25.09, fireday
Dawn finally broke over a city in crisis. Along the Waterbearer Street, the embers were still glowing in a char that was all that remained of two dozen houses. The ravage of the fire extended from South Road almost to the Market road, and even the Grim Hornblower had been zinged by the fire. The unnatural violence of the fire had made it spread with unusual quickness, yet the mercy of Terminus and the City's spirit (as well as the nearness to the Fountain) had allowed the burghers to contain it quite well.
The Fellowship bore many a mark from the night's confrontations.
- Baronet Francois had broken both arms in his fall, and was bruised over most of his body. Furthermore, as the night wore on, he began to feel weakness, spastic paralysis, abdominal pains and repiratory difficulties setting in. He called on Flamin, who examined him, and who then called on Marcus. The two Terminant priests used their occult powers to strive to ward of evil sorcery and cast out vile spirits. This proved of little use. They then called on Doctor-Protector Sextus, who quickly determined that a hemlock poisoning had taken place, and administered mustard and hot wine, as well as planting a few lancets. It was a night of pain and peril, but Francois was saved from blindness and death by his superior constitution, his skilled physician, and the grace of Terminus. The question remained: Whence had the poison come?
- Sir Jacques-Alphonse was severely bruised, slightly burned, and had a throbbing, inflamed wound on his cheek... This wound proved to be impregnated with a most fell and deadly poison, and despite the competent and inspired care of the physician, it was only with great strain that Sir Jacques-Alphonse was purged of the venom, which racked him with pain, fever and delirium for six strokes, until the hour of the Dragon, next day.
- Knight-Lieutenant Patric had suffered fractures to the left arm and hand, broken ribs and a multiple fracture to the leg. Additionally, he was still gulping up water at intervals.
- Six of the 2nd Lance died from their burns (including Pepin),and the remaining six faced a long reconvalescence.
The Terminant faith seized on the opportunity to spread their word. The fire had served to remind the cives that they were ever dependent on the mercy of the Lord of Walls and Cities, and the Terminants harnessed this anxiety with great ardour.
The corpse of the man known as Silvester was nailed on a cross and paraded through the city, with signs and criers proclaiming it to be "the body of an evil sorcerer and hellsworn priest, brought to an end by the Archduke’s knights". Before this was done, it had been evicerated and filled with salt, to avoid any mishaps.
With this central symbol, the Terminants were able to carry the day. Though the lack of dwarves/kobolds was somewhat inconvenient, they could point to the fact that only the Archduke's men, foremost of them Baronet Francois had faced the hellfire, whereas the Count's guards had remained safely out of danger, only stirring from their passivity after the disaster was a fact. The masterful rhetoric and eloquence of Head Warden Sophus will be long remembered.
In conference, it was determined that the city air seemed unhealthy to the Bois-Alsante blood, and that the Baronet and his cousin should venture to their homeland, where the air is fresh and no man is a stranger.
Further dredging of the Gronne river brought up substantial amounts of plate armour and silverware.
Francois was for obvious reasons unable to keep his appointment at the Bishop's Manse at the Hour of the Dwarf. This was graciously accepted.
27.09, aetherday
A strong escort (including the Fraegings) transported Francois and his
cousin to Bois-Alsante.
15.10, godsday, Festival of Mabon
Francois spent Mabon reflecting in his family's castle. He reflected that
he had been given a wondrous opportunity to serve his deity, and gloried in
it, and was grateful that he had been able to earn this boon. He felt a tingling
fear that the design of Terminus might conflict with his family's, and was
pleased that this design might lead to the fulfillment of his love, and to
his glory and fame.
He received a letter from the Lady Columbina, and read with much effort and joy, that she was concerned about his health, and very anxious to meet him and behold him once more, pledging her love, though there was a fearful mention that Yanitol was once more recovered, and strutting around the city and castle... With the aid of his Terminant mentor, Francois composed a letter telling her how her beautiful words had uplifted him and brought him joy, his love being strong and everlasting, his sole regret in his present condition being his inability to meet his love and serve his Lord, and serve Yanitol his just desserts.
24.10
Baronet Francois received a messenger from Colonel Hercules, who commended
his valour, commisioned him a captain, and commanded him to raise a company
(implicitly: of whatever he could commandeer). His expenses would rather be
reimbursed when he presented his company in Naras on Candlemas. There was
cheering in his private fyrd. He resolved to speak with his father on the
matter.
The blood of Bois-Alsante proved strong, and Francois body made a rapid recovery, despite the many abuses it had been subjected to.
28.11, Moonsday
On the eve of Samhain, the Bois-Alsante castle was visited by a questing knight, on a wonderful black charger. The man carried a blue shield emblazoned with the four eyes of Terminus, and introduced himself merely as a knight-errant, known to some as Laurentius. He was an extremely large and powerfully built man, with a full red beard.
