Game in the Brain

Basically what happened is the Party recovered some documents in Latin and in Cryptic Euphemisms, after murdering Reverend Father Peter and the messenger he was with. Their italian and philosophy allowed them to identify many of the nouns, but it was their Theology that allowed them to see through the religious symbol used to describe the situation. Basically it was manipulation of Baron Dominic, a guilt ridden lord who has had many failures and disasters despite being very capable.

The made all sorts of plans of revealing the ill gotten evidence, but all lead to a simple question: “How did you get this”. When there was question who would broach the evidence to the lord, Lucretia offered but no MAN would suffer a lady to be placed in danger. Especially when the party has a particular guilty streak when it came to her origins.

Konrad and Berthold, again had a different opinion on the matter. Konrad being the most Classically trained offered her defense, that the “weakness” her gender had was her strength in this matter. Like all practical friends and loved ones, the first thought of a woman without adequate male protection occurred to them – and it was too risky…

But Lucretia had a history of not listening to her betters, and when she stole off Raoul and Berthold almost ran her down thinking her a Spy. She got a bit of a beating from Raouls horse but she survived and was able to make plans in how they will try to pretend to be emissaries and rest the evidence to Dominic.

The plan would have gone smoothly if there wasn’t a whole army of co-conspirators who was in the camp. Also when the Party encountered the Lord, he was beating the Crap out of Cato to the tune of “Your making me hurt you!”

Berthold and Raoul co to track and observe the co-conspirators while Lucretia, simply walked in to the lords tent making him Strike her as she witnesses the beaten body of Cato. Lucratia, played by Thunder Joe, was dealing with Dominic and found a very confused and complicated person – “his good, but has a hard time being good”.

Dominic was an Ideal lord, and met out violence and justice as would expected any christian lord. He also gave mercy when expected, and did not shirk from his martial duties. But even good and competent men are not immune to Fate and Chance, and poor management of the holdings and an aggressive neighbor made Bohemmond a boogeyman to him. In Peters notes, it was easy to demonize Bohemmond and make him the scape goat of all Dominics problems to get him to launch a surprise attack on Bohemmond – dehumanized as a the Devil.

While this was happening Berthold was able to have a quick pick of the key enemies, while Raoul was able to sow discord in the camp. The opportunist thief archer wanted to know the face he should aim for in the crowd and Raoul could feel the doubt of the lord magnified in his men, and tried to plant the idea of desertion instead of wasting their lives fighting.

You cannot turn a man 180 degrees but you an slow him down with doubt. When the letters were eventually revealed it had the opposite effect, gavlanizing the remorse and loss Dominic felt with the death of Peter, but when read aloud who is skilled in Rhetoric, the euphamisms were a slow acting and painful poison that drove a knife through the lord. Dominic’s virtues got the better of him, and this demoness was going to be struck down – except for the words of Cato that gave he pause to see the blood he has covered his hands.

Enough reason surfaced to summon Lucretias companions, and when they had more to report swords and blades emerged from the Tent door. Raoul took many of the stabs, but dominic, lucretia and Berthold kept them at bay. When they left the tent the Conspirators were trying to kill Dominic, and Bohemmond emerged from their camps flank along with Xeno and Teritius to smash the army. Lucretia was able to call their banners and stop them from fighting Dominic and concentrate on the Papal forces Roger Borsa employed.

After this chapter we skip the Trip to Constantinople where a Norman Prince arrives to take his place among the great families of the Empire.

everyone got 3cps, and 4cps to give to others.