[en] The Tavern at the Inn

[Angryminer]

Angryminer's Tale
Chapter 15

Bad news, the local nobility doesn't seem to want to support us with more soldiers. But this Sakim offered us nevertheless to support us with as much as he can effort and he said he will follow us on the journey against Constantinople.
He seems to be very courageous. I begin to understand why Sire Dobber counts him to his closest friends.
We boarded the ships again and sailed out of the harbour. While I am writing this we are loosing sight of the harbour and will turn soon westwards where we are to meet Sakim again in two days. I close the log now, I'll go and give Kuno some training in swordfighting with a shield now on the deck.

Angryminer

[Traveller]

Traveller's Log - May 28th
Mouse, cheese and...

It seems the two "double-traitors" didn't lie to me! It has been proven that all those, who were accused by them are really a part of this spy network. 22 men were publicly decapitated yesterday. I can't let the other soldiers think they can commit treason without being punished! Ofcourse, nobody knows about the two, that are left. And for their own good, they better keep their mouths shut!

Today the reinforcements were supposed to come. I thought this is a good oportunity for the assassin to mix with them, while they march to us and that he'll probably use this chance. That's why we prepared an ambush for him. During the night I took some men with me and left the camp. We separated on two groups, with each there was a "guide". One gorup left to see if the information about the assassin's location was right. And my group went to reach the reinforcements and warn them of the ambush. Both groups had to be very careful not to let the "informers" to escape AND not to be noticed by the assassin.
We reached the Bulgarian camp in the night. I guess they took my recommendation too serious and they nearly shot us! Luckily, they recognized me, some of the men had seen me, while I was in service of Lord Nike. I spoke with their commander and discussed the plan with him. He thought the plan's too risky and the Romean could escape, but since we had nothing else in mind, he agreed with it. We remained in the camp, because we would travel with them to our camp, watching for suspicious elements. But we had to hide in the commander's tent, so that we won't be seen from unwanted eyes. I hope the commander won't hate us for disturbing him, although one of my companions snored like a lumber-mill! The next morning (today actually) everything was normal. The men extinguished the fire, collected the tents and prepared for the road. My men and most of the horsemen in the army were on their horses, ready for an eventual pursuit. But I hoped we won't need to come to this. And so, we continued towards our camp. It all seemed peaceful, there was no sign of any kind of movement. Only the birds sang from the nearby forest. "Could've he saw the other group and ran away? I hope not! Then we'll never be able to catch him! But, no, wait!" I was riding at the end of the column, so that I could see around clearly. "Where did this guy came from?", I thought. There was a man right next to me, a man that wasn't there before. Thank God I had put my hood on and he didn't recognize me! He weared armour exactly like the Bulgarian type. He even had the signs of a lower Bulgarian officer! But I didn't saw him yesterday in the camp and I saw ALL of the officers there. "I should test him!", I thought and then I said on Greek "Hey, your mantle's unbuttoned!" He instinctively reached his hand to his shoulder, unwittingly showing he knows Greek. And yesterday the commander told me none of the lower officers speaks Greek, because they weren't so well educated as the high officers! I jumped at him and knocked him down on the ground. We started fighting and suddenly my hood fell. When he saw my face, he recognized me. Hatred was burning in his eyes! With an unexpectable strength for his body, he throwed me away and pulled out a dagger from somewhere. He threw himself at me, but I wasn't able to defend. Only a few more seconds and I would be dead! But the Providence was with me and an arrow pierced his hand. I nearly forgot I was travelling with a whole army! They had seen I was fighting on the ground, but couldn't shoot, because they might hit me, too. But now that his body was clear, one accurate archer saved my life and rendered the assassin harmless. Seeing this, the Greek tried to escape, but how could a bare-footed man escape from horsemen? They captured him and he's now in chains in our camp. Some very skillful men are "persuading" him to talk. And we're also examining what we found in him and in his camp. He'll soon talk! ... He better do!

