(1876-05-16) An Assassination Foiled
An Assassination Foiled
Summary: Log Summary
Date: 2020-05-16
Related: Parlay at d'Etoile
NPCs: Baroness Melanie d'Etoile (NPCed by Alia), A huntsman, NPCed by Elian, Maru, NPCed by Elian and Alia
Players:
Ivo  

d'Etoile Castle
The land, a culvert, a hall. Much fighting.
1876-05-16

At about the same time as it became obvious the cardinals forces intended to move into the lands owned by d'Etoile Ivo received an encoded letter. The code was typical for his families spies, although there is no particular proof that a d'Armaz was responsible for its delivery. All it said was "When the assassins corner baroness d'Etoile the cardinals assassins will strike. Be at the Blue Cock on friday if you want to intervene."

Since then the Cardinal's forces have entered the lands of d'Etoile from the d'Augustino side and immediately proven themselves to be hostile. Their leader, a knight by the name of Sir Hellen d'Straul, has attacked two villages along her path. The first surrendered without a fight and suffered little damage but the second refused and were apparently killed down to the last woman, and child. All in the name of bringing Baroness d'Etoile back to heel. On friday, as the time of the meet happens, they reached the Baronesses current location. There is no doubt that they will attack once the sun is up.

-

Ivo wanted to bring half the army to d'Etoile lands, much simpler to route and/or utterly destroy the Cardinal's forces that way, but the delivery of the note implies that subtlety is required, and so he's travelled in the guise of a merchant down on his luck, along with his groom and two assistants. Or, as they're also known, three trusted cavaliers. All four of them look the part, with the lightsilver sabre disguised in a batter old scabbard that had seen better days by the time his grandfather was born most likely. Similarly, he his pistols are out of sight, and enough muskets for all of them are stowed in the cart that now rests in the stables. Keeping up the act he's paid the landlord in hammers for a room for himself for the night, and room in the hayloft for the others, and now they're sat inside the inn, the three taking a table in the common room, and he a table in the corner at the posher end of the room. Posher being subjective of course, mostly due to being slightly closer to the fire. He has a watered wine in front of him though, which he's nursing as if it's all he can afford for the night, and watches the comings and goings.

-

The man that approaches Ivo at the Blue Cock has the air of a huntsman about him. He's certainly no soldier although his lean frame and calloused finger suggest he's no stranger to the bow worn over his leathers. He wears the badge of d'Etoile on his chest. "You're the Cavalier?" he half asks, half declares when he sits down, barely waiting for a response before he starts to put down the plan. "I'm to guide you into the castle. I leave just before dawn. If you sleep in, fall behind, or fall on your face and bring a hundred of the cardinals men down on us, I wont wait for you." And with that cheery message he leaves the inn entirely. Only to show up just before dawn just outside the inn with a saddled near-pony and a surly impatient expression on his long face. As promised he wont wait for dawn before leaving but luckily the men Ivo brought with him are all seasoned and know better than to be late.

The first part is actually rather simple. You ride for about three hours before he lifts a hand to demand a stop and jumps down from his nag. You can hear the sounds of the attack happening nearby; this location isn't exactly secure. "Don't blame me if you loose your fancy nags." he grumbles as he waits for you all to dismount before leading you a ways towards the castle and stopping on a forested ridge. There's a good view of the attack from here unfortunately and the huntman spits out a particularly inventive curse before looking at your group. "We're gonna have to sneak our way through part of that."

-

Ivo just tilts his head to the side the huntsman as he says such words out loud in a public place. He's gone to the effort of subtlety and everything… Still, the four of them are saddled and ready to go at the allotted time. Leaving the cart behind with one cavalier to ensure their retreat is secure the others are left to secure the horses, and create a diversion later should it be required.

Taking a moment to survey the battle at the castle walls Ivo turns to his guide and asks, "alright then. What exactly is your plan? I assume we're going inside the walls, but when then? Does the Baroness wish to be evacuated from here, or does she have something else in mind?"

