tomboys and troublemakers: a wfrp 2e game

[farothel]

Sir Bruno was still not well after the hits on the boat. But he was mobile enough to move around.
"I think we best sell those pups as quickly as possible," he said, "then at least we can have quiet nights again.
Wighard, you also wanted to keep one? If you indicate which one, we can let it be known that we have these for sale."

[wilphe]

Um yes, that brown one please and the black one Siobhan has chosen.

Assuming you see us again

He walks over to Bertelis

I entrust you with the company funds, pending, whatever is pending

He then grapples the Bretonnian in a deep hug

Voyager avec vous c'etait un honeur he says softly

[MrAbdiel]

"L’honneur a été le mien."

He offers, as he returns the hug - suppressing the wince expected of such a thoroughly perforated man. Though as the wizard-goons prepare to abduct his friend and their young ward, his brow hardens, and he exchanges a small look with Gimgroth that might be easily interpreted by the dwarf as we will siege if necessary. He worries; but perhaps the brush with death so recently has permitted him to hope, perhaps presumptuously, that this will not be their last meeting.

"We will get rooms at the Axe and Hammer; or else leave word there about where we have secured more comfortable lodgings."

Unhappily letting Wighard and Siobhan go to the tender mercies of the Light College, the 'Hedgehog Knight' turns to his companions, and nods to Bruno. "Yes; yes we ought to get started on moving those. They will be trouble to stable, if nothing else. But we should secure lodging and stable for ourselves and our beasts. The Axe and Hammer is a fine place to stay a night, while we work out a better place. Then we can sort our business from there..."

Spoiler: Stuff

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The Axe and Hammer is the tavern where Felix made his drunken vow to Gotrek. Destiny is upon it!

Also, Bruno and I are Heavilly Wounded still. For another two nights for Bruno, three for Bertelis. I'm not sure how wise it is for us to be traipsing around while we're holding our guts in, but we're also the only guys with dog-handling skills.
Strength in numbers, anyway. Maybe Bruno could go to the Temple of Ulric with some accompaniment -
I'm thinking Jasmine because of her haggle skill, and a second pistol in case they get mugged or something. That would leave Bertelis and Glod at the tavern to keep an eye on the pups while Bruno organizes a buyer maybe; and perhaps to chat about the Flambard and other things on that first day.

Presumably, Wighard is taking his reagent boxes with him on this abduction/honor; since fulfilling Magus Trakore's wish has been very important to him.

[LarsWester]

Gimgroth grunts as Wighard and Siobhan are summoned away to report to the College of the Light. He grabs his shield and axe and falls. An entire college of Wizards doesn't negate his debt to Wighard. Without saying a word he'll move to follow Wighard and Siobhan as they leave with Elspeth Dolans.

[wilphe]

Wighard nods as Gimgroth joins with them, hiring a porter to carry the reagents and books and then turning to salute his (former?) companions.

A bientot


The walk to the College of Light is not a long one, but leads into a downscale part of town where the various urchins and beggars give the group a wide berth.

Gimgroth is used to thinking in three dimensions but as they move further in he gets the impression that there are more than 3 involved here and that they are overlapping in ways that shouldn't be possible and would give even the most determined dwarven miner a headache.

Eventually they reach their destination, Hold my hand, step as I step and after what can only be described as a six-dimensional dance later (Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, Back, Advance). the 8 of them find themselves on a giant marble and quartz plaza

Elspeth pauses

The transition is occasionally disorientating for those making it for the first few times. Please take a moment to steady yourselves

Wighard looks ok, but everyone else gets a feeling akin to being on a barany chair on a rollercoaster that's moving in several directions at once mounted on the deck of a storm tossed ship.

The porter in particular is trying to maintain an Altdorfian sense of cool in the face of overwhelming magic but has gone very pale.

Recovering you will notice that only building on this square is a giant pyramid that seems to be glowing

Behold the College of Light says Wighard dryly, Its not just a metaphor

[dojango]

"If you need rescuin', just send us a message! We'll blast our way in an' drag you out of the clutches of that harridan!" Jasmine shouts from the deck as Wighard and Siobhan and Gimgroth leave for the mage's college. Once they leave, she'll turn to the two wounded men and say "You ain't goin' out drinkin' until we get a proper doctor ta look you over. I'll nip over to the Temple of Verena and see if we can get one of them to come out and make sure you're not going to fall apart at the seams."

