Prima RPG - User contributions [en]

Main Page

2026-03-09T16:55:19Z

Taiko: /* What is Prima RPG ? */

== What is Prima RPG ? ==

Prima is a historical horror game where you play inquisitors hunting heretics in the darkest corners of medieval Europe.

Prima RPG is a story focused tabletop roleplaying game.
Story focused means there's a emphasis on player's decisions and ambiance instead of rules and combats.

In 1346, the kingdom of France is ravaged by the hundred year war and just lost the battle of Crecy.

Knight Templars have been arrested thorough Europe, its last remaining members are in hiding or joined other orders.

Hailing from Avignon, pope Clement VI recently launched a crusade to fight heretics abroad.

Dark times nurtures dark thoughts and dark thoughts nurtures heresy.

Soldiers being in short supplies the inquisition have to recourse to outside help.

Your character is amongst the soldiers god has chosen for this task.

(''if you are not familiar with the middle age, you may want to read : [[Europe in 1346]]'')

===Prima is now Flagellum Dei===
'''Same game, same scenarios, but different user inteface, try it now ! [https://www.flagellum-dei.com www.flagellum-dei.com]'''

== Start here ==

'''5 minutes tutorial video'''

[[File:How_to_use_Prima_Wiki.mp4|500px]]

==For players==
Create your Character here :
{{Template:Character/Create}}
(Searching for your character ? They are all here [[:Category:Characters]] )

On Character creation your character has one Feat of your choice.
Archetypes are a subtype of Feats and can be taken on first level.
At the end of each scenario, your game master can award you with a level up : you then gain one more Feat of your choice.

Detailed level up rules : [[+1 Feat]]

===Feats - Archetypes===
We strongly advise you to start your character by choosing an archetype (but it's not mandatory).

An Archetype is a special kind of Feat.
A character can only have one Archetype.
Apart from that, Archetypes are like normal Feats and may be taken at character creation or on any level up.
<DynamicPageList>
category = Archetypes
category = Official
notcategory = Hidden
ordermethod = sortkey
order = ascending
mode = unordered
</DynamicPageList>

===Feats - General===
<DynamicPageList>
category = Feats
category = Official
notcategory = Prowesses
notcategory = Archetypes
notcategory = Hidden
ordermethod = sortkey
order = ascending
mode = unordered
</DynamicPageList>
(Tips 1 : Remember to check the Prowesses list below, as you can always choose either a General Feat or a Prowess when leveling up.)

(Tips 2 : If you use [[Faith]] too often, consider getting the [[Confession]] and [[Luck]] Prowesses)

(Tips 3 : If you do not have [[Faith]], consider getting [[Luck]] (and ideally for extra safety at least one [[Miracle]]) or [[Handicap (lost faith)]] and read thoroughly the article [[Lost Faith]], especially the end.)

===Feats - Prowesses===
Prowesses are a special kind of Feats with prerequisites.
<DynamicPageList>
category = Prowesses
category = Official
notcategory = Hidden
ordermethod = sortkey
order = ascending
mode = unordered
</DynamicPageList>
(Tips 4 : Remember to check the Prowesse [[Miracle]] as it allows you to "recharge" your other Prowesses and can be a great combo.)

===Create new Feat : General, Archetype or Prowess===
Didn't find the perfect Feat, Archetype or Prowess for you ? You can always become a [[⭐ Prima Contributor]] and create a new one here :
{{Template:Feats/Create}}

(for all the content that isn't official yet, it's here : [[:Category:Unofficial|Unofficial Content]])

==For game masters : Official Scenarios==

'''Spoiler alert ! Those scenarios are for game masters only.'''

'''DO NO READ THOSE ARTICLES IF YOU ARE A PLAYER !'''

*[[Danse Macabre Part 1]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 2]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 3]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 4]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 5]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 6]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 7]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 8]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 9]]
[[Category:Official]]

Main Page

2026-03-09T16:54:46Z

Taiko: /* Prima is now Flagellum Dei */

== What is Prima RPG ? ==

Prima is a historical horror game where you play inquisitors hunting heretics in the darkest corners of medieval Europe.

Prima RPG is a story focused tabletop roleplaying game.
Story focused means there's a emphasis on player's decisions and ambiance instead of rules and combats.

In 1346, the kingdom of France is ravaged by the hundred year war and just lost the battle of Crecy.

Knight Templars have been arrested thorough Europe, its last remaining members are in hiding or joined other orders.

Hailing from Avignon, pope Clement VI recently launched a crusade to fight heretics abroad.

Dark times nurtures dark thoughts and dark thoughts nurtures heresy.

Soldiers being in short supplies the inquisition have to recourse to outside help.

Your character is amongst the soldiers god has chosen for this task.

(''if you are not familiar with the middle age, you may want to read : [[Europe in 1346]]'')

===Prima is now Flagellum Dei===
'''Same game, same scenarios, but different user inteface, try it now ! [https://www.flagellum-dei.com]'''

== Start here ==

'''5 minutes tutorial video'''

[[File:How_to_use_Prima_Wiki.mp4|500px]]

==For players==
Create your Character here :
{{Template:Character/Create}}
(Searching for your character ? They are all here [[:Category:Characters]] )

On Character creation your character has one Feat of your choice.
Archetypes are a subtype of Feats and can be taken on first level.
At the end of each scenario, your game master can award you with a level up : you then gain one more Feat of your choice.

Detailed level up rules : [[+1 Feat]]

===Feats - Archetypes===
We strongly advise you to start your character by choosing an archetype (but it's not mandatory).

An Archetype is a special kind of Feat.
A character can only have one Archetype.
Apart from that, Archetypes are like normal Feats and may be taken at character creation or on any level up.
<DynamicPageList>
category = Archetypes
category = Official
notcategory = Hidden
ordermethod = sortkey
order = ascending
mode = unordered
</DynamicPageList>

===Feats - General===
<DynamicPageList>
category = Feats
category = Official
notcategory = Prowesses
notcategory = Archetypes
notcategory = Hidden
ordermethod = sortkey
order = ascending
mode = unordered
</DynamicPageList>
(Tips 1 : Remember to check the Prowesses list below, as you can always choose either a General Feat or a Prowess when leveling up.)

(Tips 2 : If you use [[Faith]] too often, consider getting the [[Confession]] and [[Luck]] Prowesses)

(Tips 3 : If you do not have [[Faith]], consider getting [[Luck]] (and ideally for extra safety at least one [[Miracle]]) or [[Handicap (lost faith)]] and read thoroughly the article [[Lost Faith]], especially the end.)

===Feats - Prowesses===
Prowesses are a special kind of Feats with prerequisites.
<DynamicPageList>
category = Prowesses
category = Official
notcategory = Hidden
ordermethod = sortkey
order = ascending
mode = unordered
</DynamicPageList>
(Tips 4 : Remember to check the Prowesse [[Miracle]] as it allows you to "recharge" your other Prowesses and can be a great combo.)

===Create new Feat : General, Archetype or Prowess===
Didn't find the perfect Feat, Archetype or Prowess for you ? You can always become a [[⭐ Prima Contributor]] and create a new one here :
{{Template:Feats/Create}}

(for all the content that isn't official yet, it's here : [[:Category:Unofficial|Unofficial Content]])

==For game masters : Official Scenarios==

'''Spoiler alert ! Those scenarios are for game masters only.'''

'''DO NO READ THOSE ARTICLES IF YOU ARE A PLAYER !'''

*[[Danse Macabre Part 1]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 2]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 3]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 4]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 5]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 6]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 7]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 8]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 9]]
[[Category:Official]]

Main Page

2026-03-09T16:50:28Z

Taiko:

== What is Prima RPG ? ==

Prima is a historical horror game where you play inquisitors hunting heretics in the darkest corners of medieval Europe.

Prima RPG is a story focused tabletop roleplaying game.
Story focused means there's a emphasis on player's decisions and ambiance instead of rules and combats.

In 1346, the kingdom of France is ravaged by the hundred year war and just lost the battle of Crecy.

Knight Templars have been arrested thorough Europe, its last remaining members are in hiding or joined other orders.

Hailing from Avignon, pope Clement VI recently launched a crusade to fight heretics abroad.

Dark times nurtures dark thoughts and dark thoughts nurtures heresy.

Soldiers being in short supplies the inquisition have to recourse to outside help.

Your character is amongst the soldiers god has chosen for this task.

(''if you are not familiar with the middle age, you may want to read : [[Europe in 1346]]'')

===Prima is now Flagellum Dei===
'''Same game, same scenarios, but different user inteface, try it now ! www.flagellum-dei.com'''

== Start here ==

'''5 minutes tutorial video'''

[[File:How_to_use_Prima_Wiki.mp4|500px]]

==For players==
Create your Character here :
{{Template:Character/Create}}
(Searching for your character ? They are all here [[:Category:Characters]] )

On Character creation your character has one Feat of your choice.
Archetypes are a subtype of Feats and can be taken on first level.
At the end of each scenario, your game master can award you with a level up : you then gain one more Feat of your choice.

Detailed level up rules : [[+1 Feat]]

===Feats - Archetypes===
We strongly advise you to start your character by choosing an archetype (but it's not mandatory).

An Archetype is a special kind of Feat.
A character can only have one Archetype.
Apart from that, Archetypes are like normal Feats and may be taken at character creation or on any level up.
<DynamicPageList>
category = Archetypes
category = Official
notcategory = Hidden
ordermethod = sortkey
order = ascending
mode = unordered
</DynamicPageList>

===Feats - General===
<DynamicPageList>
category = Feats
category = Official
notcategory = Prowesses
notcategory = Archetypes
notcategory = Hidden
ordermethod = sortkey
order = ascending
mode = unordered
</DynamicPageList>
(Tips 1 : Remember to check the Prowesses list below, as you can always choose either a General Feat or a Prowess when leveling up.)

(Tips 2 : If you use [[Faith]] too often, consider getting the [[Confession]] and [[Luck]] Prowesses)

(Tips 3 : If you do not have [[Faith]], consider getting [[Luck]] (and ideally for extra safety at least one [[Miracle]]) or [[Handicap (lost faith)]] and read thoroughly the article [[Lost Faith]], especially the end.)

===Feats - Prowesses===
Prowesses are a special kind of Feats with prerequisites.
<DynamicPageList>
category = Prowesses
category = Official
notcategory = Hidden
ordermethod = sortkey
order = ascending
mode = unordered
</DynamicPageList>
(Tips 4 : Remember to check the Prowesse [[Miracle]] as it allows you to "recharge" your other Prowesses and can be a great combo.)

===Create new Feat : General, Archetype or Prowess===
Didn't find the perfect Feat, Archetype or Prowess for you ? You can always become a [[⭐ Prima Contributor]] and create a new one here :
{{Template:Feats/Create}}

(for all the content that isn't official yet, it's here : [[:Category:Unofficial|Unofficial Content]])

==For game masters : Official Scenarios==

'''Spoiler alert ! Those scenarios are for game masters only.'''

'''DO NO READ THOSE ARTICLES IF YOU ARE A PLAYER !'''

*[[Danse Macabre Part 1]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 2]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 3]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 4]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 5]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 6]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 7]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 8]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 9]]
[[Category:Official]]

Scoundrel

2026-03-09T15:46:42Z

Taiko: Update parseable fields via TRPG Helper

{{Feats
| Synonyms = Assassin, Rogue, Thief, Bandit, Cut-throat
| Prowess? = No
| Archetype? = Yes
| Official? = Yes
| Description =
The character was recruited by the Inquisition as a way to avoid a stronger sentence.

He lived his life as a Thief, a Bandit or any other kind of illegal activities.

He gains the Feat [[Stealth]].

If his background justifies it, he also gains the [[⭐ Faith]] Feat.

Additionally, he gains one Feat of his choice in this list :
*[[Survival]]
*[[Manipulative]]
*[[Agile]]
*[[Combat| Combat (duel or skirmish) ]]
*[[Trickster]]
*[[Lock Picking]]
*[[Instinct]]
*[[Reflexes]]
*[[Outlaw Wisdom]]
*[[Tracker]] (even if the character doesn't meet the prerequisites)
*[[Guards !]] (thugs from your gang) (even if the character doesn't meet the prerequisites)
*[[Background]]
*[[Handicap (lost faith)]]

Unless his background justifies it, the character cannot take any [[Knowledge]] Feats.

}}

Repented Heretic

2026-03-09T15:46:01Z

Taiko: Update parseable fields via TRPG Helper

{{Feats
| Synonyms = Luciferian, Witch, Albigensian, Waldensian, Dulcinian, Excommunicated
| Prowess? = No
| Archetype? = Yes
| Official? = Yes
| Description =

You have been given a choice. Either repent or burn. You chose the former.

A common misconception is that the inquisition's task was to burn heretics, in fact the inquisition consistently spared any heretics who agreed to confess and repent, only those who refused to repent (or even worse, who retracted) had to be burned to purify their souls. Burning at the stake was an act of mercy because fire was believed to purify the soul and send heretics to heaven.

Your character has believed or was forced to follow a heretic cult. Most heresies were started by catholic priests or monks who had a particular vision of the faith, that was later on ruled as heretic by the church. (the entire Franciscan order for example was ruled as a heresy before being absolved shortly thereafter)
But the darkest heresies are secret organisations designed to trick the weak into serving the legions of hell.

Some of your brethren decided to live their faith until the end and you saw them burn, the others like you where spared.
Perhaps you even lead the inquisition to discover the cult when you realised it's true purpose.

Alternatively, you may have committed a severe crime against god and the church excommunicated you. You have decided to make penance.

Your repentance may or may not be sincere, depending if you took the Feat [[Lost Faith]].
Either way, the inquisition have mandated you to purge your sins by helping them for a given period of time. Part of your sentence is to use your knowledge about heresies to turn it against them.

As a Repented Heretic, the character gains the Feat [[Knowledge (heresy)]].

If his background justifies it, he also gains the [[⭐ Faith]] Feat. (or potentially [[⛧ Dark Faith]] if he has [[Handicap (lost faith)]])

Additionally, he gains one Feat of his choice in this list :
*[[Outlaw Wisdom]]
*[[Trickster]]
*[[Fanatic]]
*[[Charismatic]] (you were a heretic leader)
*[[Stealth]]
*[[Reputation]]
*[[Well Connected]] (some former members of your cult are high ranked)
*[[Survival]]
*[[Manipulative]]
*[[Foreigner]]
*[[Knowledge (cryptography)]]
*[[Background]]
*[[Magic Tricks]]
*[[Eternal Youth]] (a pact?) (even if the character doesn't meet the prerequisites)
*[[Curse]] (witchcraft ?) (even if the character doesn't meet the prerequisites)
*[[Witchcraft]] (even if the character doesn't meet the prerequisites)
*[[Necromancy]] (even if the character doesn't meet the prerequisites)
*[[Handicap (lost faith)]] (your soul is still tainted by heresy)
*[[Handicap (insane)]] (the things you saw... the things you did !)

Unless his background justifies it, the character cannot take the [[Combat]], [[Strong]] or [[True Strike]] Feats.

Note that not all repented heretics have this feat and the character may de facto have been a member of a cult without having it.

}}

Monk

2026-03-09T15:42:06Z

Taiko: Update parseable fields via TRPG Helper

{{Feats
| Synonyms = Benedictine, Order of Saint Benedict, Franciscan, Order of Friars Minor, Dominican, Order of Preachers, Carthusians, Order of Saint Bruno, Chartreux
| Prowess? = No
| Archetype? = Yes
| Official? = Yes
| Description =

Monasteries in the middle age, are a very rare opportunity for those seeking to change their social status.

With minor exceptions, people lived and died in the same craft as their parents. Monasteries were a rare occasion for people to chose their destiny.

Most monastic orders are derived from the Order of Saint Benedict and follow a core set of rules.

All monks have to make the vows of obedience, poverty and chastity, to pray at regular intervals within the day and to spend most of their life in dedication to god and their order.

Each order is known for different reasons.

Benedictines are the most numerous monks by far. They are organised in large monasteries and are renown for their love of books and calligraphy. Most well known philosophers, alchemists and scholars were from this order.

Carthusians are also organised in monasteries, but they are known for their austerity, where members lived in their own cells and spent several hours a day in prayer and meditation. They are also famous for harsh means of self imposed repentance using flagellation and wearing painful cilices as often as necessary.

Franciscans and Dominicans are mendicant orders, known for their lifestyle of poverty, traveling, and living in urban areas for purposes of preaching, evangelization, and ministry, especially to the poor.

Dominicans are also known because most inquisitors where chosen from their ranks.

If you character is a Dominican [[Inquisitor]], a Benedictine [[Alchemist]], a Carthusian [[Ecclesiastic (abbot)|Abbot]] or a [[Knight Hospitaller]], it is better to take those feats instead.

A [[Monk (benedictine)]] gains the Feat [[Knowledge]].

A [[Monk (franciscan)]] gains the Feat [[Survival]].

A [[Monk (dominican)]] gains [[Survival]] or a Feat of his choice in the list of Feats granted by the [[Inquisitor]] archetype.

A [[Monk (carthusians)]] gains the Feat [[Fanatic]] or [[Confession]].

A [[Monk (other)]] gains the Feat [[Knowledge]].

If his background justifies it, he also gains the [[⭐ Faith]] Feat (regardless of his order).

Additionally, he gains one Feat of his choice in this list :
*[[Knowledge]]
*[[Fanatic]]
*[[Confession]]
*[[Sleepless]]
*[[Knowledge (apothecary)]]
*[[Knowledge (medicine)]]
*[[Knowledge (cryptography)]]
*[[Noble]]
*[[Photographic Memory]]
*[[Reputation]]
*[[Well Connected]]
*[[Miracle]] (even if the character doesn't meet the prerequisites)
*[[Revelation]] (even if the character doesn't meet the prerequisites)
*[[Talented]]
*[[Foreigner]]
*[[Background]]
*[[Handicap (venerable age)]]

Unless his background justifies it, the character cannot take the [[Combat]], [[Strong]] or [[True Strike]] Feats.

Note that not all monks have this feat and the character may de facto be a monk from any of those orders without having it.

}}

Knight Hospitaller

2026-03-09T15:41:33Z

Taiko: Update parseable fields via TRPG Helper

{{Feats
| Synonyms = Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, Knight of Saint John, Knight Hospitalier, Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem, Teutonic Knight, Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem, Knight of Saint Lazarus
| Prowess? = No
| Archetype? = Yes
| Official? = Yes
| Description =

The Knights Hospitaller were established following the First Crusade to protect and treat Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land. They were recognizable by their black or red surcoat with a white cross. An elite and powerful fighting order of well trained knights wearing heavy mail or plate armour and armed with a lance, they were feared on many battlefields of the Middle Ages.

They are monastic order that specialises in cavalry and combat, they also established hospitals to treat their wounded and harbour pilgrims.

For centuries they fought alongside their sister order, the Knight Templars.

When in 1312, the Templar order was dissolved, most of their assets and members joined the Hospitaller order.

Hailing from Rhodes, they have the finest doctors and fighters of all Christendom.

As a knight Hospitaller, the character gains the Feat [[Combat (battle)]] or [[Knowledge (medicine)]].

If his background justifies it, he also gains the [[⭐ Faith]] Feat.

Additionally, he gains one Feat of his choice in this list :
*[[Combat (battle)]]
*[[Knowledge (medicine)]]
*[[Knowledge (apothecary)]]
*[[Knowledge]]
*[[Courage]]
*[[Rich]] (not your personal wealth, but your order's)
*[[Noble]]
*[[Tough]]
*[[Immune (diseases)]]
*[[Charismatic]]
*[[Foreigner]] (in which case you are actually a Teutonic Knight, not a Hospitaller)
*[[Handicap (leprosy)]] (in which case you are actually a Knight of Saint Lazarus, not a Hospitaller)
*[[Background]]

Note that not all knights of st. John have this feat and the character may de facto be a member of this order without having it.

}}

Knight

2026-03-09T15:41:08Z

Taiko: Update parseable fields via TRPG Helper

{{Feats
| Synonyms = Paladin, Noble Knight, Horseman, Cavalier, Squire
| Prowess? = No
| Archetype? = Yes
| Official? = Yes
| Description =

The character is an anointed knight.

He went through some strict horse riding training and very likely fought several battles already.

He is necessarily noble, but doesn't have the [[Noble]] Feat if he's from a minor house.

He gains the Feat [[Combat| Combat (duel, skirmish or battle) ]]

If his background justifies it, he also gains the [[⭐ Faith]] Feat.

Additionally, he gains one Feat of his choice in this list :
*[[Courage]]
*[[Noble]]
*[[Reputation]]
*[[Tough]]
*[[Rich]]
*[[Well Connected]]
*[[Immune (diseases)]]
*[[Immune (poisons)]]
*[[Charismatic]]
*[[Knowledge]]
*[[Foreigner]]
*[[Guards !]] (even if the character doesn't meet the prerequisites)
*[[Background]]

Note that not all anointed knights have this feat and the character may de facto be a knight without having it.

}}

Inquisitor

2026-03-09T15:40:45Z

Taiko: Update parseable fields via TRPG Helper

{{Feats
| Synonyms = Inquisitores haereticae pravitatis
| Prowess? = No
| Archetype? = Yes
| Official? = Yes
| Description =

You have been personally appointed by the Pope to lead a local chapter of the Papal Inquisition.

Your institution is well know and feared by all. During the countless heresy cases you have resolved, you developed some critical skills.

There can only be one Inquisitor per party and he is designated as the chief of the group by the inquisition.

As an Inquisitor, the character gains the Feat [[Reputation]].

If his background justifies it, he also gains the [[⭐ Faith]] Feat.

Additionally, he gains one Feat of his choice in this list :
*[[Knowledge (heresy)]]
*[[Interrogate]]
*[[Fanatic]]
*[[Eye for Detail]]
*[[Detect Lies]]
*[[Physiognomist]]
*[[Tracker]]
*[[Knowledge]]
*[[Photographic Memory]]
*[[Well Connected]]
*[[Charismatic]]
*[[Abuse of Power]] (even if the character doesn't meet the prerequisites)
*[[Guards !]] (even if the character doesn't meet the prerequisites)
*[[Background]]

This Feat is not a drawback, it does not imply that the character is fond of torture.

Unless his background justifies it, the character cannot take the [[Combat]], [[Strong]] or [[True Strike]] Feats.

Note that not all members of the Papal inquisition have this feat and the character may de facto be a member of the Papal inquisition without having it.

}}

Hunter

2026-03-09T15:40:19Z

Taiko: Update parseable fields via TRPG Helper

{{Feats
| Synonyms = Wildborn, Ranger, Trapper
| Prowess? = No
| Archetype? = Yes
| Official? = Yes
| Description =

The character has spent a significant part of their life in the wilderness, honing their skills as a tracker, trapper, or beast slayer.

By default, they gain the Feat [[Survival]].

If their background justifies it, they also gain the [[⭐ Faith]] Feat.

Additionally, they gain one Feat of their choice from this list:
*[[Tracker]]
*[[Falconry]]
*[[Marksmanship]]
*[[Combat|Combat (skirmish or monster)]]
*[[Stealth]]
*[[Instinct]]
*[[Agile]]
*[[Hearing Acuity]]
*[[Lay Traps]]
*[[Knowledge (apothecary)]]
*[[Background]]
*[[Tough]]
*[[Strong]]
*[[Rage (self)]] (even if the character doesn't meet the prerequisites)
*[[Handicap (stupid)]]

Unless their background justifies it, the character cannot take any [[Knowledge]] Feats except [[Knowledge (apothecary)]].

}}

Former Templar

2026-03-09T15:39:35Z

Taiko: Update parseable fields via TRPG Helper

{{Feats
| Synonyms = Knight Templar, Sergeant Brother of the Temple, Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon
| Prowess? = No
| Archetype? = Yes
| Official? = Yes
| Description =

At dawn on Friday 13 October 1307, King Philip IV of France ordered Grand Master de Molay and scores of other Templars to be simultaneously arrested.

In 1312, the papal bulls "Vox in excelso" and "Ad providam" officially dissolved the order and turned all of their assets to the Hospitaller order.

Although this happened more than 30 years ago, your character recalls those events perfectly. You are one of the last living former members of this order.

Most Templars weren't arrested and became prominent members of other orders, a secret bound still exist amongst them.

Also, your martial training left some marks in you and may come in handy in critical situations.

As a former Templar, the character gains the Feat [[Courage]].

If his background justifies it, he also gains the [[⭐ Faith]] Feat.

Additionally, he gains one Feat of his choice in this list :
*[[Well Connected]]
*[[Combat (battle)]]
*[[Knowledge (cryptography)]]
*[[Noble]]
*[[Tough]]
*[[Knowledge (medicine)]]
*[[Relic]]
*[[Background]]
*[[Handicap (venerable age)]]
*[[Handicap (lost faith)]]

Note that not all former members of the Temple have this feat and the character may de facto be a former member of the Temple without having it.

}}

Ecclesiastic

2026-03-09T15:38:38Z

Taiko: Update parseable fields via TRPG Helper

{{Feats
| Synonyms = Bishop, Deacon, Priest, Cleric, Abbot, Canon, Priest
| Prowess? = No
| Archetype? = Yes
| Official? = Yes
| Description =

High ranking church officials are powerful political figures in the middle age.

They will influence local politics and will manoeuvre to ascend the upper spheres of the church.

Bishops are famous and respected public figures in the middle age, with a reputation and power equalling that of noble houses.
They will influence local politics and will manoeuvre to ascend the upper spheres of the church.

In the eye of commoners, Priests are the voice of god. Every week they cheer or frighten their flock during mass, and attendance is mandatory.

Canons are wealthy officials of the church, sometimes they are unordained civilians hired by the church.

Abbots are leaders of a monastery.

A [[Ecclesiastic (bishop)]] gains both the Feat [[Reputation]] and [[Rich]].

A [[Ecclesiastic (priest)]] gains the Feat [[Charismatic]].

A [[Ecclesiastic (canon)]] gains the Feat [[Rich]].

A [[Ecclesiastic (abbot)]] gains [[Reputation]] or a Feat of his choice in the list of Feats granted by the [[Monk]] archetype.

A [[Ecclesiastic (other)]] gains the Feat [[Reputation]].

If his background justifies it, he also gains the [[⭐ Faith]] Feat (regardless of his rank).

