Captain Fouquet (RPG blog)

Ship types used in Takshendal

2011-04-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

There are several types of sea going vessels to be found in Takshendal;

Búza, (Buss).
The Búza is the primary sea going vessel of the northern people's, and is found in large quantities in Takshendal due to its proximity to Skavvia. Búza are flush decked, with two masts and a bowsprit and can be any where from eighteen to twenty four metres in length. They are typically stronger than other coastal traders, and designed to withstand ice filled northern waters. Skavvian merchants ships are typically crewed by nomadic merchant familes.

Caravel.
A development of the dhow, caravel's are the primary coastal trading ship type in northern waters. Small and highly maneuverable they are perfect for the many small seas which make up the known world. Caravel's come in a variety of sizes but most are twin masted, lateen rigged and without a bowsprit. Sizes vary greatly with tonnage ranging from 50 to 200 tons. The average caravel might have a length of thirty metres and a beam of six metres. Some larger caravels have three or four masts, but these are not common.

Carrack.
Designed for longer voyages than the coastal trading caravels, carracks are the heaviest trading vessels available and are designed around the concept of defence. Evolved from the cog, the carrack has fore and aft castles, two, three or even four masts and a bowsprit. They are usually armoured and often carry a compliment of soldiers to resist boarders. A typical large carack may be twenty five to thirty five metres long, eight to ten metres broad and weigh upwards of seven or eight hundred tons. Ship's complements range from forty to one hundred men.

Galley.
Most fighting vessels are galleys, and consequently there are a number of sizes and variants. In Takshendal, these are named by the conventions of Serrenisma which is largely regarded as the birth place of the modern war galley. Galleys built in the south are regarded as superior in design and speed, where as those built in Takshendal are usually regarded as superior in strength and enduarnce. The ship yards of Takshendal have access to the great forests of the north and experienced ship wrights from the south and this has meant the city has become a centre of warship construction.

Bergantine.
10-15 oars per side. A slim, fast vessel used for a variety of inshore tasks. Bergantines are circa sixteen metres long and two metres wide and may carry 10-20 soldiers.

Fusta.
10-15 oars per side, with two rowers per oar. This is the smallest class of sea going galley. Fustas are small, sleek vessels used primarily for raiding. They are generally twenty to twenty two metres long, usually have no masts nor forecastle and generally carry 30-40 soldiers.

Galiot.
16-20 oars per side with two rowers per oar. Typically twenty seven metres long and three metres wide, the galiot is a smaller variant of the galia sottila and is favoured as a fighting vessel due to its size and relative costs. Most galiots carry a single mast, and some have a forecastle capable of carrying an engine of war. They may carry as many as 60 soldiers over a limited range.

Galia sottila.
25-28 oars per side with three rowers per oar. The primary warship design. Galia sottila are the main fighting vessels of any significant navy. They are usually forty to fifty metres long, four to six metres wide, bear one or sometimes two masts and carry two engines of war in a forecastle. In battle, a galia sottila may carry as many as 100 soldiers.

Lanterna.
28+ oars per side with as many as six rowers per oar. Lanterna are generally flagship vessels used to command fleets. They get their name from large lanterns on the poop deck which they carry for signalling to the fleet. Lanterna are usually fifty to fifty five metres long, six to eight metres wide, bear two masts and carry as many as six engines of war on their forecastle. In battle, a Lanterna will carry from 250 to 350 soldiers.

There are also several lesser other types of vessel used in lesser quantities. These include;

Cog.
Older trading vessels, known as cogs can still be seen in northern waters in a variety of types. In former times, cogs were used for most all coastal trade in northern waters, but with the development of caravels, larger cogs have become rare. Smaller cogs, used for local trading, fishing and carrying passengers are still plentiful.

Galia grosse.
A trading variant of the galley. These are usually forty to forty five metres long and six to eight metres wide.

Dhow.
The primary trading vessel of Turskur and the Sabaean Sea region, the dhow is a dependable, old and conservative design that has proven its worth as a trading ship for centuries. Dhows come in a variety of sizes, and have one or two lateen rigged masts and a bowsprit. Caravels are a northern variant of the dhow.

Baghlah.
A larger and more luxurious version of the dhow, though with much the same basic design and rigging, a baghlah is a sea going vessel, typically used by Turskurian princes. King Phelonius of Takshendal owns a baghlah named Royal Swan, which was presented to him by Bey of Sorgun the on the event of his coronation.