Spoiler

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Yeah, Jasmine can help sell off the goods and also wouldn't mind a trip to the zoo.

[LarsWester]

Gimgroth grunts to Siobhan My head feels like a spent too much of last night in a bottle. This is so ... unnatural. as they go through the sequence of dimension warping steps. I'm not sure this is the path I would have selected for you but since you've started this is the best place to be. he mutters to the girl as the take the final steps backwards and then forwards. The dwarf's breath catches as they emerge into the marble and quartz plaza. The stonework of the pyramid and the plaza is astounding and nearly moves Gimgroth to tears at the beauty.

[wilphe]

Wighard pays the porter, Thank you we'll take it from here, the way back is easier and you can now say you can take deliveries to the College of Light - should you want to

Siobhan, wipe that vacant expression off your face and try not to look like you just fell off the turnip cart

But take a minute to let Gimgroth appreciate the craftsmanship on display



Talking of turnip carts, who is the mouthy halfling who called me a harridan?

The same one who was dumb enough to mouth off to the Maga Onyll and call our art "parlour tricks"

He shrugs

I've never been to the Moot but I guess they have some impressive parlours.

Caw Caw a large raven swoops to the ground next to them

How did you get in here?

Friend of yours?

Either an emissary of Morr or a symptom of my deteriorating mental state. Since he showed up here I am guessing the former.

Getting closer it seems that the Pyramid is made of the same marble as the pavement except that is translucent to light and there are a lot of lights inside

[wilphe]

The doors to the College itself are mundane, well they are unnecessarily tall, polished to a mirror sheen and surrounded by dozens of white bright lanterns making them the brightest things on an already bright object but moving through just requires walking through them rather than doing 6-dimensional hokey-cokey whilst trying not to vomit.

The inside continues this theme, with mirrors, lights, white marble gold and silver. They are no windows, but there isn't anything to look at anyway. And there are normally no shadows, except that the Raven has somehow managed to create one despite light coming from all around.

The place is buzzing with magical energy so much that even Gimgroth can feel it, and there is the distant but ambient sound of choirs

Wighard looks at Gimgroth, Don't worry, this is a magical construction at the intersection of six leylines, maintained by the perpetual chanting of thousands of apprentices, it was not done by honest craftsmanship.

And they also screwed up the initial design which is how the founder of my order Aetius the Bright made his first reputation.

Elspeth snorts and leads the group down a few levels and into a small auditorium

She looks at Gimgroth, You. Visitors gallery please, then at Siobhan, You girl come with me then at Wighard Wait until you are called

[LarsWester]

Gimgroth looks at Wighard uneasily. He didn't want to leave the man's side in this place and he wasn't sure about letting Siobhan leave unaccompanied either. He was however so far out of his element that he looked to his friend for guidance.

[wilphe]

Wighard looks at his dwarven friend Its fine hoping to sound a lot more confident than he feels.

There are in fact three levels to this auditorium, ground level where Wighard is, a semicircle of single seats facing him from head height and the gallery looking down from slightly above. The gallery is otherwise empty, though could seat around 50

There is a bustle as 9 magisters in gleaming white robes enter the semicircle facing Wighard and Gimgroth and two scribes enter behind them to take station and presumably notes

This is starting to look uncomfortably like a trial.

The hierophant in the centre speaks, Step forward, identify yourself for the record.

Wighard Rauschenberg, Apprentice of Physician General Christof Maher of the Bright Order of Aetius milord

I am Hierophant Adjudicator Berent Foltz, you may address me as sir.

Foltz introduces the rest of the panel, Wighard noting with concern that no members of his own order are present.

Do you know why you are here?

Your excellencies would not normally bother with such as I, therefore I would surmise that you are either extremely pleased with me or I have incurred your severe displeasure.

Sir

Your surmise would be accurate, we are here to determine which it is

Am I on trial sir?

Not yet. This is more of a thesis defence

In that case may I have some water sir.