Additionally (except if he is an [[Ecclesiastic (bishop)]]) he gains one Feat of his choice in this list :
*[[Confession]]
*[[Miracle]]
*[[Reputation]]
*[[Rich]]
*[[Charismatic]]
*[[Well Connected]]
*[[Noble]]
*[[Fanatic]]
*[[Manipulative]]
*[[Knowledge]]
*[[Knowledge (heresy)]]
*[[Abuse of Power]] (even if the character doesn't meet the prerequisites)
*[[Acquaintance]] (even if the character doesn't meet the prerequisites)
*[[Deus Vult !]] (even if the character doesn't meet the prerequisites)
*[[Favour]] (even if the character doesn't meet the prerequisites)
*[[Revelation]] (even if the character doesn't meet the prerequisites)
*[[Guards !]] (even if the character doesn't meet the prerequisites)
*[[Background]]
*[[Handicap (venerable age)]]
*[[Handicap (weak)]]

Unless his background justifies it, the character cannot take the [[Combat]], [[Strong]] or [[True Strike]] Feats.

Note that not all high ranking church officials have this feat and the character may de facto be a priest without having it.

}}

Commoner

2026-03-09T15:37:08Z

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{{Feats
| Synonyms = Peasant, Milician, Artisan, Guard, Butcher, Smith, Carpenter, Soldier, Beggar, Hermit, Minstrel, Hunter
| Prowess? = No
| Archetype? = Yes
| Official? = Yes
| Description =

For which reason did the Inquisition decide to hire a commoner to help them ?

Perhaps he was in the wrong place at the wrong time or perhaps did he have some crucial elements that helped them in the past.

Perhaps he showed some unnatural talents the inquisitor direly needed.

Regardless of the reason, you are now following an adventure you would never have imagined and travel to places you would have never had the chance to visit.

As an Commoner, the character gains the Feat [[Miracle]].

If his background justifies it, he also gains the [[⭐ Faith]] Feat.

Additionally, he gains one General Feat of his choice, as justified by his background.

Unless his background justifies it, the character cannot take the [[Noble]], [[Reputation]], [[Rich]], [[Well Connected]] or any [[Knowledge]] Feats.

Note that not all commoners have this feat and the character may de facto be a commoner without having it.

This Archetype is more challenging and is not recommended for beginners.

}}

Captain

2026-03-09T15:36:48Z

Taiko: Update parseable fields via TRPG Helper

{{Feats
| Synonyms = Investigator, Provost, Bailiff, Sergeant
| Prowess? = No
| Archetype? = Yes
| Official? = Yes
| Description =

The character is the captain of an urban garrison, a milician hired to enforce the law or a local representative authorities.
He may also be a Sergeant who led some soldiers during the war.

He is used to investigate petty crimes and keep the streets safe for murderers, rapists and bandits.

The judiciary system in the middle age is mix of local spoken and unspoken laws, were nobles or their envoys judge most crimes and have the right of life and death over their subjects.

Depending on his usual methods, he gains the [[Combat| Combat (duel, skirmish or battle) ]] or [[Detect Lies]] Feats.

If his background justifies it, he also gains the [[⭐ Faith]] Feat.

Additionally, he gains one Feat of his choice in this list :
*[[Combat| Combat (duel, skirmish or battle) ]]
*[[Detect Lies]]
*[[Interrogate]]
*[[Eye for Detail]]
*[[Tracker]]
*[[Outlaw Wisdom]]
*[[Photographic Memory]]
*[[Physiognomist]]
*[[Combat (duel)]]
*[[Combat (battle)]]
*[[Charismatic]]
*[[Courage]]
*[[Strong]]
*[[Instinct]]
*[[Marksmanship]]
*[[Sleepless]]
*[[Tough]]
*[[Abuse of Power]] (even if the character doesn't meet the prerequisites)
*[[Arbalest]] (even if the character doesn't meet the prerequisites)
*[[Surprise Attack !]] (even if the character doesn't meet the prerequisites)
*[[Guards !]] (even if the character doesn't meet the prerequisites)
*[[Background]]

Unless his background justifies it, the character cannot take any [[Knowledge]] Feats.

Note that not all captains have this feat and the character may de facto be of this profession without having it.

}}

Bourgeois

2026-03-09T15:36:03Z

Taiko: Update parseable fields via TRPG Helper

{{Feats
| Synonyms = Merchant, Craftsmen, Usurer, Lawyer, Lombard
| Prowess? = No
| Archetype? = Yes
| Official? = Yes
| Description =

Bourgeois are inhabitants of the bourgs, without having any nobiliary titles they have rights of citizenship in a given city and are rich owners of businesses.

The bourgeoisie emerged as a historical and political phenomenon in the 11th century when the bourgs of Central and Western Europe developed into cities dedicated to commerce. This urban expansion was possible thanks to economic concentration due to the appearance of protective self-organisation into guilds. Guilds arose when individual businessmen (such as craftsmen, artisans and merchants) conflicted with their rent-seeking feudal landlords who demanded greater rents than previously agreed.

Your character gains the [[Rich]] Feat.

If his background justifies it, he also gains the [[⭐ Faith]] Feat.

Additionally, he gains one Feat of his choice in this list :
*[[Well Connected]] (you're probably very active in a Guild)
*[[Talented]]
*[[Foreigner]] (Lombard ? Moor ? Venetian ? etc...)
*[[Knowledge (apothecary)]] (you sell remedies and plants)
*[[Manipulative]]
*[[Lock Picking]] (if you are a locksmith)
*[[Charismatic]]
*[[Detect Lies]]
*[[Reputation]]
*[[Survival]] (you are well travelled)
*[[Outlaw Wisdom]] (depends on what you sell...)
*[[Trickster]]
*[[Daring Escape]] (you have seen worse on the roads !) (even if the character doesn't meet the prerequisites)
*[[Poison]] (what is your trade ???) (even if the character doesn't meet the prerequisites)
*[[Guards !]] (even if the character doesn't meet the prerequisites)
*[[Background]]
*[[Handicap (venerable age)]]
*[[Handicap (weak)]]

Unless his background justifies it, the character cannot take the [[Combat]], [[Strong]] or [[True Strike]] Feats.

Note that not all wealthy merchants have this feat and the character may de facto be of this profession without having it.

}}

Alchemist

2026-03-09T15:34:47Z

Taiko: Update parseable fields via TRPG Helper

{{Feats
| Synonyms = Erudite, Philosopher, Scholar, Doctor
| Prowess? = No
| Archetype? = Yes
| Official? = Yes
| Description =

"This true without lying, certain and most true.
That which is below is like that which is above and that which is above is like that which is below to do the miracles of one only thing
(...)
The Sun is its father, the moon its mother, the wind hath carried it in its belly, the earth is its nurse.
The father of all perfection in the whole world is here. "
''Hermes Trismegistus, father of alchemy''

You have spent your life trying to achieve the Magnum opus, the creation of the philosopher's stone that brings wealth and the elixir of long life that bring immortality.

The work of famous alchemists have been fuelling your art for years, Aristotle, Plato, Albertus Magnus, Thomas Aquinas, Roger Bacon as well as Abu Musa al-Sufi

On the shoulder of those giants you stand and have uncovered countless secrets.

Either a rich benefactor is spending a fortune on furbishing your laboratory and finance your countless expeditions in search for rare tomes and ingredients or you are engulfing your own fortune.
You made some great discoveries in chemistry and medicine but that's not your goal.

Your thirst for knowledge cannot be quenched. It makes no doubt, you are very close to the truth !

The Inquisition will grant you access to the knowledge you seek in exchange of your help. You agreed.

As an Alchemist, the character gains the Feat [[Knowledge]].

If his background justifies it, he also gains the [[⭐ Faith]] Feat.

Additionally, he gains one Feat of his choice in this list :
*[[Knowledge (apothecary)]]
*[[Knowledge (pyrotechnics)]] (even if the character doesn't meet the prerequisites)
*[[Knowledge (medicine)]]
*[[Knowledge (cryptography)]]
*[[Knowledge (heresy)]] (Knowledge ! At all cost !)
*[[Rich]] (your research is more advanced than you dare to admit)
*[[Eternal Youth]] (your research is more advanced than you dare to admit)
*[[Immune (diseases)]]
*[[Immune (poisons)]]
*[[Sleepless]]
*[[Reputation]]
*[[Foreigner]]
*[[Noble]]
*[[Photographic Memory]]
*[[Eye for Detail]]
*[[Background]]
*[[Handicap (venerable age)]]
*[[Handicap (weak)]]
*[[Handicap (insane)]]
*[[Handicap (lost faith)]]

Unless his background justifies it, the character cannot take the [[Combat]], [[Strong]] or [[True Strike]] Feats.

Note that not all alchemists have this feat and the character may de facto be of this profession without having it.

}}

Aristocrat

2026-03-09T15:34:20Z

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{{Feats
| Synonyms = Blueblood, Socialite, Viscount, Baron, Baronet, Knight, Castellan, Lord
| Prowess? = No
| Archetype? = Yes
| Official? = Yes
| Description =

You have a particularly prestigious title from Knight to Viscount and own a large piece of land.

Your are also well versed in the art of political intrigue and you probably follow the inquisition for your own gains.

Your character gains the [[Noble]] Feat.

If his background justifies it, he also gains the [[⭐ Faith]] Feat.

Additionally, he gains one Feat of his choice in this list :
*[[Well Connected]]
*[[Manipulative]]
*[[Reputation]]
*[[Rich]]
*[[Trickster]]
*[[Knowledge]]
*[[Charismatic]]
*[[Talented]]
*[[Foreigner]]
*[[Acquaintance]] (even if the character doesn't meet the prerequisites)
*[[Abuse of Power]] (even if the character doesn't meet the prerequisites)
*[[Guards !]] (even if the character doesn't meet the prerequisites)
*[[Background]]
*[[Handicap (venerable age)]]
*[[Handicap (weak)]]

Unless his background justifies it, the character cannot take the [[Combat]], [[Strong]] or [[True Strike]] Feats.

Note that not all high ranking nobles have this feat and the character may de facto be a high ranking noble without having it.

}}

Alchemist

2026-03-09T15:25:16Z

Taiko: Update parseable fields via TRPG Helper

{{Feats
| Synonyms = Erudite, Philosopher, Scholar, Doctor
| Prowess? = No
| Archetype? = Yes
| Official? = Yes
| Description =

"This true without lying, certain and most true.
That which is below is like that which is above and that which is above is like that which is below to do the miracles of one only thing
(...)
The Sun is its father, the moon its mother, the wind hath carried it in its belly, the earth is its nurse.
The father of all perfection in the whole world is here. "
''Hermes Trismegistus, father of alchemy''

You have spent your life trying to achieve the Magnum opus, the creation of the philosopher's stone that brings wealth and the elixir of long life that bring immortality.

The work of famous alchemists have been fuelling your art for years, Aristotle, Plato, Albertus Magnus, Thomas Aquinas, Roger Bacon as well as Abu Musa al-Sufi

On the shoulder of those giants you stand and have uncovered countless secrets.

Either a rich benefactor is spending a fortune on furbishing your laboratory and finance your countless expeditions in search for rare tomes and ingredients or you are engulfing your own fortune.
You made some great discoveries in chemistry and medicine but that's not your goal.

Your thirst for knowledge cannot be quenched. It makes no doubt, you are very close to the truth !

The Inquisition will grant you access to the knowledge you seek in exchange of your help. You agreed.

As an Alchemist, the character gains the Feat [[Knowledge]].

If his background justifies it, he also gains the [[⭐ Faith]] Feat.

Additionally, he gains one Feat of his choice in this list :
*[[Knowledge (apothecary)]]
*[[Knowledge (pyrotechnics)]] (even if the character doesn't meet the prerequisites)
*[[Knowledge (medicine)]]
*[[Knowledge (cryptography)]]
*[[Knowledge (heresy)]] (Knowledge ! At all cost !)
*[[Rich]] (your research is more advanced than you dare to admit)
*[[Eternal Youth]] (your research is more advanced than you dare to admit)
*[[Immune (diseases)]]
*[[Immune (poisons)]]
*[[Sleepless]]
*[[Reputation]]
*[[Foreigner]]
*[[Noble]]
*[[Photographic Memory]]
*[[Eye for Detail]]
*[[Background]]
*[[Handicap (venerable age)]]
*[[Handicap (weak)]]
*[[Handicap (insane)]]
*[[Handicap (lost faith)]]

Unless his background justifies it, the character cannot take the [[Combat]], [[Strong]] or [[True Strike]] Feats.

Note that not all alchemists have this feat and the character may de facto be of this profession without having it.

}}

⭐ Prima Contributor

2026-03-09T15:22:09Z

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{{Feats
| Synonyms = Wiki Contributor, Game Master
| Prowess? = No
| Archetype? = Yes
| Official? = Yes
| Description =

Hear Ye, Hear Ye

This Feat is for you, contributors to the Prima universe !

You may take this Feat if you have created an article (a new Feat for example) on the Prima Wiki that later became official.

Or if you have been a Game Master for at least one session of Prima.

Or finally if you have corrected mistakes on more than ten pages on the wiki.

Advantage :
You gain two Feats of your choice. Plus one [[Miracle]]

If your background justifies it, you also gains the [[⭐ Faith]] Feat.

}}

Arbalest

2026-03-07T23:48:49Z

Taiko: Update parseable fields via TRPG Helper

{{Feats
| Synonyms = Crossbow
| Prowess? = Yes
| Official? = Yes
| Archetype? = No
| Description =

You own and know how to operate an Arbalest, a fearsome ranged weapon.

Arbalests are forbidden in all Christendom and can only be used against pagans or heretics.

An arbalest takes 30 seconds to reload at best and will shoot bolts with formidable strength, enough to break through any armours and can even break doors.

Since this is a forbidden weapon, you have to conceal it at all times and cannot be seen shooting it at anyone but heretics or pagans, which is why you can only take this risk once per scenario.

If used against a target, this feat works like the [[True Strike (ranged)]] prowess, except for the fact that you need 30 seconds to reload it, unless you specify that you have reloaded it previously. This weapon is effective as far as 100m.

On a 5 or a 6 on a die 6, this Feat can defeat an opponent that would require the [[Combat (monster)]] Feat.

You can't leave it reloaded for more than couple of minutes, because that would damage it.

If used against any small object, like a chest or a normal door, it will very likely explode to splinters.

}}

Arbalest

2026-03-07T23:23:06Z

Taiko: Update parseable fields via TRPG Helper

{{Feats
| Synonyms = Crossbow
| Prowess? = Yes
| Official? = Yes
| Archetype? = No
| Description =

You own and know how to operate an Arbalest, a fearsome ranged weapon.

Arbalests are forbidden in all Christendom and can only be used against pagans or heretics.

An arbalest takes 30 seconds to reload at best and will shoot bolts with formidable strength, enough to break through any armours and can even break doors.

Since this is a forbidden weapon, you have to conceal it at all times and cannot be seen shooting it at anyone but heretics or pagans, which is why you can only take this risk once per scenario.

If used against a target, this feat works like the [[True Strike (ranged)]] prowess, except for the fact that you need 30 seconds to reload it, unless you specify that you have reloaded it previously. This weapon is effective as far as 100m.

On a 5 or a 6 on a die 6, this Feat can defeat an opponent that would require the [[Combat (monster)]] Feat.

You can't leave it reloaded for more than couple of minutes, because that would damage it.

If used against any small object, like a chest or a normal door, it will very likely explode to splinters.

}}

Arbalest

2026-03-07T23:20:45Z

Taiko: Update parseable fields via TRPG Helper

{{Feats
| Synonyms = Crossbow
| Prowess? = Yes
| Official? = Yes
| Archetype? = No
| Description =

You own and know how to operate an Arbalest, a fearsome ranged weapon.

Arbalests are forbidden in all Christendom and can only be used against pagans or heretics.

An arbalest takes 30 seconds to reload at best and will shoot bolts with formidable strength, enough to break through any armours and can even break doors.

Since this is a forbidden weapon, you have to conceal it at all times and cannot be seen shooting it at anyone but heretics or pagans, which is why you can only take this risk once per scenario.

If used against a target, this feat works like the [[True Strike (ranged)]] prowess, except for the fact that you need 30 seconds to reload it, unless you specify that you have reloaded it previously. This weapon is effective as far as 100m.

On a 5 or a 6 on a die 6, this Feat can defeat an opponent that would require the [[Combat (monster)]] Feat.

You can't leave it reloaded for more than couple of minutes, because that would damage it.

If used against any small object, like a chest or a normal door, it will very likely explode to splinters.

}}

Danse Macabre Part 9

2026-03-07T18:01:00Z

Taiko:

==Teaser==
Send to the players before the game :

6th of October 1241 (Unknown Location, Arabian Desert)
Lost among pillars of sand,
the mad king’s wail his only friend.
A sinister secret that no man should see,
will plunge the world into endless madness.
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

6 Octobre 1241 (Lieu Inconnu, Désert d'Arabie)
Perdu parmi les piliers de sable,
avec le roi fou comme seul compagnon.
Un sinistre secret endormi et redoutable,
plongera le monde dans une folie sans fin.
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

=Explanations - The Mad King=

- Explanations :

'''Roncelin de Fos''' was a pious and devoted Knight Templar, known for his unwavering faith and loyalty. Initially, there was nothing corrupt or unholy about him.

===The Origin of the Cursed Knowledge===

In the bible, '''Jannes''' and '''Jambres''' were magicians who opposed Moses. '''Jannes''', the first of Pharaoh's magicians, compiled his forbidden knowledge of magic and necromancy into a cursed book—the '''Apocryphon of Jannes'''. He passed this to his successor, '''Jambres'''.

The cursed knowledge eventually reached '''Shaddad bin Aad''', the king of the legendary city '''Iram of the Pillars'''. Using secrets from the '''Apocryphon of Jannes''', including the '''Emerald Tablet'''—a section detailing the creation of the '''Philosopher's Stone'''—he created the stone and adorned his city with gold-covered pillars. This act of hubris angered God, who destroyed Iram, burying it under the sands. The king was entombed within a statue in the ruins.

Centuries later, a Templar '''Bertrand de la Roche''' discovered the lost city of Iram. He made carbon copies of the inscriptions on the golden pillars onto a scroll. These inscriptions were in '''Hieratic''', with translations in '''Nabataean Aramaic''', a language still understood in the Middle Ages. He also took the skeletal left hand of the king from the statue.

The scroll contained the '''Emerald Tablet''' portion of the '''Apocryphon of Jannes'''. Exposure to this forbidden knowledge drove the Templar insane.

===Roncelin's Descent into Madness===

'''Roncelin de Fos''' encountered the mad Templar who possessed the scroll. Recognizing the danger he posed, Roncelin confronted and killed him. In doing so, he obtained the cursed scroll.

The local sect of '''Assassins''' learned of the scroll and its corrupting influence. Knowing the madness it induced, they stole it from Roncelin with the intent to destroy it. However, some among them also succumbed to its madness.

Obsessed with the knowledge he now had lost, Roncelin slowly descended into madness. Simultaneously, a power struggle between the '''Guelphs''' (papal supporters) and the '''Ghibellines''' (imperial supporters) was unfolding.

'''Barral des Baux''', a Ghibelline noble, had lost his lands due to his support of the Cathar religion, which was declared heretical, leading to the Albigensian Crusade—a brutal campaign initiated by the Church to eliminate Catharism in southern France.

===Formation of the Secretum Templi===

Caught between his duty and his obsession, Roncelin saw an opportunity. Inspired by the Teutonic Order, who had established their own land in Prussia as a sovereign military state, he aimed to create an independent Templar state, free from papal control.

Roncelin formed a secret society within the Templars—the '''Secretum Templi'''. He gathered like-minded Templars, including those disillusioned by the Church's actions against the Cathars.

Each member of the Secretum Templi received a piece of bone from the left hand of the King of Iram, fashioned into personal seals and concealed within various objects—a sword, a coin, a chess piece, and so on. These bone artifacts symbolized their commitment and were tools for secret communication. Upon their deaths, their own bones would be crafted into new bone artifacts containing the seals, ensuring the continuity of their order.

As the players delved closer to finding the cursed text, they began experiencing events similar to the Plagues of Egypt.

These events mirrored the trials faced by Pharaoh's magicians, highlighting the cursed nature of their pursuit.

===The Final Transcription===

Determined to unlock the full power of the Philosopher's Stone, Roncelin led an expedition back to Iram. Enduring great hardships, he reached the ruins and used the bones of the king to craft the cover of a new book. He meticulously transcribed the entire '''Aramaic version of the Apocryphon of Jannes''' into this book.

Now, with a network of conspirators and the full text of the '''Apocryphon of Jannes''', Roncelin intends to create the '''Philosopher's Stone'''. The Secretum Templi aims to harness this power to establish an independent Templar state, altering the balance of power within Christendom.

- Unsolved Mysteries:

*What was the Black liquid on the statue?: An enigmatic substance possibly linked to the Philosopher's Stone, its true nature and origin remain unknown.
*What concretely is the Philosopher's stone ? How does it work, what does it do ?

-Historical Themes:

*The Knights Templar
*The sect of Assassins (Hashashin)
*The conflict between Guelphs (papal supporters) and Ghibellines (imperial supporters)
*The Cathar heresy and the Albigensian Crusade
*The legend of Iram of the Pillars
*The Apocryphon of Jannes and Jambres, the Pharaoh's magicians in the bible
*The medieval pursuit of the Philosopher's Stone through alchemy
*The Plagues of Egypt
*Formation of the Secretum Templi, a secret society within the Templars
*The Danse Macabre motif
*Interactions between Crusaders and Muslim factions during the Crusades.
*Influence of apocryphal and non-canonical texts in medieval thought

=Intro=

- Initial situation :
*Date : 13th of October 1233
*Location : Near Tortose, outskirt of the County of Tripoli, Crusader States

'''Music : Farewell Hyrule King - The Legend of Zelda The Wind Waker then (loop) Chant of the Templars - Da Pacem Domine (Ensemble Organum)'''

The inquisition finally managed to decypher most of the archives of the ten crowns sect in Marseille that was found in the Des Beaux Castle.

Amongst other, they found a diary written by Roncelin de Fos.

For this whole episode, the players will play Templars under the orders of Roncelin de Fos in 1233 to 1242. They will obey and follow him for the whole scenario.

They can keep 4 of their Feats (except their Archetype) plus Faith. Warn the players that there will be some fighting, not a lot but some.

Those who have Bone Artifacts are Knight Templars in this scenario and can keep 6 Feats plus Faith, the others are Templar Sergents (not noble) and can keep 4 of their feats plus Faith.

Those who have the Kight Templar Feat also have 6 Feats and play one of their ancestors.

Mention the Feat [[Lineage]] to them, in case they want to play one of their ancestors with all their Feats. Allow them to permanently change one of their Feats to [[Lineage]] if they wish to.

The book starts as such :

"I have resolved to pen a thorough account of the events that have transpired, to preserve the extraordinary miracles I have witnessed but also to document the curse that has shadowed me ever since.

It all began on this fateful day, the 13th of October 1233, in the desert near the city of Tortose in the outskirt of the County of Tripoli"
/
« J'ai décidé de rédiger un compte rendu détaillé des événements qui se sont produits, non seulement pour préserver les miracles extraordinaires dont j'ai été témoin, mais aussi à documenter la malédiction qui me poursuit depuis lors.

Tout a commencé en ce jour fatidique du 13 octobre 1233, dans le désert près de la ville de Tortose, à la périphérie du comté de Tripoli »

=Part 1 Of Templars and Assassins=

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = In the distance, they see a very long merchant caravan of camels. There's a bunch of falcons flying over they heads, they use them to hunt.

| 15min = They pass by an old building (if they are still in the desert it's a ruin) it is clearly not a local building, it seems to have been made in a time before time by the Romans or Greeks or by whatever existed before them. (if not in the desert) this building has now been converted into a bathhouse and large fumes of steam come out of it. The players remember that hey haven't bathed in months, unlike local swho bathe regularly. In the streets lots of foreigners are visting the city to buy spices.

| 30min = They see a little Christian church full of believers. They look identical to locals, because this is where the Christian faith come from, people here were christians long before Europe. There are also lots of Christian pilgrims.

| 45min = They pass by a strange lady covered in jewels making sound when she walks, her hands are covered in hand paintings, but also her face. Her face is covered in strange letters in a language they cannot udnerstand, for sure not arabic. Her lips are concealed behind a piece of fabric. She is eating her lunch, sundried dates with a mint tea and lots of exotic looking cakes. They notice her left hand is so covered in markings that it's almost fully black. Then a beggar come to them and proposes to sell some relics (they are fake). A bunch of street cats a heard fighting in the distance. When they look back, she is gone.

| 60min = There's a weird person in rags looking at the players and whispers very slowly. one of his left hand is twitching with spasms. As they get closer, they see that it's just a drunk. (alcohol is forbidden but not that forbidden) the whispers "And within itself is the power of the highest and of the lowest, within it is the light of lights, therefore darkness flees from it." / "En lui se trouve le pouvoir du plus haut et du plus bas, en elle se trouve la lumière des lumières, c'est pourquoi les ténèbres fuient devant elle."

| 75min = Next time one of the players wake up, he will see a dagger stuck on his pillow. The dagger is piercing a single crusader coin. The threat is very clear. Some of his servants are assasins, but whom ? Crusader coins where coins made of gold and minted by crusaders (the count of tripoli) but in Arabic so locals could understand it.

| 90min = One of the players is randomly stabbed in the streets, he is '''Wounded''' and the Assassin leaves the broken scroll case at his feets with the left hand statue. He explains that they destroyed the cursed scroll but they can have the case back. Trigger the next section.
(This section is much longer than usual, so it's okay if the players spend more than 90 minutes)

}}

- '''Music Normal : Z_Normal-Desert or on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4afgq42TTtXPh0Io3D135i?si=OEJoScCBTNK6AY1GvJueBA'''

(This part is a big longer than sections are normally supposed to be, so feel free to shorten it if needed, or give the players more time)

===The Dead Caravan===

Led by Roncelin de Fos, the players have been chasing a group of bandits that attacked several caravans in the region.

With the blessings of the Amir of Homs, they have been chasing them for days deep inside the desert in Muslim territory.

Despite their differences, Crusaders and Muslims could agree on chasing bandits and it's the Templar's role to protect pilgrims, their one and only role.

After days of chasing, in the distance they see some dead camels and bedoin corpses.

Most of them have been burned and have traces of a fire sword.

How to find the bandits they are chasing ? There is some strong wind blowing so traces disappeared completely.

Action : Search the caravan / check if anyone is alive.

One of the bedoins is still alive.

He explained that they We were attacked, by shaitans, evil jinns or ifrits without face. One of them had a crown and a pitch black left hand like an evil king.
Probably Iblis himself.

