Chapter 7: Homecoming

[color=red]I thought we already paid. Hmm. Anyway, I am certain I can beat their leader in single combat without any overt display of magic. And I think he is more intent on hanging a few people and drafting a few others. We cannot let that happen...

[color=red]I am ignorant of how mundane affairs are managed but I seem, to recall that providing men to the lords armies is expected of communities and I don't see how we can get around that . Perhaps in the long run we can find a legal loophole or bribe someone but at the moment I don't see a way around this. I don't think that killing their leader in single combat would actually change naythign except make the rest more bad tempered. I am sorry I don't see an alternative to cooperation without the blatant use of magic which will get us into trouble with the order

[color=blue]OOC it is mine and therefore Iolar's assumption that we have not paid any taxes

OCC, yeah, Dragor kept entrancing the tax man and sent him home, then asked Aelianus what to do. Aelianus kept putting it off.

Halvard:

[color=red]There is not 20 pounds of silver in all the town.

Do we want to try to bring the other force back to fight this force? Perhaps their demands are more reasonable.

[color=red]We have never paid any taxes Aelanus whispers and I don’t think that we should. We are independent of mundanes. Personally I would happily send them running or burning but there are things to be considered here. Do we want to face the tribunal and can we stand a war.

In my personal store I have four pounds of pure silver coins but that’s it. Where do we let them extract the extra silver? I could let them have some of the silver going to Florum but that is not to prefer either. And if we give them silver coin what says that they won’t be back for more as their struggle demands them to scour the land for more resources.

I say we confront them and stop hiding behind our servant and villagers. We step up announce that we are magi and demand that we should be allowed to speak to their mistress. That will by us time and not force us to bend our backs to mundanes.

We are all gathered wherever it is we are gathered. Roberto turns to his sodales and speaks in Latin with his signature dramatic flare (he even rolls his “r’s” occasionally because he gets carried away with passion and lapses into his native accent)

[color=green]Roberto of Flambeau: [color=red]Sodales, perhaps if we thought in terms of the word “Resistance”, it would make what we have to do more palatable. If we want to declare ourselves a Commune, If we value our rights and our freedoms, If we have the will and the wisdom to call ourselves Magi of the Hermetic Order, then I tell you this day we must stand and Resist!

For if we don’t resist, we should be ashamed to call ourselves true magi, for we will be the same as the mundane scholars you wish us to pretend to be. This army comes demanding taxes and feudal levies. They leave, and when this other army finally cross the ford, then they will come to our walls, demanding more taxes and more conscripts! And you know what these drafted soldiers will be forced to do? Enlisted in two different armies, they will be forced to fight and kill each other. Brother against Brother, Father against Son. And for what? Two rapacious she-wolves squabbling over who gets to rule over us?

I say thee Nay! It is our moral imperative to stand and Resist! Come what fortune may, our lives and honor on the line, we must do what is right! You want these townsfolk to put their trust in us? They work for us, pay us rents and goods and services; yet you are willing to offer them up as sacrifice to mundane powers, forced to fight and die for a cause not their own, unwillingly pitted against their own kinsmen and commanded to spill their own blood? I say thee Nay!

I will stand and Resist, and I know I will not stand alone. We have declared ourselves a commune. We should inform that commander of this, and instruct him to act accordingly. The people of this village, of Novus Mane, are under our protection and our supervision. We claim authority, and we must take responsibility. There will be no conscripts this day, and if there is anyone who deserves to be hung it will be according to our judgment. If there are taxes lawfully due, then we should pay them or at least provide a letter of debt. If he wants to hire mercenaries, we should let him be free to recruit. But no conscripts. This I shall not allow. It is a pattern I have seen replayed too many times, for remember that I come from a war-torn land.

Halvard:

[color=red]Either way ( gesturing to Roberto and Aelanus ) we will have trouble in with the order.

Harvard lets that statement hang for a bit as he bows his head in thought.

[color=red]I'm of the mind of Roberto's path. I do not feel the need to grovel to any mundane.

Then we state our independence. Aelianus takes a firm hold of his wand and Diodorus walks at his feet as he walks forward to meet with the soldiers. The villagers part to make way for Aelianus.

[color=red]I am Aelianus Rober Ex Verditius first amongst equals of this covenant. Aelianus gesture towards the covenant.[color=red] I demand that you cease and desist with his unlawful threatening of my subjects. This is our land and I demand that your so called rule comes speak with us first before she demand anything of us. We are our own rulers. Move away with your soldiers and stop threatening my people and bring this message to your ruler.

The leader of the soldiers looks at Aelianus, measuring him with his eyes. [color=red]We have our orders. Silver and men, that’s what we came for and that is what we are leaving with. We have lawful rights to take conscripts here.

[color=red]I give you one warning. Now leave and your men can return to their homes to night. You won’t stand a chance when me and my soldaes unleashes the fury of the old gods. The choice is yours. Aelianus pulls out his wand.

[color=red]You don’t scare me wizard. The leader of the soldiers puts his hand on the hilt of the sword.

[color=red]Hold!
Roberto shouts out as he steps forward, hand on the hilt of his own sword.
[color=red]My name is Roberto Rodruigez of the Knights of Senca, a Crusader and sworn defender of these people. Under the auspices of the Holy Father in Rome, this town is a lawfully constituted commune. You have no authority here. If you insist upon pressing your unlawful claim, then I am forced to challenge you to single combat, witnessed by the eyes of God and these people here.
Roberto scowls and steps a little closer, hand tense on the hilt of his sword...
[color=red]And I am not afraid of you either...

