Tag: A Beauclair Delegation

Previously, Quentin was summoned to the Black Alder Farm outside of Kingsport, where the newly arrived Beauclair delegation had made camp. The reception was underwhelming, and the heroes spoke with Lord Dorian, who was pleased to be reunited with his son. Despite his father’s warm welcome, Quentin was distrustful of his motives.

Fifth Day, Second Ride, Autumn Twilight, 1262

(Silvermoon is waning, Bloodmoon is in low sanction, Darkmoon is waxing)

After Lord Dorian and Quentin had a chance to catch up in private, they joined the rest of the heroes and moved to a more private seating room, deeper inside the manor hours of Black Alder farm. Introductions were made, with varying degrees of success.

Chakuq started off, and Lord Dorian accepted his credentials as a mercenary. Luca introduced himself with his recently acquired title as Baronet of Evenshade Hall, but this did not seem to spark the deference from Lord Dorian that he would have expected.

Emrys had rapidly picked up the etiquette of Beauclair and introduced himself with all the fanfare that was expected. Lord Dorian responded very well to it, getting up out of his seat and shaking Emrys’ hand. Lord Dorian had heard stories about his exploits and encouraged him to walk the camp and talk to the troubadours and trobairitz.

Astrid introduced herself without too much fanfare, instead telling Lord Dorian what a great warrior and leader Quentin was. Neamhan managed a proper bow and a hesitant introduction. Lord Dorian smoothed over her lack of grace by taking her hands in his, giving them a gentle squeeze and telling her how happy he was to see her again. Neamhan noticed that the blisters on his hands, wrists and forearms were slowly healing and again offered to provide her aid. Again, he politely declined.

The tension had been rising since the arrival at the farm, but it reached a boiling point when the conversation turned to relinquishing Róisín to House Lys. Quentin dismissed the idea, explaining to his father that the blade was “no longer the Fleur de Lys.” The subtleties of what Quentin was saying were lost on Lord Dorian, and made even harder to detect by Luca’s insistence that Quentin not part with the blade, due to how powerful its magic was.

When Monsieur Beauregard asked how Quentin was proposing to keep the ancestral blade from its rightful owners, Quentin’s temper had already risen past the point where he noticed the calm and open manner in which the question was asked. Instead, Quentin drew attention to the lack banners, colours, or livery and asked to understand what his function was at the meeting. Monsieur Beauregard explained that he was the spymaster to House Lys. Quentin said it was inappropriate for Monsieur Beauregard to be present during the conversations, at which point the polite gentleman requested leave and withdrew once it was granted. Before he departed he offered that he considered himself an ally, and that his question deserved some consideration.

Lord Dorian’s frustration had grown. Father and son continued to argue, and Quentin stood his ground while his father insinuated that the renown of the Heroes of the White Eye was due in some part to his efforts. Communication continue to deteriorate until Lord Dorian reminded Quentin that he had not been part of House Morvrayne since he foolishly accepted Lady Gwenaëlle’s quest and left Beauclair, leaving Lord Dorian to deal with the consequences. The only thing that has saved Quentin, Lord Dorian reasoned, was that against all odds he had been successful. If Quentin now decided not to relinquish the blade, he may as well have died in the attempt to retrieve it for all good it would do.

Softening his tone, Lord Dorian reminded Quentin that he loved him, that he was happy to be reunited with him, and that he could take his time, to walk the camp and get to know the people in the camp. But he urged Quentin to accept that the blade was not, and has never been, the goal of House Morvrayne.

When the heroes departed, Neamhan bumped into a familiar man in the lobby; a portly, moustachioed man whom had been sentenced for insubordination when Neamhan had been in the delegation’s camp several days prior. He had sold wine from the caravan’s provisions, which had been explicitly forbidden. He was punished by having his thumbs removed, and the man had both his hands bandaged. Neamhan made an attempt to aid the man, which he declines. She settled for sharing some goodberries with him instead, but Neamhan feared it would not do him any good while Epidemius continued to lay siege to the city.

When the heroes gathered their mounts and rode out, they laid witness to a group of people surrounded two duellists who were patiently circling one another. One of the spectators was Lady Gwenaëlle, who noticed Quentin and looked his way. Both of them did not spare each other a warm look.

A decision was made to get off the road to talk away from prying eyes. Between the farm and the river crossing the heroes bound their horses up and walked out into the heath. Astrid stayed with the horses, while Luca urged them all to stand in the shallow stream of a tributary, claiming that any magical eavesdropping would be made harder by the flow of the water.

The conversation was mostly about whether Lord Dorian was to be trusted, and could be considered an ally to the heroes. Parting with Róisín was not a consideration, even though it was an option, unlike Emrys’ bond with Toruviel.