They are headed for the Al-Qaryatayn Oasis.

'''Detail (Plague of egypt 1/10) : The Templar chaplain (Matthieu de Saint-Aubert) drink from one of the waterskins found on the caravan, and it contains blood instead of water. All of their waterskins were contaminated with blood. To make sure they can't drink it in case they are still alive.'''

Some merchants of Al-Qaryatayn paid the Templars for protection and safe passage. So they have to help.

===The Pillagers===

As they arrive near the village, night is falling and they see flames in village.

'''Music : Z_Flippant-Le diable est dans la boite'''

They hear a fight between the villagers and the pillagers, they seem to be Christians and scream in Provençal (language spoken in Provence South of France).

As they arrive in the village, they see a child's corpse nailed to a wall in the form of a cross. And two pillagers without faces (they wear a mask of course) nailing his mother next to him in the same way.

As they see the players, they start running away.

Action : Anything meaningful to stop them before they alert their leader.

At the center of the village the pillagers throw dead corpses into the oasis to contaminate it.

'''Music : Alone in the Dark Mysteries (just once) then back to normal'''
'''Detail (Plague of egypt 2/10) : It is followed very thoroughly by a lot of toads. An army of small toad eyes. Very strange that there would be so many toads here. The Templar chaplain (Matthieu de Saint-Aubert) is very surprised that there would be toads here.'''

At the center, they see a tall hooded figure with a crude crown.

'''Music for the Battle: (loop) Baldurs Gate 3 OST - Raphaels Final Act (Long Version)'''

He has a scroll case in one hand (left hand) and a templar sword in the other, he wears a rusty Crusador chainmail.
His left hand is completely black and with claws. His left land is clutching the scroll.

He seems to whisper in very slow voice. Yet they hear him very clearly.
He says : "I have come to cast fire upon the earth; and how I wish it were already kindled!" / "Je suis venu jeter un feu sur la terre, et qu'ai-je à désirer, s'il est déjà allumé?" — Luke 12:49
and he sets his templar sword in Flames.

'''Combat (duel)''' and if they didn't stop him from being warned before, then also in the same time a '''Combat (skirmish)'''

Once defeated he breaks a vial of alcohol on himself and try to self immolate.

"Fear your Lord, For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” / "Crains ton Seigneur. Car le Seigneur ton Dieu est un feu dévorant, c'est un Dieu jaloux !"

He is burning, any important clues will burn, quick they have to find a way to extinguish him !

Action : Anything meaningful to extinguish him. Like cover him in sand.

'''Music : Behelit - Berserk'''

Now that they see him closer, he seems to be a former Knight templar. His entire outfit is templar except his cloak and he made a weird crown with bits of wood on his helmet.

His sword is clearly a Templar sword with a prayer on it "Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo da gloriam." "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to Your name give glory." "Non pas à nous, Éternel, non pas à nous, Mais à ton nom donne gloire, A cause de ta bonté, à cause de ta fidélité!"

His left hand was cut (probably himself) and he has replaced it with a black clay hand which seems ancient.

This black clay hand clutches a very strange scroll case.

This scroll tube is made of clay but covered in arabic writings, there's a strange broken lead seal on the scroll case.

Action : if anyone has Knowledge or Polyglot : The arabic writings are prayers of protection from what's inside the tube. One the tube is also inscribed the Seal of Solomon for protection. The lead seal is a templar seal on one side and a seal from an unknown family on the other.

Inside there's a very long dark parchement which seems to be the rubbing (frottage en français) of a piece of chalk over some ancient and unreadable runes (it is in Hieratic).
There's a text in Nabataean Aramaic engraved below each lines, like a translation.

Action : Knowledge (cryptography or heresy) or Polyglot the original text is in Hieratic which is normally undecipherable and there's a translation in Nabataean Aramaic but it's very hard to understand.

Ask the players : Who tries to read it ? Make a list of all players who collaborate to try to read it, this is very important, even if they don't have the feat but "tried" to read it, it counts.
It takes them a few days to decipher the text regardless how they do it.

With skilled work and restraint
it will ascend from the Earth to Heaven
and descend to Earth from Heaven.
And within itself is the power of the highest and of the lowest,
within it is the light of lights,
therefore darkness flees from it.
Power of powers.
It can conquer every subtle thing,
and penetrate everything gross.

Avec un travail habile et de la retenue
il s'élèvera de la terre au ciel
et descendra du ciel à la terre.
En lui se trouve le pouvoir du plus haut et du plus bas,
en elle se trouve la lumière des lumières,
c'est pourquoi les ténèbres fuient devant elle.
La puissance des puissances.
Il peut conquérir toutes les choses subtiles,
et pénétrer tout ce qui est grossier.

And it goes on and on very difficult to understand.

Action : Knowledge this text speaks about how to make the philosopher's stone ! It is an extract of the Emerald Tablet !

===The Nightmare===
'''Music : Z_Flippant-Dark Desert'''

All the players who read the text are themselves in this vision following Roncelin, the others are ghosts incapable of doing anything.
If nobody read it, then they are all ghosts.

They are all walking deep inside the desert.

Their waterskins are full of sand, they didn't drink any water for days.

One of them has the black scroll in his hand and his hand is black.

They are not able to talk at all. They are lost and walking in circle, what to do ?

Action : He opens it, it is a map. They follow it.

They walk for days and past by many corpses of many different cultures, most of which they do not recognise.

Some of which are clearly ancient Greek or Ancient Romans, ancient Egyptians also.

Some have very very strange clothes.

Action : Knowledge or Polyglot : All known cultures are respresented, but some are unknown, from the future perhaps ? Or unexplored continents ?

They arrive in the ruins of a City with very high pillars carved inside a mountain.

Every pillar is covered in gold, or made of gold ?

They are greeted by an dark giant in rags with a crown under his rags, his hand is black with claws. He whispers in Aramaic and very slowly.
With skilled work and restraint it will ascend from the Earth to Heaven / Avec un travail habile et de la retenue il s'élèvera de la terre au ciel

Action : Knowledge (heresy) : They recognise إرَم ذات العماد Iram ḏāt al-ʿimād / Iram cité des piliers / Iram of the Pillars and the king would be Shaddād bin ʽĀd. Explain that this king was mad and defied god, which is why his city was destroyed by wind and flames.

He points in a certain direction.

'''Music : (loop between) Eternal Darkness - Insanity Ambient Noise 'The Mansion' and Eternal Darkness - the Cathedral Insanity Ambient Noise'''

They arrive in an underground chamber with a forest of dark pillars.

Each engraved with Hieratic filled with gold and between each lines in the translation in the local language Nabataean Aramaic.

In the middle of the room is a black statue with one hand missing, holding a black and red stone.

He is sitting on a pile of bones made of pure gold.

Action : Knowledge, it is the philospher's stone !

As they enter the room, the entire city behind them starts burning.

Action : Touch the stone.

They instantly wake up in sweat in their beds.
When this happens, '''Music : (loop) Chant of the Templars - Da Pacem Domine (Ensemble Organum)'''

At the end of this nightmare, all those that tried to read the book previously gain : [[⛧ Whispers of Madness]]
Add it to their charcter sheets and give them few minutes to read the effect.
Then they all start the Insanity Timer. Explain them the rule to be sure they all understood (but isolate only the players who have the Feat when you explain)

===The Attack===
'''Music : (loop) Chant of the Templars - Da Pacem Domine (Ensemble Organum)'''

They wake up in the middle of the night and their camp is full of Assins ready to strike. (they are in the desert on their way back)

'''Music Battle : Access the Animus (debut rapide) then Z_Batson-Brigands !'''

Some servants enter the camp by force and scream : “Nothing is true, everything is permitted !” "Rien n'est vrai, tout est permis !"

Explain that this is the rallying cry of the Assassins and that since they are in Syria they had lots of problems with them.

'''Combat (skirmish)'''

One of the Assassins has a black mask with a crown and a black glove, he scratches himself like crazy. His skin is clearly covered with red spots, he has been deouvred by Lices and periodically he scratches himself like crazy.

His blade is clearly covered in poison, how to fight him ?
Action : Either something meaningful, or '''Combat (duel)''' or wait that he scratches himself to kill him.

After the battle some of them manage to run away, and the scroll is GONE ! It was all a diversion to steal it.
They still have the clay hand though.
'''Music (the scroll is gone) : Gravity The Void (just once) then back to normal'''

'''Detail (Plague of egypt 3/10) : the chaplain (Matthieu de Saint-Aubert) examines the corpse of the Assassin and he is disgusted that he is covered in Lices (poux et puces)'''

Impossible to capture any of them, they either fled, died or suicided.

===The Trail===
'''Music Normal : Z_Normal-Desert'''

Roncelin is furious that the scroll has been stolen ! He wants them found and how is it possible that some of their servants from several years have fought them !

Searching through the commanderie's library, they confirm that those were pieces of the Emerald table ! They have to find it, it is the secret to create the Philosopher's stone that they clearly all saw in their dream!

How to find them ?

Have a player write down that from now on they have with them Roncelin with the feat “Knowledge” and they have Sergents with the feat “Guards !”

Action : What is the identity of those assasins ? 4 servants, 5 unknown who entered by Stealth

Alernatively, Action : Outlaw wisdom can lead to the merchant

By asking the families of any of those, they see the families got much richer (it was customary for the assasins to pay the son in case the assasin is killed)

People who knew them from a long time are shocked

They were paid with a bag of Mongolian gold.

This is very strange, we are far far away from the Khannate.

Action : There’s only one merchant which has the protection from the Khan in Tartus (he has a Paiza) Or any other logical way to find the merchand, like Outlaw wisdom

(Actually he is in the employ of the assasins and using their influence he got his Paiza.)

He sells all sorts of goods, especially Carnelian Beads (perles de cornalines)

When they meet this merchant, he explains that he didn’t have choice, it was either help or die.

He accepts to lead them to their lair Old Man of the Mountain /Shaykh al-Jabal, the fortress in the mountain.

===On the way to the mountain===
As they climb up the mountain, a group of Syriac monks is attacked by Assasins.
Just by approaching, the Assassins run away.

Actually those monks are Assasins with the trickster feat. They follow the player for "protection".

After some time, they attack the merchant and kill him then disperse (unless the players don't let them follow them)

They don't put up a fight, they kill him then disperse.

'''Music : Alone in the Dark Mysteries'''

“Nothing is true, everything is permitted !” "Rien n'est vrai, tout est permis !"

As he dies he says : The entrance is at this corner and dies, unless healed.

How to find the entrance of the hidden fortress ?
They are in the mountains in a very narrow road on the side of the mountain.

Action : Either they somehow saved the merchant or Any meaningful feat, otherwise it’s in a place where you don’t see the entrance by the road, if they climb they see the rest of the road. The entrance is only visible by an elevated angle.

'''Music : Gravity The Void''''
As they climb the mountain, one of the Templar sergents who accompanied them was actually an assasin trickster and he pushes one of the players to his death (chose a player who still has faith if possible)

And starts to whisper slowly, then pushed the player.
And within itself is the power of the highest and of the lowest, / En lui se trouve le pouvoir du plus haut et du plus bas,

(The sargeants were recruited from the local historical Christians (from before the crusades) Syriaques)

Action : Unless the players have a meanign feat to avoid it a player is gravely wounded.

===The Fortress in the Mountain===

'''Music : Z_Flippant - Dark World'''

As they open the door to the Fortress in the Mountain, thousands of flies fly out.

'''Detail (Plague of egypt 4/10) : The Templar Chaplain (Matthieu de Saint-Aubert) complains : So many flies, it is uncanny'''

The fortress is empty but there's a terrible stench of death.

Dead Assassins everywhere in the entrance. They seemed to have fought each others. One of them has his own left hand around his throat.

Then they walk through the dining hall they see lots of dead Assassins hooked to the ceiling.

They start climbing the tower and one of the wall leads to a secret passage that is currently opened :

They walk through a weirdly decorated room that smells very strongly of Hashish.

Lots of dead Assassins and dead slave girls.

One of them is barely alive. Her left hand is compeltely broken.

"The King, the mad king. They couldn't stop him. He is upstairs."

Apparently some Assassins weren't killed, they committed suicide in the most gruesome way, one piereced his own eyes with daggers, one set fire to himself.

They climb up higher in the tower ignoring the secret passage and arrive at the throne room.

The Old Man in the mountains is waiting for them there. And there's a dead hooded figure with a crown on his head and his left hand completely dark, he was pierced by lots of scimitars.

The Old Man in the mountains talks to them and proposes some tea and tries to calm them down.

Come al-Dawiyyah, let's talk. (it's the nickname used to mean the templars, it literally means : the poors)

He explains that he knew rumours of the scroll of the mad king and couldn't let it stay in the hands of the Christians.

He wanted it for himself, but quickly madness spread in his ranks so he destroyed it, and it cost him dearly, they are too late.

His goal is to try to negotiate that the players just leave them be and forget about the book.

Some quotes you can use :

What happened here ? : "I used to live in a castle full of moths, and by mistake I stole a lit candle. Iblis did the rest." / "Je vivais au milieu de papillons de nuits et j'ai volé une chandelle alumée. Iblis a fait le reste."
Who are you ? : "I used to be someone, now I am no-one. Just an old man in a mountain." / "Avant j'était quelqu'un, maintenant je ne suis plus personne. Just un veil homme dans une montagne. "
Where's the scroll ? : " All candles eventually consume themselves. All for the better. You should forget it." / "Toute chandelle fini par se consumer. Et c'est mieux ainsi pour tous le monde, oubliez la."

Of course the tea is poisoned using an “assasin’s teapot” meaning that when he pours some in his glass it's not poisoned, when he pours it in theirs, it is poisonned.

Action : The first player who drinks the tea become Drowsy due to the poison. Unless any meaningful feat or Instinct.

They easily kill him and in this Assassin’s hideout, they find the burned pages and the scroll box.

'''Music (when they see the scroll is burned) : Stranger Things - Rats''''

Roncelin is furious and he smashes the black hand. Inside the clay he finds some ancient bones.

Now that they have more time to identify the seal, they realise that it’s the Seal of Bertrand de la Roche, a templar commander in Provence, Roncelin happens to know Barral 1er des Baux very well, who is a powerful noble in Provence, so they decided to ask for his help.

=Part 2 Of Guelfes and Gibelins=

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = The players overhead a conversation saying that few years ago (in 1229) they made the Count of Toulouse barefoot in simple clothes kneeling in front of Notre Dame to atone for his support of the heretics. The conversation is between Barral and Roncelin, where asks him for his help and ask him if instead of serving in Tartous he would be interested in being the Master in Provence instead.

| 15min = They notice a very discreet carving of a Dove, this was the symbol of God in catharism, with a weird cross. It's a proof that whomever lived there had Cathar sympathies. Based on the black marks on the wall, this house was burned down during the Albigesian crusade against the Cathars. The owner of the house comes to the players and ask insistently "What is the origin of the light ?" and once h sees that the players don't know what to answer, he moves on (the secret answer is supposed ot be "The night!" based on the secret statutes of the templars)

| 30min = Barral is with them and a crow lands next to him. He looks at Barral and seems to be shouting at him. He is upset and tries to scare him away, but he refuses to leave and keep shouting at him. Eventually Barral takes his sword and swing at him but he dodges and fly away. He explains that he really hate crows and he had a dream that he would see a crow landing at his window the day he dies.

| 45min = You notice the statue of a double headed eagle surrounded by stars and a sun symbol. That's a very clear symbol that whoever owner this building was a strong supporter or Frederick II and a Ghibelin. A templar looks at the players and places his left hand on his heart and his right hand index finger pointing at the sky. He looks at the players and waits for a response. Seeing none, he moves on (the response is supposed to put left hand on the heart and index point at the sky.)

| 60min = In their packs, the players find a small black wooden statue of an angel wielding a sword and a bunch of crow feathers. They have no idea where it came from. Someone looks at them and place a right hand behind his head and touches his chin with his left (secret symbol of Baphomet)

| 75min = In the sky a black eagle is diving, forming a reversed cross, this is a clear diabolical symbol. Then a bunch of dead black crows start falling from the sky. When Barral sees this, he signs and draws his sword in panic.

| 90min = An enemy army ambushes the players in the forest. Two '''Combat (skirmish)''' or they are dead. After the battle they are hospitalised for many months before Barral finally retake his land and agrees to help.

}}

- '''Music Normal : Z_Normal-Commanderie Templière'''

===The Dark Templar===

The book goes on to explain that the journey to meet Barral was very long and they lost many men on the road due to brigands, disease and the bad weather.

The whole crew was haunted by what they had read and sleep was very scarce.

During the long voyage, Roncelin seemed obsessed with the skeletal hand.

He spends hours and hours locked in his room making strange drawings and carving things on the hand with a tiny chisel.

Once you surprise him and quickly see that he is drawing lots of characters and lots of skeletons on pieces of paper.

He speaks to himself A LOT.

As soon as he arrived in Provence, he spent two entire days going from shops to shops and spending a fortune in different craftmans. He made very substancial order at lots of shops, you don’t know what, but he insisting on meeting with the very best blacksmiths, jewelers of the whole region.

As they met Barral, he explains that he never saw this scroll and this is indeed the seal of Bertrand de la Roche, who used to be the commander of Richerenches since 1230, but was replaced in 1232 because he started to descend into madness. Nobody knows why.

Action : Ask more about Bertrand de la Roche. He explains that it was a a close friend once, but recently he became very distant and obsessed he lived in a small Templar wine estate nearby, he brings them there.

They go to the small fortified farm that Bertrand de la Roche was holding with a small vineyard and some cattle.

'''Music : itisraped (just once) then back to normal'''
'''Details (Plague of egypt 5/10) : When they approach the estate they realise that all the cattle is dead !

The chaplain (Matthieu de Saint-Aubert) part of the group figures it out and says to Roncelin that he should stop, the lord is angry.'''

'''Exodus 9:3-6'''

"The hand of the LORD will bring a terrible plague on your livestock in the field—on your horses, donkeys and camels and on your cattle, sheep and goats.”
/
"voici, la main de l'Éternel sera sur tes troupeaux qui sont dans les champs, sur les chevaux, sur les ânes, sur les chameaux, sur les boeufs et sur les brebis; il y aura une mortalité très grande."

As they approach a peasant rushes to lock the gates and run inside.

'''Music (as long as the fire burns) : (fast start) Light of the Seven (EP 10 Trial scene) then loop Z_Baston-Le diable est dans la boite'''

The farm then starts burning. The noise of the fire sounds like a very slow whisper.
And within itself is the power of the highest and of the lowest, within it is the light of lights, therefore darkness flees from it./ En lui se trouve le pouvoir du plus haut et du plus bas, en elle se trouve la lumière des lumières, c'est pourquoi les ténèbres fuient devant elle.

Action : Any meaningful way to get past the gate as quickly as possible.

The players run inside the farm, the fire started in the stables, but they can still stop it.

Of course the servant who started the fire is nowhere to be seen.

Action : Any meaningful way to stop the fire. If not they can just try to run inside the fire and get stuff in his home.

His room is suprinsingly empty and tidy.

Action : On the roof there’s a trapdoor leading to a hidden top floor. They can clearly see that one floor is missing from the outside.

His hidden room is full of Alchemical instruments, his roof is full of a Danse Macabre.
'''Music (as long as they are in this room, then back to normal) : Hail This Nightmare - BloodBorne then Z_Flippant-Dark Desert'''

As they open the trap door, his room was full of crows who fly away.

Also the most comprehensive collection of Alchemical books they have ever seen.

Alchemical diagrams everywhere.

They also find a lot of maps that seem to indicate the location of a mythical city very deep into Ayyubid territorry.

In a vial there's a disgusting black and red goo. The players take it or Roncelin does.

Action : If anyone touches it (unless you have Courage), roll a die 6 on anything but 5 or 6 they fall under the influence of [[Voice of the Abyss]] and their order is they have to agressively scratch their left hand. At any point in the scenario they will try to strangle another player of their choice and ultimately they will regain control of their mind before any harm is done to anyone (make sure this doesn't create a real big problem in the team). The player actually has to mimick in real life that he is scratching his own hand. This player pockets the black goo and doesn't want to let go of it. He can use [[Voice of the Abyss]] once during this scenario on any character of his choice.

Action : Knowledge (heresy) : They understand that it is the lost city of Pillars.

There are sketches of the black hand with different names written in an ancient language.

Action : Knowledge (heresy or cryptography) or Polyglot : It is written in Nabataean Aramaic the name "Shaddad bin Aad" it's the name of the king of Iram of the Pillars

As they are reading they hear slow whispers. It's acutally a crow is looking and yelling at them. Barral explains that he hates crows and he swings his sword trying to kill it but it runs away.

it will ascend from the Earth to Heaven and descend to Earth from Heaven. / il s'élèvera de la terre au ciel et descendra du ciel à la terre.

It is really too risky to go that deep into Ayyubid territorry now, but if they agree to help Barral, he will use his political sway to get them safe conduit that deep inside enemy territorry.

He knows someone who knows someone who has a big favor from the Sultan and could call it in.

===Conquest===

Barral accepted to help, but only if Roncelin helps him in return to defeat his current enemies.

Barral explains that the Guelfes are his mortal enemies, they have been stealing all of his estate since he is a stanch supporter of the Gibelin, in case your players don’t know, explain that the Guelfes are those in support of the Pope and the Gibelins are those in support of the Emperor, the two main powers of the holy roman empire.

Since the “true faith” was rejected by the church, the Count of Toulouse lost a lot of land to the House of France and was excommunicated, he had to personally go barefoot kneeling in front of the gate of Notre-Dame and make an oath to obey the church and carry the cross in order to get his excommunication revoked. And he was just excommunicated AGAIN in last year in August, so now he will reconquer his land and Barral is his Senechal.

Action : Knowledge (heresy) : He means the Cathar faith. Barral is secretly a Cathar.

In the process Barral lost all his lands, but now with the help of an envoy from the emperor himself he intends to get his lands back. And to hell with excommunication.

The Comtat Venaissin is under strong Templar influence. That’s why Barral need Roncelin’s help.

Of course by default the templars are Guelfes especially in the Comtat Venaissin which belongs to the pope, but it’s up to Roncelin to sway them in direction of the Gibelins.

The Commanders of most strongholds in the Comtat Venaissin are done with the Pope who is trying to replace them, so they'll help.

===Pernes===

'''Music back to Normal : Z_Normal-Commanderie Templière'''

Now the players have to actually retake city by city the land of Barral.

Pernes : In this city, the populace is firmly in favor of Barral, but the real power lays in the hand of the guilds, and the heads of guilds much rather prefer to trade with the House of France rather than the weakened empire.

The Templar presence is strong there.

Action : Any meaningful way to sway the heads of guilds or simply have them assassinated. Alternatively, the templar presence is strong there, they can have the goods of the guild repeately attacked by bandits to sway them.

===Monteux===

In this city, the population is very much in favor of Barral and refused to pay the dime, they have been excommunicated by the Archbishop enemy of Barral.

But they can’t go against the Pope more because they already have been excommunicated.

The Templar presence is weak there.

Action : Any meaningful way to sway to population or to sway the Archbishop (they can only meet him once, after that he will refuse to meet them) or the Templars pay the dime for them or they let the population pray in a nearby Templar church which is not excommunciated then they have to bribe someone next to the Archbishop to remove the excommunication.

===Malaucène===

In this small city, they are still very clearly and openly Cathars, and thus the church will never allow this city to return to Barral and they are this close to simply excommunicating the churches themselves and the entire population. This could easily trigger an inquisition run in the city.

Action : Any meaningful way to make the city appear good Chrisitan or they could use some templars to make a fake inquisition and burn the last Cathars. Pretending to have cleansed the city.

The Castle of Mornas is one of the last big obstacles for Barral, he doesn’t have enough support to get it without force.

===1236 Siege of the Castle of Mornas===
'''Music before the battle : Z_Normal-Prima'''

In 1236, Barral wants to besiege the Castle or Mornas.

This splendid castle is build at a cliff's edge. The most obvious road passes below the castle.

How to approach the castle safely ?

Action : Either pass by night when the visibility is poor, or climb other side of the mountain but then they can't have siege weapons or heavy equipments.

If they pass by night, a little cloud of crows follow them and make a lot of noise which still launches the alarm. Barral is pesting against them. In the distance they hear slow whispers.

Power of powers. It can conquer every subtle thing, and penetrate everything gross. / La puissance des puissances. Il peut conquérir toutes les choses subtiles, et pénétrer tout ce qui est grossier.

'''Music when the battle start : In the Dawn of the AI then Z_Baston-Kin Amar'''

Behind them is a land slide, they are trapped, they need ot push forward or die !

All the soldiers were waiting, it's a trap ! They are under a rain of arrows and stones and boiling water.

They have to find a smart way to pass the gates or they will die here.

Action : Any meaningful way to pass the gate or in the castle there’s a Templar spy that can leave open the secret door.

As they are inside the castle, the fight rages on in the main courtyard.

Action : Combat (battle)

They are now at the foot of the main tower of the Castle, a lot of soldiers took refuge inside. They could last forever inside.

Action : Any meaning feats to enter the tower or just brute force in the tower stairs, Combat (duel) then Combat (skirmishes)

As they climb up the stairs, they see the lord of Mornas covered head to toes, his face hidden in a black mask. His left hand is covered in a black glove.

He painfully gets up and challenge one of the players to duel (pick a player who has the duel feat)

Action : Either Combat (duel) or they don't accept the duel and just kill him.

They discover that his corpse is covered in boils.

'''once the battle is over Firelink Shrine 1h + Fire sound'''

Once the siege is complete, Barral is excommunicated by the Archbishop of Arles

He says : "The excommunicated are my friends, and those who seek absolution are my enemies." / "Les excommuniés sont mes amis et ceux qui cherchent l'absolution sont mes ennemis"

'''Music : itisraped (just once) then back to normal'''
'''Detail (Plague of egypt 6/10) : When they return from the battle after the excommunication sentence is pronouced, the next day their soldiers are covered in Boils and can’t fight anymore.'''

That’s when the chaplain (Matthieu de Saint-Aubert) starts to be terrified, he says :

'''Exodus 9:8-10'''

"So they took soot from a furnace and stood before Pharaoh. Moses tossed it into the air, and festering boils broke out on people and animals."
/
"Moïse lança la cendre vers le ciel, et hommes et bêtes furent couverts d’éruptions évoluant en ulcères purulents."

Clearly the lord is against us !

Roncelin kills him to shut him up.

===The Secretum Templi===

'''Music : (loop for this scene) Le Chant des Templiers VIII. Antiphona Salve Regina'''

Now that the Comtat is freed from direct pope influence.

