Chapter 1: Is our Fair Land of Valon in Danger?

From the Chronicles of Brother Jacques:


26/10/1068
The chapterhouse of the Robbinian Elousie in Valdelon, Valon, Couper (his title) Jean Revellier, who is effectively our spymaster and my handler, summoned me to a reception room. He was uncharacteristically vague as to what I was supposed to do, but nevertheless he made it utterly clear that I had to prepare myself for some sort of mission in the neighbouring Kingdom of Reshall.
Reshall has long been a friend to Valon, but it is a land teeming with Heretics, Schismatics, Blasphemers, and as Jean Revellier would put it, naughty people. They have always accepted the Dark Arts; Magick, and consequently they are open to corruption. It seems that there is something particularly ominous building up, and I am supposed to investigate (report, and presumably do something about it, if I get a chance). It seems the Robbinian Elousie are worried about the areas of Reshall called Meriandor and Vrakir. There seems to be some worrying things happening in this region and the Robbinian Elousie wish to find out whether this could be a sign that the world is about to be invaded by Demons again.
Jean Revellier was generous enough to arrange for some practical help in the form of a black, diplomatic bag, containing various credentials and such.
He had also sent for a Knight, Sir Zacharias de la Roche, who, judging by his full armour and excessive, but slightly old fashioned plume (panache is the thing on a helmet, rather than hat) is competent but provincial nobility; a physically powerful man, who I hope is both enthusiastic and manageable.
He has the largest warhorse I have ever seen, and 2 companions; Marchello Fournier, an older and fatter man who appears to be some sort of servant, and Oliver, the lad who does all the work.

We travelled to Chateau Détourner, which is a fortified manorhouse (in the hills a few days travel to the southeast of Valdelon and north east of Chamdemor), and is also a Robbinian safe house. The journey, of several days, was utterly uneventful, although I learned a little more about Sir Zacharias de la Roche; this is probably his last quest before he finally marries his beloved Mercedes de la Grand-Fond, who (according to Sir Zacharias), is pretty much the perfect demoiselle.


Chateau Détourner: The proprietor is M. Jean Détourner and his wife Jeanne. They are loyal to the Church and have two younger sons and a daughter in the clergy.

The daughter Jeanette is a Couper in the Robbinian-Elousie.The younger son Jean-Marc is in a militant order; a Knight of the Sun. He is a very large man.
Robert is a local priest in the nearby village of Colline.
Jean-Paul, the eldest son, is due to inherit the chateau.

There were also some guests from Reshall. As I understand it, they had been investigating some particularly unpleasant people in Igor, and their cover had been compromised. Somebody in Meriandor seems to have been sufficiently on the ball (and paranoid) to arrange for them to enjoy temporary exile in Valon.

Erenion Adanadhel is a strikingly tall man, a warrior, and (I'm pretty sure) not utterly inexperienced with the Dark Arts. Huge, one of the the largest blokes I have ever seen. He is also very handsome and charismatic, striking even. Apart from his face, which has never been seriously hurt, only nicked a bit now and then, his body is a mass of scars from every conceivable weapon and beast.
He laughs rarely and his smiles are hard and cynical, only over the months did he relax somewhat and the tension go out of him.
He has grey eyes and black hair, but quite fair skin.
I first saw him clad in Reshallian-style (black) silk trousers and (white) shirt.
He does not want to talk about his past except as what regards the mission, but I gather that he has lived with Elves and fought against the Drow during the Great War, but that most of the time since then has been spent on the road with various companions fighting against various evil plots threatening Reshall.
I suspect that though he accepts my faith as right for me, real and able to do good things for you, he is very suspicious of all religious beliefs. He needs educating.
Primary and very much loved weapon is a two-handed sword specially tailored to him and emanating magic.
Armour is elven chain mail.
He also uses a longbow.


Ilenia is a young woman of scandalous bearing, and I cannot decide if she is une tomboy or une bimbo (I'd guess both). She is also fairly dreamy and naïve, and (I suspect) unimportant. She seems to be rather taken with Jean-Paul.