Felucca.
Although rare in northern waters, some felucca's, usually fishing boats from Turskur or small traders sometimes travel north and stop in Takshendal to resupply or sell their wares. Felucca's are small, broad vessels, with one or two lateen rigged masts, usually capable of transporting eight to ten people.

Chapter one completed

2011-01-26T16:48:00.001-08:00

Tonights session (26th January) finished the first chapter as the first mystery has more or less been solved. There are details yet to be clarified, but this doesn't matter too much as the three chapters are interwoven and things will doubtless become clearer as time progresses.

Robert Ladlevane

2010-11-23T14:56:00.000-08:00

Tall, handsome, unpolished; something of a local celebrity with the ladies at the Red Fox. Ladlevane is a middle aged batchelor who lives alone in his carpenters shop. During the day he works hard making all manner of artefacts to order and is seldom approachable for his work consumes him, but during the evenings, he can be found in one of the many local taverns, inns or cat houses where he becomes festive, rowdy and humorous. Ladlevane is a country man who came to the city in his early adulthood. He speaks with a broad country accent, and wears his rural character like a garment. Of an occaision he can be seen here and there, mending houses but the rumour is, he services other mens wives more often than their homes.

Doctor Giffshank

2010-11-23T14:18:00.001-08:00

An elderly scholar, cantankerous, insular, unkempt. Giffshank lives in the attic apartment of Mrs Crimpstock's house (he is Misteline's neighbour) with his twin sister Edna, who recently moved in. Well read, and very intellient, Doctor Giffshank suffers from a variety of social disabilities, most of obvious of which is his short temper and lack of empathy. If given half a chance he will talk at tedious length on the subject of cataloguing stars, a personal project which he has been undertaking for the past forty years.

Edna Shufflewick

2010-11-23T13:23:00.000-08:00

The twin sister of Doctor Giffshank. A strange, elderly woman with unusually heavy shoulders, a great golden blonde head of hair and a stern countenance. Brusque. Loud. Opiniated. Edna Shufflewick was recently widowed, and for the last several weeks has been living with with her brother Doctor Giffshank. There is something of the dramatist about Edna, a strange over dressed flamboyance which sits at odds with her heavy jawed features and piercing eyes. Since moving in with her brother she has been seen having trouble with the local children who seem to take great delight in pulling at her clothing and laughing at her discomfort.

Update

2010-11-19T08:17:00.001-08:00

Captain Fouquet will begin 3rd December. So far, Oleg, Palle, Goeg and Rasmus have expressed a desire to participate. Thus the player characters in the game will be;

Misteline. An artist of great standing and popularity.

Rufus. A fencing instructor, and sometime accomplice to Misteline.

Marmaduke. A cabinet maker and neighbour to Misteline and Rufus.

Silas. A former captain of the militia and current owner of The Lotus Flower gambling house.

Progress report

2010-10-21T16:55:00.001-07:00

With the death of my father and the subsequent upheaval in my life, everything got put on hold and preperation for this campaign has been suspended until I can find the time needed to finish it.

Captain Fouquet has been shunted until after Operation Herald, and may possibly not be begun until 2011.

Progress report

2010-07-19T02:06:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what the time frame will be, but I'm guessing we won't be able to play Captain Fouquet until after August at the earliest. I have to build four more house models first and only one is begun. These models will be; a medium sized town house in four levels (already begun), two small, generic, square based town houses (similar to the two I already have) and one large companion building based on, but not entirely identical to the inn. This latter model may take quite a while to build.

I also need to draw several more character pictures and post the information on the remaining inhabitants of the table top, but this is coming along nicely and shouldn't take too long. Bear in mind that the posts on this blog are not posted in any order. They get blogged once the images are drawn and the order the images are drawn depends on which face I decide to draw.

Most of the plot is mapped out, though chapter 3 is still sketchy, and I've done about half 0f the background material. I'll do combat stats and new character sheets last.

