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.