[Heretic]

I think it will be good to have a new character, so if you let...

Desert Notes

For travelling across the deserts the camel serves the best. Caliph sent me a letter where invited me to Alexandria. It was a short letter, but I knew Caliph well and I could understand that there is something serious, even without many words. He also asked me to take the best camels and my faithful horse, so I must go to meet him quickly.
Tomorow I'll leave the town. Or maybe this night. The sky is clear, it will be cold...

[Angryminer]

Great, Heretic! Welcome to the story! :halloha:

Angryminer

[Wowlop]

Why not have one more.

Wowlops logg May 17th

My crew and i have been digging for days. We have finaly compleated our task. The tresure is buried and we have burned all evidence of our pressince on this mysterious island. Last night i could have sworn i saw something in the shadows of the fire light but i convised myself otherwise. It appers this island has a stage effect on one's pressince of realality. I have noticed a strage rash on the men's faces but they apper to take no notice of it. Who ever inhabited this island befor us must have placed a curse on it i swear by the gods we migh all perish here if help dose not arrive soon.

[Dobber]

June 6 - Dobber's log

I do not know what happened to Commander Angryminer and the other 3 captured ships, I hope they have not run into any trouble. The winds have been very favorable to us. Maybe that is why they have not arrived yet. And they could have been detained in Africa a few days longer than I anticipated. We are outside the seagate at Constantinople. Earlier today a launch was sent out with a Captain and a few men to meet with me. It appears the spy, I sent ahead arrived with the news that the force of Normans that had been requested by the the Emperor of Byzantium, was to arrive by sea. The Captain acknowledged they had been expecting the reinforcements. We had our Norman flags flying, and I had all the men that had received the captured Norman armor in view about the decks of the ships, all others were under orders to remain hidden below deck. The Captain asked all sorts of questions about the trouble he had heard that our "Norman" brethren had been having at home. I explained that as we had been at sea and away from all news for almost 2 months, that I was unaware of the trouble he was reporting. I stated that maybe we should turn around and go back to our lands to help our countrymen there. The Captain then reminded me that his Emperor had forged an alliance with the Normans and that troops had been promised. (Good he thinks we are the real thing, that we are the troops promised by the Normans , before we had defeated them in the great battle for Mercea!) The Captain said for us to remain where we were, while he reported back to his superiors and the Emperor. He stated that once they were satisfied with his report, the seagate would be opend for us to sail into the inner harbor to unload our ships. All seems to be going well. I wish Commander Angryminer was here with the rest of the forces, but we will do what we must, maybe he will arrive to help us mop up the countryside. And of course we will have to hold the city once we have taken it.
I called a meeting with all the Captain's to go over our plans for once we are inside the city walls. They all reported that the men have a great lust for battle and bloodshed.

Late Afternoon

The Captain returned and informed us that they would be opening the great seagate and that before we could sail in, they would have to move some of their ships out of the harbor to make room for our fleet in it's entirety.
We are to be ready in the morning, 2 of their ship's crews had been on furlough and would be returning to their ships this evening.
Tomorrow we fight!

[Sakim]

Journal of Sakim - 21st of May

I have gathered together 500 men, and we arrived in the dunes along the shore during the night. We have travelled at night so as not to arouse the suspicions of the Council of Caliph's. I am sure they would try to prevent our leaving, if they knew. As I look over the tops of the dunes I can see the tops of the masts clearing the horizon as they are approaching the shore. Commander Angryminer should arrive soon. Then we will be off to war and to gather the spoils of war. I guess I have always been a wanderer, a soldier of fortune. Many a night and day have I looked to the horizon and wondered what lay beyond my view, and while I have seen many places there are so many more that I must see. And now my future lies with those 3 ships comong over the horizon. I long to be back at Comrade Dobber's side, sword's drawn, prepared to cover each other's back as we are carried into the heat of battle.

