Chapter 25: Cunning plans and an Epic Battle

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10/7/1 070 There was much planning of how we would engage the Dragon; it can move faster than us. We needed a trap or lure of some sort. Ideas included:

§ Adan in drag (rejected).
§ Adan's cunning giant fishing lure / harpoon; a device of iron balls and steel hooks to be shot from an artillery engine (it would look like a complex spinner, but actually function as a harpoon - never completed).
§ A silver spiral = holy ground as a fort or containment device, depending upon whether the Dragon comes in or not. It would have to be made by stealth and the consecration ritual completed at the last moment. I went to fetch priests and other brothers from the Robbinians.
§ As Sir Zacharias cannot afford enough of the real thing; silver plated... copper as a lure. Also, appearing to gather silver.
§ A wedding celebration (guests were invited).
§ Adan used as bait, but injured (this was done).

Sir Zacharias persuaded the local, oldish priest, to screen his mind. Adan did his void thing (his feelings were suppressed and his conscious thoughts not as readable). Adan then goosed Lady Mercedes. Sir Z challenged Adan and they retired to a nearby hillock to have at one another. Sir Z knocked Adan to the ground, and stalked off. Adan feigned unconsciousness in the void.

During the night, the beast came, sniffed and scanned, and presumably made its first big error. Adan became aware that he was being lifted into the air. He struck at it with the Stone Sword, and the Dragon let him fall. Adan survived, just and was surreptitiously taken into the castle.
The beast was not slain, despite the stone sword usually killing anyone it wounded. I am not sure of its limitations, but it seems to suck the lifeforce out of its targets, perhaps drawing all of them into its own version of the Spirit World.

11/7/1 070 With Adan in the castle, the old priest bound his wounds, and sent for the Sisters of Mercy
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who arrived at around noon, and worked the beginnings of a miraculous HEALING upon him (later, he drank one of his own potions; I wonder how the HEALINGS combined).
Sir Z was uneasy about the Dragon being in disguise, so he asked the Sisters a riddle of such obscenity that the pure maidens would not understand it (I think the idea was that the Dragon could read the answer from peoples' minds, but not from Sir Z; his reasoning seemed a little vague). Some of the Sisters were widows and fairly worldly. The leather-faced Mother slapped him. The old priest checked her out, and she checked Sir Z (amusingly obtaining a false positive). Adan was not a Dragon, but appeared to be a heretic (the priest / Sisters would keep them quiet for a while, though not indefinitely, I fear).
Sir Z kept the unholy Stone Sword in a vault beneath the chapel.

I went to Valdelon, taking about 1 week to travel each way.
I found a book; Here there be Dragons, which needed copying (this required pulling in some favours from the Robbinian-Elousie), and pursuaded some of my brethren to return with me.
I have some political problems; some of my Brethren disapprove of my drinking, but we are not an aescetic order.

I returned to de la Roche on 24/7/1 070.

From the book:

§ Dragons may have invented magic.
§ They may be vulnerable to the miraculous.
§ They have no weaknesses in their armour, but perhaps inside the mouth or eye.
§ They eat metals, that colour (and harden ?) their scales.
§ They hoard precious metal (maybe because they are hard to come buy, maybe not).
§ They are masters of ILLUSION and magic, and can shape their breath into magical effects.

Adan was cared for by Veronique; a thin girl who quite fancied him.

I recovered Dragon blood from the Sword, but it had been severed from the Dragon (presumably before it was taken to the chapel). The Sword is not one of the GOD's artefacts. Adan knows that it had been recovered.
Guests, including knights, the Bishop, de Richelieu and my own brothers, continued to arrive.

25/7/1 070 Evening of the wedding party.
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I SAW the Dragon, in the East, beyond Chateau Mercedes, in a land with few hills and no caves. It had been changed and is linked to the Sword somehow.
We prepared the consecrated trap.

We were supposed to stay relatively sober (I didn't touch a drop, all night), but could not tell the knights. Consequently, we were not totally ready when the Dragon attacked.
Sir Zacharias had briefly taken leave of the main company in order to avail himself of his wife. The cry arose that the Dragon was without, and burning the stables. Pandemonium ensued; Sir Z running with some of his lady's clothing caught in his armour, as he had armed himself in great haste. Knights dashed forth, first on foot, then mounted, later on foot again. They could not see as the night was dark, and the land scattered with bogs and ditches.
Most of the priests, including myself and de Richelieu, ran up to the engines on the roof.
I could not BLESS the knights as they rode out too fast. One of the Robbinians sent them each a BLESSED acorn.
2 Robbinian Brothers had a mechanism with lenses.
De Richelieu stood by his own machine, with 8 of his men.
Adan (still wounded) started sneaking about.
Sir Gregory took his horse Bastard, and was not thrown.
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A WARDING was raised (I started it, others sustained it).

