Historical Earth Assassins Creed: The Unseen Strife

From the shadows, the Assassin watched as his enemy was led to the stake.
Years of planning have led to this moment, their chance to be rid of this foe once and for all.
A cool breeze ruffled his cloak, and he glanced up at the platform, where the King of France sat in attendance.
Phillip the Fair had proven a faithful ally to their order; and by his side Pope Clement had done his part.
Dusk had long since fallen on the land, when the condemned were tied to their posts.
There was a look of resolve in their leaders eye, one the Assassin could respect.
The warriors had not broken easily, only after hours of torture had they given the confession that was sought.
Nasty business to be sure, but necessary if they were to eliminate the tyrants.
This war has been waged since the dawn of time. The Assassin thought, as a flame was lit.
Could this really be the end of it? Deep down he very much doubted it.
Even if this decapitation strike cripples them, it will take many years to erase their public image from continental Europe.
No easy task, to say the least. But he, and his brothers, were ready.
Finally, Jacques De Molay, Grand Master of the Knights Templar Spoke.
“Pope Clement! Hear me!”
He stood unwavering, even proud, before those who had ordered his death.
“Before this year is out, you will answer for your crimes before God almighty!”
Did he know it was the Assassins that orchestrated his downfall?
“And you, King Phillip, no punishment is too heinous for the great evil you have inflicted upon the temple!”
They looked on cruelly, as the man was engulfed in flame.
“I curse you! Curse you to the thirteenth generation of your blood!!”
The Assassin, Thomas De Carneillion did not waver, even as a shiver went down his spine.
The mans dying screams echoed across the palace garden.
“You shall be cursed!!!”

Assassins Creed: The Unseen Strife
This Game is set in 14th century Europe.
Beginning in the summer of 1315,
(Approximately one year after Jacques de Molay
was burned at the stake.)


The Assassins and Templar's have been waged in an endless war, since time immemorial.
With the formal disbandment of the Templar Order, and the subsequent execution of their leadership
the Assassins believe their long time foe's have been defeated once and for all.
Unfortunately they may soon learn that a war of ideology does not end so easily.

“Nothing is True, “May the Father of
Everything is Permitted.” Understanding Guide us.”

The Assassins Are the freedom to the Templar's Tyranny,
The Templar's are the Order to the Assassins Anarchy,
They are forever intertwined, their conflict hidden from History,
Neither will surrender until the other is Destroyed,
Many of them are left in the eternal Void,
In war, their skills they Hone,
Their battles are Unknown,
With a glance to the past we might Glean,
Their strife Unseen.
​

Ranks
Assassins
Mentor/Assassin Leader (Restricted to NPC)
Master Assassin
Veteran
Warrior
Apprentice
Initiate
Templar
Grand Master/Templar Leader (Restricted to NPC)
Master Templar
Advisor
Commander
Knight
Disciple

Your Rank Primarily denotes who your immediate supervisors are, how much independence you will receive on missions, as well as how much weight your voice will carry in your chosen order.

Details

• The First Couple weeks will be devoted to sign up.
• The main location for this RPG is the Holy Roman Empire, in what today is northern Germany. Even as this brotherhood is based there, we will have all of Europe to explore, and your character may be sent anywhere on the continent for their missions.
• Because it is set in The Holy Roman Empire, it is expected most characters will be of primarily Germanic origin. It is not required however, as long as you can think of a reason to justify coming from some place else.

• An in depth knowledge of the lore concerning the Assassins Creed series is NOT required for entry in the game. If you are interested, feel free to join. If you lack any significant experience with the games it is encouraged you start as an initiate so you might learn on the job.

• We don't need to keep things completely historically accurate, but an attempt must be made to avoid glaring contradictions. Weapons, clothes, and such should fit the time period.
  
• While you may join either faction if you see fit, the Assassins are the primary protagonists of the game.
  
• During Sequence One, all Templar's will be disciples. (After which you may jump to your chosen rank).
• Our OOC Thread can be found HERE

Rules

1. No God Moding.
   
2. Keep things civil.
   
3. If you want to move, or kill an important NPC discuss it with me beforehand. This game allows great liberty with how you achieve your goals, but certain constraints must be made for story telling purposes.
   
4. If a player gets lost to Real Life for any significant period of time I reserve the right to control their character to keep things moving.
   
5. Stay within the rules of the boards.
6. PM me with your character sheets for approval before posting them in thread.
7. Dual Hidden blades are restricted to Master Assassins.

Character Sheet
Name: What is your character called?
Age: Approximately when was your character born?
Appearance: Describe the look of your character. Clothes, hair, etc.
Weapons: What tools do you posses to aid you in defending yourself, and killing targets?
Allegiance: Are you an Assassin or a Templar? (Or which faction will you be more inclined to join?)
Rank: At what level are you in your order?
Specialty: What does your character specifically bring to your chosen faction? Are you a mercenary captain? The leader of the local brothel? An adviser to a Duke or King? Basically anything goes here, just be aware of what other people are as well. The Templar's don't need ten Assassin Hunters, and the Assassins don't need an army of merchants.
Family: Are you married? Do you have kids? As long as you have passed on your genes death will not necessarily be the end of the game for you!
Ancestry: Primarily for background, offer a few sentences on where your characters ancestors came from. (Any notable First Civilization Genes goes here).
Biography: Offer a description of your characters journey up to this point. What led you here?


Condensed CS
Name:
Age:
Appearance:
Weapons:
Allegiance:
Rank:
Specialty:
Family:
Ancestry
Biography:

 

GM APPROVED

Name: Christian Janssen
Age: Born in 1295 a.D.
Appearance: A blonde young man of impressive stature and with blue eyes and a scarred arm
Weapons: A good sword, two long daggers
Allegiance: Assassin's (eventually)
Rank: Warrior
Specialty: A mercenary nowadays he comes from one of Lübecks oldest trading companies and knows the politics of the merging trade empire in the north inside out. No family or kids he knows from.
Family: He is part of the Janssen family Emden, Germany and raised in Lübeck, but nowadays hides the fact. See bio.
Ancestry: His family is said to be special, but if it is this knowledge has been lost with the demise of most of them.
His Uncle Robert is his last living direct relative.
Biography: Christian was born into the mighty Janssen's from Emden and was raised and educated in the arts of being a merchant. He lived a privileged live. But he was still young when he saw the mistakes of his father. Emden, their hometown with it's stubborn Duke Ukko Abdena had yet to join the emerging Trade Empire of the Hanseatic League. Especially his father though was a firm and strong believer in the regulation of trade as his church superiors from Münster proclaimed. The conflict was unavoidable it seemed. But just as they seemed to find a way out of by opening trade relations with Lübeck, the unofficial seat of the Leagues power, their enemies striked. It began as a series of raids in their holdings and ended in a night of murder in which all their family was wiped out except Christian and his Uncle Robert. Still a teenage boy Christian confronted his uncle about his obvious treachery and Robert admitted having saved Christian by betraying all others who had been doomed anyway. The young man could accept this even less and that night he set fire to the Kontor (tradepost) of his Uncle and left.

Soon his rudimentary trade in armed combat showed useful as he had to fend for his survivals on the streets and he began to sell it for money, finding friends among the mercenaries. What nobody knew was this was part of a plan. Christian wanted revenge, but he did not plan to get one or two responsible Hanseatics. He wanted all those who had wronged his family. So to learn who had been behind the murder of his family he began to be hired by the league. Not having a standing army and yet the most rapidly growing organisation in the world they had need for mercenaries. When he found the first responsible party, the trader Knut Hansen who had provided intelligence on his family, his crusade began. He allowed himself to be hired by his escort, killed the other two mercenaries and abducted the trader. After a rather crude and short torture he had the names of three men in Lübeck who had hired him and organized the attack. Without a doubt this names would lead to more. The list was growing.

This "would-be" assassin obviously catched the attention of the Assassins and they soon had to act ... recruit Christian or kill him, before he jeopardized their plans. But he had shown talent, so killing him would have been a terrible waste of ressources.

 

Prelude: Part 1 of 3

October 1314
Near Frankfurt
“There Can Only be One King of the Romans!”
Fredrick, Duke of Austria shouted, slamming his fist down on the table with a loud thump.
“And I refuse to recognize any claim of yours to the throne!”
The Death of Emperor Henry VII in August of last year left the throne of Germany open. The Prince-Electors gathered now to determine his successor. About the only thing it seemed the Germanic leaders could agree upon was that Henry's son, John of Bohemia, was to powerful as it is. There was fear that allowing him to succeed his father may be a step down the path to hereditary monarchy.

