14.04, Moonday
The Prince Farnol arrived in Naras. In his company came Comtet Hercules of Aramé.
15.04, Godsday - Ostara
Celebration.
16.04, Airday
Prince Farnol holds council. Colonel Hercules is castigated for his leniency, a new harsh policy is lined out.
The heroes of the fellowship are tasked by Prince Farnol to first court the alligance of the Valsangés, then seek to gather the County of Hamvalle to the Arch-Duke's banner. After their mission at the court of Hamvalle is done, they must open a sealed letter given to them by Prince Farnol, and undertake the mission detailed therein.
Comtet Hercules dines with Baronet Francois, Knight-Lieutenant Patric, and Sieur Jacques-Alphonse.
17.04, Earthday
The four nobles leave Naras and travel along the river Gronne towards Naras. They spend the night in Borte, where hospitality can at best be said to be lukewarm.
18.04, Fireday
Leaving Borte, the four and their followers travel further up along the Gronne.
Wrybeaks are seen, and this is taken as an ill omen. One visits Trecore, but
does not annect it. A peculiar hanged corpse that seems to be breathing is
passed by. In light of the ill omens, one decides against pressing on into
dusk, and seeks shelter in Pont-Vieux,
a village under the dominion of a vassal knight of Montcuivre, ill equipped
to deal with so many and so prominent visitors. Bad dreams plague the sleep
of the fellowship.
19.04, Waterday
The fellowship depart, a relief both to them and their host. They pass the Old Bridge, and behold the Banelight Barrows. By the evening they reach Chateau Valsangé, where they are well received. The Baronet Francois, in particular, happily renews his bonds with uncle, aunt and cousin and niece. Grand uncle is as per usual a bit out of things.
20.04, Aetherday
To while away the time in wait of the nobles, the four of the fellowship go hunting with Baron Ariste Sr. as well as Sir Ariste Jr and his sisters the ladies Chrysalia and Chrysabella, near the Great Fall of the Gronne. In the night, one hunts a band of trolls, with valour and good fortune.
21.04, Moonday
The hunting party returns to Chateau Valsangé. The knights Patric and Jacques-Alphonse detour to the Vale of Northfall Wood to investigate some strange flashes of light. Here they encounter a strange circle of mushrooms and bent trees, and later a shieldmaiden pursued by a hobgoblin. They rescue the shieldmaiden, but not before the maiden and Jacques Alphonse have taken grave wounds in the fearsome fight wherein the hobgoblin takes many wounds ere it is slain. The wounded are assisted by a witch (whom Patric insults as regards her age) and the wounded and the carcass are transported by barge and wagon back to the chateau.
At the chateau, the five families are all present in full splendor, and many lesser vassals as well, the castle teems with nobles, men-at-arms and servants. Patric meets many members of his family, most significantly his parents, his youngest brother and his grandfather Sir Cevron of the Golden Teeth.
When the two knights-errant return, they quickly draw all attention to themselves and the living and dead rarities they bring. Baron Ariste Sr is very much agitated, and casts the head of the hobgoblin (identified as such by the more lucid Sir Cevron) into the blacksmith's furnace, vented by the Baronets Fracois and Ariste Jr. Comtet Hercules bears the shieldmaiden to his room, somewhat to Sir Jacques-Alphonse's dismay.
22.04, Godsday
The delayed council is convened. The Valsangés are reluctant to commit, but in light of their enmity with the Montcuivres, and swayed by the oration of all four heroes of the fellowship, they throw their lot in with the Archduke. Baronet Francois negotiates more details, with all of the five families, doing quite well, seemingly.
The Princess Roxanne of Tiragon is called upon by Comtet Hercules, Sir Jacques-Alphonse and Baronet Francois. As she speaks no Frankish, one depends on the Comtet for translations.
23.04, Airday
The Fellowship departs from Valsangé and travels across the Tibellu hills. On the way, the Comtet's dogs draw attention to a tiny humanoid corpse, charred by fire, in the bushes near the road. The Baronet brings it along. The journey is plagued by rain and wind, and making slow progress one must seek shelter in Sigerskløft shortly after nightfall. The dwarves offer "walls, roof, fire and water, by the terms of the Compact". The two knights of Bois-Alsante are recognized for their dragonslaying. Later in the evening, the Bois-Alsanteans are invited into the dwarven delve, where they drink potent dwarven brew with the Sikling Kile and his two sons, sharing news and tales after some initial unease. The men tell of the troll-hunt and the fight with the hobgoblin. The dwarves tell of a disturbance in the shadowworld on the day before the half moon. Their whitesmith examines the hobgoblin knife/cutlass and tells that it is poisoned, but otherwise normal. The Sikling tells of the war with the Comet-Called, and of the large drinking vessel they are sharing, and how it has come into, left, and come back into their possession. The men tell of the goblin attack on Naras, and the ambush at Goblinghost Bluff.