-

"What you mean you dont know?" The hunter squints at Ivo as if the Lord has just demonstrated he's a little crazy. "All I know is that Lord Henri wants me to get you into the culvert. Reckon its up to you after that me'Lord." He waves a hand at a shadowy space in the fields before you "Over there. We can stick to the trees most of the way but that last bit might be a bit tricksy. We've one thing on our side though." he looks at Ivo's men. "Well two. They ain't gonna expect anyone to be breaking in, only out. And maybe your men can create a diversion."

It isn't a very large castle. There is an outer wall, a ditch-moat, and an inner keep that looks to be three stories tall. Men in d'Etoile livery are present in good number on the walls and the surrounding force is clearly marked as belonging to the Cardinal's forces. At this exact moment they are mostly trading arrow fire but there are a number of ladders being prepped for a push.

-

"Splendid," Ivo replies, although it's hard to tell if he's happy at the chance for adventure and surprise, or if he's going to give someone a good kicking once this is all over. "And Lord Henri is?" Not the Baroness if he recalls correctly, but a son perhaps? "Anyway, mustn't dawdle, so lets get moving, and yes, my men are entirely capable of creating a diversion. I might even go so far as to say that they're enjoy." Passing on the plan to the pair of them they do indeed seem keen, and a plan is formed for them to inconvenience the cardinal's forces when Ivo and his guide reach the edge of the trees. "Lead on."

-

"d'Etoile" the Hunter provides awfully helpfully before grudgingly answering the question somewhat better by adding "The Ladyships brother."

He leads the small group through the wooded area, sticking to deer paths and natural hollows, before turning to look expectantly at Ivo as they reach the place where they are going to have to finally leave the trees. "Ready?"

-

As they make their way through the woods Ivo searches around with his sorcerous senses and finds the presense of a millpond and stream nearby. It being early still, and the sin not up to burn away a mist, Ivo pauses at the edge of the trees as he starts to form a mist from the water, then lets it roll gently over the land, as if a natural dawn fog. "Wait," he mutters to his guide, "look east. It seems the One has been kind to use and sent a fog. Let us give it a few minutes until his blessing can shield our path."

The One. Definitely The One. Acting against the Cardinal. That's definitely what it is.

Then, once their position is covered by the mist he gives the man a tap on the shoulder to indicate that they should go. Even as to their flank he can hear a decrease in the twang of bowstrings as the archers decide to wait for the sky to clear.

-

The huntman's eyes go east when its suggested, widen, and then narrow again with intent. A quick prayer to the One on his tongue. You run through the gathering fog until you reach the shadowy safety of the Culvert. Once there the huntsman scoops a key up out of a pouch and starts wrestling a very old lock on a rather rusty metal grate open. He swears a few more times and then finally the lock gives way. It takes both of you to pull the gate open and then he's squeezing his lean form inside and gesturing for Ivo to follow. The culvert he leads you through is one that carries drain waters out of the castle. Its rained recently enough that its not to gross but not so recently that the water threatens to overtop anyone's boots. Ideal really. After a bit you reach a solid reinforced door and the man fishes out another key before pushing it carefully open.

You come out in a space best described as an alleyway between two outbuildings and the keep and again the huntsman demands you follow with nothing but an urgent gesture before breaking into a surreptitious run. "Keep your head down" gets hissed at one point when you pass the most visible part and then he's knocking on a small door into the keep proper. Its opened moments later by a crone of a woman who stares at both of you with obvious suspicion before turning her attention back to chopping up a recently deceased goose.

Here the huntman turns to Ivo and whispers "What now?"

-

Ivo had been assuming that Sir Henri would have met them at the calvert, but when that proves not to be the case he takes a moment to consider, then takes charge. Leading them a short distance away from the cook, or other listening ears he says simply, "the Baroness, what is her security like? Does she have a food taster? Has she been walking the walls to motivate her troops? Are her rooms sweap regularly for traps? And has anyone new been added to her servants recently?"

