[KCD2 AAR] Henry's Come To See Us!

[Orion Ultor]

Forenote

Discovered in the 20th Century among the various historical artifacts uncovered during the Soviet renovations of Trencin Castle, the personal journal of a one Jindřich of Skalice [Henry of Skalitz] recounted the turn of the 15th Century Kingdom of Bohemia. While parts of the journal were heavily damaged by the passage of time created by its improper storage, the majority of its writings were not only salvageable but remarkably intact for a non-academic work. While the document was largely hailed as a seminal and foundational text by Czechoslovak officials almost immediately, the ongoing tensions of the Cold War saw its importance dismissed as unverifiable by West Germany and Austria; it was until the year 2011, that it was first verified as authentic by Western academics.

[Orion Ultor]

Second Week of June, 1403 Anno Domini

(- Records of the 12th to 16th of June are not included within the surviving journal -)
(- Illuminated doodles of rabbits in various poses are etched in the page corners -])

The 17th of June, 1403 Anno Domini:
Those vandals have stolen everything of ours of value, including my previous [-Unintelligible writing-] -having served Sir Hans Capon faithfully these past few months as his, as he puts it, Scribe-Knight (whoever heard of such a thing), the attack on our persons has left him rather rattled, understandably so, and-

No, I shall not defend him in this, not when his foolishness has landed us once more in trouble and rather than accept his part in it, has departed my company with not a kind word to be said, blaming me for all his misfortune. There are many things I would do differently, if I were able, but-

No matter, if he refuses to take his responsibilities seriously, I will endeavor to do mine best to ensure that they are completed nonetheless.

To start, I need groschens, provisions and proper vestments, and the best way I can see this concluding with my head still attached to my shoulders, especially with this hole in my shoulder still healing, is to head to the nearby blacksmith and ply the old trade once more as honestly as I can.

After that, if I have the luxury of time, I shall do my best to find both Mutt and that legendary armor that the nomad- or was she a beggar?- notified me of. With those two, I'd feel that much more safer, than with this threadbare gambeson.

audentes Fortuna iuvat.​

...I hope that, when I next see Sir Hans, he'll be in much better spirits, so that we may go back to

The 18th of June, 1403 Anno Domini:

Here I am, learning under Radovan, Blacksmith of [-Water damage-], making an honest days work like me pa before me, when I'm told I need to look for the layabouts that took off with a month's work. Of course, I said, be right on the matter...but I stopping for a mug of mead, having completed a nice set of blades and horseshoes, and that be tiring work. It's there that Zdyenek the Mouth (selfproclaimed at that) ambushes me for another pint, and while I would normally never answer a lout like that, I was utterly destitute and without much coin, so I sat there and listened to his tale of the Drowner's Silver Axe.

Probably nothing, all told, but given that I was tasked a journey for much coin, I listened long enough for the lad to have an idea where to find such treasure [very likely worth a tale of its own, if nothing else.]

Unfortunately, I was not favored by Lady Luck this day, as I ran into a group of five bandits creating mischief and mayhem on the route I had chosen, forcing my plans to change as I needed the time to recover. At the Inn, I learned that Hans created some chaos of his own...soon followed by mine own, as I challenged the local fight club for the right to a fat coin purse. The bard was a strange one, and strangely humble for one of his talents, the farmhand was...a problematic one, and the barber was a fierce wise one. From him, I learned much, at least in the ways of fisticuffs.

...I then made a mistake, having just come from the fights and my head not yet clear from the pummeling the old man gave me, and agreed to bit of tomfoolery that a nearby elder, Oldbram of Zhelehov, roped me into regarding their land dispute.

I passed by a number of refugees on the road to complete his request, though it meant I could not search for that drowner's silver, and met another blacksmith whose fortunes were only slightly better than mine...and then lost most of my winnings to Hornet, a wandering mercenary- I'll be back to take what's mine, after I get some rest and a chance to offload some of my wares.

It was much too late to wander by the time I was done, so I made haste back to Radovan's workshop, to rest mine head for the night.