Roncelin helps organise a secret meeting between the commanders of most strongholds where they meet in secret in Montfort-sur-Argens.

Are present :

Templars : Robert de Samfort the procurator of England as a visitor the Emperor asked him to join because is a well known Gibelin; Roncelin de Fos; the Commander of Montfort-sur-Argens; the Commanders of : Cavaillon, Châteauneuf, Avignon, Orange, Roaix, Richerenches, Bompas; Roger de Montagu, preceptor of Normandie; Robert de Barris, procurator

Plus a lot of unnamed Templars from all around Europe.

Non-Templars : Barral 1er des Baux, Taurelli de Strata (the envoy of the emperor)

In total they are 28 present including the players. 27 is the exact number of bones in a human hand (but one person won't survive this meeting)

Everyone is wearing a red robe with a red belt.

Each Templars enter one by on the Temple. Only the players which are actual Templars (not sergents) can be part of this scene, there others are outside but they can listen.
if none are Templars, then one player is present.

The Templar Guardian of the Threshold hold his blade on his chest asking for the password.

"Give me the first word and I will give you the second" says the guardian of the Threshold.

Each persons says "Basileus" (means lord)

Then the Guardian says "Philosophorum" (means philosopher)

Then they reply "Metallicorum" (means metallurgist)

And one by one they enter this way.

One by one they are called by the Commander of Montfort-sur-Argens and they have to sign by getting up then placing their right hand on their left shoulder "Present, Commander"

(Actually call the players one by one)

"My brothers, since we form the circle and the number, I declare open the council of the Temple of Montfort-sur-Argens."

And they reveal a bearded statue with three faces in the middle of the room. (it's a Baphomet)

If anyone wants to speak they need to say : "Brothers, I wish to speak."

Roncelin opens his hood and knocks the table three times with his index and middle finger.

Roncelin starts : "Brothers, I wish to speak.", then the Commander allows it :

He explains that the problem is : the nobles are clearly in favor of the Count of Toulouse, so is the people. But the pope is literally the master of the order of the Templars, so they have to follow his orders, what can be done ? Also the emperor is willing to bring much ressources.
They are done serving the "Synagogue of the Antichrist" (meaning the Catholic Church)

Action : Let the players make a proposal on this topic.

Roncelin explains about the scroll that he found. And he is certain that he can create the Philosopher’s stone. Which would definitely give them power over to change everything.

He proposes to create a secret order within the order, the Secretum Templi. Who’s goal will be to create the philosopher’s stone in order to bring down the pope and create a new world order were the templars are free from the Pope’s influence and own their own land, like the Teutonic knights recently did.

Action : Any meaningful Feat to convince the audience or a Miracle. But they will not be convinced by words alone.
In case the players don't actually want to betray the Church, Roncelin explains that they should play along as his goal is to use them for their own good and discard them when not needed anymore.

The Commander of Avignon get up and he is very upset, he think all of this is madness.

What to do ?

Action : They have to assassinate him discretely and make it look like an accident. Or Voice of the Abyss. Or any other meaningful Feat. (now they are 27)

If they use Voice of the Abyss on him, here is his reaction : "I understand EVERYTHING, you will bring Jesus back, your actions will bring forth the Apocalypse. Rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. You are the beast of the Apocalypse ! Why fight you ? On the contrary I help you bring forth the return of our Lord !" / "Je comprends TOUT, you allez ramener Jesus, vos actions vont déclencher l'Apocalypse. Je vis monter de la mer une bête qui avait dix cornes et sept têtes, et sur ses cornes dix diadèmes, et sur ses têtes des noms de blasphème. Pourquoi vous combattre ? Au contraire je vais vous aider à faire venir notre seigneur !"

That’s how the Secretum Templi is created.

'''Music : Danse Macabre loop only for this scene in particular'''

Roncelin has been preparing for this day for a long time. He distributed to everyone a little piece of Bone with drawings and letters on it.

When assembled all those pieces of bones reconstitutes the hand and it forms an Abraxas with written Secretum Templi.

This abraxas has then horns and ten crowns. http://prima.wiki/images/c/ce/Abraxas.jpg

The goal being that each individual can use it as a seal and send documents to each others, but they have to be together for most important decisions.

Then all of those splinters of bones need to be hidden away, so he distributed to everyone a different object, for Barral it is hidden inside his sword.

The players see distributed a coin, a sword, a chesspiece etc…

He distributed to all of them a little card with a character dacing with a skeleton and a nickname they will use.

Barral Receives a Sword, a card with an emperor dacing with a skeleton and his codename will be “The Emperor”

Roncelin’s codename will be “The Pope”

Explain to the players that all Medieval Danse Macabres where a series of drawings of different characters dacing with a skeleton, starting with the Emperor and the Pope.

In real life they see that the journal they are carrying indeed had a hidden compartment but it’s empty.

If the players were a Templar because they had a certain Bone item, for example if a player was a Templar because he had the Bone Coin, then Roncelin gives him a silver coin that contains a piece of bone with the Abraxas engraved on it.

When they receive this item, they gain one more Feat. (e.g. instead of having 6 Feats from their normal Character, they have 7)

Thus the players understand the origin of the conspiracy and the ten crowns.

The book doesn’t say about all the types of objects who were distributed.

At this moment, all players which have a Bone Item realise that they can slide open their bone items and there’s a little piece of bone from a hand hidden in it.

They sign their first document together on a big black wax seal by putting all their seals together. They swear an oath to create this Secretum Templi and if they die their own bones will serve to conseal the seal in an object made of their own bones so that even in death they will keep working towards this goal.

Their Oath :
unus est Pater noster, Magister, Redemptor et Consolator, Deus, et ipsius Spiritus testimonium reddit spiritui nostro, quod sumus filii Dei.

there is a dark one who is our Father, Teacher, Redeemer, and Comforter, Him, and His Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of Him.

il y en a un esprit sombre qui est notre Père, Maître, Rédempteur et Consolateur, Lui, et Son Esprit rend témoignage à notre esprit que nous sommes ses enfants.

As they do that, when the document is signed and the full drawing of the Abraxas with then horns is visible, some Templar make a cross sign and quotes the bible (unless the Avignon commander already said it):
"rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. Who is like the beast? Who is able to wage war against it? " "je vis monter de la mer une bête qui avait dix cornes et sept têtes, et sur ses cornes dix diadèmes, et sur ses têtes des noms de blasphème. Qui est semblable à la bête, et qui peut combattre contre elle ? "

And then the lights seem to fade and they all start dacing in a long dance each with a skeleton between them and this dance will last for hundreds of years and kill more than half of europe.

=Part 3 The City of the Pillars=

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = The players feel the constant caress of the sand on their face, so thin like a silk veil. They grab a bit of sand in their hands, it is thin and volatile like flour, they realise that they have never see such thin sand in their life. What is the purpose of all this ? They could be easily transferred to another templar commanderie and be holding flour in their hand right now. They see a little gust a wind moving slowly on the side, at the pace of a person, very strange that it moves in a specific spot as if it was a ghost of some kind.

| 15min = The players notice that they are completely sunburnt, they remember a day when they didn't even know was sunburning was before they came to the holy land. Somehow their left hands seem much more sunburn than the rest of their bodies, much blacker and it is very painfull, much more than the rest of their skins. After a few minutes it passes.

| 30min = With the little weat that is left, they cook some bread under their camp fire by burrying the bread in the sand, however the next day they search the sand and the bread is completely dry and black, as if it was there for months or years ?

| 45min = In the sand they find a little pottery, on it some weird drawings,it looks like a weird reptile like creature with human hands, horns and a protuberant forehand, a mix between a crocodile and a seal, very uncanny eating a human. Below it are writing undecipherable from languages long forgotten by mankind. Whichever player took the statue doesn't want to let go of it. He has to keep it or become [[Insane]].

| 60min = They are now completely dehydrated and start to have visions. Afar, they see a mighty beast with 7 heads and 10 horns rising from the sea of sand. Once they get closer it was just a big tree. All the Templars fall un their knees and pray for a few long minutes. "rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. The whole earth was amazed and followed the beast. And they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like the beast? Who is able to wage war against it? " "je vis monter de la mer une bête qui avait dix cornes et sept têtes, et sur ses cornes dix diadèmes, et sur ses têtes des noms de blasphème. Et toute la terre était dans l'admiration derrière la bête. ils adorèrent la bête, en disant: Qui est semblable à la bête, et qui peut combattre contre elle ? " A few of the player's followers (if any left) stay there behind.

| 75min = One of the companions completely lost his mind, he is kneeling in front of a lamb skeleton and he is carving a 666 on his own left hand with a knife he screams : "Then I saw another beast that rose out of the earth; it had two horns like a lamb, and it spoke like a dragon. Also, it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be given a brand on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell who does not have the brand, that is, the name of the beast or the number for its name." / " "Puis je vis monter de la terre une autre bête, qui avait deux cornes semblables à celles d’un agneau, et qui parlait comme un dragon. Et elle fit que tous, petits et grands, riches et pauvres, libres et esclaves, reçussent une marque sur leur main droite ou sur leur front, et que personne ne pût acheter ni vendre, sans avoir la marque, le nom de la bête ou le nombre de son nom. " No matter what they do, all of their followers (if any left) stay behind and worship the skull, they are too far gone.

| 90min = (if not already in the city) After weeks of walking they finally find the city, apply the effect of one failed '''Desert dice''' to all the players.

}}

- '''Music Normal : Z_Flippant-Dark Desert'''

(Expedition members left : 100)

'''Detail (Plague of egypt 7/10) : In the next section of the book they talk about the return voyage by boat which was one of the hardest they ever saw, they went through a terrible hailstorm. As if god himself wanted ot push them away. Many of their sailors simply died killed by the hailstorm. However the chaplain was already dead so he didn't quote the bible.'''

===Day 0-6=== (Expedition members left : 70)

Now everyone who have read the book is beyond exhausted, they are obsessed with the nightmares of the mad king, and they feel sleepless.

They can’t just be without sleep forever, they have to reach the source, they have to find the hidden city and find the texts that leads to the knowledge of the Philosopher’s stone.

They start to look like skeletons already.

They made an expedition deep into the desert, it took them several years to prepare it. With Barral’s connections, they managed to get safe conduit through the lands of the Sultanates they need to cross.

They finally reach the holy hand end of August 1241

In this whole section they will have to roll a "Desert" dice due to how long they stay on the desert PLUS one desert dice per each Action they fail to resolve successfully. Anyone with the [[Survival]] skill succeeds automatically all theese rolls. The desert roll is as follow : '''All players roll a die 6, on a 1 they are either Drowsy or Wounded by the heat, their choice. If they are already both, they die.'''

There’s sand everywhere in all directions, how to navigate the desert ?

Action : Use stars by night, use sun position and wind direction by day. (if they can't resolve this, roll one '''Desert dice''')

===Day 7-13===
'''Day 7 : Everyone roll a Desert dice''' (Expedition members left : 50)

They can’t carry enough water, how to find more water ?

Action : They need at least two of those possible solutions (if they can't resolve this, roll one '''Desert dice''') :
*Anything that makes sense
*Recycle Urine
*Recude the size of the group one way or another
*Collect morning Dew
*Allow Camels to use their sense of smell to detect water from far away
*Bring a small herd of sheep with them to milk them
*Chew something to stimulate saliva and alleviate thirst.

The sun heat is unbearable by day, they lose water way too quickly and their skin is burned. (unless they already proposed the following action)

Action : Travel by night, sleep by day under a tent. (if they can't resolve this, roll one '''Desert dice''')

===Day 14-20===
'''Day 14 : Everyone roll a Desert dice''' (Expedition members left : 30)

They are now completely out of any type of water.

Action : They have to slaughter some of their beasts or companions and drink their blood. (if they can't resolve this, roll one '''Desert dice''')

They see a lot of lakes and Oasis all around, but no matter how much they get close, the water seems to dissipate.

Action : Of course the "water" is a mirage (heat reflection looks like a lake), only if they see palm trees then it is real although much further than it seems due to heat reflection. (if they can't resolve this, roll one '''Desert dice''')

===Day 21-27===
'''Day 21 : Everyone roll a desert dice.''' (Expedition members left : 7)

They find the Oasis, but it there are several floating corpses in the water.
'''Music : Stranger Things - Rats (just once) then back to normal'''
'''Details (Plague of egypt 8/10) : And the Oasis is overridden by locusts'''

*Exodus 10:12-15

"Never before had there been such a plague of locusts, nor will there ever be again." / "Elles s’abattirent sur toute l’Egypte et se posèrent sur tout le territoire en si grand nombre que jamais on n’avait vu et jamais on ne reverra pareil fléau."

How to still drink the water although it's contaminated clearly ?

Action : Knowledge (apothecary) can help make some local remedies to disinfect like Moringa Seeds, Miswak tree, or boil it. (if they can't resolve this, roll one '''Desert dice''')

One of their men fall into madness. He says “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.” / "Si tu es le Fils de Dieu, ordonne que ces pierres deviennent des pains. and he seems to actually try to turn some sand to bread." and he actually tries to turn some sand into bread then he becomes more and more frustrated and fights them.

Action : Combat (duel or skirmish) or any other way to stop him from killing everyone.

Roncelin seems to be working on a strange wooden object, he takes his whole attention doing that and it's hard to see what this object is. (he is actually making a crown for himself)

===Day ???===
'''Day ??? : Everyone roll a desert dice.''' (Expedition members left : everyone except the players and Roncelin are dead)

They have lost count of the days. They have now been walking for what seems an eternity.
Everyone is dead except the players and Roncelin, of their massive expedition only they remain.
With one almost dead Camel carrying their stuff.

They arrive at a camp site.
It seems that the whole bedoin camp site killed each others.

There's no food left, there's no water left, nothing written or of any value. Impossible to date the expedition.

The camel eventually dies. What to bring with them, what to leave behind ?

Action : Tent and water are the priority. Even more than food or anything else. In particular no weapons or armors. (if they can't resolve this, roll one '''Desert dice''')

A long unending wind rises. It seems like a long slow whisper in the distance.

Power of powers. It can conquer every subtle thing, and penetrate everything gross. / La puissance des puissances. Il peut conquérir toutes les choses subtiles, et pénétrer tout ce qui est grossier.

How to protect their eyes from the wind ?

Action : They can actually cover their faces and just walk blinded. (if they can't resolve this, roll one '''Desert dice''')

'''Day ?????? : Everyone roll a desert die.'''

The wind is now a storm.

After a long walk, Roncelin collapses on the floor. He is dead of thirst. The whispers of the wind seems to become stronger.

Action : Kowledge (medicine) he isn't completely dead but there's really nothing they can do for him.

They are now compeltely lost, although their instict pushes them to walk forward, due to the constant storm they have lost all sense of direction. How to know they are on the right track ?

Action : Anything meaningful or just go to the source of the wind's long whispers.

In the distance they seem to see a black hooded figure with a crown following them. But no matter how much they never manage to catch him. (it's actually Mad Roncelin)

===Iram of the Pillars===

At some point the hooded figure starts chanting in a strange language.

Action : Knowledge, he speaks in Aramaic, he is quoting the bible '''Exodus 10:21-23.'''

'''Music : Z_Baston-Skeleton Dance'''

'''Detail (Plague of egypt 9/10) : The sun is being slowly swallowed in darnkess (an eclypse), the players immediately understand that this is the the ninth plague : darkness'''

'''Exodus 10:21-23'''

"So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days." / "Moïse étendit sa main vers le ciel; et il y eut d'épaisses ténèbres dans tout le pays d'Égypte, pendant trois jours."

As the sun completely disappears, so does the storm. (the 06 of October 1241 there was a total solar eclypse on this exact spot : https://eclipsewise.com/solar/SEprime/1201-1300/SE1241Oct06Tprime.html )

They are now in complete darkness in front of a gigantic city carved in a mountain with hundreds of pillars covered in gold.

The players are now completely dehydrated, they start to hallucinate and see shadows inhabiting the city and the city is in very good condition.

The king start whispering in they ears, louder and louder.
Power of powers. It can conquer every subtle thing, and penetrate everything gross. / La puissance des puissances. Il peut conquérir toutes les choses subtiles, et pénétrer tout ce qui est grossier.

Everyone now has a whispers of madness timer of 5 minutes (and stop their current timer), if they fall into madness, they become a shadow themselves.
Adjust this time to 10 min if everyone is already very low in Feats.

They are lost in this labyrinth of pillars, where should they go ? They know the king is triggering this madness, but they don’t know where he is.

Action : Remember in the dream where the black statue was. (as long as they don’t bring this up, the time is running)

They now arrive at the heart of the city.

They arrive in an underground chamber with a forest of dark pillars.

Each engraved with Hieratic filled with gold and between each lines in the translation in the local language Nabataean Aramaic.

In the middle of the room is a black statue with one hand missing, the other hand had a black and red stain in the hand (no philosopher’s stone of course)

He is sitting on a pile of bones made of pure gold (they’re actually just coevered in gold)

Just like in their dream !

In front of them is a very tall 3 meters figure in a big hood with a crown.

It lowers the hood, it is Roncelin !

He quotes the bible.

'''Exodus 12:29-30'''

(Plague of egypt 10/10) "At midnight the LORD struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as well." / "Au milieu de la nuit, l'Éternel frappa tous les premiers-nés dans le pays d'Égypte, depuis le premier-né de Pharaon assis sur son trône, jusqu'au premier-né du captif dans sa prison, et jusqu'à tous les premiers-nés des animaux."

And he starts attacking the players.

Hitting him doesn’t do anything ! Every hits just makes him bleed sand, as if they had just hit sand.

Action : To hurt him they should hit the statue. It contains the corpse of Shaddād bin ʽĀd, the legendary king of Iram. As they strike it, they see that it’s his name written on the statue.

He starts screaming and and army of shadows are rushing towards the players trying to strangle them ! As the letters on the pillars start to glow of an evil red.

Even the sun is now painfully red.

No matter what they do, attacking them only turns them to sand.

Action : The players have to start reading the letters in the columns.

The shadows are now terrified as the wrath of god is brought upon them, a storm flow fire falls upon them.

'''Music : Danse Macabre'''

And the players wake up in the ruined deserted city. Those that were killed are dead and dry.

No one knows how long they’ve been here.

It’s Roncelin who wakes them up giving them something to drink.

He franctically start to copy the content of the pillars on a blank book.
He also takes the little remains of the black and red liquid in the hand of the king.

And the book finishes on this text.

Before me stood Iram's ancient columns, inscribed with the Apocryphon of Jannes. Among the ruins, I found traces of the Philosopher’s Stone, the Materia Prima. Using the king's bones, I crafted a cover fitting for a book of such power. So it begins.

/

Devant moi se dressaient enfin les colonnes d'Iram, gravées de l'Apocryphe de Jannès. Dans ces ruines, j'ai retourvé des traces de la Pierre Philosophale, la Materia Prima. Avec les os du roi, j'ai façonné une couverture digne d'un livre d'un tel pouvoir. C'est ainsi que tout commence.

=Epilogue=
Epilogue musics :
*'''Firelink Shrine 1h + Fire sound'''
*Then loop this Playlist '''Normal-Prima'''

At the end of the diary, the writing is less and less readable. It is so painful to read that the players more or less give up.

If one of the players do insist on reading it through, they can choose [[Whispers of Madness]] as their level up Feat. (let them chose, it's not mandatory)

Reading more about Roncelin they learn that he became immediately after the events the Templar Master of Tortosa and subscequently of Provence, but not much else is known of him.

They do succeed to find a portrait of him and madness is clearly visible in his eyes.

Few weeks later they receive a letter from England, the king's spies have spotted the Red Knight after a very long search. He is currently in Rhodes.

==Post Game Bonus==

With 27 pages, this is the longest scenario yet. It took 12 months to write including reading 4 books on the topic, getting a scientific publication imported for 80$ and a trip to the Sahara.

The Assassins order was indeed very powerful at that time in Syria and they targeted several very high profile rulers including the King of England Eward I and Saladin (the most well known Muslim leader of his time).
Here is a painting of the Assasin's attempt against King Edward I https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gustave_Dore_Crusades_Edward_I_kills_his_attempted_assassin.jpg

List of targets : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_assassinations_by_the_Order_of_the_Assassins

Nothing is true, everything is permitted ! Is not actually an accurate quote from Assasins, but I kept it as a reference to Assassin's creed https://history.stackexchange.com/questions/70499/what-is-the-historic-validity-of-nothing-is-real-everything-is-permitted-as-t

The Secretum Templi is a rumour that Roncelin de Fos actually created a secret Templar order within the templar order, and we have the secret founding documents of this order, however it is widely considered fake by historians. Secret rules of the templars http://prima.wiki/merzdorf.pdf starts page 128, before that it’s just the intro. English translation : https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Statutes-Templars-Posthumous-Publications/dp/1962312089 Personally I consider it fake in real life (too many masonic references, which doesn't make much medieval sense), but for the sake of the game we'll consider it canon in game.
The red belt, red cloth, the final wovs when the statute is created and some of the most secret signs are from there.

Under torture, several templars did admit that there was a secret order, however it's difficult to be sure that it's true, in Bernard de Montpezat's confession he says « nous avons trois articles que personne ne connaîtra jamais, exceptés Dieu, le diable et les maîtres. » "We have three articles that no one will ever know, except for God, the devil, and the masters."

The Abraxas is indeed a cryptic templar symbol.

Roncelin de Fos did exist and was supposedly Master in Tortous in 1242 then in Provence in 1248.

Iram of the Pillars is indeed a mythical city named in the Quran, although it's existence is debated.
There are several hypothesis to it's location and date of existence, in this scenario I assumed that it is located near Wadi Rum in -100 BCE as suggested by Iram's Wikipedia article. https://universes.art/en/art-destinations/jordan/wadi-rum/nabataean-temple/columns
Other theories place it at different places in different times, it’s a personal choice because medieval scholars could understand Aramaic but not Hieratic, so for the players to understand the translation it had to be this language.
More about Iram of the Pillars : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iram_of_the_Pillars

Iram of the Pillars is supposedly where the Necronomicon was written in the Lovecraft universe, I made some references to it, but my version of the evil book is closer to bible.

Of course the pottery with a crocodile-seal creature is a reference to this Lovecraft novel : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nameless_City

Through the scenario I make mentions of the plagues of Egypt because since the characters are about to find the book of the Pharo's magicians, it perfectly makes sense (they are the ones who suffered from the plagues of egypt and tried to replicate them)

Jannes and Jambres are in the bible the Pharo's magicians and before dying Jannes writes a book of spells and gives it to Jambres, who then uses it to perfome Necromancy to talk to Jannes' spirit. At that time this book was probably written in Heratic.

The count of Toulouse did lose his land due to Catharism and Barral des Baux did reconquer it. He was excommunicated many times and did say "The excommunicated are my friends, and those who seek absolution are my enemies." More about Catharism : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albigensian_Crusade

The entier Malaucène church was indeed excommunicated also. http://jean.gallian.free.fr/Barral-Web/P13.html

The conflict between Guelphs (papal supporters) and Ghibellines (imperial supporters) tore apart medieval europe for centuries and this particular reconquest of Provence was just one episode of it. More about the conflict : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guelphs_and_Ghibellines
In particular that's why Romeo and Juliette can't be together because one is a Guelph the other a Ghibellin

Bertrand de la Roche was indeed the Templar commander of Richerenches in Provence starting 1230 but was replaced 2 years later.

There was indeed an Eclypse at that time on this place 06 Oct 1241 (in one of the possible locations of Iram of the Pillars) https://eclipsewise.com/solar/SEprime/1201-1300/SE1241Oct06Tprime.html

[[Category:Scenario]]
[[Category:Official Scenarios]]

Danse Macabre Part 8

2026-03-07T18:00:50Z

Taiko:

==Teaser==
Send to the players before the game :

30th of April 1348 (Isle of Man, Kingdom of Man)
Sisters, sisters, rejoice !
Tonight we shall dance and sing and feast.
The little people, the giants and those of the sea will join us too.
For tonight is Oie Voaldyn, the Night of the Witch.
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

30 Avril 1348 (Ile de Man, Royaume de Man)
Mes sœurs, mes sœurs, réjouissez-vous !
Ce soir, nous allons danser, chanter et festoyer.
Le petit peuple, les géants et ceux de la mer se joindront à nous.
Car ce soir, c'est Oie Voaldyn, la Nuit de la Sorcière.
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀



=Explanations - Oie Voaldyn the Night of the Witch=

- Explanations :

After the bloody events in Calais, Edward III the king of England is questioned by the pope about the “Red Knight”.

Very willing to cooperate, he points to the young William Montagu, 2nd Earl of Salisbury because the “Red Knight” was a mercenary under his command during the battle of Crecy and the siege of Calais.

The Red Knight was a French mercenary hired by young William’s father, Wiliam Montagu the first during the campaign of Brittany (where Edward the IIIrd supported one side of a civil war, while France was supporting another). In particular in the sack of Dinan.

William’s father died in 1344 of a strange illness, but his young son who was 16 decided to keep the Red Knight in his employ and brought him to Crécy and Calais.

Just after his victory at Crécy, the young lord just got very bad news : His wive Joan of Kent, the most beautiful lady of the court who is also of royal blood said that she was actually previously married to Thomas Holland, another brave knight who fought at Calais and demanded that her marriage with William must be annulled.

Learning this, he became furious, and listening to his trusted mercenary, the Red Knight’s advices, he sent her to be locked in the Isle of Man, of which he is King. She is locked away, to be sure she cannot testify of this previous marriage, being of royal blood, her testimony would make the papal court lean her way, but being the “property” of her husband, he can lock her away to prevent her from testifying.

At this period the papal trial between Thomas Holland and William Montagu just started and no conclusion was taken yet.

The Red Knight chose this location because this island is not part of the English kingdom and elects its own bishop. It is very far from English and Catholic eyes and has a total population of 1000 people. It has a long history of Paganism and is currently controlled by a heretic witch : “The Hermit”. (who has the [[Bone Sickle]])

Since William’s father’s passing, the Isle is completely independent and he didn’t even visit yet.

By fleeing there with Joan of Kent, the Red Knight makes a valuable prisoner and will try to get a ransom for her before disappearing.

Of course “The Hermit” is not very pleased, but she has to obey her master’s orders.

When the Inquisitors sail to the Isle of man, the Red Knight and “the Hermit” will try anything in their power to defeat the inquisitors.

They will try to sink their ships. If it sinks their death won’t look suspicious.

Then they will try to frame them.