Of course and be seated

The Adjudicator shuffles his papers, Now this tribunal has been instigated by the recommendation of the Maga Ollyn that you be promoted to Hierophant.

Ordinarily when we receive such requests from outside the College they are politely ignored and if pressed impolitely told to mind their own business.

However your situation bears a deeper investigation and she is someone we deeply respect

We also have the discharge letter from Colonel Schenk from the regiment to which you were attached saying that you undertook your duties with commendable diligence, maturity and professionalism.

Professor Lorrimor also spoke very highly of you, but again, neither are of this college.

Now we have reviewed your career up until your report 311 from Trundheim.

Is there anything you wish to say at this point?

I carry the letter of recommendation from the elders of Trundheim for clearing their mine. Sir

If you are writing things into my permanent record

Let me see

Thank you

He hands it off to one of the scribes

[wilphe]

A few formalities before we get down to main business then

What is the motto of your order?

Wighard's reply is cut off as two of the guards return Siobhan to the visitor gallery and she comes to sit close to Gimgroth - wanting some friendly contact in a very alien place

Elspeth enters where the magisters sit and briefly speaks to the Adjudicator before retiring to the other side of the gallery to Gimgroth and Siobhan

Continue

Do not cast if you can cut

Do not cut if you can nurse

Sir

And what is your understanding of that?

In the narrow sense that surgical intervention should only be tried if less radical interventions suffice and that magic should only be employed if surgery fails.

More broadly that your mundane knowledge should inform your use of magic and that just because you can solve a problem with magic does not mean that it should be your first resort

Sir

And when was your last use of magic?

Wighard consults his records

I had gone 358 days before casting Light, Sound and Magic Dart twice in our combat with the suspected vampire Lord Armata

Otherwise we would have been fighting him in the dark and against the support of his henchmen most of whom fled when I cast Sound

Sir

Then Magic Dart once more against the Chaos Snake and Sound once during our river battle before I employed the artefact from Trundheim now in the custody of Maga Ollyn

One of the other hierophants speaks up

Are we seriously evaluating a potential magister on the basis of how little he uses magic rather than how his mastery of the wind in question is demonstrated by manifest physical changes? This is ridiculous

Those are the rules of his order and we are at least in part judging him according to those criteria. These are the conditions under which the Order of Aetius is affiliated to our college.

Now then, perhaps you could give an account of events between your last report and now

[bramblefoot]

the pc's not in the temple of light come to the axe and hammer. the proprietor has rooms for you all at the usual price. he quirks an eyebrow at the pups, but says nothing.

Spoiler: jasmine

Show

can i get a gossip at +10 for the mutants, and a haggle for the pups?

[LarsWester]

While the magisters continue to question Wighard, Gimgroth offers a smile of encouragement to Siobhan when she returns. Otherwise he remains tense but silent. He waits for this court of wizards to determine Wighard's fate and very likely his own as well. For even now the dwarf was contemplating what moves he could do if those present desired to bring harm to Wighard or Siobhan.

[wilphe]

Wighard relates the events of the last week or so since his last report and the various items acquired.

Fine, that seems to be in order.

May I consider that report 312 sir?

You may, now what are your plans?

We were planning to take the pilgrimage route to Couronne, hopefully to find some answers regarding my apparent calling to Morr and the status of Siobhan

Caw! Caw!

Yes well that is easy for you to say

Caw! Caw!

And stop casting a shadow, you know we don't allow them here

The raven flies up in an apparent huff and perches on the gallery but stops casting a shadow

The adjudicator returns his attention to Wighard

Please continue

Yes sir.

Also one of my companions Sir Bertelis has received word not to return home as there is a mysterious illness circulating, symptoms vary but it has struck his step-mother permanently dumb. I feel this is worth investigating.

And the illness of a Bretonnian noblewoman is a relevant concern because?

Well I shall admit that my initial instinct was that there are many husbands in the Empire who would pay well to have such an affliction infect their wives. Then I realised that was a rather regressive thought and that spouses of all kinds might wish their partner or partners shut up for a bit.

