The concept is currently that the players are the entourage of a young & able Justinian Knight, Dame (she prefers "Lady") Arcadia Justinian. Things are not quite as they seem but when are they? Hopefully all of that will come out over time.
Dramatis Personae (the player characters):
Sir Hemlock Justinian - Justinian knight, childhood friend & cousin of Dame Arcadia Justinian. Was sent away as a youth to apprentice with the Charioteer guild before returning to his household
Sir Hassimir Fenring Torenson - A landless knight from House Torenson. Hassimir has been employed/tasked with acting as an advisor to Dame Arcadia seeing as her House consider her somewhat uncouth and un-lady-like
Mister Lawrence - A Guilder from the Scravers. He is an expert in "acquisitions" and has entered into a contract with Dame Arcadia for shady & undefined reasons.
Proctor Joysay - A missionary from the Eskatonic Order of the Church. A secret Psychic, when Arcadia was told she needed to appoint a Confessor she chose this quiet, unassuming and a little strange, wandering priest who's turned up preaching to the serfs who live in her family's holding.
Marquis De Havilland Hawkwood - A Hawkwood noble and old friend of Arcadia's. He has always been a soldier and has now sworn allegiance to the Emperor and joined his order of Imperial Knights (The Order of the Phoenix). He bears an Imperial charter and as such carries the Emperor's authority, he is also the highest social rank of anyone in the group.
We've had a session of character generation and one of play so far. The characters have found themselves on Ravenna (Arcadia's home world within Hawkwood space) and they are guests of local young Baron. The Baron has organised a five day jousting tourney, nominally to celebrate the festival of St Gavin of Syrgada but really because he likes a party and wants to impress Dame Arcadia.
Key points so far:
* They've met a lot of the cast of nobles (& Appleby the Barona's Major Domo) I think they are already suspicious of the Decados Count who is attending.
* Hassimir & De Havilland have both agreed to compete in the joust
* Hassimir had to take Arcadia to one side to try to convince her to wear a gown, rather than a dress uniform, for the opening ceremonial dinner. He lost the argument
* The guys were very entertained by the tale of Saint Gavin (who is known for defending a Dormouse farm from a Vuldrock raiding force armed only with a Spatula) and Hemlock got into trouble with a priest when he tried to draw too near to the Holy Spatula (which is now considered an Orthodox Relic
* Arcadia & De Havilland were invited to dine at the top table with Baron Cedric and other honoured guests (her brother, the Decados, the Bishop and a Truniskron Baronet)
* The Baron very obviously wants to court Arcadia
* After dinner the Baron unveiled the "mounts" for the joust - a set of rare hover bikes. The Trusnikron Baronet is outraged after being prepared to ride and face exotic beasts while most of the rest of the nobles are bemused.
* The following day the joust is opened with the Baron facing Sir Jet Li Halan. The Baron wins convincingly.
* 2nd bout of the day is De Havilland vs Count Innocence Decados. The count seems to be aiming to strike (to score single points but wound his opponent) rather than knock down his opponent (harder to do, less incapacitating but scores 3pts). 1st round Count 1pt vs Marquis 1pt, 2nd round the Marquis knocks down the count but takes another hit: Count 2 vs Marquis 4, 3rd & final round the Count misses while the Marquis strikes him, the Marquis wins but is critically injured and succumbs to unconsciousness.
As a tease for the next session I've circulated the following teaser scenes to my players:
The Hospital tent curtain was torn open as Baron Cedric burst in upon teh Marquis De Havilland. The Marquis was attended by a group of industrious medical staff. He lay on a gurney, having been stripped of his armour. His worst wounds already dressed as the physickcians started pumping precious Elixir into him.
The Baron was permitted to draw close (who of his own staff would dare refuse him?) and he clasped De Havilland's hand tightly and leaned close to his face. Even semi-conscious the knight caught the grain alcohol on the baron's breath.
"Brother! That cur to have done this to you! I will see you well, my staff shall expend their full resources to have you fit for the next round! I saw it all, or saw enough and heard plenty. My men-at-arms say he struck to wound, not dismount each time. That insolent Decados whelp! When I invited him and his brat I never expected them to actually come! They never come to social events! This is my fault, and I will deal with that scoundrel! You mark my wordszzzzzz" The rest of the Baron's words were lost to De Havilland as the soothing Elixir lulled him into a deep unconsciousness as it began to do it's duty.
***
Hassimir had collected some food from one of the hospitality tables after while the Tilt was cleared and prepared for the third bout. De Havilland's care was well in hand things weren't to awful. Why the Scraver couldn't get his own snacks though...still it seemed that Arcadia wanted him for something at that precise moment so Hassimir did as he was asked. Dormouse pate, Apricot chutney, a selection of warmed nuts (in this weather?) and some crudités, that should keep the Guilder and priest quiet for five minutes. The bottle of wine (a delightful looking '93) was Hassimir's.
"Sir? Excuse me, Sir Fenring Torenson?" The voice came from a young, very well turned out noble loitering by the side of the bleachers. Hassimir recognised the familiar resemblance, it was Selwyn, Arcadia's younger brother.
"Sir Selwyn, how may I..?" The young fellow had already stepped forwards and taken a vegetable stick and dipped it in the pate.
*crunch* "Well, sher Towenshun, I need to shpeak wid you in tha capashitty as my shisters advisher."
"Sir?"
*noisy swallow* "You may have noticed that our host, the Baron, is unwed and he seeks a suitable union. He has determined that my adorable sister would make a good wife, Pancreator knows why, the woman is an absolute bore, anyway our House considers this a good and suitable match, strengthening ties etc...I need you.." he prods Hassimir's chest gently for emphasis "to ensure she sees this is the right choice and a suitable path for her. Got it? Jolly good." Taking anther crudité loaded with pate and chutney the young knight spun on his immaculate heels and headed back towards his seat.
***
Mister Lawrence pulled open the competitor tent doorway to find Dame Arcadia in a state of undress. He knew by now that this caused her no embarrassment when in front of those she considered allies or equals. Apparently he still fell into that category.
"You sent for me, m'lady?"
"Yes Lawrence." She continued to apply the grease she applied before donning her armour. "I have need of your exceptional services."
"Our contract still holds...what do you need?"
"Information. I didn't trust that Decados Count when I saw that he was here. I trust him less now he has sent a dear friend to the hospital. Find out what you can. Decados do all things for a purpose, the Count does not socialize unless in the capital, and then only rarely. To emerge from his self imposed exile now...there is a reason, and I would know it."
(BIG Dune fan!). Keep up the game 