Chronology of events

2010-07-15T14:19:00.000-07:00

Updates to the chronology can be found in the pages menu at the top of the page

31st Mae. 1623. The Battle of Gripen. Pretender to the throne of Takshendal; Baron Bohemond Dashfern is killed by Sir Adley De Ives. Misteline witnesses the battle.
2nd Jún. 1623. Misteline is commissioned by Sir Adley De Ives to paint his victory at the Battle of Gripen.
7th Jún. 1623. Niccoló Sigismundo surrenders at Overmore castle.
13th Augusta. 1623. Misteline finishes a study in oils of Sir Adley De Ives holding aloft the head of Sir Bohemond Dashfern. The painting is quickly purchased by Sir Adley De Ives.
25th Septemus. 1623. The last rebels are defeated at Keresfan by Sir Roger Flor.
21st Aprila. 1624. The Death of Grand Arch Duke Ranulph Jarvis Underhock, fourth Arch-duke of the City of Takshendal.
23rd Aprila. 1624. Thirty six Aprican mercenaries storm the Citadel and kill several high standing city officials and numerous Militia Guards. Captain Leander Quartermoon retakes the Citadel several hours later. All the mercenaries are killed. The reason for the attack is unclear but appears to be an ill-begotten attempt at gaining control of Takshendal.
31st Mae. 1624. The Coronation of King Phelonius I.
1st Jún. 1624. In recognition of his having rescued Phelonius Grambeline, Drake is made Knight of Saffron Hall with 200 Acres of land, grazing rights in the Marches and the right to equip twenty men-at-arms. Henceforth he is known as Sir Drake Saffron.
8th Jula. 1624. Misteline finishes Sir Adley De Ives commision for his victory at the Battle of Gripen. The finished work is a large oil on canvas vista of the battle at its height with Sir Adley at the fore. The painting is hung in the Cathedral for one year for public viewing.
14th Jula. 1624. Misteline is commissioned to build an equestrian statue of the King trampling the Dragon of Halkyn Mire underfoot. The statue is to be at least twice the size of Misteline’s previous great equestrian statue; that of Alesandrox Wormpole. Misteline accepts the commision but warns such an undertaken will take time and a bronze statue of such proportions may not even be possible. He begins work on sketches at once.
12th Septembre. 1624. Anton Fouquet purchases the Friars Gate Property then moves from his previous home, a town house on Sparrow Hawk Street, into the Friars Gate gatehouse tower.
9th Marts. 1625. Late in the evening (roughly 23:30) Molly Cutlerstub is burned to death.

Marmaduke Gurdlecat

2010-07-08T16:20:00.001-07:00

Tall, lean, suspicious. Prone to watching other people with unsympathetic eyes. Marmaduke Gurdlecat dresses in practical working clothes and carries a pouch of small tools on his belt. He lives with his aging mother Ivy, in a building which is both the family house and their shop; 'Gurdlecat and Sons; Cabinets and Viola's'. A strong man, but clever with his hands, Maramduke appears sombre, sometimes confused and slightly slow to react, but this is largely a front for the devious mind of a cunning man. He is literate, well read, composes music when he thinks no one is listening and is a crack shot with his crossbow.

Still a bachelor in middle age, Marmaduke has had no time for a wife and no apparent interest in paying good money for dubious pleasures. He prefers to labour alone in his workshop, creating beautifully formed musical instruments and exclusive furniture and occaisionally getting drunk and firing his crossbow out the window at the pigeons which congregate on the roof tops.

This is Goeg's Player Character.

Meg Plum

2010-07-08T02:55:00.001-07:00

A large, fat, old woman, her silvery grey hair tied at her neck, Meg Plum labours constantly in Friars Gate courtyard, washing and drying clothes, surrounded by children and usually talking to the local women. Old Meg owns a boarding house, the top floor of which is currently rented by Cristobal Sebastiani and Franco Ballenciaga whilst Meg lives on the ground and first floor along with Molly Cutlerstub (rumoured to be a relative of some kind) and her five children. Meg is something of a local fixture, not least for the women and children of the neighbourhood, and many consider her a healer for she knows a great many old remedies and folk cures for all manner of ailments. Rumoured to have once been a prostitute herself, Meg also provides the meals for the girls at the Red Fox. Always busy, always smilling. Meg is apparently wealthy enough to own her own house, but she dresses in the old worn out garments of a char woman.

Odette Turnbull

2010-07-08T02:42:00.001-07:00

Reclusive. Haggard of feature and waspish. Once an infamous actress, known for hair raising antics, both on and off the stage, Odette was a renowned belle of the artistic elite in her twenties. Having cultivated a long and risky career, often flaunting convention, Odette finally reached the apex of her artistic flight when she joined forces with the theatre manager Olivier De Cowgill who was putting together a performance of 'The Lovers of Lady Archmole'. Everything ended for Odette when her horse took fright of a fanfare and bolted for the orchestra pit. Several players were crushed to death, and Odette lost her leg. De Cowgill was furious. Holding Odette responsible he stole Odette’s amputed leg and absconded. He was later rumoured to have opened a theatre in Serrenisma. Odette recovered despite her horrific wound and later married Olivier De Cowgill’s financial backer, Bertram Turnbull.