When I could SEE (I saw that the Dragon, Adan and the Sword were linked, and sent Jeanette to fetch the Sword), we shot flaming bolts (mostly for illumination for the knights) towards the Dragon. It flew towards the tower, but appeared somewhat odd (I suspected a decoy ILLUSION, but we discharged various machines anyway). At least one bolt passed through it. The beast then materialised, splashed flame on our WARDING, then faded again.

Later analysis suggested that the normal effect of the Stonesword is to drain lifeforce into the realm of the Stones. The Dragon was clever and powerful enough to resist this, but was drawn in bodily. It retained (or learned) a degree of control, but at the expense of its judgement (and, perhaps, its sanity).

Jeanette found that bearing the Sword was difficult, but she met Sir Zacharias, who took it for her. Even he stumbled. Olivier bolted the door and denied Adan access (although there was another way up).
I took up the Sword and could see into another world; in the distance, mighty grey entities that must be the Stones. Adan was grey as well (and there were other, lesser / more distant presences). The Dragon was dark black.
I prayed to the Stones, that they might grant me symbolic passage through their realm. They gave grudging permission. I opened a conduit through the strange realm, and Jeanette called HAND OF GOD. This smashed the beast into the physical world, but stunned and hurt us (even with the WARDING).
Sir Z called for everyone to kill the Dragon, which lay torn and befuddled at the foot of the castle. Knights charged (mostly on foot), hacking and hewing. The Dragon bit, clawed, slashed with its tail and flamed. Sir Armand died and others were sorely wounded. Sir Z, employing a stratagem, rushed from behind and planted his Grandfather's sword beneath its wing. The Dragon TELEPORTED to another place that would strain the limits of our engines. Sir Z, Adan, and Lady Mercedes Father arrived first.
The monster felled Adan once more, and began to fade away to sparks but Sir Zacharias, cunningly approaching it from behind, grasped the hilt of his Grandfather's sword, twisted it, hammered it in, and eventually slew the monster. It convulsed and expired.

I decided that de Richelieu would have questions for Adan, as a heretic, infidel, unbeliever, etc. He was also a bit of a hero, so we sneaked him away to the vault (and I put up a WARDING, and took other precautions). We also took the Sword, which is of definite interest to the Robbinians. Officially, both were destroyed by the monster.
We also took large portions of the beast for examination. Sir Zacharias took the head to hang above his seat (causing him to stoop, staining his plumes, and cracking the plaster). It is huge. Sir Z gave scales to all who had lost livestock (and noted the amount of livestock for tax purposes). He compensated Sir Armand's family as well, with the tail. There was plenty of material to go round.

We moved Adan as soon as we could, as de Richelieu could ask people who knew of the vault. We burned an effigy of Adan, as a heroic foreigner.
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We Robbinians will study the Sword for a long while. We will guard Adan most carefully, and question him. One of our order has to learn of the Stones, perhaps become an initiate of them. Possible candidates are Jeanette and myself (but I am already the Demons-and-Undead expert; Dragons and Stones would be too much). We will not mention that we have the Sword to him, unless he cooperates.

Chapter 24: Attack of the Dragon

3/7/1 070 We face the problem that, at least in the short term, we are immobile whereas the Worm can fly, swim and appear whenever it wants to. We do not know where it is, although Adan and myself might sense it approaching.
Clearly we need to arrange, somehow, to engage the Worm under our terms, rather than its. Gere d'Elon composed and performed some biting taunts.

Whilst Sir Zacharias comforted the Lady Mercedes, the knights and sailors attempted to unload supplies from the Swideur, and check what we had left. It wasn't too bad, but I suggested that we draw attention to spoiled supplies and draw attention away from what we had.
We were being observed for at least some of the time, by what appeared to be a small bird in the Spirit World.

I agreed to marry Sir Zacharias de la Roche to Lady Mercedes de la Grande Fond after a night of ritual purification, prayer and other rituals. This should change the Lady's status sufficient to break any hold that the Worm might have established over her.
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4/7/1 070 Sir Z picked flowers and plaited a bridal wreath. Adan was the best man, and Lady Mercedes chose a young and pretty peasant girl as her maid.
Inevitably the intended ring had been left behind, but Adan procured a fine one of platinum and gold; it was Pierre's grandmother's.
After the ceremony, the couple retired to Sir Z's pavilion (in which, by the sound, his bagpipes lay).
After that, Sir Z strode out of the camp, and with Gere d'Elon, he challenged the beast. It did not answer (though Adan sensed that it was in the direction of Bonneau.

