[WFRP] The Bloody Crown XIV

[LCP]

Bardhyl, 27th Pflugzeit

"Twelve crowns!? Sandu my friend, are you trying to make me look bad? If I go back to our mutual friends and tell them I agreed to a price like that, they'll think I've gone soft in the head! If I were you, I'd think of a new number and remember that if you do this right, some of the most powerful people in the Reaches will owe you a big favour. In fact, they'll owe us both a favour," Bardhyl countered with a wink.

Sandu shrugged. “Tell ‘em what you want, Bardhyl. What would I want that lot owing me favours for?” He shook his head. “I’ve got my boat, I’ve got my crew - all I want’s to be left alone.”

“No questions asked, right? That’s what we’re talking about here. Which I assume means this girl’s got someone looking for her.” He held up his hands. “Not that I’m asking. No questions and all. But you want me to take that risk - stick my neck out not knowing how far - then twelve crowns is your price.”

OOC:

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This is pretty much the core use of Haggle, and Charm already has a lot of strings to its bow, so I’ve got to say no to the substitution. It’s a Basic skill though so you can still give it a shot.

"So you've not heard anything about who 'the Ghost' might be? How about where they're moving the loot?"

“Oh yeah, that’s why they call them the Ghost,” said Sandu, with deadpan sarcasm. “Because they tell every Thom, Dierk and Heinrich their business.” He shook his head. "I don't know them and they don't know me, and long may that continue."

---

29th Pflugzeit

Painford

Jacques seemed happy to drink up, as long as the drinks were on his hosts. He held forth with great authority on the tedious details of the Sforzas’ stay in the Vale. For the most part, it sounded like he had been on the sidelines, finding locals to feel superior to while the Prince was out with the hunt - not that he put it that way.

As he drank more, his tales got more grandiose and self-regarding, until he seemed to be implying that the Sforzas were practically begging him on bended knee to educate them in their musical tastes. “You know, personally, I think Fieromonte’s greatest work was after he left the opera house,” he said, spilling a little from his cup as he gesticulated - it was probably his fourth or fifth. “Originalité. That is what matters, n... ^hic! ...non?”

OOC:

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Jacques isn’t a competitive drinker, so it will take an hour or two to get him probably can’t-stand-up sloshed. With that roll, you can assume you succeed if you stick with it. I’d like to see Jarla check in to this scene though, since she’s on the friendliest terms with Jacques and might have her own thoughts on how to deal with him.

Putbad

“I’ve heard something about it, yes,” said Leona. “Obviously no-one’s happy if their cargo’s at risk. There was an attempt to flush them out with some of the guilds’ guards, but I don’t think it came to much.” She glanced back over her shoulder. “You can speak to Axel if you want - he went with them.”

Roth was more than happy to report on the guilders’ abortive bandit hunt. “Not much to say, really, Magister,” he said, in his usual brisk military style. “They probably got wind that we were coming, which wouldn’t have been difficult. And those rocks are so full of hidey-holes that the Huntsmarshal himself would have a damned hard time finding you there if you didn’t want to be found.” He chewed the end of his moustache. “That’s not to say the lads we had were all Wulfharts, either. It’s a cushy job, standing guard on guild houses and strongboxes. Most of ‘em were keen to head back.”

[-Sentinel-]

Elsa in Putbad

Elsa asked a question she had already asked the boatmen, hoping the guilders were better informed: "The fellow on the Stirpike said he didn't know any survivors of the Ghost's strikes. Do you know of any? And those who didn't return—are they still missing, or were they found dead?"

She listened to the answer, then asked: "Do we know if the bandits are after a specific kind of cargo?"

[rax]

27th Pflugzeit

"Alright, alright, you curmudgeon!" Bardhyl laughed, throwing his hands in the air. "I admit, snooping about has killed more than one cat, but how you manage to prosper in your line of work without so much as a smidgen of curiosity, I'll never know. Twelve crowns it is then," he said, offering his hand to seal the deal.

OOC:

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Eh, the odds of success seem extremely poor, and the money's coming out of the original party members' funds anyway...

