Referee
The stand empties out as the king and his brother and most of the nobles seek food and drink and respite from the harsh winds inside the castle walls. The sky is bright as all the clouds have been swept away and the air is much warmer. You hear oxen bellow that are lead into the bog by servants and other footmen carry barrels and sacks and wineskins to the standing stones where the Feast of the Sun will take place. There is a sad and lonely flute playing from Lady Hedwigs tent. Lady Dagmar disappears into the healers marquee. In front of Sir Johann's pavilion - the only one with the banner of house Szalai – a squire brushes Sir Johann's noble steed.
Perilake the Gilded Knight
Within the crowded pavilion shared by the knights of the black fleece, Perilake sits. Plunging a cloth in to a bucket of clean water, he scrubs his armour fastidiously. The gilded metal's shine is quickly restored from the myriad minor marks acquired from his tumble to the dirt. As he works, he whistles a low tune well known across the realm, of a peasant who rose to become the greatest knight of an age, guided by the seers. Perilake's melody is strongest during the rather ribald section featuring the rescue of a maiden from the nymphs of the river.
Ludmer the Trail Knight
Ludmer sits, a tightly bound bandage visible under his tunic. His skin is pale and his movements are sparse, economic even. A young aide of the healers guild sits by him. He seems glum and withdrawn. Present to satisfy expectations, but with limited capacity for idle chat.
Anastaz the Salt Knight
Anastaz drinks deeply from a clay cup filled with wine. "Perilake, Heldris, I have not had the chance to remark on your duel: you fought well. Let no one say the Knights of the Black Fur are without honor or prowess."
Heldris the Dove Knight
Heldris sits in a low chair, mending attentively a tear in his tunic. He raises his head at Anastaz's voice and smiles. "Well, really it's been Perilake's show all along, or rather his armour's" he adds jokingly. "But yes, we gave them quite the show, and I can't wait to see both of you on the final match!"
Perilake the Gilded Knight
"Ah my friends, I think we have all done well. 'Tis only ill fortune that put us against each other so soon, or we would all have more victories beneath our belt." He carefully sets the armour down and squints at it, then, satisfied picks up a cup. "To the battles to come! To the glory hardwon! And to the scars earned with honour." he gestures his cup to Anastaz and to Ludmer. The Trail knight winces as he forces a smile on to his face and with the help of the healer's aide, carefully raises a cup of wine.
"I may take my leave of you shortly my friends. Before we reconvene on the field, I want to get the measure of this knight of Szalai - and to see what he makes of his lord." Perilake frowns slightly. "Though we had a higher calling, it bothers me still that the seasons passed before we could turn our attention to this dispute with Karpat. Perhaps we would have only complicated matters further; certainly I am not one for the politicking of the court. But I would make sure the peace of the realm has not been left wanting on our behalf"
Anastaz the Salt Knight
"Indeed, the realm faces troubles even as the lords drink and make merry here. Godspeed, Gilded Knight."
Referee
Perilake, when you approach Sir Johann's pavilion you hear a sharp rhythmic clanking from inside. The squire - a young fresh faced lad with bright eyes and curly blond hair - puts down his brush. “Sir Knight, my lord is expecting you.” He opens the tent flap for you. Inside it smells of leather and wax. Sir Johann's face doesn't betray any emotions as you enter. He looks up but keeps on sharpening his unusual two pronged blade. In his clean plain uniform he could be mistaken for a simple guardsman. “I've seen you fight, Perilake, and I have to say, you will be a tough nut to crack.”, he says with a reedy voice. "But crack you will!" He has a rather prominent jaw and his slight smile somehow reminds you of Heldris, when he was possessed by the Hound Within.
Perilake the Gilded Knight
"Perhaps I will Sir Johann." Perilake studies the odd weapon. "However I came to speak to you ahead of our fight on other matters than whether your strange blade will match my armour."
"Last season, my friends and I passed through your lord's lands. Amidst some revelry, Lord Szalai asked us to intervene in a border dispute with his neighbour, Lady Karpat." Carefully watching Johann's closed face, Perilake continues. "Sadly our paths crossed a beast of myth, and we were called away from the area and both fiefdoms. Tell me - as one under the banner of Szalai - has the king resolved this dispute? Why did it ever begin? The realm does not prosper when neighbours squabble and fight."