During her abduction, Joan of Kent sent messages to her lover to come rescue her. Being the chivalric knight that he is, Thomas Holland made the trip in person to try to sneak her out of the island. He cannot be accompanied by armed soldiers because rescuing her is illegal and he risks losing the trial.

He is quickly caught by “the Hermit”.

The witch will then try to frame the Inquisitors for the execution of Thomas Holland. If they did have him executed, it would disastrous for them and mark the end of their career as he is one of the favourites of King Edward III.

To do that, they dressed him in the red armor of the Red Knight (which doesn’t fit well) and kept him drugged so he cannot defend properly in the Trial.

To keep him drugged, the witch user her familiar, a big black dog known in Manx legends as Moddey Dhoo. His claws are poisoned and he sneaks in the cell every night to poison Thomas.

Everyone involved have no choice but to cooperate in the farce, the local governor knowing that Joan is now effectively prisoner of the Red Knight has no choice but to cooperate, the local bishop, who was already corrupted by the witch wants to help the players but is too afraid to do so.

Once the players get Thomas freed from the trial, there’s no way back. He will tell the players everything and free the princess. Since it’s the only bargaining chip of the Red Knight and the witch, they have to kill the Inquisitors. So the governor orders his men to seize the players even though the population does not dare to help yet.

Thomas Holland tell the players who he is, but he shouldn’t tell them the identity of the princess he is trying to save because otherwise the players would know that they have no right to do so. So he will categorically refuse to tell them her identity but still try to convince them to help.

Much easier to kill them now and pretend they drowned at sea than explain why the local authorities tried to frame such a noble knight.

The players will then try to save the princess and seize Castle Rushen by themselves with the help of Thomas Holland.

To add insult to injury, the witch poisons the princess to make her behave like a Banshee. Also, this is a way of making it clear that even if they free her physically, she still has he under her control, so there’s no way to free her completely.

Once the players managed to free her, it’s May Day Eve and the local populace is terrified of the demultiplied powers of the witch, they too will join the fight and chase the players in the Manx forests. The local governor is now on their side and his soldiers protect them from the population.

At the end of a long chase the players and the governor are caught and prepared to be sacrificed, that’s when they finally see the witch and heroically free themselves and kill her.

The witch being dead, the governor begs for mercy and give them a ship to leave.

- Unsolved mysteries :
*What was the exact relationship between the late Montagu and the Mercenary is unkown.
*Is there any relation between the father’s death and the Red Knight ?

- Historical themes :
*Isle of Man
*Witchcraft
*Paganism
*Exorcism
*Possession
*Black dog of Peel Castle (Moddey Dhoo)
*White Lady of Castle Rushen
*Joan of Kent
*William Montagu, 2nd Earl of Salisbury
*Thomas Holland
*Wicker man
*Manannan
*Buggane
*Mermaid
*Fairies
*Tehi Tegi
*Fomorians
*Glashtyn
*Lhiannan Shee

=Intro=

- Initial situation :
*Date : 23rd April 1348
*Location : Calais (Kingdom of England)

'''Music : Vampire Dark Waltz Music'''

'''Warn players that in this scenario most characters don't speak "usual" langueges, so the [[Polyglot]] Feat is required for social skills'''
Allow them to change any Feats of their choice to [[Polyglot]].

The King of England indicated to the pope that the Red Knight that fought on his side was a mercenary hired by one of his best knights, William Montagu, 2nd Earl of Salisbury.

They meet him in Calais, on the 23rd of April 1348 just after a ball that the king just held.

They are surprised by the youth of the lord. He is 20 and seems surpassed by the responsibilities that fell upon him. He is the king’s ward, meaning that he doesn’t even administer his own lands (except the Isle of Man)

Describe his coat of arms (no Isle of Man Triskell at this point, it is like the coat of arms of his father but with an eagle on top of it https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Montagu,_1st_Earl_of_Salisbury#/media/File:MontaguArms_Unquartered.png ) and the fact that there’s an eagle on his coat of arm means that his family is highly respected by the king.

He is very cooperative and tell the players everything he know, which is not much because this mercenary Captain and his company “the Red Crowns” have been hired by his father before him, who died 4 years ago.

He left no archives about him.

All he knows is that it’s a great soldier and even better advisor on the battelfield.

He knows that he was a Frenchman hired during the Brittany succession wars and that he fought bravely at Dinan (this battle was a massacre)

He also know that right now he is on a special mission in the Isle of Man and the players are free to go there. He give them a letter empowering the players to investigate and question him, everyone is supposed to cooperate.

He only asks for one thing :

Never, under any circumstances are they allowed to enter the main tower of Rushen Castle or ask anything about it to anyone.

This condition is absolute and he make it clear that he will warn the pope himself that this condition must be respected at all costs.

His soldiers are allowed to attack on sight if such was the case.

=Part 1 the Trial of the Red Knight=

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = (timer only starts when they land, not before) Lots of Sea Gulls, the air is quite humid. Constant Gull noises. They are shocked by how deserted the island is, there are basically no towns or villages. They receive a scallop shell / “coquille saint jaques” on their head (dropped by the gulls)

| 15min = Some peasants come to them and give them pagan offerings, including some wheat Wreaths. They then start begging them to leave. They try to do a christian prayer but they get it all wrong.

| 30min = They see a little altart with the carving of the face of an old man, below it is written “the King”. In front of it, lots of offerings of grass “green rushes”. And there’s a prayer in a little scroll “Manannan Mac y Leirr Little Manannan son of the Sea who blessed our island, bless us and our boat going out well, coming in better with living and dead in our boat”
One of the offerings is a weird little pendant that looks like dozens or tiny teeth put as a pendant a “Crosh bollan”
| 45min = There’s a horse walking towards them. On his side is written in French “Run away now ! Leave the island now !”. There’s a bunch of decapitated rabbit corpses attached to the horse looking almost like a saddle. XXXX Better sign of Paganism ??? Ask the Wicca lady what were the signs of paganisms in the ilse of man that different from the rest of Christendom ? XXXX

| 60min = In Peel Castle, they find a guard completely terrified. (he saw the Moddey Dhoo) he is unable to speak and completely shocked.

| 75min = They see the city council holding a meeting outside. They don’t let them approach, but they hear loud complaints that Castle Rushen is not accessible so it’s undignified that they have to meet here.

| 90min = Attack of Thomas Holland’s men triggers a massive melee. Two players get stabbed in the process and are Wounded. Moving on to next sequence.
}}

- '''Music Normal : Normal Z_Normal-Département Nécrologique'''

===Sailing to Man===

The players then set sail to the Isle of Man.

All the fishermen they see on their way will suddently rush back to the isle (to warn the Witch that outsiders are coming)

Very suddently on their way to the isle, they are caught in a storm and the visibility is very poor a lot of fog.

They think they hear an old women’s laughter when the storm starts.

- '''Music : Z_Baston-Le diable est dans la boite'''

Their boat is tilting way too much under the pressure of the wind on the sail one sailors is kicked to the sea while trying to move the sail.
Unfortunately, their boat has only one sail so they can’t just cut it.

'''Action : Up to them to find a solution. Agility could work, Strength also or they can just turn the boat so the wind don’t tilt the boat.'''

===Mermaids===

- '''Music (loop) : Chant_Entrapment-8'''

In the distance they see a fire, that could be a lighthouse and hear some singing. (no lighthouse at the period in the Isle of Man, but they don’t know that) so they approach carefully and hit a rock sinking the ship.

'''Action : If they stop in a distance and send someone swimming, attack of the Mermaids directly but no crash'''

'''Action : If they sail toward it, their boat sinks.'''

The lighthouse was in fact a trap.

The crash is super violent everyone roll a die 6, on a 1 or 2, they are ‘’’Wounded’’’, unless they are Agile or had the idea of grabbing fermly onto something and brace.

As their crew starts to swim and climb on a nearby rock, he is killed by mermaids with red hats who were waiting for them there with tridents (actually those are witches part of the coven disguised as mermaids)

'''Action : Either use some kind of combat feats or just swim away in the mist, stick together and wait for the storm to finish'''

===Before the Trial===

'''Music Normal : Normal Z_Normal-Département Nécrologique'''

When they finally land, they are greeted by the local Bishop.

Very strange that he knows they are here and very strange that they are greeted by so few people. The bishop is followed by some fair peasant ladies with crown of flowers in their hair. (they are actually part of the coven of the witch)

On this island, only very few people speak Latin, French or English, everyone else speaks Gaelic or Norse, so the players need the [[Polyglot]] Feat to be able to use their powers on anyone who doesn’t speak Latin. (they can easily hire a translator, but then the communication is indirect and hence their Feats don’t work)

He is poorly dressed for a bishop and even has a clearly visible pagan symbol on his dress : the Triskell which is also the symbol of the island.

He lies and say that they caught the Red Knight.

He brings them to Peel Castle, under the cathedral where he is kept because he is prisoner of the Manx church (there’s two tribunals at this period, witch trial belong to the church tribunal and happen on Peel Island)

The cathedral itself is very small for a cathedral and has clear pagan symbols. For example the cross has a strange circle on it and there are Wreaths (couronnes de fleures et de guy) in lots of places, also the triskell of man is everywhere.

The Red Knight cannot speak and only says nonesense. He is clearly drugged.
They have one night only before the trial.

'''Action : inspect him His armor''' is of the right kind, but it doesn’t fit. He has claw scratches on him, lots of them. He is clearly a noble and a mighty warrior. He is in his mid thirties.

'''Action : Make an antedote''' Impossible without a sample of the poison itself.

'''Action : Any guards heard anything???''' One guard is crazy and doesn’t speak. (it’s an old legend of a guard that went on his own at night and got attacked by the Moddey Dhoo, since then he lost his mind)

Before the trial the “House of Keys” from the Tynwald (Tynwald = House of Keys plus Governor plus the council), the equivalent of Manx parliament will protest saying that this should be tried in their court not in the church court.

He is tried for witchcraft, supposedly he transfered the productiveness of a farm from one person to another by stealing some of the earth of one farm and putting it on the other.

—-
What actually happened ? The witch wants to frame the Red Knight, but she might as well frame him for something that really happened.
One family of peasants the “Årud” supports a family, the “Trygg”, that historically was the member of the house of keys and are of Nordic descent.
And the Red Knight made sure to threaten everyone that they better support House of Key member “Ó Cinnéide” instead who was finally elected.
But actually this member is not very useful for the witch anymore, so there’s no issues to drop support for him.
—-

Several ways to get him out of here :

- Discover how he is poisoned and stop him being poisoned.
- The Abuse of Power Feat
- Break him out by force
- Win the trial

===The Accusation===

The accusation Peasant Årud.

'''Music : Rotted and Decayed'''

I want to be heard !
For I accuse this man of Witchcraft and association with a coven of witches !
For centuries, the Trygg a Norse family was member of the house of keys for our sheading at least since King Olaf’s time !
And this Red Knight came to threaten us, if we refused to support Ó Cinnéide a damned Celtic family to replace him, our cattle will have problems.

But I refuse to stay silent ! I am a good christian !

Don’t you think I see what happens in the woods at night ?
Don’t you think I see the dust on my sheeps and the ladies collecting earth from my farm ?

Here, look at my sheep and look at the sheep taken from the nearby farm.

Red Knight, I accuse you of being a sorcerer and of association with a coven of witches.

One night, I saw a witch, but couldn’t recognise her but her hairs were all flowing in the wind. And she saied in front of my door with a besom in her hand :
’may the besom of destruction come upon thyself, upon thy hearth, upon thy health, upon thy possessions and upon thy children.’

Few weeks later, my sheeps started withering
'''Action : Inspect the sheeps inspecting the sheeps of one of the farms it’s possible to see that they have dog marks.'''

And I am not the only one who suffered. Lots of peasants are in the same situation and refuse to talk, but I won’t be silenced ! I demand that he is burned at the stake !

Players can interrogate the accused.
The judge (the Bishop) confirms that if he was found guilty, the sentence would be burning at the stake and a stake is being prepared.

People are shocked by the sentence proposed by the accusation, (and someone in the audience says that normally we don’t burn witches, we only give them a fine. The players can check in the records, it’s true.)

===Defense===

By default, the defense is made by Ó Cinnéide

'''Music : Return to normal music when the players do the defense'''

He says that the sentence is very strange to be so strict because normally the sentences for witchcraft are much much lighter.

Also he never paid the Red Knight anything and nobody can prove that.

The defense being very weak, the players can try to defend instead.

===Verdict===

'''Music : Behelit - Berserk'''

Before the verdict is rendered, the Bishop will tell mass, and the mass will be very strange.
They open a barrel of beer and poor into the sea, for our “King”

When he reads the latin bible, his translation doesn’t match what he says.

In latin he says :

“

[Genesis 19:17](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2019%3A17&version=RSVCE)

And when they had brought them forth, they said, “**Flee** for your life; do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley; **flee** to the hills, lest you be consumed.”

and in the local language he says something completely different.

Après les avoir fait sortir, l'un d'eux dit: Sauve-toi, pour ta vie; ne regarde pas derrière toi, et ne t'arrête pas dans toute la plaine; sauve-toi vers la montagne, de peur que tu ne périsses.

And he does it again :

“

[Genesis 27:43](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2027%3A43&version=RSVCE)

Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; arise, **flee** to Laban my brother in Haran,

Maintenant, mon fils, écoute ma voix! Lève-toi, fuis chez Laban, mon frère, à Charan;

“

And again :
”

[1 Corinthians 9:24](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%209%3A24&version=RSVCE)

Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run (he emphasize on this word and looks them straight in the eyes) that you may obtain it.

Ne savez-vous pas que ceux qui courent dans le stade courent tous, mais qu'un seul remporte le prix? Courez de manière à le remporter.

”

His goal is to make players understand that it’s their last chance to run and he begs them to do so.

If they fail the trial and don’t free Thomas Holland, two squires will appear out of nowhere and free him.

After the trial, and regardless how they free Thomas Holland, the bishop is seized by one of the ladies that accompanies him and she tells the soldiers to seize the players because they died at sea.
Also Årud is killed on the spot.

If they succeeded the trial in any way, the soldiers don’t dare to attack them and they have time to flee.

If not, fight against two waves of soldiers, two '''Combat (skirmishes)''' at the same time.

===The Moddey Dhoo===

They run to the forest.
They hide and find a place to sleep.
The night when they are asleep, they are attacked by the dog at night.

Unless someone decide to guard the others sleeping they need to have Instinct or someone gets sting by the poison.

The poison kills instantly (unless Faith or Immune (poison) or a roll with Immune (disease))

- '''Normal : Blood Religion then Z_Baston-Fire Pit Fiends'''

'''Combat (monster)''' each turn if they don’t defeat him, someone is stung by the poison and dies.

His claws have clearly been sharpened and poisoned.

Now they have a sample of the poison and can cure him.

=Part 2 The Banshee of Castle Rushen=

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = There’s a wonderful cat looking at them intesely and meowing very loud. After watching them for long minutes, he runs away. And they see that he has no tails !

| 15min = Some Villagers are preparing for the eve of May Day (Walpurigs Night) also called Oie Voaldyn. Fix a wooden cross, bound with sheep's wool, to the inside of their front door to ward off malicious fairies, while on the same night the blowing of horns on Peel Hill is calculated to banish evil spirits. They also place wax and herbs on their threshold of houses to “ward off witches occult”. Twigs of rue are stuck in most of the cattle and sheep. Some tallow (suif) or oats (avoine) is shaken over the cattle as well.

| 30min = They put twigs of rue on cattle to protect on may eve and shake tallow or oats over sheep. They also prepare large fires. They hear someone praying in a very scared voice.

Peace of God and peace of man,

Peace of God on Columb-Killey,

On each window and each door,

On every hole admitting moonlight,

On the four corners of the house,

On the place of my rest,

And peace of God on myself.

| 45min = They are really surprised how some farms are doing exceptionally fine and just nearby some farms are openly rotting. Surprisingly, the rotting ones have much more crosses with sheep’s wool.

| 60min = One of the villagers is caught for being a witch, the villagers will collect some dust off her feets, as a mean of protection.

| 75min = (if they are still outside) The soldiers find them and chase them until they enter the castle. Arrows are shot and half of the players are Wounded. / (inside the castle) They realise that the castle is incredibly humid. Even though it’s brand new, there’s some water rushing on some walls.

| 90min = (inside the caste) the floor caves in under half of the players because it’s rotten. They are all wounded, but they fall in the room with the princess.
}}

- '''Normal : Z_Normal-Cathédrale Silencieuse'''

===Introducing Thomas Holland===

'''Music : Chant of the Templars - Da Pacem Domine (Ensemble Organum) then back to the normal music'''

Once they are in a safe place. He try to convince them to help him, at first he tried to hide his name and the name of the princess that he swore to free.

But with some convincing, he accepts to tell his name but insist he cannot tell the name of the princess that he needs to free and promise them that once she is freed, he will explain everything and the pope himself will be glad that they didn’t know. He will do everything in his power to keep this secret. But if the players do extract the name from him it won’t break the scenario.

If there’s a knight in the players, he will tell them that it’s any knight’s duty to save a damsel in distress.

Now the problem is how to save her in Castle Rushen, now that the governor’s soldiers are against them.

===How to approach the castle ?===

‘’By Boat ?’’ If they do that, they are attacked by soldiers.

’’Cut through the forrest’’ Thomas Holland is very uneasy and say that it’s dangerous because of the red eyes deer (Knowledgable characters know that there are no deers in the isle of man) If they go anyway, they get lost and finally go through the countryside.

’’Cut through the countryside’’ The soldiers are against them, but the population is not. So they cut through the countryside, hoping that the population won’t rat on them.

===Through the countryside Helping “Trygg” part 1===

They pass by some Norse speaking villages, and some villagers beg them for help.
There they meet “Trygg” who used to be a member of the House of Keys and who’s sheading is now under the control of “Ó Cinnéide”.
A sheading is a small region in the Isle of man, it can’t even be described as a village because it’s just few isolated houses burried in the ground.
He is one of the last Christian Norse family on the island resisting “the Hermit”.
Thomas Holland ask them if they can sneak him into the castle, he says that it’s possible, but in exchange he needs the players help because all of his grass withered, so all of his sheeps are dying.

They do see some signs of witchaft on their field.
'''Music : Alone in the Dark Mysteries'''
The hooves of the cattles are extremly clean, meaning that someone took the paring of the hooves (one way witches would steal the tarra (e.g. productiveness) of a cattle) there appears to be some kind of salt on all of them as well. (analysis, yes it is some poison)

How to help ?
Actually a player with Knowledge apothecary or an alchemist can know that nothing can be done, the ground was poisoned.
So either they make a fake purification ritual to pretend they did something, or they buy nearby land for them or anything else that makes sense.

===Helping Trygg part 2===

When they are back, his son is missing, he wandered into the woods because his love asked him to follow her. (a witch !)

Any meaninful way to track him. Or they go to his usual spot where he would hand out with her.

'''Music : Chant_Entrapment-8'''
At the end of the trail, they find a statue of his son. (An attempt of ”the Hermit” to intimidate “Trygg”)

===The Outer Walls===

“Trygg” brings them to Castle Rushen fully disguised, he asks to enter the castle as an old member of the House of Keys because he wants to talk to the governor.

As they enter, they hear a Banshee Scream from inside the castle.
They see the soldiers are terrified and it seems that they didn’t sleep much.

The soldier at the door recognises the players, he tells “Trygg” that he likes him but can’t let him in.
'''Action : any way that makes sense to convince him'''

===The Tower Courtyard===

'''Music : The Trail Witcher 3 then Z_Batson-Brigands !'''

As they approach the main Tower, some Guard say “Stop or I’ll shoot” ! Through the arrowslit that is a the entrance of the gate.
He seems terrified.
'''Action : Any meaningful way to prevent them from shooting'''
An army is coming from the outside to intercept them.

'''Action : Combat (skirmish) to keep them away plus any meaningful way to be sure the shut the porticulus'''
The porticulus control is not accessible, so they have to find a way to convince the guard in the guard tower to close it.
If they don’t find any good ideas, they can fight the guards and lock themselves in the tower.
two Combat (skirmish) at the same time.

They notice that no guards follow them in the main tower, they are too scared.

'''From this point on, the Normal music is : Z_Normal-Kin Amar'''

As they enter the tower, they hear a scream and a servant commits suicide by jumping in the courtyard.

===Royal Appartments===

The royal appartments are all empty.
They only see some servants who think they are annimals.
Men behave like sheeps. Women behave like birds and jump out the windows.
Frogs, Pigs, everything. And they all create problems for the players.
In the opposite windows they see a white lady walking.

It’s the legend of the white lady of Castle Rushen.

-Staircase, an animal throws things at them

-Top towers with birds who jump if they approach, one of them has a key to next door so they have to prevent her from jumping

-Banquet hall with pigs. All the tapestries (who are painted not woven, because that’s cheaper) are in such a mess that they don’t see the doors. There’s so many pigs encumbring the room. How to make them flee ?

-Throne room with a person who’s head was replaced by a goat’s head, he is in the pose of satan.

- '''Music : Ave Satanas (at the end of the music, the effect of the poison dissipates)'''

The room is full of incense, it’s hard to see. The incense is poisonous anyone breathing it without precautions will start attacking the other players. All players rool, anyone who rolled a '''1''' starts attacking the others unless he has Immune (poison) or succeeds and Immune (disease) roll.

===Exorcism===

Once they reach the top of the tower, they see the lady completely insane, she is posessed.
They quickly catch her, but her strength is superhuman.

Using the [[Exorcism]] Feat can cure her instantly; otherwise, the entire procedure must be followed as outlined below.

'''Music : Gravity The Void (twice) then Z_Flippant - Non euclidien (minus the first song 01-NeNormaldsesprPistadeaudio)’’’

Adapt her insane possessed reactions to the music.
Her sheets are green, and she poisoned her sheets. Which is why she is insane. And the players who hold her on her bed must roll to start seing hallucinations.
She screams in a language they don’t understand. (she’s actually speaking backwards)

It’s Green, Everything is Green → Neerg si gnihtyreve, neerg sti

Du vert, partout du vert → Trev ud tuotrap, trev ud

Other thing she does : Her muscles are strong as steel, she has ungodly strength and breaks almost any bonds put on her. She spits. She makes weird faces. He eyes roll. She screams as if she was hurt. She speaks in very rare languaes, Aramea, Greek, Arabic, Chinese. She has clear cuts on her body. She knows things that she cannot possibly know (find something to say about the players past or something). Avertion to holy symbols.

'''Action : Take her away from her bed and wash her, then do a proper exorcism'''

'''Music : Dreams Berserk OST'''

As soon as she feels better, she seems lost, Tomas Holland says "it's me my love ! I am here to free you"

soldiers start coming up. She ask them to stop and they all kneel.

She says she was lost in a never ending nightmare and now all is fine.

Let's get out of this god forsaken island !

Escorted by a bunch of guard they start leaving the castle.

=Part 3 The Night of the Witch=

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min =

They see huge fires and the cattle is being moved in front of the fires.

| 15min =

At some point when they run with Joan of Kent, her Garter falls to the ground and Thomas Holland picks it up to give it to her. Then when people look at him funny he says “Honi soit qui mal y pense”

| 30min =

They see a lot of weird midgets covered in moss and barks picking lettuces in the fields at night. Those are Fenodyree, fairies that help people do their chores.

| 45min =

They see hundreds of tiny houses in the forest. The forest is full of them.
Tiny houses with tiny furnitures. And they have the feeling that thousands of tiny eyes are looking at them.

| 60min =

On top of a hill, they see the ocean from far away and under the water the lights of a huge city (it's a reflection of the starts). Joan of Kent explains that it's the city of Mannanan and it can only be seen on may eve.

Out of this city swims an ENORMOUSE shark 10 meters 4 tons the Basking Shark.

He disturbs the water and they realised that it was all just the reflection of the stars. Or was it ?

| 75min =

They see nearby in the forest a very beautiful white lady caressing a handsome peasant man.
He is asleep and twitching.
She says "how are you my love ?"
And his body twitches as if he was having a ceisure.
"that's what I thought, don't worry, you are mine, only death can do us apart"
It's a Lhiannan Shee

| 90min =

The army of the peasants finally catches up to them and they are all '''''caught'''''. Three of them are Wounded in the process.

}}

- '''Music Normal (starts after the first attack) : Z_Flippant - Quake '''

As soon as they leave the tower, they discover that a huge mob is against them with pagan masks.

We are now the 30 of April 1348 it is the night Oie Voaldyn (Walpurgis Night, the night of the witch)

They fall into a pagan hell as they are surrounded and attacked.

In this phase, the players will get '''''caught''''' one by one. And then they meet at then end when they are all caught.

===How to leave the tower ?===
The minute they leave the tower, '''Music : When It All Falls Down'''

The tower is surrounded by a huge mob of peasants wearing animal masks, and they start to storm the castle.

'''Action : Surprise Attack, daring escape, 3x Combat (skirmish), 3x Faith or any other meaningful idea'''
'''If not good ideas, one of the players gets ''caught'''''

They run to the nearby forest.
Joan of Kent says they need to go to the top of the Snaefell mountain because locals don't dare to go there, it's the throne of Mannanan, it's their only hope of surviving the night.

'''from this point on Music Normal : Z_Flippant - Quake '''

===How to move without getting immediately caught ?===

'''Action : Steal some animal masks'''

===The Tehi Tegi===

As they are walking through the forest.

A very beautiful lady is on a horse followed by lots of peasants without masks.

She is saying, my name is Tehi Tegi, follow me, I will get you to safety. She pretends to be the daughter of the Yarl of a Norse longhouse.
And she says these are her fiancés. (all the boys following her seems madly in love)

All male characters roll. On a '''1''' they start following her as well.

'''Action : If they attack her she runs away and all her husbands follow her then she crosses a river that suddently floods'''

'''The flooding river'''
Players have to use any strength based feats to swim up or they are taken by the water (and he gets '''''caught''''')

===The Buggane===

The tree starts shaking.

They see peasants runnings and screaming "The Buggane, it's coming ! The Buggane !"

They do see gigantic arms and a huge head with massive teeth, it is moving wuickly towards them.

'''Anyone rolls a die 6, on 1-2-3-4 they run away, unless they have Courage'''

Anyone who runs away has 50% chance to get '''''caught'''''

Around the Buggane there's an army or midgets covered in moss and bark (the little people), some have weird masks, some are crawling or hunchback. They seem to dance in rithm with the buggane (the buggane is actually a gigantic puppet and they are activating it. The goal being to terrify the local population).

They all chant "come to us, come to us," with different tones of voices.

