Chapter 1bis (Spring 1013) Arrival in Calais

Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica: Wake of the Schism
61

Benedict doesn't worry too much about whatever Gwenaël is hiding. They can sort it out in the morning. He nods and considers the conversation done.

The blond redcap enters the room where the magi are talking, carrying a bottle of Sack and a few glasses. He pours for the others and sits with them. He takes a deep breath, and lets it out, steeling himself to the Gift.

"I've got our travel arranged, Sodales, but there is a slight problem. The only boat in town isn't big enough for wagons. So you can either..." he waggles his fingers in the air, "Or you can sell them, and buy new ones on the other side. I take it we are all going together?"

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Gwenaël turns to Finn, and apologises, «I am not certain. I think I can fit another person or two, but I will not know until the morning, when I see their luggage. If you are there, and I find room, you'll have the fare for a penny. Sorry, it is the best I can do.»

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‘Much appreciated good sir, I could ask no more. Your price is most fair for such a service’ replies Finn

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Gwenaẽl is a fisherman.

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Plop - edit about to take place - lol

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Obstetrix shakes her head slightly "I don't know about such beetles, I prefer to focus on plants and people." When Benedict comes in with the drink, she smiles at him, and takes the glass offered. "Thank you very much for arranging this. I guess I will have to sell my wagon, and buy another when we cross. I wouldn't be able to shrink both the wagon, and the horses down to manageable size, and I guess it's bets if I go tell Helmut and Grohel about it." (Benedict and Cath'rrine would know that these are the names she gave the horses pulling the carriage.)

67

The sun sets and the tavern quickly empties. The locals go home for the night. Apart from the magi and their entourages, the only remaining guest is Finn the Bard, and then there is Carl and the groom and a maid.

When you settle the bill with Carl in the morning, Carl reminds you of the situation in Stonehenge. «You know that the Ealderman has outlawed magic and is prosecuting wizards on the tiniest suspicious!? You had better travel incognito. The red cap and the sigils of the Order and most of the Houses are well known to the witch hunters, just so that you know.»

Carl charges a bit more than Benedict is used to from travelling alone, but a lot less than some tavern keepers who are confronted with the ladies' blatant Gifts before committing to a price. No reason to complain. It is all within reason, and the service was good and tailored to the Hermetic guests.

With Carl's help, the horses and carts are sold to a neighbour farmer. Apparently, the business is not unusual at all. Many travellers have to sell and buy horses and carts as they cross the channel.

Gwenaẽl meets you at the docks. A pier has been built, making it easy to board his boat. As you arrive, he is busy unloading fishing nets together with two other sailors. That work is soon complete though, and the sailors start stowing your luggage under strict directions from Gwenaẽl. Everybody else have to wait. Even though the boat is one of the largest ones in sight, you are a big group and it is difficult to see how the boat can hold you all. Once the luggage has been placed, the passengers are directed. The boat is open, and seating is mostly on top of the crates and sacks of luggage. After everybody else, Gwenaẽl finds a place for Finn, next to Benedict.

You are just ready to leave when the tide turns. The sailors get busy and shout commands you do not understand, while they maneuver the boat away from the pier with oars and boothooks and raise the square sail. When the sail is up, everything calms down, and you are able to talk without distraction.

The crossing has been said to take between three and fifteen hours, depending on the wind.

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Obstetrix turns to her fellow Magae "I am glad I do not have my House sigil, but this means we will have to be discreet both in casting spells, and in taking our Heartbeast form. It will be grating on me, to be sure, but I hope to do some good for the poor people who suffer needlessly from this conflict."

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Cath'rinne nods. "I tend to avoid mundanes whenever possible, anyway."

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Betula sits silently on the ship. running her hands on the smooth aged boards, tracing the grain of the wood as if she sees something in it. Sometimes she looks up, whenever a bird calls and seeing it is wrong she mutters something to herself and looks back to the grain. She spends the whole passage in this sort of silent reflection unless spoken to.