Intimidation, Pre +1, Leadership 2, and I am willing & able to spend up to two points of Confidence.

Does the blackguard answer my challenge? Or does he do the wise thing and run away?

Having dithered past the point where there was oppertunity to influence events Iolar takes to the air (I presume she did not bother to resume her human form for the earlier conversation with the mages) and prepares to support the others if there is a battle

The leader of the soldiers reply with a sneer. He tries to act unintimidated but it is well to obvious that he does not like to cross blades with Roberto. [color=red]My claim is a just one and I will not fight you, I rather should order my men to hang you in the nearest tree. Defender of God you call yourself, standing shoulder to shoulder with this conjurer of cheap tricks. Gestures towards Aelianus.

Aelianus face turns red. You insolent mundane! Diodorus turns sideways, arc his back, raise his fur and hisses. Aelianus begins to cast a spell, Creo Auram it sounds like…

[color=blue]I push the thread on rather slow so that you may interfere.

Roberto delieratly interposes himself between Aelianus and the mundane commander, and speaks in Latin. [color=red]Hold on, if we need to do battle, there should be as little conspicuous magic as possible. Let them make the first move, and we can claim self defense
If that is not enough, he will cast Thwarting the Thaumaturgical threat, but that is a last resort. I don't want them to know we are all wizards.

(to the commander) [color=red]If you will not fight me, then I call you coward. Will your men fight me on your behalf while you cower behind a tree like a scared woman? You wish to conscript men, and yet the first display of leadership you demonstrate is to cringe and cry like a child? Why your own men don't just thrash you soundly and return to their homes, I do not know. Either fight me or leave. You have no other options.

Marcello:

[color=red]Did you say Lady Adraina Van Brugge? How can she lay claim to this village? We have have Lady Katharina de Backer who also claims this land. What are we to do when her soldiers come for tax and men? Perhaps we should see Count Guy to see who rules this land. Or perhaps you can fight it out with de Backer's men?

Marcello is awesome!

[color=red]Yeah, what he said!

Aelianus cools down a little and stops his spell casting. [color=red]That insolent mundane, he and his like should grovel at our feet rather than impose themselves as our lords. In the blink of an eye I would have made the four winds rip this stinking dog to pieces.

The commander looks at Marcello. [color=red]Well that won’t make a difference, as these are my lady’s lands. So I take what I need to do my lady’s service.

Then he turn to Roberto. [color=red]It seems as you and I have a score to settle. First blood win, there is no need that you don’t return to your mothers bed tonight. The commander displays his wicked grin again.

The commander dismount and another soldier takes away his horse. Clad in chainmail armour and armed with a sword and shield he makes himself ready for the fight. The people around the combatants make room for the duel.

Now any extra preparations before I roll the first five rounds of combat or until anyone draws blood?

[color=red]And what are we to do when Lady Katharina de Backer's troops come to collect the tax again? gestures to Dragor [color=red]He has paid it 3 times to someone.

[color=red]You had better be sure you are right Sir Bernard. Because I will make a petition to Count Guy and if it is proven that Lady Van Brugge does not own these lands I will have you and your men hung as bandits.

Let me make some calculations and I will post my preparations and tactical intentions tomorrow.

Roberto obtains a Round Shield from the armory. This adds +2 to his defense, and brings his total Load to 5 (shield 2, long sword 1, partial reinforced leather 2). This equals a Burden of 2, and since his Strength is +2, his Encumbrance is zero.
In addition, he is under the effects of the spell Howl of the Steel Weapons, which adds an additional +9 to his defense. Thus his Combat Scores are then as follow…

In +1, Atk +11, Def +19, Dmg +8
Soak +3

For his opening maneuver, Roberto will employ Exertion (ArM5 p175), spending a Fatigue level to gain a +6 bonus on his initial Attack (His Single Weapon score of 5 and his Specialization Bonus of +1 for using a Longsword).

He will do this on subsequent Attacks as well if it seems worth it. In addition, he will spend Confidence as needed in order to obtain successful Defense rolls. In the course of the melee, if this tactic is not working, he will switch it up. Perhaps he will use some subtle magic. I can manage a Creo Ignem spont of Level 5 without words & gestures, perhaps something at eye range to dazzle him. Or maybe I will fast cast something. Let me know the situation as it progresses.

(I thought about improving my armour, but the encumbrance penalty to my initiative wasn’t worth it. I calculated that his Damage bonus would be such that if he managed to hit me, it would inflict a wound anyway. I want to try and strike the first blow and get this over with as quickly as possible. Armour is for prolonged combat, and if he fails to honor the bargain it is balls to the wall time and all hell breaks loose.)

Ok, sorry for the delay. This how I will conduct this. Your foe has the following stats: In +1, Atk +13, Def +13, Dmg +8 Soak +10. I will use the dice roller to roll 100 dices and use them in the order that they appear. The first dice will be used to settle Roberto’s initiative and then on I use the dice that I need when I need them. The first magnitude spell will be cast at the end of the first turn and give the commander a -3 to defence in the following turn (I thought that was fair as howl of the steel blade is a third magnitude and gives +9 to defence). Hope I got it all. Next post will contain the battle.