You are 39 years old and your duchess is Marie Chateaumont second sister of King Eudes of Thentis. This accounts for your bright 21-year-old son being Abbot of Ekthalon’s Simonite Abbey. That your eldest 23 year old dim son Michel is Royal Inspector of Roads has more to do with his wife (Roslyn FitzRalph) being the Kings most recent mistress. Currently you and your wife are voting members of the Regency Council of Thentis. The King has taken an army off on crusade to recover Hamora from the Chaotics and left the Regency Council to run his Kingdom in his absence. The Council operates from the Ekthalon citadel with whatever members are present. The chairman should be his heir Duchess Hilda but she and her husband are at their stronghold of Chaillot in Lonnen ready to repel any strikes from Horg or Danrin. In her absence Otto Neuman the Archbishop of Ekthalon officiates. Other voting Members are the Duke and Duchess of Wardour, the Barons of Matham, Dune, Acquitaine and Tyron, the Mistress of the Royal Household and the Seneschal of Thentis. Lower ranking officials comprise advisory non-voting members and include the Protectress Royal Eudes illegitimate daughter Katherine. Some of the members have gone with the King’s Army. However you and Marie have some business to attend to.
In your duchy are two adjoining manors, Surmener and Cuisant which King Reginald gave to his stepdaughter Princess Maudette. When Maudette was arrested and reportedly burnt for witchcraft the church of Eru took possession of these. Surmener went to the Order of St. Judas and Cuisant to the nuns of St. Chiara. They began to build a combined Preceptory there although progress was slow as both these orders have little money. When Princess Maudette won the Baratrean civil war King Eudes was eager to reduce any possible friction between Thentis and Bara. The Order of St. Judas being one of the main causes of friction, he confiscated the two manors and offered them back to Princess Maudette. She graciously accepted them in principle but has been too busy to physically take possession of them until now. She has been crowned Grand Duchess of Bara and sent an army off to join the Crusade in Hamora. You have also just heard that she has announced her choice of husband as Doze Handor of Oblivia. For her to physically accept the manors she will have to see their boundary’s, pay heriots and swear allegiance to you for them. You expect that she will then sell them off, but that does not matter. So when the news reaches Ekthalon that she is ready to travel out of her Grand Duchy to the manors, you and your wife with suitable escort proceed to Huiling Mansion nearby. However early next morning a Lucrecian nun arrives.
“Your Graces I fear that I bear grievous tidings! My name is Sister Sincerity who was originally Sabina Maltot of Claux. I took the veil at Cruas Abbey eighteen years ago. Twelve years ago my family was wiped out by hun raiders and the Maltot Manor should have come to me. Due to my vow of poverty it came in fact to Cruas Abbey. A Sir Christopher Lambert sent the deeds writing that the manor was completely wasted. Neither of the two Abbesses ruling Cruas since, then took any action about the manor, it being so far away. Then recently a letter came to me from the Marshal of Bara.” And she handed it over.
To Lady Sabina Maltot, thought to be now a nun.
Madam, in the service of Her Royal Highness Grand Duchess Maudette of Bara I had occasion to visit your manor of Maltot at Claux. I am sorry to say that it has been left in a wasted condition. The burnt out mansion remains a haunted ruin. It has good woodlands and there are walnut and quince trees run wild. From his records we have discovered that Sir Christopher Lambert seized the twenty-three of your serfs who survived the hun raid and put them to work on his own properties. He did the same elsewhere and we have arrested him for these and other matters. His trial is yet to come but I doubt not that his sentence will be severe. Her Royal Highness desires that the whole area be brought back to prosperity and suggests that you might wish to sell it to her as she has other property nearby?
Morgana Lefey Marshal of Bara
“I thought this a most kind gesture to me and the Abbey your Graces. However Abbess Frida said that there was no urgency and that she would bear it in mind. Our Prioress Livelihood is a sister of Sir Christopher Lambert and I think she was angry that her brother had been arrested. They both of them regard Morgana and the Grand Duchess as evil witches. Now I well knew my sister-in-law Gorgaine who had magic powers and there was nothing wicked about her. She never used he powers for anything bad and I have not heard of Maudette doing so either!”
