Lords of RPG

Shade noticed a lone Knight in heavy armor saddle-up to leave town. He packed extremely light. It piqued Shade’s interest to the point that he was going to follow him this night! And, that Knight!

Shade stopped by the stables and borrowed one of the older and less-likely-to-be-noticed-missing type of horse. The locks and resident stableboy were easy to persuade. Shade would leave it wandering the streets when he was done.

His target was in scale mail and wore a white mask to conceal his identity. He should be easy to follow. “I don’t care who you are. I want to know where you are going in such a hurry and late hour. Furthermore, who are your rich friends?”

The Knight Errand, as Shade coined him, was easy to follow from three or four hundred yards back. Shade knew the bloke was heading someplace near to Toulon. No one rides at that pace for very long.

The trick is to follow from behind far enough that you hear the echo of hoof beats. Then stop every so often to be sure you are on the correct path.

Soon, the prize presented itself. It was a secret lair. Shade had his preverbal work cut out for him.

Create no noise.

Follow the noise.

Cast no shadow.

Follow the moving shadows.

Hide.

Listen.

Learn.

Disturb nothing.

Take nothing.

Exfil on the Ready.

Don’t overstay your welcome.

(Written by Mark)

Shade stayed low, moving from shrub to shrub, staying in low areas where he could, and lining up his approach using the looming shadow cast by the castle ruin across the field.  In several places, he noticed men hiding at the top of the castle walls, crossbows in hand.  And where he saw five, he knew it was likely there was twenty.

He made his way to a different gaping doorway in the walls than the Knight Errand had used to enter, and slinked his way through the inky darkness.  He stopped short of entering the castle courtyard, prone behind some fallen masonry.  He spotted a few crossbowmen on the opposite wall, confirming there were more of them than he had initially seen.

The Knight Errand was dismounting from his black-barded white horse.  The Knight spoke aloud, "I come on the Midnight ride.  Not all that is good - is allowed.  And not all that is evil - is forbidden."

Shade knew the voice.  It was Francios Marchant, the priest they had met with at the Temple of Kempin.  The priest with the planchette!   When Francios said he would inquire with the Order de L'interdit about how to get Shade and his friends back to their world...is this what he meant?  A night of subtrafuge?  A secret meeting in the dead of night?

Shade noticed that a tall figure, wearing the same robes and mask as Francios, had stepped from the dark castle gates and began walking across the courtyard toward the Knight Errand...Francios.  The tall man called out, "Welcome brother.  We came as soon as we received word.  A gathering such as this is risky.  I hope whatever news you bring is worth it."  Shade had not trusted Francois, but something about the tall mysterious man made Shade trust him even less.

Francios signaled to his horse, and walked toward the tall figure.  "I wouldn't go on a Midnight Run without news of the utmost importance."

Shade could not believe his luck.  He was in position to hear everything the two men said.  His palms were sweaty with anticipation, and he felt a tingle at the back of his scalp.  He turned one ear toward the pair, so he would not miss another word.  But, the two men walked together into the castle doorway, and out of sight. 

Luckily Shade was listening closely, because he heard the flight of the crossbow bolt whistling through the air.  Shade rolled to his right, and the bolt skipped off one of the fallen boulders where Shade had been hiding.  He was discovered!

Shade knew he was vastly outnumbered, and he knew better than to overstay his welcome.  The thief pushed himself to his feet, and began running in a single moment.  He shot out of the dark hole in the castle walls, and ducked and weaved his way across the field and into the dark forest beyond.  He lost count of the bolts he heard whiz past him, and he began a pattern, of run, hide momentarily, run, hide momentarily, until he was sure he was not pursued.

His stolen horse was lost to him, so he began the long walk back to Toulon.  Occasionally he would stop just over a hill and wait.  But, no pursuers ever showed themselves.  Shade was confident he was not followed.

(Written by Chris)

Back at the Inn:

“Can you imagine that? I bloody well followed…all night mind you…our newfound friend. He was playing dress-up, soldier…all proper and neat. What a nit!"

"No treasure. I busted butt getting in and snooping’n’pooping. I had to do the splits while me twig and berries camouflaged my ass behind a shrubbery! It was brilliant. Yet, the most idiotic ploy I’ve ever been made part of. And it was me own fault! Because Knight Errand looked the part and I fell for it.”

(Written by Mark)

"It was Francios all along, and all I can say for sure, is that was no meeting with Guards or officials of the state.  For good or ill, it looked be the Order de L'interdit he met with this night.  Just as he had said.  Now, whether they have our good fortunes in mind or not, is a matter for another day."