<< Session Five | Spring Fountain | >>

Jacques plays some more politics, decides its time to go North to cover his bases there. Aimee raises the stakes of the relationship with a horrible overt display of affection and a scandalous offer of company. (Her mother's views, not hers) Basically threw herself at Jacques.

Aimee: "I read books... I won't be surprised..."

Jacques gives her a kiss, and goes upon his way.

Going North to Stolis to rally his troops, and gets things organized.

Eilwen, and Zelana along with Hugo and company are fleeing in front of some amorphous, huge vengeance, forest spirits. Seeing that they will nip at their heels for the remainder of the trip, Zelana drops back and negotiates for the abatement of hostilities, She asserts her AUTHORITA!! And cows the forest spirits, they mumble something like "KNOW WE ARE LEGION!! THEY WILL ALL FALL BEFORE US!!" Yeah, yeah, heard that before.

At that point since the immediate threat is over, someone needs to go warn Maslin. Eilwen immediately offers to take Hugo, on her back if necessary!

Eilwen: "If you ride me, I'll get you there much faster"

Trying her best to persuade Hugo, she managed a minor victory but was stunned by the next words, as well as was Zelana.

Eilwen was counting on some serious alone time with Hugo was disappointed by the pronouncement -

Hugo: "OK, We'll all go together."

Eilwen and Zelana both: "WHAT??!!"

Followed closely by a muttered: "Eilwen, you horny, stupid bitch"

GM: "Serge or Collette?"
Jackie: "Collette, Please!"

Collette inquires as to whom Guilbert's partner was, Emillie responds with things like, """Nun"" of your business," and "I didn't actually 'see' her face"

Needless to say, Collette appears to be someone to avoid from now on.

Not able to escape, Emillie is cornered by none other than Serge.. Who proceeds to threaten her livelihood, saying since she's not BEHAVING like a squire, maybe she shouldn't BE a squire. Is looking for a little more effort on her part to clean Guilbert up.

Witnessing this entire thing is Etienne, who miraculously offers his services to Emillie, for a price of course...

Emillie: "I can't afford YOU!"

His price is a date to the summer ball, but Emillie picks the dress.

Jacques travels north, talks with Xavier about making alliances and his getting in touch with Hugo, but is interrupted by Octavo coming to him about a disturbance at some of the outlying homesteads. Jacques goes to investigate on horseback and finds one of the altars that is literally crawling with snakes. This is where Octavo (who is apparently a servant of the Slithering Dark) goes all "snakeboy" and tries to attack Jacques.

Yeah. Dark heretic on a mule goes after a horsed, armed Orderly of Saint Gerlant. Riiiight. Jacques SETS OCTAVO ON FIRE and is nudging his horse into finish him off when the mass of snakes behind him on the altar surges up like a slithering tidal wave and crashes over Jacques and his mount. Jacques beats them off and 'cleanses the area' with flame in the process, but by then Octavo had gotten away. Jacques investigates the local homesteads and finds that the families there have been killed -- looks like they were trying to defend 'their' altar from the snakes and Octavo did them in. Jacques has Xavier see to the peasants bodies for proper burial, which is mighty understanding of him, considering they're clearly practicing pagans.

Now that everything's in order, Jacques heads back to Wells to make sure nothing spirals out of control there. Guilbert comes to Jacques just before dinner that evening: he really wants his father (Eustef) to be well, as he doesn't want this position, and now that he sees what it entails, he REALLY doesn't want this. He asks if Jacques will help him save his father and Jacques (despite his much-pursued alliances) says that there is nothing more important to him than seeing Eustef back in control of the Barony.

Emilie hears her 'croaking' toad stone -- a magical charm that warns her of impending danger. ("As though I don't have eNOUGH to worry about!")

Zelana and Eilwen, having reached the marshy eastern border and Maslin's redoubt, see the towers his men occupy are under siege by large tree-creatures -- as they move forward, they are ambushed by a behemoth Frog thing lurching up out of the marsh.

Author's note: I'm working from memory here, if anyone has anything else to add or correct as far as facts go - Robert feel free to pipe up here - please make corrections. As of now, not complete by any stretch of the imagination, still have some things to add.