The Thrice-Ninth Kingdom II

Morning of the second day, an abandoned hut in the mountains

Referee

You all wake up before dawn by a loud crack from above, a branch must have snapped and hit the roof. In the night some of the shingles have been blown off. There is a thrumming sound as gusts slam into the logs and a rushing of wind through the canopy. The whole hut groans. When you step outside for a moment you have to brace yourself against the winds that steal your breath and make your face numb from the cold. It is still dark.

Sir Milos, Zoltan wakes up in your embrace and looks over his shoulder. His blue eyes muster you expressionless and then he gently removes your arm, gets up and pokes the fire.  

Sir Anastaz, The Salt Knight

Anastaz rises from his slumber, blows into his hands, and rubs them together. "They do not want us even to rest in their demesne."

Sir Milos, the Fox Knight

Milos sits up on his elbows and looks at the ceiling. “Although it may appear that way, not every power in this land means us harm, my friend. Sometimes nature is simply wild and untameable. I can go out and check the roof to make sure it is still secure above our heads for the night.“

Sir Heldris the Dove Knight

The Dove Knight wakes up as the strong gale is howling all around the ruined hut, his serenity leaves with the wailing wind. As he sees the Fox Knight checking the roof tiles shattered on the ground, he hands him a piece of bread for breakfast. “Forget the ceiling,” he says, “let’s get going.”

Referee

While you have your breakfast Zoltan takes out his knife and carves a staff from a fallen branch. His usually precise movements are sluggish as he hold the knife awkwardly in his frostbitten fingers and Perilake is reminded of the time when he carved his first bow. You leave the hut before dawn and make your way down the mountain saddle back south while the winds howl around you. Zoltan is leading you again, his body leaning into the wind using his staff for balance. When you reach the valley again the clouds have dispersed but you have to figh against powdery snow lashing at you. You follow the mountain pass winding its way down and at a turn you see a desolate landscape below you, black trees and frozen ponds. Zoltan tries to move as closely to the rock side as possible but more then once a gust threatens to blow him off the path. At noon you reach the foot of the pass and take a short rest. Dark clouds gather in the east. A storm is brewing. Over the distant thunder you hear a blackbird hidden in a nearby shrub.

Ser Perilake, you understand the language of the bird. It sings: “Papa, Papa, The Elf taught me well.”

A hidden Blackbird

Ser Perilake, The Gilded Knight

Perilake lurches towards the bush, but the blackbird quickly flies away. Within the bushes, he finds a brooch, painted in Kranach's colours. A gift to Lady Inga from Lady Zdenka, often pinned to the boy's chest. When Perilake turns back to the others, on his face there is hope. "We grow closer." He whispers. Zoltan recognises his aunt's present, and clasps his hand around his former mentors. "As does the storm." He nods to the swaying limbs of the black trees. Perilake nods, and scans around the party. "We will find shelter once more, and weather this ill breeze. And in the morning, we will be closer still.

On the edge of frozen waters, between the black trees, the knights find a strange building unlike any they have ever seen. They first glimpsed it as they came down the mountain pass. A tall structure made with even, neat rows of bricks, and an opaque cupola rising above, made of some shining, smooth metal. Between thin pillars, finely carved wooden doors swing softly in the growing breeze, the motion smooth and quiet. The knights approach carefully and guarded, remembering the glittering trail that near led them astray. Quietly, Zoltan pushes forward the door and steps into the hall. As he does so the Fox steps swiftly past Perilake to watch over the Pigeon. All morning the young Milos has a look that one might call apprehensive whenever his glance falls on the scion of Kranach, though such looks vanish swiftly under the regard of other eyes. Within, they find the building empty. Not in ruin, or in disrepair, but abandoned by whatever strange inhabitants it once had. But whatever took place here, once, is stranger still. Chairs of metal and soft cushioning are arrayed in circular rows, gathered in audience around the empty heart of the great room. But above, twenty feet high, and twenty-seven in diameter, a most strange construction stands vertically before the vanished spectators. A grand mechanism of brass and silver and golden globes, affixed on circular rails in winding patterns. Faint light glimmers across their edges from the windows high above, a fortune in plain glass. Beyond these bizarre artefacts, the building is a work of art itself. Above, the dome is painted with luminous points of light, softly glowing pale suggestions of the stars themselves. And the walls of this circular building have their own artistry; faint suggestions of the landscape around, with the tall mountains to the west rising over the entrance doors in thin linework, and other features unfamiliar visible through the gloom.

Sir Milos, the Fox Knight 

Milos looks up in awe, his mouth slightly open and his eyes wide. “Is this a temple, a church?” He points to the grand sculpture of metal above their heads. “Is this an image of their god then?” Their footsteps ring with strange echoes and the Fox Knight tilts his head with a smile of delight. A pennywhistle appears in his hands, as if from nowhere, and he blows some high notes that seem to seem to provoke an eerie resonance from the metal sculpture. He laughs out loud.

Then a sharp thunderclap shakes the building and reminds them of the looming storm.

Sir Heldris the Dove Knight

The Dove Knight paces the domed hall in amazement, forgetful of the cold that’s still biting his bones. Not even the great auditorium at Castle Barow could equal such an astonishing place. When they finally settle in, he kindles a fire around the metal chairs, with a bundle of sticks he had carried with him from the day before. “We will need more, I’m afraid." He says, to nobody in particular, as he watches the reflection of the tender fire dancing on the brass and silver globes of the strange artifact above. The wind sings an eerie tune outside, sliding over the smooth metal dome, and seems to accompany the silent music of the flames on the hanging spheres. 

Sir Anastaz, The Salt Knight

Anastaz nods. "I'll be back soon." As he opens the wooden doors, the wind outside becomes almost deafening, a screeching sound that sounds almost like children laughing... or crying. Then, the doors close, as the Salt Knight goes out into the storm.

Sir Milos, the Fox Knight

Milos' brow furrows a bit and he rises from his musical reverie. “We should avoid venturing out alone in this realm. I will assist the Salt Knight.”

Referee

You step into the storm, raging winds and hail and snow. It seems as if the blizzard is filled with the fury of the realm itself or its ruler. Leaning forward you stumble towards the nearest trees, dead branches ripped from trunks. As you start gathering wood you hear a bawl over the howling of the storm and then a screaming wail. Dark shapes prowl between the trees. They circle something white and majestic and almost invisible against the fury of the elements ... if not for the deep red wounds in its side: A dying white stag mercilessly attacked by predators

From afar you hear the thundering howl of anger.  

Sir Milos, the Fox Knight

Milos grabs his comrade's shoulder and leans in close to his ear. “Anastaz! The White Stag is the sacred emblem of the Winter King. If we intervene to save it, we could find favor with a powerful ally against the Spring Court, against the Elf!” And he looks up into his friend's eyes with the question...

Sir Anastaz, The Salt Knight

Anastaz's eyes alight. "Let's go," he yells, drawing his sword and plunging into the storm.

Referee

You dash forward and land between the stag and its attackers: half a dozen horned wolves observing you with yellow eyes, exposing their dripping fangs. They back away from their prey and start circling you. The White Stag, lying in a pool of blood and covered in wounds, lifts his royal head weakly and wails. Through the blizzard you see the wolves circling around you as you stand back-to-back trying to face them. One after the other feigns, pretending to pounce and then retreats quickly.

