Barnabus, Vicar of Claux Church of Eru

You are Father Barnabus holder of the Claux benefice. You were born in Valles City in the Hospital of the Sisters of St. Eadburgh. Your mother was Mistress Donata, an abigail of Lady Timothea Lambert. Your unknown father was a gentle born cleric who probably has a high church of Eru position by now? Your mother dying young, you were brought up by the Sisters of St. Eadburgh. They discovered that you had a small amount of Magh Pozum (inherited magic power) and only clerics are permitted to use such. Thus when old enough you were entered into the Valles College of St. Dogma, where you were trained to be a priest of Eru. After some experience as a curate in Hetchy you were appointed Vicar of Claux through the influence of the Lambert family, a few years back. Claux is a poor place out in the wilds. The Huns sacked the whole area, including the church, twelve years ago. Since you came, although the danger foreign of raids has receded, the area has been suffering due to high taxation. Some of the peasants have decided to become outlaws, liable to be killed by anyone who meets them, rather than pay the taxes! The old Seneschal was pretty bad but the new usurper is quite beyond reason! Sir Christopher Lambert is the official tax collector for lay taxes, at one hundred Gilden Pezzi per manor per annum. You get tithes from some of the surrounding manors but much has to go to the Bishop of Charles. You have paid Sir Christopher Lambert one thousand Gilden Pezzi heriots for when the old Seneschal was replaced but now he says the new ruler wants two thousand more! You have kept in contact with the outlaws who are led by Humfon and Big Harm and have told them of this. They have offered their support against any tax collectors coming to Claux! Now word is that a tax assessor will be coming to collect the heriots for your church and you could only muster maybe four hundred in food stocks! He is likely to stop overnight at the St. Rollo Monastery, as that is a long days ride from Charles and Big Harm has contacts there. In fact you have supplied a poison which you hope these contacts can use against the Assessors party. Failing which you will assist Big Harm to ambush the Assessors party. If the worst comes to the worst you will join the monastery as a monk, or else have to become an outlaw yourself! You have not told Sir Christopher about these plans, as he might side with the Assessor. The peasants do not trust him and say that he is involved in smuggling goods over the border with Limura. Another knight from the Claux area is Sir Leon Perdieu. He was banished from the Kingdom of Foix for perfectly justifiably calling Queen Bettrys a witch! When the Seneschal broke Bara away from the Kingdom, Sir Leon became one of his trusted agents. He was away in Perigord when the Seneschal died in battle but has been seen lurking in the area occasionally. The outlaws say that he is also involved with the smuggling and in fact has serfs working the land over the border. He is a hard master and some of the outlaws have fled from him!

So your objective is destroy or drive off the tax assessor for the future of your benefice!

 Barnabus, Vicar of Claux Church of Eru

In preparation for your attack on the tax assessor you have moved from Claux to Big Harm the giant Swineherd’s, Boise Swynwald hide. This is a camouflaged dugout in the wood. Since the Hunnish raid most of the peasantry hereabouts live in these hides in the woods. It has made it easier to conceal from the authorities that the manors are under cultivation. Your first line of defence is young Flambert the brother of your hearth maid Clovys. He is a servant in the kitchen of the Traveller’s Hostel at the St. Rollo Monastery. You have given him poison to add if possible to the food or drink of the Tax Assessors party with the Assessor the main target. Your Sexton Blackke is a former soldier who fought at Lungstrete four years ago. He has little faith in Flambert who he thinks will be too afraid to act. He believes that you should attack the Assessor in the Hostel at night. He knows that Chestnut Charm has obtained information about the hostel from Flambert. Chestnut was a member of the Valles thieves guild until things got too hot for him. A long-term member of Humfon’s outlaw band you suspect he planned burglary at the hostel!

 You assumed that any night attack would have to go over the bridge in the teeth of the village militia who man it night and day. Though you might overpower them they would warn the Abbey and raise the villagers against you. Further to get into the Abbey that way you would go via the gate locked and guarded by an old soldier, the Abbey Porter. But Blackke and Chestnut have a much better plan. They say that at this time of year the river Dengle can be forded just west of the Abbey. From there one can climb over the wall near the cloister but better may be to try the upstairs windows of the hostel, which face west to the outside of the walls. Whilst the downstairs windows are leaded glass like most of the monastery, the upstairs ones are plain wooden shutters. Though these might be left open on a hot night they will be more likely secured closed. However even a club or a sword should be enough to prise them open from a ladder. In this quince-growing area ladders are plentiful. Flambert has provided a charcoal sketch showing the normal occupants of the rooms. He with the other kitchen staff will be sleeping in the kitchen. The refractory is usually empty at night unless there have been more guests than the upstairs rooms can take.

