IC:1 The village, from afar

[Leitz]

The horses munched on nearby grass as you thought about the task at hand.

Professor Francis Moreland, gentleman-scholar of the Leage of Adventurers, had asked you to look into a growing bandit activity near the village of Dro, Italia. The village was small, but cutting off trade between München in Germany and the Lago di Garda area would hurt anyone trying to avoid heavy Venetian or Milanese taxes and wandering condottiere. This route was the current path for merchants from southern Germany into northern Italy. He had given you the map and up front coin for expenses. He was known well enough, that should you survive, payment would not be an issue.

- - -

"I must caution you," the old professor had said, his Latin covered with a heavy English accent, as he pointed out the directions on the map. "The soil there is heavy in clay, and thus there may be underground spaces even with the river so close by. There have been reports of bandits further along, the forest gets fairly dense past the village and there are no roads out save the one you will take in."

He sat back and puffed on his pipe. "The bandits haven't been heard from in months, which may be good or bad. Perhaps something worse has moved in and replaced one problem with another? We have no real maps of the areas past the village, no call for them. That does not mean strange things are not there, simply that we have not heard of them yet. Of course there will be a discovery fee paid if you turn up something interesting."

- - -

Still, nothing moved in the village. The river was too shallow for anything bigger than a punt, and the apple orchard looked ripe for harvest. Where were the fishers and field hands?

A thin lavender veil hung from the Jenny's house; it was torn into three strips and worn by the sun. Madame Laverne's girls should be up cleaning already. While not guilded, she was one of your contacts, and reputed to at least try to meet guild standards. The stable had no horses and the barn next to it had shut doors. No sounds of animals, and no smoke from the blacksmith's shop.

Walking left would take you to the river but visible to the village. The orchard to the right provided plenty of cover should you wish to arrive indirectly.

Chaplain Rebaka Kurstnen, an Lutheran German who saw to the spiritual needs of the village, was supposed to live in the attic of the chapel. No one talked about why the daughter and only living heir of a powerful German noble was banished this far from the court, but if one could get past the chip on her shoulder then she might have information about the matter.

Still, no one moved...

[Pulpatoon]

Bastiano Vemeri breathes in great lungfuls of proper Italian air, and says, "Gentlemen, I am pleased to report that we need no longer serve penance at German tables groaning under the weight of rancid butter. Wherever the morning takes us, I expect there will be a proper breakfast at the end of it!

"Hm. We must consider our approach before we step any further. My inclination is to start at the top of the anthill and work my way down. I could offer my services to the Chaplain Kurstnen, and see what edification is to be gleaned from her. But I see that this is but one of several paths before us. What say you?"

[Rex]

Farid Hatoum

"Yes, a good fresh breakfast sounds wonderful. I have always found smaller villages to have the best food. Heartier and simpler, but better none the less."

He rides along, rubbing the mares mane as he thinks about what lies ahead.

"Perhaps one of us should at least make contact with Madame Laverne. I could stop by and introduce myself to the local guard or whatever they call themselves here. Something along the lines of I am learning the local procedures to learn a few new things or some such."

Edited to clarify he is mounted.

[shaidar]

Louis de Bois

"Italian food is better than german, agreed, but of course not better than french cuisine! The place does seem rather quiet, even for a village in the middle of nowhere." he pauses for a second, thinking, before continuing "The first question is do we approach as a group, if so we will need...I believe it is called a cover story, oui? he nods "Or we go in separately. I am quite willing to make the acquaintance of Madame Laverne and her girls." he breaks into a broad grin at the idea

He is speaking in latin, but does drop the occasional french in, in which case I will post in french."

[Pulpatoon]

Vemeri adjusts his ruff and primps a little. "Perhaps our cover is that you are the retinue of the famous Bastiano Vemeri, portrait painter to the crowned heads of Europe."

[Rex]

Farid Hatoum

"We could just be travelers who met on the road and decided to travel together for safety in numbers. It would cover our diverse accents better maybe."

[shaidar]

Louis looks at Farid

"Hmm, that's not such a bad idea, my friend. If they become suspicious of one of us then the others might escape suspicion, for a while at least."