Sir Anastaz, The Salt Knight

Anastaz waits for what seems an eternity, then leaps forward just as the wolves descend. He brings out his mace and his javelin in a wide arc, then begins to spin as he disengages from Milos. He whirls around and around, trying to keep the wolves at bay, stabbing and striking any that get too close.

A Pack of Horned Wolves (just imagine the horns)

Referee

All around you teeth and snarls and growling. One of the wolves bites onto your dominant arm, you hit him with the spinning attack but he doesn't let go, another tears into your thigh and retreats with flesh in his muzzel, blood spattering, the third is trying to duck under the attack but is hurled into the darkness.

Sir Milos, the Fox Knight

Milos jumps into the midst of the three approaching wolves and swings his jagged blade at their legs, drawing blood. He rolls and ducks as they attempt to fall upon him, until the largest leaps up and comes down squarely on his back. But as soon as the wolf touches Milos form, it evaporates into smoke and the animal hits the hard ground awkwardly. The true Fox Knight watches from a distance, then charges the confused beasts.

As he springs across the snow, he calls to his Fae Lord: “Give me strength to vanquish these foes and Winter will smile upon us both.”

Referee

You feel your legs buckle under you and your body spasms. The roaring of the blizzard fades away and with it the trees and the wolves. Snowflakes float slowly all around you. A bell tolls. You hear a voice, mocking but not unfriendly. “Ah, my servant summons me, how queer. I see you haven't lost your appetite for bargains, Fox Knight.” “I already own your body, what else will you give me? The one-armed friend or the one you love?" The voice turns into a seductive whisper: "Give one of them up, stay with me and you will be my Prince!”

Referee

Ser Perilake, The Dove Knight feeds the last branches to the meagre fire that fails to warm the enormous hall and you turn Avert's brooch over in your numb fingers. Zoltan is sleeping, curled up in his bedroll with a blanket wrapped around his head. Suddenly Heldris falls over, gripped in a spasm that envelops his whole body.

Sir Heldris, When you come to, you are lying on the floor in front of the fire, your body is twisting and contorting violently. An image flashes before your eyes, Milos kneeling in the snow surrounded by wolves. The vision disappears, the cramps start to fade and you are convinced that the Fox Knight is in mortal danger.

Sir Heldris the Dove Knight

Heldris comes to, clutching his iron arm. He stares at Perilake, bewildered. “I can't explain how, but I fear our friends may be in danger.” He rises up unsteadily, and holds himself to the Gilded Knight for a moment. “Let's haste, before it's too late.”

Sir Milos, the Fox Knight

In the eerie quiet, Milos cries out “You ask too much! Are you a Lord of the Fae or a petty crossroads demon?” and somewhere Heldris hears his voice and knows that his friend faces an inner threat as dire as the wolves that encircle him.

Sir Anastaz, The Salt Knight

With a mace trapped in one of the wolf's jaws, the Salt Knight feebly waves his javelin around himself, drawing drops of blood as the wolves descend on him in a great chorus of gnashing teeth. For the first time, Milos hears the Salt Knight scream, a high-pitched, blood-curdling sound, as the beasts rip and tear the knight's flesh. He kicks and punches at the beasts but can hardly move as the direwolves close in around him and prepare to feast.

Sir Milos, the Fox Knight

As Milos is released from the Fae Lord's reverie, the scene around him coalesces abruptly and the Fox Knight's charge toward the horned wolves resumes midstride. As a blinding streak of white, he impales two wolves and continues to waylay the others as they focus their attacks on the Salt Knight. The scream of pain kindles a frenzy of anger in Milos' heart as he drops his buckler and draws his hidden blade to attack anew.

Referee

Ser Perilake, Zoltan is awake in an instant and wriggles out of his bedroll. From the door you stare into the blizzard but you can't see your comrades - only the vague shapes of nearby trees. The next moment the Pidgeon Knight stands behind you, Zuraw in hand. He mumbles something inaudible and follows you without hesitation into the storm.

Sir Milos, the wolves retreat again into the white chaos. The Salt Knight is hunched over gripping his mace as he leans his entire weight onto it to keep him from collapsing. He is bleeding from many wounds. Over the roaring winds you barely hear the whimpers of the two dying wolves lying on the ground and the grunts of pain from the White Stag. Hail and snow whip your face as you turn around with your blades at the ready, waiting for the Horned Wolves to pounce again. Then out of the blizzard a figure approaches rapidly.

Sir Heldris the Dove Knight

Perilake and Zoltan watch the Dove Knight run blindly into the deafening blizzard, as a hound after an invisible trail. They follow, and eventually spot two figures in armour standing in the red snow. The dead bodies of huge white wolves lie on the ground, and four more seem to be retreating into the howling storm. Heldris rushes toward Milos and Anastaz, "Are you all right my friends?" He positions himself between them and the four wolves, as the feathered wings of his armour spread out to shelter his comrades and scare the beasts away. "I feared we were too late..."  

The White Stag

Sir Milos, the Fox Knight

"Heldris, thank the seers you have come. Anastaz has been hurt. We must protect him." The fear in his voice is evident but his eyes have a stony resolve. He stoops to grab his buckler from the snow and peers out toward the trees. "The beasts will return I have no doubt. This fight is not over."

Referee

When Perilake and Zoltan finally catch up with Heldris they see him standing over the wounded Salt Knight, his wings fluttering wildly in the wind while Milos is pacing back and forth trying to catch a glimpse of the wolves through the swirling snow.  

Anastaz, you are bleeding from numerous wounds and now that the tension of the battle is fading so is your strength. Hot pain is pulsating where the teeth have cut you and still a terrible chill seeps into your bones.

Sir Milos, the Fox Knight

Milos returns from his survey of the nearby area. "They appear to be gone for now. We should bring Anastaz back to the domed temple and tend to his wounds." Then he looks over his shoulder at the white stag. "Give me one moment first. " Milos approaches the white stag slowly, with reverence, He squats down near its head, listens to its rasping breath, and looks deeply into the dying light in its eyes. A prayer leaves his lips silently, "Great King of the Winter forest, what can be done to honor your passing?

Sir Anastaz, The Salt Knight

Anastaz stumbles and nearly falls towards the other knights to support him. After a moment, and in obvious pain, he manages to stand upright. "I didn't gather any..." he grimaces, "wood."

Referee

Sir Milos, you kneel at the dying animal's side and the winds seem to die down and a strange calmness comes over you. You hear the voices of your brothers calling you as if from afar and the rattling breath of the stag fills you ears while his eyes draw you in. “Stay with me” they say as clearly as if it had been spoken aloud “and gift me your Rowan seeds when I'm gone. A King dies slowly and never stays dead for long.”  

Sir Milos, the Fox Knight

Milos turns and looks up at Anastaz. He grimaces at the sight of his many wounds. "I must stay here at vigil a while longer and finish what we started. Go back with the others and please do not die. I will see you soon.  

Sir Anastaz, The Salt Knight

Anastaz looks at Milos, almost seeming delirious. Through the wind, his raised voice can hardly be made out. "You fought well. We will live to fight another day."