[RossN]

Jarla

Jarla nodded along to Jacques' bragging, though her smile started to slip once it became clear just how drunk he was getting and she looked doubtfully at Sieghard. Evebtually once he started getting on the intricacies of long dead composers she decided enough was enough and intervened, gently pulling the minstrel's cup away from him.

"You seem tired Monsieur. Perhaps it is best you stay here for the night to sleep off your... Um... Tiredness."

[LCP]

Bardhyl, 27th Pflugzeit

Sandu shook on it. “I just don’t like getting mixed up with the friends of princes, is all,” he said. “They come and go too fast.”

Knocking back the last of the drink, he stood and made ready to leave. “Let me know when you’ve got the girl,” he said. “I’ll have the boat ready.”

---

29th Pflugzeit

Putbad

“The Azril runs fast through the Knives,” said Roth. “You lose your boat there, you’ll have a hard time getting back upriver. Especially with this lot on the loose, no-one’s picking up a passenger waving from the bank.” He shrugged. “If I was looking for ‘em, I’d look downstream, in Selsan, or Savonne even - but that wasn’t what the guilders were paying us for.”

"The boats I heard were lost were the Rockhopper and the Mere-Maid," said Leona. "I don't know what the Rockhopper was carrying, but the Maid had goods from the north. Grain and oil.”

Painford

Jacques looked a little surprised when Jarla took his drink away from him. “If you insh- insist, my lady,” he said. “I shouldn’t… shouldn’t delay, really, but the journey has been very tiring so far.” He looked at Jarla. “You’re staying here too?” he asked, hopefully.

[-Sentinel-]

Elsa in Putbad


"Thank you, Herr Roth," said Elsa. "I'll take my investigation downstream, then, but I can't guarantee I'll have any more success than the guilds at tracking down any bandits. Subtlety isn't my strong suit." She pursed her lips. "I wish I could tell you that the Prince will look into it, but he seems to be devoting most of his resources these days to that new fortress of his."

This was as much dissatisfaction with her employer as she was willing to share in the present company.

She swirled the wine at the bottom of her cup. "So I assume the food we're getting isn't from the Azril basin? If we get so little water, things must be even more dire upstream. The Azril is mostly meltwater from the World's Edge Mountains, yes?"

[LeSwordfish]

Leaving Jacques to the varyingly tender mercies of Sieghard and Jarla, Ludo buried his hands in his coat pocket against the spring chill and went out in search of Gina. The charcoal-burner's hut was at least warm, and he asked her kindly how she was doing before getting down to business.

"We think we have a place for you to go," Ludo said. "Out of the reaches. You needn't worry about the principessa finding you. I don't think we could find you a safe place in the reaches, but if you want to stay nearby, in danger..."

[LCP]

29th Pflugzeit

Putbad

"I'll take my investigation downstream, then, but I can't guarantee I'll have any more success than the guilds at tracking down any bandits. Subtlety isn't my strong suit."

"Your investigation?" asked Leona. "I wouldn't have thought hunting wreckers was wizard business."

"So I assume the food we're getting isn't from the Azril basin? If we get so little water, things must be even more dire upstream. The Azril is mostly meltwater from the World's Edge Mountains, yes?"

"I've heard the Azril starts in the mountains, yes," said Leona, "though I've never been upriver that far. There are streams that run into it all the way down to the Mere, though. And under the Karst, people say. The rocks are riddled with caverns."

She shrugged. "Here we care more about our boats than watering crops… but these conditions are bad for everyone. There's no-one living in Putbad who remembers seeing it this low." She paused. "If you want people who really know the river, you should talk to the monks of Azriller. Though I don't know what advice they can offer, except to pray."

OOC:

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Just to set expectations, I don't think the state of hydrology in the Old World would be very advanced.

Painford

Gina clearly wasn't taking to rural isolation. She had dark circles under her eyes, and her hair stuck out in all directions, having parted company with combs some time ago. Ludo thought she was still wearing the same clothes as when he'd last seen her.

At the sight of Ludo, her eyes lit up. She listened carefully to what he had to say, hanging on every word.