The eldest son, Dvalin, follows Francois out, carrying Jacques-Alphonse whom could not quite handle the brew. Ariste, Patric and the Naamlendings, who have been keeping a vigil for the two, see Dvalin smile at Francois. Geir Arne is utterly amazed by the sight of a dwarf smiling without killing anybody.
24.04, Earthday
A rainstorm keeps the travellers from leaving Sigerskløft. Francois nurses a gruesome hangover. Jacques-Alphonse is significantly more chipper, and shares tales with the other travellers. Patric is restless. Ariste Jr is vigilant over his sister, who diverts the remainder of the knights. The dwarves are not seen again, apart from commoners bringing firewood.
25.04. Fireday
A bright but cold day. The party departs from Sigerskløft, and reaches Hamvalle's edge in the mid-morning. A dozen knights accosts the party at the foot of the watchtower guarding the road and the hills. They question the identity of the travellers. Shown the letter from the Ducet Farnol, and spoken sternly to by Baronet Francois, their leader, "Sir Badger" accepts that they are whom they purport to be. He tells of many evil signs and events in Hamvalle in the recent days: Elves and goblins pad through the night, a woman seen by all as good and virtuous has given birth to a mooncalf, and a sprinking of vile worms has fallen from the sky. A knight has been struck by madness...
As one speaks, horns are blown and attention drawn to a signal flag from the watchtower further east: there is trâm on the prowl.
The travelling knights leave one of their number to supervise the party, which is sheltered in the watchtower, and ride with the local knights to the next tower. There, they are told that peasants have come to the tower from the nearby Coolstream village, which has been attacked during the night.
In the village, they meet the tower commander, who tells them that ogres, goblins and possibly elves have attacked the village and carried off the children, adults and livestock, killing off the elderly and the sick.
The knights have a light lunch on what the raiders have not stolen. Then they give chase, riding into the hills. In the afternoon, they approach the raiders' camp, which is nested in a small oaken holt, and are called out to and taunted by a clear tenor voice, asking for some peaceful settlement. The knights charge, and Francois has his horse shot under him by crossbowmen. The knights force their way into the forest, towards the campfires, but are picketed by ogres. Patric has his horse slain under him by an ogre, as does Sir Etain who comes to his rescue, but Patric then wounds and drives off the horse-slaying ogre, (who will entertain his children with tales of the terrible beetle-man). Jacques-Alphonse is at the very head of the charge, tries to impale a goblin, and then another cloaked figure, who turns out to be a sorcerer, flies up into the air, and tries to kill him with fire. A strange cloud begins following Jacques Alphonse around.
Baronet Francois and Sir Armand join up with Sir Patric and Sir Etain. They are set upon by an ogre chieftain, a hobgoblin and an ogre. Patric blows his horn. In the ensuing melee, the ogre is wounded by the two Hamvallean knights, but Sir Etain is slain by the ogre chieftain, and the hobgoblin grieveously wounds the Baronet and Sir Patric. Jacques-Alphonse comes to their aid, but having lost his shield to the sorcerer's fire, he is vulnerable and has his arm shattered by the hobgoblin, who pulls him from his horse.
Knights, ogres, goblins and black-robed sorcerers converge on the site of the fight from all around. A tumultous fight ensues. As the sides gradually coalecense, the raiders are forced into a retreat, but the knights are too exhausted to claim a decisive victory, and the raiders' camp is not breached.
Comtet Hercules, Sir Ariste Jr of Hamvalle and Sir Jean the Badger take joint leadership of the knights. Gathering up their wounded and dead, the knights fall back, retreating nortwards and downhill, rather than to risk a night battle with trâm and sorcery, they retreat til dusk and then take position on a defensible hill.
At the end of the day, there is one dead knight and four grieveously wounded (three for which the hobgoblin is responsible) among the twentyfour knights who set out. Seven good warhorses have been lost.
26.04. Waterday
The knights retreat back into the lowland of the valley, vowing vengance on the foul trâm and the sorcerers who aid it.
27.04, Aetherday
Recuperation
28.04, Moonday
Recuperation.