Sir Milos, the Fox Knight

Tears well up in his eyes as Milos watches the Salt Knight lumber away in such obvious pain. He fights the impulse to run after him but instead looks to Perilake and gestures with his chin that they should go. A tear falls from his pale cheek and freezes on its way down to the snowy ground. Then he sees the Dove Knight regarding him with arms crossed and a frown upon his face. "I know, it is foolhardy to remain here alone. Will you keep watch with me then, Sir Heldris?"

Sir Heldris the Dove Knight

Heldris nods, the tireless wind bending his armour's wings around him like a feathered shroud. “I'll stand guard with you, sir Milos.”

Referee

Perilake lends his strong shoulder to the exhausted Salt Knight and guides him back to the tower. After a few steps they disappear into darkness and snow. Heldris stands guard while Milos kneels beside the stag. Time passes and although the storm seems to lose its might it is very cold and your fingers and toes become numb. From afar you hear the howling of wolves. Large snowflakes are falling on the bloodied ground, white on red, and the rattled breathing of the stag slows down until at last it breathes no more.

Sir Anastaz, The Salt Knight

Only occasionally leaning on the Gilded Knight for support, Anastaz makes it back into the orrery. When Perilake removes his blood-soaked garments, the other knight sees a constellation of scars, including a 20-year old jousting wound that runs from the Salt Knight's armpit to just below his navel. His newest injury is a bloody mess where a piece of his side had been ripped out. Though unsightly and pouring blood, the wound is shallow enough it should not have any permanent effect. The Salt Knight, mostly lucid, helps his companion tend to his own injuries and stanch the flow. Within the hour, the Salt Knight is curled up in a corner of the planetarium and able to claim such much-needed rest.  

Sir Milos, the Fox Knight

The Fox’s head rests gently on the stag’s breast, feeling the warmth beneath the white fur, even as the beat of the great heart slows to an eventual stop. Then an immense stillness descends upon the glade and upon the young knight’s spirit. It is the black emptiness underneath all the white, the deepest source from which all emerges and to which all returns. Milos opens his eyes and stands stiffly. Snow falls from his shoulders as he shakes himself. In the aftermath of the storm, the vault of the night sky is clear and filled with unfamiliar stars. He digs a hand into his pocket and draws out a handful of bright red rowan berries. As he scatters them on the snow around the stag, he speaks into the intimate silence “Rest at last great King. Until you rise again.” The Dove Knight waits patiently, his wings a welcome refuge for the weary Fox. They slowly walk from the glade together. As they make their way through the soft landscape of white, Milos stammers “Anastaz. He almost died. I was terrified.”

Sir Heldris the Dove Knight

As they walk, the Dove Knight’s wings still cover him like a cloak against the cold. Slowly, one wing spreads and closes over the Fox Knight’s shoulders. “I felt it as well, somehow.” He answers. “I cannot explain, but it was as if I was there with you, but helpless.” In the bitter cold, he finds a comforting smile. “You helped me that night in Bohat, and something lingered, some kind of bond…” he sighs, “I'm glad for it. I only hoped I could have understood it sooner, and acted quickly.” As the two knights reach the towering domed building, the sky clears and strange constellations appear over a dark backdrop.

Strange Constellations

Ser Perilake, The Gilded Knight

The Gilded Knight is long familiar with the scars of the salt knight. Anastasz may still be the greatest sword in the realm, as the stories tell, but all victories on the battlefield are paid for in flesh and blood. Thankfully, the balance of where the greater debt falls still remains in their favour. Leaving his friend to rest, Perilake takes his own place within the strange building, staring up at the glowing stars. What makes them glow, he wonders, as his mind drifts off into a darkness of its own.

A Dream

"Sir Perilake." He hears Inga's voice over the noise of the waterfall. In the woods, near Kranach. When they were here, it was spring, their first together, before the journey to her family seat in Svenrik. But now it is some strange season; the trees and grasses are in bloom, the air rich with the scent of nature alive and fresh. But covered with the kiss of frost, and cold to his touch but seemingly pleasant. "My golden one, where are you?" Inga's voice calls again, and he rises from the waters where he is bathing. In the distance, he hears the soft whinny of the horses, the noise of his squire leading the steeds away. She is waiting for him in the grove, and Zoltan will be some time. He threads his way through the branches, his skin warm even as it treads across white-tipped blades. There, she waits for him. His light, his lady of Svenrik, her smooth skin goosefleshed and her bright eyes clearer and more blue than the sky... The Dream is not as it was, but it is a reminder of warmth and home, and hope. 

The Thrice-Ninth Kingdom I

The first night, somewhere in the mountains

Snowflakes dance around the campfire and beyond there is only darkness. An icy wind pierces through to your bones and wicked gusts fan the flames that burn quickly through the last logs. A few almost geometric marigold flowers break through the snow blanket around the rocks, blooming out of season and with an unplausibly bright red.

Sir Milos, the Fox Knight

As Milos looks out across the frozen expanse, his heart is heavy in his chest. This realm does not welcome them and he knows the way before them will be a punishing one. The tiny fire sputters feebly in the cold wind and he lets out a sigh as he coaxes it with a stick. We will need shelter in the coming days if we are to survive this gauntlet. But who here would help us? Then unbidden, a memory breaks like a gentle wave over his mind. He is walking in a thick orchard of plum trees in full blossom, tiny white blooms dance on the warm breeze of a perpetual summer’s twilight. An arm is draped over his shoulder, and a soft voice murmurs in his ear, speaking of hidden things, secrets things, just for him. Milos struggles to make the words out, but then the vision slips away, as suddenly as it appeared. He swears under his breath and rises up from the hard unyielding scrabble of the cave. Perilake mutters in a fitful sleep and Milos’ heart breaks a little more to see the Gilded Knight so diminished. Placing a gentle hand on his shoulder, he rouses him to the next watch.

A Rock Overhang

Sir Heldris the Dove Knight

Heldris bundles up in his bedroll, trying to keep the cold away. He falls asleep in a matter of minutes, as he watches sir Milos tend the fire—but it’s a night of restless dreams: Biljana’s warped face under the silver moon in Bohat; the blind bard at the brook dancing hand in hand with the questing knight, their heads dangling loose, blood stains on their necks and clothes; a disembodied slithery voice, creeping out of the darkness of Elfland, echoing into his ears, craving for his soul… He is suddenly awakened by Perilake’s hand on his shoulder. The Gilded Knight mumbles a few words about the fire, which is struggling to survive the restless wind, and is eating piece after piece of a scrawny log. The Dove Knight casts another twisted log into the fire and starts his watch. All around, the darkness seems to crawl around the dancing shadows, seeping into every nook and cranny between the fickle light of the fire. He shivers and moves closer to the flame. But no matter how close he gets, he cannot shake the cold out of his bones, or out of his mind. The red marigolds lie in the darkness like open wounds. Heldris casts away these heavy thoughts, and spends the time revising their provisions or trying to recall the tales and songs of this mysterious land, in the hope of finding some clue or helpful notion. When it’s time, he wakes Anastaz up and mumbles a few words about the struggling fire, before crawling back into this bedroll.