"Out of the Reaches?" she asked. "Where?"

[-Sentinel-]

"Your investigation?" asked Leona. "I wouldn't have thought hunting wreckers was wizard business."

"Wizard business," said Elsa wryly, "is whatever a wizard chooses to make their business."

"If you want people who really know the river, you should talk to the monks of Azriller. Though I don't know what advice they can offer, except to pray."

Elsa snorted. "Sounds about right. I won't bother with them. One of my masters often said, pray in one hand and take a dump in the other and see which one fills up first." She downed the rest of her wine and set the cup down. "You were talking about wizard business... To tell the truth, there hasn't been much of it since we dusted that vampire in Nath. I think his influence is what's causing the drought, but I can't prove it to the Prince. In fact I'm still working on that. I suppose I'm keen to justify my continued employment, and that's why the wrecker business got my attention."

She steered the conversation towards more casual topics, such as books, stage plays, horseback riding and other hobbies, just to make her visit worthwhile without overstaying her welcome.

After about twenty minutes, she got up. "My magic can't help me locate the wreckers, Lady Groz, but I'll be sure to toss a couple of fireballs their way if they make the mistake of attacking my boat. Thank you for the wine and the company."

Spoiler: OOC

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I have no other plans in Putbad. If it's still possible to catch a boat to Savonne at midday, Elsa will do so. If not, she'll take the first boat tomorrow morning.

[rax]

27th Pflugzeit

Having sealed the deal with Sandu, Bardhyl rounded up Max and Ortwin and picked up some last minute supplies before heading out west to meet up with the rest of his band and inform them of the plan to smuggle Gina out of the Reaches.

OOC: I'll write up a short shopping list in the OOC thread, but I'm thinking mostly extra food and drink to cheer his outlaws up.

[LeSwordfish]

Ludo nodded. "We've got some people who can escort you to putbad and put you in with a trustworthy caravan owner. We'll give you some money to get set up at the other end."

[LCP]

29th Pflugzeit

Putbad

Leona, as always, showed no crack in her mask of politeness - but Elsa thought she caught Roth sneaking a nervous glance at the ceiling, as if a twin-tailed comet might come crashing through it. Possibly the old soldier wasn't comfortable with casual sacrilege. If anything, he seemed more comfortable with talk of the Jackal.

"Dryin' up the river from beyond the grave?" he said. "That's a powerful curse."

"The river's always been here," said Leona. "I've got to believe it always will be. If there's no river, there's no Putbad." She was distracted from saying any more by young Eberhard, who had levered himself up on the legs of her chair and was determinedly trying to walk a few steps.

"Thank you for your visit, Magister," she said, taking the child's hands to stop him from toppling. "You know you and your friends are always welcome."

Painford

Gina nodded, though she didn't look immediately overjoyed. "I... thank you," she said. "You are very kind."

She sat down on an old sheepskin. "I don't know what I will do," she said, gazing out of the window. "All my life, I am a servant. To serve the daughter of the de Velas... we had to be the best, in all Tobaro. And now I will have nothing. No letter, no introductions." She ran her fingers through her tangled hair. "If I am lucky, maybe I end up serving tables at some... border alehouse." She took a deep breath. "But the alehouse is better than dead."

[RossN]

Jarla (& Sieghard)

Jarla hesitated at Jacques's question. "Perhaps," she allowed, "though I should be back in Savonne to prepare for their highnesses. Perhaps if you gave me your message I could carry it home for you?" She smiled winningly at her musician.

[LCP]

Painford, 29th Pflugzeit

"That's... very kind," slurred Jacques. "But I couldn't... couldn't impose. Sur l'honneur, I'll set off in the morning." He stopped, opening his eyes wider as if an idea had just occurred to him. "We could travel together!"

OOC:

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Jacques is making a polite show of not palming off the job he was given onto Jarla, but he'll agree to any plan of hers (and specifically hers - he's much less trusting of Sieghard & Ludo) as long as she insists. Up to you what you prefer.

