PALADIN 786: The Wolf and The Robber Knight

Pendragon: Tales of Chivalry and Sorcery is the place to go if you want to play Pendragon. Cpt._Funkotron will be your GM, with assistance from CarrieVS.

Re: PALADIN 786: The Wolf and The Robber Knight

Postby Scarik » Thu Jan 10, 2019 1:36 am

Leufroy resists all attempts to wake him and both Shadi and Rashad are still tired so they get -5 on most skill rolls. The darkness gives Dagobert -5 to his hunting skill and the dense woods is another -10. He does still get +5 for home county though (I assume you have some hunting dogs with you).
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Re: PALADIN 786: The Wolf and The Robber Knight

Postby Chaomancer » Sun Jan 13, 2019 1:59 pm

Bleary-eyed and fuzzy-headed, Shadi still manages to hold back a curse as she's dragged from her slumber.

"What's happened?" she asks, keeping her voice low and reaching for her sword as she rises in the darkness. "Where is the threat?"

Surely Ermaline would not have woken her unless there was danger, after all.
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Re: PALADIN 786: The Wolf and The Robber Knight

Postby Jellicle » Wed Jan 16, 2019 6:01 am

Dagobert calls for his squire to fetch the dogs. He lets them catch the scent of the ... whatever it was, and then the hunt is begun.
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Re: PALADIN 786: The Wolf and The Robber Knight

Postby roobeastie » Wed Jan 16, 2019 7:51 am

The maid seems slightly frustrated when Sir Leufroy is unable to be awoken, sighing with relief when Sir Shadi appears coherent. "Ah, Sir Dagobert ordered my lady to wake everyone. There was some sort of altercation."
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Re: PALADIN 786: The Wolf and The Robber Knight

Postby Scarik » Wed Jan 23, 2019 1:59 am

If there are not other responses forthcoming I will move along tomorrow.
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Re: PALADIN 786: The Wolf and The Robber Knight

Postby Scarik » Fri Jan 25, 2019 3:30 am

Esneux Church

Father Aigulf leads the parish of Esneux. He is the third son of the Lay-Abbot of Rheims and so his noble bloodline insulates him from the full ire of Sir Eingar. This being an age of steel, a cleric's birthrank matters much more than his ordination in matters of state and similar, secular concerns.

"Welcome, travelers," Aigulf says at the door to the church, "How can this humble priest serve His Grace, the Duke?"


The Hunt

The darkness will prevent giving chase while mounted so the knights will need to proceed on foot.

Dagobert sets the hounds on the trail and at first they seem confused and double back to indicate the tent from which they began. It takes him nearly an hour of carefully leading them further and further out before they find a trail that leads deeper into the wood.

The trail they find is simple to follow though as it is a game path and whatever they are chasing has stormed heedlessly along it,snapping branches and breaking through the undergrowth in a wild manner.
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Re: PALADIN 786: The Wolf and The Robber Knight

Postby Ladki96 » Fri Jan 25, 2019 2:15 pm

"By praying for his survival and success in the battle. Oh, and aiding his knights in their current mission, that too.

"We have been sent to hunt down a magical wolf that has been seen in this area, Father." They should just have that sentence written on their foreheads at this rate. It would save time -_- "Please bless us in our victory over this beast and answer our questions if you can:

1. Why do the people in this village look so miserable?
2. What is the deal with Sir Eingar Sr and Eingar Jr?
3. Is either one uh... consorting with the devil?
4. Quick prayer for our cousins too pretty please?"
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Re: PALADIN 786: The Wolf and The Robber Knight

Postby Scarik » Fri Feb 01, 2019 4:08 am

"Ah yes, the dire wolf," Father Aigulf nods, "It is a legend of this area but never before has it been so voracious. The attacks are weekly, sometimes nightly."

He waves them over to join him inside the church.

"I am happy to lead a prayer for your victory, though tell me, how was your audience with Lord Eingar? I trust he is well?"

The priest avoids giving away his own opinions before they pray for the Duke but afterward, in light of Renier's line of questioning, he becomes more candid.

1. "This is a village of hardscrabble folk who live the best they can from the river and the wood. But they are constrained by the King's Law and have few liberties with the forest. Sir Eingar collects fees on everything that can be gathered in the name of the king, and they are more than many can bear."

2. "Eingar the Elder fought for King Charles Martel and gain distinction which is how he gained this fief. His family is large but until him was never wealthy nor notable. Now, with the riches of Esneux and the Liberties taken from the royal forest, his clan is well appointed yet still smarting from the disdain of the high lords."

3. "Lord Eingar married decades past but I, nor none I know, can say to whom nor what she looked like. She is a mystery though I know she is no longer among the living. Young Ulfgar is the only offspring of that union, and he is a difficult man," Aigulf says diplomatically.

4. The priest is glad to lead another prayer for Renier's cousins though by this time it is well into night and near time for midnight Mass.
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Re: PALADIN 786: The Wolf and The Robber Knight

Postby Chaomancer » Sat Feb 02, 2019 6:12 pm

Shadi follows Sir Dagobert and his hounds, still blinking sleep from her eyes and cursing the lethargy that's overtaken her tonight. It doesn't help that she's up before it's time for the call to prayer!

"What is it we hunt?" she asks as she catches her breath.
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Re: PALADIN 786: The Wolf and The Robber Knight

Postby Ladki96 » Wed Feb 06, 2019 2:20 pm

Boo hoo, the troubles of the nouveau riche. Let him play the tiniest lute in Ardennes for them.

"Poor villagers. Well, you have given us much to think over," Renier thanks Father Aigulf.

"What do you make of this, cousins?" he asks as they head back. "Something definitely feels off about the Eingars, and it isn't just because of the pilgrim's warning."