[Orion Ultor]

Third Week of June, 1403 Anno Domini

The 20th of June, 1403 Anno Domini:
Things did...not go the way as planned today, having started with a thunderstorm and ended with a grisly murder. The storm meant that I was confined to smithying in the morn with Radovan, which is was a wonderful way to spend the day, but as soon as it broke I was strongly reminded of the task to recover the wagon, and so off I went.

At some point, I got turned around and found meself back at the Herbwoman Bozhena's hut after I managed to find some trace of Mutt, my faithful hound, but her need to find her daughter Pavlena was greater than my own need- she was truly worried for her daughter, and so I went on my way, and in so doing, I have unfortunately been made part of some grisly dealings that I have passed unto the bailiff's judgement.

What happened here...it sickens me greatly, to the point that I must pray for the Lord to be merciful in His judgement for I cannot, which is the last I'll say of the matter.

The 21st of June, 1403 Anno Domini:
In other matters, it's been storming a lot lately, which has made my trip to Semine has been postponed until the storm clears; must be these terrible storms that have caused all this evil to spontaneously decide that these past few days must be perfect for their make trouble.

First was that fair weather friend that used his friend as a way to make cheap coin off the fights- though I daresay, we'd have likely done the same for a lark back in Skalitz if the thought had ever occurred to us back then. Second, was that pack of wolves I had the misfortune of stumbling on. Third was needing to force myself past the bandits making merry in our camp, set before a mockery of the men's gravestones. And finally, needing to address the– too much has happened in the span of the last two days, but needless to say, I am yet again in the position of needing to aid a family feud, and while things as they stand are quite grim, I am confident that, at least this once, there will be no beau's death.

...makes me wonder how my dear Theresa fairs, I was meant to be back by yestermorn's dusk and I do not wish her any undue stress caused by my absence.

Curious about these Nomads tho, never had the opportunity to meet friendly non-Imperial peoples in Skalitz or Rattay, they have a mighty strange view of things, but perhaps, my view has been too narrow of late, and this is just what I need; a life on the road is tempting, very tempting...

The 22nd of June, 1403 Anno Domini:
Made a mess of things last night, was deep in more than a cup, or two, of mead, and so I've made promises beyond my capabilities...and it does not help that I was unable to sleep the entirety of the night, or that I fought a couple rounds with Tomcat the Strongman in the morn.

Head was splitting most of the day, and I had to figure out a way to ensure Voivode's son from Semine, while dancing around the catchpole and Bohush's mother...turns out, I needn'ta worried by that, the Saddler did a pisspoor job of keeping Tibor secured if all I had to do was find an open window. What followed took the rest of the day, and that was to gather up Gezja's body and prepare funerary measures, so that the family could grieve in peace.

And once more, Voivode denied me the talisman, a record of that blasted Hungarian King- I cannot fufill my oath until it happens, and poor Bahush might not have forever...it seems that once more, I must go without much sleep

The 23rd of June, 1403 Anno Domini:
...this is embarrassing, fell asleep writing.

Woke up in the early morning, earlier than the bite of the morning's cold, and sprinted to Semine to make up for lost time, as I can in no uncertain terms go without getting a horse, and as the only stable is under purview of Lord Semine, it means I must complete Radovan's request this morn. While I would never rely solely on a gut feeling, I hope the Lord answers my prayers for that wagon be near Marika and Bohush, so that I can deliver those herbs before it is too late.

In mine haste to get back to the young couple, I took out my frustrations I took it out on a drunkard Moravian who treated me like some sorta hired hand! I did not have time for this Jurko's pissing contest, and so handily beat the snot outta his skull. Rightly, I shouldnta done that, by all counts, not very Christenlike for me to let me be ruled by that sorta wrathful pride not to mention the fop was the Lord's kinsmen, but they was drinking in the baleful red light of the morn! Could tell that they hadn't slept a wink!

For all their talk of being the seat of Samo's Kingdom, the lot of them are barely good at anything but drinking.

When Captain Gnarly came down to sort it out, nearly busted my gut about Jurko's youthful mischief, of how his sister's treated the lad, but I knew I musn't...I was here to be professional and not get thrown in the stockade again. He was understandin, but I'd arrived at an inconvenient time for the Lord so I was sent off until the red sky of early morn was the blue sky of day, so I went off to arrange for a horse- and lo and behold I find that they'd been sold Pebbles! Thankfully the lad was open to reason, but I do owe him one for letting me take her back without charge [let him not know I was done to only 20 groschen].

