Baron Drachenheim Part VII

From Hadu Olinda

After taking care of some personal business in the city of Freiburg, I finally managed to catch up with Franz and the rest at the ball at city hall. Of course I had to wait for them to return first. It seems that, unable to keep out of trouble, the had dashed off to retrieve some lost piece of jewelry. When they did return it was with a very wounded Eduarde - although he could have been playing it up for sympathy - and a necklace that belonged to Dame Gretchen. Since a grateful Dame Gretchen wished to tend to Eduarde's wounds we left him happily in her care. Good. He is an excellent fighter, but sometimes Eduarde's attempts at ingratiating himself sexually are a bit annoying.

As we moved down the corridor I heard Giancarlo call to me and ask me to wait up. Apparently Franz had heard a voice call him and had gone off to investigate. After we waited around for a while getting restless, Franz finally reappeared. The voice he had heard, Franz told us, was that of Eisenfürst Trägue who wished once again to engage in a philosophical discussion. I guess it must happen all the time since no one else seemed surprised.

We had just left the grounds of the city hall when we heard a commotion coming from a dark alleyway. Upon investigation we saw seven red robed figures wearing the Inquisitors' cross of Theus, and they were beating up a single Castillian. Typically brave Inquisitors behaviour. How I hate them. They give all Vaticines a bad name. As we prepared to even up the fight, Giancarlo tried to distract them by calling out some taunts, but they just ignored him. Suddenly Eduarde appeared as if from nowhere, and started to lay into the Inquisitors. The first thing he does is cut off the leaders cross and when the leader stoped to pick it up, Eduarde and Giancarlo dispatched five of the Inquisitors. The remaining two quickly ran off. Eduarde then mumbled something about leaving his watch behind at the city hall and disappeared in a puff of logic.

As we checked to see the area is clear, Dandelion examined the fallen Castillian. He was badly wounded and beyond Dandelion's skills, so Giancarlo and myself picked him up and carried him back to the manor where Ambrose managed to stop his bleeding. The next morning we took the Castillian to Dr Lieber , who patched him up enough so that the Castillian could regain consciousness. He will have to stay in bed for a few weeks but at least he will recover.

After convincing him that we have no love for the Inquisitors, the injured Castillian told us what had happened. His name is Renaldo Nuòez Del Torres and he was caught following the Inquisitors. Apparently he and his friends believe that the Bishop High Inquisitor might be prepared to defect, and would have much to offer to those who are against the inquisition. If this is true this could be a great boon to all of Theah, not just Castille. Renaldo wanted to get to the Bishop and convince him to defect. How, he didn't know. Under the circumstances, we agreed to help Renaldo in his quest.

Renaldo had found out that the Bishop was in Freiburg to buy several 2nd prophet artefacts from some Vendel traders. The Bishop was staying at a small chapel near the Great Cathedral, and at some point soon would have to make the trip to where the Vendel traders were staying, in order to make the purchase. After discussing several possible plans we decided that one of us would plant one of Dandelion's blooded pins on one of the Bishop's entourage, allowing Dandelion to trace them from a safe distance. I volunteered for the job saying I could pretend to be a prostitute and therefore would not seem suspicious when I approached them. Once we can trace them we can pick out a safe place to ambush them, kidnap the Bishop, and take him to a safe house where Renaldo's friends can come and take him away.

Off we went. I began to wander up and down the street outside the chapel where our target was staying (feeling a little naked without my Dracheneisen) and the others waited around a corner just in case. Don Carlos, Franz, Borsten, Dandelion and Giancarlo were there. Of course as I was waiting the inevitable happened and a drunken nobleman wished to become amorous with me. When no one was looking I quickly punched out the persistent little pest and dragged him into an alleyway. Not a moment too soon as I soon saw the Bishop and his bodyguards leaving the chapel. As they walked past me, I got a burst of inspiration and flung myself at the feet of the nearest inquisitor. "Save me," I called out, "I am sick with venereal disease as are my fifteen children." And before he could kick me away I (with a little difficulty) managed to secure the pin to his cloak.

After getting changed and putting on my armour (while making sure all their backs were turned), we followed them over 12 Salmon bridge, down around the Stein, past Freiburg city hall and on to the merchant quarters. There we ducked into a carpet merchant and bought a large rug. We stayed within the limits of Dandelions tracing limits (about 100 ft) and waited for the group to emerge. While waiting we discussed what to do. If it looks like the Inquisitors head back the way they came we can set up an ambush in the Shades district. No one takes much notice of a fight there, and we should be able to get the Bishop with a minimum of fuss.

When they do emerge, we followed the route back staying in front of them, with Dandelion checking to make sure they do not deviate from the route. As we walked we found the perfect spot for an ambush. Some one even conveniently left a curtain for us to hide behind.

Thanks to the ambush we took out the guards pretty quickly and were about to spirit the Bishop away when we heard the town guards calling to see what is happening. Franz managed to convince them that we chased off the ruffians that attacked the Bishop and killed his men, and that we were taking him to safety. The Bishop, feeling a little pressured, agreed to our story, and the city guards let us continue.

Unfortunately, before we could get to our destination we ran into another group of 9 inquisitors, and when they saw the Bishop, they came after us. We tried to run with Giancarlo leading us through the streets, but dragging a reluctant Bishop and carrying a bloody great rug did not help us and we were soon caught.

This group seems a lot more prepared for battle than the guards were. Pistols were drawn and fired and I was hit, not too badly but I saw Don Carlos go down. The fight was quick but vicious. We managed to beat them back but not without sustaining a number of wounds ourselves. Finally the remaining three Inquisitors ran away. We quickly rolled up Don Carlos in the rug and headed off before more can come our way.

We arrived at the safe house, an old fisherman's cottage, which had a hidden place under some old halibut crates. Franz and Giancarlo were the only ones not wounded, so they decided to stay and guard the Bishop until Renaldo's friends turn up. The rest of us went home to find Eduarde there playing cards with Renaldo. We patched ourselves up as best we could, and took the worst wounded to see the doctor. After many hours of waiting we were finally seen only to find that the doctor could do little for us. Ah well, looks like we'll just have to mend on our own.