[Angryminer]

Angryminer's Tale
Chapter 16

It's the late night of the 21st of May. Sakim and 500 of his men with equipment boarded our ships. In the morning we will set sails and have norman flags flying.
We should have enough time to reach Sire Dobber's fleet before he reaches Constantinople. Even with the most favorable winds he wouldn't reach Constantinople before the end of May.
Anyway, we should make haste nevertheless. We should join forces with Sire Dobber as fast as possible.

When I train more swordsfighting with Kuno I will invite Sakim to show us this dreadful saber he is carrying.

Angryminer

Out of story:
Dobber, when the dates are correct we should join forces with you before you enter the harbour.
And about Heretic, are you now in Sakim's troops or still somewhere else around?

[lilmisswagonburner]

Day 345 of being held against my will......in the year of our Lord 1563,

As I watch from the up-most window in the tower where I have hiden, I see many men with weapons attacking the gates of the city. I wonder if any of them will be able to see my signal from the ledge far below me. I had pushed out as much linen as I could find onto the ledge below in the hopes that if I can set it afire, they may see it from where they now are fighting with all their might. Many have fallen where they begain the march against the city in which I have been held against my will for so many months now. Locked up in this tower, with only myself and one maid-in-waiting. How my only companion has brighten up many a sad and gloomy day.............I only hope that we will make it out together when the many knights and pages have taken this awful place once again. I will end my dreams of freedom for now so that I may have them later..................

[Dobber]

Welcome to the story lilmisswagonburner! :cheers:

Eric, a drink for Heretic and lilmisswagonburner on me!

[Traveller]

Welcome Heretic! :cheers: It's always good to have more bards, especially feminine! To add something more to the story than just battles, battles and more battles...
Welcome Lilmisswagonburner! :cheers: But aren't you too late? Nearly half a milenium? Cuz we're still in 1005... :wink:

Dobber was before me, so the drinks for everyone else are on me! :cheers:

[Angryminer]

Cheers to the new bards! :cheers:

Angryminer

[Kuno of Gersenau]

Nice to see new bards! Welcome! :cheers:


Kuno's log - May 22

Oh god, I'm so tired! These swordfights with Angryminer need more energy than a whole week on a pirate ship! I can still hear his commands in my ears: "Left!"..."Right side!"..."Block"..."Good!"..."Attack!"..."No! Wrong!"....
But today wasn't as hard as the other days were, he spended a lot of time for a show-fight with Sakim, he seems to be fascinated from Sakim's saber...

Our ships are now full with well trained soldiers, hope they're enough. I gave the command over my ship to Sakim as a sign of thanks for his help. (And to be honest, I don't know very much about ships, so I couldn't really give proper commands to the men. I learned some commands during the slavery on the pirate-ship, but they were in a different language and the men didn't understand them.)

The winds are good, hope we will reach Sir Dobber before he comes to Constantinople...

[Dobber]

Welcome Heretic! :cheers: It's always good to have more bards, especially feminine! To add something more to the story than just battles, battles and more battles...
Welcome Lilmisswagonburner! :cheers: But aren't you too late? Nearly half a milenium? Cuz we're still in 1005... :wink:

Dobber was before me, so the drinks for everyone else are on me! :cheers:

Traveller, maybe lilmisswagonburner is telling an unrelated story. At any rate none of these knight's will be rescuing her, I don't think they lived that many years then.

[Xuca]

Adventures of Xuca

29th may

l was near Serbian border, when l saw an army camp. lt was very dark and l could see whose camp was it. l sneaked near and heard two guards talking: "We are waiting here for five days, and still he hasn't came!" ,,He'll come, you know he...someone is comming! Halt!" A man appeared from the dark, and the guards seemed to know him. "Oh, it's you. But where is he? Did he sent you as a messanger?" ,,He is dead. A Byzantin spy killed him"
Then l realised they were talking about the man l killed. My plan worked! The guards looked furious and sad at the same time. They were cursing the Byzantins and mourned their commander. One guard followed the messanger in the camp. l'll leave my horse on a safe place and sneak in the camp to hear what are they planning to do now that their leader is dead, and who are they at the first place...

