01 - Knights Creed
| Ages - Age of Magic - Tales of the Wellspring Knight | Knight's Struggle >> |
| Astrid swore an oath to fight injustice and defend the weak.But after meditating in the wilderness for three years, she never imagined stepping into a quest like this.Astrid discovers a land where magic users rule through fear and intimidation. They call themselves Movers.To fight them, she has to rely on all her magical skills as Knight of the Wellspring. She can’t do it alone.Astrid needs help and she finds it in the most unlikely places. |  |
Contents
Join Astrid and her righteous friends as they stand up to the enemies of humanity.
THE STORY BEGINS
Chapter 1
Villagers of Argana re being assessed literally to death by the Nobles and their collector, Assessor Pleth. Have been ordered to produce sugar beets, for Nobles’ wine, rather than crops to feed themselves. Have been beaten by Pleth, so will find new Champion in the Eastern Lands strangers wandering down the Toll Road. Tomescu to find. Astrid,rejoining humanity, coming down road into area. Met Pleth. Astrid arrested for vagrancy (no job, no money, i.e. a vagrant, i.e. arrested to work off toll and fines in jail.) She objected, and ran off after beating down Pleth’s six guards. Fought with weapon of choice, a coil of rope. Left a note on Pleth’s wagon “Will not bend to injustice.”
Chapter 2
Pleth gets back to Assessor’s office, lies about everything. Caught in his lies, because one of his guards had come back earlier and told the truth. Compliance officers will have to be called. Astrid meets Vincenzo in forest.
Chapter 3
Vincenzo provides dinner, breakfast, and interesting conversation about Protectorate development and procedures. While deciding in which direction to proceed, Tomescu comes running, being chased by mother bear and three cubs. Vincenzo rescues all through his Irth Magic (energy used to alter ground composition, creating escape tunnel), and they all go back to Argan to rescue the village.
Chapter 4
Took over an hour to get to village (back paths, avoiding Toll Road). Met by villagers, welcomed. Astrid to stay with Village Elder Popova, Vincenzo (now Vinnie), to stay with village scribe.. Food, clothing, shelter in exchange for protection.
Chapter 5
The Compliance Squad (Compliance Officer Jank) comes to village looking for Astrid. She, Vinnie and Tomescu escape into forest, wait for dusk. Astrid and Vinnie decide to show up at the village, take on the whole squad.Between the two of them, they fell or kill all 20 soldiers. Need energy when done!
KEEP 52
Chapter 6
Astrid, Vinnieand Tomescu go to Keep, to pay fines, tell Commissioner Krann about the disreputable procedures in protective activities in Argan. Vinnie gets into fight at bar, smashes everything and everybody, then escaped to the woods.
Chapter 7
Coming back, he helps Astrid fight Krann, then rescue two magic users from jail. All escape out a rear gate. Tarkon the Fallen, can melt steel. Gormer called on his friends, as yet unidentified. Gormer’s friends show up, The Woodsman and Crew. (Almost twenty men and women, armed (hatchets, bows and arrows, knives). Bring horses, go to Argan, wait for Compliance Men.
Argan Village
Chapter 8
Krann and his men go to Lungu Fortress (where Lord Lungu, head of that protectorate, lives), to report happenings, meet with Protector Lungu, who can use magic slightly. Lungu orders Krann back to village, to capture Astrid and bring her to him. Pleth has lied, covered up theft from Krann to curry favor with Lungu. Also failed to tell of note left with wagon. KranAn angry about that. Lungu now knows, and will let the secret still be a secret.
The Tribute Party
Chapter 9
Woody convinces Villagers (Popova) to allow them to stay and help defend against tyranny. Argan almost starving, so Gormer suggests stealing from Collector’s shipments to Protectorate. (Many assessors from villages, won’t penalize them). Woody, Gorman and Tarkon to waylay Assessors and Conscriptors. Astrid goes to plan with them, finds Tarkon using Forge magic (Order of the Forge) to product metal for weapons (firearms. Tarkon can fire bullets.) Astrid, Vinnie, Gormer, Tarkon will raid a tribute party. Woody et al will keep Conscription Squad away from village.