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| The War against the Old King |
Johann looks at you thoughtfully: "You speak like a leader of men and I will answer you truthfully: The king will decide in favour of my liege out of loyalty. The region had been under the protection of Karpat for a long time but ... the war happened and there were winners and losers and the truth is also: Might makes right and the winners may choose their spoils."
Perilake the Gilded Knight
Perilake's fine features darken. The thought that a decision was made with greater regard for strength and ambition than for chivalry, honour or history sits ill at ease with the Gilded Knight. It troubles him further still to question the King's judgement, even in this matter. However it is but brief, and a small smile slips on to his face.
"Fairly spoken Sir Johann, and you have my thanks. I look forward to seeing the might of Szalai for myself." Perilake bows, and leaves the tent. As his gaze crosses the field of tourney, he mutters to himself. "Might does make right. And the winner, the winner may get to make the final choice in any manner of thing..."
Referee
Anastaz, when you enter the healer's tent you see Lady Dagmar lying on a cot. It is rather stifling in the tent and you smell herbs and coagulated blood. Dagmar is making a face as she takes a sip from a cup that Tonda had handed her. Tonda shrugs and mutters something to herself. When she sees you she smiles coyly: "Sir Anastaz, we keep on bumping into each other, I hope I won't have to get my hands on you after your next fight.” Then she adds softly so that only you can hear her: "Although I wouldn't mind that at all." She looks briefly into your eyes, then she turns abruptly to change Sir Giesefried's bandages. Dagmar looks at you quizzically: “Salt Knight, you don't strike me as someone who would relish the misery of others.”
Anastaz the Salt Knight
As the healer turns away, Anastaz raises one brow, a bit puzzled by Tonda's advances. "Snare Knight, I have not come seeking pleasure, I come for information." He places a flagon of wine on the table in front of her. "What is your business with the Iron Knight?"
Referee
She looks uncomfortable and pours wine into her cup. “There are a lot of things I regret but dealing with the Iron Knight is not first among them.” Her smooth voice is soft but she sounds bitter. She swirls the wine before taking a deep sip.“I won't talk about my failings and I wish not to talk about her.”
Anastaz the Salt Knight
"I loathe the secrecy with which you and she seem to conceal your dealings. Be honest, would you tell me if the Iron Knight was a danger to you or the realm? If you are in any danger, I can help."
Referee
She looks up at you hauntingly: "Anastaz, my familiy must never hear about this, do you understand me? If Hedwig or Lamberta hear about this I will be disgraced and cast out. On your honour, I trust you to not tell them." And then she admits, that during the uprising against the old king she betrayed the position of Karpat troops to the enemy. It was one of the last battles in the war and the troops were routed. She is tearful while admitting this but she insists it was because she wanted to spare the lifes of so many more that would have died, that she wanted to end the war. She doesn't know how the Iron Knight - Lady Blanka of Altenburg - got wind of her betrayal but ever since she did, Dagmar had to pay her for her silence.
Anastaz the Salt Knight
"I see. You did what you thought would protect the realm. Her actions, profiting off your misery, demanding bribes from another knight, are far more disgraceful than yours. If you would permit me, I will do what I can to free you from this illicit debt."
Referee
She looks relieved by your offer or simply by the fact that she had the opportunity to finally confess the truth to someone: "If you will find a way I will be forever in your debt. If you fail ... the only solution I can see is to challenge her to a duel and trust her to have the dignity to accept." She laughs bitterly. "... but she has no honour!"
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| Betrayal at the Battle of the Red Reed |
Anastaz the Salt Knight
"Of that I am sure. Farewell, Snare Knight... Farewell Tonda." Anastaz exits the healer's tent.
Referee
Heldris, you pass the massive gatehouse of the castle and enter the yard. There are workshops at the walls of the castle and a peculiar derelict building in the centre with a domed roof, its walls overgrown by ivy. The guards at the entrance to the keep stand in attention when you approach them. You see the entrance hall and beyond the great hall from which soft music and the indistinct chatter of a large group of people can be heard.
Heldris the Dove Knight
Heldris strolls pensively through the castle yard, eyeing the smith's work and trying to forget about the tournament for a while. He stops in front of the strange building, brushing the ivy with the tip of his fingers. Feeling some kind of strange call, like in a dream, he looks for the door.
Referee
The wide wooden door at the front doesn't budge but when you go around the octagonal building you find a smaller door in the back that stands slightly ajar. You eyes have to adjust to the dim light within but you can make out an open space on the ground floor and wooden benches arranged on a steep slope all around. It smells like old wood and dust. There are half a dozen barrels on the floor that is covered with lose planks. Beneath the planks you can make out a black and white marble grid. You realize that you are not alone, somebody sits quitely in the twilight on one of the benches.
