I wouldn't be too concerned over your actions while dominated by the beast. Maybe a trip to the church to ask for absolution would help assuage your soul? Paddy says to the men.
The men-at-arms and driver nod in agreement to Paddy's suggestion that an atonement at the nearest church might be in order.
I recommend we wear the noble's outfits to our meeting with Duke Humphrey.
None of the items is magical.
I recommend we wear the noble's outfits to our meeting with Duke Humphrey.
[dice=Inspired Knowledge Nobility]1d20 +25 +1d6
It is customary to dress as nicely as possible when meeting with nobility.
well, since you lot are now unemployed, how about a fresh start? Would you like to work on some nice land? We happen to own some farm land down a ways and could use some men like you to help work it. There is also an inn we own that is right beside it that needs some help also. I don't think the rest would object to letting you on. Now, why don't you take some of this coin and get some supplies and such and take it there. Just let them now Paddy and the gang sent you. You will have to build your own homes, but I don't think you'll mind.
Nacht retrieved the items, they seemed to hold value with the beings above. The stone was particularly resonant with him but otherwise unimportant. When the smart-being spoke Nacht made a confused tilt of his head while pulling up one of the clothes that these beings seemed to wear by a hand. Was overlapping this fabric upon himself important?
well, since you lot are now unemployed, how about a fresh start? Would you like to work on some nice land? We happen to own some farm land down a ways and could use some men like you to help work it. There is also an inn we own that is right beside it that needs some help also. I don't think the rest would object to letting you on. Now, why don't you take some of this coin and get some supplies and such and take it there. Just let them now Paddy and the gang sent you. You will have to build your own homes, but I don't think you'll mind.
The driver falls on his knees before Paddy, weeping openly, and clutches the young Irishman's gloved hand in both of his calloused hands....
God bless ye, sire!.... God bless ye!.... Ye have given hope where there was none.... I shall pledge my lot to thee, good sire!..... Tell me the name o' me new master, pray thee!
God bless ye, sire!.... God bless ye!.... Ye have given hope where there was none.... I shall pledge my lot to thee, good sire!..... Tell me the name o' me new master, pray thee!
.
Just go ye then to a mountaintop and give shout for all to hear, and cry out: ...Pazuzu! ...Pazuzu! ...Pazuzu!
For their part, the men-at-arms salute The Lusty Fools and agree to see to the enrichment of their Inn and crops for a season or two....
I've nay seen or heard o' your like since King Henry V fought off a pack o' French knights intent on murdering the Duke in the Battle o' Agincourt!.... We'll join your servants in tending your inn and your fields for a season.... Maybe two.... Then, we'll count our debt paid....
Not really. I was just smurfing with ya.
(But I do think it.)
To the driver:
Just go ye then to a mountaintop and give shout for all to hear and cry out: ...Pazuzu! ...Pazuzu! ...Pazuzu!
Not really.
(But I do think it.)
My name is Paddy. The rest of this odd lot is Alphone and Iommi. The two chatterboxes. He points at Nacht and Hisao are Nacht and Henry.
Nacht had a swirl of images appear in his mind culminating into.. sounds? The Sounds the being were saying he notice.. that they started to make some sort of.. sense.
When the Paddy-Being noted his Name he spoke slowly, with a nod. The words were rasp and grating. " I... am.. Nacht... Being. "
"You speak now?"
Nacht simply stared at the Holy-being with piercing yellow eyes.
The driver and men-at-arms bid The Lusty Fools good luck and Godspeed in their meeting with Duke Humphrey, and begin the journey to The Stag Inn to the south....
The workmen return to the task of constructing the fortified wall....
The Lusty Fools ride eastward along the south bank of the River Thames, coming after a short ride to a stately manor--Greenwich Manor--and nearby, a great lawn covered with stakes and ropes marking off the dimensions of a great palace. Workmen mill about on this latter site like worker ants building a giant anthill.... Among them, a few foremen, architects, masons, and carpenters ride about on ponies or horses, gesturing and shouting orders. The Duke is not obvious among these men, if he is there....
Riding first to the manor, The Lusty Fools are met by a gatehouse guard at the front gate in the 15-foot-high wall enclosing the manor....
Halt! Who are ye, and what brings ye to Greenwich Manor?
This guard is armored in half-plate and armed with a halberd in hand, longsword in scabbard, and light crossbow slung across his back....
"I am Squire Alphonse, of the erm 'Lusty Fools'. We have business with the Duke, if he is available?"
Nay, Squire Alphonse of the Erm Lusty Fools.... He is elsewhere at the nonce, but if ye wish to leave him a message, or await his return, ye may do so....
"Thank you for the help, but I believe we'll keep looking."
Searching among the workers at the nearby palace site, The Lusty Fools are again told that the Duke is elsewhere, so they seek out the stone arched bridge that spans the Thames, cross it to the north side of the river, to the Isle of Dogs, the mercantile district of Greenwich village....
At around 10:30 AM, The Lusty Fools locate The Wolfhound's Den, a well-kept clapboard tavern with a stone chimney giving off a plume of smoke. Three fine horses draped with fine saddle blankets are hitched to posts in the yard.... Perhaps one of these steeds belongs to Duke Humphrey....
Entering The Wolfhound's Den, the company finds itself in a spacious common room, with a long oaken bar against the north wall, behind which a tall, lean, scarecrow of a man in a grimy apron pours mugs and flagons of ale or beer for some dozen thirsty patrons, seated at stools along the bar or at round oaken tables. A pair of comely serving wenches bustle about, serving the drinks poured by the tall, skinny barkeep.
