Session 6

 After dawn in the northern mountains: From a ruined tower the acolytes of the entombed Seer observe four knights leading their horses down a trail.

What follows are notes from Ser Perilake's diary ...  

Riverday, 2nd Week of Bales

We leave the shelter of the valley, the poacherwoman pardoned by Ludmer (an act that will displease the king) swearing to keep an eye on the area and confirm if the Bat is indeed committing crimes or if it is but superstitious talk. We are heading for the Chalice of the City, and aim to travel down the Ryba River near Szalai Keep.

Perilake’s return pleases Ludmer, and the party is in largely good mood, even raising Heldris’ brooding mood. Zoltan is in awe of our quest for a mythical artefact. We travel from the Entombed Seer east [Hex D3 to E3], where we can see far across the foothills and see the Ryba River in the distance. We can make it by nightfall if we push on. River barges are moored near Szalai Keep. We spur our horses onwards.

The Glade

A huge camp with guards protecting the merchants is visible as we move towards them. We first come through a glade, surrounded by dense wood. Within is a stone circle with three plinths; Anastasz tries to move them to no avail. Perilake places his mace upon the Black, food upon the grey, and wine upon the white. The branches of the forest part but force us to take a detour, and we must gallop onwards. Poor Zoltan’s pony is running on fumes.

The guards greet us as night falls. Mistress Timea agrees to meet us. The boats are laden, the camp is well organised. Mistress Timea, warden of the merchant’s guild, expects us to be sent from the King to protect her convoy. She is disappointed that we are not. But we are here, and argue that our paths lead south together, as does our protection. She hails from Castle Mohacs. There are bandits in a forest to the east [Hex G7] that have been a source of problems for her; the King slacks in his duties she thinks. We eat unimpressive porridge and agree to investigate as we travel.

We disembark for the South, towards Bohat. We will stop in Kozamost, try and recruit some men and take on the bandits by using Timea’s barge as bait. The men of Kozamost and the guards forming a cordon for the Brotherhood to deal with the threat. As we sail, Ludmer and Perilake talk about the former’s home, the King’s River. But the Castle is now fallen. Ludmer dreams of ending his travels and building a new one.

Kozamost is a small fishing and farming village. We are greeted by the headwoman Mira, who provides all the poor hospitality that we can. She promises us 10 of her best men and women, though something about her betrays that she sympathises with the vagabonds of the forests despite pledging her help. Ludmer challenges the Mayor over the King’s attitudes to the realm, revealing his revolutionary tendencies. Anastasz talks to the villagers and discovers the bandits don’t prey upon the locals, just the barges. They are to the east [Hex I7].

Kozamost 

KINSDAY, 2nd week of Bales

The scouts go ahead and note that there are 2 dozen including horses and carts. We will lead the fight. The villagers will support us from the rear. It will be a fierce fight.

We ride closer. These are trained mercenaries in a hodge podge of uniforms. Some look as though they may be hired. This is no wild group of vagabonds. They are well equipped - they have spears and shields. Our position is nearly found, so we charge before they can get a spear wall up.

It goes very badly. Heldris is badly injured in his shield arm, disabling it - possibly forever. The rest of us struggle against the forces and things look bad until we are able to make an opening, and Heldris slays the leader. The leader carries a symbol of a honeycomb and crescent moon, the symbol of House Masur. As he dies and his men break from the field, he gasps “Glory for the House Masur”. House Masur is an ally of House Karpat. They are also the house of the old king.

As the mercenaries scatter with the loss of their leader, Zoltan lead the villagers in a charge to break any attempt at order. Several of them go down and they leave their carriage behind as the survivors scatter into the woods. Heldris collapses atop the body of his foe, clutching his injured arm, and the rest bar Perilake are also in a bad way. But the Brotherhood wins the day.