The man's grip tightens as you start, but relaxes when you offer yourself instead. "I don't set the ransom, that'll be up to a judge. Poachers generally get fined a quarter pound on first offense, not sure if he'll go lighter on you because you weren't actually poaching, or harder because you are of higher status." He gestures for the two grogs to leave and gestures with his arm for where the magus should walk before him. "As for meeting the count, that really depends on when he's back on Malta from his, eh, fishing expedition."
With a quick glance at Antonious to confirm things, Henri starts running for the camp, with Garcin beside him (they both have athletics 2 and a specialty in running). As he departs he thinks "'fishing'; bad for hospital visits."
They make it back to camp around nightfall- are they sent back with ransom money or is someone else going to Mdina to handle that?
When they get back and tell their story, we'll ask Ismael what is the usual procedure and cost for this. It looks to me like there's two things going on right now, first a coverup of the activities at the grotto, although for the life of me, I can;t figure out why the Count would care about the grotto - all of his piracy departs with fanfare and cheering from the Mdina harbor and returns to enthusiastic welcome.
Second is an obvious shakedown - nobility, especially in this environment are always trying to squeeze a coin or two wherever they can, and we have to be careful not to appear to wealthy, or the count will be back often and for more.
I suggest assuming Antonius can handle himself, and send Henri and Garcin back with minimal silver, but perhaps also some other things of value, such as foodstuffs, firewood and such that a poor group of scholars might have instead of coin. Regardless, this trip will actually be to determine the ransom, not pay it directly; I doubt any judge will be available, perhaps not even until we find the right palm to grease to "convene" court to begin with.
While they walk back to Mdina, Antonius will try to engage in a conversation with the Warden:
"If I recall correctly, you didn't catch my name. I am Antonius, name after Saint Antohny the Great by the monks of San Giusto. What is your name and from which region do you hail from?"
"My name is Carlo, I was born in Malta, my mother is Sicillian, my father unknown. If you don't mind me asking, what happened to your eyes?"
"I dont know either my mother nor my father. The monks told me is that I was abandonned at their monastery when I was still a newborn. My eyes.... are curses." He sights. "Maybe the results of the sins of my parents. All I know, is that I was born with them."
Antonius is silent for a long time afterwards, ruminating about his past.
As they approach Mdina, the sky is getting cloudier and at time cover the sun for a few moments. The weather is definitely hot at this time of the season and the song of grasshopers is being heard in the field they After a while, Antonius breaks his silence:
"So, Carlo, how did you come into the service of the count ?"
"My mother was in the service to his father, and from an early age I was as well, though for some reason I was entrusted with more responsibility than other servant boys, and grew rapidly in my position with his family."
When the men get to Mdina there is already a sentencing scheduled for the afternoon.
(OOC: Did the count leave this morning for his "fishing", or did more time pass than I understood. He seemed bored rather than antiipating departure when we saw him last.)
You have never met the count. You have met a different lord- a sort of minor baron.
I am very confused. I thought that the kid we found gambling in town was the lord of the island. And that when he was away he left charge of the island to "the Muslim", whom he did not particularly like. That is why we were trying to decide which one of the two we should approach.
Apparently, the kid was someone different from the lord of the island? Because if the count is the lord of the island, we needed to know whom he left in charge. Because he sure wasn't here. If the count is an overlord, then justice here would still fall to the lordling, not to the count or his man.
Sorry, I am VERY confused. I will try to go through the thread in town the first time, but I don't know if that will get me unconfused.
The petty youth we encountered is the lord of Mgarr, and perhaps other places as well. He is a lesser noble, one of many, who owes fealty to Count Henri Pescador, who is lord of Malta (and a notorious pirate/adventurer). The young lord owns Mggar, while Count Henri owns the "unincorporated" areas, such as Haggar Qim, and the larger cities, such as Mdina. Think of Henri as the Duke, and the young lord as a baron or knight under him. I doubt, however, that their relationship is such to have much to do with each other as one is a silver spoon priviledged sybarite and the other is a battle hardened commoner who won his title on a galley's deck while his sword dripped the gore of countless enemies.
Now I know why I was confused.
A) It never occurred to me that Malta was big enough to have tiers of nobles
B) since we ran into the "baron" in Mdina, and from the way things were phrased, I thought he had charge of more of the island.
Thanks for explaining.
Clearly, just my errors.
It certainly didn't help that we called the young lord pretty much everything under the sun, including "prince"! I accept partial blame here, I'm not sure I ever actually got his name, although it would have come up in conversation numerous times.
Most of the "nobles" of Malta at this point are absentee landlords- the "baron" you ran into (I don't think I gave him a name previously, we'll call him Franco) is an exception, and if you get into that it will turn out that technically it is his uncle who holds title to the lands, he has simply been sent from Sicily to administrate them and act as his uncle's representative.
What the count has is a series of administrators who run Malta in his absence rather than tiers of nobility- those 'absentee landlords' largely exist due to treaties rather than a fealty system...
As Antonius sits in his cell waiting for his hearing, a priest is led in.
"My child, I am told you were raised by monks, and born with these demonic eyes, is this true?"
Antonius was laying on a somewhat uncomfortable bench, his hands behind his head, starring ceiling and planning a more extended return expedition to the caves when the priest entered the cell. The magus promptly regained a more appropriate posture, and now sitting, answered the priest's question:
"It is the truth father. I was abandonned at the cisterian abbazia San Giusto a Tuscania, when I was a few days old. At the time, Ermete Zinna was the abbot, maybe you have heard of him. He was a pious man, as I remember him."
He ponders his words for a while, and then adds:
"I must commend their piety and christian charity of the monks, for they raised me... even if I was a troublesome child.
But you must not have come here to only discuss my childhood ? What can I do for you, father?"
"There have been some questions raised which I have been asked to look into, mostly regarding your eyes. If you were truly born with them than at least I might assume that whatever their cause it is not your choice which leads them into our presence. Would you care for a drink?" He removes a flask from his robes as he speaks and then presents it to you.
"Yes, with joy, although I am afraid, I have nothing to share with you in return except for my company. Even then, most people would not think this has any worth."
As the priest hands him the flask, Antonius says "What is it father, wine ?"takes the flask, and then smells its content. If it doesnt smells like anything out of the ordinary, he will drink some of the liquid.
"In any case, it is a pleasure to met you, father.... ?" says Antonius inquisitively.