A decade later and Odette, her gay abandon burned into bitterness, now hides from the public gaze. On the rare occasion she ventures forth, she is frequently greeted by a crowd of street urchins who urge her to ‘shake a leg’.

Cristobal Sebastiano

2010-07-07T14:56:00.000-07:00

Large, muscular, heavy set. Grim faced and a generally unsavoury man to behold. A mysterious Castelopean monk of the Church of Holy Law, in recent weeks, Cristobal Sebastiano has been living in Old Meg’s Guest room along with his companion, Franco Ballenciaga. Both men have been seen walking the streets of the Armorial Quarter at night and local gossip is rife with speculation and suspicion. Rumours of homosexuality were quickly discarded.

Cristobal wears the common brown cassock of a monk and at his belt hangs a rapier.

Isabelle

2010-07-07T14:39:00.000-07:00

Beautiful, smug and self assured, Isabelle is the youngest of the prostitutes at the Red Fox and widely regarded as the prettiest. Somewhere in her mid to late teens, she can often be seen cavorting with wealthy old men in the boxes of the theatres, usually laughing merrily at the vauadville acts. About the town she wears pearl and cream garments of rich fabrics, adorned with lace and finery, turning the heads of many an amourous man and jealous wife. Since she has never cared to moderate herself, Isabelle has a great many critics amongst the local women and has on several occaisions gotten into public brawls and cat fights. Isabelle was born in Takshendal but speaks with a Skavvian accent. She is tall, strong, very blonde and quick of temper.

Aimeé

2010-07-07T14:32:00.001-07:00

Bright eyed, blonde, optimistic, happy-go-lucky. Aimeé is a young cheerful woman who has found comfort and security as a prostitute in the Red Fox. Tall and plain, she makes up for her lanky figure with her charm and wit. Intelligent, and quicker than most on the uptake, she is known to help many of the older women in the neighbourhood. Because of her willingness to help, she is regarded by the locals as ‘better than her circumstances’. Her accent betrays her rural origins, which she was born to a poverty stricken family in Gallowe. Having fled her family home with the help of a band of Gypsies she reached Takshendal in her fourteenth year where she quickly learned that the city was no place for innocence. As a consequence of her having helped other people, Aimeé is known to be able to read, write and even keep simple accounts, but how she came by these skills is a mystery.

Franco Ballenciaga

2010-07-07T14:14:00.001-07:00

Tall, dark and handsome, this Cambrian gentleman is an associate of Cristobal Sebastiano. Obviously a fencer, he dresses with an uncharacteristic coolness, favouring a simple dark coat over a plain white shirt. At his side he wears an Aquilean rapier, a blade longer and deadlier than any other such fencers weapon. A relative new comer to the Armorial District, little is known of him except that he has one eye for the women and another for the main chance. As yet, his skill with the blade of honour is unknown, but his confident manner and grace of movement indicate a swordsman of little fear.

Seen wandering the streets of the Armorial Quarter at night, Franco Ballenciaga and Cristobal Sebastiano have awoken much curiosity amongst the locals. Both reside at Old Meg Plum's guest house.

Marissa

2010-07-07T14:10:00.000-07:00

An exotic woman from a far away land, bold, mysterious and alluring, she has rich, dark hair, a full pouting mouth and almond eyes which sparkle with delight when in the presence of men. Well endowed and almost wanton with her exclusive clients her reputation as an expensive foreign prostitute has become widely known in the Armorial Quarter due to her flamboyant character, easy laughter and cheerful disposition. Marissa can often be seen perusing the stalls and shops of the district with her even more exotic friend Sandrine. Obviously from strange lands, Marissa has the appearance of a Sabean, but if asked from whence she came she will merely reply with an enigmatic evasion.

Marissa works at the Red Fox.

Sandrine

2010-07-07T14:07:00.000-07:00

Dark and mysterious, silent and sensual. A short woman with a plump figure. Broad across the hips, with long curling hair. Sandrine of Kwala is as unusual and strange as any woman in Takshendal and far more than most. Usually only seen in public in the company of her friend Marissa, who usually does any talking to strangers, Sandrine attracts stares and comment where ever she passes by. Even in the broad minded Armorial Quarter, her Jungolian complexion challenges and excites attention. As a prostitute working at the Red Fox, she is in high demand from men seeking novelty, but since her command of Norlish is limited, she makes few friends.