Upon further thought, there are many restrictions that Great Teclis imposed upon our use of magic so that we employ it at minimal risk. However there are other restrictions that seem inherent to the practice.

As your lordships are aware one condition seemingly universal to all magic, arcane or priestly, sanctioned or unsanctioned, from Kislev to Araby, is that is a vocal component is necessary.

Therefore the mere possibility that someone out there is spreading a disease that amongst other things strikes people dumb constitutes a grave threat to the security of all the Colleges of Magic were it to break out within the Empire.

And even if it is not their intention to do so, and they have other concerns, the idea will have occurred to someone to weaponise it in such a manner.

I claim no monopoly on discernment sirs.

But I feel I am uniquely equipped to deal with this

Sir

[wilphe]

That seems reasonable and extremely sensible.

And after this you say this Sir Bertelis has some sort of treasure hunt in mind?

Probably a wild goose chase sir.

However the journey will prove to be interesting and I hope I have demonstrated that I report thoroughly and diligently so will return much valuable information

Sir

Indeed

He steeples his hands

Now let us talk about this Siobhan Padhold, you have taken her as apprentice have you not?

Siobhan's hands are both gripping Gimgroth's arm with a strength you did not think she possessed.

She is only apprenticed to me as a Barber Surgeon sir, I have the articles here

Not necessary for us to see them. But you know she has magical ability?

I have known there is something special about her since Sir Bertelis prayed and was charged to look after her as "more than she seems" by the Lady of the Lake.

Siobhan grips Gimgroth even tighter, if that was possible, is that true?

You rely a lot on the gods. How can you be sure you are guided by the divine?

Caw! Caw!

Yes, ok, fine. He grasps for another argument, his anger becoming more apparent

And in any case this is the Empire a Bretonnian Pond Bint with a pretty cup has no jurisdiction here.


Rely is a strong word your lordship. The Light order value introspection do we not and I have discussed much with the priests of Morr. This was one reason I sought answers in Couronne as she has not displayed any powers inconsistent with being an agent of the gods rather than a wizard

It was the Maga Ollyn who recognised her for what she apparently is, I was still unsure.


Nevertheless you have taken on the responsibilities of a magister and begun training her

I have only begun instructing her in the Articles of Magic and that only as a precaution

Sir

So yes, in other words.

He looks around the others

Are we in consensus?

No

Your dissent is noted, 8-1, please stand Wighard

There are rules to be followed and your record in this regard has been exemplary.

However an apprentice cannot apprentice another apprentice.

This precedent, however noble your intentions may be, cannot be allowed to stand

It is therefore the decision of this tribunal that you are no longer to be considered an apprentice of the College of Light

[dojango]

Despite her pretensions of being a savvy traveler, Jasmine has never visited the great city of Altdorf and is overwhelmed by its sheer size, its noise, its presence. When asking about the mutant gangs amongst the dockworkers and boatmen of the harbor, she comes across as a clueless rube, someone who will believe just about any tall tale or wild rumors and soon collects a huge pack of them.

[farothel]

Sir Bruno goes with Jasmine and he tries to pick up the rumours going around in Altdorf so he knows what's going on, as well as trying to find a place to sell the dire wolf pups (temple of Ulric, imperial zoo or other).

Spoiler: OOC rolls

Show

gossip: (1d100)[86] vs 62 (72 if with nobles as I have etiquette).

[LarsWester]

Are we in consensus?

No

Gimgroth glares at the dissenting voice who has been opposed to Wighard since the man's arrival. Mentally making note of the man's appearance.

Your dissent is noted, 8-1, please stand Wighard

There are rules to be followed and your record in this regard has been exemplary.

However an apprentice cannot apprentice another apprentice.

This precedent, however noble your intentions may be, cannot be allowed to stand

It was at this moment that Siobhan's grip on Gimgroth's arm felt more like that of a hydraulic vice of the dwarven engineers than a little girl.

It is therefore the decision of this tribunal that you are no longer to be considered an apprentice of the College of Light

The release of tension in Siobhan's grip when the conclusion of the counsel was announced allowed blood to flow through Gimgroth's arm again. Once more the girl next to him on the bench resumed her natural innocence. The dwarf felt the deep bruises on his arm forming already but silently endured. Confused as to whether Wighard was expelled or promoted he sat silently waiting for clarification.