'''Action : They should hide and make no noise. If one player attack hims, he gets ''caught'' and starts chanting as well.'''

The mod of peasants starts catching up to them, they have to move quietly to the nearby swamp.

===The Swamp Horrors===

In the swamp, everything is quiet, no peasants dare to enter.

That's when the Fomorians attack.

Hundreds of hands start to grab them, it is people with fish heads and huge blakc eyes.

A random player is chosen and starts to get drown. The player needs some kind of combat or he is '''''caught'''''

Joan screams "Fomorians ! Beware !"

Where are they ?

'''Action : They breath though wooden snorkels hidden with plants, break them then fight them Combat (skirmish).'''

===The Glashtyn===

That's when the Glashtyn appears.

A man with a huge horse head and glowing red eyes.

On his back, someone is glue to him and screams to be freed.

'''Action : Combat (monster) or ask the "prisoner" to hide his eyes then it's just Combat (duel)'''

When he catches someone he just puts him on his back and he is then glued. He catches people with several arms (there are several people making this monster) He will try to run away and the person is '''''caught'''''

===The Wicker Man===

'''Music : Stranger Things - Rats (loop)'''

As they walk deeper and deeper in the swamp they see the mob of peasants with animal masks looking at them.

And they see a huge Wicker Man (a huge man made of wood and straws filled with animals and people to be sacrificed).

Their friends who were captured are inside, as well as Trygg's son, the bishop and the governor.

The peasan't mob is around it quietly looking at them.

That's when the witch appears.

She has a huge deer mask, wears a long black robe and has a Sickle made of Bone in her hand (the [[Bone Sickle]])

She says :

I tried everything to get rid of you.
A shipwreck, I tried.
Giving you a Red Knight to kill, not enough.
Tonight is our Night, the peasants know what's best for them.
And tonight we will burn you alive.
Ironic isn't it ? Inquisitors burned by a coven or witches.
But don't you worry, your sacrifice will not be in vain, you will bring prosperity to this islands, flowers will bloom and harvests will be plentiful.

Now lots of peasant girls march forward and take off their animal masks, they have flower crowns in their hair and they start chanting.

Everyone roll a die 6, on a '''1''' they are attracted to the wicker man.

In the meantime the mob of peasants is there to prevent them from attacking the sorceresses.

'''Action : Any player which has been ''caught'' is locked in the wicker man and they can break the door to make prisoners start running. Or they can pretend to be attracted to go near her. '''

===The Night of the Witch===

'''Music : The Only Thing They Fear Is You ( DOOM Eternal OST) then loop Z_Epique-Babel'''

As the prisoners start running everywhere, a torch falls on the wicker man, which starts to burn.

'''Action : 3x Combat (skirmish) to manage at the same time to keep the peasants away'''

All the witches put a deer mask and blow poisonous power at them. Which one is the witch ?

'''There's just one who stays away (the smart thing to do). She is the witch.'''

If a player is hit, either he has Immune (poison) (or roll with Immune (disease)) or he starts attacking other players. (which is fine unless he has any Combat skill, in which case another player needs to face him with the same skill)

'''Action : Combat (duel) against her'''

'''Music : Epique désespéré 10 - Requiem, K.626, Lacrimosa (Mournful Day) '''

As soon as she dies. Everyone stops.

They drop their animal masks and they go home.

The other witches in her coven simply fall to the ground and cry.

On her body, the players find the [[Bone Sickle]]

=Epilogue=
Epilogue musics :
*'''Firelink Shrine 1h + Fire sound'''
*Then loop this Playlist '''Normal-Prima'''

After the battle, a band of soldiers find them and escort them back to safety.

The governor explains that since the queen was the prisoner of the witch, he had no choice but do what she wanted.

The goal of the witch was to eliminate the players, a shipwreck wouldn't be suspicious.
Once they landed, the trial was a way to give them what they wanted, the Red Knight, so they would leave. While also compromising them in the murder of an important Knight.
As soon as they freed Joan of Kent, the governor has no reason to continue doing the Witch's bidding, which is why the soldiers started helping the players.
Unfortunately, since it's may's eve, the night of the witch, all the local population is terrified of the Witch and they do what she asks.

The bishop repents and explains that he tried to warn them, but could not oppose the witch because she trapped him in sin and threatened to reveal everything. He begs for forgiveness and actually died of sadness few months later.

Thomas Hollands explains that actually he was married to Joan of Kent 8 years ago, and so her marriage with Montagu was null and void.

Which is why Montagu locked her in this tower, to be sure she couldn't testify.

As soon as he lands in England, Thomas Hollands meets with Montagu and threatens to reveal everything to the King. Montagu accepts to yield and lets his wife testify against him to the pope, thus losing his marriage a year later.

==Post Game Bonus==

The flag of the Isle of man is and always has been a pagan symbol 🇮🇲 the Triskell symbol of Mannanan, even during the middle age, a proof that the island has always had a powerful pagan influence, also the Wicca movement (nowaday's witch religion) started in the Isle of Man. To this day, the Isle of Man is an independent country, which belongs to the Queen of England (but not part of the UK)

Joan of Kent was indeed secretly married to Thomas Holland then to William Montagu the 2nd Earl of Salisbury, upon learning this, he imprisoned her to prevent her from testifying to the pope.
Just after the war in France Thomas Holland became rich enough to sue Montagu, which is why he emprisons her now. Since Montagu was the King of the Isle of Man, it is very plausible that she was imprisoned here at this exact time period and it is very plausible that Thomas Holland found a way to sneak her out to testify. Either way she testified and her marriage with Montagu was cancelled. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_of_Kent#Early_marriages

A list of AI generated illustrations for this scenario : https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1W7KPlKj-rXdM-_VBBO611noCHP9s4WAQ

All documents about the Isle of Man from 1333 to 1390 are lost ! So if such a thing did happen, it would have disappeared from history anyway. Also all parties involved would have a strong incentive to not talk about it.

Witchcraft was very frequent in the Isle of Man in the middle age, and the penalty was not very severe, a great article about witchcraft in the Isle of Man : https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=AONE&u=googlescholar&id=GALE|A174640665&v=2.1&it=r&sid=AONE&asid=1a13000b

In 1348 only a few thousand people lived in the island of man, in 700 farms, they live in Norse rectangular houses and speak Gaelic and Norse

Oie Voaldyn / May Eve / Walpurgis Night is still a thing in the Isle of Man and the villagers still protect themselves from evil fairies and witches http://asmanxasthehills.com/april-30-oie-voaldyn-may-day-eve/

Only existing film of an actual exorcism: https://www.20min.ch/fr/video/exorcisme-filme-pour-la-rts-779604688096

The legend says that actually the order of the garter was created during the ball that you saw at the beguinning of the episode.
The garter of Joan of Kent supposedly fell to the ground and was picked up by the king. And when people laughed, the king said “Honi soit qui mal y pense” and decided to create a knightly order of the garter. But actually most historians dispute that, so I’ve only included this as an anectode.

Excellent movie on the theme of paganism, really really worth watching !! https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wicker_Man_(film,_1973)

The Black dog of Peel Castle, the Moddey Dhoo is indeed a local legend : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moddey_Dhoo
And there's indeed a lady ghost in Castle Rushen (sometimes in black, sometimes in white) : https://www.mysteriousbritain.co.uk/hauntings/castle-rushen/

In the Isle of Man, cats indeed don't have tails : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manx_cat

There are really 10 meters long sharks around the Isle of Man ! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basking_shark

Manx Fairy tail about :

The Buggane (the giant) : https://www.archive.org/download/manx_fairy_tales_1810_librivox/manx_36_morrison_128kb.mp3

The Tehi Tegi (the lady in white on the horse) : https://ia902809.us.archive.org/32/items/manx_fairy_tales_1810_librivox/manx_31_morrison_128kb.mp3

Manannan's Prayer https://ia802809.us.archive.org/32/items/manx_fairy_tales_1810_librivox/manx_38_morrison_128kb.mp3

Manannan's island that can only be seen during may eve : https://www.archive.org/download/manx_fairy_tales_1810_librivox/manx_27_morrison_128kb.mp3

More about the Fomorians, the evil sea people : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fomorians

'may the besom of destruction come upon thyself, upon thy hearth, upon thy health, upon thy possessions and upon thy children.' is a real Manx Witch curse.

[[Category:Scenario]]
[[Category:Official Scenarios]]

Danse Macabre Part 7

2026-03-07T18:00:40Z

Taiko:

==Teaser==
Send to the players before the game :

29 Juillet 1346, Caen (Royaume de France)
Depuis 3 jours que la ville est mise à sac,
chaque règle de la chevalerie a été bafouée.
Dans la sauvagerie, les hommes n'ont plus de nations,
ils suivent aveuglément la bannière de gueules à la fasce d'or.
La bannière du Diable.
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

29 July 1346, Caen (Kingdom of France)
For three days the city has been sacked,
every rule of chivalry has been flouted.
In savagery, men have no nations,
they blindly follow the banner Gules with a fess Or.
The banner of the Devil.
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

=Intro - L'Œuvre au Rouge=

* Initial situation :
**Date : 15th of February 1348
**Location : Neuberg Abbey (Holy Roman Empire)

'''Music : twice Epique désespéré 10 - Requiem, K.626, Lacrimosa (Mournful Day) puis Behelit - Berserk'''

As the players arrive in Neuberg, they see the entire region have been devastated by a earthquake.

Even up to Rome considerable damage was sustained by the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, the basilica of Santi Apostoli is in complete rubbles. Damages even up to Pisa and Naples.

Entire villages are levelled to the ground. Which makes the road even more difficult. So it took them 21 days to arrive at the abbey.

When they arrive at the abbey. They notice there was a massive landslide that basically crushed the whole village.

Everything is covered in a very dense snow. The population fled the village, so all remaining of houses are covered in white.

The landslide have unearthed a cave with lots of weird paintings.

The paintings are weird white runes, whiter than white. They feel very primitive and appeal to the inner monkey in us.

Impossible to tell if they where made last week or thousands of years ago or both.

Or perhaps the design is ancient but the craft in recent.

The cave has the perfect shape of an egg.

If there's an Alchemist or '''Knowledge (heresy)''', he will recognise '''Albedo'''

Searching the remains of the monastery take them a week, they see a dead monk killed by the collapse of the roof.

He is in a red robe. He has a small journal on him.
The red of his robe is very strange. It could be blood red, but all reds could be blood red depending if it's artery or vein etc.... but this red gas a shade that is not usual.
The start of the notebook is legible and at some point it becomes illegible scriblings.
He apparently started sane, then lost his mind but kept using his notebook(which explains why he has it with him at the time of his death), also all of the bones in his hands are broken which explains the bad writing.

They starts reading it.

20 Juin 1346 Caen
Moi, Robert Rougecogne, compagnon de voyage de Seguin III de Badefol
Ai décidé de tenir notre journal.
Pour que le monde puisse connaitre les exploits de "La Margot" notre petite compagnie franche.

20 Juin 1346 Caen
I, Robert Rougecogne, travelling companion of Seguin III de Badefol
Have decides to keep our journal.
So that the world may know the adventures of "La Margot" our little free company.

* Explanations :

Seguin III de Badefol is the head of a small mercenary band.

He participates in the defense of Caen, and is captured by "the Devil"

The Devil tortures him repeatedly until he accepts to sign a pact with him and become "Knight".

He then follows the English troop up to Calais, where he feeds on the starving population during the siege.

He slowly prepares the Rubedo, the third part of the Opus Magnum, but of course he cannot start until Albedo is finished.

As soon as Albedo is finished (in the earthquake in Neuberg) he gathers with all the remaining of the cult and makes a massive blood orgy to trigger Rubedo.

* Unsolved mysteries :
-What was Albedo exactly ? Did it trigger such a big earthquake ?
-Who is "the Devil"? And why was he riding with the English ?

* Historical themes :
-Crécy
-Siege of Calais
-Pillage of Caen
-Plague
-Free Companies
-Seguin III de Badefol, La Margot
-Hundred Years War
-The Devil's Crest
-Albedo
-Rubedo

=Part 1 Caen=
* '''Music start with Firelink Shrine 1h + Fire sound but will change at each sections.'''

Flashback, they play the companions of "Knight" defending Caen. They can keep 4 of their feats plus faith.

Mention the Feat [[Lineage]] to them, in case they want to play one of their ancestors instead. Allow them to permanently change one of their Feats to [[Lineage]] if they wish to.

'''Combat (battle)''' can be used at any phase to win the phase

They start with a list of mercenaries, and at each phases they lose some men depending on their choices.
They have a number of mercrenaries and few iconic ones (with a feat that can be used once)

==Around the campfire : 15 min==

'''Music : Firelink Shrine 1h + Fire sound'''

They are around the campire before the battles.
They wake up after their first sleep (in the middle age people where sleeping in two shifts biphasic sleep)
They have a total of 21 troops plus 9 iconic soldiers.

They introduce each others.

Iconics :

Seguin III de Badefol : [[Tough]]

Robert Rougecogne : [[Knowledge]]

Roger Moulinette : [[Strong]]

Flavio : [[Falconry]]

Artème : [[Charismatic]]

Victorine : [[Heal]]

Eric : [[Noble]]

Eloi : [[Disguise]]

Adrien Reichtfield : [[Combat (duel)]]

Evans : [[Deus Vult !]]

The book contains detailed and realistic drawings of each, detailed enough so that players would be able ot recognise them if they saw them.

Seguin speaks (he is super super young, very handesome with long curved blond hairs, incredibly young to be a commander): He asks everyone what it feels to be a mercenary. We followed Raoul II de Brienne from Gascony and finally we will see our first big battle.

'''The players answer what they want :'''

Roger Moulinette (black hair, a small beard but he is super super tall and wears some plates he has a sword and a shield) : I have found a family. At last. I have found a home.

Adrien Reichtfield (long hair wearing a chainmail with a spear): Parbleu. It used to be the nobles who protect the poor, now it's the poor who protect the nobles. So we might as well get paid for it.

Evans (short hair, sword and shield, he has a green cape with a Vouivre embroided on it): Taxes are crushing the people, that's true.

You notice that everyone wears different equipment. Unlike the usual army.

Seguin speaks : Apparently we are allowed to use crossbows against the English, even though the church forbid it. What do you think about that ?

'''The players answer what they want :'''

Robert Rougecogne (very cunning look) : Technically, no French troops use crossbows, it is the Genovese who do it. Legally speaking, there is nothing wrong, only the Genovese are doing something wrong.

Eloi (looks at the fire, has a black cape a cut ear and holds a crossbow): Whatever works. As long as the guy in front is dead, it works for me.

Victorine (female fighter, long hair hiding half of her face): Propose some paté to the players. She starts drawing all the characters (which explains how they can recognise them later)

Seguin speaks : In your opinion, should the army focus on "Bourg-le-Roi et le château" which is better fortified but much more fragmented and very big. Or "Saint-Jean" island, whith less good walls, but surrounded by rivers, also it's smaller ?

'''The players answer what they want :'''

You are outside the fort right now, the drawbridges are up.

Flavio (black cothes, has a Falconry gauntlet) plays with his bird.

Artème (long blond hairs massive smile): Par ma foi. It does not matter, whichever they pick, enemy bandits always run in front of my greatness !

Eric (bald with blue eyes and a very cunning look, he is very well mannered, probably a noble background) : Don't speak too fast my dear Artème, it is said that some Royal soldiers will be in front of us. It might be a bit more than a small raid like everyone is saying.

'''Music : Dreams Berserk OST'''

Seguin speaks : For me, being a mercenary is the only way to achieve my dreams. I was born into a ruined noble house. Very few people have a chance to raise above their station, most are born serfs and will die serfs at the very same plot of land. That's what I want to avoid for all of us. Together we can achieve my dream and become famous and rich and bring glory to our names.

Seguin speaks : How about a little game of dice ? Eloi happened to have stolen an Arbalest, and I wanted to keep it for myself, but I'm in the mood to play !

'''Every player roll. If one of them roll 6 he wins the Arbalest.'''

==The calm before the storm : 15 min==
'''Music : The Order Witcher 1 then Z_Normal-Département Nécrologique'''

26 Juin 1346. Caen
Cela fait maintenant plusieurs semaines que nous suivons le Connétable de France lui meme depuis la Gascogne. Il a embauché nos services contre forte récompense. Sur mon ame nous ne le décevrons pas !
Nous nous préparons à intercepter les troupes ennemies pour défendre l'isle Saint-Jean.
Notre première vrai bataille !

26 June 1346. Caen
It's been several weeks now that we follow the Constable of France himself from Gascony. He has hired our services for a large reward. Sur mon ame we will not disappoint him !
We are preparing to intercept the enemy troops to defend the isle Saint-Jean.
Our first real battle !

They will try to defend the Saint-Jean island and in particular the Saint-Pierre bridge.

They know they are in good hands, because the Connétable of France (the main general of France) Raoul II de Brienne is with them.

On their side they have 3000 milicians and 300 Genoese archers.

They are a small group of about 30 mercenaries and they can decide what they want to do to help keep the bridge, few options and they chose one.

It's not a drawbridge, the river is almost empty.

They see a huge army and the crest of the king. It's not just a small raid.

===Crisis : Coward Archers===
A bunch of Genovese archers don't want to go. They saw a huge army coming.

Reward : One more iconic in their group : Mateo [[True Strike (ranged)]]

===Ambiance===

They see the Bishop Guillaume Bertrand who is one of the commanders, he has a huge armor with a mitre and a massive mace so he doesn't spill the blood of the enemy.

They bring a sacred object before the battle for everyone to kiss.

Some knights have a glove or handkerchief of their lady.

Soldiers kiss the medals of their saint protectors.

===Choice : Where to be placed ?===

====Choice 1 : Be in the tower of the bridge====
The commander is shocked of their answer. And puts them in the very very front.
Lose 5 Mercenaries and 2 iconic mercenaries. (some martial Feats can soften this blow)

====Choice 2 : Be on the bridge in the front====
Lose 1 Mercenaries and 1 iconic mercenaries.

====Choice 3 : Be on the bridge in the back====
Lose 1 Mercenaries and 0 iconic mercenaries.

==The defense of Saint-Peter Bridge : 15 min==
'''Music : Defence Of Moscow Sabaton then Z_Baston-7eme Cercle'''

Bugle avant la bataille

The army in front is massive. 15 000 people with banners from all over England, including the King himself.

The Connetable lied about the number of enemies !!

They see a weird red banned in the distance, this banner is a bit strange, because it's a different shade of red, not like it's supposed to be.

How is it simply possible that so many people are so far from their home ? It is an entire city on the march.

The English soldiers rush mindlessly on the bridge, footmen rush on the bridge.

Arrows, bolts and rocks send by slings start flying.

===Crisis : Save your friend===

A random iconic is in danger, surrounded by enemies. How to come help him ?

Punishment : The Iconic in question dies.

===Ambiance===
The king rings retreat but nobody listens.

They see a group of knights in green and white who scream something in Latin "Custodes ! Flamae Sanctae" then charge the line of English soldiers.

There's a knight hospitaller in the French side, he kills people and then shouts prayers for their souls.

Archers and spearmen are in the mud of the river trying to go around. They seize some ships and go through the river.

===Choice : They see some English crossed by boat in the distance and made a hole in the city walls.===

====Choice 1 : Go to the castle of the city====
As they try to reatreat, they are in open ground and have to retreat.
Lose 7 mercenaries and 3 iconic. (some martial Feats can soften this blow)

====Choice 2 : Lock themselves in the tower of the bridge. ====
Lose 1 mercenaries and 0 iconic.

====Choice 3 : Make two fronts====
As the line collaspes they have to retreat to the tower and suffer losses.
Lose 1 mercenaries and 0 iconic.

====Choice 4 : Just hold the main line====
As the line collaspes they have to retreat to the tower and suffer heavy losses.
Lose 5 mercenaries and 2 iconic. (some martial Feats can soften this blow)

==The Saint-Peter Bridge Massacre : 15 min==

'''Music : Z_Baston-Belle Epreuve - Chute'''

Everyone on the bridge is massacred because they attack from both sides.
Most people including the players retreats to the tower of the bridge, including the Connétable of France and lots of nobles.
The only entry gate is on the neemy side now.

===Crisis : A door is getting rammed===
Solution : lots of soldiers hold the door. (in which case they will cut the door down with axes)

Punishment : 5 men and 2 iconic.

===Ambiance===
They see they try to start a smoke to smoke out the tower.

They feel their throat is very very dry because it is super super hot under the armor, they are drenched in sweat.

One of the soldiers opens a jar in the tower with bread soaked in wine and olive oil. He takes a portion of it then goes back to fight.

They notice that the walls litterally crumbled in spite of last minute repairs with furnitures.

===Choice : The door breaks===
====Choice 1 : Attack out====
Lose 7 mercenaries and 2 iconic. (some martial Feats can soften this blow)

====Choice 2 : Try to condemn the staircase with stuff====
Lose 3 mercenaries and 2 iconic. (some martial Feats can soften this blow)

====Choice 3 : Wait in the staircase with a spear and arrows====
Lose 2 mercenaries and 1 iconic. (some martial Feats can soften this blow)

==To the Castle ! : 15 min==

'''Music : Continue Z_Baston-Belle Epreuve - Chute then Z_Baston-Belle Epreuve'''

Impressed by their defence of the tower, A Noble Knight Comes to them, a message with the sceal of the Connetable. It is of utmost importance that it is delivered to the Castle of Caen.
The Connetable is stuck in the top of the same tower as them.
The Connétable will stay behind.
They have to find a way to go to the castle of Caen no matter what.
It has to be delivered in person, they cant risk using a falcon or a pigeon. Enemies have falcons to prevent flying pigeons from going out to other towns.

===Crisis : How to go through the enemies lines===
Solution : Follow a horse charge.

'''Music when they run away on horse (then resume current playlist): EpicScoreUntilTheLastMan'''

Punishment : 6 troops, 2 iconic. Even if success : 3 troops, 1 iconic
(some martial Feats can soften this blow)

===Ambiance===
They see in the background that the bridge tower fell to the enemy. Lots of people taken hostage including the Connétable of France.

On the way, they see a group of people with red capes that have a weird shade. It's not the same shade as English red, it's different and weird.

They do something strange, they takes a lot of prisoners then lock them in a mobile cage. It doesn't make sense to take commoners with you.

His coat of arm is very strange also. You don't see it very well, but it doesn't seem like it follows the rules of heraldry.

A little group of genovese archers are remaining in a corner, they pushed back waves and waves of troops.
They are out of arrows so they fight with tswords. In the back there's a French knight surrounded by his squires.
They are full of bruises because the English use lots of slings on them.

===Crisis : A Welsh Monster===

Onthe way to the castle, the way forward passes through a tower a Huge English (Welsh) soldier is in the dark of this tower entrance.
Tons of French corpses around the entrance of the tower, nobody wants to go there.

Inside it is a massive ginger Welsh soldier. "Dewch! Dewch yn fwy!"

'''Combat (duel) or just burn the building. or do nothing and go around it'''

Reward : They gain 5 soldiers.

==Slaghters in the streets of Caen : 15 min==

'''Music : continue the previous playlist e.g. Z_Baston-Belle Epreuve and Z_Baston-Belle Epreuve - Chute'''

The Bishop Guillaume Bertrand is in the Castle, he thanks and rewards the players for their service. He pays them handsomely and asks for another favour.
A royal messenger is here, he has a message to deliver to the kingm of the utmost importance to let him know the situation. They have to escort him to outskirt of the city.
There's a secret door to leave the castle.

===Crisis : Rape and pillage===

On their way, there's a group of women who came back from the wash-house (lavoir) and a big gang of English archers want to rape them.
'''Combat (skirmish)'''

Punihsment if they dont have Combat skirmish and help anyway : 4 mercenaries 2 Iconic

If they simply let them be, they dont loose troops

===Ambiance===

'''Music : Epique entre-scenart gagant 12-Pista de audio 12 then Gwent Full Mix Witcher 3'''

An English gentleman "Sir Nigel Loring" come to stops them.
He he very elegent and very gentle. Big contrast with the troops. He speaks French and talks to the players. He protects the players because they are kids for him.
He explains how he is fascinated with the french architecture. he explains that Caen is such a huge city for him larger than any English town other than London.

His men take a lot of things as loot, like beds, sheets of cloth etc...

Unless he suspects the playrs to be cowards running from battle, he let them go.

As soon as he leaves, resume the main playlist : '''Music : continue the previous playlist e.g. Z_Baston-Belle Epreuve and Z_Baston-Belle Epreuve - Chute'''

===Choice : How to save the population ?===

====Choice 1 : Barricade each house and throw stones and boiling water====
One Iconic who was killed before is found defending a house. One Iconic returns.
====Choice 2 : Flee====
====Choice 3 : Hide in Churches====

==Blood Orgies : 15 min==

'''Music : Z_Baston-Safran Metroid'''

By trying to leave the city, they pass by the tomb of William/Guillaume the Conqueror, where the King Edward III came to kneel.

They see Royal guard all around and some traitor French knights.
They also see some soldiers in the strange red.

One of the traitor french soldiers recognises the royal messenger and attacks the players.

Regardelss what the players do, they manage to escape, but Seguin is captured by the Black and Red knight ("The Devil") (he smashes his knee with a mace,). He is captured and put in a weird cage cahrriot.

They see the cage being escorted out. And Seguin is inside.

They try to follow the cage.

Night falls.

(at this point "The Devil" tortures their leader.)

After this skirmish, they finally reach the limits of the city and the Messenger is now safe.

===Crisis : Free the prisoners===

'''Music : Z_Flippant-Le diable est dans la boite'''

They pass by a mass grave, thousands of corpses thrown in. They never saw so many corpses, huge column of crows and flies.
They see the city burning in the backgroudn as the pillage is going on. Only the castle is still fighting.

Lots of riders run around the city killing anyone trying to leave.

They see attached prisoners being inspected. Some are killed and thrown in the mass grave. Some are inspected by a red hooded figure and brought to a mobile cage. Some are kept for ransom.
In the queue there is an iconic that they lost.

What to do ?
They do what they want about it.
Reward : The iconic in question.

===Ambiance===

'''Music : Z_Flippant - Dark World'''

Further down there's a drunken rape orgy. In "red"'s camp.
Food : Roasted Peacock with added feathers, Roasted Boar, meat pate

Two prisoners have been hung upside down and their throat slit.

They see Seguin attached to a tree upside down, covered in cuts. There's a weird lady in a red robe when they see her hand, it has massive claws, she is naked under a cape, she has a huge mistletoe crown on her head (to conceal her horns).