-

The huntsman furrows his brows at the questions and then turns back to the cook. "May." he barks. "Wheres the Baroness?" "In the Hall." comes the answer and the huntsman immediately gestures for Ivo to follow again before leading them further into the Keep. The interior is quiet, almost surprisingly so, but then maybe everyone is on the walls.

You're climbing a tight spiral staircase when two things happen: You detect the sounds of combat coming from behind the door and a moment after realising that you feel the a sorcery detect spell slams into place. With you as its target.

-

Ivo follows the hunter as he makes for the stairs. The sounds of combat ahead and above have him pausing for a moment to make sure he can get a bearing on them, and that's when he feels a magical link attach to him. It's not a nice feeling. Well, the feeling itself is neutral, but the connotations it brings aren't fun. "Move," he says simply to the man ahead of him as she starts taking the stairs two at a time, "someone is trying to kill the Baroness." At the top of the stairs he keeps moving towards the noise, not even breaking stride as he draws lightsilver blade in one hand, and handcannon in the other.

-

The huntsman unslings his bow, opens the door, and.. promptly stumbles away from the opening with a quarrel in his face.. but at least the door is open and you can now see that the Great Hall stretches on the other side. Within that space there are four fingers clad in medium leathers. One is reloading a crossbow. One, wielding just a sword, is moving to attack a woman. Two are armed with a hand crossbow/sword combination and have turned to block the door - you'll have to fight them if you want to get into the hall proper.

-

The men and woman who had been in the hall had not been idle, in the time since the castle had been attacked. Stewards and servants, knights and men at arms had all moved through the castle, trying to secure castle as best they could. The attack had been, not unforeseen, for the Baroness knew the risk she had taken, but unexpected in its swiftness, and so, when the smoke had cleared, she had managed only to secure the services of four of her knights.

And even that had not been enough, for three now lay dead, the red-cloaked Guards tramping over their fallen bodies as they closed in on the Baroness and the loan surviving knight cornered near the fireplace. He was holding the two he fought off, but barely, the cloaked figured slowly whittling away at his strength. Melanie d'Etoile was no knight, no fabled warrior. She was only a noble woman of her House. But she was brave and she did not look afraid. She wore armor, which was mostly ceremonial, meant for court and ceremony, but she had a pair of daggers in her hands. She would not allow herself to be taken, even if she must, in the end, use the daggers on herself.

-

Ivo looks to his right for a second as the huntsman goes down, then turns back to survey the great hall. "Your Ladyship," he calls as he notes that there's no one in range to slash at and quickly sheathes the sabre in favour of his second pistol, "apologies for my tardiness, there was a slight delay." It's called out in the jovial, confident style of someone who wants to give off an air of invulnerability, and also distract the assassins at least for a moment to give the knight and Lady a brief respite. It seems he's distracted some of them at least as two bolts smash into his breastplate, both hard enough to leave significant bruises, even with his gambeson beneath. Never mind though, for now he has a handcannon in each ahnd and fires at the pair who shot at him. One goes down with a hole in his head, the other merely screams in pain. Sadly, one of his handcannons flares back at him, burning his hand, so he tosses it to the side and draws his sabre once more, moving to finish off the injured assailant as he adds to the Baroness, "be with you in a moment."

-

Melanie was busy. Melanie was trying not to die. Melanie was also doing what any self-respecting noblewoman would do, and that was trying to hide behind the cover that the last of her guards was providing. The daggers really were mostly just for show though, and so, she was moving rather than running into the fight, trying to get closer to that window that she could, hopefully, jump out of if she had to. It was only a story drop, surely she'd survive that. Her eyes widened as she saw and heard the door smash open, and new, were they enemies? Charge into the room, guns blazing. kay, just the one with his guns, for her poor ranger was dead. And she was still trying to inch away. Nothing to see here.

-

The d'Etoile knight takes a nasty looking slash to his upper arm and retaliates with much the same. He looks rough but he should survive a little longer.

The gunshot assassin screams as a solid chunk of muscle is ripped away by the ball from Ivo's musket. His hand crossbow falls useless to the floor and he flows into a sword only stance that probably wont last against Ivo for all that long.