[LeSwordfish]

Ludo nodded sadly. "I'm sorry. I would offer you a job for Commander Sieghard, but the chances you'd be recognised are too high."

He thought for a moment. "How would a prospective employer actually check a letter of recommendation?"

[LCP]

Ludo, 29th Pflugzeit

"Well, usually nobles know each other. Or know of each other. They have... seals, and things." She hesitated, catching onto Ludo's implication a little slow. "Though in the borderlands, I don't know... I mean I don't know who would know the Sforza's or their seal. Everyone they had dealings with here is dead..."

[LeSwordfish]

"And they're not going to send a messenger all the way back just to check, right?"

[LCP]

Ludo, 29th Pflugzeit

"I wouldn't think so," said Gina, cottoning on more fully now. "I mean... it's not like the principessa would write back if they did. Unless they were the, the countess of Nuln or something."

[LeSwordfish]

"If you used a different name they wouldn't know it was you," Ludo said, "as opposed to any chancer."

"So it would need the Sforza's seal, as well as their signature? Anything else?"

[LCP]

Ludo, 29th Pflugzeit

"I... not that I can think of," said Gina. "I think for most people that would be enough."

[LeSwordfish]

Ludo nodded. "You leave it with us, I'll see what we can do."

---

Later that evening after Jacques had retired, Ludo drew Jarla aside. "Could you perhaps get us a copy of Sforza's seal? I thought a letter of recommendation might help set Gina up in a new location better than a bag of money would."

[RossN]

Jarla


"Travelling together could work," Jarla allowed and smiled again, even as she took a slight sip from own still nearly full drink. "What errand has you in such a rush anyway Jacques?"

[LCP]

Jarla & Sieghard, 29th Pflugzeit

“Just… just what I said,” said Jacques. “I need to tell the people… in the city, that they’re coming back. Receive them properly. It’s… it’s important.” His tone was faintly plaintive, as if he suspected they might think he had been sent on an unimportant errand. “Although I sh’pose - I suppose if I’ve told you, my lady, that’s half, half the job done already…”

With some assistance from Jarla, he weaved his way unsteadily up to bed.

---

Wellentag, 30th Pflugzeit - Painford

The next morning, Jarla took Jacques back by the river road. The minstrel was miserably hungover, and looked it. Riding on his skin-and-bones horse with his hat pulled down nearly over his eyes, he struck an amusing contrast with his travelling companion.

While Sieghard remained behind to await the Sforzas’ arrival, Ludo was only waiting until the coast was clear. Once Jacques was safely out of sight, he started north with Gina. They would take the eastern way round, by Arrow Heap. The roads there were less suitable for horses, but Gina was on foot anyway - and this way there was no chance of them overtaking Jacques, or being overtaken by the royal party…

---

Aubentag, 31st Pflugzeit - Elsa

The ride downriver from Putbad had been uneventful. Elsa had kept on deck as they passed through the Knives, and thought she had seen someone watching from the rocks - but whether it was one of the Ghost’s wreckers, she couldn’t say.

With the current behind them, they pulled into the docks of Savonne on Aubentag afternoon. Leading two horses back through the crowded streets of the city was quite a challenge, particularly when one of those horses was Bastard…

OOC:

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Can I get a Charm Animal test at +10 for keeping the horses calm as you make your way back to the castle.

---

Marktag, 32nd Pflugzeit

Jarla

By the time they got back to Savonne, Jarla was sick to death of Jacques’ whining - about his aching head, about his aching bones, about the way his horse was jolting him to pieces. It looked like quite a placid animal to her, even if it couldn’t hope to keep up with Countess. If it was uncomfortable to ride, then that was probably for want of feeding.

At the castle, Al-Makir was grateful for the notice that the Sforzas were on their way back. “We'll clear the goats out of their highness' chambers, then,” he joked to Jarla. “They didn’t have any particular instructions for their return?”

“No,” said Jacques. “Only to tell you that they were coming.”

“Let’s not worry too much, then,” said Abdul, turning back to Jarla. “No need to, ah, what’s the phrase? Push out the boat.” He gave a small sigh. “Though I think what they might call a moderate welcome is more, now, than it was before they wore crowns. Lady Schreiber, if you need any more money for the reception you must let me know.”