   At half past the twentieth hour Colafelt your clerk arrives. He has been watching the road to Charles beyond St. Rollo. “Lady Sabine Flaneur with three other women has arrived with the Assessor and gone into the Monastery. Their escort is seven soldiers. A funny thing is that one of the women has a horse dyed blue! It must be some new fashionable fad!”

 Humfon says “We must assemble our men in readiness to attack tonight!” Then he makes the owl hooting call to summon them. Presently you hear it repeated from some distance away and then again from further yet.

 You say “Remember, whilst we must kill the Assessor and all his men the Abbey staff must be only stunned or tied up!”

 “What about Lady Sabine and the other women?” asks Colafelt.

 “We shall take them hostage. Then we shall try them for witchcraft. It is rumoured that the new usurper has dealings in black witchcraft so it as well to be careful.”

                                                *                      *                      *

You went with the others to the boundary menhir in the dark and soon other members of the band began to trickle in. After about an hour a woman Maid Tuffa comes in from a vantage far to the east where she was keeping watch. “I have seen a knight and seven mounted soldiers coming from the north-east! I think they must be some of the Tax Assessors men! Since they are mounted they could be at the Abbey within an hour or two!”

 “We should stop them reaching it!” growled Big Harm.

 “But likely them at the Abbey may hear of it and be on their guard!” objected Humfon.

 “Our main objective is to kill or capture the Tax Assessor!” you told them.

 “Then we must go for him first. It will be him that carries the money chest anyway. That is what we really want eh lads?” grinned Humfon.

 “Aye” growled several voices.

 “Then I think we have enough here to do the job. The others can stay here to help us clean up in the morning.” So Humfon led the score or so of  the band towards the monastery. They carried two ladders and Chestnut Charm explained that they must go for the two right-hand upstairs windows of the hostel. “These will hold the soldiers, asleep I trust for we must overwhelm them first. Then into the hall and to the further right hand room for that is where the Tax Assessor will be lurking. It will be as well if some of the lads go over the wall to guard the outside door of the hostel. We do not want him to escape that way!”

 “Right that is what we will do!” Humfon agreed.

 They crept forward to the meadow beside the river until there was a whinnying noise followed by loud flapping. Humfon gripped your arm, “All is well Vicar! It be but some Pegasauri fleeing. They often graze around here at night. They hide in the forests during daylight hours.” Your belief was that Pegasauri were fanciful beasts only to be found in children’s goblin tales but fact can sometimes be stranger than fiction.

 Soon you found yourself wading over waist deep through the very cold river. The Abbey wall lay to the left, with the vast bulk of its tower at the limits of visibility. At that moment its bell tolled once and everyone froze in their tracks.

 “The Compline bell, calling them to the Abbey church.” Colafelt said.

 “Right enough. We have heard it many times! Carry on lads, it will be as well if the monks are busy when we call. I just hope the Tax Assessor does not join them!” said Humfon.

 “An official of the usurper is not like to be an Eruvian never mind a churchgoer!” you told them.  

The whole band crept along the wall until beside the hostel building. The two ladders were raised and Big Harm and Chestnut Charm began to climb them. To their surprise and delight they found that the shutters were left half-open. Humfon ordered some outlaws to scale over the Abbey boundary wall. Then they heard “Burglars! Sergeant! Squire Sir! We have burglars!” from the soldiers room. The windows were manned and Chestnut fell down to be replaced by Sexton Blackke. He fell in turn as did Big Harm!

 “Big Harm is killed! Exclaimed Maid Tuffa examining him. A Babble of voices broke out . “They have killed Big Harm! We are betrayed! They are ready for us! Flee!” and the outlaws broke and fled back to the river and you left alone perforce had to follow them. Bracing yourself you plunged through the icy river waters once more.

 Arriving back at the menhir you found Humfon and some of the others, plus more who had come too late. Within half an hour the band was stronger than it had been before, although Clerk Colafelt and some others did not return.

 “We had best head to see what these soldiers of Tuffa’s are up to.” Declared Humfon. “Yes and arrange an ambush for the Tax Assessor in the morning!” you suggested. So the band headed east towards the Verston Manor owned by Sir Leon Perdieu.      

 You then take four moves getting to the boundary menhir where Humfon’s men will assemble. 2048hrs throw AvD for moves until you start drawing arrivals cards.

