The Chronicle of the Fellowship

Chapter V, Ylir, 6588

11.13, Fireday

Fully recovered, Baronet Francois and his cousin Sir Jacques-Alphonse left Bois-Alsante to deliver the dragon's heart to the Count of Gronne-Haute. Baronet Simon still had to keep to the sickbed for some time.

13.13, Aetherday

Slowed by snow and bad weather, the party do not reach the city of Naras untilthe hour of the Ox on this day. The weather grows steadily worse, as the host of Hell rallies in the Underworld. The fellowship stays in the main hall of the house of Bois-Alsante all night.

14.13, Moonday, Nerganalia

Violent storm through day and night. Strange dreams abound.

15.13, Godsday

Mass at the Cathedral to celebrate the end of the . Something catches the eye of Sir Jacques-Alphonse.

17.13, Earthday

Baronet Francois and Knight-Lieutenant Patric spends the night in vigil, in preparation of the duel the next day.

18.13, Yule's Night (Fireday)

The third duel 'tween Baronet Francois and Viscomtet Yanitole is fought in the courtyard of Chateau Naras, at high noon, when the Hour of the Dragon strikes. Francois is wounded repeatedly, yet he does not yield, spurred on by his love for Comtette Columbina. Galled by Francois, Yanitole grows rash, and bares himself to a tremendous thrust from Francois. As Francois shouts forth: "Die, Hadesian!" his blade finds the right eye of Yanitole, and the deadly blow pierces deep into the skull of the young son of Montcuivre. The assembled nobles stand shocked both at the masterly blow, its fatal outcome, and the enormity of the Baronet's accusation. Yanitole's elder brother, Viscomtet Raphel, faints, and their father staggers, at this blow to their family and to their family's honour. No sooner has Francois's opponent fallen, than he himself tumbles, weakened by his wounds.

Francois later recovers, and attends the Yulenight feast at the castle. He brings the

The late night is rent by a thunderstorm coming from the west.

19.13, First day Yule (Waterday)

After the Ecumenical Mass, Baronet Raphel announces the Montcuivre family's departure from Naras, and their intention to seek the Regent's help in regaining their family's honour. His speech is widely regarded to be quite stirring, as well as extremely well phrased.

Colonel Hercules holds a meeting of his staff, debating their strategy in light of the recent developments.

Baronet Francois has a nightly clandestine conversation with Count Carl-Eugeny, lord to Naras and Gronne-Haute.

20.13, Second Day Yule (Aetherday)

Patric is summoned to Colonel Hercules's chamber, and is appointed Captain of the City Guard. He is given a writ for the Count to co-sign. The Count does so, with very limited enthusiasm.

Patric informs his two fellows from Bois-Alsante, and the three of them seek out Marc-Leon of Valsangé, whom Patric appoints lieutenant and puts in charge of the investigations of suspected Hadesians. He appoints Sir Hannibal of Ascaxette-Cordelle (from his lance) lieutenant and puts him in charge of the Guard's cavalry.

21.13, Third Day Yule (Moonday)

Sophus receives an augury, regarding the dangers to the Archduke's cause in Naras, during Yuletide.

It starts snowing again, quite heavily.

22.13, Fourth Day Yule (Godsday)

It keeps snowing, though with lesser intensity. The county is covered by a thick layer of snow, on top of steel-hard ice. Riding is entirely impossible.

Masses are held to the individual gods.

23.13, Fifth Day Yule (and sixth night) (Airday)

It ceases to snow, but the cold is more biting than ever.

Sir Jacques-Alphonse spends a late night fraternizing with the soldiers posted at the gatehouse. Around midnight, he stumbles onto masked people bent on taking control of the tower, he valiantly drives them from the floor he has been staying on. It is discovered that the enemy controls the small tower and the lower floors. The means of raising and alarm have been removed or sabotaged. The gate is opened, and a mass of goblins start towards it from the foulburg. Sir Jacques-Alphonse sends a runner to the Witch Tower, and personally shuts the portcullis, though he is eventually put out of the action by a multitude of wounds.

Captain Patric sends the waking guard ahead to the gatehouse as soon as he hears the alarm, but they are instantly cut down by forwards-surging goblins. Patric follows with a detachment about twice as large as the first, going along the walls and into the large tower.

After Patric has left, the Witch Tower is attacked from within, by traitors. Knight-Lieutenant Hannibal, along with Ferron, Sir Silvester and Sir René, lead the loyal guards in the towers defence. The treasury and some papers are stolen, but the loyal men are able to keep the powder chamber from being put on fire.

The second detachment led by Patric arrives too late to halt the goblins, and are also unable to take the gatehouse on the first two attempts. The large tower burns. On the third attack, Patric is successful. A single goblin is found dead in the gatehouse, Jacques Alphonse is found alive, though barely.

A goblin assault on the cathedral quickly flags and is abandoned. the Arch-Duke's men's vigilance over the grain stores keeps the goblins from putting them on fire. Some houses are damaged by fire, and a few burn down in the Corneilles area, but there is no conflagration like that which occured late in Kornskurda this year. Most significantly, the Montcuivres' city manse burns.

The Ducal troops join the city guard in hunting the goblins, and are in turn joined by the Count's personal guard and eventually by the dwarves, at which point the goblins slip over the walls and away into the Oskorei night. All the warriors chasing goblins manage to take down a single one...

All in all, the night is characterized by narrowly avoided catastrophies. One shudders to think what would have happened had the goblins gotten out into the city without any warning from the gatehouse.