Blue Creek Village
Chapter 10
Just as the four were about to attack the Party, a naked creature appeared, ’Moxy, fought with Party, (who had been torturing something, ten feet tall, male,) was almost beaten down when Tarkon killed some of Party with bullets and fireballs, , Astrid et al killed the rest (20 in all). Astrid wanted to talk to the female warrior, but Gormer driving up with the Tribute wagon, called warning that others might be coming. Had wanted them to leave “thing” on the ground as a distraction, while they had taken the wagons. Wouldn’t have had to kill all 20. Met ‘Moxy, communicated with creature, named him Charlie. Talked with only living prisoner, wanted to leave him as a messenger. But this crowd different – a special compliance party, with approval of Lungu’s son, Clarence. Had raided Blue Creek. Astrid et al go back to Blue Creek, taking logbooks of Compliance party as evidence. Blue Creek wants to pay pair tribute- OK. Asked why she was doing it for Argan? “I guess you could say we’re concerned strangers. We see things aren’t right. We’re here to change them.
COMPLIANCE OFFICER JANK
Chapter 11
Jank intended to teach Argan a lesson, with thirty men in his crew. H intended to live there for the winter, indebting the village to him for sustaining the crew. He would then own the village, as he did three others. Finds road washed out on way. Had to go through a field, were stopped, attacked with bees and hornets, by the Woodsman and Crew. Lungu and son devise plan to send in MANY compliance teams, to Eastern District, to make them pay for Argan’s non-Submission. Make surrounding District force them to comply. Clarence to negotiate and fight, if needed. (Will use magic).
RETURN TO ARGAN
Chapter 12
Wagons meet Woodsman and Crew on way, party come into village, all meet ‘Moxy and Charlie, have village feast that night. Tarkon warns of Lungu’s vengeance to come. As he speaks, a bandit rides in, telling of fight and capture of Alisa, to hang her that night, outside Keep 52. They did, Woody found her, went insane. Moxy darted him, Astrid carried him off to horses, and they all escaped as Gormer turned into a bear and charged the guards.
Chapter 13
Moxy helps Astrid hide Woodie in the forest, Gormer comes into camp, exhausted by his magic. Smokes (he needs it), sleeps. They start back to Argan I the morning, meet bandits looking for them. Arrive at village to find that Charlie had caused fields to grow overnight, allowing a second harvest of rye and oats. Charlie, also, healed fully. Will expect retribution from Jank, Movers, and Lungu.
Chapter 13
Krann corrects Clarence on his use of force on Alisa. Clarence states he will enforce his own brand of order. Krann sent letter to Lungu complaining about it. Threatens Krann forcibly, then relents – calls Krann crazy. Has never seen this fanaticism from a bureaucrat before. Krann believes in the system. Has weight of history behind him.
Chapter 14
Clarence given note left as message with Blue Creek survivor. Visited Pleth, for first note. Pleth gave it, refused to tell where extra tribute was located, until Clarence started injuring his children. Read Pleth’s confession, dispossessed them all. Back at Argan, all of the villagers, and Charlie, brought in the harvest, feasted, sang, Charlie singing the best of them.
Chapter 15
Astrid, Tarkon, Gormer, Vinnie, ‘Moxy waken early to recon the Keep, perhaps bring back Alisa’s body. Gormer to be watch. Will notify them telepathically. With help of Marty and Arthur guards who don’t like what’s going on, they release Alisa’s body, take it back to Argan, to Woody. Buried in forest, bandits quiet.
Krann happy body gone. Wants to take control from Clarence, make district more his.
Astrid has kept the rope used on Alisa, will make a rope weapon from it. Loosened it up, had blacksmith put metal tips on ends, as weapons, attached.
THE BANDITS
Chapter 15, 16
Astrid asked Woody if there were more bandit tribes around that might want to join the fight, collect plunder, etc. He said yes, and two more groups showed up. Too crowded, until Astrid told them that they would all be going to Keep 52 on a raid, , to see what was going on. Astrid meets with leader of new group at a neutral area, near a pond. George fights her, eventually agrees to work with her.
