3

“3” Cast: Filius Albus Francois Des Pavel Scene One – A Visit From The Greatest Guy In The World The game opens early in winter 803 with the crops in, winter wheat planted, and the party licking their wounds from the previous game. One of the few grogs runs up to Albus to tell him that there is a great guy waiting at the front gate for him, the grog wanted to let him in and get him some food and beer but, showing just how humble a proper lord can be, he said that he’d wait outside for Albus so he’s standing out there in the wind and stuff so hurry! It’s Iago from Dormus Ortus. After being shown in Iago, who is very excited and seems to be in a hurry, asks that they find everyone they want to travel with and assemble all in one room so he’ll only have to explain things once. Once everyone is assembled he’ll launch right in. Main Points: Everyone knows as much about myth and mythology as the players actually know, you don’t have to play dumb. Everyone knows about the winter and summer solstice and the vernal and autumnal equinox. Everyone can understand that those times are times of potentially increased mystical power. Everyone knows about the planets and stars and the mystical power of various alignments, planets going retrograde and so on. With that basis of understanding we can move forward to what the Moors are up to and why Iago is here. As the players recall years ago Iago said that it seemed that the Moors were looking for something, that they had interests beyond just taking over all Iberia and moving across the mountains into the Frankish Kingdom. Well, Iago is of the opinion that he understands, to some extent what they’re up to and how the Order and Calor Novus have more or less pushed them into what they’re doing. First you need to understand that we don’t have all the information we’d like, we have the pile of letters and scrolls that you recovered from their fortress but that isn’t a list of what they’re doing so some of what I’m going to be telling you is guess work and deduction and may well be wrong in the details but I’m pretty sure of the main points. Years ago a Moorish sorcerer of a bookish bent had a hobby that he’d picked up from his master in Damascus, he was very interested in pagan religions. Not for any religious reasons, we must assume that he is as devout as the next Moor, but as a vehicle to increasing his understanding of his Art and to attempt to learn what ever power the ancients possessed. Upon arriving in Iberia he delved into the local history and local cults as much as his free time would permit, as our enemies are more regimented than we are we can assume that he didn’t have much free time but he collected scrolls, talked to wise folk, and explored the places that he learned of. He was left alone on this course, fiddling here and there, and we must assume learning and growing in power and knowledge. This happy time for him came to an end when you so effectively marshaled the coastal regions and defeated their raiding fleet. That event would change everything. The Moors were stunned by the Power brought to bear on them and also surprised by their lack of success in dealing with the Order in a face to face confrontation. Their powerlessness was further brought home when you travelled to Majorca and bearded them in their den. A conclave was convened and they cast a wide net looking for ways to strengthen their hand in dealing with the Asturians backed by the magi of your House, in this meeting we have reason to believe that this bookish sorcerer showed what he had learned, demonstrated some power he had gained, and based on that demonstration they decided to rigorously pursue his researches. His Master came to show off his “sky bull” which, they say, is as big as a house, made of solid stone, and can fly as fast as the fastest bird. This, thing, it is also said he found, created or was gifted due to his researches into the ancient cults of Babylon. Their political masters would not stop their war and they were compelled to assist but they truly devoted their efforts elsewhere, which is one reason that it was so easy to defeat them. Most of their sorcerers weren’t there, they were off exploring. But what were they exploring and how can they get power from dead cults of forgotten demons? Here then we are moving into more uncertainty and speculation but I think that it works something like this: The ancient “gods” were not much like the true god, either in worship or in their relations with their worshipers. The “gods” had festivals and “holy days”, some of them fall on an equinox or a solstice, some do not, there were many “gods” and only four of those days after all. On these days the space between the “god” and it’s followers was lessened, on high holy days that space is still reduced further. Couple that with conjunctions of the “gods” stars and planets and the space is still reduced further, know the right words and signs of adulation and closer yet, be at a site sacred to the “god” and you might just be able to touch it. Be at a specific location that is holy to this divinity and maybe you can “cross over”. Or something, I’m not sure what happens at that point but we need to find out. If they can pluck giant flying stone bulls from somewhere we need to figure it out before we’re plagued with the things. I’ve found a site supposedly sacred to a Celtic “god” called Esus, a day sacred to him should be in about three weeks, Mercury should be in retrograde, and I’ve had some stories that I found in the Arab’s manuscripts translated for you to read, as they all deal with a legend that is related to that specific spot. As a further enticement, one or two of their sorcerers might be there too. So, when can we leave? They pack up and leave. Scene Two – That Other Divine Regio The trip to the site is uneventful, they take the Father Raymond Bypass to Baron Karl’s place, cross mountains, travels south and west for almost two weeks and arrive. The ground is high plateau, dry and cold at night but comfortable during the day, streams here and there and scrub oak in pockets. There are three large stones (~10’ high and that big around) that form… a Triangle(!) that measures about 40’ on a side, inside the area is grassy with a flat topped stone set into the ground. They arrive at “the spot” to see a camp set up out side the triangle. There are five horses tied up next to a stream with open bags of grain nearby, and five bed rolls, rolled up under a