The villagers had helped repair the Swideur, and we departed in the evening.

6/7/1 070, half a day from Bonneau, the Dragon approached underwater, but with an ILLUSORY decoy flying towards us.
We steered for shallower water, but did not quite reach it before the Dragon reached us. Various of our engines discharged, and those of us with bows and crossbows assisted. I'm not sure if anything harmed the Dragon before it struck the rather shallow keel of our ship, tearing a substantial hole.
I ordered the anchors loosed, but they struck nothing, and sailors were forced to cut the hawsers as our ship slewed around.
A great black tentacle reached out of the water and tugged at the mast. I redoubled my chanting (I did not fight, leaving this to the knights). Knights hewed at the tentacle, whilst others sang psalms. It recoiled, stinking.
The Dragon reared up, preparing to flame. Adan, using my crossbow, shot it in the mouth, and its breath was mostly stopped by the hymns and psalms of the faithful knights. Even as the beast submerged and fled, other engines discharged. It had been wounded, but I do not know how sorely, nor if it could HEAL itself.

Sailors manned all of the pumps, and hauled canvas beneath the hull. Our pumps prevailed and we continued towards Bonneau.
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Bonneau had been attacked by the Dragon, but the castle stood and the cathedral was undamaged. We made our way to the cathedral at once, and were very careful to present ourselves as those who had hunted and almost defeated the beast, rather than those who had stirred it up and brought it down upon the Barony.
Sir Z sent messages to la Roche and la Grande Fond.
Bishop Artoi de Bonneau was grateful when I taught the choir how to sustain a WARDING (the Choirmaster was dead, of fright, perhaps, and the complex harmonies proved beyond the Bishop). I arranged for Gere to be made a lay brother, at the core of the choir.
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We took the engines to defend the cathedral (or the city, from the cathedral).
Baron Richelieu had been away, and I foresaw that he might try to cause problems should he return. To this end I arranged for papers from the Bishop, allowing me considerable freedom to represent the Church (in some matters) within the diocese.
The Baron did return, and summoned Sir Z to his castle. I accompanied him.

The Baron is a cunning man. He demanded my credentials (as a Robbinian Elousie), and we disputed the spiritual defences of his castle. He revealed that he is very high within the L'Enquete Curieux; the Inquisition. He might even outrank the Bishop (who certainly fears him). I had to concede his right to defend the city against spiritual enemies.
We agreed to return to la Roche and hunt the Dragon. The Baron gave me a vial, to treat a weapon. He did not explain what it is; it could even be HEALING.
Meanwhile the martial orders had been notified.

We left 3 of the engines in Bonneau, including the new one, renamed la Guêpe (the wasp), and painted yellow and black.

9/7/1 070 Farmhouses had been burned, and Chateau de la Roche had been attacked. Sir Z's father was somewhat displeased until he thought of the money that his son had married into. There was no word from Robespierre. Olivier was apprenticed to the carpenter, and showed no aptitude.

Chapter 23: A Cave-in and a Rescue.

28/6/1 070 After Adan joined us, and we talked, I rested. Adan kept watch as he can sometimes sense unworldly things, and was apprehensive that I'd be very active over the next few days.

29/6/1070 I took the early morning watch and, when enough people of faith were awake, I started a religious ceremony that established a WARDING. This will prevent any magic or similar from the Dragon from entering the circle of its influence, so long as any believer continues singing psalms [the actual parameters are (enhanced) upto 16 ISE/IME/Ki from the Dragon, duration indefinite and radius 30' (the sound of the chanting) centred about the wooden horse].
I thought this very important as it pretty much protects the wooden horse (and the bolt throwing engine concealed within) and a large part of the camp, including some of the other engines. Such a WARDING is not a physical barrier, but it would hinder Dragon flame, mental influence and most of the more subtle approaches; not stop everything, but make it exceedingly difficult.

Later, we went up to the stone. It is the only high spot on the island; a great stone discus, with a cave beneath. Adan and Sir Zacharias went first (and Adan went inside), and the 4 engines, the horse, and some knights in and around the WARDING remained by the Swideur. They fetched me when they had encountered things that they couldn't understand.
There was some sort of magic; several fairly faint presences deep underground, and a huge and complex construct that more or less filled the first cave.
The big spell (or whatever) was powerful and complex (possibly infinitely complex; I believe that the sages call this sort of thing Fractal). It had not done anything when Adan blundered through it, but it reacted to holy incense and I suspect that it was sensitised to Sir Zacharias (well, I guessed, but why take an unneccesary chance).
It conformed to the dimensions of the cave, but could be fooled by moving rocks (from the cave), and clay mixed with debris. I set the peasants shunting the spell to the side, allowing us to bypass it. This worked well enough, but the spell resisted too much squeezing, so that I had to abandon capturing it a clay jar.