Sir Anastaz, The Salt Knight

It is not difficult to rouse the Salt Knight. In fact, he hardly slept at all. He feeds the fire log after log, and stares into the flames meditatively. As the first tendrils of dawn probe into their camp, Anastaz creeps to the edge of the overhang and looks out on the other world.

Referee

You rise stiffly from the dying embers of the campfire and approach the edge of the plateau. Mountains all around you. Clouds hang low like dark blue linen over the rock massif. The winds have settled down but the air burns cold in your lungs and you can see your breath. Before you lies a sharp mountain ridge that disappears into the twilight of dawn. A steep path wounds east around the rock and a treacherous scree slope covered in fresh snow leads down to the west. Behind you is a chimney between two rock walls covered in ice to the summit. From there you will have a better view of the surrounding area but the walls glisten dangerously.

A sky like blue linen

Referee

Sir Milos, Zoltan shakes you awake. His lips are blue and his teeth are shattering. He mumbles something that you can't understand and then he crouches next to the cold fireplace poking the ash with a stick.

Sir Milos, the Fox Knight

As morning breaks, Milos stands by the last embers of the fire as the companions gather.

“My friends, we move in a different world now. If we fling ourselves against its sharp edges, we will not survive. We need to speak to it in its own language.”

He kicks at the embers and his brow furrows.

"Warmth is not made here. It is given—offered and noticed. Fire alone may fail or burn strangely. Instead, warmth must be exchanged from the heart."

He raises his face to the ominous clouds and seems to address them.

“We seek not to defy you. Only to pass through you. Take from us what is small, and leave us what is needed.”

Then he puts one arm around Zoltan’s shivering shoulders and with the other hand pulls a tattered red ribbon from his pocket.

“I offer a memory of warmth. A young girl reunited with her mother, laughing in the sunshine. The simple joy of homecoming in an uncertain world.”

And the ribbon blows from his open hand to be lost in the wide expanse of white below them. Milos hugs the Pigeon Knight close to him as he looks out at his other comrades with glistening eyes.

Referee

It seems as if the sky is a single unblinking dark blue eye that looks down at you and yet its vastness is overwhelming and if it had listened it seemed unmoved - but Zoltan stirs in appreciation of your embrace as your share your warmth with him. Or has the ribbon warmed his heart?

Sir Heldris the Dove Knight

Heldris watches the red ribbon being lifted into the air. The wind carries it away toward a pale rising sun, in the east. He holds tight a piece of fabric hidden between the folds of his clothes, of the colours of Karpat, and his heart feels warmer. “Your words warm more than this feeble fire will ever do, Sir Milos,” says the Dove Knight. “Let’s follow the path, and see whither it leads us.”

Sir Anastaz, The Salt Knight

A shiver passes through Anastaz. "Then let's get going. Shelter is our direst concern."

Referee

Zoltan turns his head and forces himself to smile, his face still stiff from the cold : ”Thank you, Fox Knight” he croaks and starts collecting his things. As before he takes the lead following the path East. His slow and steady step reveals the experienced wanderer. The pale disc of the sun rises behind the thick panel of clouds turning the sky pink in the east before fading into grey. Still even the ghost of the sun's warmth on your face feels like an unexpected blessing.

Sir Milos, the Fox Knight

Although none can say exactly when it occurred, the Fox's coat has changed its season. As Milos makes his way across the snowy meadow, his auburn hair now appears bright white, his brown eyes nearly coal black, and his ruddy complexion has become pale and ethereal. The footsteps he leaves in the snow look to be a natural part of the wintry landscape, akin to those of a native creature.

Ser Perilake, The Gilded Knight

Few in the realm of Barowia would recognise the famed Sir Perilake as he follows this strange path in this strange land. Wearing the tattered and dull armour of the mad Seeker, his tall and proud stride now a grim and determined march, there is none of the glitter and glamour of the shining knight known across the land. The warm smile and easy manner is but a story for a better time. But the strange light of the Thrice Ninth Kingdom glimmers upon some aspects familiar to those who know Perilake best. The armour of his namesake is gone, but the cloud of depression and hopelessness of these last few weeks is gone too. Amid the grey mists and steep snowbanks, Perilake's brothers see his smile once more. Its warmth even more of a ghost than that of the pale sun, but holding the cold strength and beauty of crafted metal. "We are here, in the land of the Elf and his accursed Herald. We have achieved the impossible already." He breathes in a deep, shuddering breath of icy, and exhales slowly as he nods at the Fox Knight's words. "We will do yet more impossible things, together."

Referee

At noon you reach a snowy meadow between cliff walls, so high up the mountains that it is filled with clouds. You hear birdsong from a lone whitebark tree up in the cliffs, a melody of profound longing that urges you to stay and listen. Through the thick mist you see a trail before you, glittering dust on the snow.

Noon of the first day

Sir Heldris the Dove Knight

As the lonesome birdsong reaches his ear, the Dove Knight’s stops and listens. A wistfulness for home fills his heart. “This reminds me of a sorrowful lay from home, about two young courtiers and their forbidden love.” He turns hurriedly to Perilake, but to his surprise he’s met with a confident smile that warms his heart. He crouches to inspect the glittering dust on the path. If he has noticed the Fox Knight’s new coat, he doesn’t show, but he nods reassuringly to him before turning his attention to the ground.

Referee

You crouch down to get a better look at the magic trail but upon closer inspection the motes of dust seem to possess a treacherous edge, tiny flames ready to ignite.

Sir Anastaz, The Salt Knight

"In our realm, such an artifice would be used to light the way or defend some place of significance, but the ways of the fae are inscrutable."

Sir Milos, the Fox Knight

Milos steps forward to the threshold of the glittering path. He bows and asks out loud to the wind and the snow: “Keepers of this place, as strangers in this land, may we walk this bright path before us with no claim or trespass? And if a price is due, then name it for us.” Then he scans the meadow with narrowed eyes, pauses for a moment, cocks his head to one side listening, and finally closes his eyes to feel how his body is responding in the wake of the request.

Referee

It is eerily silent except for the longing song of the bird dampened by the clouds around you. You are almost convinced it sings in a language you once spoke but have forgotten since and the moment passes and only the yearning remains. The mountains seem to lean over the clouded meadow, mildly curious like a cat regarding a dead mouse. As you close your eyes you feel a malicious presence on the trail that is neither bird nor cloud nor mountain. A boggart or sprite maybe, ready to play tricks on you.

Sir Milos, the Fox Knight

The Fox Knight sighs and steps back from the threshold of the glittering path.

“There is only ill will for us down this path. We must find another way.”

Ser Perilake, The Gilded Knight

Perilake's hand grips his sword, and he gazes around the valley. "Then we will avoid the path, and seek out the closest shelter we can. Then we will be able to search for a path through on the morrow, for another night in this cold and our fires may be extinguished. I will not have them fade before they burn a path home for Avert." The knights search the meadow for shelter or a dwelling secreted somewhere in this valley, carefully avoiding the glittering trail - and who or whatever laid such a tempting snare.

