you had no noble ladies around so your hunt could remain a true hunt between men without the ladies asking for something softer like falconry simply to be included, women were of course the marvel of creation and proof of the existence of God but they were often asking for too much attention.
You could of course take some peasants and guards with you to serve as beaters and piqueurs effectively, even if they were probably not so good, while the servants in charge of your kennels will run with the dogs. Who could ride with you ? Of course Bohémond and Godefroi, Brother Louis has sworn to hunt only lions, as a brother of the Templar order and was delivering a message for you, but maybe some of your councillors would want to do it ? Captain Crumbling was not very good on a horse, Father François was too fat and probably would break the back of his trotter, while you feared for the health of your dear Oldfossil.

>>5785275

But still, you should ask them if they wanted to take part in the hunt, to be polite. Then you had a decision to take, if one boar was tracked per day you should maybe hunt for several days and feasts joyfully. With tents, cooks and everything that you needed to live well in the forest you could take three days or even a week off, to enjoy nature, eat well and kill something with a boarspear. Plus you were in early November, the beginning of boar's mating season, they were especially ferocious at this time.
All these decisions were in your hands. What shall you do ?

>Take some guards as piqueurs and some servants as beaters.
>Ask for young men of your lands to volunteer as beaters while your guards will serve as piqueurs.

>Order to prepare for a day of hunting, you slept outside enough with all your last travels.
>Three days of hunting would be jolly good !
>An entire week dedicated to the activity protected by Saint Hubert would be perfect.

>>5785277
>Take some guards as piqueurs and some servants as beaters.
>Order to prepare for a day of hunting, you slept outside enough with all your last travels.
Welcome back M’lord

>>5785277
>Take some guards as piqueurs and some servants as beaters.
>Order to prepare for a day of hunting, you slept outside enough with all your last travels.
>>5785347
>"Lowborns say M'lord"
We've got peasants among our ranks, that is tragic.

>>5785277
>Take some guards as piqueurs and some servants as beaters
>Order to prepare for a day of hunting, you slept outside enough with all your last travels.
Allons

>>5785277
>Ask for young men of your lands to volunteer as beaters while your guards will serve as piqueurs.
>Order to prepare for a day of hunting, you slept outside enough with all your last travels.

>>5785277
>Ask for young men of your lands to volunteer as beaters while your guards will serve as piqueurs.
>Order to prepare for a day of hunting, you slept outside enough with all your last travels.

>>5785277
Welcome back mon Seigneur!
>Ask for young men of your lands to volunteer as beaters while your guards will serve as piqueurs.
>Three days of hunting would be jolly good !
It will be a glorious hunt.

>>5785448
Behind every lord is a hundred faithful peasants

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>>5785347
Thank you my brave, how is the harvesting season.

>>5785448
Really ? This man is a commoner. His vote will not be counted for this time. If we begin to hear the voices of b*rghers, villeins and other manants our right and proper feudal society will become a fishmarket. (>>5785347 do not worry we are in a tie on your first choice so I choose for the other option, I can accept the advice of fat tuscan bankers when they pay well even if they are of common blood)

>>5785610
Certes.

>>5785967
Thank you good sir, I hope so, there is nothing better than a good boar hunt to raise every spirit in a keep.

>>5785629
>>5785727

You decided that you wanted your servants at work where you needed, you should ask for young men of your lands to volunteer as beaters. Oldfossil shall read an edict in the main marketplaces of your villages about it and encourage some people to come, the more people you could mobilise the easier it will be to catch a boar. You decided to hunt only for a day, you had enough of inns and sleeping outside for travel purporses, a lord must live in it's keep after all.

Speaking of Oldfossil you asked him, with the others, if he wanted to take part in the hunt, he seemed to be very enthusiastic about it and you wondered how he could do it ? He was a frail old man after all and if he rode well he feared the cold and many other things. How would he not lessen your chances of catching the beast, and if he was against a boar you feared for him. But, if he wanted to participate you would not forbid him, the man did so much for your seigneury that you had to admit him.

>>5786305

Your three days of recovery were not so bad, with hot soup, copious amounts of alcohol and the tender care of Stacy you were good as new on the day of the hunt. Dressed in your best hunting clothes, all red and green, with your guardsmen in green to act as piqueurs and not be seen while the commoners dressed in brown tones. You saw, with interest, while you were walking in your courtyard with your men that the old centaur Tobias that lived in the edge of your domain, the fact that he wanted to hunt was a new dilemma for you. Normally he was a commoner, and commoners were not allowed to ride during hunts, they ran with the dogs and helped. But you could not ask him to part with his lower half ? Does a centaur was walking or riding ? Could not his parents choose to lie with man or horse instead of letting themselves caught in debaucheries worthy of the late Carolingians ? Before you could give an answer you were interrupted by Oldfossil who came to you merrily. Instead of his slaw and dignified walk he looked like an excited puppy, moved quickly and looked everywhere around him with an happy eye. He told you.

-Mylord ! I asked all the volunteers from the villages to join us ! It would be a great hunt ! Haha ! I am eager to run like I was a young man again ! It reminds me of the hunts with our good lord Random. Tobias wants to come too, to see how you hunt. Since we would be only four horsemen maybe he could come with us, he can run quite fast.

>Of course, he can come with us, we will need to be three at the center with one rider on each flank when we will begin to run after the boar.
>He can come, yes, but only with the beaters, he is no horseman, well technically he is a horse-man but it is not the same thing.
>Other (write in)

After your answer you decided to mount on your horse on a swift movement and remarked that Oldfossil managed to do the same without the help of a servant, you could not but demand him merrily.

-Oldfossil, it looks like you are twenty years old again ? How is it possible ? Is it the excitation of the hunt ?

-No my lord, it is the "potion of second youth", you know I always loved alchemy and before hunts we used to take this with Lord Random, even if we sleep a lot after it helps for being alert. Of course you should not abuse it and I would not recommend it at your age when you still can go without it my lord.

Intriguing ! You answered him while your other knights were mounting and Bohémond blew the horn to signal that you were leaving the castle like if he was Roland with his oliphant.

-Even in my old age, I will always be wary of alchemists, our family legends tell how my great grandfather was cured by some of them, it costed a lot, they even gave him a remedy made from emeralds pounded to powder but it did not arrange his stomach ache.

>>5786307

The old man shook his head and perhaps even had a thought for your ancestor.

-My lord, there are a lot of charlatans in the profession, personnally I always take the recipies of respected people, for this potion of second youth I take it's recipy directly from the books of the great professor Meph Anfetamin. He invented it for the imperial army during attacks so the soldiers could stay alert for a week.

You could only nod while you crossed the drawbridge towards the village where happy villagers joined your party and you were on the road again, but this time not for travelling but for fun. You looked at your kennel master, a discreet bald man who was solidly built and answered to the name of "haut". He held the leashes of many dogs and was helped by other servants who ran with them.
Haut's dogs were well behaved and even if they were less nurished during the last days to be kept agressive you could see that they obeyed all your orders. Contrary to popular belief hunting dogs were not evil, they were predators of course, that could kill like all beasts eating raw meat but they could behave. Not unlike chivalric warriors like you : ferocious in battle but well behaved at home. And you liked them, always throwing them a bone to chew during a feast or caressing one when you saw one. Haut's dogs were good boys.
Speaking of good boys you knew that Ancel had already been at work in the last days, identifying the dejections of some boars and trying to find them, once in the forest he shall lead the dogs to this place and make them train the beast, then you will try to divide into three groups with hunters, piqueurs, dogs and beaters in each one and try to corner the beast, using your horns to communicate if you saw it to call all the others on your position. It shall be glorious.

When on your way to the forest you drank a bit of wine from your flask and sung some merry songs about hunting. You began with French songs of course and then asked Oldfossil to sing something from India, he told the brave Cop, who had volunteered as a piqueur to sing with him since the man had a good singing voice and then, finally, wanting for more merriment Bohémond, who had heard him sing, asked your guelph spearman, Gardasil, to sing something about a hunt in Italian. The Guelph accepted and even if it was a strange italian dialect his "Guelph song about hunting" that he presented was very beautiful if a bit sad. Of course Orin and Florin, the two short scotsmen that you did not want to bring because of their short legs but who volunteered saying that they were "natural sprinters very dangerous in short distances". They sung something in their dialect too and it seemed joyful. To be sincere, since it was a very good day for early november you regretted that you had not brought Denarius and the Orcadian with you, but you decided to send them to scout the baronial lands during your illness instead. You need to know your enemies movements after all.

>>5786309

So it was with songs, good wines, the caress of the wind on your faces and a beautiful landscape of great plains before an autumn forest dominated by the blue sky and a pale sun whose rays were not too hot on this season. So it was during this happy moment that you remarked a strange thing, your brave Ancel was not waiting you where the roads enter the forest, on the contrary, he was nowhere to be seen. You stopped your horse and tried to look arround you when you head his voice.

-All is rotten here messire ! Beware, in the trees !

You frowned while looking in the direction of the voice. Some kinds of vines were surrounding your brave Ancel and attaching him like ropes ! Tonnerre, who dared to do it ? It was when you heard the melodious voice of a man from a tree. Or more exactly a guelph, a guelph dressed in a tenue of leaves and pelts, who stood on a high branch of a tree and told you.

-Stop right there persecutor of nature ! You kill poor beasts not to feed yourself but to torture them ! Go back were you came from or I will curse you all !

You looked at the pointy eared fellow, and at the trees, and noted that he had many companions, even a female blonde guelph who was only dressed in leaves and very lightly at it. How could she stay warm by this time ? And what a sinful tenue, she should cover herself. But when you were looking at the female Oldfossil, all excited as he was told.

-It is customary to introduce yourself to our lord before speaking to him.

The man on his branch then told in a grave voice.

-I am Aspas druid of the Green Forests and this is Ava, a fellow druid, the rest are my companions. And in the name of the old treaties I tell you to stop.

You thought about throwing a boar spear in his belly to see if he would continue to dare stopping your joyful journey but when you were asking Gardasil for his weapon Oldfossil told you.

-Beware my lord, they are Druids of the Green Forest, protected by our queen, they can preach everywhere since the treaty of Tricked and protect nature, they travel from forest to forest and killing them would be highly illegal.

You looked at your councilor.

-They always try to stop hunts like this ?

He raised his shoulders, fortunately it was your guard, Gardasil that answered you, being a Guelph himself he knew maybe a bit more about these druids.

-These ones, the disciples of Aspas, are real fanatics, most of them are only seeing the forest kin but these, they are some of the worst that exist with the communities of the Hippi valley, but the valley elves are peaceful at least. Damned tree barbarians, they make a bad name for us proper civilised light elves.

>>5786311

You understood that you would have to deal with hours of italian bickering about why all the other city states around them were only savages and decided to focus your attention a new on these pagan priests. You could not kill them ? It was the peak of injustice ! Exhorbitant taxes even on honest noblemen, you lived in France so you understood. Foreign leadership ? It was the case in many places in Christendom and even here in the Bifurian part of Indias with this Guelph rule but to stop an honest nobleman from hunting ! This was below the worst kind of oppression that you heard ! This witch queen was worse than the child killed Herod if she thought that she could oppress her people like this ! Hunting was a privilege of the nobility and you should not tolerate infrigements on your privileges. You looked around you, the peasants looked fearful but your brave Bohémond and Godefroi were scandalised.

>Take the boarspear and throw it right in the druid, he deserves it. (Combat roll)
>"I have nothing to say to pagan priests who sacrifice childs, release my man, disappear into the forest and I will let you live"
>"You try to supplant my justice on my lands ! Get them lads ! Montjoie let us begin the day by killing some pagans and finish with a boar !" (Combat roll)
>"Tell your Ava to cover herself, it is improper to walk half naked in my lordship if you do not want to have to pay a fee. And release Ancel before i impale you upon my spear !"
>"You talk against hunting but you wear animal pelts ? I shall not hear anything from you ?"
>"You captured one of my men and try to stop a hunt, surrender and you will be thrown into my dungeons, or resist and die !"
>Leave for today, you shall return tomorrow.
>Let the peasants leave for a moment, you need no witnesses before butchering this man.
>Other (write in)

>>5786312
>"You talk against hunting but you wear animal pelts ? I shall not hear anything from you ?"
>"I have nothing to say to pagan priests who sacrifice childs, release my man, disappear into the forest and I will let you live"

>>5786305
the harvest is bountiful this year
>Of course, he can come with us, we will need to be three at the center with one rider on each flank when we will begin to run after the boar.
>>5786517
support the rest

>>5786307
>He can come, yes, but only with the beaters, he is no horseman, well technically he is a horse-man but it is not the same thing.
Discrimination is wrong. A peasant is a peasant, not a noble, even if he is a horse. His soul is a commoner's soul.

>>5786312
>"You talk against hunting but you wear animal pelts ? I shall not hear anything from you ?"
>"I have nothing to say to pagan priests who sacrifice childs, release my man, disappear into the forest and I will let you live"

>>5786307
>Of course, he can come with us, we will need to be three at the center with one rider on each flank when we will begin to run after the boar.

>"Tell your Ava to cover herself, it is improper to walk half naked in my lordship if you do not want to have to pay a fee. And release Ancel before i impale you upon my spear !"
>"You talk against hunting but you wear animal pelts ? I shall not hear anything from you ?"
>"I have nothing to say to pagan priests who sacrifice childs, release my man, disappear into the forest and I will let you live"

>>5786307
>>He can come, yes, but only with the beaters, he is no horseman, well technically he is a horse-man but it is not the same thing.

>>5786312
>>"You talk against hunting but you wear animal pelts ? I shall not hear anything from you ?"
>>"I have nothing to say to pagan priests who sacrifice childs, release my man, disappear into the forest and I will let you live"

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>>5786517

>>5786634
Good to know, a good harvest means wealth and food for everyone ! Let us toast to it !

>>5787001
Wisely said, perhaps he could be considered as a very quick footman with a horn ?

>>5787232
>>5787351

You decided to keep the centaur with you, maybe he could be useful, and keeping him with the riders, even if was not allowed to finish the beast could be useful, after all he will be unable to be unhorsed ! Hah !
But despite all of this you decided to make this haughty druid, who probably sacrificed children like in the tales of the old romans that Brother Louis explained you one day, regret his words by ridiculing him and you told.

-You talk against hunting but you wear animal pelts ? I shall not hear anything from you !

The man on his branch seemed outraged, raising his finger in the sky and claiming.

-Earth mother forgive me, but I hunted only to feed myself and kept the pelts as a token of respect for the animals as prescribed by the scriptures of Algore the wise. What you are doing is animal cruelty !

His aides nodded to it and approved with cheers while you struggled to understand his logic.

-I am cruel because I make a boar... Run ?

-Yes ! And now begone from this forest !

Perhaps you misheard it. You were so astonished by his words that you failed to cut his tongue for his insolent tone. Was this guelph not only incredibly stupid but also mad as well ? How was making an herbivore run cruel ? They were running every time, when a deer saw a wolf he ran, when he wanted to move from a place to another he did it too. Why was the fact of making a boar running from dogs and hunters any different. It was nature, as intended by God when he gave men all the animals to reign over. You decided that you had enough and told.

-I have nothing to say to pagan priests who sacrifice children, release my man, disappear into the forest and I will let you live !

It was a generous offer, only because these knaves were protected by the queen you offered them a mercy that they didn't deserve instead of hanging them by their innards to the branches of their beloved forest. Hah, they would be able to talk about cruelty after that ! After your words the Guelph looked scandalised and proclaimed, descending from his branch by jumping gracefully from it right before you.

-Sacrificing children ? Me and my kin ! What is this superstition ! And this said by an animal abuser ! I shall report this to my superiors and to the queen !

His outrage could be used at your advantage. What shall you do ? While you were thinking you heard Ancel grumble.

-They talk, they talk and I am attached in a bush in the meantime....

>>5787462

>Gut him since he is right before you (combat roll).
>"You think that you are the only one to not have friends at high places, go tell Count Careless, the avid hunter, how much you dislike his ways, let us see how it will work !" (Intrigue roll)
>"Me ? Being mean to animals ? I am the only one in all the Indias who judges them according to frankish customs and let them have the right to be judged ! Your words lack any sense !" (Intrigue roll)
>"Enough ! Begone or I shall strike you down !" (rulership roll)
>Other (write in)

Remember good sirs, if you have a good choice or a good idea you shall have a bonus in your rolls (I do not reveal bonuses before the rolls like these ones since you do not really know much about the man with whom you are talking). Bad choices give maluses of course. We roll d100 and I take the average of the first three rolls.

Oh, and of course, before rolling let us see your stats :

Your new stats :

Charles de Villeroi

Class : Local Lord
Level : 4
XP : 580 (next level at 700)

Stats

Combat : 51%
Intrigue : 25%
Rulership: 36%

Piety : 67
Mudcore : 56

With 56 Mudcore you have a bigger field of gritty realism around you, in this field the most heavy magic will not work and supernatural abilities will not work, oh, and women will lose 4 pounds of strength of course, plus in the field the people that obey you will act more like they would be in a dark fantasy setting. You have chosen Blood of Mud and so your mudcore field will become a bit bigger and stronger but could be transmitted to your children.
Magic, even restorative, will become considerably weaker near you.
Next level at 60, your field will become more important and most magic will be impossible to cast near you by the weaker practitioners.

Talents
-Cavalry Commander : +20 to martial when you have to lead a cavalry charge or a cavalry attack. Works only when commanding shock or melee cavalry mounted on horses.
-Foreign Etiquette : You focus on learning Indian etiquette with Oldfossil, you gain a +10 bonus in intrigue in your interactions with the nobility of your duchy.
->Basic Literacy : Your lessons with Oldfossil and Lady Takable finally paid off and you can read and write, even if you write with errors and move your lips still when you read it is a great leap forward.

Traits :
Leader : Your magnetism on the masses is glorious and your learning of speech could encourage many men to follow you. You may choose the best of 3 rolls when you try to speak in public to convince an audience, be it the Council of Many or angry peasants.

>>5787463
>>Gut him since he is right before you (combat roll).
Enough of this animal worshiping paganism! They interrupt our rightful hunt and claim us to be criminals? Preposterous.