While John was an ally to the Assassins, the risks associated with allowing him to accumulate too much power led them to back Louis of Bavaria.
With that in mind, Albert Fromm, an otherwise inconspicuous minor nobleman, spent the last few months traveling between the electors lands, and carefully prodding each to back Louis. Though Fredrick had been the early favorite, coordinating with the Luxemburg faction; Albert had managed to secure the votes necessary to crown Louis next Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.
Now, standing in the shadows behind his primary benefactor: Margave Waldemar of Brandenburg, the gray haired leader of the North European Assassins watched as his plan came to fruition. As expected Louis had earned the votes needed to succeed Henry as Emperor, what Albert had not seen coming was Fredrick’s blunt refusal to accept the conclusion of their vote.

John of Bohemia stepped forward, trying to be the voice of reason. “I surely had more claim to the title than you Fredrick. I chose to step aside, you should too.”
The Austrian snarled. “You have no claim to the Bohemian vote! You are an usurper.”
He looked around the table, a suspicious glint in his eye. “I have assurances from the man who's title you stole, that he backs my claim to the throne.”
A civil war was being forged as the Assassin watched, and it may very well be of his own making. Still he stayed his blade. Such a public murder could only serve to heighten hostilities, and then there would be no turning back.
No one could dissuade Fredrick now, as he stormed out the gathered Princes only stared at each other. Three votes for Fredrick, Four for Louis. If nobody would speak, then this could only be solved on the fields of battle.

 

Prelude Part 2 of 3

April 1315
South of Metz

The lone figure seen on the horizon was a sight to behold. Even as the pelting rain obscured their sight, few could miss the raggedly dressed man, pushing his half starved horse onto their Lords land.

Though they knew it not, this man was very important. Even in these awful conditions, Loys Marchand was left dumbstruck by the legacy that had been thrust upon his shoulders. Eight years ago, Jacques De Molay had chosen him, him and eight others to carry the Templar Order to the four corners of the earth.
At the time Loys had dismissed this mission, they had seemed invincible then.

As the King of France rounded up their leadership, Loys had escaped to the countryside. Drinking, and lying around as he saw fit. A life he had never enjoyed before, as the Grand Master had strictly held them to their oath. He had felt no concern, he only saw this as a brief interruption in their rule. Surely the great Jacques de Molay would escape, and seek vengeance on those that had wronged him.
Rumors that Pope Clement had absolved the Grand Master of all wrong doings left Loys feeling secure in his newfound position.

Until last year, until it had been announced that The Templar Grand Master was to be executed. Only then did it truly dawn on him the gravity of the situation. The Grand Master had warned them, but he had not listened. Loys attempted to make contact with the other survivors, but none dared meet with him. Correspondence was discouraged. He knew Garcius Lévesque remained in France, Seguinus Faure had traveled to Italy. He suspected Radulphus Janvier would most likely go to Castile... but the others, he couldn't fathom where they had gone.

Loys was alone, perhaps after reforging their order they could begin communicating once again. They had to work in the shadows, the Grand Master had made that much clear. By keeping their existence a secret they could forge a new, and for now at least they could use that as an advantage to root out the Assassin's; those he was certain had been responsible for the Templar's downfall. 'The Assassin's are far older than Masyaf' that is what De Molay had said. Loys was unsure exactly what that meant, but he knew enough about the Templar cause to set the framework for it's future. A future where they would be ready to engage the Assassin's in all out war.

Finally his steed refused to move forward, he had been riding east for months now. Perhaps he should have gone faster, as it seemed when winter turned to spring, the precipitation only intensified. It became more difficult to find food, and even less were willing to gift it to him. Perhaps if he had revealed his identity they would be more open minded, but no, the secret of his origins must be preserved.

This is why freedom must be cured, so few had compassion without compulsion.

A young serf woman stepped out of her hovel, and to his relief offered him a hand off his horse. She was certainly one of the few.
“Thank you.” He muttered reluctantly in passable german. “Who are you?” She asked, clear concern on her thin features. Loys hesitated, unsure of what he could say. His name might not be famous, but if word of his affiliation got out surely it would mean his death.
With luck, a moment later a voice took the focus away from him. “Herlinde! What is this?” A tall man, a decade Loys' senior rode from the direction of the manor. He wore a colorful wool tunic that marked him as a man of wealth and taste. The serf stood tall, leaving the Templar to lean on his horse for support. “Nothing sir. Looks to be a wanderer.” As the man drew closer Loys saw his eye's bulge.

“Ich glaub mein Schwein pfeift...” The tone of surprise made up for the fact that Loys didn't catch what was being said, and he knew this man recognized him.


OOC: Full disclosure, I don't speak German.
I picked up this expression on an idiom website. If it's not accurate, it's a glitch in the animus.

 

Prelude: Part 3 of 3

May 1315
Berlin-Cölln

Thomas De Carneillon looked wearily out of his carriage as it entered the small village. It was a small merchant town in Brandenburg, practically irrelevant to the greater workings of the Empire. The perfect place for his German Brothers to do their work, hidden from prying eye's.
His carriage came to rest near a small hovel, Thomas stepped down from it, nodding to his coachman he spoke in a hushed tone. “I don't intend to be long. Stay alert.”

The rats scurried as he moved down the small alleyway besides the building. A pair of beggar's eyed him greedily, and the banker tossed a coin their way. Finally he came to the door of the bureau, knocking thrice. The door cracked open, and someone asked “What is the one truth?”
Thomas answered without hesitation “Laa Shay'a waqui'un moutlag bale kouloun moumkine.” It was after all, The Assassin's Creed.
After a short pause the door closed, and he heard the sound of several chains being lowered. Then the door was opened again and Thomas finally saw the man wearing a brown tunic and hood. “Can never be too careful brother.” He smiled.
The Frenchman returned the greeting, but was not afraid to get strait to business. “Are the others gathered?” “Most.”

The man led him down a short flight of stairs. The wooden hideout wasn't as grandiose as the Sanctuary in Paris, but it was practical nonetheless. Thomas saw several bookshelves, a line of maps, a sparring ring. As well as several doors that indicated there was more to this base than meets the eye.
Around a table at the center of the room stood three individuals, two men and a women. The women, dressed in a shabby looking dress, spoke first. “Thomas De Carneillon I presume?” The Frenchmen nodded in confirmation as he moved to stand at one corner of the table. She signaled to the two finely dressed men. “Marco Polo, Dante Alighieri. They are our Italian Brothers.”

Thomas had figured that much out himself. He had never met them in person, but had corresponded enough that he certainly knew what to expect. “It is good to meet you at last.” He greeted the Italians, before turning back to the women. “I expected Albert Fromm, is he not here?” She shook her head grimly. “I'm afraid he is stuck at court in Brandenburg City. Seems the Empire has fallen into a succession crisis. This had spread our order thin trying to end it quickly."
This was disappointing, Thomas had arranged this meeting in order for the three most powerful brotherhoods in Europe to plan for the future. Now that the Templar's were decimated, they had to capitalize on this advantage while they had it. “He has requested we act as his emissaries for this meeting.” She continued. “I am Agnis Seidel, this is my husband Peter.” The man who had let him in. “We run the pub out front, but are devoted to the cause first and foremost.”

Sighing, the French Mentor only hesitated a second. “I'm sure you have heard the news?” All present nodded. “The Templar have been defeated! By order of the late King Phillip, and Pope Clement their Leadership has been burned at the stake! It is our prerogative to ensure that they are erased from history. So that their tyranny never graces the Earth again.”

Another moment passed, before Marco Polo spoke. “Clement passed in June of last year as well...”
This correction startled Thomas, and the Templar Grand Masters dying curse echoed in his mind again. “No.”
“Yes. I would have expected that you heard?” he shook his head. “I've been busy. I knew of Phillips death, but was to preoccupied rooting the Templar's out of France to pay much attention to anything else. This is a real blow.”