Referee

You discover a mountain pass to the East that leads down below the clouds but it is narrow and exposed to the elements. You find a frozen waterfall to the south beautiful and cold and in the North a mountain saddle. As you climb higher you see tall fir trees and between them the ruins of a handful of huts, burnt and desolate but the ground is snowless and covered in brown needles. One of the houses still has a roof and a brick built fireplace with ancient ash. The sun has vanished behind the mountains and you are cold and tired. You hear faint animal noises in the distance that Sir Milos recognizes as the barking of a fox

A Valley filled with Clouds

Sir Anastaz, The Salt Knight

Anastaz sets to preparing a fire, and he can shortly be seen kindling a small fire in the decrepit hearth. His fingers clumsily assemble the tinder, and when he lights the fire, it catches in a sudden conflagration, like flash paper going up. As he feeds the flames, a single thick tendril of smoke rises from the chimney to probe the surrounding countryside.

Ser Perilake, The Gilded Knight

Perilake paces through the huts, sifting the wreckage and retrieving whatever lumber or stone may be of use. Behind him Zoltan surveys the woods and lands, before pondering the ruins. "There were people here, of a kind."

Referee

You feel the draft from a corner where some of the stones are broken and moss is growing. You find old rusted tools, shears and brushes and under the rotten top of a table the carved toy of a sheep. Slowly the room is filling with warmth and for the first time since you arrived in the Kingdom of Winter you don't see your own breath.

Sir Milos, the Fox Knight

The Pigeon Knight shivers as he sits in front of the hearth. Milos sits behind him and wraps his arms around his shoulders. He looks at the other knights with a concerned expression. “The fire will warm our bodies but who will offer us a memory of home to warm our hearts in this unyielding realm?”

Referee

Zoltan holds out his hands to the fire. You can see frostbites on his fingers. He flinches when you mention home and he stays silent.

Ser Perilake, The Gilded Knight

Perilake quietly takes the carved sheep, and considers it as he sits by the fire. He remembers Inga's mementos from Svenrik, that became their son's favourite toy. He holds it close, feeling the eyes of the others on him. "Many years ago, I travelled to Kranach for the first time." Zoltan shifts in his seat, his shivers interrupted by a small but sudden tension at the name of the home he forswore, of the lineage and loyalties that once felt like a crushing weight around the boy's shoulders. But as Perilake tells the story of their time together there; of the warmth of the people, of the time spent with the Lady of Svenrik in the woods, the tension calms, and a faint smile can be seen. A similar smile plays across Perilake's face; for a moment, his eyes seem to bear the brightness he wore in those early days. Or perhaps it is merely the reflection of the flickering fire.

Sir Heldris the Dove Knight

Perilake's tale warms Heldris’ heart and shakes off some of the weariness from the long day of perilous travel. He stands up to stir the fire and add more wood, as he comes back to the memories of his first winter at Karpat. He smiles, but decides to keep that thought for another day, as the warm memories of home will be a rare and treasured good as they march deeper into the land of the Elf.

A Shelter from the Elements

A Dream

Milos is clambering across a gray rocky landscape high up the side of a mountain. Clouds hug the crags in a dense mist and dark shapes seem to loom within them. He knows he is searching for something but can’t remember what. There is an oppressive urgency. That time is running out. The sharp rocks cut his hands and drops of his blood fall upon the snow. Someone is watching him. He stumbles, falls prone, and sees on the ground before his face, the carcass of a pigeon frozen in a small patch of snow. Mocking laughter seeps from the clouds around him and he despairs.

With a start, he awakens. Zoltan mutters feebly in his sleep and Milos wraps his arms around him more tightly.  

The Thrice-Ninth Kingdom: Summary and Trailer

A plateau in the mountains, devoid of colours, under an overhang barely wide enough to shield them from the winds. Heldris cuts down a small twisted tree and they huddle around the fire like lost children.

The Company of the Black Fleece travelled to the fae kingdom to rescue Ser Perilake's son Avert. But how did they end up in this wondrous and indeed quite perilous place?

~ Summary of events ~

• Tizra, the Herald of the Elf, gifts Sir Anastaz the Harvest Bow.

• Sir Anastaz defeats the Elf, the Steward of Seasons. The Elf banishes Tizra from his realm. Tizra plots his revenge on the Company of the Black Fleece in order to get back in the Elf's good graces.

• Sir Milos makes a pact with a fae lord who grants him knowledge and power … for a price. He later becomes the Fox Knight.

• Ser Perilake marries Lady Inga of Svenrik, the Envoy of house Kranach. Their son Avert is born.

• Perilake's squire Zoltan is knighted by the Frozen Seer and becomes the Pigeon Knight.

The Elf, the Steward of Seasons

• Tizra lures three children from Bohat, a nearby village, into his halls. He replaces them with Vyměněnec.

• The Fox Knight while travelling through Bohat hears rumours about children behaving strangely. The Company decides to investigate. Lady Inga takes Avert to Bohat to speak to the village's mayor.

• Sir Anastaz is lead by the Vyměněnec who replaced Marko to the nearby hills where Marko first disappeared. The changeling tries to kill him but later The Salt Knight gains his trust.

• Avert tells his father about “the moon” who tried to climb into his room. Ser Perilake decides to hide in his son's room and fight the intruder.

• The Fox Knight and The Dove Knight lay a trap for the Fae but it is too late: While they confront Biljana's Vyměněnec Tizra puts a spell on Ser Perilake and abducts Avert.

• Sir Anastaz frees two of the children, Bijlana and Marko from Tizra's Halls. The third one, Saša, stays behind and the halls collapse.

A Strange Kingdom where Winter reigns

• Ser Perilake travels across the Realm to ask the Seers for guidance but none of them can help. Until at last he visits the Veiled Seer who mutters a name: The Thrice-Ninth Kingdom.

• The Pigeon Knight uses his unique ability to lead the Company to a burnt down forest with a single old rowan tree and a small door in its trunk. They crawl through and emerge on the other side in the mountains of a strange kingdom where winter reigns.

Music

Academic Folk Choir of the Plovdiv Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts, conducted by Vassilka Spassova - Мехметьо, севда голема (Mehmed, my love)

Session 22

Noon of the 1st Stillday of Bales

Milos takes Heldris to a dry hill nearby where they light candles to celebrate the holy day. Perilake wakes up, shaken and concussed, and looks around. Without hesitation he begins stripping the dead Knight off his armour that bears the crest of house Altenburg. Zoltan musters his lord doubtfully and with the help of the Salt Knight starts digging a shallow grave. They bury the man and follow the Pigeon Knight south.

When they make camp in the evening Heldris again searches for dry wood and comes upon the banks of a river where a large newt is trying to drag a body into the water. Heldris drives the beast back into the river and helps the man to his feet. He claims to be from Kozamost but doesn't recognize his surroundings. He must have travelled further from the village than he intended. At the campfire Anastaz and Heldris wonder why the river manifested before them and the Salt Knight fasts together with the fisherman.

A fetid Bog

2nd Stoneday of Bales

In the morning a constant light rain falls and Zoltan reveals that there is a small dwelling nearby where Perilake might rest and heal his wounds: A hidden vinyard to the east.When they arrive Lyschko and Magdolna, the vintners, approach nervously. Of course the wounded Knight can stay for a day but the family need to harvest and cannot serve the lords. Milos and Heldris volunteer to help them and work side by side with the vintners while Perilake is recovering in the hut under the watchful eye of the Salt Knight.