After all that, and a chance to eat something warm, I returned once more to find Lord Semine was a very kind man for the circumstances, even though that drunken lout was to be his kinsmen and the cart's delivery had been delayed overmuch in the midst of wedding preparations, and took me alongside of them to find that cart; boy, were these elders of mine lively and spry, hope to still have that taste of vinegar if I am ever to reach their age.

After some several hours of searching, we came upon Apollonia where the thieves were doing the hiding and put them to short work, taking three as our prisoners: a nobleman playing bandit, and Radovan's most assuredly former hands. In the aftermath, I asked to spared a moment or two before we went back on the road to look for anything I may have dropped- a lie I felt most terrible for, as I needed to aid Marika. The guilt was stripped almost immediately when I found her at odds by a pack of wolves. After that short work, I informed her of her brother's passing where she blammed her father's stubborness for her being unable to go to his funeral.

I cannot say that I understand her view, but then again I am neither a woman in love nor am I capable of having such a roe with my own father; but families are all odd in their own way, so I cannot rightly judge her circumstances by any metric of my own- even if I do want to want to throttle her for wasting an opporunity I shall never have. After tending to them, and acquiring King Sigismund's Letter of Safe Conduct (and something I can fully attest to be real, or real enough to my layman's senses), I returned to the bandit's camp and rode out with Lord Semine back to Tros-[-water damage-], after which I returned to Radovan with haste.

But no rest for the virtuous! I am to be sent to fetch what remains of a Hermit's sword, bourne of Toledo steel...never before had I ever thought I would see the like. But that can wait for the morrow, as it is nearly dusk and I must help Radovan complete an order or two before nightfall.

Ah, and arranged for a date between two lovebirds.

The 24th of June, 1403 Anno Domini:
It seems that, in addition to that storm breaking last night, all sorts of nonsense broke out across the region. Tachov's maypole went missing after I took my leave of the storm, in addition to a bandit attack that saw at least four dead; Old Man Jezek of Troskowitz, and three on others on the road between there and Tachov, one of which being identified as one of Jezek's hands.

As you can imagine, the Bailiff is stark raving mad about the audacity of these bandits, to strike in their homes and on the road, and has promised a swift and terrible response. And on top of that, all the sheep escaped and ruined the laundry while he was here, embarrassing the town further. Afterwards, I ran into a Shepard who had some idea of where Mutt could be, and though I was disappointed that it weren't him, I did recieve directions regarding von Bergov's Huntsman, and so off I went.

What happened was rather...arduous, and again involved familial drama brought on by a father...I believe the Lord is trying to aid me in learning that not all families had a decent father like Pa, and I am grateful, even if he weren't my blood, that he raised me.

I just wish I could tell him so.

In the end, I did find Mutt not even a stone's throw from the Nomad camp, which angers me somewhat that we coulda met back together some days earlier- but my goodest boy took out all the wolves with me, yes he did.

And when I arrive at their Camp, ready to make an easy trade, I am once more reminded of stubborn fathers, as the Voivode refused an easy trade and it is only when Tibor gets involved that I get some idea on how to move forward.

And I don't think that Ma would have liked me to become this sorta betting man...I am confident that I will win such a race, even with Pebbles being such an elderly mare, but I can feel her disapproval from the other side. It wasn't even as fierce as the time I ran from the priesthood.

The 25th of June, 1403 Anno Domini:
What fool God makes of men and their plans, poor Pebbles was not swift enough to outpace Tibor and his ill horse. The fight with Tibor that followed was swift, but informative, and the final wager was all luck and no skill. So the Voivode came with me to Marika's, where come to find out that she's a greater trickster than I realized.

Bonush was saved, and following their customs, became part of their family- a kind of life debt that intrigues and inspires me.

I'd right more of the day and all its intricacies, but in all fairness, I would rather focus on the celebratory party they're throwing. I'll write of it another time.