Chapter 17
Astrid and the bandits attack several Trophy parties, bringing the goods back to the camps. Sally, a bandit Leader, wants her group to attack Compliance companies in the southern regions. (Almost like Robn Hood). Have also been copying the log-books (Village scribes) Village elders will listen to evidence, speak up. “It’s going to be much harder for the Commissioners to argue against their own system when we compare what the Assessors takse to the legal code. In returning to Argan, Astrid find bandits with the Pleth family in tow. They were bringing them to Astrid to question, if she wanted, before they were killed. She decides (and convinces others) nbot to kill him, but to take him to village, where he will work off his guilt. Popova agrees. Group talks about how to store extra, second harvest. Needs processing soon, or will spoil. All pitch in to winnow grain, store it.
THE MAIN EVENT
Chapter 18
Jank’s company, (120 strong), with heavy armor, experienced fighters, take to the Toll Road, on their way to Belfird Village to plunder/destroy. Bandits/Astrid find them, notify all concerned, look for way to fight them. Bandits find close village, see Jank’s group in the town, beating any people who object. Kid tells them who’s where.
Chapter 19
Gormer kills a guard (cat illusion), ‘Moxy will panic the horses, bandits will kill all guards they see, Psychos, all of them ! Big fight, Astrid wounded with three arrows through her chest. Got Gormer to cut off feathers, push, she pulled, Well healed her. She survived, exhausted. All Jank’s men dead. Villagers saved the weapons and armor. How erase insignia? Buried bodies. Clean-up after the fight
Moxy tries to help Gormer get off of his opium habit, as they all, also, try to help. Dinner for all. Villagers seem willing to accept bandits as neighbors.
Chapter 20
Clarence’s efforts to quell the rebellions in the villages hav-ing failed, his Father, Lungu, called him in to renegotiate his contract with the Protectorate, as his efforts were costing too much money. Must use existing forces to solve problem.
BACK TO ARGAN
Chapter 21
Astrid and bands come back to Argan to regroup, re-plan, see what the Protectorate would come up with next. Clarence will be sending troops to Argan, bandits, to try to overwhelm them with power. New security on Toll Road, every two miles. Woody has fortified village, Bandit camp, wants to put traps in forest. Sally’s group gone back south again, so Astrid’s forces smaller. Gormer depending more and more on drugs. Bandits getting disgusted with him.
Lungu has over 150 men/guards. Bandits/villagers many fewer.Will post teams on the approach to Argan and have a main force ready to defend the village. In the meantime, we need to recon Keep 52. Will use Gormer getting into their heads as Plan B. Astrid and Gormer go to Argan, with ‘Moxy making potion.
Vinnie uses Gormer to test pepper spray weapon, made from excess hot pepper crop. VERY successful!
Chapter 22
Vinnie and ‘Moxy to do Keep 52 recon, bring back numbers and disposition. Facing Jank’s Elites. Bandits protecting the village. Earthen bags for towers, parapets. Weapons protected so don’t clank together. Leather straps and armor oiled, so don’t creak. All sounds muffled. Waiting for the fight.
Vinnie and ‘Moxy on recon, on bandit trail towards Keep 52, hear military group moving toward them. Kill the two scouts, plant their bodies away from the trail. Come back towards 52. Moxy recons, invisible, inside 52, Vinnie waiting for her and counting the outside patrols. Go back to Astrid.
Chapter 23
Astrid has been working with Gormer, showing him real mind-sensing. First he’s felt in a long WHILE. Comers back to camp more open to others, more relaxed. Bandits making camouflage suits. Astrid looks at map Moxy brought back, sees that Jank’s men are heading for the bandits’ homes, the caves (what the ancients called ‘mines’.) Astrid, Woody and George plan defense. Gormer to recon (mind clearer after Moxy’s tea).
THE CAVES
Chapter 24
Astrid and Woody go to caves. Gertrude tries to take Astrid out in a fight, Astrid counters with her rope, sending Gerty’s hatchet into woods. Three go to look for it, talk. Gerty trusting Astrid not because she wants to, but because she has to. Acknowledged.