>>5787463
>>"Enough ! Begone or I shall strike you down !" (rulership roll)

>>5787463
>"Me ? Being mean to animals ? I am the only one in all the Indias who judges them according to frankish customs and let them have the right to be judged ! Your words lack any sense !" (Intrigue roll)

>>5787463
>"Me ? Being mean to animals ? I am the only one in all the Indias who judges them according to frankish customs and let them have the right to be judged ! Your words lack any sense !" (Intrigue roll)

Rolled 34 (1d100)

>>5787463
>>"Me ? Being mean to animals ? I am the only one in all the Indias who judges them according to frankish customs and let them have the right to be judged ! Your words lack any sense !" (Intrigue roll)

>>5787580
>>5787622
>>5787669
>>5787767

Good choices good sirs but roll please, roll dice when you choose to roll ! May fortune be with you (or buy a good luck charm to a gipsy woman before rolling I do not know what you generally do when you play knucklebones in a tavern good sirs.)

>>5787850
Since it is a good choice and you have a bonus this 34 is a pass, two more rolls and we will have the average, keep being lucky like this good sirs.

Rolled 12 (1d100)

>>5787893

Rolled 82 (1d100)

>>5787893

>>5787893
Do we operate on average of three with lower rolls being good?

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>>5787580
Well said good sir.

>>5787669
>>5787767
>>5787850

>>5788053
Exactly good sir, and in this case it is an average of 42, too much for your quite poor intrigue score. So it is a failure but a mild one since you rolled at 36.

>>5787913
>>5787926

You decided to answer directly his accusations, after all you were the only one who gave the animals a fair trial while the Indians simply butchered them.

-Me ? Being mean to animals ? I am the only one in all the Indias who judges them according to Frankish customs and let they have a right to be judged before they are punished. Your words lack any sense.

This made the Guelph pause for a bit, he seemed maybe lost, yes, lost was the word. Looking at you he began to tell.

-What do you mean, judge them accordingly ?

-When a beast breaks the law it has the chance to be judged and heard before a tribunal to determine if it is guilty.

The Guelph seemed to consider it and opened his eyes like he discovered how to make steel for the first time.

-You... Oh, it is unexpected, that is... Very civilised of you, I did not suspect that humans had so much advanced on the path to civilisation. I...

He was cut off by his half naked lady friend before he could finish complimenting you.

-Can you speak to animals to hear them ?

-Of course not, but their gruntings can be very expressive !

How to explain that inquisitors sometimes managed to interrogate them, you had heard tales about it. But it displeased Aspas who began to raise his voice telling.

-You... You mocked me you bastard... Fellow friends of nature us punish these arrogant...

He tried to raise his baton to hit you but you were faster, he maybe was quicker but you were an experienced warrior and saw him coming. With a powerful blow of your boar spear you opened his chest ! Haha ! One less ! Before the druids could recover Florin, one of your Scotsmen, had shot Ava in the neck with his crossbow. You generally forbade to use it against animals, it was not good sport, and the church prohibited it against Christian but using it against a pagan witch could be acceptable. Others tried to jump on your men, one on Oldfossil to take him down but Godefroi, who was nearby, struck him with his spear and impaled him while he fell. The other managed to unhorse Bohemond and try to slice his throat with a knife but after a bit of wrestling your knight stabbed him multiple times with his dagger and finished him.
The last opponent to your pleasant afternoon jumped near cop but was soon beaten up by your guardsmen and put down. Ancel, free from the vines that imprisoned him once you killed the druid took his long knife and began to menace him.

-Give me your jewel... Hum yes you have nothing you vile beggar... Give me your mushrooms, funny man !

>>5788369

You preferred not to think about what the mushrooms did. The prisoner emptied his purse quickly once under the menace of a cutlass. But what to do with him ? You had killed four pagan priests protected by the queen, but it was in self defense. It was what you reminded to your beaters when they began to be terrified of being cursed by "nature's magic" or other peasant superstitions. Only God could curse something and they should believe only in Him (and in the nobility that represent him on earth of course). Once reassured they began to loot the corpse while you inquired if you could continue hunting. Ancel answered you positively.

-Yes messire ! I have spotted a big black boar ! Hehe ! It will make for a fine hunt, I could track him if I wasn't annoyed by these imbeciles.

Yes, the imbeciles, they were all dead no, Ava had fallen from a branch and Aspas, the disciple of this Algore, was lying dead in a bush. One of them was still alive, what to do with him... And what of the corpses ?

>Let the dogs eat the corpses
>Order some peasants to bury the corpses
>Order to keep the corpses, they will be given back to someone of their order and you will explain your confrontation.
>Other (write in)

And for the prisoner, the Guelph seems to be young, as they all are, and is terrified of your men :

>Let the dogs tear him apart, we need no witnesses
>Let's hang him as an outlaw
>Keep him in our dungeons, he could be useful. Maybe he can speak to animals since these Guelphs believe that it is possible ?
>Release him.

>>5788371
>Let the dogs eat the corpses
>Let's hang him as an outlaw
He's a male. Useless to us.

>>5788371
>Let the dogs eat the corpses
>Let the dogs tear him apart, we need no witnesses

>>5788371
>Let the dogs eat the corpses
>Let's hang him as an outlaw

>>5788371
>>Let the dogs eat the corpses
>Let the dogs tear him apart, we need no witnesses

This never happened, and the dogs go home with a full belly.

>>5788371
>>Let the dogs eat the corpses
>>Let's hang him as an outlaw

File: Boaaaar.jpg (104 KB, 736x1104)

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>>5788388
Hon hon hon.

>>5788613
>>5788620

>>5788699
Of course, you simply took these people for brigands since they were agressive and poorly dressed. You released the dogs and they ate them before you could do anything. What a pity !

>>5788777

Seeing the Guelph surrounded by your men and imploring you to spare him made your hearth harden. He was a pagan and a witch and he obeyed to a criminal who wanted to attack you. You then ordered.

-Hang this man to a branch as the common criminal that is. And you, Haut, let your dogs eat the rest, it is only just that they become useful to nature after their death.

Of course your dogs will be a bit slower after having eaten but these Guelphs were all skin and bones and probably would not feed the beasts enough to make them want to take a nap and have their bellies rubbed instead of wanting to pursue a boar. You decided to watch the hanging and since you lacked the proper gallows your men simply put a rope around his neck and pulled on it, raising the criminal from the ground, he kicked for two good minutes before becoming purple and stopping to move, it was not a clean hanging, but hey, you did with what was disponible. Besides, these guelphs deserved it, people who ate too much vegetables and greens, since they hunted only when they needed to survive, made naturally poor neighbourgs : they were green with rage and envy at sympathetic peoples with normal hobbies like the nobility who hunted joyfully in the woods and forests of their domains.

Speaking about the pursuit you began of course by adopting a large formation and letting the dogs track the beast before it was seen, the beaters screamed and some decided to beat on drums and tinpots to try to make the beast afraid. A lot of beasts were effectively afraid, a female boar and even a deer were amongst them when you ran. But you were not tracking them, it would not be sporty so you let them leave, you acted only when you heard one of your lads scream and jump while your boar that you finally tracked, charged him. He only had some times to jump somewhere to avoid the charge before the beast, a black blurr bypassed him and began to flee, the dogs barking and turning towards it before running. You turned your horse towards the sound and ordered Haut to run with you while you began to take some speed. At your left was Bohemond who tried to come back after you and at your right, so closer to the source of the noise was Godefroi who launched his horse at full speed towards the source of the noise. Yes, it was time to begin the pursuit of the beast. You rode like a madman, dodging branches seeing that your shorter help was lost while others ran with zeal on foot or put their horses to a gallop. The dogs barked intensely, wanting to be released, it was one of the most exciting moments, and a moment that could last for hours as the beast will have to be completely ran out of energy before being killed.

>>5789117

During the pursuit you decided to :

>Hug the beast close you do not want it to disappear in a bush
>Try to lead the boar somewhere by bypassing the dogs and trying to cut one of the ways, it is a risky tactic but it can be worth it. (choose where to lead him, deeper into the forest or out of the forest and un the plain for exemple).
>Let the dogs go first and follow without giving everything, it will be a long pursuit and your horse will have to furnish a long effort. If you lose sight of the beast the dogs will still smell it and you could always hear the horns of those who will be closer to the beast.
>Other (write in)

And more importantly : ROLL 1d100 for a combat roll for the beginning of this hunt, some choices are harder than others but could be rewarding in the long run.

>>5789118
>>Try to lead the boar somewhere by bypassing the dogs and trying to cut one of the ways, it is a risky tactic but it can be worth it. (choose where to lead him, deeper into the forest or out of the forest and un the plain for exemple).
I say we coral it into the plains, so we dont have to doge branches every 5 seconds, and we can see farther.

Rolled 82 (1d100)

>>5789225

Rolled 17 (1d100)

>>5789225
Supporting

>>5789118

Rolled 15 (1d100)

>>5789225
Supporting

>>5789118
>>Hug the beast close you do not want it to disappear in a bush

Rolled 70 (1d100)

>>5789225
+1

>>5789225
Support

File: The final fight.jpg (326 KB, 849x534)

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>>5789225

Wise words good sir, it will bring a swift end to the hunt since a boar on open terrain is not as fast as hunting dogs or horses. With your excellent rolls of an average of 38 you managed to do it so congratulations !

>>5789226
>>5789270
>>5789387
>>5789613
>>5789682
>>5790195

You decided to send the beast to the plains, it would not be easy and require all your talents at horsemanship to manage to get it. You ordered Bohemond to follow you while you tried to cut the way to the left for the powerful boar. You hit the flanks of your mare with your spurs and ran as fast as you can, your horse jumping over fallen trees and running quickly. You dodged a branch who would probably have taken off your eye and reached for your horn, scratching your knuckles on another branch on the way . Once the horn in your hand you acted by blowing into it with all your strength and this sound, plus the sight of a hunter, made the black pig turn toward the right.

It ran mightily, fortunately you managed to push him into a good direction and saw it leave towards the north. Several minutes and many exhaustions from your servants on foot later you finally saw that the beast had left the forest a bit dazed by the sudden light. You needed to rest your horse so you left Bohemond come first while you continued to pursue. The dogs had been released by Haut a long time ago the kennel master lacking any capacities to run with horses, only Ancel was there and continued to try to run after the animal.

>>5790585

But it was more the beasts than the men who did the work, without the constrained ground of the forest the supple ran right towards the boar to devour him. But the black boar was not to be trifled with, against his agile adversaries he did what he must do : he charged ! With a mighty "huiiiiii" the mighty 210 pounds beast threw itself on the dogs, two houds managed to bite on it's leathery skin, making it bleed a small bit and tearing some black fur of it but they had to release him because it did not stop it's charge. One dog was not quick enough to dodge it, the brave hunting hound still trying to bite on the pure muscle of the pig's neck and receiving a mighty tusk in it's belly. Oh it was harsh to see, the nice beast trying to make this charging mass bleed while it continued forward, dispersing the mass. Finally it fell under the boar being trampled by it in a crunching sound and lying there, mortally wounded but still wanting to fight. The other dogs began to pursue, to encircle the boar but stayed at a distance or tried to harass it biting at it's behind but you reminded focused on the one who was still bleeding here. He looked at you with love, then at Haut who finally arrived and who, looking at it with sadness did not knew what to do. Yes, it was a good dog, you knew that some wise men said that good beasts go to heaven, just like good people and seeing the pained big eyes of your hound, his look and still moving tail trying to tell "have I done my duty, master ?", while he was immobile on the ground with a broken leg and a gaping would in the belly, you wanted to reassure him, to tell him that yes, he will still run happily with his friends after Judgment's day, pursuing some quarry. You then made a sign of your head to Ancel and with a swift blow from his cutlass he stopped the suffering of your furry companion.

You then turned your attention towards the boar, he was cornered, and harrassed by dogs who now used their superior agility to hit him from behind, the clever beasts understanding what his mass meant for them, of course he managed to charge again throwing a dog around, fortunately without goring him, but they reformed back, encircling him. What a beast, he continued to fight even at one against fifty and you understood why so many families used this beasts as a symbol, what power, what strenght it was ! Heh, you heard that the ancient gauls worshipped the beast and you could still see imitation of this kind of demeanour on the fair lands of France. You decided to stop it now. Grabbing your whip you made it crack and the impeccably trained dogs immediately stopped attacking, knowing the signal from their master. You wanted to thank Haut one more time for this. You then let Ancel take your horse's reins while you dismounted.

>>5790590

The boar looked at you, exhausted, wounded and surrounded but not vainquished, his eyes two pearls of malice peeking at your face. You were not unscathed neither, you were panting a bit and a branch had opened the skin on your right hand, fortunately it was not a serious wound and you did not feel it so you were confident, your movements slow but sure of yourself. Over you, only a blue-grey sky lit by a pale November's sun, no trees, not a lot of clouds, as if God himself wanted to see this duel on the plains. The black beast continued to fix you, by Saint Denis he wanted blood, he probably recognized you for the man that blocked his path and drew him to this plain where he was far slower than the dogs that pursued them. Good, it will make the fight more interesting. Since your men ran not very fast in this terrain compared to horses, only Ancel, one of Cop's sons, Gardasil (who was remarkably fast and agile as a guelph) and two exhausted peasants were around, plus the raiders. Oldfossil making sign to one of the piqueurs to give you a boar-spear. It was the time of the coup de grâce, the time to finish the boar cleanly. Everyone was watching you, it was your duty after all, as a lord, to finish the prey on your first hunt of the season, and your first hunt in India. You could of course let the dogs do the job but one part of you wanted to fight this pig, at least to show him respect for the formidable fighter that he was. And sincerely, you were in a good shape and even if it was dangerous, believed in your chances, unlike your uncle Robert on it's last hunt, the greatest boar hunter that you saw, you were not drunk when attempting to kill the beast. When Fed, Cop's youngest son, held his spear's handle towards you so you could take it you decided to :

>Order the hounds to attack and once the beast is on the ground finish it with the spear/your dagger. (Move for old men and lords who do not hunt often enough)
>Take the spear, it will be useful, and fight the beast one on one. (Normal option to prove your worth)
>Your hunting dagger will suffice, it will be harder of course but it will make the fight more personnal. (Riskier option for brave lords)
>Other (write in)

And roll a combat roll of course, the fact that you managed to bring the beast on the plains finished the hunt quite early, you were very effective and quickly exhausted your prey.

Rolled 47 (1d100)

>>5790594
>>Take the spear, it will be useful, and fight the beast one on one. (Normal option to prove your worth)

Rolled 18 (1d100)

>>5790594
>Take the spear, it will be useful, and fight the beast one on one. (Normal option to prove your worth)

Rolled 8 (1d100)

>>5790594
>>Take the spear, it will be useful, and fight the beast one on one. (Normal option to prove your worth)

>>5790594
>>Your hunting dagger will suffice, it will be harder of course but it will make the fight more personnal. (Riskier option for brave lords)

>>5790594
>>Take the spear, it will be useful, and fight the beast one on one. (Normal option to prove your worth)

>>5790594
>Take the spear, it will be useful, and fight the beast one on one. (Normal option to prove your worth)

File: Your ancestors.jpg (36 KB, 400x297)

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>>5791083
>>5791090
>>5791117
>>5791340
>>5791677
>>5792819

And it was time to fight the beast. Taking the spear from your guardsman you prepared to face it and advanced slowly. A boar of course was a mass of muscles and hide that had to be stricken precisely to be killed in one go. You were experience in these kinds of hunts and had felled many great beasts like a really big brown boar in the Ardennes forest, even bigger than this one. So you advanced slowly and when you saw that the powerful animal eature was about to charge you you stopped, right foot behind yours, knees lightly bent as if you were about to be charged by a a cavalryman, but a cavalryman far smaller than you that will try to get your legs, make you fall and gore you to death with it's tusks. You aimed for the left flank of the beast, using the specially crafted blade to get it's hearth to kill it in one go, with a bit of chance it's own weight and the power of it's charge could be used against it. As your father told you when he taught you to hunt "let the boar do the work for you".

And you did, you received the charge and struck true not even recoiling against such might even if it demanded a tremendous effort. The boar had a strong "huiiiiiii" and stopped in it's tracks. You continued to thrust into it's flesh and it stayed immobile, looking at you with his evil eyes. You continued to thrust it and then saw that he tried no more to push towards you. You then extracted your spear and looked at the work, the beast was dead, but it hasn't fallen, staying solidly still as many boars do. What an animal ! It was because of such boars that young men grew into good fighters, as strong and stubborn as them. You hoped to find other beasts of this quality in your forest. You pushed it down to make it fall while everybody in your suite clapped at your victory. And you told joyfully.

-I am in great thirst. Ancel, bring me my gourdasse !

>>5793022

When you drank good wine and were congratulated by everyone you had still to decide what to do with the beast. You could of course remember your young days and cut it open and separate the hide from the meat with your good friends like you did when you were a squire since you had no squire here. Thinking about it you will need to have a squire soon, it would be proper. Maybe you could take the son of a nearby nobleman... It was to be seen. But before all of this you had to decide about the boar. In the absence of young boys who need to know how to quarter a beast you could give it to your servants and eat it. Since it is the first boar of the season it would be customary to eat it but generally and quite often generous noblemen gave the carcass of a boar to one of their villages or to an abbey. You could give it to Father François (who is fat enough to eat it alone but he will probably give a bit to the poor) or to the villagers of Local, or even to the brave volunteer who came to help you as beaters. It will make more people want to join your hunts, especially after the rumours about "terrible curses from the druids" that will arise from superstitious peasants.

Once you answered to the congratulations of Godefroi by saying that he himself has felled the biggest boar that you have seen in the southern Ardennes.

>Cut the boar open yourself with your knights and eat it.
>Leave this task to the servants, you will remember your youth another day.µ
>We will see it later, the hunt was finished early, we can continue to hunt until dusk !