--------Dinner--------

"Are you the wolf-knight? Tell us the truth!" Renier slams the table, sending dishes flying.

At least, in his mind that is what he does. Would really be much simpler than whatever he's supposed to do at the table of their supposed enemy. This is all so freaking awkward! But they need proof! And for that he needs to wait till everyone is asleep and see if the wolf makes his move! Gah!

In boring reality-land, Renier clears his throat. "We didn't mean to imply you have no experience dealing with wolves before, sir. I'm sure you know exactly the level of their threat in Esneux. As soon as we have satisfied ourselves, we shall take your leave. I'm sorry to hear of your lady's death as well, sir. I don't think I had ever seen her at court before?"
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Re: PALADIN 786: The Wolf and The Robber Knight

Postby panda1594 » Thu Feb 07, 2019 3:34 am

Pulling out her sword again, while responding to Shadi, "Not sure yet. Though whatever it is, it took the Lady."
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Re: PALADIN 786: The Wolf and The Robber Knight

Postby CarrieVS » Sun Feb 10, 2019 11:15 pm

"If I was going to guess," Rashad adds, "I'd suggest a monstrous wolf." He saves the remainder of his breath for the chase.
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Re: PALADIN 786: The Wolf and The Robber Knight

Postby panda1594 » Tue Feb 12, 2019 3:17 am

Noticing that they haven't gotten far, also that Lefroy isn't with them, Adele decides to go figure out where her cousin is.
"Cousins, go on without me. We seem to be missing one"
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Re: PALADIN 786: The Wolf and The Robber Knight

Postby Scarik » Tue Feb 12, 2019 3:30 am

Hunting in the Dark

Within the hour the hounds begin to bray that their quarry is close and the path of broken foliage along the game trail suddenly opens up into a glade with a softly babbling brook.

The cause of the broken branches is clear. Beside the water lies a dying charger, its lifeblood a red pool gently flowing away downstream.

The dogs spread out, barking and growling, eager for the order to attack.

Then comes a splash and a curse, 'God's Hooks!' from past the stricken horse and a man stands up, shaking and soaked.

In the open glade he is half in shadow and his dark tabard is wet and hard to see clearly, but his shield is black as soot with a green gem set in silver on its boss glowing with its own, inner light.


Alone in the glade

Lady Ermeline doesn't wait much more than a minute after the knights give chase before she follws them in the blackness to see where events will lead. Her much-put-upon maid tries to get her to stay, saying that Lady Gisele's maid should not be left to watch over the priest alone when she needs a nurse of her own, but Ermeline is incorrigible and so her maid follows.

What happens next is anyone's guess until Leufroy finds himself away in a cave alongside Gisele's frightened maid. His only clue as to how they arrived being a dim recollection of being roughly carried through the forest and then dropped to the ground.

There is some light from the moon though it only comes about a yard into the cave itself. After that there is only the dying embers of a cooking fire with a cauldron set atop it. The pot is quite large, more than needed even for the band of knights he had been with, and it smells strongly of onions and basil.

At least he still has his staff, though he can't imagine how he managed to hold onto it.


Dinner with the Eingars

Eingar the Elder hardly talks at dinner other than to grunt dismissively at questions and leave Ulfgar to provide answers.

The older half of the knights that join them share their lord's demeanor though they do a fair bit of glaring at those who talk too much. The younger half, those closer in age to Eingar the Younger, as well as Ulfgar himself are more courteous.

"My father has lived too long in these dark woods away from court," Ulfgar says. "And he prefers it that way as it allows him to avoid guests. As for my mother, she passed on near ten years ago so I doubt you'd have met her as pages in the Duke's court."

The younger lord continues, "So feel free to remain until your duty is complete..."

His father cuts in at that point, "Three days," he grunts, "That's what hospitality buys you and not a moment more. After that you sleep in the woods if you mean to continue haunting my lands."


Something, something Kobolds

Rosamund steels her nerves and reigns in the urge to charge up the hill as Hecate would like to sink her teeth once more into the foul little fey that she smells ahead, and its a good thing as well because the path is strewn with small obstructions that could easily cause a fall.

And as the track becomes steeper and steeper such a fall would be dire indeed.

So as she picks her way up and keeps her boon companion at her side she has just barely enough time to see the small silhouettes of kobolds against the dim canopy rise up from hiding to hurl stones and logs down the hill.
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Re: PALADIN 786: The Wolf and The Robber Knight

Postby CarrieVS » Tue Feb 12, 2019 12:34 pm

Rashad draws his sword from its scabbard and levels it at the man, on the face of it appearing to be a victim of whatever beast they hunt, but bearing the unmistakable shield of the robber knight they were seeking before this diversion, as he stands up.

"Don't look at the shield," he says to his companions, remembering what Sir Blais told him back at court. He tries to avert his gaze from the green gem, and keep his eyes upon the man's face.

Here may be the end of their quest, though it only seems to lead to more mysteries. And yet the lady - she cannot be abandoned to her fate even if it means letting this villain escape. And yet the dogs - can they be on the wrong scent? It was hard to set them on it after all. Or can the quarry they have brought to bay be crouched in the darkness beyond the stream? Or are the wretched animals in the right? Did they not suspect the robber knight and the dire wolf of being one and the same, as soon as they heard the two tales? But then what has become of the lady?

"What slew your horse?" Rashad demands, without lowering his blade. "And where is the lady? The Lady Giselle, whom we seek to aid," he adds, as one of the many possibilities is that the robber knight may be that lady's unnamed beloved. But even if he is, and if there is a beast yet to chase, would they dare make common cause with such a man?
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