Later in the evening Magdolna invites them to the cellar where she proudly conducts a tasting of her best wines.

2nd Woodsday of Bales

When they leave in the morning dark clouds threaten to unleash the first harvest storms but Perilake is refreshed and urges the others to follow him. They travel through lush hills until at noon they reach a burned forest, charred stumps and barren branches clawing at the sky. They pass an abandoned shack with the symbol of the Child but press on. Suddenly the Pigeon Knight stops, wherever he turns his senses point to all directions at once. Milos and Perilake separately search the surroundings while Anastaz meditates to find the way forward. Perilake arrives at a copse unburnt and when he enters he finds himself back in a glade with three pliths. A black statue in armour and wielding a scythe blade asks him: “Whom shall I kill?” and without hesitation the Gilded Knight names the hated Herald of the Elf. The Black Stone Hunter vanishes.

Milos finds an ancient rowan tree carrying berries and carved into the gnarly stump a small door. He kneels and prays to his lord for guidance. “Fill your pockets with seeds so that your corpse will feed my Realm." The Fox Knight crouches down and collects the berries. Then he puts them in his pockets and looks up and the door is no longer merely a carving and a silver bell hangs above it.

Twilight of the 2nd Woodsday of Bales

Back in the camp Anastaz takes the Harvest Bow, closes his eyes and shoots an arrow into the air. The arrow whistles and disappears and with a thump it lands next to Milos and soon the company stands together before the door. Perilake turns the antlered handle and the door springs open. A cold wind blows snow into his face and he takes off his armour, binds his shield and weapons together and squeezes through the door. Heldris whispers words into Colman's ears and the old horse snorts and leads the other steeds north. Then he follows Perilake through the door.

The Door

The Thrice-Ninth Kingdom, night

Through a tunnel to the other side: A plateau in the mountains, devoid of colours, under a rock overhang barely wide enough to shield them from the winds. Snow is falling, more cotton than crystal. Heldris cuts down a small twisted tree and they huddle around the fire like lost children.

Session 21

1st Skyday of Bales

Dark clouds hang over Farkash Citadel as two riders approach. The Pigeon Knight makes camp outside the walls while the Gilded Knight rushes to Lady Inga's chambers. His wife is sitting at the window praying. When she hears that the Veiled Seers had revealed Avert's whereabouts she thanks the Mother but never gets up to meet her husband. Afterwards the company decide to aid Perilake in his quest even if it means to leave the Citadel without rulers for a long time: Nobody knows where the Thrice-Ninth Kingdom lies and only the Pigeon Knight can lead them there.

During the Council meeting Perilake impatiently listens to the numerous complaints and doesn't care about the details. "Send Arkadiusz back to Kranach", he demands "or make him apologize!" The Axebearer is non of his concern: "Let the Marshall deal with them!" When Istvan mentions that the soldiers haven't received their pay he drops his golden armour on the floor. “Sell it!”

The Bard

1st Rainsday of Bales

They leave at Dawn under constant rain. Zoltan is drawn to the South but he admits that his instinct had shown different directions before. They travel through a forest into an overgrown ravine and need to hack their way through brambles and it is dusk when they emerge on the other side to make camp near a brook. Heldris has to search for a while to find dry wood. He hears drums and hoarse singing. When he comes upon a clearing a bard in gaudy clothes is singing vile lyrics about the company. Heldris demands that he should stop but the Bard doesn't react. With a sardonic smile he questions Heldris manhood, disrespects his wife and muses that the precious stone she adores must satisfy her in a way the Dove Knight can't. But how can he know the jewel, the troubled past of the Tankard Knight, and twist it into a grotesque tale? Enraged Heldris smashes his drum and before he realizes it, he drives his sword through the unarmed man. As if in a dream he cleans the sword and returns to his friends. Milos sees that he is distraught but the others just blame his curse and how he is often troubled at night. When the Knights are asleep Sir Heldris asks Sir Milos about that night in Bohat and the presence he felt. The Fox Knight  reveals that he had dealings with the Fae before and has received a gift unaware of the consequences. Now it is Sir Heldris' turn to confess and he whispers into the Fox Knight's ear what he doesn't dare to say out loud.

A shallow Lake in the Fog

1st Stillday of Bales

The morning wind brings the smell of stagnant water from the south. They travel through a fetid bog under the burning Harvest sun, past ancient menhirs and plagued by mosquitoes. At noon a thick fog rises and their steeds trot through a shallow lake. From somewhere they hear calls and soon a Knight emerges from the mist. He seeks the Child. He is willing to sacrifice it so that the Demon won't tear the Realm apart: Knights, Seers and Vassals all. “You would kill a child for the Realm?” Perilake asks incredulously. “Yes!”, the rogue Seeker Knight proclaims. “Are you with me?” The Gilded Knight is not in the mood to talk about harm that comes to a child. “You are a fool and a coward!”, he spits and the Knight howls in anger: ”A fool I might be. A coward I am not!” and charges forward. Perilake smashes the Knight's shield but barely escapes his counter. Their steeds rear and they hack at each other until Perilake is hit by a terrible blow to the head and tumbles onto the ground. The Knight jumps from his horse and raises his morning star for the coup de grâce but Heldris cuts his hand off and as the night before runs his sword through an unarmed man

Zoltan cradles Perilake's head while Anastasz binds his wounds. Milos approaches Heldris carefully but has to dodge a wild swing from the Dove Knight. Only when he realizes he almost struck his brother does Heldris lower his sword.

Session 20

Between Seasons

With Perilake gone Lady Inga spends long days in her chambers alone, only tended by her maids from Svenrik. She is now always wearing white – the colour of the Church of the the Child and frequently disappears for some time to visit a humble chapel in the Western hills, much to the chagrin of the Citadel's Sheriff. 

The Salt Knight has taken Biljana and Marko, the children from Bohat, to the Citadel where they are trained as pages … but it is up to the Fox Knight to show them the warmth they both crave. Sir Milos has become friends with Vojtech the rough but charming noble from the Waldochian steppe and they both take care of the refugees from Oakfell.

Sir Heldris invites Yordanka to make use of his extensive library of songs and sheet music. He offers patronage to the theatre in exchange for a more sympathetic view on house Farkash and the Company of the Black Fleece. The playwrite from Masur accepts hesitantly.

Farkash Citadel, 3rd Silverday of of Leaves, The Tax

High up in the Citadel the Council meets to discuss the Tax. Without Ser Perilake the mood is sombre and the absence of Avert who used to play on the floor is deeply felt. Lady Jitka the Steward of Farkash reveals that the project in Oakfell to quell the underground fire has depleted all resources and that the coffers of Farkash are empty. They decide to send an envoy to Barow Castle to ask the King and the Merchant's Guild for support. But for now the excavation is stopped and the Citadel has to cope with crowded chambers and rising tensions.

Sheriff Sorinah provides an update on the Axbearer, a mysterious figure who threatens to end the reign of Knights, and who has found support among a group of young farmers to the East. The company is more than willing to finally address a conflict that might be resolved with strength rather than wits – but only after the Feast of Stars. The Knights decide to summon the Jewelled Seer to the Feast.