>You deserved the prise, it will be a good meal to share with your knights and councillors who hunted it with you.
>Give the beast to Father François, let us be pious. The best way to absolution is trough the belly of your fat priest.
>Give it to villagers of Local as a symbol of generosity.
>Give it to your beater, they will thank you for many years to come.
>We will see it later, the hunt was finished early, we can continue to hunt until dusk !
>Other (write in)

Thank you good sirs and sorry for the delay, you gain 20xp too for your victory over this black boar, he was a powerful, and probably very tasty opponent.

>>5793025

Your new stats :

Charles de Villeroi

Class : Local Lord
Level : 4
XP : 580+20 = 600 (next level at 700)

Stats

Combat : 51%
Intrigue : 25%
Rulership: 36%

Piety : 67
Mudcore : 56

With 56 Mudcore you have a bigger field of gritty realism around you, in this field the most heavy magic will not work and supernatural abilities will not work, oh, and women will lose 4 pounds of strength of course, plus in the field the people that obey you will act more like they would be in a dark fantasy setting. You have chosen Blood of Mud and so your mudcore field will become a bit bigger and stronger but could be transmitted to your children.
Magic, even restorative, will become considerably weaker near you.
Next level at 60, your field will become more important and most magic will be impossible to cast near you by the weaker practitioners.

Talents
-Cavalry Commander : +20 to martial when you have to lead a cavalry charge or a cavalry attack. Works only when commanding shock or melee cavalry mounted on horses.
-Foreign Etiquette : You focus on learning Indian etiquette with Oldfossil, you gain a +10 bonus in intrigue in your interactions with the nobility of your duchy.
->Basic Literacy : Your lessons with Oldfossil and Lady Takable finally paid off and you can read and write, even if you write with errors and move your lips still when you read it is a great leap forward.

Traits :
Leader : Your magnetism on the masses is glorious and your learning of speech could encourage many men to follow you. You may choose the best of 3 rolls when you try to speak in public to convince an audience, be it the Council of Many or angry peasants.

>>5793025
>>Leave this task to the servants, you will remember your youth another day.µ

>>Give it to your beater, they will thank you for many years to come.

I am sure they have worked up a ferocious appetite, and we should reward good peasants that understand their duty to their lord.

>>5793025
>Cut the boar open yourself with your knights and eat it.
We are still young!
>Give it to villagers of Local as a symbol of generosity.
We are a good lord who feeds his commoners. Besides, if video games have told me anything, a surplus of food always means more population growth in the future.

>>5793025
>Leave this task to the servants, you will remember your youth another day.
>Give it to your beater, they will thank you for many years to come.

>>5793025
>Leave this task to the servants, you will remember your youth another day.

>Give it to your beater, they will thank you for many years to come.

>>5793025
>Cut the boar open yourself with your knights and eat it.
>Give it to your beater, they will thank you for many years to come

>>5793026
>>Cut the boar open yourself with your knights and eat it.
>>Give it to your beater, they will thank you for many years to come
Setting a personal example in both butchery and generosity.

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>>5793064
Well said good sir, but if you feed them before you they shall not remember the good feudal hierarchy.

>>5793182
We are 27 years old, older than many but we will still have 15 or 20 years of good life before the gout strikes.
Video Games ? What is this ? Is it games were you empty (vider) some tankards of wine or some latin terms that only clerics could understand.

>>5793212
>>5793234
>>5793456

You decided to let your servants do the job of peeling the beast or even better, to let the beaters have it. Joyfully you declared to your men.

-I give the boar to those who helped us during this hunt, they deserved it. Let the beaters carry it and cut it.

Godefroi was a bit taken aback, telling you.

-But monseigneur, it is the first boar of the season.

Oldfossil, who looked really excited after taking his potion and who had ridden probably as fast as you told you.

-It is really generous my lord but will it not be wasted by humble peasants, besides, after coursing it it would be just that we eat it. Our food reserves are not very important and it will be winter.

You reassured them all by saying kindly.

-Do not worry my brave companions, we will feast today maybe but we will hunt during the next weeks. The next boar will be ours, I can promise you.

But before you could say something the young Bohémond asked you.

-We are still at noon monseigneur, I say that we must continue the hunt and find a true boar or something else to hunt, I do not wish to eat some farm animals after a hunt, it would be ludicrous.

You had to agree that the man spoke true and he was upset, in his youth that you will not gain anything. Maybe you should try to hunt a second boar after an hour, or at least something, the forest did not lack any boar at all and your dogs could try to find something, of course it would be difficult to find a beast in such a short amount of time but you had Ancel and you were motivated. What do you answer to your young bannerman ?

>We shall hunt during the next week, no need to hunt today.
>We still have a few hours, with a bit of luck we shall find a boar or something.
>Other (write in)

====

You loose 1 mudcore with your kind decision giving the first boar to your servants instead of your bannermen... Tsss, they will think that they are entitled to it now. Dreadful !

>>5793966

It seems that I have forgotten you when I answered so I shall mention you here good and very generous sir.

====
Your new stats :

Charles de Villeroi

Class : Local Lord
Level : 4
XP : 600 (next level at 700)

Stats

Combat : 51%
Intrigue : 25%
Rulership: 36%

Piety : 67
Mudcore : 56-1 = 55

With 55 Mudcore you have a bigger field of gritty realism around you, in this field the most heavy magic will not work and supernatural abilities will not work, oh, and women will lose 4 pounds of strength of course, plus in the field the people that obey you will act more like they would be in a dark fantasy setting. You have chosen Blood of Mud and so your mudcore field will become a bit bigger and stronger but could be transmitted to your children.
Magic, even restorative, will become considerably weaker near you.
Next level at 60, your field will become more important and most magic will be impossible to cast near you by the weaker practitioners.

Talents
-Cavalry Commander : +20 to martial when you have to lead a cavalry charge or a cavalry attack. Works only when commanding shock or melee cavalry mounted on horses.
-Foreign Etiquette : You focus on learning Indian etiquette with Oldfossil, you gain a +10 bonus in intrigue in your interactions with the nobility of your duchy.
->Basic Literacy : Your lessons with Oldfossil and Lady Takable finally paid off and you can read and write, even if you write with errors and move your lips still when you read it is a great leap forward.

Traits :
Leader : Your magnetism on the masses is glorious and your learning of speech could encourage many men to follow you. You may choose the best of 3 rolls when you try to speak in public to convince an audience, be it the Council of Many or angry peasants.

>>5793981
>>We still have a few hours, with a bit of luck we shall find a boar or something.

>>5793981
>>We still have a few hours, with a bit of luck we shall find a boar or something.

>>5793981
>>We still have a few hours, with a bit of luck we shall find a boar or something.

>>5793981
>>We shall hunt during the next week, no need to hunt today.

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>>5793985
>>5794002
>>5794012
>>5794143

Truly the hunt must continue. You ordered Ancel to go back to work and he bowed and was happy about it. You then ordered the beaters to go back to work and one of them said.

-What ? After all that we have ran already m'lord...

He got a punch from cop immediately for his insolence. Brave Cop, he hit him before even being ordered too. The guardsman was panting too but he knew that you would never tolerate this insolence. First you gave your beaters an entire boar and then they wanted to stop hunting because they had their boar and did not even think of their lord. This is typical of many commoners, unable to grasp the principles of generosity and the satisfaction in the act of service. That was a loss of the feudal spirit, understandable in a land so devoid of serfdom as India. If many generations were necessary to create a safe, civilised and godly society only one was needed to revert to barbarism, and your act of giving before taking could be seen as turning back to it. You promised yourself to be generous but authoritative the next time.

While you were thinking about it and riding back into the forest you heard your brave Ancel coming happily.

-Messire, messire, I found the fumets of another male boar, they must be trying to find mates in these parts of the forest.

He told it by showing you one part of the dejections that he took in his glove.

-Wonderful news my brave Ancel, but you can show it to the dogs, not to me. Let us go good sirs, let us find that beast ! Haha !

It was with joy and glory that you decided to go back towards the forest, you were extremely lucky (maybe fate has rolled it's dice on your favour somewhere) and you wanted to continue the hunt as fast as possible. You still had some hours of course before dusk one of them was needed to track the beast. The dogs began to bark and your beaters began to make all sorts of noises to make it leave. Once more you saw a stag and even a fox and a doe fleeing you, but you had to concentrate on your boar.

>>5794182

This time you heard the horn at your right, it was Oldfossil's side and he blew his horn with zeal launching himself after the beast with the help of the dogs. Apparently they choose to stay in the forest and you had to duck some branches while pursuing. You were far from the best position to do so but you began to catch up with the others. Since you had the best horse you managed to pass before Godefroi and you had only Oldfossil before you when you saw that he was trying to blow his horn once more while his horse jumped and his sleeve got caught in a branch. You tried to scream to him to be careful but it was useless. With an agility unnatural for his age he tried to grab the branch who retained him once it was clear that he would not be able to stop his horse it before inevitably falling. He fell upon the ground on his flank and you stopped, of course, to see if he was well, fearing for the fragile old man, while his horse continued to flee. But the man was an avid hunter and even when in pain and on the ground, trying to get up, he screamed to you.

-My lord ! Do not lose the beast my lord ! It runs towards the river we cannot lose it ! Tobias will get my horse and the servants will take care of me do not worry...

Of course he seemed to be well, but it would be painful to lose one of your councilors. What do you do ?

>Do as he told, run after the boar. You will see if he is wounded after the hunt.
>Try to take care of Oldfossil, the man is precious.
>Other (write in)

>>5794187
>>Try to take care of Oldfossil, the man is precious.

>>5794187
>Try to take care of Oldfossil, the man is precious.

We shant trade our dear Oldfossil for all the game in India!

>>5794187
>>Try to take care of Oldfossil, the man is precious.

>>5794187
>Do as he told, run after the boar. You will see if he is wounded after the hunt.

>>5794182
>Try to take care of Oldfossil, the man is precious.
Even though he might be fine, if oldfossil passes then we lose our most useful servant. We really need to find him someone to take his place.

>>5794187
>Try to take care of Oldfossil, the man is precious.

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>>5794193

>>5794499
Well said, our dear friend is dearer than a boar even if the boar is very tasty indeed.

>>5794556
>>5794635

>>5794712
Of course, searching some replacement when you will have some time would be very useful.

>>5794866

You decided to stop your horse and go help Oldfossil despite his protests. He tried again to tell you to go track the beast but it was useless. You screamed to Bohemond and Godefroi to continue to pursue the boar and while they left you helped your councillor to stand up. When he moved you heard a "aaaaargh" from him and asked.

-Are you allright, Oldfossil, have you broken something..

-No.... No... Let me sit please, right there aaaaargh... By the heavens I can't...it is... It is the coccyx...

You wondered what he meant but he seemed to not be able to sit so it was probably a bone un the lower back. It was of course beyond your non existant competences as a healer and you tried to call some servants while saying.

-Shall I send some of them to bring you back ?

-No... No, nothing that a healing potion could not heal my lord.

-A potion healing a broken bone ? Allons-donc... You will need to rest I shall order some guards to carry you, you cannot ride in this condition.

Finally seeing that he was carried away by Cop and Orin you decided to watch how the hunt was going. Unfortunately for you everything had already ended, Godefroi and Bohémond had cut the boar's access to the river and the beast was surrounded by dogs. You gave of course, as politeness dictated you, the honor of ending it to Godefroi, your eldest knight, and he finished the work quickly and efficiently. It was a good day, and a good time to return to your castle and feast gloriously. You said farewell to the beaters that you knew like Tobias who gave some of his excellent liquor to his old friend Oldfossil. Of course you invited Father François who would be probably very happy to eat a part of the boar (and would probably be invited by some beaters for the other one. Speaking of the boar he was very tasty, roasted on a stake and served with apples and many other vegetables (mainly squashes and gourds), and of course a chervil tart, your favorite, at dessert. With this you decided to order your household to open a very old barrel of wine who, if not as good as a burgundian wine, was tasty enough to accomodate your palate.

>>5795395

You were a happy man, you had done everything that you wanted in your first days in the keep and you had still one week to wait before a decision would be known about baron Crook, well, one week and a few days because of course, especially in a place as isolated as local, news traveled slowly.

You passed the next few days joyfully, hunting more, some rabbits with your dogs and then a third boar, you wanted to wait a little for your first stag hunt. You trained every day in the courtyard and decided to give justice to the people, unfortunately, so you could not behead anyone, or fortunately since your people became more obedient there was no criminals to punish. Only a widow was dividing the inheritance of her husband with her sons. You applied the Champagne customs and gave her a douaire, the part of the goods and a number for the pension that children will have to pay her since she took care of their father until his last breath while they would keep his farm. You assisted to the mass too, of course, at the first rank and received communion. It was when you leaved the mass that you were accosted by Brother Louis, he rode with a tired expression and began to tell you.

-Monseigneur ! Monseigneur !

-You have news from lord Neutral ?

-Yes, but I have too from the Baron ! He has been summoned to court, he is travelling but I learned from an agent of the Neutral Lord that he is preparing a river boat to make some people sail the Queste and leave Bifuria. Amongst them lady Takable monseigneur....

Rose ? The bastard had tried to steal Rose from you and was ordering someone to carry her on a boat. Brother Louis had a letter too that he gave you, of course you would have trouble reading it if it was poorly written so you would have to consult Oldfossil just in case. But you focused on your first issue.

-Where is she ? When will the boat leave ?

-She must be travelling towards the boat escorted by some baron's men, you will not have time to stop her before she reaches the boar, I learned that it is ready to sail on a river called the Sideplot, the river then flows into the Queste in the forest to our south.

-The forest of Gump ?

-Yes monseigneur.

Hundreds of thoughts raced into your mind, you hated treachery, felony, vileness, but what to expect from this satanical sorcerer who consorted with demons. With a prayer on your lips and your sword in hand you decided to.

>>5795398

>Immediately leave for the forest with your knights and riders and ambush the riverboat when he will come towards the Queste.
>Take some time to assemble a more numerous party to prepare your ambush, maybe even take some men on foot.
>Do nothing, someone will catch them after all and you will not be taken as killing your liege lord's men even if he will no more be your liege in a few days.
>First read the letter, important informations could be within.
>Talk to Oldfossil, he knows the region and will probably know where to make an ambush and what beasts lurk into the forest.
>Talk to Captain Crumbling about the dangers of this forest who is unclaimed by any of the nearby lords.
>Other (write in)

Choose as many choices as you want as long as they do not contradict themselves, and you gain +1 piety for assisting to the mass.

>>5795402
>First read the letter, important information could be within.
this first of course, it will only take a couple of minutes
>Talk to Oldfossil, he knows the region and will probably know where to make an ambush and what beasts lurk into the forest.
>Talk to Captain Crumbling about the dangers of this forest who is unclaimed by any of the nearby lords.
With these two we can gain enough information to figure out a plan
>Immediately leave for the forest with your knights and riders and ambush the riverboat when he will come towards the Queste.
Though this is a bit more reckless I think time is not on our side. Also, where is our favourite bard and ork? Are they the ones who got our information?

>>5795460
I support this approach.

>>5795402

>>5795460
Very big brained approach. +1

>>5795460
+1

>>5795460
Support

>>5795460
+2

File: Ugly map of the Someplace(...).png (1.18 MB, 8818x6006)

1.18 MB PNG

>>5795460
What an unanimous support, and it is an excellent choice indeed. Our dear Bob and "Da masked cucumber" are unfortunately still scouting the lands of Darkplace and learning about weak spots in it's defenses, be assured that they do important things.
It was a man of Lord Neutral who informed Brother Louis of the presence of this barge, he was probably a spy present on baronial lands.

My (still unfinished) map of the Barony will be useful for understanding the rest of the context.

>>5795477
>>5795614
>>5796019
>>5796162
>>5796194

You had to take care of the letter first. Thanking Brother Louis and ordering some converted servants who were leaving the church with you to give him something to eat and drink you left towards Oldfossil's quarters. He was still recovering, his potion had not worked (of course), and you wanted to visit him in his bed so he could help you with the message. On your way you ordered your servants at the stables to saddle all the horses. You regretted very much at this moment the absence of your brave Orcadian and of the mercenary Denarius, they would have been good blades for hire, but they were still scouting the lands of Darkplace and will eventually return with useful information.
Bringing him the letter and reading a bit of it you noted that the letters made no sense at all, they were not making words. The first word "Ucnwv" sounded like the name of one of those place in the English possessions of Wales who were impossible to pronounce, you needed your brave councillor to make everything clear. After saluting him and some polite inquiries about his health you gave him the letter and told.

-What does this means Oldfossil ? It doesn't make any sense at all ? Is it some kind of jest ? Or is there a hidden message ?

-It is clearly a secret code, I think that the letters have been replaced in alphabetical order, I remember that he used this kind of code for many messages. The Neutral lord is a very prudent man, my lord.

-You mean that some people use already incomprehensible letters for the common mortal man who is not a monk to make them even more complicated ?

-So it seems my lord.

-By Saint Denis, may the pest take all those learned men. Traduce it my brave Oldfossil, traduce it.

-My lord, it will take time.

-We don't have it, they have taken Lady Rose prisonner and are moving her on a barge on the Sideplot river to join the Queste and leave the Barony, and even the Duchy ! We cannot let this happen, my men are saddling the horses, we will try to ambush them in the forest.

>>5796352

The old man opened his eyes in shock, and tried to raise to simply grimace because of his broken tailbone, he fell once again on his bed.

-My lord ! Going into the forest is most unwise, I know that I will not probably manage to stop you in your chivalric endeavour but losing you would be most unwelcome. Lady Takable may be found and...

-My decision is taken Oldfossil, I need no lessons, I need advice. Where to prepare an ambush ? And what is so dangerous in the forest ?

-Without a boat my lord you will probably not be able to travel longer than to the place where the Sideplot flows into the Queste. If you stay on the left bank you will probably be able to get to the Sideplot, it is narrower than the Queste and it would be easier to ambush a boat, and the forest there is a bit less dangerous than the rest even. But your enemies will probably still be weary since the river is narrow, of any ambush by beasts or forest creatures. While if you go to the right bank of the Queste you will be able to take your enemies unaware but it will be hard to get them on such a large river. You will have to swim longer to get on their boats...

You nodded to Oldfossil and decided to thank him.

