Message:We completed the climax with Barrier Fortress, Gelignite Exploding Martyrs opposed to Church Compromise and Facing Maurice in a Duel to his Death (his -3 DefMod status truly out of our campaign).
Cards were kind. We started a stampede in a stockyard (by accident). Most of the cattle drawing away the enemy servitors. We had two men—IronConrad and IronSnake—pass through to try and engage the enemy commander, but both fled, crawling out a sewage culvert. We were captured inside the warehouse, stockyards (Defend Walls), until IronRed stood the ramparts and caused fear in all. Too bad he could not check Ignoble, since he bowed out of Advancement to nurse his wounds. He made rolls but could not check Ignobles.
We fought Maurice, the Milanese Ironmonger. He was a shell of man, having no DefMod. (IronPax argued and won the ruling.) Still many banes and all receiving cards to defeat just one guy! We actually captured him, but staged his death (execution) in the waste water drain. Two voted mercy but one of those two ran off to rob the coinbox.
Home after a hiccup where IronSnake (two rolls below six) was captured. The Jolly Umlauts braved Inf vs Artillery to rescue their leader. I shed a tear (from lost Ignoble opportunities).
Mission Nine: A foreign gentleman, Mughal Khan wants us to transport the Scalpel of St Paul to Albania. He will accompany us on the quest. He is a braggart and prone to flaunt his distant royal status in western courts, big and small (bad), but that was mitigated. Still the mission requires one court case that must be decided by bribing the judge, in this case, the Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox faith. In Albania, the rightful custody of the Silver Dagger will be decided. The Mughal wants it returned to a shrine of Vishnu. Fredrico of Spain--our friend--wants his dagger back, though he still does not know it was taken from the shine. (Many make-rolls used in Mission Gen). The rival, Calvin, wants the dagger as a bargaining chip in the ecumenical assembly planned to decide the fate of Indulgences. Of course the Schism of 1054, eastern Church, would like another relic for a planned crusade to defend Constantinople (falls in 1453). The climax R&I are all covered from the start, but what the climax will be is uncertain. At least the python danger (twist) was also mitigated.
Jake and Rusty DefMod-1 excessive drinking. Not to forget a Treasure Map to follow in Albania as profitable distraction.
More later.
Yours,
IronRed
26-Apr-2026