OOC:

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I’m not going to ask for a detailed plan for how you want to organise this (unless you want to provide one) - if you can just tell me any personal touches Jarla wants to put onto proceedings, we can assume a baseline level of competence from Mouna & co. in getting the castle ready for the Sforzas’ return.

Ludo & Gina

Out in the east Downs, away from the meandering course of the Azril, it was easy to see how hard the drought was biting. Teams of oxen laboured to drag their ploughs through earth that was cracked and dry, and new-sown fields showed yet no sign of sprouting. At more than one farmstead they saw new wells being dug, burrowing ever deeper in search of water.

At the banks of the Azril, they passed Sforza's new fort. Gina pulled her hood down over her face as they passed the Iron Company men on guard, although the soldiers showed little interest. Their attention was turned inward, to the filthy, hungry-looking people who laboured to raise the earthworks and palisades. Their camp looked better-ordered than the one that had existed on the west bank, with tents laid out in neat military rows, and a cook ladling out bowls of grey porridge to a waiting line of workers - but the last camp had never needed this many guards. Off to the side, Ludo saw a body laid out on a handcart, covered up with a sheet to await the priests of Morr.

They passed over the bridge without anyone seeming to take undue notice, despite how furtively Gina was hiding her face. The bridge itself was busy with traders headed to the markets, the half-empty river beneath them crowded with boats that nestled cheek-by-jowl along the docks. Only the birds that circled and squabbled over the muddy banks seemed to pay them any heed.

Elsa, Jarla, Ludo & Bardhyl

It was later in the day when Jarla could extract herself from the preparations at the castle, and meet the others down in the docks. There, Sandu and the Green Dragon were already standing by.

“Should be charging you extra for the wait," Sandu grumbled to Bardhyl, under his voice. "Time is money, you know."

Gina seemed apprehensive as she was introduced to Sandu and Bardhyl's men. Her agitation only grew when Sandu showed her the hidden compartment where she'd be making the voyage. It was probably excellent for smuggling contraband, but it was definitely lacking in the air and light departments.

For a moment, Ludo was worried Gina might back out - but seeing the anxiety written on her face, Sandu offered her some words of reassurance. "I know it's not as fine as some," he said, "but I'm guessing you're not choosing to travel this way for the comfort. Your friends are paying me good coin to get you safe to Putbad without another soul knowing about it, and if that's what you want, that's what I'll do." He took off his hat and held it across his chest. "Word of honour."

OOC:

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Points to decide before we see Gina off:

• Does Jarla provide the forged letter of recommendation?
• Who’s Bardhyl picked out to accompany her to Putbad? Do they have any special instructions?

Sieghard

It was late on Marktag when the royal party returned to Painford. By then, Brina and the others had departed, with thanks again to Sieghard for his and Ludo’s help. “If you’re ever coming out west, your lordship,” Brina had said, “just ask for directions to New Seeds. That’s what we’re calling the farmstead now.”

They had taken almost all the refugees still sheltering at Painford with them, so that when the Sforzas’ carriage pulled up outside Sieghard’s manor, the only traces left were the rectangles of dead grass where their tents had been. It was just as well, since the royal party seemed to have expanded a little since they’d last passed through. There were now two horse-drawn wagons following the coach, loaded with what looked like the Prince’s hunting trophies - and a few barrels and sacks of other goods besides.

Sforza’s white horse Vedenzo was being led by one of the Iron Company guards, unsaddled. One of them opened the carriage door, and the Prince stepped down, breathing in the Thornwood air. Inside, Sieghard could see Irene, still sitting in the shadows.

“Sieghard!” said Sforza. “Good to see you again. I trust all’s been well here while we’ve been in the south?” He cast a glance over his shoulder at the now-empty campsite. “It looks like you've cleared out the rabble.”

When the initial pleasantries had been exchanged, the inevitable question soon came. “That serving girl who went missing - did your men find her?” He turned back towards the carriage, where his wife was now getting down. “We’ve heard no news at Manann’s Keep.”