-Thank you for your words, I will order someone to give you a feather and some parchment to traduce the words of lord Neutral, while you do it I will speak with Captain Crumbling, I shall need his advice.

You finally managed to get your guard's captain who seemed to still be taken aback by all the agitation that you made around.

-Ah, captain, I needed you, I want all the horses ready and all the men who can ride. Lady Rose Takable has been taken by baron's men who are travelling on the Sideplot river on a barge. We must ambush them before they leave the county. We need to go deep into the forest of Gump, tell me about it's dangers.

The very old man scratched his head and tried to bark some orders at his subordinates but decided to answer you first, yes, first the lord, then his subordinates. In an hesitant voice he told.

-My lord, it is... It is most unwise to travel in the forest, even with all your riders.

-Time is of the essence, we cannot lose time with any infantry.

-Of course, but might I suggest your lordship and his knights to mount on their warhorses, and leave their palfreys for some "mounted infantry" and the roussins, the pack horses, they could be charged with some other mounted infantrymen, if we attack a barge we will not fight on horses anyway. And in the forest of Gump safety is in numbers.

>>5796353

You frowned, the man was right about the men, but on the other side if these men were not able to ride fast you will lose precious time. What will be your decision ?

>We shall take with us only our three knights, plus our six riders on palfreys, the rest of our horses are already used and we need people who can act quickly. And Ancel will run with us, he knows how to keep up. (Party of 4 knights including you, the guard's captain, Ancel who will run, 6 men at arms with spears, axes and shields) We cannot afford to come here too slowly.
>We shall take all the horses and mount them with infantry, it is six more horses, if we even manage to take a second rider on some of the strongest horses we can double take eight more men at arms. (Party of 4 knights including you, the guard's captain, Ancel who will run, 11 men at arms with spears, axes and shields, 3 men at arms with crossbows) We must be numerous enough to win even if there is a risk of coming too late at the river junction.
>Other (write in)

Then after giving your orders you asked.

-So, tell me about the region, what is here that makes you so afraid to travel with less than twenty good men ?

-Everything my lord, not only goblins and trolls as you have already seen but forest spirits, gnolls, ogres, water-drakes, shadowbeasts, owlbears, ghouls bugbears and more, it is said that there is even a Manticore or two in these woods. And I have only given some names.

You did not understand practically all those names but you had no time to lose, you had to arm yourself. Damned time, you had of course to do battle on a Sunday, that, even if it was against infidels, was a bad thing but they left you no choice.

-I understand, I understand... We shall at least travel in our chainmail until we are at the river where we will need to remove our armors to swim. Order the men to prepare captain.

-It will be done my lord.

While you were helped by servants to don your armor you still thought about where to begin your ambush

>Travel on the left bank of the river, it is the safest place and the easiest to ambush even if the enemy will be probably ready for an attack.
>Travel on the right bank, it is more dangerous and it will be harder to ambush your enemies but they will probably not wait an attack there. Plus, even if you do not catch the ship from there you will be able to follow it on your horses, even if it will be faster it will need to stop at a moment or another and you could have the occasion to catch up with it.
>Other (write in)

>>5796354
>>We shall take all the horses and mount them with infantry, it is six more horses, if we even manage to take a second rider on some of the strongest horses we can double take eight more men at arms. (Party of 4 knights including you, the guard's captain, Ancel who will run, 11 men at arms with spears, axes and shields, 3 men at arms with crossbows) We must be numerous enough to win even if there is a risk of coming too late at the river junction.

>>Travel on the left bank of the river, it is the safest place and the easiest to ambush even if the enemy will be probably ready for an attack.

We shall be a bit slower, but take the easy path, sounds like it will balance out.

>>5796354
>We shall take all the horses and mount them with infantry, it is six more horses, if we even manage to take a second rider on some of the strongest horses we can double take eight more men at arms. (Party of 4 knights including you, the guard's captain, Ancel who will run, 11 men at arms with spears, axes and shields, 3 men at arms with crossbows) We must be numerous enough to win even if there is a risk of coming too late at the river junction.

>Travel on the left bank of the river, it is the safest place and the easiest to ambush even if the enemy will be probably ready for an attack.

>>5796354
>We shall take all the horses and mount them with infantry, it is six more horses, if we even manage to take a second rider on some of the strongest horses we can double take eight more men at arms. (Party of 4 knights including you, the guard's captain, Ancel who will run, 11 men at arms with spears, axes and shields, 3 men at arms with crossbows) We must be numerous enough to win even if there is a risk of coming too late at the river junction.
This forest really spooks our mooks.

>Travel on the left bank of the river, it is the safest place and the easiest to ambush even if the enemy will be probably ready for an attack.

>>5796354
>We shall take all the horses and mount them with infantry, it is six more horses, if we even manage to take a second rider on some of the strongest horses we can double take eight more men at arms. (Party of 4 knights including you, the guard's captain, Ancel who will run, 11 men at arms with spears, axes and shields, 3 men at arms with crossbows) We must be numerous enough to win even if there is a risk of coming too late at the river junction.
It is best to listen to the experienced counsel
>Travel on the left bank of the river, it is the safest place and the easiest to ambush even if the enemy will be probably ready for an attack.
So gentlemen, how exactly shall we ambush the boat?
Since apparently the river they travel on is narrower than the Queste may I suggest chopping down a tree and clogging the river?

>>5796685
Makes sense. Damn them all, and dam the river if need be!

>>5796354
>>We shall take all the horses and mount them with infantry, it is six more horses, if we even manage to take a second rider on some of the strongest horses we can double take eight more men at arms. (Party of 4 knights including you, the guard's captain, Ancel who will run, 11 men at arms with spears, axes and shields, 3 men at arms with crossbows) We must be numerous enough to win even if there is a risk of coming too late at the river junction.
>>Travel on the left bank of the river, it is the safest place and the easiest to ambush even if the enemy will be probably ready for an attack

File: Writing is for monks.jpg (290 KB, 1987x789)

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>>5796387
It seems, good sir, that your decision has gained the approval of all.

>>5796401

>>5796532
Yes, they are like those celts from Britanny who think that every wood is infested with fairies and magicians. Fortunately as a knight from a good frankish bloodline you know that God protects against all these pests.

>>5796685
>>5796693
Really your idea is good, I shall add it once you will be there.

>>5796759

You ordered to send all the men and the horses disponible and to travel on the left bank of the river. Of course assembling the men, having them equipped and armed and saddling the horses took some time but you were ready.
Fortunately, during this time a servant told you that Oldfossil had finally managed to traduce lord Neutral's letter. So you entered his chambers, already in arms and with your helmet in your hands. He gave you the letter and you remarked that it was as cryptic as the first message.

"Salutations, lord Charles. I have effectively understood your issues with finding the poetry of Goldveyn, he is a major author but not many copies of his work have been produced and let us say that they can only be found on the darkest places of the most forgotten libraries. Speaking of books your koboldic tales seem to have amused the count and will probably delight the royal court as much as the baron.
Let us say that when everyone will be delighted and joyful after such discovery you will ask for me to have an access to the baronial library who is said, for it's small size, to contain many interesting tomes. In exchange, once there, I could help you reach for these dark places and corners of it for your satisfaction.

Your sincerely,

Lord Swiss Neutralsson."

The man talked in riddles in plus of using a code. Why could he not simply send a trusted man with brother Louis and explain everything to you. You looked at Oldfossil and your councillor told.

-It seems, my lord, that the Neutral Lord wants us to support him to succeed Baron Crook for the Barony of Someplace once Crook will be deposed. In exchange he will help us deal with the lord of Darkplace and probably grant military access to our forced to attack his fortress.

You could not refrain from telling.

-Pompous idiot, he is not a bad man of course but he is more pompous and full of his learning than a rector of the university of Paris. Why trying to make a message look innocent when you already write it in a code that makes it look suspicious, it makes no sense at all !

-I have no idea, my lord.

-Well, it is not so important, first we must think and act. Who are the other candidates who could become barons. And can lord Neutral be appointed at this post ?

>>5797571

It took the Old man a few seconds of thoughts to answer.

-Probably lord Neutral has a good chance to be appointed since he has a good relationship with Count Careless, who will make the final decision, and he is the most powerful landowner of the Barony. Of course lord Salty Rival will probably try to compete for the post too and ask to be made baron, he is too from an old lineage of the region and is second in power only to lord Neutral in the Barony.

-But he hates us and hated lord Random. We must not have him as a baron, he is maybe not a dealer in black magics but replacing an hostile liege lord who does witchcraft with an hostile liege lord who does not is only a marginal improvement.

-Of course my lord, then we can have a candidate coming from the Count's family, of course, probably a second son.

-Isnott Careless ? The boy could not even lead troops on a battlefield without consulting a book first ! He is too frail to rule.

-Maybe the count will consider that ruling lands will make him more suited to his future duties my lord.

You rolled your eyes and deposed your helmet on a coffer before raising your hands to the sky.

-May the Lord preserve us from this. And who else ?

-Probably some less likely candidates my lord, the Queen might want to force a candidate of her own of course, but our barony is small and it is not very likely even if since the uncle of baron Crook was her chancellor she might be interested in it. And knowing her Lady Mary Sue might want to become baroness, only for the prestige of the task, she is of princely lineage.

-She is bastard born ! Her place is in a convent ! We will not be ruled by a woman who dresses as a man, I do not wish to be the laughing stock of all the Indias.

Oldfossil slowly nodded his head in his bed.

-Fortunately I suppose that your thoughts about Lady Sue are shared by the nobility of the county. As for the Queen's potential candidate I do not know if there will be one and if there will be one if it will be an elf or a human.

>>5797572

Hmmm an unknown Guelph or Lord Neutral, that was an easy choice, despite his oddities lord Neutral was an ally of lord Random so he should be a better choice. But still. You decided to answer while the men were still preparing for your expedition.

>Tell me, dear Oldfossil, what will my support weight if it is the Count who decides ?
>I need to think about all of this, saving Rose first, then we will decide.
>And what about me, I am of high lineage, related to Lord Random and even if I am a stranger I will be married to the daughter of the most powerful landowner of the barony, before his lands were unjustly confiscated. I could be a good baron of Someplace.
>Could I bargain more than support against the lord of Darkplace ? Could I ask for the return of Lady Takable's lands to her, her father was an ally of lord Neutralsson after all. Once ruling these lands as baillistre, as her husband, I shall be the most powerful landowner of the region after baron Neutralsson.
>What do you think Oldfossil, should we support the Neutral lord ?
>Other (write in)

>>5797573
>>Could I bargain more than support against the lord of Darkplace ? Could I ask for the return of Lady Takable's lands to her, her father was an ally of lord Neutralsson after all. Once ruling these lands as baillistre, as her husband, I shall be the most powerful landowner of the region after baron Neutralsson

>>5797573
>>Could I bargain more than support against the lord of Darkplace ? Could I ask for the return of Lady Takable's lands to her, her father was an ally of lord Neutralsson after all. Once ruling these lands as baillistre, as her husband, I shall be the most powerful landowner of the region after baron Neutralsson.

>>5797573
>>Could I bargain more than support against the lord of Darkplace ? Could I ask for the return of Lady Takable's lands to her, her father was an ally of lord Neutralsson after all. Once ruling these lands as baillistre, as her husband, I shall be the most powerful landowner of the region after baron Neutralsson.
I fear we are playing right into Neutralssons plans to take power.

>>5797573
>Could I bargain more than support against the lord of Darkplace ? Could I ask for the return of Lady Takable's lands to her, her father was an ally of lord Neutralsson after all. Once ruling these lands as baillistre, as her husband, I shall be the most powerful landowner of the region after baron Neutralsson

File: We ride to war.jpg (330 KB, 1200x627)

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>>5797734
>>5797776

>>5798033
It is very probable, the man is clever you have to give him that. But do you have a choice ?

>>5798172

You decided to ask your good councillor if it would be wise to demand more. The possibility of feudal war was normal, to support someone you needed something too.

-Could I bargain for more than support against the lord of Darkplace ? Could I ask for the return of lady Takable's lands to her, her father was an ally of lord Neutralsson after all. Once ruling these lands as a baillistre, as her husband, I shall be the most powerful landowner of the region after baron Neutralsson.

Oldfossil seemed to reflect on the possibility and nodded slowly.

-It is... It is possible, the Neutral lord is a clever politician and will demand more, even loyalty from you, but since the count loves lady Rose you will probably have leverage, and since lord Salty Rival is an enemy of lord Neutral he would probably prefer to have a powerful loyal vassal than an unruly one. But then your lands are separated of Lady Takable's land by those of Lord Hostil, and some baronial ones. Of course Lord Hostil is dead and his possession in absence of heir came back to the baron. It is probable that the new Baron will try to regulate this issue, maybe with exchanges of lands.

You agreed with it, exchanging land or buying it was common and if you were against losing your Local holdings you could always try to see if you could have continuous lands in exchange of some villages on the border of the lands of Lady Takable. Yes, definitely, it would be a good solution. But a solution that would demand more thought than what you could afford today. It was at this moment that you heard from a servant that everything was ready. Saying goodbye to Oldfossil you began to go to war.

You decided to ride your powerful warhorse, in longer journeys you would prefer your palfrey but since he was taken to serve for another soldier you choose to take the one horse who would be useful if you were engaged in combat even in the forest. Ordering Ancel to blow the horn you left the keep with your best men.

Once outside you did not cross the bridge to the village but stayed on your side of the river, travelling on fields instead. You were approached by Godefroi who rode near you and asked you.

-Monseigneur, tell me, what do you intend to do to ambush the ship ?

-I intend to bring down a tree to dam the river my good Godefroi, it is said to be smaller than the queste.

>>5798798

The man nodded and told.

-That is a good idea monseigneur, I have thought that you would do that it is why I ordered to charge some woodcutter's axes and saws on some horses.

-Thank you Godefroi, you are a holy man !

-I have taught you the art of war, with some help from your father. I know what you would do hehehe... But even then, we do not know what does the landscape looks like, maybe there will be only small trees near the river, or maybe it will be on the contrary full of huge and hard trees that will be too long to fell, or the river will be too great to be dammed. We must see. And then see if we could attack in armor or on the contrary if we will need to swim and so to remove them. It will be a bloodbath in the later case.

The last thought made you frown, of course attacking without armor will be a slaughter but if only you could do it silently.

-I agree, but with some luck we should be able to take them by surprise. Once the first men will die and the panic sets we will know who will be victorious. By the way we do not even know how many men the baron has in that barge. Brother Louis, come here, I need your counsel, it is you who heard about it !

The templar was sleeping on his saddle, the man had ridden quickly all the morning and now he was trying to recover before entering this dangerous forest, you hoped that he would manage it. He had already eaten, he only needed to sleep.

The man gave a kick to his horse to make it advance right at your left and asked you, still sleepy.

-My counsel, about what ?

-How many men do you think that they have on that river barge. I hope that they do not have thirty well armed guardsmen.

-Thirty ? No, monseigneur, it would be unwise for them to have such an armed equipage even if the baron could afford it. The agent of Lord Neutral who gave me the information about their departure told me that they did so discreetely so I do not think that they would be that numerous. But since it was a secret mission I think that they would be loyal men and well trained. I would have choosen such kind of men if I was in his place. And with an experienced leader, maybe even his guard's captain.

That was reasonable, you met the man, a huge mountain of muscles who towered over you. And since you spoke with him you knew that he, contrary to many in India, really had gone to war.

-Brutus Enforcer ? Yes, it is probable. I met the man, he seems to be a competent fellow, and if I remember well he was knighted, the man is not as honorable as our Captain Crumbling but competent enough. He seemed to have no ill feelings towards me when we met but he was probably the scoundrel who burned our good village of Otherone.

This made the young Bohémond react, he asked you, overhearing.

-And what to do if we take him prisoner, what to do with him ? If he is a knight we must ransom him but could we apply this rule to infidel knights ?

>>5798799

This was an important question, what to do if you captured your enemy, burning villages or not this was part of war, and the man was not too cruel with your peasants. You had burned villages too on behalf of your liege lord and of the king. But at least you had the decency to raise your banners high and not do it in the night like some brigand. You decided to ask Brother Louis who had fought infidels during the crusades.

-Brother Louis, what did you do with infidel knights and nobles during the crusades ?

-We allowed them to surrender and to pay ransom, just like they imprisoned ours.

Captain Crumbling, who was at the head of the column and heard this agreed.

-In Bifuria we do this with all prisoners.

This made you all very astonished.

-What ? You do not slaughter the footmen ?

-B... But my lord it is awful...

-But you do not pretend to feed them.

-But if they surrender my lord.

-If they surrender with their commander we can spare them, as agreed with him, but once in battle it is battle, they must flee or be caught and killed. They are worth nothing anyway, especially if they are infidels.

-My lord.. With all due respect it would be seen as orcish or even barbaric in practice.

-It is war Captain, it is war... Besides I do not remember you being so merciful to the Ghibellines that we fought !

Hah ! You caught the old man, it was his time to look shocked.

-But, my lord, those are goblins, they are not human, they are pests they must be killed on sight.

-Hah, I can understand that these ghibellines were particularly malnourished by vegetables that turned them all scrawny and green but saying that they are not human being with a soul would be an exaggeration. But let us see what can we do.

>We shall spare the prisoners if they surrender with their leader. If they choose to fight, kill them all.
>Kill everyone, we want no witnesses, besides they have captured Rose.
>We will let Rose decide, she has been abducted after all and she knows best if they have not treated her as a lady. (You suppose that it will end like the precedent option, maybe in an ever more violent way).
>We will do as in France, ransom the noblemen who surrender, kill the rest if they resist. If they agree to surrender they shall be spared.
>In India act as an Indian, we shall spare every soldier who surrenders to us.
>We shall decide once on the field. For now let us concentrate on our journey, we will be in the woods soon.
>Other (write in)

>>5798801
>>We will do as in France, ransom the noblemen who surrender, kill the rest if they resist. If they agree to surrender they shall be spared.

>>5798801
>>We will do as in France, ransom the noblemen who surrender, kill the rest if they resist. If they agree to surrender they shall be spared.

>>5798801
>>We will do as in France, ransom the noblemen who surrender, kill the rest if they resist. If they agree to surrender they shall be spared.

