Tanya Tucker

September 14th - 20th, Albanus 1

When the last dragon dropped, people began to emerge from their houses.  Healing from Marius, Corvina and Titus roused most of the fallen;  in the end, only two people were dead.  A half dozen were maimed badly, however.  All of the town's cows had been slaughtered, and the fields were burning.  So while the healers tended to the wounded, the rest of the band helped the people of Tannus contain the fires that burned around them.  The barn -- which held the crops that had been harvested already -- was saved.  In the morning, once they had a good feel for the extent of the damages, Severus gave the village's new head-man 100 gp to help Tannus recover from its losses.  Gaius collected the dragons' fangs, and the party continued north with many heart-felt good wishes from the peasants.

The sky stayed gloomy and overcast for the next two days as they travelled north.  Whenever General Corresanti got too mouthy, Gaius popped him one.  The band also kept him as shrouded as they could, hoping to prevent him from recognizing the direction they travelled.  On the second day they came to the Still River, a lazy, slow-moving tributary of the Rogatus.  Gaius located a rustic ferry and the party rode across while their horses swam.  That night they camped at the base of the Ered Bardain, whose jagged ridges shadowed the Still River.

During these two days, several sendings passed back and forth.  First, the party warned Micarius about the threat to the Fundati.  The abbot responded, "Terrible news.  I'll warn those I can in the capitol;  not sure anyone can solve.  Must trust in the strength and resilience of the Fundati."  Second, they warned Count Durus of Invictus "Greetings from Surrexus. Rallying the Dale Lords to the cause. Things unsettled in city, keeping army away from you for now. Watch for paladins; they do critical work. More soon, with codeword 'fence'."  To which Durus replied, "Good to know you are well -- but what army do you speak of?  Paladins will be most welcome.  Queen's Gate very active, many dragons about.  Rite and Sandapilla send no aid."  On the second day, Pontifex Aldus also sent word to Leyna.  "I protected your father last night -- no sign of attack!  Will be ever-vigilant -- you have nothing to fear!  All is well here!  Oh, uh, <password>."

On the third day, the party headed for the Dragon's Tail.  First they drugged Corresanti, for they were sure he'd recognize the Dragon's Tail if he felt them climb it.  Then, from the ferry, Gaius led them along a faint track that climbed into the mountains.  Soon the trail began to switch back and forth, becoming steeper and narrower.  At first it wasn't too bad.  But once the trail climbed above the tree line, the going became treacherous.  Signs of the path nearly disappeared, and Gaius was hard-pressed to keep them on the right track.  It cut across treacherous scree and wiggled up barren rock faces that had their poor horses scrambling and staggering.  Somewhere in the middle of all this, Gaius noticed that there were no horse tracks anywhere along the path;  footprints and the occasional mule-print... but no horses.  However the party rode like they'd been born in the saddle.  Even Marius (who was used to fat ponies and gentle rides) did his family proud.  By evening they reached the crest and camped in a coll that overlooked the green fields of Corresanti.

Corresanti was a small city, with a solid stone castle in its midst.  The party rode down along a dirt track that swung through both thick pine forests and scattered fields, where flocks of black sheep munched contentedly.  (Watched by vigilent shepherds who kept their eyes glued to the currently dragon-less skies above.)  As they neared the city, they could see a commotion on the main road, leading south out of the valley.  It appeared that Count Corresanti was "repairing" the fortifications that blocked the highway into his lands.

Leaving most of the family in the woods, Corvina and Severus cast illusions to hide their appearances and headed in to scout the town.  Just outside of Corresanti they spotted a patrol riding towards them.  Six guards accompanied a well-dressed (and weaponless) man -- and a young boy, perhaps 10 or 11.  The boy's face was scrunched up in concentration and as they watched he listed further and further to the left, until he finally toppled out of the saddle.  "You cannot ignore the world entirely," the man chided him as the boy dusted himself off and climbed back onto his horse.  "Try again."  To Corvina and Severus' dismay, the boy chanted a detect magic cantrip.  The Surrexi began thinking up excuses for their illusions as the patrol rode forward -- but luck was with them.  The boy fell off his horse almost immediately, to his great annoyance.