The group was disturbed by an eavesdropper in the undergrowth, and between Neamhan shifting into an enormous eagle, Emrys drawing his blade and taking to the sky, and Astrid’s cat-like reflexes, the man was soon caught. The young man’s name was Hubert, looked to be a scout for the delegation, and said he hailed from the Asterac hills, which Quentin knew to be lands belonging to House Lys. He had been instructed by Monsieur Beauregard to keep an eye on the heroes, and to verify that they were staying at the Careless Wanderer.

This is when Quentin introduced a surprising new direction; radical honesty. He instructed the scout to go back to the spymaster and confirm that the heroes were indeed staying in the Careless Wanderer, and to offer him an invitation to come and talk. Any questions could be asked openly, but covert surveillance would not be tolerated.

The heroes returned to the city, and as they approached North Gate, they were cautioned by crownsguard halberdiers who warned them to steer clear of Grimsdown as there was another resurgence of plaguemaidens after Epidemius appeared at Steward’s Square. The heroes hurried down the cobbled streets as darkness was falling. When they reached the Careless Wanderer, and walked into it’s warm embrace, the peal of thunder could be heard as a storm rolled in from the bay.

Previously, the heroes survived a confrontation with Epidemius and brought peace back to Kingsport, albeit not without consequences. They spent an evening celebrating with a beautiful meal, surrounded by companions. The following day they would finally meet up with the delegation from Beauclair.

Fifth Day, Second Ride, Autumn Twilight, 1262

(Silvermoon is waning, Bloodmoon is in low sanction, Darkmoon is waxing)

Before departure from the Careless Wanderer, Quentin reminded everyone to ride in careful formation to him. They should always keep at his right side, which he explained was a position of great trust, honour, and privilege to the Beauclairois. In battle, the person to your right had the ability to save you with the shield they carried in their left hand, and therefore was a person of great reverence.

Quentin also warned the others that it was likely that the members of the Beauclair delegation would look down upon them, treat them as commoners, and they should not let them. When Neamhan spoke up to admit that she was a commoner, Astrid gripped her by the shoulders, stared her intently in the eyes and said; “There is nothing common about you, woman,” before spinning her around and moving her out of the door, preventing any rebuttals.

Exiting the city through the North Gate while riding their mounts, the heroes crossed the bridge over the river and followed a long, dry brick wall along the fields of a Black Alder farm where the delegation had set up camp. The farm consisted of a large manor house and several smaller buildings. There was a large pond flanked on the far side by a small forest. Dozens of tents of all size had been set up in the field between the manor house and the pond. Banners and heralds flew above the tents in bright colours, which signified the different noble houses and knights that travelled with the delegation.

Quentin directed the heroes towards the manor house, looking over the encampment for a place where people would be received but not being able to identify any. He was growing concerned with the lack of formalities, and his discomfort resonated with Róisín, the scabbard nervously blooming and withering rapidly. This caught the attention of many of the servants, armsmen, and hedge knights that the heroes encountered, and news of their arrival spread along Black Alder farm rapidly.

Against all expectations, a very modest reception was hastily organised in front of the manor house. There were several minor nobles and servants lined up to greet Quentin and the heroes, but the only people of significance that were there were Ser Croy and Monsieur Beauregard, an advisor to Highlord Gauthier who was still recovering from the attack on the delegation. Quentin was not pleased with the reception and told Monsieur Beauregard to make note of the breach of etiquette. Matters were made even worse and more awkward when no attempt was made to help Quentin down from his horse. When the breach of protocol became apparent, Monsieur Beauregard arranged for stablehands to bring a stool to help him, and the heroes, down from their mounts.

Chakuq was keen to see how the stablehand would handle a horse without a saddle or bridle, since he had gone without one, but the young lad seemed to be handling it well. Chakuq suspected that the stablehand might have had some experience breaking colts.

Quentin was very pleased to see Ser Croy again and urged him to come and find Quentin later. Once inside the manor, Monsieur Beauregard offered the heroes a chance to rest and refresh themselves while Lord Dorian was informed of their arrival. Emrys started to make out the depth and detail of Beauclair customs and etiquette, slowly working through its intricacies.

Lord Dorian seemed overjoyed to see Quentin when he finally came downstairs, and Emrys soon realised that the warmth with which Quentin was received was a breach of protocol and surprising even to Quentin himself. He kissed Quentin three times, dedicating his affecting to his son, his house, and their progenitor; the mythical Alban. Lord Dorian was introduced to the rest of the heroes, and took a moment to exchange pleasantries with Neamhan, whom he was familiar with. He only had to correct how she addressed him ever so slightly. He then asked his Quentin to speak with him in private, and the two retreated to a chamber upstairs.