The Aftermath of the Previous Campaign

2010-07-04T14:57:00.000-07:00

For any one who requires a reminder of what happened during the summer of 1623...

Aftermath

Sir Bohemond Dashfern and his allies in the Order of Vigilance had long planned their insurrection. Their scheme had been timed to take effect on the first day of Jún, and in all seven of the Counties of Takshendal, Royalist forces had mustered secretly. In Wapontak, an assassination was foiled because Lord Phelonius arrived to spread the warning, and in Fulkingtor, Baron Hubert Bellbottom and his family were massacred whilst on a hunt. In Keresfan an army of southern mercenaries swept out of the Rapthians and overthrew Baron Sackschild, scattering his forces and occupying his house.

Feckletor was already under the control of the Order of Vigilance for Baron Johan Sapwood was a prominent member and as it transpired an important co-conspirator who had used his county’s resources to help feed the growing army hidden in Morden Forest.

Every where else, the rebellion failed as the Royalist’s rapidly learned that their leader had been killed. In Castelopea, the conspiracy was suffocated by intrigue and assassinations before it ever began and in Meklsbeg, the Royalist leader was a mercenary commander named Arnoldo Bragaldo who had so few local connections that his puny force of Mursulan mercenaries was left to fend for themselves by their peasant allies. Baron Nathaniel Grandmantle accepted Bragaldo’s surrender without a single drop of blood being shed. In Doxfortor the Royalist force was too small to be effective by itself. Later investigations showed its leadership had prudently delayed their attack to see which way the wind would turn, but the torture of Arnoldo Bragaldo revealed the guilt of numerous local dignitaries and several were discretely executed.

With Sir Bohemond dead and the Order of Vigilance exposed as traitors, the rebellion was ended. By 7th Jún, the Royalists had control of only the two western most counties Feckletor and Keresfan. The peasant rebellion had failed to manifest itself and the mercenary army under the command of Niccoló Sigismundo had agreed to hand over Overmore Castle, Earl Phelonius’s family and the village of Snoad in return for amnesty. Niccoló Sigismundo himself was unable to return to Casilicus where there was a hefty price on his head, and unwilling to return to the life of a condotieri he struck a deal with the Marshal of Takshendal; Sir Reginald Flatlock, gave up ownership of the Compagnia del Stella and settled as a gentleman of means in Castelopea. In the months to follow he set about writing a book entitled ‘The Art of War’.

The Falcon returned to the forest but very little was heard of him in the next few months until the body of an old man was found on the road from Snoad to Thickly Vale, and various local grey beards identified the former bandit leader. Deep in Morden Forest the out cast community continued to hold their own, according to rumour under the leadership of Cedric Applegrate, ignored by the surrounding counties which were busy dealing with the recapture of Keresfan. This took considerably longer than it ought to have done, but by Septemus, the rebels had been cleared out and the County placed under the authority of Sir Roger Flor.

Of Sir Bohemond Dashfern’s right hand man, he known to Misteline and his companions as Archibald Pillorseed, the man who abducted Silas, there is no sign. Rufus attempts to track the man down but no one he questions has the faintest idea of who the man was or from whence he came. The only clues Rufus finds is from one of Dashfern’s former guards who tells that the man was seldom seen at Dockrey House and whom expresses the opinion that the man sometimes had a slight accent, as of Merdun. This same guard also tells Rufus that the lad with the cleft lip was almost certainly killed because he knew something of the man’s origins.

Eleven months after what eventually became known as the Battle of Gripen, the Grand Arch Duke of Takshendal fell down a flight of stairs and suffered a broken neck, but miraculously survived. In the next few days, as he lay on his bed, slowly dying, his advisors and political allies pressed him to name a successor but the old duke refused to do so, arguing that he still had a great many years of life left in him, and as soon as he was recovered, he was going to initiate a new golden age.

Grand Arch Duke Ranulph Jarvis Underhock, fourth Arch-duke of the City of Takshendal, died on Aprila 21st. 1624, without issue or designated heir. The nobility, with only a few exceptions, declared Earl Phelonius Grambeline to be the rightful heir of the Crown of Takshendal and the city council, all too aware of the deplorable state of the city’s economy, agreed. King Phelonius the First was crowned on the first anniversary of the Battle of Gripen. His first act of decree was to make Sir Adley De Ives Baron of Overmore.

