Session 46: A visit from the Emperor. Report

General Summary

Grimmaz is called upon by Mikael, the local sergeant-at-arms. There had been a couple of instances that needs to be checked over before Charlemagne arrives later in the day. Two foreigners were arguing in the sacred grove. One a Dacian and one an Iberian, with the latter saying 'Holy ground, Dacian, holy ground. Remember your training'. They left shortly after, the Iberian going slightly to northwest, and the Dacian slightly to the northeast. Both would have been in the direction of a smallish stream that flows west to east there into the larger stream in the east. Also a body of a decapitated Northman was found in the same area.
Also, some time during the night, someone was heard tampering with the locks of the church. Upon examination, a person had been in and tried to get into the vault entrance behind the altar. No damage had been caused, though the rug that covered the entrance stone had been pulled back. Someone had been spotted roughly half an hour in the same area. One of the monks & Father Tossil confirms this, and a guard is placed round the church in case of any further bother. Damage to the doors has been noted too.
After a quick visit to the Council, Grimmaz heads out with Kulug, Alfre &  to check out the people seen at the sacred grove. There he follows a path that has recently been used after speaking to the two priests. A horse was heard at some distance as if one of the two had it available, and the Dacian was noted to have a longsword of slightly different shape unseen by anyone. It had the tip curved inwards with the cutting edge.
Alfre got sent on ahead, and quickly reports back that a human male is by the stream at a makeshift camp, and there was someone up a tree near the man. Spreading out the two guards (of the Burgeaters group), Kulug & Grimmaz approaches the tree then turns towards the man. They approach, and is greeted by ther Dacian. His name is revealed to be Viktor, and from the east. He is passing through going north to look for mercenary work. He is invited to the village so he can be sent from there north with the hope of employment at the front line. And he is then made aware of the person up in the tree. He then informs the group that then he feels the person. He also says that the Northman would've been beheaded by the Iberian who is an enemy mercenary.
The group travelled back to the tree, and tried to get the person down. All they can tell is the person is male. Alfre gets sent up into the sky to throw stones & pebbles at the person to try to get them to move down and the person thinks the stones are being thrown from below. They refuse to budge, and Grimmaz sends one of the Burgeaters back to the village to get a group of archers. The person jumps from one tree to another and it takes a minute for Alfre to realise this & report back. Eventually persuaded to come down, that they won't be harmed, a cat-person (Tabaxi) appears. They introduce themselves as Realos Rhin, and was resting up the tree, and could smell the fish Viktor was eating.
They set to return to the sacred grove with Reolus under the protection of Grimmaz. They can make out Viktor up ahead and calls him back to travel with them. Following the path to the northwest they find an area where a horse and camp had been. It seems the Iberian had a horse and made off pretty quickly since. They headed back to the grove where archers are starting to arrive and are sent away to take up defensive positions.
In the village they report back to the Council, and they go to Father Tossil. At the same time Kulug turns to Viktor and asks / states that he is a Dacian isn't he? Turns out that they were a tribe around the Black Sea of horse people similar to the Huns. Tossil also points this out and that Kulug is a Mongol and had a similar upbringing. He also states that they were in the process of preparing the Northman's body for burial, and that there was absolutely no mark on the body. Nothing, no disease, no injuries, not even ear & tear on the teeth. Grimmaz asks for the hands & feet to be bound together in case the body tries rise from the grave.
A few minutes later Charlemagne arrives and organises food & drink to be brought to the village hall, along with many of the troops to be sorted out accordingly. They will be staying the night and travelling on in the morning. He asks if Viktor is a fighting man, and is told that he is a mercenary & that he will travel to Aachen to be employed there. Reolus will likely stay behind and has the decision of what to do from then on. Viktor asks if he can be given a horse as part payment and the other half in coin. Grimmaz gives him a charger from the town stables,  saying he can get full payment instead, and to return when he is finished up north. Reolus is offered a room in the inn for a couple of days.
Everybody meets in the village hall, and both Grimmaz & Reolus gets to talk to both Charlemagne & Count de Ath (the right hand man of the former). At this stage Reolus is almost entirely oblivious as he feeds his addiction for fish. Shortly later Charlemagne and the nobles got to relieve themselves in the outhouse before going to the church for a service.
Suddenly a ruckus can be heard out by the outhouse. A black clad figure dressed in black leather armour, cloak, gloves, and face coverings has been killed. A poisoned knife lies in his hand. Grimmaz looks at the face the eyes are cat-like and the nose etc is hairy. Removing the covers, it seems to be a cat person. Grimmaz gets Reolus after noticing what appears  to be a branded mark on the assassin's right cheek. It appears as a money pouch with a knife through it, similar to the pouch the assassin is carrying with a knife hanging from it. When Grimmaz gets Reolus out while still eating a fish, Reolus doesn't recognize the design but feels deep down that there is something about it, but just can't work out what. The nobles are in uproar but know this was a surprise attack, and are warned they are on Grimmaz's land and he upholds the law and the protection of the inhabitants. They calm down quickly knowing it will be followed up. Charlemagne wasn't harmed and the body is moved to an empty building for further examination. Also, they found a note on the body saying 'Charlemagne', and two drops of blood.
At this point, the episode ended.

Rewards Granted

5800 XP

Missions/Quests Completed

Got the worst of it over with the visit from Charlemagne.

Character(s) interacted with

Count de Ath, Alfre, Viktor, Bjorn Mikeal Andolf, the Burgeaters, Meaven, Fleur, Father Tossil, Kulug Jocki, Charlemagne

Campaign

9th Century Earth Dungeons & Dragons 5e Campaign

Protagonists

Grimmaz Fyrwin

Neutral Human ()
Fighter 14

144 / 144 HP

STR
18

DEX
18

CON
18

INT
14

WIS
14

CHA
14

Report Date

19 May 2023

Primary Location

Eschbach

Related Characters

• Mikeal Andolf
• The Burgeaters
• Alfre
• Bjorn
• Charlemagne
• Fleur
• Kulug Jocki
• Meaven
• Priest Father Tossil