OOC:

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As with Jarla above, I don’t think we need a detailed accounting of how Sieghard hosts the Sforzas a second time - just any points you particularly want to hit. Unless you want to try and stall them, they’ll be moving on tomorrow.

[-Sentinel-]

Aubentag, 31st Pflugzeit - Elsa

"I'm here, Bastard, it's fine," said Elsa soothingly, patting her nervous horse on the shoulder and doing her best to conceal her irritation that an animal that did not fear fire would fear crowds. Although she supposed that, to a destrier that had seen battle, crowds must be reminiscent of the press of bodies in a bloody melee.

Spoiler: OOC

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Can I get a Charm Animal test at +10 for keeping the horses calm as you make your way back to the castle.

Charm Animal 54 (sure glad I got this elite advance): (d100)[35]
Fortune: (d100)[69]

Thankfully, neither of the horses got out of control. Elsa led them both back to the castle's stables—to the obvious chagrin of Markos the stableboy, who had perhaps dared to hope he had seen the last of Bastard.

---

Marktag, 32nd Pflugzeit - Elsa

After Ludo brought her up to speed about the Gina situation, Elsa went looking for her bodyguard in her usual drinking hole.

"I've got a task for you, Olga," she said without preamble. "Should be simple, and you'll get time off afterwards."

She lowered her voice. "There's a young woman who wants to start a new life outside the Reaches—away from people who wish her harm. She's getting on a boat today. She'll be surrounded by rough men the whole way, so I think it's best if there's another woman present. Your only job is to make her feel safe. Once she gets off the boat, your task is done, and you can stay in Putbad until my return. I hope to be back within a week."

Spoiler: OOC

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@ everyone, tell me if there's any important need-to-know info I omitted from Elsa's instructions.

[rax]

Marktag, 32nd Pflugzeit

"Ah, our maiden in distress! It's an honour to meet you at last," Bardhyl welcomed Gina to the docks with a sweeping bow and a mischievous grin.

Standing with him was Max, one of the two taciturn fellows who had been with him at the Fat Fish, and a rough-looking blonde woman with a horribly scarred face. "These are my associates, Max and Abbie. They will be your escort to Putbad and they'll help you find your way on from there. Max knows Putbad well and Abbie - believe it or not - is a people person. She may not have your experience of high society, but anything you need to know about living life among everyday folk, she can tell you."

"Speaking of coin, he continued with a nod to Captain Sandu, "I hope you've brought Captain Sandu's fee? And you'll surely not be turning this poor girl loose with nothing to her name but the clothes on her back?" he winked at Ludo.

OOC:

Spoiler: @LCP

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Instructions are to keep Gina safe and Sandu honest until Putbad, then help her find a way to move on out of the Reaches. After that, they're to head back and rendezvous with the rest of the crew at a predetermined spot in the West Downs. Bardhyl assumes the best idea is to find a caravan run by a reliable caravan master, but if Gina wants to buy a horse or something and strike out on her own, that's her business.

If there seems to be an imminent risk of Gina being discovered by Sforza's people, Max and Abbie are to try and get her away if possible and continue on to Putbad if that seems safe. If not, they are to bring her to the rendezvous point so that a new plan can be drawn up. If they end up being pursued and there's zero hope of evading the pursuers with her in tow, they should dispose of her quickly and quietly. There's too many people she could implicate if Sforza gets his hands on her.

All of this assumes Olga doesn't have different ideas. Bardhyl doesn't want trouble with Elsa, so if Olga wants to make a break for it by herself with Gina, Max and Abbie are to allow it and report back.

[TheSummoner]

Sieghard

"Make sure the men keep an eye on the princess," Sieghard told Ingwald when the royal party was spotted coming north. "For her own safety. We don't need a repeat of what happened before. If anything seems funny, I want to be told right away."

---

“That serving girl who went missing - did your men find her? We’ve heard no news at Manann’s Keep.”

"We found a few footprints two hours or so's walk past where the shoe was found," Sieghard lied. "May have been her or it may have been left by a forester. They were faint when we found them, so it's hard to be sure. The trail went cold after that."