Adan has at least one enchanted sword, the most powerful of which is by way of a Heathen artefact (it's on my list of things to attend to). It would not chip the great stone cap, but caused some interesting magical effects.
I suspect that the spell stores power (although this may not be its primary purpose), and that it is somehow associated with the stone. Furthermore, I guess that the Dragon was responsible for the spell, whereas the stone is something to do with Dragonkind.

30/6/1070 Adan explored first, not so much at his own insistence as by simply doing it. He took his safety rope off.
There were several passages, some blocked, some partially blocked, and some open.
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In one there was a presence that seemed to mask itself with magic, but he didn't investigate too closely.
I should add that Adan has been fairly rash so far: I would not be surprised if the Fractal spell has already learned his capabilities, but that the Dragon is interested in Sir Zacharias and silver; everything else is a means to an end. Obviously the Dragon will become interested in anything standing between it and its objectives (and Gere d'Elon should be careful with his taunting). Obviously letting the Dragon learn about a future foe in advance is... foolish.

I was also aware of a feeling of being watched, from the camp, but none of the engineers had seen anything.

1/7/1 070 We went down the cave to investigate the masked presence, which was, inevitably, a trap.
In a dark cave lay a shallow lake, in the midst of which arose a small island. In this was a post, with what appeared to be the Lady Mercedes tied to it.
Adan (leaving his Heathen Stone-sword behind) waded across, and was attacked by Black River Serpents and Tentacles (I'm not sure if any of this was real).
I started another WARDING, and all the knights joined in. Singing hymns, we marched to the island, the Serpents vanishing before us. This bit was really great!
So did the ILLUSION about the old skeleton that was tied to the post. There was also a rotted boat.

Then the tunnel behind us collapsed.
We kept singing, and conserved our lights.
One of the thinner knights shed his armour and squeezed ahead into another passage with a draught. He eventually fetched help.
The rest of us moved rubble from the collapse.

2/7/1 070 In the evening, our voices hoarse, our armour muddied, but still singing, we emerged. The villagers had dug from the outside.
The fractal spell had changed in subtle ways.

3/7/1 070 Another cave has a more obvious trap (a glowing stone), which I set off with a candle burning down to release a twig.
It caused the twig to vanish.
I am unsure how this works, but suspect that the fractal spell powers several traps; this was a TELEPORT.

A local boy told of other caves, including a bell-shaped chamber bejond a narrow passage. Extreme bribery sent him down, and there was the real Lady Mercedes.
I gave the lad a magical token to take to her, then I SAW MAGIC (well, spiritually significant stuff) to triangulate upon the position. Access required digging from yet another passage.
The lad took her food and water. He also rigged up some pit props as the roof looked unstable.

Sir Zacharias brought up one or several bolt-throwing engines, but he could not continue to cover the swideur (we had discussed sending the swideur away, as she was an obvious target, but had covered her with at least one engine instead). This was not so much of an oversight, as an inevitable consequence of not having enough engines.
We rescued Lady Mercedes, protected by the (first) WARDING and covered by overt (and a concealed) engines, but as we did so, the Dragon swam under the swideur and holed her. The crew (I think that one was taken in the attack) saw a green and silver shape, but could do nothing. Even as Lady Mercedes clung to Sir Zacharias, our transport sank.
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Actually it may not be too bad; the waters are shallow and the crew claim that repair is possible, given time.
The Dragon is, no doubt, watching us.

Chapter 22: Preparation for a Dragon Hunt, and an Island of Heretics.

19/6/1 070. Sir Zacharias, Adan and myself had somewhat different priorities, and so we separated for the next few days.

Sir de la Grande Fond was frighteningly enthusiastic about immediate military action, and backed Sir Zacharias with several knights.
This, and the 1 000 SP that his father gave him, allowed Sir Zacharias to start preparing his expedition.

His other problem was how Baron Richelieu would react. Valon is largely feudal, but land holdings are unclear in the marshlands. The Baron is the most powerful regional landowner, and although he is both wealthy and a conniving politician, he is not well liked. Lesser landowners, such as de la Roche, owe military service to le Roi, and this is generally as a supplement to the Baron's rather larger contribution (especially for local affairs such as protecting this particular part of Valon).
However, de la Roche does not pay rent to Richelieu.
At first Sir Zacharias thought to require his younger brother Robespierre to accompany him. Then the thought occured to him that when the Baron arrived, all the local landowners should be in place (especially Robespierre at Castle Mercedes), and that they would all affirm their military service whilst presenting the Baron with a fait accompli.
Also, to guard himself against any attempt to portray his recent actions as private warfare or rebellion, he sent many letters to le Roi, the Baron, local nobility, various Churchmen... pretty much everyone of note, claiming that Valon had been invaded by a vile (and heathen) Worm, that had affronted him personally by abducting his bride to be, and that he, Sir Zacharias, had taken up arms against it (and anyone abetting it, such as the Méchant family), to defend our fair Valon and win back his lady.