Eldonn is a young man with fine morals (or at least scruples) but (possibly) tainted with the Dark Arts as well:A very tall slender young man of 5' 10" and 160lb of fluid grace. Blue eyes, straight dark blond hair to just below and covering the ears. He has very good vision and hearing.
He is mostly willing to go along with what others wish to do, and is a man of few words. Often he seems to be in his own world with a slightly vacant expression and is easily distracted. When he does say something, though, it is usually well thought out and a definite contribution to the plan, showing flashes of a strong will and quick intelligence.
(Later) he learns Valonese quickly.
He recently became the owner of a trading company with 2 wagons, currently in the charge of a trusted associate, when his uncle died, leaving the business to him.
He looks and behaves younger than his 20 years, but is quite good with his longsword and his bow, though he says he is not sure if he has ever actually killed anyone, though he shot several people and goblins who were attacking him, for some reason always in the left foot, with a crossbow.
He is a good rider, with his own horse (Pacer, a palomino/chestnut mare), and knows some herb lore and herbal healing and has some tracking skills.
He wears chain mail and carries a shield.


I'll present their Full Story in detail elsewhere, but in summary (see also Erenion's Account):
Erenion, calling himself Castamir, had blundered into Igor on the trail of a number of known Demonologists, Necromancers and their associates. He kept company with a half-Drow, half-Woodelf, calling himself Aeiouy (code name is, unimaginatively; A) and an agent of a Meriandorian spymaster known as Q.
They had confirmed that the ruler, Baroness Keruna Masarin, is a nasty piece of work, often known as K (Igor / Vrakir has just joined Reshall; the Kingdom is a mess of baronies and petty Kingdoms), who keeps various other factions in balance. Her daughter (Iona Denethtar, officially supposed to be the bastard daughter of King Jorg Denethtar of Nuarn) has recently married the young new King of Reshall, Nayn Anstachar, which worries lots of people. Keruna may be female, but may not be Human.
Lord Alrin Akkvar is a Vampire with an official position (Lord Mayor). He has been making other Vampires and has a strong entourage.
Lady Fardema Toral is another official (captain of the Igorian Militia), and she had something to do with the opening of the Gate to Hell a few years ago. Sir Varidor Deloran was involved in closing it again, along with a now dead Priest of Thor called Gorzak.
Lady Zita appears to be some sort of Magician.
Lord Maldrathos the Black is a corrupted Magician and is Lord High Sheriff of the Town of Igor.
Calaceth Eswin (a Magician) is the Chief of Customs in Igor, who is having a crackdown on smuggling.
Trader Jack sells illegal Slaves.
Local organised crime groups (the Black Daggers Guild) do not seem to be into Demons or Undead.
The Temple of Death seems to be gathering resources (Zombies, power to animate more Zombies, and mind-edited living guards) for an unknown purpose. (Their leader is Sir Seulathan DeMorte, who is rumoured to be a Lich; sort of self.created Über-Undead).
Pretty much all other temples in Igor (except the Temple of Set) have been destroyed. The Temple of Set is uses human sacrifice. The Temple of Hecate doesn't, but does hold orgies.
Another big villain is Kiellevain D'Helek, who may be half-Drow, half-Demon, or possibly possessed. He was up to all sorts of nastiness in Reshall, sponsoring Satyrs, Necromancers and Goblins against the Elves of the Dark Forest and Lagon (Elven sub-Kingdoms in Reshall) a few years ago. He had recruited nobility (Sir Argonside; Lord High Sheriff) on Long Isle (another sub-division of Reshall, with it's own semi-autonomous Elves), and an agent called Captain Farrel, who had been captured by Q's agent.
Erenion is exiled from Igor under sentence of death for killing a Vampire's guards, which just shows how low things have sunk.
Drow Elves have been seen in Igor, and they are Demon worshippers (according to Erenion, in any case their patron Deity is not an Angel or ally of the LIGHT).



Over the months as Erenion Adanedhel relaxes a bit more (he never really relaxes, but the tension and paranoia that seemed part of him is lessened a lot under the gentle ministrations of Jeanette), he reveals a gentle, polite, charming and quite nice young man.
But also a womaniser and a somewhat ruthless side of himself.

We started learning Meriandorian, and trying to disguise Adan as Jean-Marc (and we'll pull a switch later, in Senacran, the Winter Capital of Reshall).
Erenion has to become a Valonese Knight.
Before we get to Senacran, S, another agent of Q will join up. He will hide Erenion until the switch has to be made. In Senacran, the plan is to investigate Iona D. to find out if she is what she seems. After this the new information from S will determine where the party goes next.
There is also M. Who is M?