[Leitz]

Starting with this. Feel free to ask questions, raise issues, etc. I will answer as best I can. The next DM Action Post will be Sunday evening, GMT-6ish.

The gentle morning breeze shifted, bathing you in faint screams and the aroma of oily smoke. A thin wisp of black rose on the far side of the village.

[shaidar]

Louis looks alarmed

"Mon Dieu! That is smoke, is it not? A fire! We must assist."

Without waiting for a response from the others, he starts to mounts his horse, ready to make haste towards the smoke.

[Pulpatoon]

"Perfidy is afoot, my friends!" Vemeri readies his flintlock, and then follows Louis.

[Leitz]

The N at the top denotes North, you are on the South edge of the map, along the brown road. Barn and corral, Jenny house to far east. Church is north of the barn, and most churches locally are Catholic.

Riding quickly into the village is easy for you all, higher Drive/Ride skills mean you can do it a little faster and with more confidence.

the_village_from_afar_reduced.jpg (636.46 KiB) Viewed 454 times

[Rex]

Farid Hatoum

Farid will push his horse forward to a gallop trying to see what he can as he races towards the fire.

[jemmus]

Kerecsen Zay claps Louis on the back after his comment about Madame Laverne and the girls. My friend, he says with a wink, You are a fellow after my own heart! But at the mention of fire, he wheels black stallion around and gallops toward the smoke.

[Leitz]

Your horses threw dried clods of dirt in every direction as their hooves tore up the road. For a moment, hoof beats drowned out the wickedness you suspected.

The village's small houses had wooden uppers with river stone lowers. The barn's walls were warped, and breezes easily made it inside. The only modern building was the church, taller than a four story mansion, decorated windows and fresh paint on the plastered outer walls.

The occasional tree provided shade in the heat of the fall, but no one was out harvesting from the orchards. The entire village was crowded around the burning building.

Yet, despite troughs near many houses and a river nearby, no one was trying to put out the fire.

An aged fat cleric held a burning torch while younger men threw buckets of oil onto the small burning building. The oil spread quickly and more of the smaller church, as you recognize the wide door and mild similarity to the larger edifice nearby, caught afire.

Dozens of villagers screamed and chanted frenzied anger towards the burning church, and the shutters and door were barred from the outside.

Six men, dressed as landsknechts, idle next to a house on the right side of the road. They are obviously not landsknechts, and not even German.

[Pulpatoon]

Vemeri halts his horse before reaching the crowd. He takes a moment to carefully observe the scene, looking for further insight into what is going on, here.

Notice +3: Fate Dice: [_4d6]=(6+5+6+5)=22
Is that a result of 7? Oh, dang! With a roll like that, I should have done something much more daring!

[shaidar]

Loius du Bois

The frenchman seems incensed by what he sees before him "The priest, we must save her!"

He dismounts and rushes to the chapel, looking for a way in:

Athletics (+3): [_4d6]=(2+5+1+1)=9
(so, 1, I forgot the dice hate me)

[Leitz]

Vemeri surveyed the scene with a critical eye, it made little sense for a moment. Yet, the truth will out should the master search for it. A few things struck him as out of the ordinary.

Landschnekts are positioned closer to the priest than the chapel, from which any threat might come. They are Italians, and their clothing doesn't fit. They are not mixing with the villagers, and do not seem from here. Farid would also notice this

The gleam in the priest's eye speaks more of a spurned lover than a holy man.

Subgroups Most villager groups are families, save for those whose men are toting oil to the fire. One group, of several "ladies" and one teen man, stand off a little and do not cheer with enthusiasm.

[Rex]

Farid

Being a man of action Farid steers his horse towards the burning building attempting to approach as close to a window that is in an area not yet on fire as possible. He will then smash out the window, "This way and I will help you out of the building!"

If he gets no response he will try and get in to help them.