[MrAbdiel]

Meanwhile, back at the Axe and Hammer, a tavern/inn with generous dwarf representation, Bertelis and Glod finish hauling the rest of their gear into the room. Lodging for seven, and five mounts, was beginning to become expensive; but with the new companions, the jobs that would come would surely bring in more revenue. Such was the adventurer’s wager; fewer shares versus less risk.

The knight, who has put his leathers in for cleaning at a penny-scrubber next door, sits on one of the three lower beds of the duplexes in the room. He gives the wooden basket full of snuffling and yipping wolf pups a wiggle with his foot, but they are fed and mostly attending themselves.

“I had hoped to get your thoughts, Master Smith, on the flambard we recovered from the witch at Trundheim. A local mystic declared it free of taint, and my own use has proved it moves like liquid steel in combat. But I noticed also, beneath the leather wrap on the hilt, a mark that looks dwarven - perhaps a maker’s mark. Are you familiar with it at all..?”

Spoiler: The Trundheim Flambard

Show

With a modest three feet of waved steel and a simple steel disc pommel to counterweight, the sword is a good quality work obviously intended for human uses. The mark beneath the wrap isn’t a maker’s mark, but a Master Rune of Fury; explaining the blade’s fantastic speed and ferocity in combat.

The rune is finely cast, and there’s nothing majorly wrong with the blade… but it’s imperfect, in places. There are some small but discernible cold shunts in the middle of the blade where they are unlikely to be a structural flaw; and slightly more chipping than you would expect the blade to accumulate so rapidly, suggesting a merely ‘good’ steel.

These things, combined with the presence of the Master Rune, add up to a form of dwarven blasphemy. Such a rune should never be applied to a weapon that was not intended to outlive generations of wielders. It is an insult to the craft itself for it to have been dispensed on an imperfect blade; and depending on Glod’s personal tolerances to such things, it might inspire a flash of disgust and disappointment, to take it to the Embassy for confiscation, or qualify him to ask, even demand, the blade’s destruction. The lack of a makers mark suggests the rogue rune smith, whoever he be, knew his folly. The Bretonnian, for what it is worth, seems cheerfully oblivious to this serious offence.

[wilphe]

It is therefore the decision of this tribunal that you are appointed to the position of Brevet Surgeon-at-large of the Order of Aetius the Bright and may Sigmar have mercy upon us all

What we just make titles up now?

Yes, yes we do. Thank you for asking Magus Tremaire

Your plans as outlined are approved.

Padholder will formally continue as your apprentice

Dolans will show you to your assigned quarters.

This tribunal is dismissed

Caw! Caw!

Don't push your luck.

The magisters file out, but you can hear at least one of them mutter "Bloody interventionist deities"

The scribes also leave, leaving just the three members of the company, Elspeth and the Raven - who seems to have a smug expression on its face.

[wilphe]

Elspeth, apparently as unsure about what just happened as everyone else humanoid left in the room, approaches Wighard, her voice now deferential and respectful

This way please your lordship

Wighard snaps out of his reverie enough to follow her, but does not respond to any questions, either shell-shocked or deep in thought.

He has recovered enough presence of mind by the time the group has ascended three floors to a level above the entrance to realise where they are when Elspeth shows them into a large suite of chambers where the gold and silver have been replaced with blue and the furnishings are very unusual

This is the Nihonese suite? How come I get given this?

You are fortunate that the previous occupant Hierophant Friso only recently entered the gardens of Morr

Sloblock. This is one of the most sought after chambers in the whole College, it has a waiting list longer than the Book of Grudges

Nevertheless it has been assigned to you

By whom?

I cannot say

Can't or won't?

She flushes slightly and looks around to see if anyone else is listening

All I can say is that the order came from very high up

She attempts to direct the conversation somewhere else,

The Tantalus has already been attuned to you. Is there anything else I can do for your lordship?

Please convey my complements to the matrons of the kitchen and request a light lunch for three. Thank you

Elspeth bows and leaves

Wighard takes in his surroundings, I don't know much about Nihon he says sliding a wood framed paper door back and forth.