>>5798801
>>We will do as in France, ransom the noblemen who surrender, kill the rest if they resist. If they agree to surrender they shall be spared.

>>5798801
>We will do as in France, ransom the noblemen who surrender, kill the rest if they resist. If they agree to surrender they shall be spared.
Vive la France!

>>5798801
>We will do as in France, ransom the noblemen who surrender, kill the rest if they resist. If they agree to surrender they shall be spared.
How does one accept the surrender of a man who is trying to stab you currently? If we beat them then they surrender, does that count? Very odd.

Either way, regarding my thoughts on who should become Baron, the only real choices (that are good for us) are Neutral, Isnott and our Frenchman himself. Neutral may be a scheming bastard but he also appears to just keep to himself mostly and disregard greater politics which is fine by us as that would mean he would no longer really affect us.

Isnott, weak as he may be is still well learned and he would be a good administrator and we do have a good enough relationship with him, though we could always teach him to fight like a Frenchmen. If malnourished, illiterate peasants can fight then so can he.

Last is us. Though we have the blood of Random, it may not be considered ‘strong enough’ to fully utilize its effects in this case. If we want to make a better case for ourselves we kinda need Lady Takeables land back as by combining both fiefs we would become a great choice by land ownership alone. The Kobold book could also be used to justify ourselves. Also Careless likes us compared to the others so that helps. Only thing I can think of that could further bolster our claim is of our economic plans come to fruition before the judgement is made so we can show just how great of a governor we are by making the big coins.

If any other anons got ideas I think it would be best to figure it out soon before we wack the Baron.

>>5798801
>>We will let Rose decide, she has been abducted after all and she knows best if they have not treated her as a lady. (You suppose that it will end like the precedent option, maybe in an ever more violent way).

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>>5798896
>>5798937
>>5799116
>>5799177

>>5799714
Et pour que vive la France, vive le Roy ! Montjoie Saint Denis !

>>5799862
Normally we offer the ennemy leader a chance to surrender to spare his men. (It generally works when you are far more numerous than the enemy on the field or on a fortress after a long siege right before you order the assault the defending commander will agree to surrender if you spare his men). But once in battle every peasant will be killed, knights can be spared if they raise their gauntlet and ask for mercy, they then surrender to one of the victorious knights (not always the commander of the army) and pay a ransom to him to be freed. If you are between gentlemen you can authorise him, if he swears on his honour to pay back, to go back to his holdings to assemble the sum.

Your political analysis is very wise by the way, unfortunately your apple trees will not grow some years even if the boat will probably be finished by the end of the year. The only unknown factor is the relationship between the Neutral Lord and Count Careless, maybe he is appreciated too. But you have really made the best political analysis of the situation and the only thing that I can say is that you deserve 10xp to be as wise as King Philippe IV.

>>5800006

Your decision was clear, you shall proceed as in France. If before the fight the enemy surrendered, all will be spared, if they try to resist only the knights and noblemen shall be kept alive for ransom, of course by the knights whom they would have surrendered to. It is what you told to your men and most of them agreed. Only Captain Crumbling was grumbling.

You continued until you saw the forest and if at the beginning the woods seemed not so different than those in France, because you were, after all, not far from civilization, you even saw some trees felled by lumberjacks, the more you advanced the more the woods were dense. Only the river guided you and you saw that it was one of the rare lit places of the land. Fortunately many leaves had already fallen and you could see through the branches but still, the woods were dark. And sometimes strange, you saw markings clearly made by intelligent hands in it, and then a human skull, hung from a tree. You made the sign of the cross and seeing your men hesitating you ordered them to advance. But if they spoke between themselves while in the plains they were now occupied to look around them and spoke in whispers, before falling completely silent when they heard some kind of screech that almost made your horse panic. What kind of beast was that. You decided that it was nothing that could stop a knight from saving a damsel in distress and continued. It was almost exciting, you were like Lancelot, Galahad or other valiant knights of the Arthurian Cicle seeking danger in an old forest. But if your knights seemed motivated by such danger, like true french noblemen it was not the case of everyone in your company.

>>5800266

Your simple soldiers seemed dour and afraid in the forest and you frowned upon them, what was that ? You ordered your men to sing a song to keep them merry when the ambiance, after half an hour of complete silence, only punctuated by some animal noises was too heavy. Only the two short scotsmen began to sing. Something about an ancestor called Gurdil who was sent to dig "Mitrile" in the Forest. You were at the part when he was chased by guelphs with stone who were bad neighbors because they ate greenery when you were stopped by a powerful voice, coming from above.

-Who dares trespassing in my demesne.

Your men began to panic, some trying to turn their horses, but fortunately you had put Bohémond at the back of the column and the menace of his sword was stronger than the one of ethereal voices. You did the sign of the cross and told.

-Who are you, show yourself ! I do not speak with what I do not see !

The voice began anew, more grave and stronger than ever.

-I am sent by the king of these woods ! Leave his lands immediately or face his wrath !

You looked around you and you saw Ancel trying to look everywhere in great agitation.

-I do not see anything ! It is diabolical messire ! We better go back before he changes us all into goats, into frog spit, into nun's asses !

-Be silent, maraud, I am negociating.

You ordered your men to try to form something more akin to a battle formation even if they remained on their horses.

>>5800267

>Show yourself, envoy of the king of the woods, before we speak, or is your kingdom too afraid of a simple party of twenty good men ? (Intrigue roll)
>I am not here to fight you, or invade the demesne of your king, I simply need to cross it to reach those who have, against all laws of chivalry, captured my beloved. I think that the king of those woods, as garant of our right and proper feudal order, would not mind. (Rulership roll)
>I demand the right to cross your border to save the woman that I love. Show yourself, mysterious envoy, and if you are a knight we shall break a lance in a meadow for my right of passage (Combat roll)
>I must pass for important matters, dear guardian of the wood. Tell your king that I am ready to pay for my right of passage.
>I am no king of those woods, but I am a lord, and you shall treat me with respect. I demand to pass on these lands to stop an horrible machination from devil worshippers.
>There is no "king" in these woods, not any king that I recognise at least, he is even probably not of Christian faith and not recognised by our Queen and Emperor. It means that you are leaderless people, only good enough to be beaten with sticks by my sergeants. If you agree to pay tribute and swear fealty to me I shall make your taxes lower. For now, while you think about it I shall cross these woods, if you attack us it will be war and we will burn this forest to the ground.
>I know not any king in these woods. But I am Charles de Villeroi, lord of Local, and you are on my lands, nobody can tell me were I pass, now disappear forever or show yourself and excuse yourself for having talked to your lord without respect.
>Simply order to continue to advance, ignoring the invisible man who threatens you, if he looked dangerous he would show himself.
>Other (write in)

>>5800276
====

You gain +10 xp for the analysis of your comrade and 1 mudcore for choosing the medieval way of dealing with prisoners. And I have to add you 1 piety for this time >>5795402

Your new stats :

Charles de Villeroi

Class : Local Lord
Level : 4
XP : 600+10= 610 (next level at 700)

Stats

Combat : 51%
Intrigue : 25%
Rulership: 36%

Piety : 67+1 = 68
Mudcore : 55+1 = 56

With 55 Mudcore you have a bigger field of gritty realism around you, in this field the most heavy magic will not work and supernatural abilities will not work, oh, and women will lose 4 pounds of strength of course, plus in the field the people that obey you will act more like they would be in a dark fantasy setting. You have chosen Blood of Mud and so your mudcore field will become a bit bigger and stronger but could be transmitted to your children.
Magic, even restorative, will become considerably weaker near you.
Next level at 60, your field will become more important and most magic will be impossible to cast near you by the weaker practitioners.

Talents
-Cavalry Commander : +20 to martial when you have to lead a cavalry charge or a cavalry attack. Works only when commanding shock or melee cavalry mounted on horses.
-Foreign Etiquette : You focus on learning Indian etiquette with Oldfossil, you gain a +10 bonus in intrigue in your interactions with the nobility of your duchy.
->Basic Literacy : Your lessons with Oldfossil and Lady Takable finally paid off and you can read and write, even if you write with errors and move your lips still when you read it is a great leap forward.

Traits :
Leader : Your magnetism on the masses is glorious and your learning of speech could encourage many men to follow you. You may choose the best of 3 rolls when you try to speak in public to convince an audience, be it the Council of Many or angry peasants.

>>5800276
>>I am not here to fight you, or invade the demesne of your king, I simply need to cross it to reach those who have, against all laws of chivalry, captured my beloved. I think that the king of those woods, as garant of our right and proper feudal order, would not mind. (Rulership roll)

>>5800276
>>I am no king of those woods, but I am a lord, and you shall treat me with respect. I demand to pass on these lands to stop an horrible machination from devil worshippers.

>>5800266
I tried my best with the information given but I don't think we should be worrying about the Baron afterwards so we should be good.

>I am not here to fight you, or invade the demesne of your king, I simply need to cross it to reach those who have, against all laws of chivalry, captured my beloved. I think that the king of those woods, as garant of our right and proper feudal order, would not mind. (Rulership roll)

>>5800323
>>5800342

Roll for rulership since you have chosen a roll option good sir.

Rolled 35 (1d100)

>>5800354
oh noes

Rolled 37 (1d100)

>>5800354

Rolled 64 (1d100)

>>5800354

Rolled 56 (1d100)

>>5800354
>I am not here to fight you, or invade the demesne of your king, I simply need to cross it to reach those who have, against all laws of chivalry, captured my beloved. I think that the king of those woods, as garant of our right and proper feudal order, would not mind. (Rulership roll)

>>5800342
+1

>>5800323
>>5800335

>>5800342
Of course, you will have other things to do like giving back her locket to the Duchess and celebrating your marriage to Lady Rose.

>>5800357
>>5800496
>>5800589
>>5801105

You decided to answer with subtlety.

-I am not here to fight you, or invade the demesne of your king, I simply need to cross it to reach those who have, against all laws of chivalry, captured my beloved. I think that the king of those woods, as garant of our right and proper feudal order, would not mind.

The voice in the trees became silent for a moment. Then, after some time it answered in a powerful voice.

-You may pass, valiant knight, your cause seems to be just, but swear on your word as a nobleman to not cause trouble or ill to our king's subjects on your way to your destination.

You smiled a half smile. And swore solemnly.

-On my honour as a nobleman I swear to you that I will not cause trouble, despite maybe trying to find a way to block a river barge, while trespassing on your lands. If I lie may I be changed into frog's pit and be taken with purulent fever.

Since you swore according to the old customs found in many contracts you were free to go. And your superstitious guardsmen thanked you for "saving their life" against an invisible voice ! Hah ! But it remained strange so while you rode you asked your brave Ancel.

-Tell me Ancel, you had your eyes open, what did you saw ?

-Nothing messire, it is what makes me afraid. I saw no trace of beasts or even moving trees as we saw when tracking the half naked Guelph. Hah she was terrible as a slut this one and had a tight cunt like a nun and...

A hit on the head with your shield made him silent.

-Do not imply nuns of our Holy Church in your ramblings Ancel.

-Sorry messire, but was it wise to tell about the barge's coming to the forest denizens ? They might ambush it ?

-If they do so it will weaken the defenders, or they may try to ambush it after us and we will be dead or victorious and with lady Takable at this moment.

You still worried about if Lady Rose would be abducted by some forest denizen but knowing the awful Crook Wickedson you knew that it could not be worse. And the forest, dangerous or not, was near your lands while a barge traveled faster than your horses so it would be easier to get her back. You continued to ride to the darkest places of the forest. While travelling you stayed silent, thinking about trusting an unknown voice, but the voice spoke like a nobleman and you knew that a gentleman will never betray another one. After about three hours of riding you came before a small river who flowed in the Queste, that was it, the Sideplot was before you.

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>>5801292

There were many bushes and high trees near the river and you clearly will have to let the horses somewhere before preparing your ambush. You ordered two men to guard them while you looked at the river. You posted Gardasil, who ran fast and was weak as the Guelph he was so not useful for manual labor, higher up in the Sideplot to see if any barge was coming. Clearly your first idea was to dam the river but even the trees near the river would not be tall enough to dam it, it was, even if a short river, a rather large one. You had to order the men to prepare the trap. According to a rapid analysis of the situation you had a simple choice :

>Dam the river by felling a tree from your side of the river it will force the barge to move to the other side and you could use the tree as a platform for a man to climb on it.
>Dam the river by sending two of your best swimmers on the other side of the river, it they fall a tree it will force the barge to move to your side of the river and you could attack it easily in numbers, but the current is swift and there is a risk that your lumberjacks will drown.
>Other (write in)

Then there was the question of the strategy to adopt. Of course the most obvious choice for you would be to place your archer (Ancel) and crossbowmen high up in trees to kill everything on the barge but then you will need to know how to attack the barge. In armor ? With the risk of drowning if you fail to climb on it or without any armor knowing that it should be a bloodbath. Of course if a barge is near a side of the river you could directly jump on it but if not you will need to advance on the tree that you would have felled or to swim.

>We will fight in armour.
>We will remove our armour and try to swim towards the barge.
>Other (write in)

>>5801294
>Dam the river by sending two of your best swimmers on the other side of the river, it they fall a tree it will force the barge to move to your side of the river and you could attack it easily in numbers, but the current is swift and there is a risk that your lumberjacks will drown.
What worthy man would not drown for love, and for his lord, and for justice?

>We will fight in armour.
Step across the felled trees if we can!

>>5801294
>Dam the river by felling a tree from your side of the river it will force the barge to move to the other side and you could use the tree as a platform for a man to climb on it.

>We will remove our armour and try to swim towards the barge.

>>5801294
>>Dam the river by sending two of your best swimmers on the other side of the river, it they fall a tree it will force the barge to move to your side of the river and you could attack it easily in numbers, but the current is swift and there is a risk that your lumberjacks will drown.
>>Other (write in)

We have ropes I must assume, we should attach them to our brave volunteers that they may be reeled in should the current be too strong, should they succeed Ancel and our crossbowmen should then use the rope to cross the river so that they are shooting into the backs of the foe, should it come to violence.

>>We will fight in armour.

As a bonus, should any man fall into the river there will be a rope that he may be able to grab.

>>5801424
Supporting

>>5801294
>>Dam the river by sending two of your best swimmers on the other side of the river, it they fall a tree it will force the barge to move to your side of the river and you could attack it easily in numbers, but the current is swift and there is a risk that your lumberjacks will drown.

>We will remove our armour and try to swim towards the barge.

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>>5801302
>>5801304

>>5801424
Excellent idea, really excellent. Very wise to have chosen it. You deserve 10xp for this.

>>5802078
>>5802374

After a small moment of thought you came to an original conclusion. With some luck you could be able to use some ropes, that fortunately Godefroi had taken, and bind your soldiers to them before they swim so the current does not take them.
It was a wonderful idea indeed and after choosing two good men, one of cop's sons and Dummy, one of your most loyal guardsmen.

They managed to cross the river quite efficiently attached their ropes to a tree on the other side of the river. Dummy almost drowned but three men pulled the rope and he began to swim again and managed to get to the other side.Then, using their heavy woodsmen axes they began to try to cut a big tree. It will probably take time so you told Brother Louis, who had ridden all day, to sleep while you began contemplating the river. You thought about your beloved one while some men used the ropes to get to the other side of the river and began to climb the trees to harass the enemy. You wondered if she thought about you, and if she waited to be freed. She probably thought that you will never come in time since she had no means to know that she was abducted. Or maybe in her hearth full of love and poetry she would think that you will help her even without knowing it ? This made you smile, whether she would be expecting you or not you were certain that she wull be full of joy and mirth at your sight, while your enemies will panic.

It was during this meditation that you were disturbed by Godefroi who asked you.

-So, should we fight in armour, or not ?

-We should, we should, in armour yes.

Nodding and understanding that you were thinking about something important, in this case the taste of your lady's lips once you would have saved her. And other interesting attributes, but decency forbids it of saying too much. Of course you would probably not be able to enjoy the carnal company of your lady before marriage but there was nothing wrong in hope ? Isn't it ? You let the river flow a bit much before you heard the sound of a falling tree. With a great splash of water it dammed a part of the river accompanied by the cheers of your men. Well, you only had to wait. You ordered Dummy and his comrade to come back and don their armor, the waiting shall come. With your crossbowmen on the trees on the other bank of the river, two men guarding the horses that will become only one once the fight begins, and the rest of your men around you.

>>5802489

After half an hour of waiting you saw Gardasil, who was sent higher up on the river as a scout return to you. With a simple sign of his head you understood that it will be time to fight. You ordered your men to hide in the bushes and you saw, in the distance, the river barge approaching. It had a sail fortunately, instead of a mass of burly rowers, and a small equipage not dressed to fight but you saw guards too. They were as all the guards in India, with norman helmets and swords, but maybe there were archers, you could not see in the distance, their black and red tabards differencied them of the brown and blue of your own men, just like the kettle helmets of your men helped to distinguish them. Unfortunately the sail, that was quite large like the barge, stopped you from seeing anything that was not in the forward part of the barge.
You knew that you had to wait for your men to be at crossbow's range from your enemies before you could order an attack but maybe you could order your men to hold their fire for the moment when your men would have already jumped on the enemy ship. What was sure that the enemy will see the ropes and the tree and understand that you wanted to ambush them.

The barge would probably try to approach your side of the river to avoid the tree. Your first crossbowman hidden in the trees, you had given him a crossbow because of his Genoese sounding name : Rollforini Tiativ,

>Order Rollforini Tiativ to hold his fire until you are ready to jump into the melee from the bushes.
>Order Rollforini Tiativ to fire when he can, with a bit of luck he would kill the ship's captain or someone and make the boat run aground.
>Other (write in)

Your party consists of :
-You, the Local Lord.
-Godefroi de Trifouillis, Knight (experienced)
-Bohémond d’Autrelieu Knight (enthusiastic)
-Brother Louis de Pierredargent, Templar Knight (lucky)
-Captain Crumbling, Guards Captain (Old)
-1 Experienced scout and tracker (Ancel le Purineur)
-10 human spearmen (amongst them Cop and his sons Swat and Fed, Dummy, Bread and Butter and Carius) equipped with spears, swords/axes and shields, mail armor and kettle hat helmets.
-1 elven spearman (Gardasil)
-1 human crossbowman (Rollforini Tiativ)
-2 dwarven crossbowmen (Orin and Florin)

You gain +10 xp for your good idea of using ropes (and gain to know the fact that you would have lost one guardsman if you had not found this solution).