[hawk_knight]

Hawk_knights log 26th may
I just have now time to write in my log again. After so many days i was very busy preparing the army for an attack on the castle and developing a strategy that can overrun the enemy troops.
I had also heard about the wound that sir richard had gained in the last battle and that he is recovering swiftly.
When i was thinking about the stategy for the attack.
Sir richard came to me and said that England may be invaded by the norman army and if i was willing to help them in battle against the normans.
I said we will help you in battle but now we must take this castle to end this war with the novgorods.Then we will put ouwer army's aginst the normans.
I had told sir richard about my attack plan that i will attack from the air with my dragons and that he will attack from the ground with the infrantry and horsemen. I had said to them that the dragons will attack with fire balls to put the castle in to fire when they are busy with the fires you will attack with siegetowers, ladders and catapults. When your men are at the wall. I will charge from the air with the dragons in to there lines. And we will blast the gate open when the gate has been breached. the horsemen will charge in to the castle. Then the enemy will be overrun and can do nothing the just surrender.
We will attack in three days. I had send some spy's to the norman invasion army. I had send a message to my capital that they must prepare the reserve army for battle. Tomorrow we will continue to prepare for the attack. But now we will rest


I did not write any stories the last two weeks because i was on vacation.
But now i am back and will write many new log's

[Richard]

Cheers hawk knight is back. :cheers: :cheers:

Knight Richard's adventure
Chap. 9 New friend

May 27, 1005
I talked to Hawk knight about the possible norman invension to england and he accepted to help. He showed me his plan to assoult the enemy again in 2 days, but I don't think I ill be able to lead my men as my wound is still healing.
Also, the reinforcements arrived today and the men are now making them selves feel at home, but above all this things I have been talking to Roger. He is more that what meets the eye. I asked him why he was on this war been so old, and his answer was.
" Sir, the novgolods took everything I loved and had in life."
"How is that" I asked
"Well, 10 years ago I used to live in a small peacefull village with my wife son and dougter. Then one day the novgolod came and attacked our small village for no reason, all the men were called to fight and me and my son went to battle. Then, then,..." He said as tears came from his eyes
"Then what?" I asked, "What they did?"
"Then we were overwelmed and forced to surrender, but they took my son and they cuted his fingers, toungue while he was alive for no other reason than to have fun. They killed him slowly and painfuly. then they took my dougter and wife and the soldiers hung them after raping them." He said as his voice became full with anger. "So since that day I promise my self to kill any novogold soldier and if i could get the king i woulld do the same they did to my son"
I stood quit for a minute, thinking what I could say to make him feel better.
"I'm very sorry robin" I finally spoke, "I promise you, we will make that king pay what he has done, every single of his crimes, he will pay dearly"
Robin just stood there and let his tears dry, his anger went away then he said
"Thank you sir, your the first person I have tell this and is good to know I have a leader that can hear me, I have to go to work now"
So now I have seen and tasted a small portion of what this king have done to the people, and for Robin, I'm thinking on making him my personal quard or something, as he has prove to be a loyal friend in the pass days.

[Prince Eric of the Lorah Clan]

Welcome to the story lilmisswagonburner! :cheers:

Eric, a drink for Heretic and lilmisswagonburner on me!

*Drinks are served* :cheers:

[Prince Eric of the Lorah Clan]

Dobber was before me, so the drinks for everyone else are on me! :cheers:

Drinks for everyone, on Traveller!:cheers:

[mamayourpeoplearehungry]

I'll have a glass of wine please.

I have taken my final and now have the summer off. It'll be nice to not have school, work and the family stuff to do. Now I will have just work and the family.