Chuckling, one of the guards rode up to the Surrexi and asked their business in Corresanti.  Severus explained that they were gem-buyers who'd lost their horses on the road north.  The cheerful soldier asked a few more questions, then recommended good gem-sellers... and good horse merchants.  As the mage and his apprentice returned to the castle, the two Surrexi headed into town.  Corvina checked the temples for evil, and found nothing unusual.  Severus circled the castle and found it to be well-warded and free of invisible spies.  Believing the castle was reasonably safe, they gathered the rest of the famuli.  

Placing Catarina at the front of the band (and keeping General Corresanti bound, gagged, and bagged) they rode boldly for the front gate.  The guards recognized Catarina and escorted the troupe inside.  General Corresanti's incessant "MMMPH"-ing puzzled them, yet they believed Catarina when she said that this prisoner was for her uncle, only.  While the party waited in a sitting room, the seneschal summoned Count Corresanti.  The Count appeared glad to see Catarina... but he refused to approach her until he'd had his mage verify that she was not under the influence of any spells.  They had been told, he said, that Catarina was ensorcelled and not herself.  Once her well-being was confirmed, the Count gave her a stiff hug -- then demanded to know the identity of the bound man who was making such a racket.

The band swept the bag off Satianus' head -- and the Count didn't immediately freak out.  A good sign, they thought.  Titus affirmed, on his honor, that Satianus was as evil as you could get and not be nefas.  For good measure, Catarina recited a litany of the General's sins.  He had murdered people for Albanus.  His celebrations in the barracks were reknowned for their debauchery.  Whores hated him, however, as he had killed several -- to increase his pleasures.  He had even knowingly slept with demons, and had a great fondness for succubi.

All of this seemed to drive Corresanti into a rage... but a good rage, one focused on the wrong-doers.  He had his priest of Askelius dragged in to confirm Titus' estimation of Satianus' soul.  And when the pontifex (reluctantly) agreed that he was evil, Corresanti began snapping irate orders at everyone.  The mage was to dominate his son, NOW, so that he did not respond to any sendings.  The guards were to drag him to the dungeon, NOW, and then the damned priest was going to pray, CONSTANTLY, for his son's atonement.  Titus added that the Count's daughter, Baria, was fully nefas.  Corresanti sputtered for a moment, then snarled that he'd strangle her, personally, when he got his hands on her.  After a few more moments of raging, the Count suddenly realized that his guests were tired and covered with several days' grime.  Corresanti bellowed for his sons and ordered them to see to the comfort of the Surrexi.  Catarina was to stay and tell him, in detail, what was happening in Rostilla.  Cat had remained calm and unfazed throughout this whole scene;  as the band headed off for their baths, they could hear her soft, melodious tone periodically cutting through (and calming) the Count's furious growling and barking.

Corresanti's two clean sons saw the guests to their quarters.  Malus, the eldest, was a good-natured brute of a man who bore more than a passing resemblence to Sir Lucellus.  He chatted happily about dragons and dragon-slaying, as he got the party settled.  His little brother Tatian was the youngster they'd seen earlier -- the mage's apprentice who couldn't ride and detect magic at the same time.  Five of Corresanti's seven children were mages, he told them.  Though the four who'd been trained at the Tower in Rostilla were... well, best not to talk about them.  Everyone enjoyed their warm bathes.  Especially young Talisar, who prattled happily about how nice it was to bathe in a private bath instead of the public ones where everybody peed in the water.

Clean and refreshed, the party reconvened in their rooms.  As they waited for a summons, Corvina announced to Severus that she was willing to accept a political marriage.  She hadn't come back to the family just to leave again;  she was here to stay.  And if a marriage to, say, Malus would help them, she would do it.  Severus was shocked speechless by this -- something no one had ever seen.  Though, as Leyna thought, it wasn't likely to last long.  Indeed, a moment later the young Count swallowed and thanked his sister.  And reassured her that he wasn't planning on doing that.  He hoped that she could replace Archmagister Avena as the head of the Mages' Tower, once it was cleansed.