>>5802491
>>Order Rollforini Tiativ to hold his fire until you are ready to jump into the melee from the bushes.

It would be foolish to make them aware too early.

>>5802513
Support
Wait for the perfect moment and hit them all at once, shock and awe and hopefully none of our men will die because of it.

>>5802491
>>5802513
>supporting

>>5802491
>>Order Rollforini Tiativ to hold his fire until you are ready to jump into the melee from the bushes.

>>5802491
>>Order Rollforini Tiativ to hold his fire until you are ready to jump into the melee from the bushes.

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>>5802513
Well said.

>>5802533
Your shock and awe ambush tactics must be inspired by the famous Sir Georges who loved to hide in a bush.

>>5802821
>>5802845
>>5802864

You decided to wait a bit before sending the signal to attack, if the enemy was caught unaware by a charge and crossbow bolts falling in his backs it would be a slaughter. So you decided to wait, and watched, from the bushes, how some forms on the barge pointed at the tree. Soon you saw some guards looking from the prow of the barge, they were led by a huge man in armor, the guard's captain. But right near him there were two other figures. An elegant man with pale features and black hair who moved with grace and a blonde woman in a red dress with a baton decorated with a blue gem. You recognized them, they were Crueail Degeneret, the black Guelph who advised your baron like Oldfossil advised you, and Elsa, his court witch ! You made the sign of the cross, there would be wizardry afoot. But you stayed hidden, true to your plan, when you felt a pat on your shoulder, turning around you saw Captain Crumbling who whispered you.

-My lord, they have an ice mage !

-And ?

-It changes everything, if we do not take her out before storming the ship she could rain death upon us ! The baron's court witch is quite skilled, probably more than our Rollarion was. May his soul find peace... You need to end her now !

Yes, the deceased court mage that served lord Random. You disapproved of witchcraft and had banished it in your lands so it was fortunate that he was dead before your coming but should you believe your captain ? On one side God protected the faithful against the devilries of magicians but what about your men that were still pagans ? What will your decision be ?

>Order your crossbowmen to attack now.
>Let's stay hidden, the crossbow bolt in the witch's skull will comme right before your charge.
>Other (write in)

>>5803083
Which one is the ice mage again? Elsa?

>>5803083
>>Order your crossbowmen to attack now.

>>5803083
>>Let's stay hidden, the crossbow bolt in the witch's skull will comme right before your charge.

>>5803083
>Order your crossbowmen to attack now.
God protects! Like Emperor Constantine's sign in the sky, let this be the battle that teaches our heathen men to convert or perish beneath foul devilries!

>>5803098
Yes. She should cease her spellcraft, but cannot seem to let it go.

>>5803083
>>Order your crossbowmen to attack now.

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>>5803098
Who else.

>>5803228
>>5803424

>>5803473
Dieu le Veut ! God will's it ! Yes ! And our fight shall be a righteous crusade against paganism !

>>5803474
You are a man full of wit, you made me laugh even better than a jester juggling while walking on his hands.

>>5804076

You decided to order to attack now, right here, at the moment, with a bit of luck your Rollforini would manage to hit the unarmoured witch with a crossbow bolt, her red dress made her an easy target, so you made him a sign to begin to loose.
You then saw that your man aimed and fired. Unfortunately firing on a moving boat was not easy and he missed a bit, his bolt going right into the wood of the deck instead on one of the ennemies. You heard them screaming from here while at very long range you saw that Orin and Florin, who had climbed on trees with great difficulty, tried to put bolts on other miscreants trying to travel here. Ancel, who has only a shortbow and was the farthest away from the ship was not able to reach it so he remained hidden.
If Orin's bolt fell into the water Florin's managed to get one of the sailors, not the soldiers, right in the shoulder and you could see that the man fell and screamed while his friends tried to evacuate him somewhere safe. The black bearded Scotsman cheered on his victory. While your crossbowmen were still reloading their weapons that sacrificed rate of fire for power there was some agitation on deck and the enemy made some manoeuvers.

Of course, we know here, noble gentlemen, that I tend to write our battle stories in the manner of the Franks, trying to insuffle the epicness of the tales of Roland and Charlemagne into these battles. But since we are at an ambush, I decided, for this time, to describe the battles as the minstrels do in India. That means that it would be done in what they call "Turns" or "Tours" in good french (yes like a tower or the famous city), it means a short couplet when one moment of the battle is described from one side of it. Bohémond, always the musician, supposes that it comes from the french term "Ritournelle" that means a refrain that is sung by those minstrels during their tales and probably between each "turn". Your narrator hopes that this exotic style will be pleasant for you, dear readers.

>>5804233

Turn 1 of the vile scoundrels serving an unjust cause :

Let us say that after this crossbow barrage and some reloading the impression dominating the "turn" on the barge was surprise. A man was wounded, others screamed, all those who tried to do something were screaming different things and running everywhere. Crueail Degeneret, the dark elf, tried to look everywhere while hiding behind the taffrail. Elsa the magician tried to look everywhere around her while the guardsmen tried to find something, one of them even accused the wind. Seeing this Brutus Enforcer, captain of Baron Crook's guard and veteran of many wars thought that he was the only sane man on board and made a dismissive sign towards the ship's captain who screamed about an ambush not being agreed on their contract. Before another bolt could fly he took the ice mage by her neck and forced her to bend low. It made her yell angrily.

-R... Hand's off me ! You bastard, the baron will...

-Yes, yes, I know that you have a "close" relationship... But I do not want to lose you for this reason. Every man knows that they fire at the mages first. And I need you to cast.

Understanding that the shots came from the right the guard's captain thought that probably the enemy would be on both sides of the river, or were on only one side to bluff him, he needed to understand where they were before ordering a counter attack. Looking at Crueail who was trying to say something he told.

-Stay in the cabins councillor, try to guard the prisoner, keep her here, take a man with you.

Before he could say more Elsa, who had a dislike for Lady Takable since she criticized her singing during a night in the baron's custody told.

-And do not be afraid to slap the brat if she is insolent.

This made the guard's captain sight, but he focused on his task instead. Indicating to a grey skinned dark elf lady with white hair and a man who both were dressed in the baron's livery.

-Shotya, Robin, go fetch your bows in the ship's hold instead of standing here like idiots. I want you to shoot anything that move in these trees !

====

Turn 1 of the brave men serving the Local Lord :

In the meantime you were still on your position, waiting for your crossbowmen to reload. The ship was still in the middle of the river but it will probably try to turn to avoid the tree after some time. You maybe could try to anticipate it's movements.

>Advancing in the cover of trees to where the ship would turn will risk you being detected but if it works you could manage to engage the ennemy in melee earlier.
>Staying where you are with your men will help you focus the enemy attention to your crossbowmen before you litteraly jump on them from the other side with a numerous party.
>Leave the trees and chivalrously yell your ennemies to surrender before more blood is spilled, their cause is unworthy and already lost anyway.
>Other (write in)

>>5804237
>>Staying where you are with your men will help you focus the enemy attention to your crossbowmen before you litteraly jump on them from the other side with a numerous party.

>>5804237
>>Staying where you are with your men will help you focus the enemy attention to your crossbowmen before you litteraly jump on them from the other side with a numerous party.

>>5804237
>Staying where you are with your men will help you focus the enemy attention to your crossbowmen before you literally jump on them from the other side with a numerous party.
Like Sir Georges!

>>5804237
>>Staying where you are with your men will help you focus the enemy attention to your crossbowmen before you litteraly jump on them from the other side with a numerous party.

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>>5804246
>>5804384

>>5804411
Of course ! And may Saint Georges guide us too on this endeavour !

>>5804468
You decided to stay hidden, after all you did not want to lose the effect of surprise. You let your men continue to try to harass the enemy forces. They were still reloading their crossbows but now that the river barge was closer to them they should have far more chances to touch them when they would fire next. You saw that the ship's captain was screaming something at the guard's captain and smiled at the obvious confusion in the enemy ranks while you donned your helmet. It will be epic.

====

Turn 2 of the vile scoundrels serving an unjust cause :

After trying to organise pure chaos into something ressembling a fighting force, like in his time in the legion Brutus Enforcer thanked Ken-Nedy, God of people being shot-at by crossbowmen, that he spared him an humiliating death and that crossbows were long to reload when he saw that his men began to get their bows and quivers, of course they would still need to actually see the enemy and target him in the middle of the cries of the wounded sailor and of the captain who saw a huge felled tree on the river and wanted to lead his embarcation near the other bank to avoid bumping into it. Crueail began to run towards the cabines of the prisoners and Elsa, Elsa was trying to do something stupid. She said.

-I am going to send an Ice storm on their stupid faces. I shall...

There was no time to let her induge in her fantasies of killing everyone with ice, throwing powerful spells without knowing where the enemy was, and especially when you had your own archers that will not see anything in the storm would not be clever. Plus this did'nt discriminate between allies and enemies. He ordered.

-Cast "detect the living hostiles" then we will see what to cast....

-I am not a child, I am a perfectly competent battle mage specialised in Ice magic and...

-I have actually gone to war, do what I say if you want to stay alive.

He looked around him while reluctantly Elsa began to cast something but stumbled in the middle of the sentance and if some light left her baton it did nothing. It made Brutus curse internally the noblemen who promoted court witches based on their looks instead of their competency.

>>5804530

====

Turn 3 of the brave men serving the Local Lord :

You were still hidden in the bushes and saw with pleasure that your crossbowmen had decided to fire anew. Three bolts left the trees to fall upon the deck of the enemy barge. Unfortunately none managed to touch something. You cursed such imbeciles and wondered why you were surrounded by people unable to touch people in plain sight.... Crossbows were dishonourable peasant weapons anyway. Fortunately right for their next volley you shall have the time to go in melee and show how it is done. You hesitated, on one side, you had your trusty sword of course but your axe might be more useful on board of a ship especially against armoured targets.

>You will jump on them with your axe.
>You shall jump on them with your sword drawn high.

You saw Brother Louis beginning to pray before the combat and decided to join him. You still had time, the barge was not specially quick, and what could these fiends do ? They were already dead.

====

Turn 3 of the vile scoundrels serving an unjust cause :

Brutus hated the fact that crossbows bolts were flying above his not helmeted head, he had to duck one of the crossbow bolts because of course assholes who used crossbows instead of fighting properly felt obligated to always target the bigger guy with the biggest armor who he was actually. Looking at Elsa he hoped that she would be able to cast something this time. And effectively her eyes became green and she was able to see around her, communicating her visions as she spoke.

-Two enemies on the trees, a human and a dwarven crossbowman, right here and on the pine here... And on the other side, horses, and men, dismounted men, one is guarding the horses... One, two... ten spearmen and four, men in mail I guess, they are knights, they are waiting here.

Understood, they wanted to ambush them when they would be focused on them. He told Elsa to continue and to mark them.

-Yes, and... On the side of the crossbows there is... A kind of... Man I guess... Why is he pulling up his pants ?

He didn't need all the details and decided to give orders instead, since the ambushers were not yet a problem and behind a slope he decided to leave them for now, ordering his archers to get off the men on the trees. One must have remained invisible, probably because he was a dwarf and those things could happen with races like dwarves who had a modest resistance to magic. But what was sure that they would have to battle all the soldiers of Local, and it's lord. They were outnumbered but it mattered not, at the end he would have to put this lord of Local to the sword. It was sad since the guy, for all his extravagance and insistance upon honor and strange outdated tactics was a fine chap. But such was life, the baron pointed and Brutus cut heads, and here it would be in self-defense.

-Shotya, Robin, the pine tree ! Get the bastard on it down !

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>>5804531

Two arrows were launched at the tree, without hitting anything, even if he saw movement in it, the man on it understood that he was seen and that he had to reload quickly.

====

Turn 4 of the brave men serving the Local Lord :

An arrow was fired, finally, by Ancel who managed to get at range, and it was a beautiful one it flew right into the eye of one of the enemy archers. Hah, magnificent. You had finished your prayer and you thanked your Ancel for showing your other men how it was done. You were prepared to act, with nobody expecting you, you knew that your attack should be quick and brutal like the ambush of Renaud de Châtillon at Montgisard against a huge horde of saracens led by Saladin, the surprised heathens fled in panic before his might as he struck just out of a desert storm ! You should use these bushes as your desert storm to conceal your movement. You remembered that your ancestors had fought during this battle and that one of them had captured and ransomed a rich Emir called Saddam. You will maybe capture the baron's councillor and ransom him, who knows. Your weapon in hands you prepared to act, you will still need to wait for some time but the thing will come closer and closer.

====

Turn 4 of the vile scoundrels serving an unjust cause :

Brutus saw an arrow flying right at the head of one of his best archers, Robin Good, and the thing traversed his skull and brain, killing him instantly. It was not a crossbow bolt, but an arrow, and someone very skilled was firing at them. He ran towards his dead man while his other men stayed in cover and his other archer, the dark elf Shotya Indahead, looked lost. Extracting the arrow from the dead man he was terrified by what he saw, the bastard, in case if he had just wounded his prey, had plunged his arrow in shit to make it infectious. Brutus threw the weapon and began to give orders but before he could say anything he saw that Elsa was just finishing to cast a spell.

She began to levitate and her staff was lit up, even a non magical man could feel the power accumulating and he began to take cover, he hoped that she did nothing too stupid. And then it was, a wave of terrible cold that could practically freeze him on the spot and a huge white flash. When he opened his eyes he saw that the landscape was completely changed. His men around him breathed in the cold before it dropped quickly to a normal temperature, but everything around had already changed. Every tree, every piece of the landscape was now completely frozen, reduced to a kind of statue, around them the river too, was completely made of ice. Brutus could only exclaim.

-What the f...

>>5804532

He was answered with a laugh from Elsa, who, absolutely not disturbed by the cold, simply pointed around and told.

-The sphere of icy doom of Misterfreeze, beautiful isn't it ? It only targets enemies into a large region and changes everything, even the landscape that we target into ice and... Shotya, shoot at this tree please !

Shot shot and arrow and the tree shattered and began to fall, the man on it, changed into a statue too, fell and shattered like if he was made of ice, even if some chunks, probably composed of his frozen blood were all red and translucid. Brutus could only tell.

-Hooooly shit... And you...

-Yes I thought about everything, I counted the Takable girl as not hostile.

Brutus could only nod while Crueail got outside of the cabin and asked.

-What does it means it... By all the spiders of the underworld what is this...

Elsa seemed even more happy and proud of herself, especially when the young brat, Lady Takable, left her cabin that the chancellor had left open in his haste and told. She was realising more or less what had happened, her blue eyes were wide open and she tried to tell something.

-W...

Elsa, of course, could not avoid the occasion to mock this girl that she disliked and told.

-Yes, it seems that your fiancé was left... Cold by the idea of finding you again.

Tears formed on the eyes of the young girl and before anyone could do anything she told.

-You killed him, you... whore...

She tried to steal the dagger of the councillor and lunge at the mage but was taken by two guardsmen and left tp impotently sob and scream menaces. To be honest Brutus felt a bit sad for the lad, he wanted to free his beloved and got killed without honour, by a powerful spell, like so many martials before him. But well, at least it was justice for Robin. It was at this moment that the guard's captain heard a great "Crack" from the ship, then another one... Everyone looked around and the ship's captain, a small rotund man with a beard began to scream at the magician.

-It is the ice ! The ice you imbeciles ! You do not know that ice takes more place than water and that changing all the water of the river into ice will create a tremendous pressure into...

CRACK...

-You destroyed my boat ! You imbeciles !

Brutus began realizing what it meant, but the councillor was faster and he explained.

-So you are saying that we are now blocked into a forest full of monsters and we will have to travel on feet...

Everyone looked at Elsa who simply said.

-Oops...

Before they could give her a mighty grilling for an action that would probably kill her one of the soldiers announced in a panicked voice.

-Captain Brutus, movement at our left !

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>>5804536

Slowly but surely they all turned towards this direction to see a lone man, his chainmail and helmet covered by a thin layer of snow, advancing among frozen bushes and destroying them, raising his voice this lone man began to tell in an unmistakable accent.

-Saint Denis preserve usse ! We were at ze mercie of sorcerie un'eard offe ! Ice comingue frome ze dipeste cirkeul of helle were Judas Iscariote is eld captive in ze clutches of iz master Satan ! But wiffe God and olly prayère we pushed zis madness back and ze lord preserved us from such maléfices ! Now it is our taime to strike true and put zose who cast witchcraft and zose who tolerate it to the torch ! Forward, men of France, kille zose knaves and let us free my beloved ! Montjoie ! Passavant li Meillor !

The guard's captain saw then that the man was followed by many others, dusting some snow off their spears and shields. The baron's soldiers and councillors began to look at themselves, frozen in panic by the attack of these "ice men" only lady Takable tried to swipe her tears and began to smile and lightly laugh in an uncontrolable manner, overcome by the emotion. Then, from the other side of the river, another voice, with an even more horrible accent, appeared as a small snow covered man with a cutlass ran slowly towards them.

-Beate zem well messire ! Forward ! Death to the Burgundians ! Sus, Sus !

He unsheathed his own enchanted sword, he did not know what a burgundian was but he did know that this was going to get ugly.

>Slowly try to encircle the boat and attack it from many sides.
>This unnatural ice that lets you walk towards the barge is not eternal, the temparatures becomes warm again, let us all climb on the boat and kill everyone in it !
>Order Godefroi to lead a frontal assault while you attack the ship from the other side.
>Lead a frontal assault yourself while Godefroi will try to attack the ship by the back with some other men.
>Other (write in)

And please ROLL FOR COMBAT !!!

Rolled 68 (1d100)

>>5804539
>>Lead a frontal assault yourself while Godefroi will try to attack the ship by the back with some other men.

>>5804531
>You will jump on them with your axe.