Dante offered a calming reassurance. “Pope John hasn't played his hand yet. With any luck he'll be as mailable as Clement.” The room grew silent, and for a second it seemed the meeting had concluded naturally. Before Agnis brought them back to the initial topic. “If the Templar's are defeated, then what do we do next?” Polo laughed, and offered the most obvious solution. “We do what what we've always done. We fight for the freedom of mankind. The Templar's may be defeated, but Tyrants remain at large. As long as there are those that desire to take our freedom away, our job will never be over.”
Thomas nodded. “And that is why we are here. It is essential all of you remain alert. Their leadership may be gone, but there could very well be remnants out there. If any have escaped they are a threat.”

 

Not really sure how these sorts of RPs work, but I like the sound of this set-up


Name: Guy de Carnac
Age: 24
Appearance: Wears standard Crusader armour, for a basis of what I'm going for, see this character from AC Unity:
Weapons: Longsword, can wield a short bow, 2 daggers attached to the boot
Allegiance: Templar
Rank: Soldier
Specialty: Bodyguard, effective at defending important leaders, skilled at detecting threats
Family: Parents dead of plague, no other family, besides an uncle or two
Ancestry: No signs of First Civ ancestry yet, but skills may develop
Biography: Joined the Crusades as a young man to try and further himself in life, travelled to the Holy Land, encountered the Knights Templar in Acre, joined up to bring further personal gain, and out of a desire that no man be left in poverty, and that the Order of the Templars can bring about a utopia.

I hope that's not too basic, can probably try fleshing it out tomorrow. Not really sure what happens next, but I'm looking forwards to it.

 

Hello @darkspine10! Just so you know in the future, most GM's will want you to send your character sheet to them in PM for confirmation before joining the game.
T'is in the rules for this game too.

But I have no issues with your character sheet. Looks good. Might want to specify the crusade you're talking about though.

 

I'll use the Crusade of the Poor, an unauthorised military expedition that took place in 1309, by the lower classes of Europe, where none of the men actually reached the Holy Land. Except my guy I guess

When he arrived in Acre, he found there was no war to fight, and took to local mercenary work before finding the remnants of the Levantine Templars.

 

GM Update
Sequence One: A Tale of Two Emperors
May 1315
Vienna

Hofburg palace was the seat of house Habsburg for over a generation now. For that reason Duke Leopold felt most at ease when roaming these halls. After the death of his father, he and his brother Fredrick had inherited the Duchy of Austria to rule together, now that Fredrick was to be made rightful Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, the younger duke eagerly looked forward to the possibility that he might play a more singular role in the administration of this land. Surely Fredrick would have more important things to do upon his ascension?

In any case, they had more pressing matters to attend to first: That would be dealing with the pretender Louis of Bavaria. It was that problem they now met to address.
The castle was busy as the brothers prepared their next move,
Fredrick in particular was on the move.
“We need to act quickly if we are to seize the advantage.” He was pacing in the corner, their most loyal Advisers, Knights, and Guards in attendance. “Louis is distracted, he will have to deal with his brother Rudolf before he can turn his attention to us. That he voted with us strengthens our cause, the man's own kin does not believe he is fit to rule!”

“You suffer from issues of you're own sire.” Their Chancellor Eginolf pointed out meekly. “For starters, you were crowned in the wrong location. Bonn is not the historical seat of the Empire, and few will recognize one who does not sit on the throne of Charlemagne.”

A servant handed the Emperor his Mail Coif, in preparation for his departure in order to catch up with their main force. It was only right, that as their Monarch, he ought to lead them on the fields of battle.
With a scowl Fredrick waved that concern away. “A temporary setback. We can plan a more lavish ceremony after we defeat our enemies.”

“Then there is the matter of the Swish Confederacy my liege. They are backing Louis, and could very well be a threat.” Leopold grimaced, Swabia was his ancestral homeland, and the expanding Swiss alliance has been a pain in his families side for years on end. He jumped at the chance to deal a decisive blow to those encroaching mountain-folk. Because they had long had the emperors protection, there was little they could do. But now they had a rightful claim to the emperors authority...

Stepping forward, he spoke proudly. “They also control Gotthard pass, with that we would have free movement into the Italian Peninsula if we so desired at a later date. If you do not object, I can take a force down to deal with this incursion myself.”
Fredrick hesitated briefly, but finally nodded. “If that is what you desire, brother. Take Guy with you for security though. He's got good instincts, and I'd rather nothing happened to you.”
For a second Leopold was left bewildered, Guy De Carnac had shown up at court almost a year ago. His brother seemed to trust him, but would tell no one else why.

The Emperor walked over to the body guard, who was observing from the corner of the room. With a smirk he shouted for all of court to hear “I'm trusting you with my little brother, you here? Be sure he comes back in one piece!” Leopold blushed, embarrassed by uncharacteristic expression of concern from the older man. He was more than capable of defending himself! He was twenty five years old!

In his indignation, he failed to overhear Fredrick whisper to Guy “Cover up the cross if you don't mind. Last thing we need is rumors spreading.”

Finally he set off, and the gathering was ended.

Tags:@darkspine10

North of Munich
Peter Seidel has rode for weeks to meet up with the Emperor's troops. From the moment they received the letter informing them the previous Assassin they sent to aid Louis had been wounded.

The Brotherhood was still spread thin attempting to contain the violence, so he had volunteered to go himself: leaving his wife to maintain their pub with the promise she would send reinforcements once they became available, he dawned some loose fitting mail armor, and his robes.

Traveling for weeks it was with great relief that he came upon Louis' camp. The disheveled looking men standing guard at the camps edge startled him briefly, but he realized that with the current famine supplies probably had to be rationed.

“Halt!” One of the gruff guards walked up to his horse. “State you're business.” Peter lowered his hood, and pulled a letter out from his tunic. “I am friend. The Bavarian requested my presence.” While surely there must be many Bavarians in the camp, most would recognize the Emperor's nickname on sight.

After noticing the seal of Louis, the guard waved him past. He soon found himself to Louis' tent, where several warrior's were now gathered. “My brother is held up here.” The Emperor pointed to the location on the map before him. “We need to flush him out if we want to win the next engagement; and we need a definitive victory if we want to be able to redirect forces to deal with the Habsburg's”

Bavaria had long been divided between the sons of House Wittelsbachs. Before this conflict Upper Bavaria, which also acted as the Palatine Elector, was in possession of Rudolf, Louis own brother.
Rudolf, acting in his role as Elector, had chosen to back Fredrick against his own sibling; a gross treachery, that Louis had to deal with before he could turn his focus to the pretender.

As the Emperor realized his guest had arrived, he adjourned the meeting so they could speak in private.

“It is good that you are here.” He sighed in frustration. “For all intents and purposes we have the advantage on this front, but we still need all the warriors we can get.”
“How is Lutrud?” Peter asked, referring to the young Assassin Apprentice that had been wounded. Louis was initially taken off guard, but quickly recuperated. “They had to amputate her arm. Tough women, but she never really fit in with my men, if you get what I mean. She's lucky to be alive.”

Peter raised an eyebrow, but didn't press the issue. As long as she was alive, at least he wouldn't have to report in her death. “I will be sure to check in on her later. What is the situation?”

Louis turned back to the map on the table. “We acted fast, and pressed the attack. We control most of the boarder region. But castles don't fall in a day, we're trying to starve Rudolf out. He can't go on the attack, it would be suicide. Still, every day we're here gives Fredrick time to prepare. We need to finish this fast.”

“I am at you're service, my Emperor.”

Hubor Estate

A month later, Loys Marchand still couldn't believe his luck. That day he was certain that he was dead.
The mysterious man shooed away all witnesses, and had ushered him inside. Loys was prepared to unsheathe his sword and cut the older fellow down, but the joyous look on the land owners face halted him from drawing the blade.
“I can't believe it! It's you, it is you correct?” The Templar did not recognize the man instantly, but he quickly cleared up the confusion. “Thirty years ago you were there at the start of the Lithuanian Crusade!”

Slowly the memory returned to Loys. It had happened in his younger days, technically he wasn't officially there at all. He had been sent to keep track of Grand Master William of Beaujeu's interests in the region, but had gotten tangled up in quite a few adventures at the time. Still he did not recall the specific event he was talking about. The conflict was almost exclusively fought by the Teutonic and Livonian Orders. So it seemed unlikely this German land owner had been involved.