But it must be a dour and joyless place if they think some rocks on some gravel constitutes a garden. Do they not have flowers? But I know one thing

He strides to the Tantalus, which opens for him, he selects two tumblers and a balloon glass

Albionian usquebae? Really?

He pours out one finger for Siobhan and two for himself and Gimgroth - of course he is using the balloon...

They have a proverb, if you are gifted a cup of poison, drink deeply from it. Cheers

[bramblefoot]

bruno's adoptive family has an estate in altdorf. they are willing to let the party stay there for a week, but there is currently a cousin staying there who hates bruno, and would like a rematch on a duel

wighard is able to deliver his reagents to magus trakore's contact and is paid 50 gc for his trouble. he gets lowballed by the scribe in charge of acquisition and only gets 100 gc out of the two venom sacs. he's also able to acquire medical supplies at standard rates

jasmine and bruno spend most of the day wandering the streets getting crappy offers for the wolf pups (nothing abve 10 gc). feel free to try the imperial zoo tho

jasmine is able to set up an appointment for a physician to come tend to the wounded

jasmine was not able to set up an appointment with a librarian curator today, but possibly tomorrow

[wilphe]

Wighard returns just as the hired physician is finishing and slumps, footsore and exhausted, into the nearest available chair after scooping up his chosen cub and cradling it under his shirt where it nuzzles for warmth

I'd be offended but I respect your right to a second opinion, also I did say we might not be back and I am knackered anyway.

How was your day?

[farothel]

Sir Bruno wasn't in the best of moods when they got back in the Axe and Hammer. He quickly informed Sir Bertelis about the low offers they had gotten and the issue with the town house, before he too suffered the ministrations of the doctor. At least this was one of the competent ones, or so it seemed. The pain actually lessened after he had gone and he was sure a good night rest would help as well.

"I think it's best if we check the imperial zoo tomorrow," he said to the others during dinner, "maybe it's also better if I dress up tomorrow. That always seems to be better, and I don't think full armour is needed down here. And then see what I can do about cousin Gottfried. He's not a bad sort, but he never really supported my adoption in the family."

[wilphe]

We also thought full armour wasn't necessary on the boat, and that worked out great for the two of you

Do we need to stay here much longer?

[Morovir]

Glod tries his best to restrain his horror and outrage at the abomination before him. Everything about it was fundamentally... wrong. To bind a rune - a Master Rune at that! - into such an umgak weapon was sacrilege, and an insult to everything that runesmithing was meant to stand for. However, this was a new acquaintance of his, and the matter would have to be addressed with tact, nuance and subtlety.

"Master knight, it brings me no joy to inform you of this, but your blade is an abomination unto Thungni. You were right to believe that it is free of taint - the blade holds a Master Rune of Fury, designed to enhance the wielder's combat abilities. However, the blade itself is flawed. No self-respecting runesmith would have bound a rune, especially something as powerful as a Master Rune, into such a weapon."

He sighs.

"I understand we do not know each other well, but I would ask that you either surrender the blade to me, or accompany me to the Karaz Ankor Embassy, so that I may confer with my fellow runesmiths and determine the wisest course of action. Know, however, that no blame shall be placed on you for wielding such a weapon, and that you made a sensible decision in consulting me.

Whatever the outcome of the conversation, Glod's next port of call is the Karaz Ankor Embassy. Although he had spent a considerable amount of time in the capital in the past, it had been decades since then, and much would have undoubtedly changed. Upon his arrival to the embassy, Glod presents himself to the guards and requests access to the interior.

[farothel]

"As I mentioned to Sir Bertelis," Sir Bruno said to Wighard, "there is a townhouse that we can use and the family allows me to use it for me and people I invite, but I have a cousin who's in one of the rooms at the moment and he doesn't really like me. He wants a duel... again. But in my current state that's simply not possible. We can go there tomorrow and see if we can talk him out of it. And you're right, we might need armour in town, but dressing up is sometimes better than armour. Of course, I can have bodyguards who can be armoured, so there's no problem with you wearing armour."

[wilphe]

If you are planning on fighting a duel then a surgeon should be present, Bertelis will be your second?