The assassin pursuing Melanie finally corners her up in the alcove by the window. A cruel smirk on his pale features and a certain hunger in his eyes that doesn't bode well for anyone who might hope for a quick death.

Meanwhile the woman finishes loading her crossbow and almost casually starts to raise it to point at the d'Etoile knight. She meets Ivo's eyes with her own dark ones, smiles in amusement, and then pulls the trigger. The bolt strikes clean through the knights shoulder and he roars out in pain as he goes down onto one knee. But then, instead of bending to reload her crossbow once more, she raises a fist and starts chanting dangerous words.

-

Ivo can only keep half an eye on the Baroness, but she seems to be holding her own for now. The knight's case seems worse, but there's not much he can do about that for now. Spotting the lady with the crossbow start to cast his heart rate quickens and he tries to push past the guard he's fighting to get to her quicker, but the man make a spirited attempt to stop him, meaning he has to actually put effort into putting him down. Thrusting the sabre into his gut and twisting as he pulls it out again he starts for the sorcereress as her next spell hits him. Feeling your life force literally draining out of you is not a fun experience and it stops him cold for a moment. Eventually though, the gut wrenching feeling stops and he launches himself at her, hoping his blade will do it's work before she can do that again.

-

Melanie was clearly not the sort of knight who earned her spurs on the battlefield. She was more the sort of knight that most other knights hated. Knighted through nepotism, most likely. But that did not mean she didn't know //something/. And when the assassin closed in the two met in that rather sad field of battle. A slash of his blade opened her shoulder. What was it with shoulders, but she managed to drive her dagger in between one of the links of his leather, using all of her strength and her fear to dig it in and she lost it there, leaving her with only the single one. Ah well, maybe she could grab another weapon if she had to.

-

The crossbow wielding null-sorcerer assassin smiles with pleasure as the stolen essence from Ivo flows back into her. "Such a shame I have to kill you." she purrs, apparantly unafraid. "Sorcerers are always such fun. They squirm so."

The knight tries to get to his feet but takes another two slashes and topples like a felled tree. The two assassins who were fighting him turn and move to flank Ivo yet, for some unknown reason, neither of them actually join the melee. Not yet at least.

The assassin fighting Melanie snarls as he takes an injury but keeps coming. His expression promising pain.

Out on the walls battle horns sound as a desperate push to repel ladders begins. Soldiers scurry to reinforce the weakest parts and the screams, clanging of metal on metal, and shouts of commands and fear, drown out any noises that might be drifting from the hall.

-

Melanie should have been repentant. That's what a good noblewoman would have done or been, or felt, but she wasn't. Not in this moment. At this moment, she was simply fighting for her life, something she found that much harder as he returned the favour, stabbing her in the side, before she managed to use that dagger to slash open his throat, and most of his voicebox. She didn't stop as he fell. Instead, she reached down to try to pull her second dagger free again. She might not know how to fight with both at the same time, but she'd take as many weapons as she could get.

-

Ivo is an athletic guy, he's not slow on the sprint, but the sorceress is faster on the cast. He doesn't really see what hits him, there's just an unTirthly shimmer that starts at her hand then races towards him, smashing into his chest and dissipating round his limbs. It's a terrible, terrible feeling, like his soul is being ripped apart as it passes, but his momentum carries him on and somehow his sword and main-gauche find their marks. The benefit of years of drilling and practice no doubt. He doesn't notice the blood for now, even though there's a lot of it, he's just focusing on staying upright and turning to face the two he knows are there. Taking a few deep breathes to steady himself he turns to them and spits on the floor between them and him. "I killed your One be damned Vitch, Now flee! Before I kill you as well." Not that he's expecting them too mind, and he's ready to fight if they advance, but he'd really rather they just fucked off.

-

The remaining assassins do hesitate for a moment. They look at each other, glance to the door, and then look back at Ivo with grim expressions in their eyes. Then, unsurprisingly really, they attack.

Somewhere outside the castle the familiar sounds of aequorian battle horns call for a retreat and regroup.