“I was a bit of an adventurer in my youth.” The man confessed somewhat sheepishly. “I thought it might be interesting to explore the east, and got myself into a bit of a predicament.”

“Captured by the pagans?” Loys raised an eyebrow, feeling a bit more bold now that he knew he was in the company of a friend. “Something like that. You freed me in the initial wave of attacks. Nothing I can do could repay you.”

And so he now lye, relatively well fed, and comfortable in bed. Cared for by Jaro Hubor, his wife, their son, and his family. The entire Hubor clan was now at his disposal, with this as a starting base his operation would grow.

He heard a knock at his door, and he told them to enter. It was Sophey, Jaro's wife. “Is everything alright Herr. Marchand?”
“Yes, everything is fine Mademoiselle.”
“I'm sorry we can not do more.” As always she was unhesitatingly polite. “The harvest has been bad this year. We have had to make due.”

“I understand. But please, has your husband reported back with my contacts?” He had revealed his identity to Jaro, but was not sure if the man had told the rest of his family. “Uh, yes. I believe he has managed to contact a certain Werner von Orseln? He says he is very eager to meet with you.”

Good, Orseln was a high ranking member of the Knights Teutonic. His loyalty would offer a gateway to other very influential figures. “Thank you. You are dismissed.” Loys sat back, and dreamed of his plans coming together.

Lübeck
Petrissa Seidel walked the market with a keen focus, intent to keep her wits about her. The twenty five year old, dark haired beauty was hard to miss, but with her hood up she could just about blend in.
This wasn't her first time to Lübeck, though it wasn't exactly close to Berlin, the infamy it has earned as a bustling merchant town made it at least plausible she might go out of her way here to obtain supplies for her parents pub.
It also made it an excellent place for the Assassin's to set up a spy network, allowing them tom listen in on gossip from all over the Empire.

She stepped lightly, coming upon her favorite merchants stand. Run by an eccentric women called Blitza, Petrissa couldn't fathom how she stayed in business, since as far as she knew nobody ever approached that particular stand besides her.

“Good Morning Petrissa!” The perpetually bubbly women, yelled when she saw her favorite customer. The wrinkled, gray haired women stood behind a counter, which she had been wiping down.
“I trust the sun has shined kindly on you today my friend! And may it again tomorrow.” Petrissa raised an eyebrow, but did not correct her, the sun wasn't even out. Though the rain had stopped momentarily she certainly wouldn't call it a kind day. But that was just how Blitza was, so she humored her.

“And to you as well. Do you have anything for me today?” The merchants eye's glazed over for a moment, and she stared at the nearly empty stand. “Oh, it seems the foods of the earth have yet to spring to life! Some apples from Byzantium perhaps, but else I must say not! Ti's a dry season.”

Again, the season was anything but dry. The rain has been pouring so thoroughly over the last few months it had ruined crops. People everywhere were starving, and if the farms hadn't sprouted anything sustainable yet, she doubted they would before winter. Then it would get very bad...

“If you have any apples, I would gladly take some.” She offered with a smile. Blitza ducked under her booth briefly before pulling three pieces of fruit: one of which was a banana. And half of the two apples were clearly inedible, but understanding that the shortages probably made trading food difficult, Petrissa purchased the good items, before leaning in to get to the real reason she was here.

“Anything interesting happen lately Blitza?” A haunted look came to the woman’s eye, that meant she was onto something. “I suppose that might depend on you're definition of interesting. A couple silk merchants arrived in town yesterday, like the heavens their wears feel, it is to be said!” With an unconvincing laugh she tried to brush the question aside.

Not just anything could wipe the smile off Blitza's face. Then the rumors must be true. “Really? So everybody's living well in Lübeck it seems.?” She made the emphasis clear, and the older women dropped the charade “So. It's the murders you want to talk about hm? Out with it!”

Petrissa frowned, but pressed on. It was likely her friend wouldn't even remember this conversation the next day. “I would like to know.”

“The devils work does not make for good conversation Petrissa!” After a moment, the merchant sighed. “Another was found dead last week. Sets important members of the League on edge it does! Never cared for that lot, but nobody deserves this...”
The Assassin put on her best sympathetic look, Blitza had a good heart. If she knew that she had spent the last few years funneling information to an organization dedicated to killing, well Petrissa didn't know what she might do. “Any leads?” The elderly women shrugged her shoulders. “Just rumors. Some say it's an angry spirit, others a witch. Me, I think somebody's out for revenge.”

“I thank you for this.” She turned to go search for this mysterious avenger, but Blitza shouted back at her. “Careful dear! A curfew has been set! Best not to be out after dark!”
Petrissa nodded curtly at the old women, but promised nothing.
She was a Warrior, an Assassin, she could handle herself if it came to it.

Tags: @DarkLordoftheFins

 

A candle flickered weakly in an empty stone room. A brief gust of wind threatened to put the light out, as a figure opened the heavyset wooden door. A sigh echoed across the cold bricks. This was not what Guy de Carnac had been expecting. He started to put on the cloak strewn across the simple bed. 6 months ago he had been more excited than he'd ever been. The knight in the tavern in Acre had made it sound so romantic, he'd be a heroic knight, a saviour of the people from their petty lives. He'd been promised a New World. Instead he was little more than a glorified henchman, largely doing the same job as before he'd left the Holy Land. It wasn't as if the journey had been easy. Across empty, lifeless deserts, and the freezing peaks of the mountain passes.

He'd been crushed when he arrived to find little of the mighty Templar order. In the intervening years since he'd left for the Poor Man's Crusade, hoping desperately to improve his lot in life, the Templar order he'd eagerly signed up for had been all but wiped out by a union of the Pope and King Phillip. It was more ironic, seeing as the Papacy had given it's approval to the Crusade in the first place. Guy wondered whether this was some cruel trick of fate, to dangle a great honour before him, only to have it snatched away. Since arriving in Vienna, he'd done little more than join the ranks of Duke Leopold's defenders, taking stints up on the castle walls, or patrolling the grounds. Yes, he'd been accepted into Frederick's host, but his role had little of the promised glamour.

He had tried to press the Duke or his brother about the Templars, but neither seemed to want to humour him. Leopold just laughed him off, making snide remarks anytime Guy brought up the idea of some kind of secret order. But Frederick seemed to know more than he was saying, always finding ways to end the conversation when it came up. He had managed to speak to him alone only a few times, and always he seemed to talk in riddles, never confirming anything he asked.

He gathered his weapons stashed under the bed, and shrugged on the rest of his armour. Perhaps if he could prove himself to the brothers with these small acts of service, he could eventually gain their confidence. But that was the same kind of thinking that got him on a fool's crusade, to a land where the fighting had long since subsided. One day he'd get his chance, finally become a man of honour and strength, not just some peasant clutching at scraps. He shook his head, and once again the candle flickered.

 

Christian Janssen
Above the Kroeger Kontor, Lübeck

The Kontor, as the league called their trade stations, was a fortress. Lübeck was the center of power of the Hanseatic League and their main trade houses reflected that.

Cowering on the edge of the church tower opposite the building, Christian had spend his last two days and nights observing the target building and he had not grown any more confident this was possible to infiltrate. Ten guards outside. Front door heavy fortified, all wagons brought in thoroughly searched. Archers on the roof. Inside probably another ten soldiers. Somewhere Reinhold Kröger, Quartier Meister and Head of the League in Pommern, their heartland. He was a target unlike the other two murderers of his father. He was powerful. Rich. Lending money to kings and lords and entertaining an armada of tradeships. He also had the mercenary force necessary to guard them and the money to adjust the size of this army as he saw fit. Christian knew it had been Kröger who had masterminded the raids that had lead to the fall of the Janssen family.

He had hired Gerhard Stocker the famous pirate and raider and had financed the mercenaries the man had used to kill his family. Stocker had ended in a brothel in the harbour district, enjoying his new found wealth with two lithuanian whores. He had been too drunken to fight when Christian had stormed into the bedroom and rammed a sword into his chest.

Kröger had also prepared Hans Buchen to take over the Janssen trade routes and had financed the goods sold by the man. Buchen had been harder to find and kill. He had a house and wife in Lübeck though. The 16 year old wife had yet to bless him with a heir, so he visited her regularly. The house had been guarded by three mercenaries. They were fat and stupid men who had become comfortable in their save and well-paid jobs. Christian had killed one of them in an alley on his free day and just showed up in time to replace him when the guards had been one man short. They had willingly accepted him into the household. When two days later Buchen arrived, Christian had simply sneaked into his private quarters and cut his throat. Then he had rang the alarm himself and had chased a phantom intruder through the streets all night before vanishing again.