01.12, Godsday, Samhain
On the day of Samhain, while Baron George sat in court, Sir Laurentius asked the recently recovered Francois to ride with him for a while. The young lord replied that he would be honoured to do so. It was a cloudy morning with a light covering of snow on the land. The Knight Laurentius offered him much sound advice, and something more...
02.12
On the following morning the Baronet Francois asked his brother Baronet Simon, his cousin Chevalier Jacques Alphonse and his dear friend Chevalier Tauron de Tourvieille if they would perchance hunt a dragon with him. "But of course," they proclaimed in unison (some more so than others). Jacques Alphonse and Tauron immediately walked off to get their equipment ready for departure, but the brothers managed to persuade them to attend mass first. This they did with great valour. Later that day, they paid a visit to the Baron to obtain his blessing. "About time," the Baron said. The rest of the day was lost in preparations, such as digging out the dragon shields and fireproof padding from the Bois-Alsante armoury.
03.12
By sunrise the following day, the fellowship was on their way. The fellowship included - in addition to the four brave knights - the Fraegings of Arne Fritjofsson, shieldbearers, servants, baggage and a guide. They rode westward for several hours through the barren winter landscape of the barony, as they had heard tales that a young male dragon had made it's lair there. After a while they entered an area where the ravishings of the monstrous creature had made it's mark upon the countryside, and the company passed several dragon runes scratched into the very surface of the rocks themselves! One of the knights noticed a solitary column of smoke rising from beyond the third hill to the left, and they rode toward its origin. They discovered that the smoke was rising from a caves entrance.
They prayed.
When everyone had said their prayers, the four knights strapped on their shields and drew their blades before entering the darkness of the cave. By Jacques Alphonse's torchlight they made their way through the somewhat narrow passage, and arrived in a larger chamber. They formed a battle line and advanced cautiously. As they made their way through the chamber they became aware of a sound much like heavy breathing originating from a gap in the wall before them. A feint glow emanated from what appeared to be an even larger chamber beyond. Simon closed his visor with an audible metallic "clonk". They felt a rush of air, and everyone quickly ducked behind their shields, before flame washed over them in a raging inferno. The knights were protected from the blistering heat by their shields and their armour. They spent a moment regaining their senses, and Jacques Alphonse threw a lit torch into the chamber from whence the flame had come. A second conflagration engulfed them, and Jacques Alphonse was not able to duck completely behind the shield. Flames licked around the top of his helmet and he fell down, unconscious from the terrible heat. The three remaining knights started their advance towards the dragon's chamber, with Simon at the rear. For the third time the dragon spewed fire and this time Tauron failed to protect himself completely. His sword-hand was crippled by the searing dragonfire, and he fell back. Francois pushed forward and entered the dragon's lair ahead of Simon. There he beheld a terrible sight. The beast was three times the size of a warhorse, covered in scales gleaming red and orange in the flickering torchlight. The side of it's huge winged body lay before Francois, it's long tail terminating in a stinger encircled him to the right, and to his left Francois only saw a blur of teeth and horns and scales as the head of the dragon lunged towards him. The brave Baronet raised his shield, but it was too late. The jaws closed around the shield, impaling it as well as the knight's armoured hand. Francois howled in agony and tried in vain to strike the creature with his sword, but the dragon, with a toss of it's powerful neck, threw him across the room into one of the walls. At the other end of the dragon, Simon closed the distance and attacked. The lone knight tried to close with the main body, but the poisonous tail kept him at bay. The monster breathed hellfire, but the doughty baronet crouched behind his shield. As the fire died, Simon leapt forward plunging his sword deep into the foul dragonflesh. The beast was filled with fear, as it understood that this was a valiant knight, a god-fearing man of honour, and recoiled from his fiery gaze. It flew back into the depths of the chamber, and Simon was left unscathed. He was joined by Jacques Alphonse and Francois who were now back on their feet. The peers formed a battle-line, only slightly disturbed by a burst of fire from the darkness. Side by side they made their way towards the dragon's last stand. The dragon swept its tail alongside the cavern floor, but Francois took the blow upon his shield. The shield was splintered, but the knight stood his ground. Jacques Alphonse lunged forward but failed to strike the tail. All three knights now charged the beast, forcing it up against the wall. Jacques Alphonse climbed onto its horned back driving his blade in between the scales, Simon attacked the side of the body and Francois struck against the chest. Against these three fearless foes the dragon thrashed, clawed, spewed flame and snapped at them with its mighty jaws. Jacques Alphonse was slammed against the wall of the cave and passed out, but the two brothers kept on stabbing the monster. Simon was badly burned, and was brought down by a terrible bite. Seconds later Francois plunged his blade deep into the chest of the dragon, just as the monsters jaws closed around his shoulder, and man and beast hit the ground together.
Then there was silence.
The knights were carried from the killing ground by the Fraegings. After the dragon's heart had been cut out, the unconscious dragonslayers were brought back to chateau de Bois-Alsante.