Misteline

Misteline’s early career had been kick started by his having witnessed the attack of the notorious pirate Captain Murder, and the brave exploits of Alesandrox Wormpole. His greatest work of art in his early career was held to be the bronze equestrian statue he sculpted to commemorate the event, and which stands to this day in the central plaza of the Mercantile District.

Having now been present at the Battle of Gripen, Misteline had ample opportunity to feather his bed with numerous commissions, to create new and ever more brilliant works of art and to firmly cement his position forever as the greatest artist of his age. Within days of his return to the city, Misteline began numerous works, including a grand vista of the battle at its climax, a study of Sir Adley De Ives holding aloft the head of Sir Bohemond Dashfern and in the aftermath of the coronation of King Phelonius, an equestrian statue of the king trampling a writhing dragon to be even larger and grander than that of Alesandrox Wormpole.

Drake

Having been instrumental in the rescue of Lord Phelonius Grambeline, Drake was in turn rescued by Sir Adley de Ives and his men when they occupied Dockrey Hall. Some what battered and scarred from his capture, Drake immediately then sought out and rescued Silas from his tower top captivity, tending his wounds and awaiting the outcome of events. Misteline and Nathan eventually arrived at Dockrey Hall, as did Rufus and the four comrades were finally re-united. Dockrey Hall was occupied by Sir Adley De Ives and the Dashfern family were removed to a secure location.

Drake returned to Takshendal with Misteline, and a month after the battle he received the gift of a thoroughbred horse from Earl Phelonius. Unsure whether he could keep such a magnificent animal, Drake was loath to sell it so he decided to send it to the Monasterium in Thickly Vale with Nathan who longed to return to the girl called Liselle.

Much to his surprise, when Phelonius Grambeline was crowned king, Drake was knighted and given Saffron Hall (Sir Adley was moving into Dockrey Hall), with 200 Acres of land, grazing rights in the Marches and the right to equip twenty men-at-arms.

Not long after Drake has taken up residence in Saffron Hall, he is approached by Rufus who wishes to endow a scholarship on the deformed young shepherd of Halkyn Mire. Drake agrees to assist and the shepherd and his sweetheart are soon employed by the new Knight of Thickly Vale, and live happily ever after.

Rufus

Having left Sir Adley De Ives main force with ten skirmishers, Rufus roamed north of the River Glun at will for most of the 31st Mae. During this time he disrupted communications, slew rebellious peasants and caused much mayhem. Towards the evening he penetrated Snoad wearing captured livery and made his way up to Overmore castle where he confronted the Lady Jacinta Grambeline to discover the whereabouts of her mysterious brother. Filled with mortal terror at the sight of her brother’s killer, the lady fell into a paroxysm of screaming and guards came rushing. Pausing only to stab the first man to come through the door, Rufus fled from Castle Overmore and made his way to Dockrey Hall where he met up with his companions.

As the days past Rufus came to understand that he had yet to discover the truth regarding Basilio D’Castelleto and his unsatisfactory meetings with Lady Jacinta had revealed nothing. Approaching the Earl proved impossible as the Earl, and most of the other nobles of Overmore were no where to be found. Instead then Rufus went to see Lady Marjory Flor. From the good lady he discovered that all the nobles except Sir Roger Flor had travelled to Takshendal.

Rufus decided to return to Takshendal himself when Silas informed him that a certain Lukas D’Castelleto had been appointed Commissioner of the Militia in the city. On a cool autumn morning, nine weeks later Lukas D’Castelleto was run through with a rapier and the mystery of Rufus’s assailant was solved. The ghost of Basilio was laid to rest at last.

In the months that followed the Battle of Gripen, deprived of work and adventure, Rufus retired to Takshendal and took rooms in the armorial quarter of the city, not far from Misteline’s studio, and set about writing a book on fencing. Misteline agreed to draw some illustrations, but most of these were accomplished by one of Misteline’s new apprentices as the great master was swamped with work. Misteline agreed to put his name to the drawings however, which amounted to much the same thing. When the book was finished, it was published around the time of the coronation of King Phelonius by Albrecht Greengrass under the title ‘Il Gladiatoria’. Given recent events and the three chapters Rufus had prudently added to his book dealing with the Battle of Gripen and the tactics used, the book became something of a best seller. The accounts in the book soon found direct competition with Niccoló Sigismundo’s ‘The Art of War’ which saw the battle from a first hand perspective and for a short period the two authors were locked in an intellectual spat with each books supporters slinging mud at the other book. This argument died down when Niccoló Sigismundo was found in his Castelopean apartments with his throat cut. A cursory investigation by the city militia indicated the probable culprit being Rufus’s godfather, Don Vito Magliocco D’Castelopea, though no solid proof was found to support a charge of murder.