Now only Kröger remained. Secured and safe within his Kontor. Christian had considered just fighting his way in there, but even if he was ready to give his life for revenge ... there was no way he could have reached him before being slain. No, it did not work. Infiltration was not working either, as the guarding mercenaries only recruited those they knew. Patience was now his most deadly weapon. Christian had to wait until he found an entry point or the Merchant had to come out. Sooner or later business would make this necessary. One trip to the harbour would be enough. Christian would be ready for him.

So a plan began to form how he would lure him out. Maybe set one of his ships on fire. Maybe have an associate of Kröger vanish just before a deal was closed, so Kröger had to come himself. If he could infiltrate the guards of the counterparty of the trade it might bring him into a room with Kröger. Close enough to ram his blade into the man's heart.

He needed to find out more. But he had to be careful. The element of surprise was no longer on his side. They were looking for him now. They were expecting him.

The lights inside the Kontor went out one by one and he knew somewhere inside there his enemy had went to sleep. There was nothing he could do tonight. He would climb down the tower again and mix with Krögers dock workers in a local tavern. Maybe he would be able to find something out that would be useful.

Tag: @ConservativeJedi321

 

Minor Update

Lübeck
With some effort, and a lot of questioning, Petrissa managed to locate the home of the most recent victim. A man named Hans Buchen, who had his throat cut while sleeping late into the night.
Word got around fast, so the Assassin was reluctant to put to much heed in the local gossip. So she came to see the scene of the crime herself. A large brute of a man greeted her at the door, though she saw through his facade of toughness easy enough, as he was quite obviously sucking in his gut.

“Who might you be little lady?” He growled in a way that made her want to vomit.
In order to avoid making this job tougher than it already was she held it in. “A friend.” Petrissa pushed back her hood, and batted her eyelashes. “I'd like to speak to the lady of the house if you don't mind.”
The way the guard stared at her gave her the impression his gut dwarfed his brain.
“Uh, I'm sorry lady. Can't let anyone in. What if you want to harm someone?"
“Do I look like a murderer to you?” she gestured at herself, hoping all of her weapons were sufficiently covered underneath her cloak. She saw the desire in his eye even before he answered “Well... no, but...”

“Then why hold me back?” With a smile she pressed past him, and he let her go in with ease.
Sure enough she came upon a young women who she assumed to be the victims wife in the dining quarter. She was shuffling items into a bag, while directing servants to leave anything that held no material value.
When the young women noticed her, Petrissa nodded with respect. “Frau. You have my condolences, I am here to aid in investigating your husbands death.”

After a moment the girl shrugged. “By all means. I have moved back in with my father, who will surely find a new husband for me quickly. The place is all yours.”
She handed the bag to a servant, and pushed her way past Petrissa to continue her packing.

Well that sure was convenient.
It didn't take long for her to pick up on a trail with her keen observation skills. No broken windows, the lock on the door was still functional. The body was found in his private quarters, all signs pointed to someone in the household.
The wife could fairly be described as somewhat haughty, she certainly did not appear to mourn her husbands death; but that did not seem unusual for an arranged marriage.
The guard she had met at the door seemed to stupid to get away with murder, but that did not rule out the staff, or another party known to the victim.

Why last week though? Why had the killer chosen then to strike?
After a moment she approached the easily influenced guard to get more details. He stood now watching the widow emptying her dresser. Placing a hand on his forearm she began “Did anything unusual happen in the weeks leading up to your masters death?”
As expected the man hesitated. “Well, not much. The cook was fired when the lady didn't like her meal, they entertained the duke of Saxe-Wittenberg a month ago I believe, oh and a group of silk merchants came to town! Amazing materials they had...” he glanced guiltily at the lady of the house. “...or so I hear.”

“I don't care about the silk.” Petrissa rolled her eye's, but resisted the urge to leave. Instead she stared intently at the mercenary. “Did anything else happen in the lead up to Buchen's death?”
After a moment he had something. “One of our guards died in a fight out back. I had to hire a replacement. Come to think of it, that was the same guy who discovered Herr. Buchen's body.”

“Come now Sewolt. We aren't paying you to fraternize.” The girl finally looked in their direction. “I believe that is everything. After you drop me off at my fathers house you'll get your pay and are free to do whatever it is you do.”

Sewolt turned to grab a large box lying at the floor, and began to lead her out the door. Knowing she was on the right track Petrissa grabbed his arm and pleaded. “He found the body? Where is he now? I need to talk to him!” The widow pulled on the guards other arm. “Who cares? It'll start raining soon! We have to get going.”

He was clearly torn, but after a grunt acknowledged the question. “I don't know, he chased the killer down that way.” He pointed down the road. “Haven't seen him since.”
Just then a large crackle of thunder interrupted them, and the downpour started. “Just great!” the girl shouted. “This will ruin my outfit! It's coming out of your pay Sewolt!”

There was a fire in the mans eye, but he just followed her to the cart. “Yes Frau. Buchen.”
Petrissa doubted she would be able to track the missing guard now, the rain had surely erased all trace of him days ago. For now she would duck into the tavern. Perhaps she could learn more there, if not she would follow that road until its end tomorrow.
Tags: @DarkLordoftheFins

Vienna
“The troops are mobilizing sir.” an adviser notified Duke Leopold, who now sat on his throne.
“It will take some weeks to prepare. As I'm sure you know we need to get them organized, as well as set up a supply train.”
Leopold shook his head. “We must move out at the earliest possible juncture. The Swiss are surely already prepared. If they attack first the momentum will be on their side.”

Out of the corner of his eye he saw a pair of Knights guide Guy De Carnac into the chamber.
The young Duke was still suspicious of the mysterious interloper, but as his brother insisted he come along on this campaign the least he could do was allow the guard to take part in planning their invasion.
“We surely have more than enough troops to defeat them my lord.” His adviser pointed out. “As long as you give them time to mobilize. Rushing in prematurely will lead to our defeat.”

The Duke couldn't deny the man had a point. “How many men will we muster?”
“Ten thousand fully armed soldiers can be at your command if you see fit sire.”
Leopold raised an eyebrow, acknowledging the figure as significant if true. “Our men will have better weapons, and better armor. But will only be prepared if we wait until they are ready to deploy.” He punctuated the statement by placing his fist in the palm of his hand.

The leader sighed in frustration, he didn't like waiting. His brother had already moved out to meet his men up north, and engage Louis troops. Meanwhile he was stuck here.
Finally he glanced to Guy, not sure what to make of the man.
“Tell me, what do you think of all this?” He signaled for him to speak.
Tags: @darkspine10

 

Guy de Carnac
Vienna

Thankful for a chance to finally have a say in something, Guy thought for a moment, then answered. "Though I am not familiar with these northern provinces, I do know some basics of warfare. They will have the home ground, and have the advantage of their cast, so we must prepare for either a swift strike to cut off their leaders, or else food and supplies enough to sustain a siege. So we should either ensure we have a large cavalry, or a stock of siege machines. Either one could win us the day. But I'm not some leader of men, just a humble soldier of the Cross."

Duke Leopold smirked in an amused way. This upstart knight was decent enough, but he doubted his chances in the thick of a real battle. When the chaos and blood took him, he'd collapse. Earnestness wouldn't cover for his inexperience. But he had to admit, his basic strategy was sound, and he had some strong instincts. Maybe he would humour him this once, see whether this young pup yapping at his heels could be hiding a bloodhound beneath.

"You have a good strategy lad, though we already have our armies assembled. Frederick is after the death of the pretender Louis, nothing more. That will be enough to quell this rebellion and bring Bavaria back into line."

Guy protested, "But surely that simply leaves the province open to further reprisals. Couldn't another usurper just rise again from the rabble? We must ensure that the land it's people remain under our order."

"My boy, that would be a massive waste of our resources. You want us to police every person across Europa to make sure they don't fight us, eh? The people will follow their king."

Guy looked like he wanted to argue further, but Leopold waved him off. "Go to the stables and find a horse for the journey de Carnac, I want you to ride at the head of the column with me. You'll need to be close by me at all times. Louis has likely hired men to steal my life, and you are trained as a bodyguard right?"