Marshal Istvan of Kranach complaints about the children of Oakfell disturbing his soldiers and remains unconvinced even after Sir Milos defends them. Only when Sir Heldris steps in does Istvan promise to adjust his training sessions to the presence of the refugees.

Lastly Envoy Alina announces the arrival of noble emissaries from all over the Realm: Arkadiusz, a dashing young Knight from Kranach and Princess Alaja of Barow. Sir Andrasz is happy to see his former Squire Lady Gundhilde, the Snare Knight, as an envoy from Sir Adalbert and Sir Heldris welcomes his wife Lady Hedwig who is representing house Karpat.

Farkash Citadel

1st Kinsday of Bales, The Feast of the Stars

In order to charm the disgruntled soldiers Sir Milos instructs some elderly refugees to bake sweet buns and the children of Oakfell to distribute them. Heldris learns that his daughter will serve Lady Gundhilde as a Squire, a relieve after he had already heard rumours Annegrit might join a Knight from Szalai and had feared the worst.

In the Great Hall an opulent feast is provided with food and drink under the light of a hundred candles and Sir Milos waits for his opportunity to entertain the guests with music. Suddenly a commotion draws the attention to the table of the Kranach delegation. Sir Arkadiusz rises from his feet, his face badly burned by hot tea and slaps the young woman serving him. Bartek who recognizes her as one of Inga's maids immediately steps in and confronts the officer. Before Heldris can intervene, a fight breaks out, fists are flying and plates shatter until Milos has the presence of mind to play a jaunty gig that first shocks and than shames the troublemakers. Soon the music changes to a more solemn tune and Heldris and Anastasz join the Fox Knight until at last the Great Hall is united in song. Acolytes with chimeric masks lead the congregation to the lake where barges, boats and floats are moored. A thick mist lies over the water illuminated by the moon, its light reflected a thousandfold by the gems of the Jewelled Seers. The acolytes blow their horns: A dissonant sound, low and strange and from all over the realm, from the hills and forests and across the abyss of time horns answer as if from ancient beasts calling back.

A misty Lake

1st Skyday of Bales

The next morning they summon the Jewelled Seer and ask them about the Child. It will be born this year the Seer answers in a voice as if stones are grinding against each other and it will be born from fire. When the Fox Knight offers to support the Seer, a ruby is presented to him and for a moment Sir Milos catches a glimpse of a fire burning inside.

The Children of Bohat VIII

The Halls collapse
The Last Dawn
Perilake's Quest
Sons and Daughters

The hour before dawn of the 3nd Riverday of Petals, Tizra's Halls

Referee

The ground is shaking and more dust falls onto the ground. You walk through an endless succession of corridors until finally you smell something musky and foul and you come upon another hall with three cauldrons hanging in a massive hearth. A girl is standing on a stool holding a long ladle, that she has dipped into one of the cauldrons that is too big for her to reach otherwise. The stench in the room is overwhelming.  

Sir Anastaz, The Salt Knight

Anastaz mutters, "Hold my nose, please,"to Marko. He runs to the girl. "Biljana, your mother sent me. You don't need to serve Tizra anymore. Come with me, we must leave now." He shifts Marko under his left arm, and extends his right hand to Biljana. 

Referee

Marko lifts his tired head and pinches your nose. You hear the cold voice again. It sounds very pleased and whispers. “Feel the despair Salt Knight as much as I felt it when my Lord was banished and I was left behind.” The walls shake and a large stone from the ceiling drops onto the floor. One of the cauldron tip over and something massive plops on the floor. Biljana jumps from her stool with a scream barely evading the hot liquid. She looks confused but her eyes are clear. She blinks and wordlessly grabs your hand.

Sir Anastaz, The Salt Knight

Anastaz hoists Biljana up over his right shoulder like a sack of barley and begins to run. As he is about to leave the chamber of cauldrons, he glances back over his shoulder at what came out of the cauldron. 

Referee

You see the body of a young man, without the scars he should have on his torso where Sir Vladimir and Lady Bianca pierced him, without the deep lines that life drew on your face. But it is just an empty vessel without a soul.

Bijlana guides you through trembling corridors until you hear the sound of rushing water and soon you step out behind a waterfall as dust whirls out of the collapsing tunnel. A path of rough stones leads up onto the peak where the Vyměněnec rests against the cairn. You must have been in the halls for hours but now the sun rises in the east. The creature is in a state of terrible deformation, skin and flesh dragged down towards the earth and unable to speak but the children recognize his kindness and sit next to him until the end.

Another gloomy Hall

  

The hour before dawn of the 3nd Riverday of Petals, Bohat

Sir Heldris the Dove Knight

In the cursed night, Heldris looks within for the warmth of the sunlight to cast away the darkness of this ancient curse. "I will not fall for your tricks!" he shouts with a painful effort. 'I lifted this curse twenty years ago', he wishes to add, but speech dies in his mouth as his jaw burns with pain. He looks up at the grinning child and the sky behind her burns with radiant sunlight in the Dove Knight's vision. He unsheathes his sword and takes a step forward.

Sir Milos, the Fox Knight

Milos watches Biljana from the shadows as she laps up the milk. He smirks to himself and shakes his head slightly. But before he can act, his throat tightens, as if a hand were gently but inexorably closing around it. Not choking. Claiming. His tongue goes dry with the old taste of honey and iron. And a familiar voice caresses his thoughts “Young one, this is a matter of old debts that do not concern us.” Milos falls to one knee and bows his head, his body acting of its own volition. “The true danger is at your side, not before you.” He hears a stifled growl as Heldris steps forward to confront what presents as the girl. She looks up from her cup and stares Milos in the eye before turning her attention to the Dove Knight.

Referee

Sir Heldris, for a short moment the town square is gone and with it the wagon and the girl and you find yourself in the shadow of the looming arch to which Colmán had carried you all these years ago. And the sun breaks through the clouds and shines onto your features that are not that of a hound any more and the sun has a white face and she smiles upon you with love. Then you stumble forward but catch yourself and your sword is in your hands and The Fox Knight before you.

Ser Perilake, The Gilded Knight

Perilake grits his teeth, even that small action seeming to take his concentration, and focuses on the small falcon. His hands spasm for vital seconds, but as he closes them on the hilt of Rzeznick the cold steel seems to give them life. A familiar feeling, on this blade that lay near Bohat for ages unknown. This enchanted steel will surely not fail him even as his limbs have under this dark spell. Not when Avert lies above. But the mere touch of the blade does not banish the stupor - and so with all his might, Perilake seeks its bite. One hand clutches the unsheathed steel, and his flesh parts, blood pouring out along with a volcano of startling pain. 

A large pale Face

Sir Milos, the Fox Knight

Milos witnesses his comrade’s struggle with pained sympathy. He rises and looks up at Biljana. “You overplay your hand, fierce one. Curses are contracts and who holds the rights to this one? If you awaken it, you claim stewardship of it. Continue on this path and any victory you may claim will be pyrrhic. Desist now and we can negotiate.” He sets his jaw and stands his ground.

Referee

“A wrangler of words, I see, despised in this world and in all others.” She shows her teeth and hisses. “I do not own the sun and yet it warms my skin and winds fill my sail for me to steer it whichever way I desire.”