-

This used to be a nice hall! Clean! Warm! Filled with a dinner she was not now eating! And then these murderous beasts had barged in. Melanie d'Etoile was angry. She was really, really angry, and she did much as the assassins had done and simply ran over the body of the man that had tried to kill her, charging into the ones who were remaining. She'd take them a piece at a time if she had to. Snick, snick, stab stab went her daggers. Which were not as effective as say, real weapons, but you worked with what you had.

-

Ivo doesn't even pause once the pair decide to attack. He can't afford to, but also because his instinct takes over once again. Noting the Baroness enter the fray on his right flank he shifts left a half pace before taking out the first with a slash across his chest. Before the man has hit the floor he's turning on the last of the assassins, gutting the man in mere moments before turning quickly to make sure that there are no others anywhere. It's adrenalin keeping him up now and once he's sure there aren't he lets himself drop down to his knees where balance is less of an issue. "You Ladyship," he starts, looking up to face her as he lets his weapons fall to the floor so he can drag his basic healing kit off his belt, "I don't suppose I could perhaps impose on you for a chair could I? I fear I shall need a moment or two to tend to a few cuts and scrapes."

-

And then there were none. And it was only the Baroness and the brave, well, whomever he was. Her savior, in any case. "Of course!" See? THIS she knew how to do. Find chairs, get people comfortable. And so, she moved to the closest cushioned chair, pulling it over towards where the man was working on himself, reaching down to try to assist him into the chair if he would allow her. "I heard the horns, they are retreating, bit I know it won't be for long. Come and let me help you."

-

Ivo doesn't object to her helping, now the aid in getting to the chair. He's been too well trained by Keir to be dumb when treating wounds. "Sir Ivo d'Armaz," he introduces himself as he binds his ribs, "Captain of the Queen's Cavaliers. Igot word the Cardinal was sending assassins so I came as quickly as I could." He nods to the comment about the horns and adds, "I don't have enough in the way of backup to break the siege I'm afraid. How long do you think you can hold out?"

-

"Good to meet you, Sir Ivo. I do regret it was under such terrible circumstances. Baroness Melanie d'Etoile." She had a kindly voice and gentle hands, when she was not being forced to fight for her life, and on the whole, she helped more than hindered his work, "I do not know. If they siege us, as long as we have to. We have long been putting food to stores, knowing the war might come this way. But I have another problem it seems, for there may well be a traitor in the midst of my folk, for how else could they have discovered what I discussed with Tribune a'Callenta?" She frowned, looking past Ivo and to the door, "We must learn what the current situation is."

-

Ivo seems pleased by that answer, at least he might not have to smuggle her out via that culvert. He does raises a slightly eyebrow as she mentions discussions though and asks as he starts to put his breastplate back on. "What were you talking with Sir Elian about, broadly, it might help ferret out your traitor." Feeling substantively better he stands up carefully, retrieving his strewn weapons, and reloading his good handcannon.

-

"I believe it began with him threatened to attack d'Etoile, and ended with my agreeing that I would not hinder the movements of the forces of the rogue Princess should they need to move through my lands. I gave him my brother Henri to hold as hostage, to make the ruse seem more believable. He is a good knight, Henri and a skilled tactician. He was bidden to help, but not to take up arms in the Princess' cause." She stepped away, as she watched the man rearming himself, "Hold a moment before you leave." he clearly was not going to stay." And then she was gone, sweeping out into the corridor. She did not go far, but soon returned, carrying something wrapped in a leather cloth and a travel bag. "You will need these for the journey." The travel bag was filled with such rations as most rangers carried in the field. In the leather cloth was a handcannon. It was not fancy, but serviceable. The sort that was easy enough to acquire for a holding such as hers.

-

There's a patter of feet in the hallway followed by a little 'eep'. In the doorway is a girl about twelve years old with eyes as round as saucers. "My lady." she squeaks out after the shock has worn off enough to let her speak. "Theres another army."