With that, the Duke sauntered off to find someone with more tactical experience with which to discuss his plans. Guy was disheartened by the Duke's long term plans for the land, but at least he was finally being trusted with an important task. Perhaps once this pretender's head was on a pike, he could discuss this business with Frederick.

 

Christian Janssen
Bierstube (Taverns are called that in Germany) , Lübeck

People were drinking. Food was a rare commodity and expensive. So they fought their hunger with beer. A perfect environment, probably.

The solution for his problem basically fell into Christians hands as he talked with a fellow mercenary. "Silk traders? Three ships?" Christian seemed interested. "Well, they must be in need for guards then!" He raised his cup of beer and the other man did the same until the two met mid-air. "Nah, they got plenty. And who steals of the league? Except pirates?" They laughed, Christian playing the sociable sword-for-hire. An act perfected by now. "So the silk came from where Novogorod?" He asked and leaned forward. "Strange, I heard there were three ships of silk stolen up there. Do they always send it in three ships tranches?" He already knew they did not.

He would continue to place the rumor of stolen silk. The Hanseatic League considered itself to be honorable, a handshake with any of them was considered a binding contract. They did not steal! No. Christian knew better. They started wars when necessary. Stealing was just not profitable enough. Except done on a grande scale after killing his family. Even there Kröger had not stolen the trade goods. He had stolen their routes.

No, he would spread the rumor until Kröger actually had to hear about it. He would go and see those merchants. That is when Christian would end him, even if it meant his own death.

He invited a few dock workers on a beer, lost an arm wrestling to a tall Russian and talked to a few sellswords from Flensburg. Every time he mentioned the three ships stolen near Novogorod and that they were happy their three ships came through.

Tag: @ConservativeJedi321

 

Minor Update

Lübeck
As she ducked into the tavern Petrissa shook her hair to get the worst of the water out.
Sure enough the moment she entered half the men in the building turned to stare at her, but she just offered a daring smirk in return. Stepping forward, she found herself a seat, though did not immediately order a drink.

After a couple awkward seconds, a large hairy man approached her. “You're not the usually type I've seen around here. Not from Lübeck are you?”
From across the room another man, who was missing an eye shouted at him “Watch out Zeisolf, she's a dangerous one.” Petrissa held in a laugh, this wasn't her first bar crawl. Her reputation must have spread in certain circles.
“She don't look to tough to me!” He shouted back at his companion, with a disturbing smile on his face.

Petrissa felt sick to her stomach, but still stayed her blade.
He leaned into her, and she noticed his beard was soaked with alcohol. “You don't look so tough.” he repeated.
Petrissa held her breath, she could easily feed this guy his teeth, but getting kicked out of the tavern wouldn't serve her end goal.

“Maybe not.” offering a sheepish grin, she places a hand on his chest. “I came to town for supplies, but I also hear there have been a few murders in Lübeck recently. Can you protect me from the big bad killer on the loose?”
She spoke just loud enough for everybody in the room to hear, and Zeisolf nodded almost eagerly. “I can do whatever you like.” So gullible. “But you shouldn't have to worry about that. Everyone that has died was a major player in the league; and you don't look to be with them.” He eyed her up and down in a way that put a shiver through her spine.

With a raised eyebrow she prodded further. “Oh? So you know something about that do you?”
He tried to wave the question away. “Just the local gossip. Nanker over there thinks some old bat who owns a stall in town put a curse on them.”
Blitza? That accusation made her blood boil, her friend couldn't hurt anyone. She bit her tongue to avoid voicing that fact, but Nanker took the attention away from her. “Hey! It's better than your theory you ugly oaf!”
“What did you call me you dirty sewer rat?”
Petrissa turned away just as Zeisolf threw a chair at Nanker, choosing to ignore the brawl.
Hopefully someone else here knew more, if not hopefully she could find some more clues when the rain died down.
Tag: @DarkLordoftheFins

Outside Vienna
While the couple hundred troops that were currently stationed in the area could hardly be called an army, Henry Huenenberg knew more levies were coming.
It was a nobles obligation to have a force prepared to be called upon when their liege demanded it.

Now, Leopold’s most loyal Knight was responsible for preparing their troops.
“Two dozen more soldiers have arrived this afternoon sir.” one of his warriors was reporting to him.
“This group is from Linz. We should be prepared to move out by the end of the month.”
This was good, they were on track. “Give them an hour to settle, get their tents up and satisfy any needs of theirs. Then they are to begin the training regime.” Out of the corner of his eye he saw a new guest waiting for an audience, but Henry did not immediately acknowledge him.

“What is the status of our food supply?” The guard hesitated a moment. “A famine has stretched across the land sir. We have had a difficult time getting the farmers to pay their due; but have managed to secure half a loaf of bread for each man expected to arrive, and a few wheels of cheese that will need to be rationed sparingly.”

The Knight didn't like this, the soldiers needed food, but steeling it from starving peasants would only serve to make their problems worse in the long run. Best case scenario they starve to death and then they'd have even less people producing food for their army. Worst case scenario they revolt and he would have to divert resources to deal with that, leaving their invasion force undermanned.
Finally Henry responded. “We will have to raid Swiss farms to sustain ourselves when we arrive then.” Such action had long been common place in warfare, but wasn't usually the style of his command. There was no honor in attacking common folk, but they didn't have a choice. “This will sustain us until our departure, but every man must fend for themselves after we leave the Dukes domain.”

As he dismissed the other man, he finally recognized the most recent arrival. “Guy de Carnac I presume? Emperor Fredrick speaks highly of your abilities. Ever fight in a real war before kid? If not you're in for a real treat.” Henry wasn't sure if the sarcasm in his tone was obvious enough. “Look, I am an experienced fighter. Fought on many campaigns, and seen many die. It ain't pretty. The Emperor may want you with us, but I run a tight ship. Follow orders, and all should go well.”

Tag: @darkspine10 ​

 

Christian Janssen
Bierstube (Taverns are called that in Germany) , Lübeck

He watched the young woman enter the place and as expected that meant trouble pretty quickly. He had just finished placing the silk rumor to an old captain, as two men began fighting over her. Or something else.

She catched his eye though. Not because of her beauty, but something was off about her. It was unusual for one of her kind to stumble into a place like this. Yet, instead of trying to blend in, she almost tried to not blend in. As if this was an act.

"What did they discuss so important?" He asked Roland, the bartender he knew pretty well by now as he passed him. "The murders." He just said and Christian nodded. He almost snapped his eyes on her but resisted the lure. Instead he got himself another beer and walked over.

"Give a man some room here, will you guys?" He put his hand on his sword, because he had one and they didn't. That was all they needed to know. Then he sat down at the lady and grinned. "A beautiful woman with a taste for murder, hm? If you had a better taste for company, this could have been love." He nodded to the two drunks. He was not good at talking to woman, but he was not after romance here.

He just was wondering if the league would send a woman to find him. And why not? Whatever got the job done, he assumed.

Tag: @ConservativeJedi321

 

Minor Update
Lübeck
Petrissa looked the mysterious man up and down, liking his look. Still, he wasn't her type, and her heart belonged to another.
However; she wouldn't be a very good Assassin if she didn't use every resource at her disposal to achieve her goal. With that in mind she batted her eyelashes and offered a short giggle. “I don't know him all that well in truth.” She could still hear Zeisolf fighting Nanker behind her. Surely the bartender would throw them out soon enough?

Ultimately she ignore the brief ruckus, and gazed intently at the new arrival with a new fascination in her eye. He must be interested in her for a reason, she knew her appearance might draw some attention, but the Assassin remained skeptical that it was for that reason alone he had approached her.
His words replayed in her mind. 'A beautiful woman with a taste for murder, hm?'
Maybe there was more to him than met the eye? “Curiosity is a hunger not easily settled.” she flashed a grin. “Lives end, and lies end. Everybody has angered somebody, and when a desire for power or vengeance leads them to an early grave everybody want's to know the truth.”

Such a bold statement was clearly a risk on her part. If he knew anything, or was involved in the deaths, such blunt talk might scare him away. Maybe she was way off, following this trail to a dead end. But Blitza had indicated she believed revenge was involved in the killings. The older women usually had good instincts, and Petrissa realized it must be among the most common motives for murder. For that reason she did not hesitate to go forward with the veiled inquiry.
So with a shrug she said “I'm sure you understand.”