Sir Milos, the Fox Knight

“Despise me or not, it does not matter. Words have power, contracts must be honored, debts must be paid, do not imagine that I am unschooled in the old ways. You cannot take what bears another’s mark. And I stand where I choose.” He moves forward and takes the Dove Knight’s hand in his.“I bind myself to him.” The voice inside Milos booms “No!” in outrage. The Fox Knight gasps and winces in pain, but holds tightly to Heldris’ hand. Through clenched teeth “If you touch him, you declare war on the one who holds me. How many enemies are you willing to make tonight, I wonder? You cannot take me. You cannot break what stands beside me without trespass. Will you duel us both, hobbled as you will be?”

Ser Perilake, The Gilded Knight

Perilake grits his teeth, even that small action seeming to take his concentration, and focuses on the small falcon. His hands spasm for vital seconds, but as he closes them on the hilt of Rzeznick the cold steel seems to give them life. A familiar feeling, on this blade that lay near Bohat for ages unknown. This enchanted steel will surely not fail him even as his limbs have under this dark spell. Not when Avert lies above. But the mere touch of the blade does not banish the stupor - and so with all his might, Perilake seeks its bite. One hand clutches the unsheathed steel, and his flesh parts, blood pouring out along with a volcano of startling pain.

Referee

A large pale face is looking into the room, the skin a peculiar whitish glow like mother-of- pearl and you understand why Avert mistook the face for the moon. The Herald of the Elf stands outside and all is silent and you cannot move. Then he is in the room and he bends forward in a stilted manner and blood pours out of your hand and sweat stings in your eyes and still you cannot move and next he has Avert in his arms, your son, and now he stands outside and now he is gone. All you can do is scream.  

Sir Milos, you hear a scream from the mayor's house and Biljana smiles. “I "will not - I wish no quarrel with you or your lord." She jumps down. “The Gilded Knight's son is gone. Tizria's Halls will fall and bury the children of this village. I will leave nothing but sorrow. My purpose is fulfilled." She bows with a grand, mocking flourish. "Now, Fox Knight, tell me: who outfoxed whom?” As soon as her last words are spoken, she collapses on the floor next to the booth like a puppet whose strings have been cut.

Sir Heldris the Dove Knight

The Dove Knight's sword stops its swinging motion midair, as the scream from the mayor's house echoes throughout the sleeping village. At Biljana's words he turns towards his brother with a worried look. As the empty vessel of Biljana collapses on the floor, they rush towards the mayor’s house. Their hearts pounding, they hope this is yet another trick and little Avert is well in his bed.

Ser Perilake, The Gilded Knight

But when they arrive, their worst fears are confirmed. Bartek stands helplessly, sword drawn, and looks pale as he guards the door. The old warrior raises his blade as you approach, seemingly eager to put his strength to use, then recognises you and stands aside worldlessly. Through the open door you see Lady Inga clutching to Perilake, blood smeared across them both and pouring from a wound on his hand. The Gilded Knight's sword lies at his feet and his once strong voice is broken as he whispers.

"The Herald has my son."  

~ EPILOGUE ~

Sir Milos, the Fox Knight

Milos leans against a willow tree on a rise overlooking Dunja’s small homestead. A gentle breeze sways the branches around him. He has strategically positioned himself upwind of the tannery stench. Below he sees Biljana helping her mother set out some hides for drying in the sun. Dunja pushes her daughter's shoulder playfully in some private jest. Biljana laughs out loud and the sound carries on the wind to the keen ears of the Fox Knight. He smiles to himself and looks down at the tattered red ribbon he is winding over and over through his fingers. Then he drops it into his pocket and turns to walk back to the village. 

Ser Perilake, The Gilded Knight

In the wake of their son's disappearance, Lady Inga returns to Farkash, accompanied by Bartek. Though many come to offer their comfort, the scarred soldier turns them all away silently at Inga's door, and she is barely seen. Her door only opens at the Pigeon Knight's call, drawn by the tale already spreading across the land. 

Her husband does not return with her, but sets out immediately to try and find any trace of Avert. His brother knights offer their aid, but the duties of Sceptremass call. Perilake pays no heed, no care to the possible insult to the king or the blow to the fragile reconciliation they have worked for. Whether the company stays or goes, nothing changes. The golden warmth of his smile is replaced by the cold glint of metal, though the armour itself now weighs heavily. An unfamiliar sneer twists his face at the suggestion of the King's aid in his quest, and it is a sorrowful parting between brothers. 

He travels onwards, seeking out each of the Seers in turn. The visions of the Cured Seer show him his son, in a perverse court of seasons and strangeness. The Tangled Seer warns that threatening the Elves may threaten the realm, even as he offers the hope that Avert can be saved, even as he says that all may be doomed in the pursuit. For a mad moment, Perilake considers cutting through the tangled knots of possibilities... but he remembers his oaths. For now. 

Each seer he asks 'Where is my son', and it is the Veiled Seer who answers; a single word, a name. A place. A place he cannot find. 

He travels onwards, northwards, seeking the Entombed Seer and any others. In the dark nights, the cloak of sorrow burns with anger, and he thinks of the Herald. Of the plinths and their offerings and a bargain he would now take. 

But on the road, he is not met by the omens he seeks but by his former squire. The Pigeon Knight has flown far, and brings a plea from the Lady Inga. And Perilake cannot refuse

The Wheel of the Year turns once more

Sir Heldris the Dove Knight

In the wake of that horrible night in Bohat, as Perilake saddles his horse and prepares to leave, the Dove Knight pleads with him to accept their help and let them join his quest. But within his sorrow the Gilded Knight’s good sense does not falter, as he reminds his brothers of the duties of the realm; of Farkash Citadel, of Sceptremass, of the risk of letting resentment prevail. Heldris nods in silence, and with tears obfuscating his eyes bids farewell to his old friend. Back at home he keeps his mind busy with the many tasks of the holding, and the Gilded Knight’s misfortune leads him to spend as much time as he can with his brothers, lest they let themselves be overwhelmed by sorrow. Or at least that’s what he tells himself, as he finds great comfort in their company. Lady Hedwig travels often to Farkash, to offer Heldris her immovable shoulder. Their daughter Annegrit has grown fast and shows great sense. With the shadow of Avert's absence stalking in everyone's mind, she spends more and more time with Lady Inga, keeping her busy with walks and chatter, discussing the property of plants, the movement of the stars, and the duties of her future knighthood

Sir Milos, the Fox Knight

The refugee children of Oakfell sit in the dirt surrounding the Fox Knight as he tells them a fantastical story about a lazy girl, a bowl of porridge, and a clever hedge pig. He plays each character fully, makes grand gestures, and absurd faces. Upon finishing, he asks: who can tell me the moral of the story then? Agafya pops her head out from her hiding place beneath Milos’ chair “Names have power. Guard them well” And another small boy in the back of the circle adds: “And trick others into revealing them!” Milos laughs and stands. “Well, the lessons are learned well then and story time is over. Who wants to help me gather kindling for the fires tonight? “ Many hands go up and the Fox Knight leads the children into the scrub surrounding Farkash holding

***