Silas

The Lord High Sheriff of the Marne Territories resumed his duties after a week’s convalescence, appointing various sheriffs and tax collectors to take on the job of collecting money then setting himself up in offices in Takshendal. Once the conflict in Overmore County settled down, Silas began raking in the dough. Political silent, efficient and ruthless in the application of raising funds, Silas had managed to acquire sufficient funds to prepare for the day when the king was crowned and he would be replaced as having belonged to the former regime.

Sure enough, on 17th Jún. 1624. Silas was thanked for his service to the city and by the 26th he was under investigation by the Militia, charged with stealing tax money for his own purposes. Having anticipated this, Silas had prepared for the eventuality and though certainly guilty, he avoided a conviction by having obliterated any and all evidence of his self preservation. Silas retired from the Militia and to the outside world he become a private business man, but beneath his offices Silas opened a clandestine gambling den where patrons could also imbibe of a new vice, known as somniferum.

More information can be had by reading the Chronology of Events for the Dark Marches campaign.

Marcus Feathergate

2010-07-04T14:23:00.000-07:00

Tall. Ascetic in dress and somewhat distinguished in appearance, Marcus Feathergate is a scribe and accountant, who hires his services to several local businesses. In public he often appears silent and reserved, with sad eyes and the resigned manner of a stoic. Often seen frequenting the local theatres where he counts out every last penny when paying for admission, his dour manner has gained him a reputation as a miser.

Marcus Feather is a widower and lives alone.

Gregory Marshkindle

2010-07-04T14:11:00.001-07:00

Big, crude and strong. A former sailor, now employed by Anton Fouquet as a care taker and handiman for the Friars Gate properties. Marshkindle is a simple man who prefers a good drink and a laugh. His broken teeth and florid alcoholics complexion give the impression of a man gone to waste, but his obvious strength, posture and dexterity indicate a much more active individual than one might othewise presume.

Marshkindle lives alone.

Father Caltrop

2010-07-04T13:58:00.000-07:00

A lean, tall man, some what dishevelled, unshaven, even scrawny in appearance. Caltrop is a street preacher, an outcast of the established Church of Holy Law who has undertaken to bring the message of Divine Equilibrium to the poor. He has obviously led a hard life and his appearance makes it difficult to judge his age. He appears to be some where in his late 50’s. He wears dark, thread-bare ecclesiastical garments and around his neck hangs a pendant of the Eternal Serpent. Much respected and admired by the poor for his tireless charity and hardwork on their behalf, he is widely regarded with some distaste, even scorn by the artists and intellectuals of the Armorial Quarter. Due to his tutoring young boys in his chambers, many assume he is a paedarast.

Anaïs Fouquet

2010-07-04T13:51:00.000-07:00

Short, dark, feisty. Anaïs is the wife of Anton Fouquet. Dark tempered and suspicious of strangers, Anaïs Fouquet is an introverted woman, somewhere in her late twenties and prone to wearing strange, often garish, foreign garments. Despite her manner, she is a young and beautiful woman and when seen in public, her husbands reputation as a skirt chaser means she is usually regarded with pity. Anaïs Fouquet never mentions her husband however, and dicourages any one to speak of him.

Like her husband, Anaïs is a native of distant Guisseny, and she has difficulty speaking without a heavy accent. She is seldom seen in public.

Resurrection

2010-06-22T16:25:00.000-07:00

Captain Fouquet is back on track and with luck we'll be playing it in the latter half of 2010.

The game will be based on the same general idea as the first Takshendal campaign, with a table top scenario, a mystery and a range of well defined characters. The story will take place some two years after Chapter Six; Re Nascosta. The player characters will be the same as before, unless by consent of the players.

Bertram Turnbull

2009-03-14T18:09:00.001-07:00

A placid, solid man, heavily built with a wide face, Bertram Turnibull wears dark, sombre clothing of quality manufacture, hinting at a level of affluence above most of the locals. He is a lawyer, a merchant of sorts and some kind of financial supporter of The Arrow Theatre. He is seldom seen locally as he lives a busy life, but has been known to frequent The Red Fox on occaision. To the locals he is a respectable, but anonymous face, usually associated with the upper levels of society. Amongst the acting fraternity he is usually described as being a frightful bore, a dullard and a tiresome accountant.