Most of the evening was spent in political discussions.  The priest of Askelius healed poor Sir Daciens -- for the mage's break enchantment spell had not cured the young knight.  It took nothing less than a greater restoration, the priest told the party.  Which meant that Daciens had suffered grievous mental damage;  basically, a form of insanity.  The party also presented General Satianus' sword to Count Corresanti and asked whether it was spoils of war, or Corresanti property.  The Count glanced at it briefly, and said that he had never seen it before.  Relieved (since they're so strapped for cash), the party pocketed the valuable item.

Towards the end of the evening, Marius approached Counselor Adeptus, Count Corresanti's brother.  Count Surrexus, he said, was very fond of Catarina.  Would the House of Corresanti honor them by considering a marriage to unite their two families?  Adeptus assured him that Corresanti desired an alliance as strongly as Surrexus.  He would speak to the Count about Catarina.  At the same time, would the Surrexi consider a second union?  Malus was Corresanti's heir, and had no wife.  Either Corvina or Leyna would be a fine, honorable match.  Marius said they were honored... but warned that there might be problems.  Corvina labored under religious vows that might be awkward.  Leyna... well, that might just be difficult.  Adeptus chuckled;  General Martialis, he said, was notoriously... 'protective' of his daughter.

A bit more backroom negotiations ensued, but in the end, the two Houses agreed on one union:  Count Severus Surrexus and Lady Catarina Corresanti.  Corresanti offered 30,000 gp in dowry -- an enormous sum for a mere niece, like Catarina.  Because of the looming dangers, both Houses agreed to a very expedited wedding.  The banns were announced immediately, and the wedding set for the next day at sunset.

September 19th passed in a flurry of preparations.  A pack of rabid seamstresses descended upon the Surrexi, furiously sewing festive outfits for everyone except Leyna, who balked at being stuffed into a dress.  The band also used this time to send a message to Abbess Halaessa, asking if she could send a refuge item so that the Count's new wife, Catarina, could seek asylum in the Golden House.  Halaessa gave them blessings and congratulations in return.  A short time later, the room lit up with a warm golden glow.  A lillendi, with hair of beaten gold and wings of crimson glass, appeared bearing the amulet Marius had requested.  Most of the band had never seen one of the Gods' messengers before, and they gawped.  However the lillendi peered at them very curiously too.  Corvina murmured that she looked just like Ancilla, the spirit in Lucellus' Council Blade.  At that, the lillendi laughed and said, "But Ancilla's hair is green, and her wings blue."  She knew Ancilla, they asked?  The creature nodded.  "Most of us know each other.  I knew the other bound ones too," she added, as a shadow flickered across her face.  Then, without another word, she wrapped her wings about herself and vanished.

Evening brought the summons to the festivities.  Garbed in bright colors for the first time in ages, the band joined the knights, merchants, and honourable burghers in Corresanti's great hall.  The count escorted his niece, dressed in the black and silver of her House.  Catarina, the party noted, was not herself.  She seemed dazed as she drifted through the crowds, staring with vague surprise at the gathering.  Despite the hurried preparation, the meal was splendid.  The priest of Askelius invoked the blessings of Crescens on the couple, and bound their hands together.  Then Severus and Catarina were marched to the wedding chamber amidst bawdy songs and revelry.  When they were finally alone, a wobbly Catarina glanced at Severus and whispered, "Would you be upset if I fainted now?"  Severus leaned close to kiss her, and as the camera panned to the moon, the rest of the family returned to the great hall for more celebrations.

In the morning, there were formalities.  Both Houses processed up to the newlyweds' bedroom, where Count Corresanti displayed the obligatory blood-stained sheets.  This evidence of Catarina's chastity was carefully wrapped up and presented to the Surrexi, along with the dowry.  Displays done, Severus and Catarina dressed themselves -- once more in black, not bright colors.  Then they joined the others downstairs for breakfast.  No honeymoon awaited either of them.