-

Ivo listens carefully to what she says as she goes over the agreement she has with Elian, nodding as he takes it in. It's something he'll need to discuss with the al'Callenta when he sees him next, but he has no further questions for the Baroness on it. As she mentions leaving he shakes his head slightly, "I do not think it would be wise to attempt to leave via the route I came in by until nightfall. We were lucky on the way in for there was still some morning mist to cover us, but the sun will have burnt it off by now." Besides, he wants to sleep for a few hours. At the presentation of the handcannon he looks briefly surprised, but then takes it with a bow. "I swear I shall return it when my own is fixed, thank you Your Ladyship." He's about to ask for that bed when the girl arrives, and with her news he drops down to one knee to be on more of a level with her height and asks gently, "do you know what banners they're flying? This other army?"

-

The wide eyed girl stares at Ivo in confusion. Where did HE come from? She doesn't seem particularly afraid though. Then, remembering her hard learned manners, she shakes her head. "No Sir. I don't think so. But Sir Hektor. He said I was to tell the Baroness that the Cardinal's Men retreated when they saw them." she looks at Melanie. "My lady! The Cardinal's Men retreated when another army crested Suggor's Ridge."

-

"Not to worry, Maru, he's a friend. A kind and brave knight who did our House a great service." Which was both true, and also an attempt to ease the girl's possible trepidation at the stranger in a hall full of, well, dead bodies. "You did wonderfully, Maru. I will go to seek Sir Hextor and see what he can tell us of this new threat. And I will find you," that was to Ivo, "A place where you can rest safely. Maru, the knight is yours."

-

Ivo eyes the great window at the end of the hall and walk sover to take a look. It's not a clear view, there's still some fog about, and the angle isn't ideal, but he catches sight of a banner as it crest the rise and that's enough to recognise the arms upon it. Turning back to the Baroness he says with a smile, "unless I'm much mistake, Sir Elian has arrived." Then he adds, with some amusement, "better late than never I suppose. It should buy you some small respite at least."

-

Melanie caught that just before she would slip out of the room, turning back to look towards the window, even if it was impossible for her to see anything out of it from the angle where she stood, "He did promise he would come to my aid. I wanted to believe him." She spoke again, in that way of someone recounting something that was of little import, "We were friends, when we were children." She nodded, "Sir Hektor will have a report for us, and you can choose your next actions once we know where the castle stands."

-

Small respite indeed. The Blackthorns set up position on that ridge and hold it, seeming disinclined to attack the Cardinal's forces, at least for now, but their position, forces the Cardinal's Forces to shift their positions just in case Sir Elian should change his mind and decide today's the day. The Cardinal's Forces still maintain the siege for now, but they have repositioned much of their force to protect against sudden aggression from that Stonewall force. And, should Ivo choose to go there after sneaking out that culvert, he will get an opportunity to speak to Lord Henri's. And when he does that, Ivo learns one very curious thing - Henri did not send the huntsman.

-

Ivo turns back from the window and walks back to wards the little girl. "Sir Elian will be keeping them occupied outside. The Cardinal's troops are repositioning, rather than turning tail I think. Still, it'll be tense out there for a while, and what I said before about the cover of darkness still stands." He pauses long enough to search the body of the sorceress for anything of interest, saying as he does so, "I think, if I may be so bold, that the best thing we can do until night is rest, and tend to the wounded. Then, once it's easier to sneak out, we can go discuss the situation with Sir Elian, and formulate a plan."

-

"I can help, a little," Maru said, her chin tipping upward, "My mother is mistress of the kitchens, and I help in the laundry. I know where the supplies are for the healers. You're a healer," she pointed at the detritus of bandages and such that Ivo had used on himself. Well, they must be his. He was all bandaged and all. "Are you hungry? You must be hungry. I'm always hungry. My mother says I eat as much as a full grown man." She seemed quite proud of this accomplishment. And more than happy to entertain the valiant knight.

Melanie, for a wonder, looked amused at the girl's banter, "You will rest, certainly. I will see what I can do to gather information about the force against us. And see to the defenses. Thank you, Sir." She did not use his name, for they were not alone. And children did not always understand discretion.

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