tree. There are the remains of a fire but it’s cold. Apparently the people have left and are not expecting to be right back. There is nothing of interest or import amongst the stuff left behind. There are no tracks leading away from the camp site. At dusk they will get sucked into the region. In the region they will have a very odd sense of being themselves as individuals but at times all feel like they’re the same one person that is interacting with the stuff they meet. There will be hand outs with dialogue on it for them to read one person at a time that person speaking for all of the group. The land is green and pleasant, and nothing at all like where they were. If anyone can tell one regio from another, this is not like any region they’ve been before, it’s not fey, infernal or divine but it could be magical in nature. In between “events” they can feel the right way to go but are under no compulsion to do so, if they want to go “off script” they wont encounter anything, just wander about in a green and happy land. Each event is a chance to follow the script (that they may not even know), if you do it right nothing happens and you progress, if you do it wrong you suffer and the suffering gets worse later on if you go wrong further up the path. You can quit and leave at any time, it’s a state of mind thing. First: I’m tired of walking – an introduction no decision to make other than that you want to keep on going. Second: Meeting Teutatis – they meet the god of war. Decision – give him a drink or wrestle with him. Third: Finding the herd – they come to a river. Decision – cross the river or stay on the side they’re on Fourth: Steal a Horse – the see the herd of Empona’s horses, Empona arrives. Decision – run or fight. At the end of the events the story that they’re in ends and they reappear at the sacred stone circle where they will be set upon by the Moors. Story One Esus was bored. His days were spent idling away, journeying here and there across the new earth, looking for tricks to play, jumping and running, laughing as he explored. He sat at a spring of clear water and, after drinking his fill, plucked a slender reed of grass and reclined chewing the grass and spinning it with his fingers. Laying back he said, “Here I am, foremost prankster and prince of rogues, with no schemes to further my enjoyment, surely this cannot last. How long has it been since I tormented or joked with the other gods? Ah, Esus, you recline too long!” Saying this he took to his feet and bounded to the top of a nearby hill and looking out at the new world he spoke again, “The world is large, even for one such as I, and walking or running can be wearying.” And then the thought came to him, “Ah yes!” he said, “while I walk, Empona, Mistress of horses never does so. She rides like the wind where she will, when she will. Were I to find her herd of horses and take one for myself I would not only be the best of rogues but I would be the fastest or rogues.” So with this prank in mind he set out to find Empona’s horses and steal away with one. He was light hearted and his laughter filled the open spaces as he searched hither and yon across the broad plains and high hills. After some time his bounding and leaping lead him into trouble, bounding over trees he landed on top of dread Teautalis who left his long hall to scour the earth for adventure and danger little expecting to have Esus land on his head. “Knave!” bellowed Teautalis, “would you attack me in the wild?” shaking his mighty fist at the equally surprised Esus. “Ah, dread Teautalis” spoke the quick witted Esus, who loved telling stories “as even the greatest tree looks small from afar so I, from a great height, mistook you for a man and, little knowing the danger I would be in, I pounced. Always have we been friends, come drink with me, and let bygones be bygone.” “A great height? You fell from a great height?” asked Teautalis, looking skyward and seeing nothing but clouds, “Do you walk on the clouds now?” “Alas no, jumping is one of my gifts and thus, using my powers, I jump as high as the sky. Touching the clouds or seeing them from the other side, catching birds on the wing, all these are hobbies to me.” “Indeed.” “Yes, in fact I have jumped to the moon and, being touched by my thoughtfulness, the moon loved me as if she had no other.” Said Esus, being carried away by the joy of telling tales and thinking little of the wit of the God of Strife, but, sadly Teautalis was not so slow as Esus thought him and understood that the spritely trickster was mocking him. “You sport with me, Esus the Trickster, and now I will sport with you. You are foolish to mock in arms reach of those you mock!” and saying thus he grasped Esus before the rogue could react. “Peace, oh impetuous one! My tale grew in the telling but was no mocking of you. Come be at ease, and I will tell you a tale of your valor.” Later the prince of rogues walked along, no jumping as he was more cautious following his landing on Teautalis, when he found, at long last the spoor of the herd of Epona. Long did he track them, for the herd was wiley and moved often, crossing rivers and hills, tracking through the wastes, through woods and swamps. At last after many days Esus came upon the herd. The multitude covered the land as far as Esus could see, the stallions fighting for dominance around the out side of the herd, the mares and the young ones clustered up inside their protecting circle. Esus looked long and hard at the horses trying to pick the best one, the one that would serve him the best, be loyal and strong, able to run with out tiring, brave enough to face the monsters of an unknown world and yet pliable enough to be convinced to carry him. He ruled out many of the feisty stallions as too much work, any many of the mares as having too little spirit, at last, after nearly a full day of study he pick his horse. That night he introduced himself and, speaking fairly to the horse convinced him that this pairing was in his best interest by promising him plentiful food, mares to mate, and a life of adventure and excitement. The next day, while his horse was saying its’ goodbyes to its’ herd mates, Esus caught site of Empona in the form of a mighty horse speeding towards the herd and, not wanting to test her agreeability to his scheme of taking one of her animals for his own, he caught the attention of his new friend and they sped away.

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