“Indeed, but why have you come to us Sister Sincerity?” demanded Duchess Marie.
“Your Graces, soldiers have been coming to Cruas Abbey and they intend to attack the Grand Duchess at Rues! I heard that they have people in that village and the soldiers at the Abbey will go to join them when Maudette comes. Some of the soldiers are Baratreans but some are from Thentis. Your Graces, I think it a great wrong if they slay Grand Duchess Maudette. It will be a great dishonour for Thentis at a time when Bara like Thentis and Perigord has armies away on a crusade!”
You replied, “Thank you Sister, you are very right to have come giving warning. We must think how we can foil this dastardly attempt. We do not know for sure when Maudette will arrive but we will send her a warning letter. One not going through either Cruas or Rues! Then we are too far away here! I think we shall all move to our Hawking estate at Ferneaux.”
This you have done and waited for a response from Maudette. Her Mistress of the Royal Household Dame Melusine wrote back saying that Her Royal Highness hoped to be coming to the two manors on the 10th or 11th of the Tenth Moon. Due to your warning she would be bringing a stout force and be on her guard at Rues. Her doughty Marshal had recently defeated sizeable forces of dissidents at St. Rollo and Claux and she had few fears for her safety whilst she was with her!
You were waiting at Ferneaux for further word when on the night of Workday the Ninth there was a terrible fire in the wooden stables. All your precious horses were burnt to death! The two grooms supposed to be guarding them were found unconscious and tied up. Obviously the work of the enemies of Maudette!
You had a conference and decided that you would take all your force on foot to clean out Rues! Duchess Marie, Princess Katherine and your daughter Lady Angeline declared that they would come too, so you arranged for ox carts to carry them. The conference thought it would be useful if you could arrive at the village shortly before Maudette’s force. Then they could lend a hand if the troublemakers were stronger than you hoped! So you assembled as large a fighting force as you could and marched for Rues, taking care not to over-tire your men. As your Duchess has told your force, the honour of Thentis requires that you rout out the dissidents and save Grand Duchess Maudette!
It is a sunny (SUN) windless day with dusk 1700-1730.
Dice for when you arrive on the table, 1530 + D20 x3 minutes
Duke Robert De Feu, Sir Gibaud Vuillard, Sir Nicholas Ripaille, Sir Victor Plonquet, Squire Elmo Cuspe,
Sergeant Gave, Sergeant Lence, Sergeant Roy, Duchess Marie Chateaumont, Princess Katherine, Lady Angeline De Feu, Sister Sincerity, Lady Caroline, Mistress Fredegund, Mistress Leonie, Page Evin.
Drummer, Trumpeter, 10 Light Pikemen, 6 light billmen, 10 Guard spearmen, 2 longbowmen, 8 crossbowmen = 54 & 2 ox drawn wagons
Duke Robert Lea, Mo 5", Fa 5/10, TR +3, SR +2, D-7, C-6, W -5, A -2, Ob 0.7, Me +2 –1 = +1 axe st +2
Shield parry 7+ St 4 Speaks Simnith, Edin, Reads Tengthin