[RossN]

Jarla - Marktag, 32nd Pflugzeit

As irritating as Jacques could be at times Jarla did feel a certain protectiveness towards him and tried to be patient. Still she had her limits and it was with deep relief that she finally entered Savonne and then the Keep.

"You should rest Jacqes," she said. "Travel obviously doesn't agree with you and I'm sure you'll want to be well for when the Prince and Princess return. Yes, go rest. Now."

Having (hopefully) gotten the minstrel out of her hair she turned back to Al-Makir and smiled ruefully. "Right, well besides getting rid of the goats we'll want to have a proper meal prepared by the time the royals return. Apart from the actual food and drink that will mean garlands of fresh flowers hung about the Keep and everyone dressed in their best, ourselves included."

OOC:

Spoiler

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Beyond the basics of nice food, well dressed staff and some prettifying the keep Jarla isn't really looking to go too big - she reckons the Sforzas will probably be travelworn and won't want to be thrown into a big party. She will have her girl at the ready to run them baths if needed.

---

Elsa, Jarla, Ludo & Bardhyl

Jarla had managed to find time to write up a letter of recommendation for Gina. She'd never actually written one before - let alone forged one - but she doubted there was much of an established style to the thing and she felt reasonably pleased with the result. She slipped it to the girl when they met.

"Well Ranald watch over you girl," Jarla said, giving her a smile. "You've survived Irene Sforza. What trouble can the rest of the world give you?"

[LCP]

Ludo, 31st Pflugzeit

On the road to Savonne, Ludo and Gina had plenty of time to talk. Considering all he and the others had done for her, Gina had no hesitation in trusting Ludo - and considering how completely she was cutting ties, she had no hesitation in spilling the beans on her mistress either. Perhaps it was some small way of getting back at the woman who had caused her so much fear - or perhaps it was just a decade of bottled-up gossip finally finding an outlet.

Spoiler: Ludo's Questions

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The Lady Irene and Filomena never seemed to get on. Why was that?

“The brothel-keeper?” said Gina. “She hates her. She would come up with all sorts of reasons why they should send her away, but her husband would always refuse. He said that his soldiers would never forgive him.”

She nodded. “I think that was the real reason. She doesn’t like that the woman followed the Iron Company for so long… from before she and the Captain met. Once when they were fighting, I heard her ask him whether he had ****ed her.” She paused, gazing off into the middle distance. “That was a big fight.”

Does she have any other particular enemies in Savonne?

“There was the fire witch. She hates her too. But she did get her sent away.”

What was your process for buying this drug for her? Who did you purchase it from? Did they know you were buying it for the principessa?

“Doctor Bianco told us what to do. It was only after we came to the city… when he was too busy, he would send us to get it from an apothecary’s shop, in the old town.” She swallowed. “Then when Bianco… when he wasn’t around any more, we had to get it all the time. We never said who we were, but I think they knew where we were coming from all the same.”

Does the Lady give advice to Sforza? Does he listen to her?

Gina nodded vigorously. “She is always giving advice. Sometimes they fight, when he doesn’t like it, but she is smart. Most times she knows how to get her way in the end.”

She looked around at the open country surrounding them. “Allegra used to say they came here because of her. That before she would marry him, she made him promise he would make her a queen.”

Who else gives him advice - who often disagrees with her?

“Sometimes she is angry that he listens too much to his soldiers,” said Gina. “She says the boys are playing with their toys again, or things like that. But I don’t think it’s so much that they disagree with her. More that she feels… shut out.”

“He listens to the Arabyan, too, about money. And the fire witch… but I don’t think he listens to the fire witch too much any more. She’s made sure of it.”

How long has Sforza been expecting a child? How long has Irene been protecting against that?

“I… don’t know for sure,” said Gina, reluctantly. “I don’t know if she’s ever wanted a child. But she only started using us when we came to the city. Before then, I think it was always Bianco. Her father sent him with us from Tobaro - he always answered to her first.”