While the heroes waited for father and son to reconnect, they spoke about several things, like the history of House Morvrayne, and the mythical origin story of Beauclair noble houses. Brother Antoine, a cleric of Paladine and personal chaplain to Highlord Gauthier, came to speak with the heroes about Saint Benedict and the possibility of being able to speak with him. While the heroes had to disappoint the cleric by informing him that Prior Benedict was no longer in Kingsport, he seemed fascinated to speak to the heroes who had laid witness to his sermon at the Cathedral of the Platinum Father.

Meanwhile, upstairs, Quentin hastily caught up with his father and the situation that Lord Dorian had found himself in. Questions about the attack on the delegation were quickly deflected, and Lord Dorian explained how proud he was of his son and his success in retrieving the Fleur de Lys. Quentin, in turn, assured his father that the blade was not what everyone was hoping it was. Lord Dorian explained that with the injured Highlord, he had been vaulted into a position of power; he was expected to lead the delegation to success in the negotiations with the Lyrian throne, and underscored how politically complicated the situation was. He also explained to his son that the nobility who had travelled with the Highlord were waiting for him to fail, and referred to the other lords and ladies as “duplicitous snakes.”

Lord Dorian was confident that with his son’s help and connections at the Lyrian court, he would be able to succeed in Highlord Gauthier’s absence, elevating House Morvrayne to great renown. Quentin felt a dread rise up in him as he saw past his father’s warm façade, recognising the hunger for power and influence and the naïveté that had come to expect. He would have to discover what the political landscape at the delegation’s camp looked like, and tread very carefully while aiding his father in the negotiations with the Lyrian throne.

Previously, Emrys managed to jump into the portal through which Epidemius and his forces invaded Kingsport. The fiend followed him into the portal and the two agreed to go their separate ways; Emrys back to Kingsport, and Epidemius back to… hell. The heroes defeated the infernal forces left behind by Epidemius, while the crownsguard and Lyrian knights routed the skaven throughout the city.

Fourth Day, Second Ride, Autumn Twilight, 1262

(Silvermoon is waning, Bloodmoon is waning, Darkmoon is in low sanction)

The evening was running late after the bountiful meal. Guests were nodding off in their seats, filled with food and drink, while Andrew Selkirk sang songs and the fire roared high in the hearths. Astrid had joined the two Sheridan brothers who had decided to stay at the inn to celebrate with the heroes.

Quentin made sure that two cups of wine were filled for Adrian and Clement. They stood, untouched, on the table in front of two empty seats. It was a reminder of the sacrifice of the Morvrayne riders, and represented the loss of life in the defence of Kingsport that day. Durham had a hard time catching on to what the cups represented, and could be heard grumbling about it being “a waste of precious wine,” referring to the ongoing shortage.

When Dame Pauline came to Quentin to ask for permission to retire for the evening, Her intention was to rejoin the delegation in the morning, and Quentin asked her to inform him when it became time for her to depart.

Quentin’s mood was dour, but it was Chakuq that lifted his spirits by complimenting him on his bravery. It had been Chakuq’s experience that “steel men” rode into battle only when victory had all but been secured, stealing the glory from the men and women that had done the heavy lifting. Chakuq was happy that Quentin was not like that, and was glad to call him a friend. Quentin, in turn, said that the feeling was mutual, but Chakuq expressed disappointment in himself due to the fear he had felt for Epidemius on the battlefield.

Quentin departed for his bedroom, while Neamhan continued to observe the tavern room, stewing on the fact that Epidemius got away. It felt like a Pyrrhic victory, and her frustration grew with every passing hour, until Lauryn took her out of her reverie by warning her that “the storm in your heart stirs the air around you.” An itch on the back of her hand reminded Neamhan that she was still marked.

Emrys spent some time talking to Andrew about the fight on Steward’s Square. There was no doubt in Emrys’ mind that the bard would use the details he gave him to compose a song and further spread the tales of the Heroes of the White Eye. Andrew, in turns, told Emrys that the Beauclair delegation had brought a small army of troubadours and trobairitz with them. As they had made their way through the westerlands, these troubadours had split off from the delegation and had spread their songs far and wide. Andrew had travelled to Kenton recently and had listened to one of the troubadours perform there, and remarked that all of the songs were about the history of House Lys and how they stood for Beauclair virtues and chivalry. The Fleur de Lys, the legendary sword the heroes knew as Róisín, featured prominently in these songs. He also warned Emrys that Villem of Landsdowne, the famous auctioneer, had come to the College of Bards and investigated the Fleur de Lys and had been helped by the headmaster of the college; the legendary Papillon.