At the Menhir you have two ladders laid ready 4 men can carry at –1” move rate or 2 men at –2” move rate! You may move off as soon as you feel you have enough force to attack successfully. Later arrivals will stay by the Menhir. If your attack is beaten off   

 Vicar Barnabus Big Harm

Barnabus Lea, Mo 6", Fa 6/12, TR +2, SR +4 D-4, C-3, W -2, A +1, Ob 1.1, Me –1-1 = -2 iron cross st 0

Stun 4. E4 I5 M4 G5 I4 L3 D4 Speaks Simnith, Edin, Quenith (P) Reads Tengthin, Lerumint (P)

3rd Level Magician 3MPU per move max 12. Spells: Blinding Flash, Charm Sing, Crumble Paper, Detect Magic, Frightening Thought, Magic Bolts Magic Illumination (of Cross) Breaching Bolts, Sooth Mind, Creature Taming, Rest Undead, Temporary Wound Nullifying

Humfon Off Mo 6", Fa 6/12, TR 0, SR + 0, D-5, C-4, W -3, A +1, Ob 1.3, Me +1 –0 = +1 

Selfbow 5" 5+, 10” 6+, 15” 7+  St -4 quiver of 12 arrows Speaks Simnith  tinderbox

Big Harm . Off Mo 7", Fa 7/14, TI 3, TR +4, SR + 1, D-5, C-4, W -3, A +2, Ob 1.6, Me +4 -2 = +2 Bill 1st rd +2 st +4. Thrown Cleaver 4” 4+ st –2. Speaks Simnith E4 I4 M3 G3 I5 L3 D3

Sexton Blackke Ind Mo 6", Fa 6/12, TR 0, SR + 0, D-5, C-4, W -3, A +1, Ob 1.3, Me +3 –0 = +3 st 0

                Lantern, tinderbox Speaks Simnith

Clerk Colafelt Ind Mo 6", Fa 6/12, TR +0, SR +1 D-4, C-3, W -2, A +2, Ob 1.2, Me -1 –1 = -2 dagger st 0

                Speaks Simnith, Edin, reads Tengthin Runes (P)

Chestnut Charm Ind Mo 7", Fa 7/14, TR +2, SR +1 D-4, C-3, W -2, A +2, Ob 1.2, Me +2 - 0 =+2 sword st 0. 6 het grapnel rope, Speaks Simnith, Picks locks 1st 7+, 2nd 8+, 3rd 9+. 

Maid Tuffa Ind Mo 6", Fa 5/10, TR +2, SR 1, D-4, C-3, W -2, A +2, Ob 1.1, Me 0 –0 = 0 sword st 0

                Thrown dagger 3” 4+, st –2 Speaks Simnith, Edin. tinderbox

Gros Club Ind Mo7", Fa 7/14, TR +2, SR +0 D-4, C-3, W -2, A +2, Ob 1.4, Me +2 –1 = +1 stun st –1 stun 5 Speaks Simnith, first aid kit. Gags Rope & cords

Gros Blade Ind, Mo 6", Fa 7/14, TR +2, SR +1, D-4, C-3, W -2, A +2, Ob 1.4, Me +2 –0 = +2 st 0

                Speaks Simnith

Clubman Fol Mo 6", Fa 7/14, TR +0, SR +0 D-4, C-3, W -2, A +2, Ob 1.4, Me 0 –1 = -1 stun st –1 stun 5

Swordsman Fol Mo 6", Fa 7/14, TR +0, SR +0 D-4, C-3, W -2, A +2, Ob 1.4, Me 0 –0 = 0 st 0

Slinger Fol Mo 6", Fa 6/12, TR 0, SR 0, D-4, C-3, W -2, A +2, Ob 1.4, Me 0 –1 = -1 dagger st 0

                Sling 4” 5+, 8” 6+, 12” 7+, 16” 8+ st –4, 12 stones Speaks Simnith

Woman Fol Mo 5", Fa 5/10, TR -2, SR -1, D-4, C-3, W -2, A 0, Ob 0.9, Me -2 –1 = -3 knife st –1

Boy Fol Mo 5", Fa 4/8, TR -1, SR +0 D-4, C-3, W -2, A +2, Ob 1.1, Me –3 –1 = -4 knife st -1

 

Card Values C = Clubs      S = Spades Any Red card no one comes! The boy and women come instead of their menfolk who are otherwise engaged.  

Joker Maid Tuffa arrives from keeping watch from a vantage point to the east. “I have seen a knight and seven mounted soldiers coming from the north-east! I think they must be some of the Tax Assessors men!

Since they are mounted they could be at the abbey within an hour!” Should you carry on with the attack before they arrive or wait to fight in daylight? You could try and ambush them but that would leave your main target the Assessor free and warned.   

AC Gros Club                      KC 3 x Clubmen                     QC 2 x Clubmen                     JC 2 x Clubmen

7C 1 x Clubman                     6C 1 x Clubman                     5C 1 x Clubman                     2C Boy

AS Gros Blade                    KS 3 x Swordsmen                 QS 2 x Swordsmen                 JS 2 x Slingers

8S 1 x Slinger                           7S 1 x Slinger                           6S 1 x Slinger                           5S 1x Slinger

3S Woman                            2S Woman

The Introduction

The Umpire's Stuff

Tax Collector Background

Squire's Background

Sir Leon's Background

Player Briefings

The Action in Words and pictures                                        

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