“For Sforza's part, I never heard the two of them talking of it much when we were in Al-Haikk. It was only after we came here that they began to fight about it. Particularly since the coronation. Since then… all the time.” Gina shrugged. “He says he is a prince now, so he must have an heir.”

How does Irene spend her time when Sforza is away?

"Before we came to the city it was very bad," said Gina. "She was always bored, so she would choose people to torment. Now she is la principessa, she can hold court in her grand castle, and the people come to her."

How is Irene protected? What kind of personal guard does she have?

“She is the more careful one,” said Gina, answering blithely without suspicion. “When we arrived in Al-Haikk, she was the one telling her husband their chambers must have guards. And the guards must not offend her, so they must be specially chosen.” She counted on her fingers. “I think there are… eight men in the Iron Company who have the duty, and they always have at least two of them at the door.” She looked a little wistful. “Enzo was my favourite.”

---

32nd Pflugzeit

Savonne

"These are my associates, Max and Abbie. They will be your escort to Putbad and they'll help you find your way on from there. Max knows Putbad well and Abbie - believe it or not - is a people person. She may not have your experience of high society, but anything you need to know about living life among everyday folk, she can tell you."

“Wotcha, Max,” said Olga, chirpily. “Abbie. My name’s Olga. Believe I’m tagging along too.”

Max and Abbie looked at each other. By a small inclination of her head, Abbie persuaded Max to shake Olga’s outstretched hand.

Surrounded by so many unfamiliar faces, Gina found it difficult to express her gratitude to Jarla for the letter, or to Ludo for the money he’d given her. Once she’d tried her stammering best, Sandu ushered her into the hidden compartment. “What are all these barrels?” they heard her ask.

“Oh, don't worry about those,” said Sandu, a little hastily. “Just get yourself settled - there should be an old blanket in there somewhere."

He quickly closed the hatch. Ludo thought he heard Gina's muffled voice saying:

^{it's dark in here}

before Sandu turned back towards Bardhyl and the others. “So,” he said, “the money?”

OOC:

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How much are you giving Gina in the end? And who’s paying Sandu’s fee?

Painford

“Hm,” said the Prince. “I would have thought your men could do better, Sieghard. Didn’t half of them grow up in these woods?”

For now, this mild rebuke seemed all he had to say on the matter. His questions quickly turned to seeing his royal entourage fed and watered before tomorrow’s journey. Irene let him do the talking - but in her watchful looks, Sieghard sensed that her curiosity about Gina was stronger than her husband’s.

OOC:

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Up to you whether you want to talk to the Sforzas about anything here or let them carry on their merry way - and whether Sieghard will travel with them when they leave or take a different route.

[-Sentinel-]

Elsa, late 32nd Pflugzeit


Elsa did not go down to the docks to see Gina and Olga off, as the presence of Sforza's court wizard may draw unneeded attention on what was supposed to be a routine shipping trip. Besides, she considered the whole Gina deal to be more Ludo's business than her own. She instead took Tattie on a horse ride in the still-brown fields outside the city, to ready themselves for their impending search for Wadim. Her backside already hurt from not having ridden in a couple of weeks, but it was the good pain of a body getting back into shape.

Sanne Raven-cry's words about "the eye of the Eagle" still weighed heavily on Elsa's mind. Just how much did Sanne see? If Wadim had chosen her to pass on his lore to, he must have known she was special in some way. Perhaps she even had the witch-sight.

Elsa reined in Bastard to let him graze on some of the hardy weeds that had managed to push their way through the dry earth.

"Tattie," she said, "I need you to do something for me."

She dreaded this moment, but she needed to be sure, for the safety of her companions and her own.

"I need you to look straight at me and open your witch-sight. Tell me if you see anything unusual about me."

[TheSummoner]

Sieghard

"There was another issue," Sieghard began. "You remember the daemon that attacked the castle? It seems it wasn't banished after all. It's been dealt with, but the daemon was plotting another attempt to steal the book."

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Sieghard probably isn't the best person to break the news, but I see the consequences of withholding the information until Ludo can tell him being worse than Sieghard not having hyno-hobbit social skills.