>>5804539
>Lead a frontal assault yourself while Godefroi will try to attack the ship by the back with some other men.
Hahaha, the phonetic accent killed me. Finally we understand what it is all our enemies hear when they spy on us and are confused and amused. Well, it is WE who shall have the last laugh.

Rolled 24 (1d100)

>>5804539
>>5804584
Oh, and a roll.

Rolled 20 (1d100)

>>5804531
>You will jump on them with your axe.
Swords do not do well against heavy armour made of metal but axes that require a bit more blunt force should do it.
>Lead a frontal assault yourself while Godefroi will try to attack the ship by the back with some other men.
lets hope my roll is low

Rolled 68 (1d100)

>>5804539
>You will jump on them with your axe.
>>Lead a frontal assault yourself while Godefroi will try to attack the ship by the back with some other men.
>Sus, Sus !
Amogus

>>5804531
>You will jump on them with your axe.

>>5804539
>This unnatural ice that lets you walk towards the barge is not eternal, the temparatures becomes warm again, let us all climb on the boat and kill everyone in it !

>>5804531
>You will jump on them with your axe.

>>5804539
>Order Godefroi to lead a frontal assault while you attack the ship from the other side.

>>5804531
>>You shall jump on them with your sword drawn high

>>5804539
>>Lead a frontal assault yourself while Godefroi will try to attack the ship by the back with some other men.

>accents

Absolute kek

>>5804531
>You will jump on them with your axe.

>>5804539
>Order Godefroi to lead a frontal assault while you attack the ship from the other side.
Capture the vitch, she'll be very useful

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>>5804547

>>5804584
Hahaha, yes, canonically speaking Charles and his companions speak in Old French while the other characters speak in 21st century French so they understand each other (barely) but your humble translator tries, as he can to retain this comical dimension in english.

>>5804585
Thank you.

>>5804601
It seems that your hopes were crowned with results.

>>5804729
Hahaha I haven't thought about it, you are a clever gentleman, "Sus" means "Death to" or "Get them"

>>5804836
>>5804876

>>5805195
I really imagine that in english he will sound like https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJQPgWwV3Gk

>>5805242
The baron had our lover, we will have his ! Haha !

You were cold, extremely cold, the witch malefice had literally frozen everything around you, the trees, the ground, the sweath on you, and had recovered everything in a thin layer of snow. The bushes around you became very easy to crack a simple touch shaterring them as if they were made of ice. But they were cold to the touch and you were happy to have gloves. This cold could probably burn you. Your men around you were spared too, doubtlessly by the power of prayer. Raising your axe you decided to give a mighty speech, you loved this kind of theatrics, it added to a battle the kind of joy that was needed to make it glorious and it warmed the hearths of those listening and made them burn with ardent devotion to victory. A burning well needed in these times of cold. You saw the panicked expressions of the enemy and Ancel coming from his side, shielded too. Of course the snow had made the rope of his bow completely wet and unusable so he had only his cutlass. Of your crossbowmen you had no news.

You then jumped on the ice and of course stumbled and fell. Damnation it was slippery ! Fortunately Godefroi helped you raise and you gave him some orders. Because of this development you had to modify your battle plan.

-Godefroi, my good Godefroi, take four good men while I attack them from the front and get them from the back ! We will crush them from both sides !

-It will me done, monseigneur. May Saint Michel preserve you.

-And may he preserve you.

>>5805264

You answered patting him on his shoulder while advancing massively towards the enemy. You felt some kind of ice projectile being hurled at you but you put your shield before you and it broke on it and you continued to advance, carefully, to not fall. An arrow fell unto the shield of one of Godefroi's men. As you were closing in, dodging the arrows from their lone archer and seeing their mage muttering something with little consequences. Seeing that you were more numerous one of the men without armor who was on the ship jumped from it, yelling "Abandon the ship !" and muttering something to you while kneeling, he was accompanied by some other men who jumped on the ice and surrendered, they were not guardsmen of the baron but the members of the equipage of the ship, probably merchants that had been contacted by the baron to transport lady Takable. The captain told.

-P...Please my lord, spare us, we did nothing we...

You answered, not having time to give to them, you saw that one had a crossbow bolt in his shoulder, probably the result of your attack, it happened.

-I shall see, stay here, the forest is dangerous.

You then began to advance towards your ennemies, the problem being that if the barge was not very high it was still higher than the ice and formed a kind of small rampart. One of your men tried to advance but an enemy guardsman began to try to push him back by hitting with his sword. Another of your men tried to spear him but he parried, the sword being a good weapon for this, fortunately a third spearman used this moment to gut the insolent in the belly and the enemy soldier fell backwards, clutching his pierced stomach. You saw captain Crumbling who had probably ordered the maneuver, nod to you, it was one of the things that you had insisted upon your guardsmen learning : using the numbers and reach of spearmen to work together. Seeing other soldiers trying to climb and being forced to retreat or receiving glancing sword blows on their helmets you yelled.

-Use your reach damn you !

To your satisfaction they began to understand, and used their spears to try to hit any man who tried to stop some of them to climb on the boat, Bohémond first of them with Brother Louis. Making sign to Cop and Swat you ordered them to cover you while you climbed on the barge. Managing to climb you fell before the ugliest face that you ever saw, except maybe the one of the saxon man that you had killed in the witche's cave or of your brave Orcadian "da masked cuncumber".

>>5805265

It was as if the man's mother or father had fornicated with a tusked beast, the skin of the baron's guard was greenish and he had small, pig like, eyes. Trying to kill you with his sword he showed that he had strength because it made a dent in your shield, but he had not held a weapon in his hand since he was seven years old (or even three years old if you counted wooden swords with whom you happily smacked everything since you learned to walk) and you quickly counterattacked, feinted to the left and hit him in the neck with your axe splitting his mail by the strength of your blow and cutting half of it. He fell to the wooden floor gurgling in his blood. Glorious ! You looked around you and saw that everything seemed to be fine.

Bohemond was already on the place, trading blows with the giant in steel armour who was the baron's guard's captain. Both of them fought valiantly but by brute strength and superiority of armour alone the vile man had an edge, fortunately brother Louis came to help the young knight and even in his tired state his swordplay was exceptional, unfortunately the man's armor made him practically invincible. The man who had gotten a spear in the belly was lying in his blood while two of your spearmen began to mount. One of them blocked an arrow with his shield that a kind of Ethiopian lady (she had dark grey skin, she obviously came from such sunless country where people are black of skin) with pointed ears, a bow and a helmet, one of the baron's archers according to her tabard, tried to use. Seeing that she was cornered she jumped over your men in a somersault proving an astonishing agility, probably like the one of your Indian Guelphs and was on the small guardrail of the ship when a hand from outside grabbed her leg and pushed her down. You then heard sounds of chopping. You knew that hand, and that sneakiness, it was obviously Ancel. When a man can be so sneaky it would be a shame to not use it to slit some throats. But knowing him you knew that he would be looting the body for valuables before trying to continue the fight.

Finally the giant in armor made sign to two of his men to occupy your knights while he jumped at you, he probably thought that killing the leader would make your men retreat. Heh ! His sword slashed towards you and cut a bit of your shield and he deftly dodged your axe blow in return. Before you could do another thing you heard the screams of horror of the witch who pointed at the back of the ship from where Godefroi and his men were emerging. With only four guardsmen and their captain left standing the cause of the baron's men seemed lost. You attacked a second time with your axe but simply touched an oversized pauldron while the giant pushed you and you stumbled backwards before parrying another blow of his glowing sword. Finally you heard another lady's muffled scream. Rose ! And the voice of the baron's councillor who held a dagger under her throat.

>>5805266

He told clearly.

-Stand back ! Or I shall kill her !

The guard's captain tried to tell.

-But the baron want's her al..

Crueail retorded.

-He wants US alive before everything !

Yes, and it looked poorly for them, you had not lost any man once the melee began while the enemy was currently reduced to four guardsmen, among them a woman and a man recently wounded in the left hand by one of your knights, their captain, a witch, and their councillor that held a dagger under your beloved's chin. The enemy was surrounded but there was a kind of pause. What to do ?

>Continue to attack as if you haven't heard, they will never expect this.
>Offer your enemies a possibility to surrender if they do not hurt your lady.
>Order your men to stand back and tell "You have my word as a nobleman that you will be left alive if you release Lady Takable, I shall not pursue you or punish you in any way. But if you dare touch her I shall hang you by your entrails to a tree." (Hard Rulership roll)
>Tell your men to stand back and say "Let us not go into extremes, if you kill Lady Takable, you will be killed painfully, if you let her leave I have no reason to hurt you at all (Intrigue roll)
>Tell your men to stop fighting and challenge the enemy champion in single combat, giving up your strategical advantage. If you win you shall receive Lady Takable, if they win they should have a possibility to leave with her. (Hard combat roll)
>Do as if you retreated and make a sign to Ancel, who is hidden out of view, to try to throw his dagger at the councillor's back. Then charge and kill them all. (Risky)
>Ask those miscreants what will they want in exchange of your beloved.
>Other (write in)

>>5805267
>Offer your enemies a possibility to surrender if they do not hurt your lady.
This is a bad situation that perhaps we should have foreseen

>>5805267
>Offer your enemies a possibility to surrender if they do not hurt your lady.
Actually yeah, it's not like we're bound to keep promises made to heathens

>>5805267
>>Order your men to stand back and tell "You have my word as a nobleman that you will be left alive if you release Lady Takable, I shall not pursue you or punish you in any way. But if you dare touch her I shall hang you by your entrails to a tree." (Hard Rulership roll)

We are attempting to convince more than one person correct? So we should have best of 3 at least.

I should say that it might be worth offering Brutus a job since his Baron is soon to be without a title.

Rolled 55 (1d100)

>>5805267
>>Tell your men to stand back and say "Let us not go into extremes, if you kill Lady Takable, you will be killed painfully, if you let her leave I have no reason to hurt you at all (Intrigue roll)

>>5805267
>>Order your men to stand back and tell "You have my word as a nobleman that you will be left alive if you release Lady Takable, I shall not pursue you or punish you in any way. But if you dare touch her I shall hang you by your entrails to a tree." (Hard Rulership roll)

Rolled 6 (1d100)

>>5805267
>Tell your men to stand back and say "Let us not go into extremes, if you kill Lady Takable, you will be killed painfully, if you let her leave I have no reason to hurt you at all (Intrigue roll)

>>5805676
Support

Rolled 54 (1d100)

>>5805267
>Tell your men to stand back and say "Let us not go into extremes, if you kill Lady Takable, you will be killed painfully, if you let her leave I have no reason to hurt you at all (Intrigue roll)

Rolled 22 (1d100)

>>5805338

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>>5805278
Unfortunately it was not foreseen in time, but you could still save the day with some negociation skills.

>>5805284
Or to serfs, only oaths given between Christian noblemen are biding.

>>5805338
True, true it was probably the best tactic in this case in terms of probabilities but the majority decided against your learned words. One more proof of the foolishness of this so called "democracy".

>>5805445
>>5805589
>>5805676
>>5805832
>>5806136

You decided to try to defuse the situation, unfortunately it was hard against people that you had just tried to kill.

-There is no need to go into extremes. If you kill Lady Takable you will be killed painfully, if you let her leave I have no reason to hurt you at all.

You said it in a calm voice, as to appease the man. Unfortunately it had little effect, he snapped back.

-We will not release Lady Rose, but she will be safe with us, we must move her somewhere, not kill her. So you will leave this ship now, and give us horses, good horses, palfreys, one for each of our men, then we will leave and you will be safe from prosecution for having attacked your liege lord's men.

The audacity of this scoundrel almost made you lunge at him, but the fearful look in your lady's eyes stopped you from doing something stupid. It was unfortunate, you were not a specialist in negociations, since you were a third son you were educated as a knight and were generally expected to kill those that your liege lord pointed as hostile. You were not formed to negociate when you could not use the threat of violence at your advantage, or you were not with other fellow noblemen that you could trust because of their noble blood and good manners. You didn't knew if this man was honest and if he had the guts to slice the throat of your beloved, and you did not want to take the risk to find out. Ah, you were really half a man in these kinds of negociations without Oldfossil. You made sign to your men to leave slowly but fortunately your brave Captain Crumbling intervened.

-You cannot expect our lord to comply with your demands ! What guarantees you that you will not send us another ice curse when we will be far away ?

The man answered.

-My goodwill !

>>5806427

What a fiend ! How dared he ! We was dishonorable, and nothing told you that he will not betray you... You felt ashamed of not having this idea before your guard's captain and thanked him before saying.

>I disagree ! I shall not back down vile félon ! Surrender or be struck down.
>I shall not comply with your demands if I do not have a guarantee of your goodwill. Give us an hostage too, the witch who could curse us for example. We will give her back with the horses. (intrigue roll)
>I shall not comply with your demands if I do not have a guarantee of your goodwill. Give us an hostage too, the witch who could curse us for example. We will take her back to our castle to be sure that Lady Takable will not be harmed. (intrigue roll)
>Do as if you agree, order to retreat but leave the sneaky Ancel near, when they will try to get down he could maybe kill the councillor and then you will have an occasion to free your lady.
>Where will you get with your horses, you will be unable to cross any river and the forest is dangerous ? Will you go back into baronial lands ?
>Other (write in)

Rolled 58 (1d100)

>>5806429
Egads! They mean to rob us of our horses as well as our lady love!

The good will of cowards and fiends is worthless!

>Where will you get with your horses, you will be unable to cross any river and the forest is dangerous ? Will you go back into baronial lands?

Fish for info.

>Tell your men to stop fighting and challenge the enemy champion in single combat, giving up your strategical advantage. If you win you shall receive Lady Takable, if they win they should have a possibility to leave with her. (Hard combat roll)

Rolled 46 (1d100)

>>5806429
>>I shall not comply with your demands if I do not have a guarantee of your goodwill. Give us an hostage too, the witch who could curse us for example. We will take her back to our castle to be sure that Lady Takable will not be harmed. (intrigue roll)
>>Other (write in)

These woods are dangerous and they are too few, we should travel together until they are in the clear. Or at least to a neutral location that we can part ways at.

They surely wish to survive, and we do not want our beloved to die to some maleficent beast on account of their weakness, after all they will hold no leverage over it, and it will not discriminate.

>>5806429
>Where will you get with your horses, you will be unable to cross any river and the forest is dangerous ? Will you go back into baronial lands ?
Under no circumstance, we are allowing these heathens to leave
Honestly, I don't think he is going to kill her, plus all our lady needs to do is elbow him and she should be able to get out but that's just an idea.
>>5806427
Wait, just got an half-decent idea. Where exactly are our men positioned around the enemy? More importantly, who is the closest towards the Witch? We can try to signal someone close to nab her and then we are in a far better position.

>>5806429
A real quick question, is this part of the forest also the magical creatures domain?

>>5806444
Of course, they deserve death !

>>5806580
>>5806578

Our men are on the ship, all around the ennemies, the enemies themselves are at a circle near the gate of the cabin with the four guards and Brutus looking around and forming a sort of "circle" while inside the circle there is the sorceress and Crueail Degeneret who holds lady Takable hostage.

We do not know about the expanse of the forest's king domain, we do not even know what it looks like !

>>5806497

That is an excellent suggestion by the way.

Well I will write tomorrow good sirs, it is time for me to sleep, but I am happy to have been able to answer some questions before the update. Good night if it is night in your lands.

Rolled 66 (1d100)

>>5806429
>>5806497
Supporting

Rolled 82 (1d100)

>>5806429
>>5806497
+1

Rolled 61 (1d100)

>>5806429
>I shall not comply with your demands if I do not have a guarantee of your goodwill. Give us an hostage too, the witch who could curse us for example. We will take her back to our castle to be sure that Lady Takable will not be harmed. (intrigue roll)

>>5806497
Oh, and I can also support this write-in in addition to >>5806909

>>5806429

>>5806429
>>Do as if you agree, order to retreat but leave the sneaky Ancel near, when they will try to get down he could maybe kill the councillor and then you will have an occasion to free your lady.

>>5806429
>Do as if you agree, order to retreat but leave the sneaky Ancel near, when they will try to get down he could maybe kill the councillor and then you will have an occasion to free your lady.
Let's end this now

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>>5806444
>>5806497
>>5806578
>>5806580
>>5806873
>>5806893
>>5806909
>>5806911
>>5806952
>>5807058

You decided to be severe and to ask something in exchange, looking at the man you explained him.

-I shall not comply with your demands, if I do not have a guarantee of your goodwill. Give us an hostage too, the who could curse us for exemple. We will take her back to our castle to be sure that Lady Takable will not be harmed.

The man answered that he disagreed clearly.

-No, you are not in position to make demands. We shall not give ours.

You added some words, looking at Rose who seemed to be still afraid of the dagger under her throat while looking for an occasion to escape.

-Even without it, you are not numerous enough to avoid an attack from some beasts of the forest and I do not want my beloved to be killed by some wolf or bear because of you. We shall travel together until we are back to safety.

The councillor seemed to think and nodded, agreeing.

-Fair enough, but give us horses, you will travel behind us, in view but not in reach of us. We will travel back towards the river.

So they wanted to return to baronial lands after the failure of their expedition. Thinking quickly you nodded, and ordered your men to leave the boat. This was better than nothing after all. You then came back towards the ship's captain and his crew who had been prisoners. The wounded man had been bandaged with some rags and you ordered to put him on a packhorse while you decided to give some horses to the vile miscreants who held your beloved hostage. They asked for good horses but if you gave them bad ones they will not be able to complain since you normally will have to leave them here.

>Give your seven best palfreys to the knaves.
>Give your seven worse palfreys to them
>Give them three palfreys and three pack horses
>Order men to hide in ambush near the horses.
>Give only six horses, he asked a horse for each one of his men, the witch is clearly a woman.
>Other (write in)

>>5807471
>Order men to hide in ambush near the horses.
>>Give only six horses, he asked a horse for each one of his men, the witch is clearly a woman.
LMAO

>>5807471
>>Give only six horses, he asked a horse for each one of his men, the witch is clearly a woman.