Sir Gibaud Off, Mo 5", Fa 5/10, TR +3, SR +2, D-7, C-6, W -5, A -2, Ob 0.7, Me +2 –0 = +2
Shield parry 7+ St 4 Speaks Simnith, Edin, Reads Tengthin
Shield parry 7+ St 4 Speaks Simnith, Edin, Reads Tengthin
Sir Victor Off, Mo 5", Fa 5/10, TR +3, SR +2, D-7, C-6, W -5, A -2, Ob 0.7, Me +2 –0 = +2
Shield parry 7+ St 4 Speaks Simnith, Edin, Reads Tengthin
Squire Elmo Off, Mo 5", Fa 5/10, TR +3, SR +2, D-7, C-6, W -5, A -2, Ob 0.7, Me +1 –0 = +1 st 0
Speaks Simnith, Edin, Reads Tengthin
Sergeant Gave Ind, Mo 6", Fa 6/12, TR +1, SR + 0, D-5, C-4, W -3, A +1, Ob 1.3, Me +2 -2 = -2
+2 1st rd bill st+3, Speaks Edin
Sergeant Lence Ind, Mo 6", Fa 6/12, TR +1, SR + 0, D-5, C-4, W -3, A +1, Ob 1.3, Me +2 -0 = +2 st 0
Shield parry 7+ St 4 Speaks Simnith, Edin
Sergeant Roy Ind, Mo 6", Fa 6/12, TR +1, SR + 0, D-5, C-4, W -3, A +1, Ob 1.3, Me +2 -2 = -2
+2 1st rd halberd st+3, Speaks Edin
Speaks Simnith, Edin Reads Tengthin
Princess Katherine Off Mo 5", Fa 4/8, TR +2, SR +2 D-4, C-3, W -2, A 0, Ob 0.8, Me –1–0 =-1sword st 0
Speaks Simnith, Edin Reads Tengthin
Lady Angeline Off Mo 5", Fa 4/8, TR 0, SR +2 D-4, C-3, W -2, A 0, Ob 0.8, Me –3 –1 = -4 dagger st 0
Speaks Simnith, Edin Reads Tengthin
Sister Sincerity Ind Mo 5", Fa 5/10, TR -1, SR 1, D-4, C-3, W -2, A -1, Ob 0.8, Me -3 -2 = -5 st –3
Speaks Simnith Edim, Reads Tengthin, First Aid Kit tinderbox
Lady Catherine Off, Mo 5", Fa 4/8, TR 0, SR +2 D-4, C-3, W -2, A 0, Ob 0.8, Me –3 –1 = -4 dagger st 0
Mistress Fredegund Off Mo 5", Fa 4/8, TR 0, SR +2 D-4, C-3, W -2, A 0, Ob 0.8, Me –3 –1 = -4 knife -1
Speaks Simnith Edim, Reads Tengthin, First Aid Kit tinderbox
Mistress Leonie Off Mo 5", Fa 4/8, TR 0, SR +2 D-4, C-3, W -2, A 0, Ob 0.8, Me –3 – 1 = -4 dagger -0
Speaks Simnith Edim, Reads Tengthin, First Aid Kit tinderbox
Page Evin Ind Mo 6", Fa 5/10, TR -1, SR +0 D-4, C-3, W -2, A +2, Ob 1.3, Me –2 –1 = -3 dagger st 0
Speaks Simnith Edim, Reads Tengthin, tinderbox
Drummer Fol Mo 6", Fa 5/10, TR -1, SR +0 D-4, C-3, W -2, A +1, Ob 1.1, Me -2 -1 = -3 daggers st 0.
Battle music 24" (2 drummers 30", 3 36", 4 42") Signal 20" Speaks Edin
Trumpeter Fol Mo 6", Fa 6/12, TR 0, SR + 0, D-4, C-3, W -2, A +1, Ob 1.2, Me -1-1 = -2 dagger st 0
Trumpet signal 48” rally music 60” Speaks Simnith, Edin
Guard Spear Fol Mo 6", Fa 6/12, TR +1, SR + 0, D-5, C-4, W -3, A 0, Ob 1.3, Me +1 –1 = 0 +2 1st round
spear st 0, ShP 7+ St 4
Lt Pikeman Fol Mo 6", Fa 6/12, TR +1, SR + 0, D-4, C-3, W -2, A +2, Ob 1.3, Me +0 -2 = -2 1st rd +3
pike strike +1
Light Billman Fol Mo 6", Fa 7/14, TR +0, SR + 0, D-4, C-3, W -2, A +2, Ob 1.5, Me +0 -2 = -2 1st rd +2
Bill st +3
Medium Longbowman Fol Mo 6", Fa 6/12, TR 1, SR + 0, D-5, C-4, W -3, A +1, Ob 1.2, Me +0 -0 = 0 st 0
longbow 6"5+, 12" 6+, 18" 7+, 24" 8+, St -3, 10 arrows. 1 Fatigue point per shot
Med Crossbowman Fol Mo 6", Fa 6/12, TR 0, SR + 0, D-5, C-4, W -3, A +1, Ob 1.3, Me +0 –0 = 0 st 0
Latch Crossbow 5" 5+, 10" 6+, 15" 7+, 20" 8+, St -4 +1 to hit if rested. 12 quarrels Fires alternate moves Speaks Edin
The Action in pictures and words