Seated at one of the tables is a man in his middle years, clad in finery and sipping wine from a golden goblet, accompanied by two well-armed men-at-arms in half-plate armor, guzzling ale from silver mugs.... This might be Duke Humphrey and his bodyguards....
The other beings seemed stagnant or confused so Nacht decided to move towards this other being to observe closer.
The other beings seemed stagnant or confused so Nacht decided to move towards this other being to observe closer.
The three men at the table Nacht approaches turn their attention to the cowled and cloaked figure, wary looks on their faces....
The finely-attired man clears his throat and takes another sip of wine, while the two armored men-at-arms turn in their seats to face The Beetle Man, setting down their silver mugs of ale....
Nacht slowly raised a gloved finger at being in the middle his voice more than unpleasant to hear, " You... Hump-frey being? "
Nacht slowly raised a gloved finger at being in the middle his voice more than unpleasant to hear, " You... Hump-frey being? "
The finely dressed older man regards Nacht with blue eyes that seem to blaze with a keen intellect, perhaps even genius.... With a wave of the hand not holding the golden goblet of wine, the noble gentleman signals his two bodyguards to relax....
I am Humphrey Lancaster: Duke of Gloucester, Earl of Pembroke, and Lord Protector of England.... And you are??....
Iommi-Tyr Magnusson, a moment late in coming in from outside after taking the time to brew and imbibe his Cognatogen, sees as the rest of the party stumbles in stuttering and confused, recognizes Duke Humphrey as he enters and calls out a greeting:
( )
Your Lordship of Gloucester, well met on this lovely day. Allow me the honor and privilege of buying a round of whatever refreshes your palate and toast: To King Henry, To Saint George, To Duke Humphrey, and To England!
Iommi-Tyr Magnusson then approaches the Duke's party and bows.
Lord Gloucester, I am Magnus Sverreson of Lillehamer, travelling scholar for a group of Loyal adventurers, well known -- even in Europe -- as "The Lusty Fools." I beg you, if you can make time to grace us with an audience, for we have learned something you may want to know as we fought a pack of Werewolves in the south and the ravaging Wererats in London. We wish to tell you of some dire rumor we heard. Will you hear us?
The two armored men seem to relax a bit, but the gauntleted hands not holding silver mugs of ale do not stray far from the hilts of their scabbarded longswords.... They still regard Nacht and the other Lusty Fools with suspicious eyes....
Iommi-Tyr Magnusson, a moment late in coming in from outside after taking the time to brew and imbibe his Cognatogen, sees as the rest of the party stumbles in stuttering and confused, recognizes Duke Humphrey as he enters and calls out a greeting:
Your Lordship of Gloucester, well met on this lovely day. Allow me the honor and privilege of buying a round of whatever refreshes your palate and toast: To King Henry, To Saint George, To Duke Humphrey, and To England!
Iommi-Tyr Magnusson then approaches the Duke's party and bows.
Milord, I am Magnus Sverreson of Lillehamer, travelling scholar for a group of Loyal adventurers, well known -- even in Europe -- as "The Lusty Fools." I beg you, if you can make time to grace us with an audience, for we have learned something you may want to know as we fought a pack of Werewolves in the south and the ravaging Wererats in London. We wish to tell you of some dire rumor we heard. Will you hear us?
The Duke nods in approval of this young Norseman's courtesy....
Welcome to Greenwich Village, Lusty Fools! And good show against the werewolves in the south and wererats of London.... They have been a right pestilence on our Blessed Isle for too long now.... I commend you all on your bravery, and will gladly grant the audience you request! Would this matter be more freely spoken of in the privacy of Greenwich Manor?
My Lord Gloucester, I leave it to your wisdom to decide such. For my part I feel that the rumor is sensitive and say that we The Lusty Fools have kept the secret as best we could before finding you. If you deem it wise I will write the message on a parchment in a language of your choosing and you may wish it spoken here out in the open or in private...
While Iommi pleads his case with Lord Humphrey, Paddy keeps a lookout and watches out the door, looking around the bar every niw and then
Does Lord Gloucester have any expression of vague recognition when seeing Iommi-Tyr Magnusson? Does it seem to me that I look vaguely familiar to him -- it has afterall, been 26 years since he saw me last when he was 13 years old, but I haven't aged a day and he was always quite the prodigy of intelligence?
Does Lord Gloucester have any expression of vague recognition when seeing Iommi-Tyr Magnusson? Does it seem to me that I look vaguely familiar to him -- it has afterall, been 26 years since he saw me last when he was 13 years old, but I haven't aged a day and he was always quite the prodigy of intelligence?
** spoiler omitted **
There does seem to be a sense of familiarity in the Duke's expression as he regards Iommi-Tyr.... As if he felt that Tyr looked very familiar, and yet the Duke was having trouble believing that he could be the same young man from 26 years ago....
We shall finish slaking our thirsts, and then repair to the manor to hear what you have learned, Lusty Fools!
Duke Humphrey calls for the serving wenches to push a nearby table close to his own so the adventurers can join him for drinks....
Once all are seated and a round of drinks has been brought, Duke Humphrey engages Iommi-Tyr, Squire Alphonse, and the other Lusty Fools in casual conversation, asking them about their travels and their encounters with the lycanthropes....