Session 26

Morning of the first Stillsday of Sprouts, Kranach Castle

In the courtyard Sir Heldris says farewell to the Pigeon Knight who needed no encouragement to lead his warband into battle. They agree to meet in the hills north of the Citadel to unite the troops from Kranach and Masur. He walks all morning under a grey sky, fatigued and broken, until he reaches the banks of the Ryba, swollen from thaw and rain and he keeps on walking until the river reaches to his thighs and pulls on him. “O river,” he cries in desperation “give your champion the strength to move on!” and the River answers angrily “A sinful person must be brought to me and sacrificed!” and when the Dove Knight agrees, he sees visions of those who wronged him, bloodied and taken by the waves. He comes by in a nest of woven reeds where the River had placed him, he is refreshed and the sun is setting in the west … but something is wrong: He hears the screams of frightened frogs and they flee into the water and hares and foxes follow. The sun turns black, surrounded by a golden corona and the Dove Knight leaves his nest and runs into a night that never comes.

The sun turns black

Afternoon of the first Stillsday of Sprouts, south of Masur Keep

Perilake and Anastaz cross the fort and the lake district beyond until they reach a rocky landscape where steam erupts and geysers shower them with hot water and when they make camp they too see the sun turn black and the soldiers scream and prey to the Seers. When they finally find sleep they dream: Perilake sees the Veiled Seer stumbling from their cave and they only say one word: Blind! And Anastaz dreams of the echoing caves where ancient acolytes flee in terror, their leathery faces distorted. The Cured Seer sits in a pool of brine his eyes white and unseeing.

Morning of the 2^nd Stoneday of Sprouts

They wake up, disturbed by these uneasy dreams and leave the warband behind while a storm is brewing and they gallop under darkening clouds. They follow a forest path and at noon they come upon a monolith covered in spiderwebs and a warm wind brings the smell of spices and an onslaught of dust and they cannot travel further for the rest of the day.

The East

In the hills near Bohat

At dawn the cursed sun is replaced by a new dawn and in the hills The Dove Knight sees a group of nuns removing pins from the clothes line while the fabric billows in the wind. Sir Heldris stumbles between them and falls to his knees: “I have been cursed, sisters, ever since I've been a young Knight” and the sister help him up and surround him with love and mercy. In the chapel nuns sing hymns to the Child to expel the nightmares of the night before and he is brought before mother Inga who sits in her cell in the twilight of a candle, an old woman with cold compresses around her head that smell of vinegar. When Sir Heldris tells her that her son returned she thanks the Mother on her knees and doesn't listen when he petitions her to send the Seeker Knights to the Company's aid and later he turns into a hawk again and flies north.

Morning of the 2^nd Woodsday of Sprouts, near Karpat Fortress

The two Knights gallop east and cross the ornate bridge over a gorge and arrive at the fortress in the mountains where they are lead to the chambers which seem to remember them and display icons of their Seers on the walls: Cloaked in golden robes the one who knighted Anastaz and a heap of flesh and bone and metal who dubbed the Gilded Knight.

They are summoned to the lord of the fortress, a frail man bowed under an iron crown. They are greeted coolly. Karpat will not send troops to aid them: “We feed our Vassals first and then our soldiers” and they are reminded of the Queen who said the reverse. The Salt Knight makes a plea and is rejected. Only siege ladders can be spared and they take what they can.

Later that day they stand on the balcony of a tower in the shadow of the mountains and a hawk approaches on tired wings and turns into the Dove Knight who leans against the balustrade and tells them of his trials and tribulations. But a warband from Kranach will meet them he adds unable to muster a smile, and we will march together to take back the Citadel!

Session 25

 Afternoon of the first Rainsday of Sprouts

A hawk flies south high above the clouds and guided by the sun and when he lands for the night he turns into the Dove Knight again and makes camp in a forest. Before him is a huge blackened tree and between its roots are stairs covered in brambles and leading down into the earth but Sir Heldris, weakened by the transformation, decides to sleep and return to this place when he has recovered his strength.

Morning of the first Stillsday of Sprouts

He dons the falconers glove and takes flight and crosses the lake and finds the island shrouded in mist. He approaches the domed gazebo and invocates the Seer and a tangled mass of appendices some with mask-like faces appear, twisting in and out of existence. “Oh Seer” the Knight cries and offers the lock of Annegrit's hair, “My daughter desires to be a Knight.” and many voices answer. ”She will be knighted” says one and “She will die” another and a chorus declares that the Conclave of Seers will decide her fate at Eldermass and before the strange apparition disappears the chorus sings “Bring peace to the Realm” and the Dove Knight takes flight to beg Ladu Zdenka for a warband.

At Kranach Castle he turns into a man and is brought to the Lady who sleeps on her throne with Zoltan guarding over her. The Dove Knight explains the wish of the Company to rule over the Realm and that the marriage with Queen Anastasia is arranged. “Will you help us take back the Citadel?” Heldris asks. The Council is summoned and argues for and against. The Lady is unimpressed and holds Zoltan's hand. “Only my dear Zoltan can be the rightful ruler" but the Dove Knight insists: “We will rule but for a while. Zoltan will be declared King Anastaz' successor" and after some thought the Lady accedes to the proposal. A warband of mercenaries and a battling ram is given to the company and the support for the future King.

The Sanctum of the Tangled Seer

Morning of the first Stillsday of Sprouts, Masur Keep

Anastaz and Perilake lead the Hussars of Masur east through a dense forest until they reach a wide river where no river should be and birthed from the lake to the north. They hear chanting and see three sister of the Ryba with their faces painted red and a blue line smeared across. They demand “You will not cross the river until you bring a sacrifice: An innocent animal or a sinful person.” The nuns eye the horned steeds but the Knights decide to offer the mules that carry the warband's provisions instead. “How will I feed my men?” the short Captain exclaims. But the Knights just shrug. “You will find a way.” and the mules are brought to the river and slaughtered and their blood calms the river and the Knights and their warband cross over the ford that hasn't been there before.

The River is calmed ... for now