Then he rode to Bonneau.

Adan made his way to the island, buying passage on a boat. Adan may be able to shield his mind from the Dragon (he believes that he can), so he convinced the boatman that he was trysting with some lady.
He arrived on the evening of the 25/6, to discover that the islanders are heretics, though friendly.
Over the next few days he hunted the Dragon, and discovered a cavern beneath a great rock at the centre of the island. There were no tracks, smoke, skeletons of sheep, piles of treasure or maidens tied to stakes, but it was too quiet, and he felt that the Dragon was nearby and watching.

I looked for information about Dragons, and how people had defeated them. Castle de la Roche had one book of fanciful woodcuts, so I rode to Bonneau, arriving with Adan but several days earlier than Sir Zacharias and the knights.

22/6/1 070. In Bonneau I consulted the local Robbinians, minstrels, alchemists, and of course any collections of books that I could gain access to.

I offered Gere d'Elon (a young minstrel) the chance to accompany Sir Zacharias, to witness and sing his praises, in exchange for his dragonlore. Our first embedded bard!

The local alchemists would obtain 3 substances that I thought might be poison to this Dragon. It was 100' long, but decrepit and perhaps senile. It had used Silver to heal itself (as Dragons can), and can now fly, or transport itself, or at least transport its influence.
Sugar of Lead is a compound of Lead that is soluble in water. Alchemists use Lead to bind Silver (I am not sure how, or why, but I think that they extract it from Copper or Copper ore in this way). Sugar of Lead, if introduced into the Dragon's body on the end of a lance, diffuse into its blood, and bind the Silver. The Lead thing requires high temperatures, but this might be appropriate.
They also use a seaweed to remove metal poisons from themselves.

Alchemists have this habit of playing with Quicksilver.
Finally, there is rumoured to be a plant called Dragonsbane. The alchemists didn't have any, but it was reputed to grow in salt marshes. Adan knew of it. I think it works like the seaweed.
A young alchemist accompanied us, to obtain parts of the Dragon, should Sir Zacharias prevail.

§ Dragons can grow huge, and are not easily defeated (except, perhaps, by other Dragons). Furthermore their flame is not mere fire, but perhaps a manifestation or embodiment of their magic.
§ Knights who have defeated Dragons have used the lance, occasionally a magical sword, and (reading between the lines of old stories) bolt throwing artillery. Arrows such as those used to damage ships' rigging might damage a Dragon's wings (Sir Zacharias had stockpiled some already).
§ Dragons can read minds and work subtle magic.
§ One Dragon appeared to Giovanni the minstrel as an old man, who remembered events from 1 000 years ago, and wanted to hear them retold (and correct them). The minstrel lived, and noticed that the man left Dragon footprints as he departed. This particular Dragon was somewhat vain and perhaps lonely, and employed ILLUSION.
§ Many Dragons killed one another in the recent Great War. There are trophies, and it is said that Dragon scale (shields) protect from Dragonfire.

I also commisioned a local mechanician to produce a portable bolt throwing engine of great puissance. It would normally have cost 2 000 SP, but the man accepted the promise of upto 1 000 SP when Sir Zacharias arrived and some combination of payment later, the engine being returned afterwards, and acknowledgement as a great artificer.

Sir Zacharias arrived a few days later, and made his way to the castle. The Baron had gone to attend to troubles (the de la Roche seige) and had missed Sir Zacharias on the road. The city and barony was nominally in charge of his callow son Jacques, and practically in charge of a suspicious castelan. I had a private word with the latter, and persuaded him that the area had really been invaded by a Dragon, and that it would be in the Baron's interests to be seen to lend support (2 more engines that could be replaced by the mechanicians, paid from taxes), to help troublesome knights depart the city as soon as possible, and for the Baron to avoid public confrontation with Sir Zacharias until he knew what was happening.

Sir Zacharias gained the Baron's own machine, a lesser engine from the city, several more followers (leaving the city, he had himself, 5 of his knightly friends, de la Grande Fond and his 5 retainers, 1 local knight, Adan, and various local volunteers, sailors, alchemists, praise singers and myself).
He held a huge religious ceremony and party, recruited a handless thief (as bait, as much as an example, I suspect), and departed aboard the comandeered Swideur Vitesse (renamed Mercedes, and with a sacred spiral new-painted on her mainsail) before dawn of the 25/6. He has 2 large and 2 small bolt throwers, parts for a wooden horse, Adan's horse and various poisons aboard.