Who get near him and slit his throat. Then covers her face in his blood. On her cape is embroided the emblem of red with a golden stripe and three frogs.
They see it better from this distance : https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f6/Satan-traditional-arms.svg/191px-Satan-traditional-arms.svg.png

They put all their efforts into saving their leader, now they lost it ! What should they do ?
They fought in the battle, they should claim their money at least then go on their separate way.

=Part 2 Charnier at Crécy=
* '''Normal before Crécy : Z_Normal-Département Nécrologique'''

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = Desolation : Black stains of the Burned farms.
Bridges destoyred, doors destroyed, wall destroyed. Everything but churches.
Survivors made nests in the trees.

| 15min = They feel pain everwhere in all of their muscles and articulations. In particular at the neck because the mail presses very hard on the neck muscles.
They have some old wounds and they apply geeze fat on them.

| 30min = They notice some people hanged in the trees, it is a very dishonorable death because people shit themselves.

| 45min = (if they reached Crécy already) Lines of people attached who were executed. The black prince executed all prisoners who couldn't pay a ransom. (if they didn't reach Crécy yet) They are attacked and need to retreat to Crécy, they lose one Iconic and 10% of their men, twice more if they don't have Combat (skirmish).

| 60min = There's a crossbow with a broken rope on the ground, the water made them brittle.

| 75min = They find a satchel full of ready to sign church "pardons". Those things sell well in times of war.

| 90min = They are attacked by some English soldiers and they capture one who tells them to go to Calais. They lose one Iconic and 10% of their men, twice more if they don't have Combat (skirmish).
}}

1er August 1346 Caen
Cela fait maintenant 1 mois que les troupes anglaises se sont retirés de Caen après 5 jours de pillages intenses.
Monseigneur Guillaume Bertrand, évêque de Bayeux a repris la ville.
Il nous a offert forte récompense si nous acceptions de suivre et d'espioner la troupe Anglaise.
Par ma garde, nous aurons notre revanche !

1 August 1346 Caen
It is now 1 month since the English troops withdrew from Caen after 5 days of intense pillage.
Monseigneur Guillaume Bertrand, bishop of Bayeux, has retaken the town.
He has offered us a large reward if we agree to follow and spy on the English troops.
Par ma garde, we will get our revenge !

==On the Road==

Everyone says that the army of the king of france is coming and they will crush the english troops.

The bishop pays them to go north and help the king crush them.
once crushed, there will be lots of wealthy nobles to capture.
The bishop gave them some flying pigeons.
After their help, he gives them a very handesome reward, they can use the rich feat once.

===How to follow them ?===

'''Action : not very difficult, follow the smoke'''

===Ambiance===

Find and sing a walking song of the time (a little anachronisit cactually):

Et cuidez vous que je me joue
Et que je voulsisse aller
En Engleterre demourer ?
Ils ont une longue coue.
Entre vous, gens de village
Qui aymez le roy françoys
Prenez chascun bon courage
Pour combattre les Engloys !

===Out of supplies===

Out of supplies on the way. How to eat when all nearby farms have been pillaged ?

'''Action : Survival ? Rich ? Up to them.'''
If fail : One iconic and 10% of troops die of dysentry.

===How to cross la Seine ?===

====Choice 1 : Follow and find a bridge or boats ?====
There's none, the army destroyed it
====Choice 2 : Use Ropes====
One soldier dies.
====Choice 3 : Just Swim====
One iconic and 5% of the soldiers die.

==Crécy Charnier==

'''Music : Eternal Darkness - the Cathedral Insanity Ambient Noise then back to Z_Flippant - Dark World'''

As they approach, the see a wounded horse who ran away. It's a french horse. The horse has no armors !

They arrive at Crécy and are surprised by the defeat.
This is a complete surprise, everyone assume the king's army would win.
This breaks their resolve. It's a disaster.
How is that possible ? The French army had 24 000 to 50 000 men ? And the English only 8 000 to 12 000.

"Par la croix, what is this madness ?"
Description so fthe charnier.
Wall of corpses at the bottom of the hill.
The ground is wet with blood, piss and shit wet with rain also.
Arrows peices the shields and armors.
So many hroses with very long 4 metres spears.
So many crows chanting.

They tried to charge up, but where shot.

Pits dug by the english on top of a small hill.

===What report to write===

Crows and desolation. What report should they write ?

Number of people on both side.
Name of nobles dead.
Location.

Big list of what they find.
Countless dead nobles, usually nobles are not killed.
They see dead knights, they fear to recognise some banners, very noble people like they have never seen.
How is it possible that so many nobles are dead ? Normally they get captured.

1500 dead knights. 2000 Genovese Crossbowmen. 3000 footmen. Only feww hundred dead english.

Including They even see the corpse of Jean Ier de Luxembourg, who is blind but charged anyway surrounded by his knights and guided by them.
On the armories they look for crescents because it's the only wayt to know if it the heir of the family or just a memebr.

Alençon, the brother of the king is dead under his horse at the top of the hill surrounded by dead English.

11 high nobles died

Jean Ier de Luxembourg, roi de Bohême et comte de Luxembourg ;
Raoul de Lorraine, duc de Lorraine ;
Louis de Dampierre, comte de Nevers et de Flandre ;
Henri IV de Vaudémont, comte de Vaudémont.
Simon de Salm, comte de Salm
Charles II de Valois, frère du Roi, comte d'Alençon, de Chartres et du Perche ;
Louis de Châtillon, comte de Blois ;
Enguerrand VI de Coucy, sire de Coucy, de Marle, de la Fère, d'Oisy, d'Havrincourt ;
Hugues d'Amboise, seigneur de Chaumont et son fils Jean ;
Jean II d'Auxy, seigneur d'Auxy-le-Château et de Fontaines, chevalier, sénéchal de Ponthieunote 1 ; et son fils Jean d'Auxy (arbres généalogiques Myhéritage)
Jean IV d'Harcourt, comte d'Harcourt, vicomte de Chatellerault ;
Guillaume Kadot, écuyer, seigneur de Douville, maître d'hôtel du roi ;
Mathieu de Lamezan, seigneur de Lamezan et d'Ambax ;
Antonio Doria, amiral de France
Jean V de Pierrepont, comte de Roucy, comte de Braine ;
Louis II de Sancerre, comte de Sancerre ;
Robert de Rambures, seigneur de Rambures ;
Gilles Ier de Soyécourt, seigneur de Soyécourt note 2 ;
Jean Ier Tyrel, seigneur de Poix et son fils Bernard Tyrel ;

===Where is the king ? Where is the Oriflamme ? ===

The King's brother is dead ! Where is the king ?
Also tell them about the Oriflamme.
They see signs of the king's banner, he was here, is he safe ? He had the Orfilamme with him. They need to try to find it. The Biship needs to know.
The king, is the king safe ? The Oriflamme, they know that it was supposed to be in this battle, with a bit of luck it is still there.

Whatever they do, they won't find either.

They do find the next information :

===Finding the altar===
Some corpses have lots of maggots, some none. That's very strange.
'''Action : Check the pattern or Follow the maggots on the ground''' It leads to a specific pile of corpses.

===Devienne===

Below this pile of corpeses, there's a weird pile, almost like an altar.

'''Music : Eternal Darkness - Insanity Ambient Noise 'The Mansion' then back to Z_Flippant - Dark World'''

For some reasons, it's full of larvas, more than eslwhere. It's covered in a weird liquid that seems to attract larvas.
Insist there are both English and French corpses that have been defiled.
All the corpses have a weird bite mark on the neck and they are drained of blood.
There's a dagger planted vertically on the altar, the handle is red. A very weird red. It looks like it's shaking a little bit. (because it's planted on the wounded but alive soldier)
When they take the dagger out, the altar bleeds a little and shakes.
On the dagger's blade : The devil's motto "Lasciate Ogni Speranza" and they see the same weird crest.

When they remove the dagger, one of the corpses wakes up, his eyes injected red.
One of the NPC asks : They need to know where the army is going, they can't just follow, they need to discover their destination.

He gives them a hint to where they went :
He grabs them and while looking at them says : "devienne" and then puke bloods. (he tried to say "Warn Jean de Vienne that they are coming")
"devienne" is the French word for "to become" and also the name of "Jean de Vienne" the one who defended Calais.

In english the clue can be "Were" (strange that the French soldier speaks in english, tell them that)
For "Pépin de Were" another knight based in calais

'''Action : Either they figure out the riddle (e.g. ask the Game Master if that's the name of a person) or they "Heal" the guy'''

=Part 3 In the guts of Calais=

* '''Normal : Eternal Darkness - the Cathedral Insanity Ambient Noise then Z_Flippant - Quake '''

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = (Ambiance in the past) They see an orphan covered in blood with a knife. He has been paid to kill dogs and rats so people don't eat them. he is covered in bite marks and very pale (Ambiance in the present in the streets) Bloods marks on the walls. They lead to a dead french who coughed blood. He cough red, not pink. The streets are empty and the sky is getting orange because it is dusk.

| 15min = (Ambiance in the past) They feel massive pain in their muscles, their muscles are sour. They pull up their shirt to see that their ribs are clearly showing. One of them was wounded few days back and the wound didn't heal yet. One of their camerade give him a piece of boiled rope and leather. (Ambiance in the present in the streets) They hear someone screaming "Run ! Run ! It has begun ! It has begun !" They hear a horse rushing through the streets adjacent. If they really want to find the source, it is some French citizens running away.

| 30min = (Ambiance in the past) They hear a thunder of noise. And there's a rain of fire. The English are shooting the head of dead French with canons for fun. And for a split of second, they smell the burned flesh and produce a bit of saliva. (Ambiance in the present in the streets) It's dusk and the sky is pure red. There's a white corpse on a wall, around his head there's the drawing of a weird crest. As the players get near him, he stabs one of them and says "You're late, it has already begun". Actually no, he was just dead, no player has been stabbed just a halluciantion.

| 45min = (Ambiance in the past) If the players haven't yet reached the present. They hear the weird noise of flute. And they are attracted towards the palace. (Ambiance in the present in the streets) They see lots of red eyes looking at them inside a house. They open and there's a huge flight of bats. They screams feel like human screams.

| 60min = (Ambiance in the present in the streets) The sky is completely red. With the red sky, it seems that the gutter is filled with blood. Now there's some blood rain on them. They realise that it's due to some emptied corpses attached to a building above them. All of them are mostly emptied of their blood.

| 75min = (Ambiance in the present in the streets) If the players haven't reached the Red Hell yet, they hear the flute starting. Anyone who doesn't have '''Courage''' needs to roll 5 or 6 or they just run away. The sound of flute gives them the location.

| 90min = If they haven't reached the last chamber of the Red Hell yet. The flute plays stronger and lots of corpses wake up. Stabbing two player. They move to the last room and the players follow.
}}

There are big parts of the book that speaks about the siege of Calais, but the players decide to skip to the last chapter directly.

10 Juin 1347 Calais assiégé
Calais est affamée par un siège depuis plus d'un an.
Le port est rempli d'épaves et l’horizon est couvert de navires anglais, il n'y a plus aucun espoir de ravitaillement maritime.
Le roi nous a oublié au fond du piège, dans la guele de l'enfer.
Le désespoir est un vampire qui nous draine tous.
La faim, la faim, tourne la tête.
L'argent que nous paye la milice n'a plus de valeur depuis longtemps.

10th of June 1347 Calais under siege
Calais has been starved by a siege for over a year.
The harbour is full of wrecks, and the horrizon full of English ships, there is no hope of maritime supplies.
The king has forgotten us at the bottom of the trap, in the jaws of hell.
Despair is a vampire that drains us all.
Hunger, hunger, my head spins.
The little money that the militia pays us has long lost it's value.

They are paid by the militia to try to keep a semblant of order in Calais.
Right now their task is to dismantle a food black market. They do it not for the money, who lost all value, but because they believe they can steal some food as the market is being dismantled.

==Calais under siege (past June 1347)==

===How to find the food black market ?===

They lose 30% of soldiers starving snd 1 Iconic of their choice no matter what.

'''Action : see if some people are not starving.'''
'''Action if they have Rich it works as well or any other good ideas'''

===Food Black Market===

In the food black market, horse is the most expensive meat. Cheaper than that is rats, boiled leather, boiled ropes, spiders, boiled wood, the cheapest is called "special pig". But for some reason nobody likes special pig.

They found the location of the food black market. How to capture as many resellers as possible ?

Too many exits to attack from all sides.

'''Action : Remember the faces of the merchants or follow them one by one to their homes'''

===Trail of the Vampire===

As they arrest all mechants, they realised that one of them what buying corpses that died of starvation (he refuses if they had wounds. Because blood stays fresh in a corpse if there's no wound, otherwise it dries out quickly)

'''Music : Nine Inch Nail-itisraped then continue on Z_Flippant - Quake'''

As they open his shop, they see traces of lots of blood. There's one last corpse that has been bled.

The city council is horrified and pay them to investigate.

'''Action : Search an area of the city with no more beggars, use Outlaw wisdom, or anything else that makes sense'''

===The Blood Palace (fast forward to today)===

Final pages of the journal

Nous avons enfin trouvé le Palais Rouge.
Très isolé, je tremble. La faim. Le sang.
Beaucoup de constructions à l'intérieur.
Salle étrange, bassin au milieu, toit en pente incurvé.
Le mur beaucoup de visages, un océan de visages qui crient.
Demain nous allons (the text ends here)
(All the texts after that is gibberish)

We finally found the Red Palace.
Very isolated, I'm trembling. The hunger. The blood.
Many constructions inside.
Strange hall, pool in the middle, curved roof.
The wall many faces, an ocean of screaming faces.
Tomorrow we will (the text ends here)
(All the texts after that is gibberish)

Fast foward to today, 10th of March 1348.

The players have rushed as fast as they could to Calais to investigate.

The city now belongs to the English but of course the English major of calais doesn't want any problems with the inquisition so they are welcome.

How to find this palace ?

'''Action : They have to understand that it's an Atrium and search for ancient roman villas. There are few and they find the one. Unless they find another smart way. For example they can use Clairvoyance or find districts with more rats. Or follow the trail of people bying corpses, interrogation or the Trail feat are possible as well.'''

==Red Hell==

'''Music : Loop : Eternal Darkness - Insanity Ambient Noise 'The Mansion' '''

===Red Atrium===

In the middle of the room is a red pool that smells like wine. In front of it there's a wall of faces.
All the faces have been deformed to look like they are screaming, especially with the lights changing of the candles.

It's an actual roman Atrium.

The floor is littered with drunken people, some are dead some are just sleeping.

They all have bite marks. Some people floating face up in the bath, some face down.

There are lots of toads on the ground eating black triangular oesties.

Someone naked enters the room with an Arbalest. It's One of the previous iconics.
For some reason he is screaming and putting his hand on his neck (where he was bitten)
'''Action : What to do against an Arbalest ? Reflexes can work. Otherwise one player is shot.'''

===Red Shrine===

From now on There are runes written everywhere in bright red. Especially on people.

Another of the previous iconic is attached upside down on a cross.

His belly is open and his guts are showing, but he is still alive.

There's a succubus sitting on the shrine.
She has horns (actually they are fake), she is naked and super sexy, her body covered in tatoos.
But there is something very disturbing about her, her cheeks have been cut, making her jaws very very wide and monstruous.

She has one weird gauntlet. Is has sharp claws and a spike in the middle. The spike is attached to a syringe and a long tube.

She threatens to kill the guy.
She says if you move I kill him. She has sharp claws at his neck.
She is drinking blood from the chalice. Sitting on the altar.
Each vitrailles have been broken.
The ground is covered in crosses.

'''Up to them to kill her in any way they want. If they can or not save the person, (or Heal him) it's better if they do.
He tell them a useful information. He explains about the pump and the flute.'''

If they waste too much time, she jumps by the window and run away.

===Red Banquet Hall===

====Army of the dead====

In the banquet hall, there is a huge satanic statue of Lucifer Playing the flute.
The room is very very dark. And we can see hundreds of bats.
Some Lucifer crests everywhere more red runes than ever.
Huge banquet organised with blood sausages (boudin) everywhere. All the guests are "dead"or dunk with bite marks and red runes.

They hear some pump noises (they have to search to find the people activating the pumps in the sides of the room)
Two people, with blindfold activate the pump.
It turns the statue into a fountain of blood coming out of the flute, it also make a weird music and the room fills with black smoke.
The blood has a very weird smell of alcohol and alchemical ingrediends, it has clearly been mixed with anti coagulants or something.

It takes a bit of time before the people start raising.

'''Music : Ave Satanas Venom Inc then Z_Baston-Safran'''

When the pump is activated, all the "dead" people raise and attack the players.
The players are split between two Skirmishs at the same time.

'''Action : Stopping the people pumping blood will stop the "zombie armies"'''

====Satan====

'''Music : Z_Epique-Babel'''

As soon as the music stops, the altar is smashed and bleeds like crazy through the cracks.
A huge person will smash the altar from behind.

Behind the altar is a room compeltely red filled with blood. In the shape of an egg. (it is the blood reservoir)
In a torrent of blood, a huge person with a goat head masks Combat (monster) arises. (it's also an iconic, but they don't know that)
He has a massive trident.
So much blood is pouring out of it that the room fills with blood gradually and the blood level reaches the knees.

'''Courage''' to fight it or the player runs away.

A turn later, from the flow of blood also comes out. "Knight" in a red armor with a Rondel (Tassette in French) made of Bones his helmet has a big mouth with lots of teeth and some fangs '''Combat (duel)'''.

Both to be fought at the same time.

As they fight him, he looses his helmet and they recognise him (by the description) but he is seriously wounded. his throat was slit etc...

"Knight" is wearing a red armor and he has fangs (they broke some of his teeth, so it appears this way)

The room is very dark partly because of the smoke, he appears and attack players then disappear. '''Combat (duel)''' at each of his appearances.

'''Action : Open the windows or use Clairvoyance Feat'''

Now he cannot hide in the shadows. Some bats run away from the light.

Now they can '''Combat (duel)''' him.

They kill him. But somehow he survives and his mercenary troop too. On him they find the [[Bone Rondel]] (Tassette in French).

=Epilogue=
Epilogue musics :
*'''Epique entre-scenart gagant 12-Pista de audio 12.mp3'''
*'''Epique entre-scenart gagant 12-Pista de audio 12.mp3''' (put it twice)
*'''Fin epique glorieuse 06-Final'''
*Then loop this Playlist '''Normal-Prima'''

At the end they realise the monster with a goat head was one of the iconics.
They understand why the Rubedo wasn't done before : Because it cannot start before the end of albedo also you need to infuse the blood for a long long time with some alchemical components.

What to do with the [[Bone Rondel]] ? (Tassette)

-The Connétable of France was executed when he comes back.
-La Margot became an infamous mercenary company : He will fight at the battle of poitier on the English's side, he will pillage and rasom countless cities, including Nîmes, Alès, Montbrun etc.. And will even ransom the pope himself in Avignon.
-But reassure the players that they eventually find him and poison him but that's years in the future.

-The Black prince reassure the pope that he has actually no idea of what was happening in the city and he was in no way associated wiht it. He asks for dsicretion because he doesn't want to be accused. The pope accepts, but in exchange he asks him to sign the treaty of Bretigny https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trait%C3%A9_de_Br%C3%A9tigny
The pope has his own reasons for signing this, he is neither supporting the king of france nor the english king, he has his own plot.

-The English king guarantees that he will investigate this matter very seriously and at the next scenario he brings critical information to the players.

==Post Game Bonus==

More information about the Siege of Caen, which happened exactly as I described it, step by step, including the charge to the castle by horse and the drunken orgy afterward : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Si%C3%A8ge_de_Caen_(1346) (the french article has more details than the english one)

Drawing of the Saint Jean bridge : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Si%C3%A8ge_de_Caen_(1346)#/media/Fichier:Chatelet_caen.JPG

More information about the battle of Crecy : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cr%C3%A9cy

More information about the Siege of Calais : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Calais_(1346%E2%80%931347)

Seguin III de Badefol https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seguin_de_Badefol and http://espritdepays.com/dordogne/histoire/seguin-iii-de-badefol-lenfant-terrible-dune-fratrie

Name of his mercenary company : La Margot

His nickname : Le boiteux, Chopi / Chopin

He was the son of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnaud_de_Cervole known as the archpriest.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_company

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Company

Satan's Crest : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armoiries_imaginaires#/media/Fichier:Blason_imaginaire_Satan.svg

AI Generated Image of the Bone Rondel : http://prima.wiki/images/2/2c/The_Bone_Rondel_-_DALL%C2%B7E_2022-08-06_13.16.45_-_the_highly_detailed_carving_of_a_frog_with_red_glowing_eyes.png

AI Generated Image of the Red Knight : http://prima.wiki/images/6/69/The_Red_Knight_-_Taiko3615_a_satanic_knight_in_red_armor_with_nightmares_carved_8feedf2f-a726-437c-bd39-1f905c4c0d6d_%281%29.png

AI Generated Image of the final battle against the Red Knight : http://prima.wiki/images/e/e5/Final._Fight_against_the._Red_Knight_-_Taiko3615_a_vampire_in_red_armor_fighting_in_a_grandiose_dark_b_98478b57-3b69-400f-96f6-5319f7ccb2c7_%281%29.png

AI Generated portrait of Seguin III : http://prima.wiki/images/1/19/Seguin_III_-_DALL%C2%B7E_2022-08-06_17.23.15_-_a_handsome_teenage_medieval_soldier_with_long_curved_blond_hairs_and_blue_eyes_wearing_a_red_armor.png

AI Generated Image of the Neuberg Abbey burried under the snow :http://prima.wiki/images/d/d7/Neuberg_Abbey_-_DALL%C2%B7E_2022-08-06_18.25.19_-_the_ruins_of_a_monastery_crushed_buried_in_snow_by_an_avalanche_in_a_snow_storm%2C_digital_art.png

AI Generated Image of the Albedo runes (in the white egg near the abbey) : http://prima.wiki/images/d/d3/The_Albedo_Runes_-_DALL%C2%B7E_2022-08-06_17.02.24_-_a_white_prehistoric_cave_painting_of_very_complicated_glowing_white_runes_on_a_white_stone%2C_digital_art.png

AI Generated Image of the Satanic Statue playing the flute : http://prima.wiki/images/7/78/Lucifer_Statue_-_DALL%C2%B7E_2022-08-06_14.15.27_-_a_massive_and_highly_detailed_statue_of_the_devil_paying_flute_in_a_dark_gigantic_banquet_hall%2C_digital_art.png

AI Generated Image of the Red Atrium : http://prima.wiki/images/e/e1/Red_Atrium_-_DALL%C2%B7E_2022-08-06_14.05.21_-_a_roman_atrium_covered_in_glowing_red_runes%2C_digital_art.png

[[Category:Scenario]]
[[Category:Official Scenarios]]

Danse Macabre Part 6

2026-03-07T17:58:58Z

Taiko:

==Teaser==
Send to the players before the game :

10 January 1348, Avignon (Papal States)
Most Holy Father, all your life you have served our Lord.
Thus, it is without mistrust that you followed death when it came for you.
Did you not see the black claws hidden under her dress?
Who will now be able to deliver you from this satanic trap?
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

10 Janvier 1348, Avignon (États Pontificaux)
Très Saint Père, toute votre vie vous avez servi notre seigneur.
Ainsi, c’est sans méfiance que vous avez suivi la mort quand elle est venu vous chercher.
N'avez vous pas vu les griffes noires dissimulées sous sa robe ?
Qui pourra à présent vous délivrer de ce piège satanique ?
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

=Intro - Archivum Secretum Apostolicum Avenionensium=

* Initial situation :
**Date : 10 January 1348
**Location : Avignon (Papal States)

Before the game begin, let your players know that they should all have [[Immune (diseases)]] Feat, which explains why they are still alive. If any payer doesn't have it, starting from this scenario he has to roll a die 6 on the beguinning of each scenarios, 5 or 6 he lives, anything else, he has the plague and dies.
Allow them to change any Feats of their choice to [[Immune (diseases)]].

After the events in Marseilles, the players are summoned to Avignon.
After one week of travel, they arrive in Avignon the 10th of January 1348.

Few days later, the 10th of January, they are summoned by the pope.

He received a letter signed by Cardinal Élie de Nabinal dated from this morning saying that they murdered Agoust Louis des Beaux and asking that he is excommunicated, there is do doubt that the letter is genuine.

The Pope is supportive, but he still deserves an explanation.

'''Music : Z_Normal-Palais des Papes'''

The 10th of January, they are summoned by the pope.

Description of the palace of the Pope :

There could not be a more beautiful ensemble in its simplicity, more grandiose in its design. It is indeed the entire Papacy, standing, sublime, immortal, spreading its majestic shadow over the river of nations and centuries that rolls at its feet.

On ne saurait concevoir un ensemble plus beau dans sa simplicité, plus grandiose dans sa conception. C'est bien la papauté tout entière, debout, sublime, immortelle, étendant son ombre majestueuse sur le fleuve des nations et des siècles qui roule à ses pieds.

The players pass by a massive gate, lots of people amassed at the entrance, but the guards don't let anybody in because of the plague.

The players are greeted by the doctor of the Pope "Guy de Chauliac"
He forbids the players from approaching the pope, he meet them in front of his chambers and they talk through a door. With perfume being burned in the whole room.
Guy de Chauliac explains the relation between the current outbreak and the Justinian Plague.
He ask thousands of questions to the players because they are witnesses to the outbreak and he is very interested.
He insist that the players will meet the pope, so they should prepare and put on their very best clothes. Ask the players what they will wear for the occasion.

He opens the door and has a letter in his hand.
The Cardinal is here too in a corner.

'''Music : The Ringed City - Dark Souls III'''

Christendom is torn by god's wrath, countless people are dying in the streets of Marseilles every day and the masses are hungry for answers.
You belong to the most holy inquisition and have to live up to its name.
I have received this letter, signed by the Cardinal Élie de Nabinal accusing you of the murder of Agout Louis des Baux with the complicity of Hugues des Baux and demanding your immediate excommunication.
I give you a week to resolve the matter with his Eminence of Nabinal, after which I will have to agree to his request.

La chrétienté est déchirée par le fléau de Dieu, d'innombrables personnes meurent chaque jour dans les rues de Marseille et le peuple demande des réponses.
Vous faites partie de la très sainte inquisition et vous devez être à la hauteur de son nom.
J'ai reçu cette lettre, signée par le cardinal Élie de Nabinal ici présent, vous accusant du meurtre d'Agout Louis des Baux avec la complicité de Hugues des Baux et demandant votre excommunication immédiate.
Je vous laisse une semaine pour résoudre ce problème avec son Eminence de Nabinal, après quoi serait contraint d'accéder à sa requête.

