The Great Assassin Hunt part IV

Antonio woke with an unusual feeling of forboding. It was rather disconcerting and much as he tried he couldn't seem to shake it. Doing his best to put it to the back of his mind, Antonio dressed and met the rest of the group for breakfast at the Blue Parrot. There they discussed what to do next. They knew that the cloak buyer's name was La Strassa, but not much more. Perhaps checking the records for executions of a La Strassa might give them something to go on, some motivation for the assasination at least. Borsten, Avon and Antonio went off to the Palaise de Dille to see. Inside they met a rather surly guard totaly intent on eating his soup. With a lot of prompting from Avon to just give the guard some gold, Antonio finally managed to bribe him for 3 solaise and they were allowed to peruse the execution records. They then came across a slight problem that everyone seemed to have overlooked. No one there could actually read Montangian. Feeling foolish, Antonio started looking down the lists trying to find something familiar. Fortunately he found the name of La Strassa listed there and so transferred the entire entry letter for letter.

In the meantime Pistol went looking for a surgeon. The one he found made Pistol rather suspicious. He was supposed to have a good reputation... but where were all his coloured pills. He can't be much of a healer, thought Pistol. His fears did prove correct, for much as he tried the doctor could only do a little to mend Pistol's rather serious wounds. Grumbling about incompetency Pistol made his way back to the others.

Back at the Blue Parrot, Antonio gave the transcript to Dandelion to translate.

"Henri La Strassa was executed 10 weeks ago," Dandelion read out. "The arresting officer was a Piere De Rallet, a wandering knight of some kind. La Strassa was arrested for use of Porté magic and 'morte'."

"He was arrested for shitting?" exclaimed Pistol.

"'Morte' not 'merde'," explained Dandelion."Murder."

"Oh."

Pistol then decided to go to the Black Spot Inn to try and find some information on this wandering knight. Off he went singing in a forced deep voice something about being born under a wandering knight. After Pistol left, Dandelion checked the signet ring they'd been given to mind by Ugare. It turned out to be a 150 year old family heirloom. Everyone decided it might be best to keep their appointment with Ugare that night at 8pm.

After some time Pistol came back pissed and muttering something about "the business business business business". But he also had quite a bit of information. Someone there at the Black Spot Inn remembered De Rallet. De Rallet had left town after the matter with La Strassa was finished. He may have been travelling with young man wearing a red tabard. This gentleman also seemed to remember that De Rallet had stayed at the inn of the Twin Moons, just a few miles south of the city. He also told Pistol about Henri La Strassa.

La Strassa had tried to take over all business in town, taking advantage of all the turmoil of the previous year. He had lived in the docks area, and had set himself up quite nicely during the revolution. A lot of people were unhappy with him. He also happened to be the brother of the chevalier who lives about 2 miles SE out of town. Interesting. "Perhaps after we see what our friend Ugare has to say, we pay a visit to the chevalier," commented Dandelion.

"Yes," agreed Antonio, "and on de way, we stop at this Twin Moons Inn and see what anyone dere remembers."

"An Inn!" called Pistol, "What a smashing idea... but I tink I'm just gonna go for a bit of a lie down first."

At 8 pm Borsten and a bleary eyed Pistol entered The Black Spot to meet Ugare. The rest of the group waited outside. When Ugare finally turned up, a group of men rushed over and dragged Ugare away. Pistol and Borsten came out of the inn to follow, the rest joining them. When they caught up with them it was obvious that these were some kind of city guards arresting Ugare. He probably deserved what he was getting but they needed to ask Ugare some questions so Pistol convinced the guards that Peter O'Toole was in The Black Spot. The guards went off in pursuit leaving Ugare in the group's care. But no sooner had the guards left than Ugare ran away.

By now Pistol was getting eager to leave town, thinking that when the guards don't find O'toole they would be back, and with no Ugare to hand it would surely be them wno would be arrested - and that was something Pistol could not afford let happen.City gates were locked at thistime of night, although bribing someone to let them out should be no problem. They decided to go out the East gate then head south, in caseanyone would check the way they left.

By about 9pm they had left the city and were heading south, arriving at the Twin Moons about an hour later. Outside the inn they found a well-dressed young man playing a mandolin under a window. Upon a closer look Dandelion spotted a maroon cloak on the young man and decides to attract his attention by joining in the refrain of the love song. Unfortunately the young man took offence to this, and seemed to think Dandelion was mocking him. The young man then walked up to Dandelion and slapped him, calling out, "I am Jean Mare Destoa and I demand satisfaction for your dishonour." He then drew hissword. Antonio notices the badge on Destoa's lapel, that of the swordsman's guild. But he was a braver swordsman than he was a good one, and Dandelion easily bested him. Unfortunately Dandelion's own inexperience as a swordsman, caused him to accidentally kill the young man.

With his dying breathe Jean Mare Destoa called out, "I did it for you Clarice. Uuuuuuuurrrrggggg."

"Murder!" Clarice screamed, "They killed Dominie!"

After the situation was explained to the group that came out of the inn, everyone got taken inside to buy drinks. Dandelion asked the inn-keeper about the young man and was told that Dominie had been there every night for a week. "He always comes from the east," continued the bar keep, "First time I saw him he was in the company of the Chevalier". Dandelion then asked innkeeper about the wandering knight. "He and a friend passed through here on the way to DeChaine," the bar keep answered, "On the way back they stopped again. Only this time the Chevalier, La Strassa, came bursting in and challenged him to death duel. The Knight refused. He figured La Strassa was in grief. But La Strassa was furious. He accused the Knight of dishonouring his whole family and vowed death to all knights." Dandelion looked at the others. So it was the Knights after all, that were the targets of assassination.

The group decided to head off to La Strassa's villa straight away, under cover of darkness. When they arrived they found a hedge wall and iron gate with a derelict looking chateaux on a hill. Pistol quickly picked lock on the gate. Avoiding a light in a window, everyone sneaked around until they found a darkened area where Antonio climbed up to a darkened window. Hearing nothing from inside he quietly slipped the hatch open with his knife and climbed in. Borsten went up next, then the rest up one by one. The last, Dandelion, slipped and fell, crashing to the ground. They decided it might be better if they pulled Dandelion up.

Once inside they lit a lantern and carefully opened the door. Outside the door there was a corridor with stairs at the end going up and down. They decided to go up. At the top of stairs they found a door. Borsten opened the door while trying to flatten himself against the wall to avoid any traps. But nothing happened. Inside, no one was there. A candle still burned on the desk, and a musket leant against wall. Someone had obviously left in a hurry. Checking the musket they found it was loaded, so they dumped the powder out of pan and put it back. When they left the room and went down the stairs they could hear an angry voice calling. Drawing their weapons they heard the voice yell, "Idiots". Inside what looked like a kitchen they saw more steps down. The voice was coming up from there. "Gather proper provisions for the trip," they heard.

Down into the cellar they crept. There they saw racks of wine and a large barrel. Suddenly a bucket of water doused the lantern and they were attacked. Battle ensued and many wounds were taken. Dandelion went down and Avon just managed to keep standing. The already injured Pistol frantically tried to light his miner's helmet, finally succeeding. Most of La Strassa's men were dead and La Strassa himself was frantically trying to get away. There was also a woman holding another bucket of water ready to douse out the light again.

Suddenly a loud voice calls out from outside that they were all under arrest and that everyone had better surrender.