On the way, I obtained 1 small Dragonsbane plant. Only Sir Zacharias, myself, and the alchemist know of this. GOD will, if it pleases him, protect the knight and myself from the mind of the Dragon, and we drank the apprentice insensible as we approached the island.

28/6/1 070, evening. We landed on the island.
I noticed that the locals were heretics, and forced 3 ringleaders to drink holy wine. 1 vomited, so I had Sir Zacharias kill him. The others recanted. A week ago, something appeared as a Being of Light to the locals. They thought of it as GOD, and worshipped it. I am fairly sure that it was the Dragon, and that it has subverted their belief. This link is broken, but the Dragon must be aware of us.
I instructed the local peasants the GOD is not so easily recognised, and that Demons can deceive well enought to fool even a priest some of the time.
Meanwhile the knights moved things ashore, set the peasants to fortifying our position, and assembled a wooden horse (with the new engine concealed inside).

Chapter 21: Storming the Chateau and a Trial

16/6/1 070 Morning / day. Comte Richelieu, father of the Birdman, is the largest local landowner. Strictly he is the feudal superior of all the local petty nobility, although in these somewhat soggy lands these families are pretty much independent. Nevertheless he is likely to interfere and scupper Sir Zacharias' private war.

He lives 2 day's ride away (a courier with remounts could get there in 1 day, and fully equipped kinights would require more like 3 days), so we can anticipate 4 days before any interference from that quarter (and prevaricate for perhaps twice as long).

We started several projects:

§ I set several peasants to constructing an altar.
§ Sir Zacharias explicitly granted sanctuary to the 5 children within the chateau, and they emerged.
§ He also ordered the construction of a rack, though this took lower priority and was scarcely started.
§ The young knights began to modify the partially repaired bridge into a moveable pontoon.
§There was also a ditch; its purpose was to drain the moat, but if anything the water wanted to flow in the other direction.
§ Fire arrows set something alight within the chateau, but it was extinguished.

That night, with peasants, dogs and Adan on watch, a Méchant man at arms was captured trying to escape. He revealed that the defenders are; Sir Méchant, Bever FitzRichelieu, 4 adult men at arms, and a young recruit.
I suspect that the man was a messenger, but could not confirm this. He was confined.

17/6/1 070 As preparations continued, Sir Zacharias took time to talk with the ladies.

I perused the documents relating to the Méchant family gaining the castle.
The previous owners had all died mysteriously at table, whereupon the staff fled, claiming illness.

Sir Détourner, Jean-Paul, Robert, Jeanette and the 2 Méchant ladies withdrew from the siege (the Méchants were taken to Chateau de la Roche).

That night, Sir Zacharias launched a 3-pronged attack:
Most knights attacked at the rear doorway, using the pontoon. This was supposed to be a feint.
Adan attracted and killed the reptiles (Gullit?) that lurked within the moat. His activity was also supposed to be a feint but he ended up wading and swimming (he has some theologically sound but light Elven armour) the moat and standing outside the main gate until the attackers let him in.
Sir Zacharias and a few picked companions rowed across to a sidewall (it was only 2 manheights to the top), and used grapples to climb it. It was defended, but weakly. This group let the other knights in.
They were (all) supported by bowmen and crossbowmen, who were not particularly effective in the dark. The mangonel broke.
Fortunately, neither were the defenders. 1 peasant was killed whilst bringing up a ram, and some other attackers suffered minor injuries.

I tried to OBSERVE anything watching the area, but could not find anything.

The defenders occupied the upper levels of the gatehouse. The attackers lit a smoking fire beneath.
Sir Méchant came forth and fought his duel with Sir Zacharias, who prevailed. He surrendered his title to the castle and lands, but was allowed to sit in judgement upon Bever.

18/6/1 070. Sir Zacharias gave the Chateau Méchant (renamed Chateau Mercedes) to his younger brother Robespierre.

Bever FitzRichelieu was tried before various knights, for the crime of abducting Lady Mercedes. He claimed that a voice (he could not describe the voice or even the language) had spoken to him out of the darkness. It wanted Lady Mercedes, but it had Lady Vaine. He took Mercedes to the hillock, and the ladies were swapped.
Unfortunately he mentioned that it was a Demon that tempted him, and I was forced to send him to the Inquisition: L'Enquete Curieux. For what it's worth, he did not meet a Demon, and I signed papers to that effect. We also sent (indirect) word to his father. That should keep the Comte and the most dangerous arm of the Church at each other, and away from ourselves, for a while.