Also I'm prepared to let people think I am many things but your bodyguard isn't one of them.

If it comes to it I can probably fit us all except the horses in my chambers at the College of Light.

But I'm not too popular there right now and I don't want to push my luck

Also I doubt you'd sleep well inside a giant glowing pyramid that never shuts off - that takes a lot of getting used to and its not really good for you anyway

[MrAbdiel]

Early...

Bertelis' expression drains of mirth as Glod proceeds with his assessment, and makes the grim announcement. In the process, his eyes scan across the room to the bound sheath of his broken longsword; and down to his bandages, covering the wounds that nearly killed him - and might have, if he had been able to weave a slightly less effective web of steel. But finally he nods, and even smiles a little, with a fortified edge to melancholy resignation.

"I understand, Master Smith. If... there is any chance to save the blade itself..." He asks as he offers the sheathe to Glod, so he may take custody of the Trundheim Flambard entirely, "...Then I would appreciate it. If that means shearing the rune off, or rendering the blade non-functional, even. The weapon itself is an important token for our company. A trophy, you see? But I would not insist on bearing aloft something that would cause you - and Gimgroth, who will be alarmed to learn of this - any grief. Tell your kin that the new trust between your people and mine, which has been firm since the First Errantry War, will not be dishonoured by this son of Bordeleaux."

He draws in a deep breath, and then forces his smile a little larger, and turns his attention to something he can help - the empty wash tub full of yipping pups, into which he places his bare foot, to give them a foe to harmlessly attack.

"I am in no condition to travel - and I ought to remain here with the pups, and to receive the physician Jasmine intended to dispatch. There will be a handful of lads outside the main hall downstairs waiting around for passers buy to hire them for a pfennig to show around town - one will point you to the embassy. Perhaps I should get with the theme of our party, and take up a fine dwarven axe, ah?" He chuckles a little. "As long as they are made with extra shaft to tolerate use from horseback, I think I could manage. But things proceed shopping. Go with your ancestors, Glod. By the time you return, our company might be reunited here, and perhaps Bruno will have a better place for us to stay tomorrow."

Later...

Bertelis is poulticed up, now; fine white linen bandages with a perfumed edge so he does not smell so much like an injured man medicinally caked with goop. As doctor vanishes into the street outside with Bruno's wounds seen to, the whole group is assembled back at the Axe and Hammer.

"There is no man I would trust more readily to tend the broken body than you, Wighard. If there is any depth to your theoretical offense, you may banish it without fear. Pragmatic hirelings are a poor substitute for such a master of the mysteries of the body's humours as yourself. But I am glad to see you, Siobhan, and Gimgroth returned without the need for a doomed siege of the wizard-palace."

"As for this duel... Well. Every family has its share of fool cousins, I suppose. I would be honored to be your second, if the morning gives us both operation and function. If he has challenged you for the first time, there might be more back and forth about the conditions; but considering this is a reengagement after a previous duel, you have considerable latitude; the benefit of stipulating most of the conditions of the duel. As long as your stipulations are reasonable - long steel and short steel permitted, at the proving square nearest the house - any commentary spread about you after the fact is unlikely to stick. If you tried to drive for pistols against blood kin over something so small, or a joust if your cousin is no horseman, you might suffer; as would he for demanding you fight while in recovery. But see how you feel tomorrow. If you are hale, we can send a communication and arrange the engagement under the evening sun. If longswords are involved - as they might have been the first time you dueled, I suspect - then armor would not be a foul. It is much harder to make blows 'gentle' with a war-sword than a fencing foil. If you want to provoke the beginning of a legend, you might permit him to wear armor and take none of your own. But you have defeated him before, Sir Bruno; I expect you will do so again, so long as Shallya is kind to your injuries."

He watches the Imperial Peasant-Knight for a moment with his slowly establishing brand of anachronistic, big-brother expectation, before looking to Glod, hoping for something like 'good' news about the fate of the Flambard. Even as he gives the dwarf room to speak about his efforts at the embassy, the knight errant is moving to set something flat on the table in the middle of the room - some kind of old map - and a rumpled, age-stricken book.