Clarence and Jank’s plan, will go after bandit camps, exterminate them. Have been underestimating bandits for too long.
Astrid and Gormer go to see Vinnie, Moxy and Charlie, who have been working on pepper spray. Moxy can make antidote to spray for humans, so will not irritate for a short time. Have three forms – sticky liquid, spray, and a mist. Fifty gallons of each. Mist bomb in caves, sticky spray for outside, spray for outside distances. Tests spray on Astrid, to find out how long the elixir (antidote) will last. But need to con Jank’s men into going to caves. Gormer and Tarkon to recon.
Chapter 25
Both go to Keep 52, find two mercenaries who know plans. Gormer mind-reads, does so much more easily than before (Moxy’s elixir!), Tarkon kills them, strips bodies, taking armor, weapons. Through Gormer’s abilities, they assume the illusion of the two they had killed, go into the Keep. Gormer has to assume Clarence’s mind/identity to read him. Pukes, have to get out. Illusions work, they get back to Astrid.
PLANS AND SCHEMES
Chapter 26
Delivery system for spray devised – pressure barrel, cart, hand pump, hose, pressure nozzle. Thin glass globes for hand grenades, barrel of the stuff to spray on anyone outside. Need to get it to the caves. Enough antidote for sixty people, will be slightly drunk (side effect). Will leave it to Vinnie to do.
Keep 52-Scout comes to tell Clarence they had found the caves- explains circumstances.
ATTACK ON THE CAVES
Chapter 27
Bandit scouts give signals, mercenaries coming. Saw Clarence.Old men baited men into caves, mercenaries (150) stopped in front of caves, between split forces of 100 bandits. 100 men into the caves, 50 men outside, in case it was a trap. Glass grenades hit men, caused chaos with horses. Men fight. Some killed on both sides. Jank’s men killing bandits by touch alone. Spray effective, but not deadly. Clarence assaults Astrid. They fight, both use magic, Astrid wins, but wounded. Gormer resets bones. Astrid loses consciousness.
AFTER THE BATTLE
Chapter 28
Astrid awakens, healed, but still sore. Argan OK., not attacked. Lost eighteen bandits. Krann, Commissioner, is demanding that the Protector address these grievances through a formal process. Now playing politics rather than fighting. Lungu wants clarence’s body back. Will do that, show respect. Lungu will burn body, scatter ashes in lake. Sally and another bandit group consolidated with a village, and it didn’t go well for the Protectorate’s mercenaries.
ARGAN
Chapter 29
Woods people slowly becoming an army. In village, common House formed, for group meetings – bandits, villagers, to generally get organized. 30’ X 100’, big enough for whole village. Indoor craft are when not used in meetings. Three fireplaces. Commissioners/Elder/Lungu in semi stalemate. Proff (logbooks, diaries, ledgers captured) showed Clarence and Jank and Assessors, had stolen from villages. Corruption scandal full-blown. To keep Krann on their side, they must be able to convince Krann their evidence is valid, to keep him going for them.
Chapter 30
Gormer’s raid: Some of Jank’s old contracts are still being filled. Because they are so patently illegal, I say we confiscate them in the name of the law. We take a commission and deliver the rest to Keep 52, along with the evidence we’ve been gathering against the late messers Jank and Clarence. Use pepper spray on wagons, give guards antidotes, pay them off, to protect good ones.
Ten on raid, including Gormer, Astrid, Tarkon, Moxy, Vinnie. Gormer would peg the cart with an arrow. While most of the guards were focused on the direction of the shot, the others would spring some other sort of trap, or simply rush in and overwhelm the guards.
This wagon carried Marty and Arthur, the two guards who had lowered Alisa’s body so it could be taken. They had come out to bring a wagon load of beer to Astrid. Vinnie tapped all of the easy kegs – it was GOOD!.
Guards were defecting, wanted Astrid to help them relocate. Could not go back to villages they left- would be deserters. Went to a deserted village the bandits knew about, partied some more. Group took on a name that would identify them as good people, and drinkers – the Righteous Dregs!