Tags: @DarkLordoftheFins

 

Christian Janssen
Bierstube, Lübeck

"Oh I understand." He smiled. A dumb smile. He leaned forward and looked around to make give his words more of an aura of secrecy.

"You work for the league, are you? Smart of them to send a woman. Well, if you wanna know the truth, I can bring you to the only man who knows it." He winked. Then he leaned back again. "Such service does not come for free, though. Betraying such a vengeful soul is not without risk. That asks for compensation."

He would lure her away and kill her. Christian despised the idea of killing a woman, but he had no choice. If the league had send her that would be exactly what she would to him.

"You understand, do you?"

Tag: @ConservativeJedi321

 

Christian Janssen
Bierstube, Lübeck

"Oh I understand." He smiled. A dumb smile. He leaned forward and looked around to make give his words more of an aura of secrecy.

"You work for the league, are you? Smart of them to send a woman. Well, if you wanna know the truth, I can bring you to the only man who knows it." He winked. Then he leaned back again. "Such service does not come for free, though. Betraying such a vengeful soul is not without risk. That asks for compensation."

He would lure her away and kill her. Christian despised the idea of killing a woman, but he had no choice. If the league had send her that would be exactly what she would to him.

"You understand, do you?"

Tag: @ConservativeJedi321

 

Guy de Carnac
Outside Vienna

Guy didn't take Henry's orders kindly. He could tell he looked down on his ambitions. It was clear this man knew nothing of the grand ideals that the concept of the Templars had shown to him. Although his combat experience had been limited to brawling with bandits on the road, he still felt he should speak his mind. Adopting a disgruntled tone, Guy replied to the Knight commander.

"Raiding farms sir? Surely this is a bad move for the region?" Henry raised an eyebrow, and Guy continued. "If we take everything from the people on our way, then once this campaign in finished what's to stop the people rising up against us. We should be arming the farmers, converting them to our plans, not stealing from them. How are we ever to ensure peace, if the people of this world will detest us for our actions?"

Guy knew what the Knight would say, he would claim they were just peasants, irrelevant vassals to their lord. They would stay in line. And besides, could he have provided an alternative food source? Guy already knew he couldn't answer these questions yet, so walked off, determined not to wait for a comeback from the Knight. He longed for men of nobility, of vision. Men who would do what was best for the people, men who could ensure they would fall under their banners permanently.

 

Lübeck

Petrissa offered a subtle smirk, so he does know who the killer is.
Still, she is an Assassin, and she is not stupid. This could very well be a trap, and it would do her good to cover all her bases. “I have no love for the league.” In truth the brotherhood was rather ambivalent to it as an organization, though certain individuals in it had long been marked for death. “A bunch of fat bastards riding high while the rest of us starve.” She put on her best scowl. For decades there had been rumors that several high ranking families had sympathies for the Templar Order. Now that their long time enemy was gone these figures were a priority of their order.

“But if you can put me in contact with the one who is after them I would be thankful.” She put her hand on his. “I'd like to know what makes him tick. There are many bad people in this world of ours, but so few willing to act.”

Even as their primary focus was elsewhere she wouldn't be surprised to learn Albert Fromm had spies watching the League. Just in case any of them decided to act out

She stood from her seat and winked at the man before her. “If he'd like to hear me out I might even have some information for him.”
TAG: @DarkLordoftheFins

Outside Vienna
Henry Huenenberg grimaced at Guy's blunt statement, it was not his place to question the orders of a superior; but the Knight did not contradict him, for in truth Guy had taken the words right out of his mouth. “I don't disagree, such raids are distasteful at the very least. Completely dishonorable if I may be candid, however you must understand this is war. We need to maintain our troops somehow, and such raids are common practice by nations all over Europe.”

He grunted with irritation, why was he justifying himself to this man he had never even met before? Emperor Fredrick spoke highly of him, but how much did he really know?

“In any case we don't have the resources to maintain a long term supply chain. Better we rile up the peasants there then starve our subjects here. We will have to be occupying the area in a few months anyways.”
That rabble won't even be a challenge! Why waste resources going after a lesser foe when they could be taking on Louis's forces up north?
The Knight didn't like any of this.
After a moment he dismissed Guy with a wave. “If you have the faintest understanding of war, soldier, then go greet our new arrivals. We need to keep them active so they are ready for a fight when we move West.”

TAG: @darkspine10

 

Christian Janssen
Bierstube (Taverns are called that in Germany) , Lübeck

"I will ask him." He said and stood up. Her claim not to be working for the league did not mean she didn't. But she was too sharp for a merc.

Anyway, he had to drag her away without seeking attention. He was quite sure she would follow him, so he would leave.

Playing to be more drunk than he was he got out of the Bierstube and made his way to the harbor region. There were nice dark alleys. He would pick one and wait.

Tag: @ConservativeJedi321

 

Minor Update
Lübeck

As the mysterious man got up and left, Petrissa moved to follow. Pulling her hood up as she stepped outside. The rain was still falling, and the air was thick with fog obscuring her sight.
Still, her training allowed her to follow at a greater distance than any normal person should.

He turned into an alleyway, and she took the moment to climb up to the roof of the building.
Looking down, she could see him wait. If her instinct about him were true then he was expecting her to be on his tail. Even so she couldn't help but sigh when she saw that no one else was in the area.

Kneeling on the roof, she called down to him.
“So it is you?” Her voice echoed down below. “You are the one who stocks the League?”
She presented a smirk, which was the only visible feature of hers in the shade of her hood.
“I'm afraid I don't have the info with me at the moment. But any predators greatest weapon is patience. I can help you, if you give me the chance.”

The Assassin stood with grace. “How can I find you when I am ready”
After a moment she realized he might still be suspicious of her. “Be aware, I could have jumped down and ended you at any moment.” Petrissa flicked her wrist, flashing her hidden blade before her.
“I don't expect you to trust me. I expect you to trust your instincts. If I mean you any harm, you would know.”

Tags: @DarkLordoftheFins

 

Christian Janssen
Alley

She was suddenly simply behind him and he hurled around drawing his sword immediately. Obviously she wasn't after him, no she had a chance to do so ... which was why he did not make use of the situation to attack. He wanted to know what it was she was after.

And she offered information. Later. Information on his final target.

"The church tower. The top of it. You can leave whatever information you have there and I will find it." He said while stepping back and putting his sword back into his belt. "And patience is for those who have time. It is only a matter of time until they find me and whatever End awaits me, I have one more name on my list."

Reinholz Kröger would die.

Tag: @ConservativeJedi321

 

GM Update
June 1315
Lübeck
It had been only a few short weeks since Petrissa had last seen The Killer of Lübeck.
The man had wanted her to rush, and not wanting him to act rashly she had obliged to the best of her ability. Still, it wasn't as if she could ride through every night, she needed rest, and what little food she could scavenge.
Not to mention sneaking into the Castle of a Margrave was easier said than done.
Even with the leader of the Northern European Assassin's on the inside.

Now however she had the information she needed, a man called Der Adler had been in contact with several high ranking League members. Petrissa was unsure of his precise relationship with the League, but based on hints offered by Albert, she deduced he was some sort of Courier.

Upon her arrival back in Lübeck she immediately went to the Church Tower he had indicated.
The View was amazing, even with ominous dark clouds covering the entire horizon.
She maintained an alert awareness, and waited.

Tags: @DarkLordoftheFins

Hubor Estate
Loys Marchland now sat at his desk, continuing his process of writing invitations to those who might be of value to his order.
The Templar Leader had spent the last couple months recovering, and rebuilding.
He was still weak from his difficult migration east.
The Food was sub par, and the constant storms made it difficult for him to get a full nights sleep.
But he was stronger now than when he arrived.

At very least he was strong enough to stand on his own two feet. It was essential that his Order had a foundation. If the Assassins were to find him, or should he die for any other reason, it would be a crippling blow to the Templar cause.
He had to work past the stomach cramps, the dizziness, and endless frustration.

If they were to grow strong again they needed contacts in every corner of society: Merchants, Monarchs, Monasteries, and Military's. The more they controlled, the closer they came to achieving a New World Order.