We returned to Chateau de la Roche, and I held a ceremony of thanks, and a ritual seeking inspiration.
Something (whirling eyes) was drawn to us, but the GOD preserved us from its influence.
It thought of an isle that we knew from over a year ago, on the Swideur.

It is fairly clear that it is the Dragon that destroyed the Demon 1 year ago (or possibly an agent or thought of the Dragon). It reads thoughts, and possibly mistook Lady Vaine for Lady Mercedes (both are substantial ladies who resemble one another... in Sir Zacharias' mind). It wants about 50 kg of silver (10 000 SP, which is considerably more than de la Roche can afford). It also wants to count coup on him. I must search for Dragon lore, as I know next to nothing about them.

The Knights visiting the de la Roche Estate.

Knights of Valon:
From Ch. Detourner in the hills east of Chamdemor/Valdelon:
Sir Jean de Detourner a thin clean shaven Knight in his 40s, his wife Jeanne, their daughter Jeanette of the Robbinian Elousie, sons Jean-Marc a very tall and chivalrous Knight of the Sun and a good friend of Sir Zacharias, and not above a bit of mischief, Jean-Paul the sensible and straight heir to the estate, Robert Detourner - a priest of Ducat. All are dark haired and pale skinned.
From Chamdemor: Sir Rafael de Lafayette and his new blonde wife Marie (from de la Tour) who is bulging slightly.
From Ymer: Anton du Gascelli (who posesses a newly repaired harpsichord) a bit pompous. Has long golden curly locks.
From Le Port: Sir Yves du Cas still hasn't caught on that he would look better in some more modern clothing. Boring pudding basin haircut.
From Bonneau:
Sir Louis de la Tour: Pierre and Marie's disapproving older brother. Actually okay when you get to know him. A poet. His wife Amandé is a gentle beauty.
Sir Jean de Vivant: A bit wild but observes the letter of the chivalric code if not always the spirit of it. Fun at a party. Plays bagpipes and drum and lyre.
Sir Armand de Bonneau: Bertrand's brother. Just split up with his betrothed and is sad.
Sir Raynaud de Feux: from an old family from the south west of Valon. The family moved east a long time ago after Feux became Szinnh by Royal decree, ending the war. His wife Camille.
Sir Gobert d' Ampris: Has poor eyesight, thus doesn't shoot well but makes up for it by being good with sword and lance. Has his fiancée Sianée who he is reputed to spar with occasionally. As women don't fight this of course must be evil rumourmongering.
Sir Zach's closer friends from Bonneau:
Sir Pierre de la Tour: Marie's brother a young and headstrong young Knight . Always into some scrape or other.
Sir Francios du Bois: into poetry and music and charging off on adventures.
Sir Gilbert du Lac: From a lakeside Chateau to the south. Moody and artistic. Likes painting. Occasionally erratic and spontaneous. His fiery red headed wife Isabel.
Sir Bertrand de Bonneau: Lives in the centre of town. Into fashion and music and partying. His fiancée is called Marguerite and is tiny and dark haired.

Chapter 20: Sheepish Problems and a Siege

14/6/1 070 The day before the wedding. Sir Zacharias, Adan, 2 of the de la Roche men at arms (Marc and Pierre) and a peasant lad went to investigate the missing sheep. It turned out that 12 sheep and a shepherd lad had disappeared, literally vanishing without trace from a grassy knoll, close to the border with Méchant lands.
They asked at a local farm, and rode to Chateau Méchant, where the bridge across the lake was down and being repaired.

Apparently Sir Méchant had stormed about on his horse when he heard the latest news about his daughter. The bridge had been rotten. Vaine was not at home. Needless to say, he knew nothing about any sheep.
Adan waited at the knoll all night, but saw nothing. He did notice the tracks of 2 horses going East when he scouted around next morning.

Sir Zacharias returned to de la Roche, and was waylaid by some of his knightly friends and plied with strong drink until dawn.

15/61 070 The day of the wedding, hangovers, tears, bells a-ringing... and the bride, who should have arrived in a carriage, didn't. One of her servants, arriving at Chateau de la Roche, looked worried and surprised.
Eventually the guests were shown to the reception, Adan tooled up and rode East (after the 2 horses), whilst Sir Zacharias and myself rode West to de la Grande Fond.

Mercedes' family were distraught as Lady Mercedes had left on the previous afternoon, with 2 mounted servants, to arrange matters with the Birdman. She had not returned (no one had noticed until later).

Sir Zacharias, his brother Robespierre (and his man), 6 men at arms and a pack of hounds set off towards Chateau Méchant. Sir Z challenged Sir Méchant to come forth, whereupon he refused, but invited Sir Z to enter alone (over the partially rebuilt and inadequate bridge; this happened twice in fact, but Sir M never ventured off the bridge). Sir Z refused, and there was a lengthy but unsatisfactory discussion.
Sir Zacharias declared the castle besieged until he met satisfaction.
He caused 2 of the 3 boats to be destroyed, but captured the third.
I absolved everyone... and we started preparing for the siege.