I say we play it straight, at least until there is an opening

>>5807471
>Give only six horses, he asked a horse for each one of his men, the witch is clearly a woman.
>Give your seven worse palfreys to them

>>5807471
>Give only six horses, your WORST horses
>he asked a horse for each one of his men, the witch is clearly a woman.

>>5807471
>>Order men to hide in ambush near the horses.
>>Give only six horses, he asked a horse for each one of his men, the witch is clearly a woman.

>>5807471
>Give only six horses, your WORST horses
>Order men to hide in ambush near the horses

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>>5807536
It is only fair.

>>5807555
You sir, are a true gentleman.

>>5807579
>>5807653
>>5807738
>>5807826

You ordered some men to wait in ambush while you gave some others the instructions to remain here and act after some time. You gave them only six old horses while you were keeping the best with your soldiers. Unfortunately your clever plan managed to be known in advance by your enemies, probably because of some sorceries and you ordered your men to leave the ambush while you came towards the place where the angry councilor was calling you from the small forest clearing where you had put the horses. You hesitated in answering him, since your men were saddling your horses but after some words with Godefroi you decided to go there with all your troops.

You came in surrounded by your soldiers and when he told you to stop you could see that he was still looking at your horses and holding more or less Lady Takable with a knife in his hands. She seemed to not be as afraid as before, looking at you with expectation, as if you had told her something, even if she remained docile and silent it seemed that there was some tension in her posture. You knew, of course, that in some chansons de fin amor it was said that lovers could understand each other without speaking but here you were absolutely not sure of what she meant, and if she was about to do something... Unwise. As for Crueail he seemed to focus more on his conversation than on trying to slice her neck.

His soldiers were around him, still on foot and he was with the witch, who looked furious while the captain looked indifferent. Crueail began with :

-How dare you ! You do not give us all horses, against our will, do you not know what...

You answered in a calm voice before he could squeeze more the poor Rose who he was holding. Her little frame was did not try to resist too much. You told.

-I have given you a horse for you and each one of your men, a palfrey. This makes six horses, the witch is clearly a woman.

Your facts and logic made some of your men smile, but not the baron's councilor who answered angrily and pointed at one of his guardsmen who, appeared to be, if judging by forms under her chainmail, a woman.

-And Forgether is a woman too and you gave her a horse, do not try to use this nonsense against me !

>>5808296

You decided to mock the man a bit, you owed him that.

-She dresses like a man, she ought to be burned as a witch for that, well, the other too since she is a proclaimed witch, but what is the point of your complains good sir, should I take back one of the horses ?

Before the man could threaten you more and answer, something unexpected happened. Many ladies would have been happy to just stay here, and wait for you to act, but your Rose was not happy in this passive role and probably disliked the idea of having a dagger under her white and pretty neck. Since the baron's councilor was quite tall, like all those pointy eared guelphs, and that he was looking at you, a tall man too, he did not see the small Lady Takable that he loosely held with a hand while having another with a dagger near her throat. So when she stomped hard on his foot, especially with the elevated heels that she insisted to wear everywhere he did not see it coming and cursed hard.

-You...

Before he could continue she bite hard on his armed hand, sinking her teeth in it with consumated rage and he had to release his weapon from his bitten hand while trying to hit her with his other. While you saw this you began to prepare your axe but Brother Louis was quicker, slashing at the first man near him and wounding him, then Ancel threw his cutlass screaming "DEATH TO BURGUNDIANS" at the witch but the baron's guard captain moved her forcibly out of the way.
Everything was erupting in chaos, well, a part of you hoped for this ! Screaming "Montjoie" you decided to slash everything that was between you and your lady while around you swords and axes began to cross in a deadly dance.

>Rush towards your lady (Combat roll)
>Slash at the first man that you see, then the next one (Combat roll)
>Rush towards your lady, killing those on the way (Combat roll)
>Attack the enemy guard's captain, he is the most dangerous of all (Combat roll)
>Other (write in)

Rolled 25 (1d100)

>>5808297
>>Rush towards your lady, killing those on the way (Combat roll)

Rolled 55 (1d100)

>>5808297
>>Rush towards your lady, killing those on the way (Combat roll)

Rolled 84 (1d100)

>>5808297
>Rush towards your lady, killing those on the way (Combat roll)

Rolled 15 (1d100)

>>5808297
>Rush towards your lady, killing those on the way (Combat roll)
uh oh these rolls looking real high

Good on Rose for being quick on the uptake though

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>>5808397
Your rolls are high, and it's a failure, but a very mild one (I generally use degrees of success and failure according to the rolls for exemple failing by 30 more than your score will be worse than failing by 10) but to be sincere the other rolls were hilarious so I decided to write this night, I hope this long update will please you.

>>5808314
>>5808324
>>5808331

You jumped into battle with zeal and fanaticism, a first guardsman tried to stop you but you easily feinted him to the face while bringing down your axe on his ribs, it pierced mail as a great blow and you felt his ribcage shatter ! This was the kind of blows that were sung about by minstrels.
You then pushed him back with your shield and brought your axe on his head this time while he was falling on his back, your weapon penetrating his face and splitting it in two in a splatter of gore. But there was no time to enjoy your skills, you had a lady to save and while you saw that Brother Louis decapitated a man and that the female enemy guard was killed by many spear blows you ran right towards your lady. Crueail cursed in a foreign tongue and grabbed her by the hair to stop her from biting him and threw her on the ground, then, whil clutching his hand he kicked her in the ribs when she tried to get to his fallen dagger. These Guelphs were fast, even if not as strong as properly fed people, but what difference it made when hitting a small lady ? Seeing this unchivalric conduct revolted you and you ran even faster when you felt as if hit by a battering ram. The guards captain had intercepted you and he had charged you, shoulder forward.

You fell on the ground, practically blind because of your heavy helmet and knew that he will strike. You rolled to the left and presented your shield but you supposed that your enemy would strike low, you were twice on this bad position of being on the ground and battered by another knight, the last time was against an Englishman who understood that a man in this position would cover his head and body with his shield but will be unable to cover his legs. Your instinct spoke true and you just avoided a blow who would have injured your knee. You tried to rise but your opponent was fast, striking with his sword on your shield to slash at you. Against all expectations his glowing sword cut your shield in two and slashed heavily at your left arm, breaking mail and scratching the gambeson behind it, while wounding you lightly because even with it's cutting power this weapon in such a blow could not do more. But what sorcery was this ? Excalibur ? Joyeuse ? Durendal ? What kind of sword could slash with such power ? If you would not have insisted upon fighting in armour you probably would have lost your left hand at the middle of the forearm, and maybe died of bleeding and infection after this.

>>5808491

Your shield was useless, you knew that you were too late to save your lady who maybe was dead now, killed by this mad Guelph. You had lost your axe in the process but would probably be too late to unsheath your sword. You would have to receive a hit, normally a small price to pay if in a chivalric duel, even if your opponent was a colossus, but who knew what this glowing blade could do ? Cut you in half ? In this split second you thought about death one last time, hoping that the Lord would see you, tell that you fought every day to protect his church and bring you to His Heavenly Kingdom from this far away land. But death did not come, no... For a shield expertly blocked the blade, no, not blocked for it could cut through wood easily, it redirected it with a technique that you recognised, the technique from your master, the one under whom you squired : Godefroi ! Then you head his voice, reproachful and stern, not the voice he took for banquet or feast, but his voice in battle.

-What kind of félon tries to attack another knight in pitched battle without announcing himself ?

Of course, étiquette, your old man and men like Godefroi had known the campaigns of Saint Louis, when they gave the enemy time to adorn it's armor before coming to blows, such were chivalric times, when virtue was held high, you regretted to not have lived trough them and to live in times of ambushes and treacheries. But before you could see what happened between these two because you looked towards your lady and were more than surprised.

The guelph was saying something, probably obscenities but you could not find out in the middle of battle and she was on the ground, while he had his dagger in hand. She was on the ground, visibly in pain, she had blood pouring from her mouth but you ignored if it was hers or his since she had bitten him and he was bleeding profusely from his left hand. As he tried to lunge for her with unnatural speed she threw some dirt on his face and while he clutched his eyes, she kicked him between the legs that made him fold in half in pain. By Sainte Geneviève, Rose was more ferocious than you thought when she was desperate, a true lioness, and this made you want to help her even more, you ran and you saw fortunately that the last enemy guardsman was vainquished and Bohémond and two men came rushing to her help. Unfortunately it was when you felt a terribly cold wind swipe everything, the witch had casted a new trickery. And she seemed absolutely exhausted by it because she fell on her knees, breathing heavily. But this sorcery was perhaps even more evil than it was.

>>5808494

Men of ice began to appear here, forming as parody of creatures of flesh and blood and perhaps souls of those trapped in the deepest pits of hell where Judas Iscariot and traitors are held in perpetual cold. Each of those creatures was of vaguely human form and size but was clearly animated by some nefarious purpose and you counted eight of them who were now making a barrage with their corpses between you and your beloved. Another one, the ninth, grabbed Rose from behind while she was trying to bash the brains of the councilor with a rock. She cried in pain, probably because of the extreme cold of it's touch and it made the vile witch smile.

One of the ice creatures began to try to attack you and you avoided it's blow before hitting it with your sword, you found fortunately that it was made of ice and this breakable and you felt happy when you cut it's head. But unfortunately this made absolutely nothing, the head fell but the rest of the body continued to try to hit you and you had only a split second to dodge before a colossal arm made like an ice club crushed you. You heard captain Crumbling trying to cover one of your men who had not been able to dodge the return strike after piercing one of the demons with his spear.

-Ice elementals ! Axes ! Use axes damn it ! And try to hit their core !

You had lost your axe unfortunately but agreed that axes would be better to "break the ice" if you might say this. You wanted to scream for Ancel to fetch it but he was probably hiding somewhere like a coward so you dodged a new blow and tried to thrust at your opponent. Fortunately Brother Louis came, hitting with great strength with his sword and cutting the club in half while telling.

-Take back your axe monseigneur, I shall hold those !

You agreed with a nod and tried to watch around you, these demon were pushing your men back and one of those began to kill your horses ! YOUR PALFREYS ! By the beard of Saint John ! Treachery ! And of course the councillor and the mage were already mounting on the best of the bunch that you gave, with a half bound lady Takable who tried to struggle. Getting them now would be useless... But you had another pressing matter, Godefroi ! Your old master was an excellent knight, probably better with a blade than you but there was no way that he would hold alone against the huge mass of muscle and plates, with, you had to admit, quite a great skill, and enchanted sword that was fighting him. You looked at their fight and saw that your master was already in difficulty, his enemy was quick and strong, his shield was already damaged while the other man used his superior reach to force him to retreat. The guard's captain finally found an opening and kicked hard your Godefroi in the chest, sending him down while he told.

-Do not waste my time, old man, I am after your lord !

>>5808496

And he made sign to you to come fight him, you were about to comply, even with your wounded hand but when Brutus looked around you he noted that his allies were fleeing and told.

-Well, it seems that you will stay alive for now, I have to...

A voice interrupted him in his back.

-No. You will not leave this field alive.

It was Godefroi, and he was furious, he had his tone of his bad days, when he got drunk after loosing at a tournament and was even harsher against his squires. He had risen again and was between Brutus and his way out, mace in one hand, battered shield in the other. You could imagine his determined face in his enclosed helmet. You decided, against better judgement, to offer your help.

-My good Godefroi, no need to, I shall strike this knave myself and...

-Monseigneur, if you hold our long friendship for something, I conjure you, do not intervene.

He tried to be polite but would not take no for answer since he already advanced towards your enemy. The guard's captain just shrugged, telling.

-As you wish old man, I do not practice euthanasia but if you insist.

All your being was calling you to rush to help your old master but honor was honor, if you would help him it would be to avenge him or once he would fall. You tried to find an axe too but they were fighting right near yours so you decided to see how steel clashed against steel. Using his two handed sword like it was one handed Enforcer attacked with great swiping blows, counting on the unnatural nature (if you could say this) of his blade to bypass his ennemy's chainmail. You saw Godefroi using all his tricks, all his ruses, all the techniques that he has learned you, redirecting blows, feinting, and trying to bypass this obstacles but even if he managed to do it better than most his shield was finally cut in two and he never managed to get into reach of his mace, his age betrayed him, would he have been twenty years younger he would have managed to mace the un-helmeted face of his enemy. On the other side his enemy, frustrated by his lack of success in managing to get a clean hit tried to force Godefroi to dodge more and more and to fatigue him. But his enemy made mistakes too, after two strikes of his sword, the last time with only one hand he exposed himself to a counter attack on his left and Godefroi did not need more, he used the blindspot of his ennemy's ridiculous pauldrons to advance more, avoid by a very narrow margin another blow and have an opening on his head. While delivering his blow that was too late to dodge he even said.

-Always wear your helmet young man...

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>>5808497

He hit and... As if by an immovable force his mace was stopped and he was pushed back as if hitting a wall. Then his enemy hit him in the helmet with the pommel of his blade and attacked once more, slashing the other half of his shield and letting him with simply splinted wood. Laughing mockingly he told.

-That's a headband of protection for you, works like a helmet without impeding your vision and breathing, costs thrice as much too ! Heh ! Strange that an old sensei like you don't know anything about it !

Sorcery ! Treachery, you were about to rush to Godefroi's help but he held a hand as if not too, but how would he fare with simply a mace against a man in full plate, he breathed heavily and the pommel blow on his helmet, if he has seen worse, must have gotten him hard because of the strenght of the giant. You tried to find something around you, and saw that Brother Louis, who was finishing one of the ice warriors, had dropped his shield to better penetrate them with his sword since he lacked an axe. So you threw the Templar's shield towards Godefroi, as when you served him as a squire. He caught it and began to try to put it on his arm while saying.

-I am not from Sancerre, I serve the main branch of Champagne not the cadet one. Your saracen plate and sorcery shall not save...

He did not have time to finish his sentence or put the shield on his arm since his ennemy, saying something like "no time for this bullshit" attacked. He rushed forward agressively and decided to slash horizontally as to leave no chance to his ennemy to parry his blow, the wooden shaft of the mace or his chainmail would do nothing against this glowing blade. Messire Godefroi answered stoically, not trying to dodge, not to avoid his fate, he simply threw the shield under the feet of the charging knight, this made him trip a bit and gave him a split second, but it was all that he needed. It was then that you understood why he took his time to put the shield on or placed himself just before the corpse of a guard that you had killed, he already knew that his enemy would want to act quickly to charge him and he simply wanted to interrupt his timing. Moving elegantly and unnaturally quickly, probably because he had feinted being more tired than he was he moved towards his left to be touched only on the end of his enemy's blow, or not at all, because he made his enemy trip and struck with precision at Brutus's right kneecap. Steel armor or not, the weight of such a colossal charging man and the power of a mace blow from a Godefroi that, if old, was not weak, produced a sickening sound while armor and bone broke and his enemy fell to one knee, using his sword to try to remain half standing and trying to parry the next blow with it's gauntlet. But instead of hitting the man while he was prone the old knight, like at a tournament, removed his enemy's helmet, or what served in this case as an helmet, the headband, and with his mace raised told.

-Do you yield ?

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>>5808499

The other man tried to turn around while clutching a dagger since his sword, now planted in the soil would be too slow to avoid him a grim fate. He simply told.

-Fuck off...

That were his last words before a mace struck his head. You always were weirded out by maces hitting heads, even after so many campaigns, a mace was too small to break all the skull, it simply pressed in a part of it in the brain and the face and disfigured horribly or killed in an awful way. But you were too happy for the victory of your knight to consider watching too much on Brutus's half crushed head. It was sad for him, he seemed to be a fine chap, but his peasant blood probably stopped him from understanding that a true knight must be courteous not only in a feast but in combat too. You looked around you and constated that all the ice creatures had been destroyed, at the cost of some wounded on your side and everyone was watching this mighty battle of the two knights. You told joyfully.

-Congratulations messire Godefroi, that was a blow worthy of Roland !

He did a dismissive gesture of his hand.

-Bah ! Monseigneur, that was easy ! Another Tuesday ! The crusades ! With king Saint Louis ! Those were battles, true battles, but it has been thirty years and more that we did nothing great after this ! Brother Louis, here, remembers how we stormed Carthage ! Ah those were the times, and those were men ! Oh and your lord father was there too, he broke a camel and his rider and a camel with a single blow ! I saw it ! Those were the days, these were "knights", these were warriors, today pfff ! Gah ! Nothing ! Baveux and truandaille ! See this young man, a headband crafted by satan himself, a sword who glows in the night like a torch and what ? An armor of all steel ! And he attacks on the back, what a shame ! I tell you chivalry is dead, back in my days we didn't have all this fancy Indian stuff ! We fought with courage, with honor !

You nodded, smiling kindly while he removed his helmet and you knew that he would be ranting about it for long. You thanked the lord for his victory and the victory of your men. You simply patted Godefroi on the shoulder and saw Ancel coming with a saddled horse.

-ANCEL ! You coward ! Where were you ?

-I was saddling your horse to pursue your lady messire I prayed hard for your victory ! And nice victory messire Godefroi I almost thought that I was at the tournament of Saint-Cibard !

>>5808501

A part of you wanted to hit him for his insolence, but his initiative, if inspired by cowardice, was good. With your left arm still wounded and bleeding you needed to be bandaged, but your beloved was in the woods without your protection, you needed to do something.

>Rush after lady Takable alone and take some advance, you cannot lose her in the forest.
>Rush after lady Takable alone but bandage your hand first.
>Send some men after her, they will have to wait a bit.
>Let them go with lady Rose, these knaves have won today.
>Lead a party after Rose, it will take some minutes to prepare it tough.
>Other (write in)

>>5808502
>>Rush after lady Takable alone but bandage your hand first.

>>5808502
>Rush after lady Takable alone and take some advance, you cannot lose her in the forest.
Chivalry is NOT dead!

>>5808502
>Rush after lady Takable alone but bandage your hand first.
This takes just a couple seconds so we should not lose too much time and thankfully Ancel already took care of the other part, good on him!
Also Brutus is dead, massive win for us

Also just wanted to bring this up but if the forest spirits or whatever come back, make sure to tell them that the Ice Witch froze over and broke quite a bit of forest nearby.