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Obstetrix sighs "Yes, as a healer, and a midwife, it's not easy to have even the Gift, and a part of me always wondered what would it be like to have a Gentle Gift, but I know that if I were, I might not have found out about my ability to speak with animals, or to get along in the wilder places, since I wouldn't be ostracized by my fellow villagers."

Obstetrix will occasionally stand at the rail of the ship, hoping to catch a glimpse of the island that's going to be her home for the near future.

72

The sea is calm and the wind is good, and the crossing only takes four or five hours. The tide has not yet come in, and Gwenaël wants to wait to make it easier to dock and unload the boat. You get a good chance to admire the white cliff, and the little fishing village of Dover, not very different from Calais.

You will need to take a day, or maybe two, in Dover to acquire new carts and horses. This goes without incident, unless you want to acquire something more fancy.

At some point, you need to decide where to travel. Some of you have already decided to head for the Sherwood Forest, without knowing more than to head North ... You can quickly learn though, that the main road from Dover leads to the great cathedral of Canterbury within two or three days on foot, maybe twice that in a cart or wagon, depending on how many wheels you break on the way.

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Cath'rinne addresses Benedict after landing. "Do you think we could acquire a good map of the land?"

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Benedict turns from an apparent conversation he was having with the horse, harnessed to the new wagon. He frowns in thought, stroking his chin. "I have a basic map." He walks over, reaching into his satchel, pulling forth a tiny object that suddenly grows as he takes it out. He unfolds it to reveal a map of the Stonehenge tribunal, somewhat lacking in detail, which he spreads out on the wagon bed. "I suppose I could go into London and try to buy a better one, or more up to date... it would be quite expensive, though. There aren't any redcap resources left in the tribunal, that's one of my tasks. I was planning to do some aerial scouting each morning, to plan out the day's route. I need to go to Lux Draconis and Sherwood," He indicates spots on the map, "But other than that I mostly have to look for people that could be anywhere, so I'd be free to accompany you all, if you find that helpful."

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"There are plenty of ways we can get information, if that's what you need, since I don't think we're in much of a hurry. Both myself and Cath'rrine can use our Heartbeasts to get info from the air, and just from being around people. Animals don't usually attract undue attention, and people can talk freely if they think no other humans are nearby to overhear their conversation, like in a barn, or stable.
Do you have any idea where on the map Lux Draconis and Sherwood are located?"

76

Benedict has to pack away the map when it starts to rain. Again. The sunny weather you had on arrival, dissipated when you were shopping for provisions and new horses and carts, to be replaced by fog and rain in unpredictable showers.

Leaving Dover you soon realise that the route does not leave you a lot of choice. There is a good road towards Canterbury. In every other direction you cannot see anything likely to support a cart for more than a few hundred paces. It might be possible to take the cart across a soggy field, but you would spend a lot of time lifting it out of trenches and soggy marshland.

You get another chance to discuss the map though, before you arrive in Canterbury around midday the next day. This is a proper city which has grown beyond its walls, with two grand churches towering over it. When you get closer, you see severe damage to the tower of the cathedral, and scaffolds speak of ongoing repairs. Quite a few houses have also been left in ruins.

The main road leads past the abbey outside the walls and towards a city gate. There are lesser roads too, which would take around the walls, between what seems to be mostly farm houses. It is still raining, but only lightly.

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Obstetrix looks at her fellow Maga, and the redcap. "We should gather info on what caused this damage."

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Cath'rinne nods. "Anything that looks like a possible conflict is worth knowing more about, yes." She doesn't appear to volunteer to go talk to the mundanes, however.

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Finn says in Irish, with no expectation of a reply “I wonder how much silver these folks have for lodgings. I do hope their wealth matches their expectations of quality as war does drive prices up”

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The driver turns to the magae and asks, «Ma'am. Do we continue into the inner city? It looks as if we can take a lesser road outside the walls, if you prefer.»