Meanwhile Adan had followed 2 horses to another hill top, where, according to the tracks the larger horse vanished, to be replaced with a smaller one. Someone dismounted briefly. These horses continued to Chateau Méchant, where Adan joined us.

Whilst Sir Zacharias prepared his strategies, and Adan rowed across to the castle and recieved a chamberpot on his helmet, I took a man at arms... and the hounds, and backtracked various horse tracks.
The hounds were excited and a little afraid (these hounds hunt boars and bears) at the hill top. There were broken branches, as if by a great wind. The tracks stopped, and started. It is obviously black sorcery and perhaps flight, but not, I feel sure, Demons.
We followed the tracks backwards, towards the Birdman, where 4 horses lead in, 3 from la Grande Fond (Lady Mercedes and her 2 maidservants). 2 lead away in different directions, which we followed, finding 2 maidservants, both stabbed (by the Birdman) tied to horses and driven off. 1 was alive, 1 dead.
I HEALED the living one.
The man at arms (I think that he is called Marc, as most of them are called Marc) returned the maids to la Grande Fond.
I SPOKE WITH THE DEAD maid, and confirmed the account, then performed the rites and sent her soul on it's way.

I went to la Roche, where I obtained a document from the Bishop throwing considerable doubt on the Méchant family title to their lands and chateau.
I returned to the siege on the next day.

Meanwhile Sir Zacharias had obtained the 2 ladies of the castle, on the condition that he not harm them, but he would hold them hostage. 

He had gathered a small but potent force; knightly guests from the wedding and la Grande Fond, peasants, blacksmiths and carpenters, and the great siege crossbow la Grande Pjaff.

He started on the psychological warfare, cooking wedding food upwind, plundering Méchant lands, etc.
Disposition of Sir Zach’s forces (15-16/6/1 070) - from Jan:

Main group
Camped across the moat from the main castle gate in several tents, with baggage carts to the rear, just out of bow range but with some rudimentary earth works and mantlets close by the bridge.
Sir Zach
Sir Jean Paul (Adan really - Palle's character)
Frere Jacques (Oleg's character)
5 x Knights (Sir Zach's local friends)
3 x Men-at-arms (sent by Lady Mercedes father and armed with crossbows and currently guarding Lady Amelia Méchant and Lady Vaine)
Hawks, presumably with hawker. (intended to prevent message birds from sending for possible reinforcements)
Olivier & Marcello.
The black smith and a carpenter (with mate) from Sir Zach's local village (I’m assuming these aren't classed as peasants belonging to Sir Zach and will expect some form of numeration after the seige is concluded)
10 x assorted peasants from Sir Zach's home estate. (Maintaining the camp and baggage, assisting the carpenter and blacksmith if needed and building a gallows)
An unknown number of local peasants mostly conscripted to cut an irrigation ditch, others to cut wood and dig latrines.
One large crossbow mounted on a tripod
One Mangonel under construction
The baggage, with a field kitchen and various seige related materials, such as ropes, arrows and iron.

Rear group
Camped to the rear of the castle with rudimentary earth works and mantlets.
Robespierre (commanding rear group)
5 x Local knights (the youngest of Sir Zach's local friends)
3 x Men-at-arms (sent by Lady Mercedes father and armed with crossbows)

Foraging group A
5 x Local knights (Sir Zach's local friends)
10 x peasants from Sir Zach's home estate

Foraging group B
5 x Local knights (Sir Zach's local friends)
10 x peasants from Sir Zach's home estate


16/6/1 070 I arrive at the siege.
I questioned Lady Vaine. It is clear that something had abducted her, but she remembered being snatched into the air and something seizing her mind.

The Birdman claimed that he was rescuing her (which is true), and is in the chateau.

I presented the legal paper to Sir Zacharias, who looked pleased.
I also suggested that we build a gibbet in plain sight of the defenders (Sir Z took that rather well, as well).
We do face a number of problems; private warfare is frowned upon if it gets out of hand (though in the swamplands, we can get away with rather more).
The Méchants do not have any powerful friends, but the Birdman's father could be a big factor.
So far, word of our little war has not got out, nor will it for a few days, as the place is encircled (the de la Roche hawks will stop pigeons). But word will spread, especially if the Bishop leaves (we have to keep him well fed).
On the other hand, our cause is just on 3 counts: Lady Mercedes, the document, and that someone (according to Lady Vaine at least, and I can confirm this) has been using magick.