A loud knock startled him from his writings, and to his anger it caused him to make a mistake on the letter he was working on. With a curse, he crumpled it up and hit the desk.
After a short calming breath Loys called “Enter!”
“I am not intruding on anything am I?” A friendly voice called out as the wooden door opened.
To his surprise her recognized the man young Knight who was now in his chamber, Werner Orseln.

“How did you manage to sneak away from Malbork Castle?” Loys laughed, and shook his hand most enthusiastically. “We are in between conflicts at the moment.” He explained. “I decided I could make the best of this time by helping a family friend.”

Out of the corner of his eye Loys saw two more figures standing at his door. One he recognized as Jaro Hubor, his host.
The other was a middle aged fellow, with blond hair, and dressed in a diplomats robes. As he did not recognize him Loys tempered his excitement briefly. Jaro nodded, finally stepping fully into the room.
“This is Chancellor Eginolf of Austria.” He signaled to their newest intruder. “I think you will be interested in what he has to say.”
Loys raised an eyebrow, but offered to listen.

Eginolf offered a short bow, before closing the door behind him. “I am here representing the interests of Emperor Fredrick of Austria.” The title caught the Templar's ear, so he allowed the man to continue.
“Rightful King of the Romans. He regrets his inability to be here in person, but he is needed on the front lines with his troops."
“How did you find me?” Loys pressed, curiosity in his tone.
The Chancellor stuttered briefly, but quickly responded, “Followed rumors mostly, looked for other friends of the order. Few who have met a Templar Knight, truly believe they could be defeated as easily as the French King orchestrated their downfall.”

Loys pursed his lips, wondering if there was more to the story than the Austrian indicated.
“Your aid here is very good at his job.” Eginolf signaled to Jaro, who had a not so subtle scowl on his features. Clearly perturbed at being called an 'aid'.
“He located me, and showed me the rest of the way.”

The Chancellor stepped forward, offering his best diplomatic smile. “Emperor Frederick believes our goals may be aligned. He wants to unify the German States under one ruler. If you were to help him, he would most certainly make it worth your while.”
Disappointment was briefly reflected in Loys's features. He had hoped for a bit stronger of a sentiment than had been offered. Such personal vendetta's should be below his Orders notice.
Still, if the Emperor owed him a favor it could pay off down the line.
Maybe he could even be persuaded to understand the finer points in their philosophy.

“I met his father once. If he and his brother are half the men Albert was they may be valuable allies.”
Eginolf paused with reluctance in his tone. “...The Emperor wishes, to leave his brother Leopold out of the business we are discussing today.”
A much more fragile alliance then. Even if Leopold remained ignorant of their true nature, he might be persuadable enough to work toward their ends.
“Very well. I will honor that request.”

The chancellor fell back into the corner of the room, and the Templar signaled for Jaro to approach.
“Do you have anything else to report?”
With a nod, his ally informed him of recent events. “You already know of Frederick, and Werner...”
“I have the Grand Masters ear.” The Knight interrupter. “Should you request, I can use that influence to nudge my fellow Teutonic Knights in whatever way best aids the cause.”
Jaro crossed his arms in irritation, but did not immediately speak up.

“Very good.” Loys smiled. “Your top priority should be placing yourself in a position to be chosen as the next Grand Master when the time comes.” The knight was clearly caught off guard by that request, but did not object.

After a moment Jaro continued his report. “I have reason to believe Archbishop Baldwin of Trier may be persuaded to join our cause. Several letters have arrived from the Swiss Canton of Uri. A women named Idda Leisy. She is said to be the wife of a representative in the Confederacy, and pledges loyalty to our cause in the name of her brother who died during the Orders fall in France.”
“Can we confirm her story?” The name was not familiar to Loys, but that didn't mean anything. There were many in the Order before its fall, and he didn't know everyone. Plus, it was possible she had taken her husbands name. Jaro shook his head. “Not yet. I am being very careful as you warned. We don't want any Brotherhood spy's in our ranks.”

With a nod he continued. “I have had trouble contacting the members of the Hanseatic League you recommended. Some I have confirmed are dead, others seem to be making it intentionally difficult for us to find them.” This made him suspicious. “Assassin's?”
“Unknown.”
Loys stood from his chair and moved past Jaro. “We need to act fast, to ensure they are secure.”

Jaro turned to face him again. “I sent several agents to make contact. Haven't heard back from any of them.” He didn't like the sound of this, but prodded his friend to continue. “Other possible allies include the Archbishop of Cologne, The King of Denmark, and the deposed King of Bohemia among others.”
“I might also recommend Rudolf of Upper Bavaria.” Chancellor Eginolf spoke up again at last.
“He is a loyal ally of Emperor Frederick. And brother of the Pretender Louis.”
With a wave Loys dismissed the impromptu gathering. “Make it so.”

West of Altötting
As Peter entered the medical tent, he instinctively ducked as a short sword flew over his head.
Lutrud Brun had moved into a private tent by his own request. They required privacy when discussing Assassin business, and after she lost her arm, he thought it would be for the best if they did not have to pull her aside every time they needed to discuss something.

To his surprise she had recovered remarkably well from her injury, and had spent the last week practicing holding her blade in her left hand.
Less than perfectly, if his near decapitation was anything to go by.
But practice makes perfect.

He heard a curse as Lutrud turned to recover her blade, only for her eye's to bulge as she realized he had come to visit.
It should have been expected, he had been visiting her every other day since he had arrived last month, between the battles, and war plans.
But she was always happy to see a friend, he assumed because he was the only one in camp who would treat her with respect.

“Good morning.” He nodded, and she embraced him with a one armed hug.
As she pulled away he noticed some color had returned to her cheeks. After being deathly pale when he had first seen her after her wound, he was happy she was looking healthier.

“Been working hard so I can get back on the front lines.” She stated bluntly, as she brushed her short, light brown hair out of her eye's. Picking up the blade, she gave a couple more weak swipes,
“Getting stir crazy here. I need a fight!”

Peter sighed slightly, he had been beating around the bush for weeks now.
But now that she had gotten out of bed she had to be told.
“You won't be fighting again any time soon.” Lutrud laughed dismissively. “Oh come on, I can handle myself and you know it. A little more practice and I'll be just as good with my left hand as I was with my Right.”

Shaking his head, the Master Assassin made clear he wasn't joking. “The Brotherhood doesn't send one armed Assassin's into the field. I've arranged for you to be the Keeper of our Pomeranian Bureau.”
Her eye's went hollow, and guilt began to take hold.
“You can't be serious. I'm one of your best warriors! I am an Assassin!”

“Shh!” Peter held his ground. “You are an apprentice. Handicapped as you now are, it is far safer for you to serve the brotherhood in other ways.”
She looked away, clearly hurt by the suggestion. “I am ready to give my life for the cause. Let me prove myself.”
He moved back towards the exit of her tent. “We all are. But that sacrifice does not have to be made, if it doesn't have too.”
“Unbelievable!” She lashed out, accidentally slashing the side of her tent with the blade in the process.
“You are an asset. You can help away from the field if you just give yourself a chance.”
She didn't respond. “In any case, it is out of my hands now.”
With reluctance he left.


Passing Through Gorizia
Sitting now on his horse, Leopold grunted in frustration.
The army was now moving west towards Switzerland. It would take some months to arrive at their destination, but that was to be expected.
What wasn't expected was the weak numbers they were able to put up for the fight.
“I was told we would have ten thousand men to fight. Not this pitiful display.”
They barely had fourteen hundred knights, cuman, Calvary, and a scant few mercenaries.

“If we are to make an impact. Not just victory, but to leave a true impression, we should be able to raise a more significant force than this!”

Henry Huenenberg was riding to his right, and clearly growing frustrated by his liege's continued ranting. “Sir, these Swedes are mere rabble. Peasants, we could emerge victorious with half this number.”

“I did not ask for your opinion Henry.” With an exasperated sigh he pushed his horse a little harder. “One day we will be legends. Gaining Frederick the Empire is just the first step. The Hapsburg bloodline will spread all across Europe! From Spain , to Poland. It begins here, and for our legend to spread we need a glorious victory! What does it say about us that we can barely raise more than a thousand men at arms for our wars?”

The Duke signaled to his left, where Guy De Carnac sat on his own steed. Hoping to hear something new, besides more whining from Henry, his supposedly most experienced Knight.

Tags: @darkspine10