Bertram Turnibull is married to the mysterious Odette Turnibull who was a renown actress until she lost her left leg in a boisterous performance of 'The Lovers of Lady Archmole'.

Molly Cutlerstub

2009-03-07T17:34:00.000-08:00

A short, spare woman in her late twenties, Molly and her five children live with old Meg Plum. Her husband Jake Cutlerstub is a sailor who has not been seen for two years and in order to keep her children fed, Molly works as a charwoman for many of the local gentlemen, and also as a maid and cleaner for Misteline. Still pretty, despite years of poverty and hard work, she has occasionally earns extra money from Misteline who has used her as a model from time to time, though always within the bounds of propriety. Molly is a proud woman and claims never to have resorted to prostitution, though few local people believe this knowing the frequency with which she meets single men as a consequence of her labours. She usually keeps to her self when in public, but when pressed has been known to voice her opinions most boisterously.
She has a reputation for being some what cantankerous.

Bagangelo

2009-03-07T17:21:00.001-08:00

A young and rising star, Bagangelo is an artist whose work rivals Misteline’s, especially amongst the younger artists of the city who see Bagangelo as the next ’big thing’. His name is an obvious alias, and his real name and identity are a mystery. What is known about him is his insatiable appetite for women, his infamous behaviour when drunk and his blatant disregard for convention.

Bagangelo is a short, chubby man in his late twenties. He dresses casually, even untidily and is often seen cavorting about the city unshaven and drunk. He is jovial by nature, but excessively vain and jealous of most any competition. His features have a foreign look about them, something of the southerner perhaps, but his accent and mannerisms belong entirely to the middle classes of Takshendal.

Curiously he does not promote himself at the expense of Misteline, whom he has several times lauded in public, hailing the elder artist as ’the sole maestro of the city.’ Naturally both artists live in the Armorial Quarter which is the artistic heart of Takshendal, and thus are practically neighbours. Consequently they know each other very well, and each takes a keen interest in the projects of the other. Unlike Misteline, Bagangelo lives alone and has only a single apprentice as yet, a young student named Oliver Taprattle.

Bagangelo is not a homosexual.

Hilda Grimbleflax

2009-03-07T16:57:00.000-08:00

A slender, yet sturdy woman in her middle years. Her strength of personality is immediately evident in her bearing and open manner. Quick to voice her opinion she can often seem fiery and aggressive, but lurking beneath the spitfire one may glimpse a perceptive and prudent woman. Hilda Grimbleflax is the proprietor of the Red Fox coffee house, which is known locally as a private bawdy house. She is usually well dressed, if some what casually. She wears no make up and despite her profession she is not a prostitute. She was once married to a young soldier, but he was killed in some distant war.

Due to her candour and general disposition, Hilda Grimbleflax is very popular with the locals, both amongst the back street poor, the armorial district academics and the many actors, artists and other petty intellectuals.

Note that prostitution is legal in Takshendal due to the teachings of both the Church of Holy Law and the Church of Divine Grace, though it is generally considered something of a shabby, unimpressive trade. Some few prostitutes do make a name for themselves however and one or two become rather famous due to the company they keep. Hilda Grimbleflax is known to employ five girls; Aimeé, Isabelle, Sandrine, Marissa and Kit Kindle.

Note also that coffee is a rare drink in Takshendal, imported in limited supply from Axor.

Captain Anton Fouquet

2009-02-14T16:20:00.000-08:00

Formerly the Master and Commander of the trading ship Molly Carbuncle, now retired. Born in Guisseny (see map) in 1571, he served the House of Treadstone for most of his adult life and in 1620 he settled in the Armorial Quarter. In 1624 he purchased the Friars Gate property and moved into the old gate house tower. For the last few months he has cultivated the local neighbourhood and become something of a minor celebrity, much given to visiting the Red Fox coffee house where he often holds court for numerous sycophants and followers.

He is a tall, fat man with a strong personality and a powerful charisma. There is something of the patrician about him, but also a touch of the criminal. He lives with his young wife Anaïs, but is known to be a chronic adulterer.

Introduction

2009-02-12T16:13:00.001-08:00

Captain Fouquet is a mystery campaign set in the city of Takshendal. Chronologically, it takes place roughly two years after The Dark Marches, but is planned to be an entirely seperate story arc. The main characters remain the same unless the players prefer otherwise. At the moment, this game is still in the early development stage.