Heldris the Dove Knight
The Dove knight steps into the hall, looking around curiously. When he notices that someone is sitting on one of the benches, he politely says "My apologies, I didn't mean to intrude and interrupt your prayers... or your musing. Pray tell, what is this fascinating place?"
Referee
"It was my uncle's favourite place." Although the voice is almost a whisper you can understand the words clearly. "No wonder Andrasz hates it and few vist it anymore. But if you sit really still you can hear the proclamations of the great stories and the excitement of the games. For this auditorium is a temple to the most human of all experiences: The purposeless pursuit of playing." The voice seem to come from all around you but it is getting quieter and quieter with every word as if the speaker is in the process of leaving.
Heldris the Dove Knight
The enveloping presence of this quiet voice sends a shiver through the Dove Knight’s back. “Who was your uncle?” He asks, lowering his voice as much as possible. Then, suddenly remembering his manners: “I'm Heldris, knight of the realm. Whom do I have the pleasure of speaking to?”
Referee
The speaker is clearly leaving. From where you stand you can see both the small door and in the deeper shadows the closed entrance to the hall, if they were to leave through these exits you would notice. "The true king." the voice says now very faint.
Heldris the Dove Knight
“The true king…” Heldris muses for awhile, considering the dangerous implications of such words. The knight wanders for some minutes around the auditorium, mesmerized by the run down majesty of the place. "Who might know something more about the matter?" He asks to himself, as he steps around the wooden benches and brushes against the unbothered vines climbing up the columns.
Referee
The marble floor is arranged in a 8x8 grid and could be a chess board. The little light that reaches into the room past ivy and the stained glass of high and narrow windows is partially blocked by moldy curtains. As you withdraw some of them to have a better look at the floor you see an octagonal stone slab with the symbol of a beehive and a sickle edged into it. You notice a faint but very cold draft around the slab.
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| Nothing to see here |
Heldris the Dove Knight
Suddenly, Heldris stops. “The beehive and the sickle…” he gasps, “like the one we’ve seen at Szalai Keep.” He tries to lift the slab, but as his hands are touched by a cold draft coming from around the stone he let go, an eerie feeling creeping at the back of his mind. “Perhaps I should convene with the others” he mutters, feeling uneasy all of a sudden, despite the quiet beauty of the place. He looks around for a moment, the dim light creeping eagerly through the stained narrow windows. “Oh,” he exclaims “to hell with it!” He grabs the stone slab and move it to the side, revealing what's underneath.
Referee
The stone slab moves silently to the side revealing an opening just big enough for you to squeeze through and beyond a low, narrow corridor leading into the darkness.
Heldris the Dove Knight
Heldris nervously lights a candle, and slides into the passage, holding the light in front of him to illuminate the hidden corridor. He then takes some steps forwards trying to ignore this uneasiness that is probably just good sense.
Referee
You walk in a slow crouch peering around the flickering light of the candle. The corridor is straight and dry. After what feels like an eternity you pass a shaft leading upwards, small depressions cut into the stone for hands and feet to rest on. The corridor continues past the shaft.
Heldris the Dove Knight
Heldris pauses for a moment at the shaft, listening, then he presses forward following the dark corridor
Referee
You can hear very faint music from above. Is this from the great hall? You press on and lose the feeling for how much time passes. Slowly the air gets moister, moldier, the smell of stagnant water and moss. The corridor ends. There is a stone slab above you that bears the same symbol as before. And as before it can be moved. Blinding light illuminates the corridor! You hear the bellowing of oxen. When you stick your head out of the opening it is in the shadow of a menhir. You see servants around a stone circle not far from you preparing the feast. A man carrying the massive horn of an ancient beast and a woman in a beaked mask kneel before an altar in the center of the ring.
Heldris the Dove Knight
"The Feast of the Stars..." The Dove Knight whispers under his breath, he lowers himself and replaces the slab back, then hurriedly makes his way back to the other entrance "I have to tell the others," he walks so fast that his candle snuffs out, "such a major flaw in the castle defences..." When he reaches the exit, he lifts himself up and put the slab back to cover the entrance of the secret corridor. In the dim light of the quiet auditorium, Heldris recovers his breath and composure. He sneaks out of the building, making sure he goes unnoticed, and makes his way to the pavilion
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