Eventually, when most people had either nodded off in their seats, and the only entertainment was an ongoing arm-wrestling match between Marcus and Astrid, Emrys snapped out of his contemplations and he went up to his room. He spotted his lute case, and was reminded of the note hidden away by Lady Annabella; “And death shall have no dominion.”

Fifth Day, Second Ride, Autumn Twilight, 1262

(Silvermoon is waning, Bloodmoon is in low sanction, Darkmoon is waxing)

Each hero was plagued by nightmares, reliving the most horrifying parts of the battle against Epidemius; threats made by hamatulas, the savagery of the rat ogres, and the fury of the erinyes. For some, it was the peak beyond the seal that kept them jerking awake.

When Luca came down after eighth bell, he found Neamhan and Lauryn at the bar drinking morning brew. The weather outside was calm but cold, with snow gently blanketing the city in white. Intuitively, Neamhan knew that later that day the weather would turn grey and stormy. She recognised that Luca had the same rough night that she had and that he had not recovered from the fight. Neamhan used her connections to envelop the young arcanist in a gust of reinvigorating wind, partially healing his wounds. This startled Luca, and while he was grateful, he had asked Neamhan to ask for permission to use her magic on him next time.

Lauryn was curious about the battle and the adversaries the heroes faced. Luca explained that hamatulas and erinyes were devils, and that they were different from the savage demons, and enigmatic yugoloths. This lead to him explaining about different realms of existence, about the realm of fairy and its courts, where Wynn and the dragonling came from.

It was a rarity that Neamhan and Luca connected and shared some personal thing; Luca about his ability to absorb knowledge, starkly contrasted against his inability to fit in where he grew up, and Neamhan about her husband Gabhan, who was patient, kind, and caring.

Luca spent some time reading through a book named The Luminous Enchiridion of Thunda, written in archaic Lyrian, a language that he had not mastered as well as Quentin seemed to have after returning from Old Llygad. It was a curious book which only revealed its writing when illuminated by a magical light. He found that the work was an academic treatise on the nature of magic, and could, provided he invest some time into it, act as an excellent reference guide while researching a wide variety of topics on the arcane.

Emrys, Quentin, and Astrid all came down late. Quentin had washed and groomed himself, and was dressed to represent his station. He had fallen out of the habit, which showed by the small cut he had given himself while shaving, but today would likely be the first of many things he had to get reacquainted with.

Everyone was surprised to see Falka walk through the door of the inn, carrying a few books. She had been gone for a day or two and nobody knew where she’d gone off to. It turns out she had reached out to James and gotten access to the Newport vault, where she had spent some time perusing the library, much to her delight. It became clear that she had no idea how much time had passed, or that she had missed the confrontation with Epidemius. She informed the heroes that James had tracked down a fellow by the name of Garvan, who was in charge of excavating the vault. There was progress, but funds were limited.

A messenger arrived at the inn who delivered a summons to Quentin to present himself at the Beauclair delegation’s camp north of the river Lyn. It also stated that the Morvrayne riders were to be restationed at the camp in order to improve the visibility of House Morvrayne at the camp. Emrys’ keen eye observed that the interaction between Quentin and the messenger was intricate, and dense with social queues he did not quite understand yet.

The time was close to depart, and everyone got ready. Luca used his obedience to appear as the Baronette of Evenshade Hall, and he also helped Astrid to freshen up. Chakuq made note of the symbols that everyone was wearing; the swan volant of House Morvrayne for Quentin, the blue markings on Astrid’s face, the symbol of St. Aureus on Luca’s lapel, and the crescent moon of Sehanine on Emrys’ scabbard. He hatched a plan to find a stone cutter who could carve the tooth he had harvested from Epidemius’ mount into seven symbols.

Quentin asked Wojciech to pick up his horse and arrange for horses for the rest of the heroes, and the stable master headed off to the Bridle, accompanied by Neamhan and Chakuq. On the way back, Neamhan’s attention was caught by Goodman, who asked her to pass along a message to Quentin. She agreed, and the two came to a cease fire in the process.

After arriving back at the Careless Wanderer and having a conversation with the horses about personal riding preferences, Neamhan went inside and handed Quentin the note. It read:

Lord Quentin, as you go into the fray, please remember:

The earth was sown with early flowers, the heavens blue and bright,
I met a gallant cavalier as lovely as the light.
I knew him not, but in my heart, his graceful image lies,
And well I marked his open brow, his sweet and tender eyes.
He carried sword and scabbard, full of leaves and blossoms mixed,
Encased by vines and verdant growth, with flowering blooms betwixt.
Plunging sword in barren soil, crops and vintage grew,
The hungry, famished and the starved were given life anew.

Faithfully,

Lord Andrew of House Selkirk