Ride +1 to control his mare
Ride +1 [_4d6]=(2+5+4+3)=14

Mystery Roll
Mystery Roll [_4d6]=(4+6+2+1)=13

[jemmus]

Kerecsen appraises the situation in the village. A church on fire. He thinks, "I thought we were done with all of that nonsense," he thinks. He jokes, I wonder what kind of saint we are saving today? Catholic, Lutheran, Calvinist? I'm Lutheran, by the way, if anyone cares. That's what my mother and grandmother say, anyway. He puts is spurs light to Ördög's flanks and holds them there a second. It's a signal from rider horse that they are going into combat or possibly dangerous action. The fine dark horse snorts and all but leaps forward into a gallop. The spirited and intelligent stallion likes action, whether it be going into a fight among humans and other horses, chasing down a fleeing man or rider, or escaping the pursuit of horses and mounted men. The horse and rider gallop up the road and Ördög wheels to a dramatic stop in front of it.

Ride +4 4,4,1,5 (0,0,-1,+1) = 0 + 4 = 4. Succeed with style, I think(?) So the dramatic wheeling around at the end.

Kerecsen casts a cavalry scout's appraising eye on the scene. Fully observe first, assess, then act. First, the burning church building. He notes the shuttered windows. Smoke, that's what kills in a fire. How much smoke has filled the upper floor? "We must act quickly, when it is time to act."

He then quickly glances around at the people at the scene. First, the fake landsknechts, noting their arms, armor and dispositions. What inclination to fight? Which among them appears be likely to take initiative and lead them in a scrap? Then, the two groups of villagers. "That lass there is not a little comely, he thinks. He makes a quick mental note for later. And finally, the priest with the impious gleam in his eye. He mentally sighs. "Another worldly priest. The usual kind."

He quickly dismounts and lets Ördög's reins trail. The stallion knows what to do in a situation, he won't do anything foolish. He hopes someone will confront the villains still throwing oil on the fire. The League men aren't ready for a fight, but perhaps just a delay might in aiding fuel to the fire would help. He's not a big man, but he's tough. He throws his strength against a shutter.

Physique +1 3,3,2,6 (0,0,-1,+1) = 0 + 1 = 1.

Kerecsen goes second in the PCs' order, I think. (I don't remember who goes first). So I had him act as if a shutter wasn't already broken. Maybe that's overdoing it.

[Leitz]

Chaplain Kurstnen was worse for wear. Of middle height, with nordic long blond hair and icy blue eyes, she was overcome by the smoke. The fresh air of the now busted open window gave her enough energy to gasp, "My hope chest, at the foot of my bed! I must have it!"

She collapsed as Louis and Kerecsen hauled her through the window and passed her up to Farid. Her smoldering clothes were more suited to a German farm worker, patches of her hair were burned, and her hands were scraped and bloody. It is obvious that she would have taken out a shutter with her bare hands, had they been less secure.

Let's try a game rule and have some fun. Louis ("Sucker for a Pretty Face") and Kerecsen ("Impulsive Lady's Man") are apt to consider the request for the hope chest. Both men know the Chaplain slept upstairs, and hope chests are better carried by one very strong man or two average men.

The PCs have the number of their Refresh in Fate Points. With Aspects like those two, anyone can Compel the PC to act within the aspect. The person initiating the Compel pays a Fate Point, and the target of the Compel must make a decision; pay a Fate Point to resist the Compel, or accept the Compel. If they accept, they get the Fate Point added to their number for the scene.

Note that "anyone can Compel" means a player can Compel their own PC! In game mechanics, it adds to the story and the PC gets the Fate Point added to their store.

So, let's give the owning players first choice, do you want to Compel your characters to rush upstairs into the smoky loft, to regain the lady's hope?

Farid hauled the Chaplain onto his horse, since his is the closest. This isn't much of an action, so he'll be free to act next round (or whatever we want to call it), but has the temporary Aspect: Carrying a body.

Vemeri saw the eldest lady of the stand-offish group whisper to the teen boy, who glanced at the adventurers and then quickly ran behind some buildings and headed north. He is not armed, but fairly fleet of foot.

The rest of the NPCs are still confused about what's going on, and will not act this turn. They will act next turn.

Anyone remaining close to, or inside of, the chapel will need to make a Physique (or something creative) roll to avoid penalties from smoke inhalation.