The Cardinal says :

It is all true Most Holy Father, I saw them with my own eyes commit this henious crime in a church in Marseilles.

C'est exacte Très Saint-Père, je les ais vu de mes yeux commetre cette acte audieux dans une des églises de Marseilles.

The Cardinal seems very uncomfortable.

The players have just one sentence to say before the pope goes back to his room.
Here they can use some Feats if they have to demonstrate that they are innocent. They have this one chance.
The players should find a way out of the accusation.
Either using a skill, or using proof.
What proof do they have ?

Cardinal de Nabinal wasn’t even in Marseilles at the time. But right now they can’t prove it.

Either they use a skill right now, or they have to prove their innocence in the coming section.

* Explanations :

Tancrède le Bon, The Valet of Cardinal Élie de Nabinal is "the cardinal"

His ring allows him to use Necromancy on the grave of Jean XXII.
He uses this power for two things : First he need to steal the right books and send them to the alchemist "the pope" who is right now in Austrial.
And he uses this power to try to get rid of the players.

* Unsolved mysteries :

* Historical themes :
-Vatican Secret Archives

-Avignon Plague

-Roman Curia

-Pope Jean XXII

=Part 1 Intrigue in Avignon=
* '''Normal : Z_Normal-Palais des Papes'''

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = They see a painter Mattéo Giovanetti painting the walls in avignong. He paints an army of devils coming to Avignon. He watches the players super anxiously. He says : Are the rumours true ? The Death is coming to Avignong ? I pray that the sancity of these walls will keep the horror at bay. They hear some couhing in the distance.

Francesco Petrarca is nearby, he says :
"behold, I am She, whom they, fierce, and blind, and cruel name, Who meet untimely deaths;"

"Je suis l’importune et la cruelle que vous appelez sourde et aveugle, ô vous pour qui il fait nuit avant le soir."

| 15min =

They pass through a corridor and notice that all the people who pass by them avoid them and keep a very safe distance.
The word spread that they came from Marseille, so people avoid them.

| 30min = There's a Cardinal packing all his things, he is leaving Avignon. The pope told everyone who wanted to leave that they can. He decided to leave. The pope decided to stay, this is madness, everyone told him to leave.

One of the stained glass with a cross on it is broken.
| 45min = While the players are eating, they open a piece of bread, and it is hollow. The middle of the bread there's a small clay figure of a skeleton pope. If '''Knowledge (heresy)''' they know that there was a witchcraft attempt on previous pope John XXII with a clay figure. Everyone at the table is terrified.
The cross on the wall fell on the floor.

| 60min = There's a guard coughing, he falls on his face. Dead of the plague.

There's a bishop who ran away. There's a trail of ice on his floor coming out of the wall.

They see a minor relic of saint Benedict on the floor. Broken. Saint Benedict is the saint of Exorcism.
(only if they ask) No crosses in his room.

| 75min = They meet Guy de Chauliac in the corridors, he stumbles and lay on a wall. He sweats a lot and stared blankly at the players. He says that he is the greatest physician of his time, but the devil got to him anyway. He says he need to finish his masterpiece, Chirurgia Magna, but he had so little time to even start it.
| 90min = Scene of the Assassins. But Four assassins instead of Two.
}}

==Accused of Murder==

After the audience, the cardinal looks terrified. The players have to find a way to prove their innocence.

==Reasoning with the cardinal==
Either they go to the cardinal by themselves, or he sends them a letter.

He explains that he had no choice but doesn’t say anything more, their goal is to find leverage on him and/or prove their innocence.

'''Prove their innocence : either they use a skill, or they find out that he was not in Marseilles, but in Aix en Provence preparing the arrival or the Queen Jeanne. The proof, they have a signed document by the barons of Provence who say they will greet her.'''

They can try to use this as leverage against him, in which case he will simply withdraw his accusation. But it’s not a strong enough leverage to have him talk.

They have to find a way, any way to obtain this information. For example they can ask his valet Tancrède le Bon , he doesn't want to talk to them and he will lie, saying that indeed he was in Marseille, but his lies are not convincing, so they understand that he indeed wasn't in Marseille.

'''Action : If the timer is very short and the players beg the cardinal, he tells them to contact his scribe (so they get the proof to be innocent)'''

Tancrède le Bon is "the cardinal" of course he won't carry the ring on his hand most of the time, but he isn't a Trickster, so players will see that he lies and hides stuff, but they do'nt have the power to kill or imprison him (because he is protected by his cardinal)

Or they can ask his scribe who will say that indeed he wasn't in Marseille.

Once they confront him with this truth, he will withdraw his accusation.

Then his valet Tancrède le Bon will come to them and explain that he is haunted by a very powerful ghost. He says he saw this card on his table one morning.

==The dead pope==

A card with a skeleton pope on it and one sentence : Remember Carcassonne . [http://prima.wiki/images/8/8b/Remember_Carcassonne.png Remember Carcassonne] (Jean XXII was part of a big inquisition trial against Fraticelli in Carcasonne and he knew things about Élie de Nabinal that he use as blackmail. Elie de Nabinal was promoted by John XII because of his fight against Fraticelli)

The valet Tancrède le Bon doesn't know what this means and try to avoid the discussion.

Any player with '''Knowledge (heresy)''' will know what it means.

Otherwise they have to search the past of Elie de Nabinal where they see that Jean XXII gave him the title of "Master" in 1331 because of his fight against Fraticelli in Carcasonne.

'''Action : If they ask to check the records from that trial. ''' They are told that the records disappeared ! Some documents disappeared ! This is unacceptable !

==Assasination attempt==

'''Music : XenogearsZenoParadoxLightfromtheNetherworldsEBison then Z_Baston-Le diable est dans la boite'''

The same night two assasins unlock and open their door. They use a skeleton key that belonged to John XXII.

Unless the players have [[Instinct]] or stay awake or anything that could help them wakeup, they have to spend one [[Faith]] to be awaken. Because the assasins are quite stealthy.

The assasins are wearing worn crusaders armours.
Once of the players (of your choice) recognise one of them because he knew him for a previous crusade : Aimeric de Cros. It is a knight who fought alongside John XXII but who is now long dead. (if they manage to kill him, on further examination of the body it's not super clear if that's him or not)

One has a flail and shield, the other has a crusader longsword and a shield. All those equipments have been stolen from dead nobles burried in Avignon

It seems that they do'nt feel any pain when struck by players.

Two players need to have '''Combat (duel)''' to defeat both of them.
If one or two of them aren't defeated, they stab one or two random players with their poisoned weapons.
'''Immune (poison)''' or death for the player in question.

Élie de Nabinal is assassinated on that night 12th of January. He dies of the plague. (The players can’t prove he was assassinated)

His vallet Tancrède le Bon disappeared.

=Part 2 Archivum Secretum Apostolicum Avenionensium=
* '''Normal : Z_Normal-Cathédrale Silencieuse'''

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = A grand mass is organised to honour Cardinal Elie de Nabinal. The bells ring three times three strokes to announce his death.
'''Music : Epique désespéré 10 - Requiem, K.626, Lacrimosa (Mournful Day)'''
There's a grand procession. The grand room is lit with candles and incense. They can either attend or search the palace (until the music is finished).
During this time the archives are closed, but most other rooms are open.
If they search the room of the Cardinal (which is also the room of his valet) they find :
Below the bed there's a Book "Ars Magna by Ramon LLul" inside it there is a letter from Pope XXII to Gasbert de Valle congratulating him for the construction of the palace of the Popes . It is disturbing because Ramon LLul is very controvertial, in between alchemy and witchcraft.

In the chimney there are lots of letters who were burned. Only few words are sill readable : "Returned". "Soul". "Sin" And
"Your Illustrious Lordship's most faithful servant, Elie Cardinal de Nabinal"
.
"Le plus fidèle serviteur de Votre Illustre Seigneurie, Elie Cardinal de Nabinal"
(this is an address that you give to a pope as a cardinal, nobody else)

(If didn't solve the plague issue : Total 1 Bishop coughin, 0 Dead)

| 15min =
.
*They receive a letter for Guy de Chaulliac, he is critically ill and begs them to leave.
*If didn't solve the plague issue : Total 6 Bishop coughin, 1 Dead. (In the room where the person died, the cross is upside down. That's the symbol of the pope)
*7 Alchemy books disappeared. If they ask the titles : Liber de compositione alchimiae, De investigatione perfectionis (Geber), De mineralibus (Albart Magnus), Opus maius (Roger Bacon), The book of Abraham the Jew. And most importantly L’élixir des philosophes and L'art transmutatoire. Nobody knew those books were here ! Except the pope himself and the librarian. '''Knowledge (heresy)''' : The rumours says that it was John XXII who wrote "L’élixir des philosophes" and "L'art transmutatoire". The librarian explains that for some reason, the pope seemed passionate about alchemy, and at some point in his life he made a bull to ban alchemy ! Very strange.

| 30min =
.
* There's a servant who nailed his room and refuses to leave. He is too afraid of the plague.
* If didn't solve the plague issue : Total 13 Bishop coughin, 5 Dead. ('''Music : Hail This Nightmare - BloodBorne''' In one of the room of the dead, there are too many flies.)
* 5 Books and documents about the templars disappeared. If they ask the titles : Accounting books taken from some Templar commanderies, Liber Consolamenti (Secret rule of the Templars), Some letters and script of the trials some Bulls from John XXII. '''Knowledge (heresy)''' : The pope helped create lots of orders in Europe in the ashes of the templars. For example the order of Montesa in Spain or the order of Christ in Portugal.

| 35min = 2 Witchcraft and Jewish Magic books disappeared. If they ask the titles : Ghāyat al-Ḥakīm (Picatrix), Sepher Raziel HaMalakh (The Book of Raziel the Archangel) All those books are about Jewish magic and magic in general. '''Knowledge (heresy)''' John XXII made several bulls against the Jews.
| 40min =
.
* He informs the players that he saw someone sleep on the grave of John XXII, but he ran away.
* 1 Witchcraft and Jewish Magic books disappeared. If they ask for the title : Liber Semamphoras.
| 45min =
.
* There's a servant who died in the well.
* If didn't solve the plague issue : Total 28 Bishop coughin, 13 Dead ('''Music : Hail This Nightmare - BloodBorne''' There are an oncean of crossess in his room. One of the bishops says he hear the voice of John XXII and he was sure he could recognise him. He was asleep. So the next day he brought all the crosses.)
* 2 Witchcraft and Jewish Magic books disappeared. If they ask the titles : Sepher ha-Razim, The Sword of Moses. '''Knowledge (heresy)''' : The pope was targeted several times by sorcerers and he is the first one to decrete witchcraft as being heretical. But at the same time he collected books about magic !
| 50min = 1 Heresy and Death books disappeared. If they ask the title : Summa sacre magice Book about summoning the devil
| 55min = 1 Heresy and Death books disappeared. If they ask the title : Ars Notoria about summoning the devil
| 60min =
.
* An entire wing full of servants is isolated, because all servants there are ill. They guard the door 24/7.
* If didn't solve the plague issue : Total 58 Bishop coughin, 28 Dead ('''Music : Hail This Nightmare - BloodBorne''' One bishop died and his body is chewed by a lot of rats.)
* 1 Heresy and Death books disappeared. If they ask the title Liber Juratus Honorii (Sworn Book of Honorius) a Necromancy Grimoire, lots of letters about the Beatific vision. All those books are about summoning the devil or summoning death herself. '''Knowledge (heresy)''' : Pope XXII in his late life had a very strange theory about Death, for which he was criticez as being a heretic. In his point of view, people don't go to heaven just after death. First they are just in the embrace of death. He was called the heretic pope several times.

| 75min =
.
* They see some servants running around. Most guards left.
* If didn't solve the plague issue : Total 88 Bishop coughin, 58 Dead. (All the remaining bishops run away Avignon is mostly empty.)
* Books about Gold, the Fratichelli and the antichrist. If they ask the titles : All documents about the Fratichelli trials disappeared. '''Knowledge (heresy)''' : The pope was in favour of the church being rich which opposed him to the Franciscan Fratichelli, and he was called overtly as being the antichrist. And for some reason he became insanely rich, much richer than a pope should be at some point in his life.
| 90min = They hear the voice of John XXII and see his ghost go to the archives. All players roll a die 6, if 1 or 2 they run away (unless Courage).
}}

Some documents were stolen in the secret archives ! This is unacceptable ! A Cardinal died in strange circumstances, this is very strange too ! Too many death from the plague, they have to do something !

The players have to protect the archives the best they can and prevent the plague from spreading.

==Basic Protection from the Plague==

1 Bishops are bedridden, they caught the plague. Nobody else, no cardinals, no guard, just bishops and some servants.

'''Action : Mass is forbidden an people have to isolate'''

Anything else that makes sense

==Nothing stops the plague==

Bishops continue catching the plague (of course, that's not how the plague spreads in real life... so isolating people is useless)

They notice that their rooms are super cold and there's ice on the floor. They didn't notice it before, because : Before isolating them in their room, they would aerate their rooms during the day, now they can't.

(In particular it's "the cardinal's" goal to weaken the papacy as much as he possibly can, so he sneaks in he rooms of the people he wants to kill and talks to them Disguised at John XXII, scare them, make sure they are terrified. He choses on purpose only Bishops who new him in life so they will recognise his voice and face)

The players must understand that "the cardinal" enters through the window.

'''Action : Barricading the windows is the solution or guarding the outside is ok too.'''

'''Action : If they sneak in a room and prentend to be cardinals, at some point in the night, they see the shadow of a pope and the window opens. Then there's a torrent of flies.'''

==Securing the Archives==

Each X minutes some books disappear.

Some books are in a log, but the vast majority arent. Way too many books to transfer out of avignon.
Also the pope doesn't want too much noise about it.

They cannot condemn the access, because the pope has to send some new books or bulls or letters regularly.

Like everyone else, they can request access but they have to say exactly what they want to read.

Security system : There are guards fulltime by the door, just one entrance.

There's a librarian. To get a book, you need some kind of written authorisation and a password.

This password changes every week and depends on the sections (same system since Jean XXII). Very few people know the system.

The librarian gives a key that depends on the section.

Most books are chained, so when a chain is broken they know a book have been stolen. Then the librarian knows the names sometimes, sometimes he doesn't.

'''Action : Lock the most sensitive books / books about alchemy somewhere else.'''
Not possible, too many of them.

'''Action : Ask the Librarian to make a list of all the people he let in in the past month.'''
He say he will need some time.
Then he dies of the plague before he is finished.

'''Action : Ask to simply shut down the archives'''
The pope refuses, it's impossible.

'''Action : Change the password system.'''
He will get a very "low security" password and still access the best books by picking/breaking locks.

'''Action : Let one of the players guard the entrance and ask for the librarian to write the names of people goign to the archives.'''
Books missing. One of the locks have been broken.
No suspicious names in the list of people.
(the name of the valet of the cardinal is in the list but it's normal because the cardinal asked him to go archive some documents, also he goes throuogh the secret passage, so his name doesn't appear too many times)

'''Action : Search everyone leaving the archive'''
It's actually useless because he hides the books in an alcove and will unload all of them in one night through the window.

'''Action that works :'''

'''Action : Ask one guard to follow each person in the archives and check the name match guard x person'''

'''Action : People need to ask for a document and only the librarian go fetch it then record it.'''
Books still disappear, it's proof that there's another access, secret passage.

==Finding the secret passage==
How to find the secret passage ?
There's dust on the ground, but not nearly enough.

'''Action : If they try to study the plans of the floor''' there's no chance to find it. Because no precise plan exist.

'''Action : Tracker''' can work.

'''Action : Anything that makes sense is ok'''

'''Action : Knock on every walls until one of them sound empty.''' is ok.

'''Action : Pour water as much as they can and see where it exfiltartes''' is ok too.

They found a secret passage that leads to the archives that's where he was held !

That's when all the torches are blown
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=Part 3 The Labyrinth of Paper=
* '''Normal : Z_Baston-Skeleton Dance'''

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min =

They realise that they are in a HUGE maze of books. Bigger than a city. Books as far as the eye can see.

| 15min =

They see a pendent with a huge dog teeth, relic of "Saint Christopher" a Relic lost to mankind, because St Christopher is a man dog and he church doesn' accept that. They can take it if they want. (but then the player needs to take the Feat "Relic" and Prowess "Enrage (self)" or "Tracker")

| 30min = There's a lost librarian who lost his eyes, he has a reversed cross burned on his forehead and he run about speaking in tongue or speaking a foreign language, as if he lost his ability to speak latin

Khndrum yem ognir indz. Voreve meky karo՞gh e indz haskanal: Du indz haskanum yes ?
Khndrum yem ognir indz. Yes satana tesa: Satanan ink’y: Na yekav indz mot, khosets’ indz het: Khndrum yem ognir indz. Satanan aystegh e: Satanan aystegh e: Satanan aystegh e: Satanan aystegh e:

'''Knowledge (heresy)''' he speaks in Aramaic. A lost language used in the bible.

| 45min = They smell very strong incense. Everyone rolls for poison. Anyone who fails has to speak in tongue until the end of the game (or a language that nobody in the group understands, that's ok too). Explain them that they can't stay silent, they have to try to talk all the time. And they tell you their actions by sending or showing you written messages.
| 60min = There's the corpse of a librarian. His belly was clawed opened like by a bear. With his blood, it drew a reversed cross of blood. There's no way a human could have done that.
| 75min = They smell very strong incense. Everyone rolls for poison. Anyone who fails has to speak in tongue until the end of the game (or a language that nobody in the group understands, that's ok too)
From this point on, they see lots of reversed crucifix along the way. And there are bloody but confident footsteps of a goat.
| 90min = They finally catchup with the Pope. But a random player is stabbed in the heart by the Pagan demon, instant death.
}}

At this point, all the servants who got sick loose their mind and obey to the "cardinal".
They tear their clothes and draw runes on their body.

==Death==
They see a Pope walking among the archives.

Behind the gate is a madman crawled in a corner.

"I saw him ! It..it..it was the Pope ! John XXII it was him ! He..he..was obsessed with Death. His whole life he.. he.. As if he knew something ! As if he had made a deal !"

"Je l'ai vu ! C..c..c'était le Pape ! C'était Jean XXII ! Il..Il.. était obsédé par la mort. Toute sa vie... Il... Comme s'il savait quelquechose ! Comme s'il avait conclu un marché !"

He when through a gate which is locked (actually he has the key, made a copy of it)

'''Action : Lockpicking or some strength feats'''

==Heretics==

There's a bookshelf shaking.
On the bookshelf they see lots of books about trials and heretics that were burned by John XXII

Then nearby a torch is knocked over and start to burn books. They have to extinguish the fire !

'''Action : Unless they have a better idea, the only thing they can do is isolate the fire from other books.''' using a cover of hitting the flame of peeing on it or whatever won't work. But for example is they have "Well Prepared" they have enough water on them. They don't have time to go fetch water or whatever unless they have the "Agile" feat.

==Riches==

There's a weird voice talking like it talks backward.

"Antichrist, Antichrist, Antichrist, Antichrist, Antichrist"

They see the severed head of "Ange Clareno" one of the Fratricelli (they accused John XXII to be the antichrist)
They could swear they saw it talk and it didn't decay at all.

They realise that behind the shelf there's a secret walled section.

Inside the Archives, Jean XXII had walled a section. e.g. there's no way to reach it unless you know the right secret passage. It's a narrow passage between two shelves.

There's a statue of him on a column near that bookshelf. The statue has a big purse (players need to ask)

'''Action : Press on the purse''' It unlocks the secret door.

==Templars==

The book shelfs get closer and closer and there's an army of hands with chainmail (because most are guards who lost their minds) but looking from this point they look like skeleton templars (he Disguised some of them as skeleton templars)

'''Action : Some smart way to pass through for each players or they get Wounded'''

==Alchemy==

There's a huge Alchemy Lab inside the hidden part of the archives with all the books he confiscated. Proof that the pope was also an alchemist.

Lots of books and scrolls that he wrote.

There are tons of tiny wires attached to lots of vials, if they touch the wires, some acid or burning or poisonous vials fall on them.

"Eye for Detail" allow safe passage, same for "Clarivoyance" or "Reflexes" but they can at most help one person pass through.

Alternatively, they can throw a chair through the wires, but then the fumes are very numerous, so everyone is poisoned (Immune or "Wounded")

==Witchcraft==

As they progress through the secret section, they see Pope John XXII in the distance who finished signing a scroll.

A huge demon appears before them, with fiery wings and a fiery sword and the burning skull of deer.

He has huge claws.

Anyone without '''Courage''' has to roll a die 6 each turn. Unless 5 or 6 they run away. (once they run away, they can re-roll each turn to come back)

It is actually someone disguised as a demon, his sword is made of hundreds of chicken bones and his armor made of raw leather.

'''Action : unless Combat (monster) need some smart way to take him down'''

'''Action : If they manage to destroy the contract, a Combat (duel) is enough to defeat him'''

==Death==

"You who live: it is certain,
Sooner or later, you will dance.
Think on what you will do then.
I fought death my whole life, but she won the last battle.
She always win.
My torment is over,
Free me, I beg you"

"Vous qui vivez: il est certain,
Quoique cela tarde, que vous danserez.
Réfléchissez à ce que vous ferez alors.
J'ai combattu la mort toute ma vie, mais elle a gagné la dernière bataille.
Elle gagne toujours.
Ma peine se termine,
Je vous prie, libérez moi."

Several flying pigeons flew away with pages of a book.
They can take down one of them, the last one that he release, but that's it, other are gone already they see five cages of pigeons already used.

The pages he sent are taken from an alchemy book, this book references and transcribes pages of the "Book of the Acts of Solomon"
This book is a missing biblical text ! (e.g. mentioned in the bible but missing)
So he sent the last remaining copies of some parts of this book using those carrier pigeons.

He doesn't resist, they can kill him, he drunk poison anyway.

They can ask him any questions that they want.

He roughly answer them that he was very interested in gold and thus he studdied alchemy.

He met a templar alchemist and worked with him. That's why he helped so many templars.

And he discovered too late "who he was" that's why death took him.

=Epilogue=
Epilogue musics :
*'''Epique entre-scenart gagant 12-Pista de audio 12.mp3'''
*'''Epique entre-scenart gagant 12-Pista de audio 12.mp3''' (put it twice)
*'''Fin epique glorieuse 06-Final'''
*Then loop this Playlist '''Normal-Prima'''

At the end of the scenario, hey figure that the pigeons he sent were bound to Neuberg, the abbey they visited at the first episode !!

'''Music : Behelith then Firelink Shrine'''
And few days later, the 25th of January 1348, a HUGE earthquake shakes the entire region and destroys countless citizes and monasteries in the region.

At the end of the plague, 9 cardinals and 100 bishops died, it has never been seen in the history of Christendom.

By cross referencing with other books, they reaslie that the passage in question in the book was about the Opus Magnum and the Albedo (Oeuvre au Blanc) which is the second step of the realisation of the philosopher's stone, after the Nigredo (oeuvre au noir)

On him he has the [[Bone Ring]]

More infos about the Book of the Acts of Solomon who is a biblical lost text : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acts_of_Solomon

==Post Game Bonus==

Send those to the players as a post game bonus :

The vatican secret archives are indeed 85km long https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vatican_Apostolic_Archive

Pictures of the palace of Popes in Avignon : http://jaimelafrance.tourisme.fr/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Avignon5-750x563.jpg

Saint Christopher is indeed a Saint with a dog head : https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Saint_christopher_cynocephalus.gif
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Christopher

Elie de Narbinal did die the 12 of January 1348 of the plague in Avignon and he was at the trial of the Fraticelli in Caracasonne : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89lie_de_Nabinal

Gasber de Valle was indeed behind the enlargement of the Palais des Papes : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palais_des_papes_d%27Avignon#Origine_et_implantation_:_le_choix_d'Avignon

More infos on the book of the acts of Solomon, the missing biblical text : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acts_of_Solomon

And finally, there was indeed a HUGE earthquake the 25th of January 1348 centered in Neuberg : fr.qaz.wiki/wiki/1348_Friuli_earthquake

[[Category:Scenario]]
[[Category:Official Scenarios]]

Danse Macabre Part 5

2026-03-07T17:58:47Z

Taiko:

==Teaser==
Send to the players before the game :

10th of November 1347, Marseilles (Provence, Holy Roman Empire)
A strange curse has fallen on Marseilles in the last few days.
Many shopkeepers have been found dead from a strange disease.
Doctors are positive: it is a benign ague, but the population suspects that the wells have been poisoned.
Fortunately, the archbishop will soon organise a mass to calm the spirits.
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

10 Novembre 1347, Marseille (Provence, Saint Empire Romain Germanique)
Une étrange malédiction s'est abattue sur Marseille ces derniers jours.
De nombreux commerçants ont été retrouvés morts d'un étrange mal.
Les médecins sont formels : il s'agit d'une fièvre de ventre bénigne, mais la population soupçonne que les puits ont été empoisonnés.
Heureusement, l'archevêque va bientôt organiser une messe pour calmer les esprits.
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

=Intro - Flagellum Dei=

Disclaimer : This scenario is so hard, that it's ok if the players act a bit using their 20th century knowledge. For example if they all take [[Immune (diseases)]] before the scenario, that's ok. Or if they have the reflex to order lockdowns early on.

Also, explain them that since they start to have a lot of Feats, the right development strategy is to gather as many Prowesses as they can. [[Relic]] or [[Background]] allows them to skip some of the requirements and some Prowesses like [[Guards !]] don't have any requirements. Then get as many [[Miracle]] as they can, because the Feat [[Benediction]] becomes very powerful if they have a lot of Prowesses. Allow them to modify their entire Feats list if they aren't satisfied with their current character.

* Initial situation :
**Date : 10 November 1347
**Location : Marseilles (Provence, Holy Roman Empire)

Robert de Mandagout, the actual Deacon of Marseille is back in his city.
It's the 10 of Nov, it's been a week and a half since the fire in the cathedral. Rumours start to spread of a curse, so he has to make a speech.
He summons the crowd in front of the Cathedral to make a speech.
The young lord of Marseille is there too Hugues IV des Baux de Marseille

In his speech, he explains about the fire that happened and dispell any rumours of witchcraft.

He interrupt his speech and kneel make a sign of cross.

He yell there's a miracle and he sees an Angel : Gabriel.

Then he shouts as the angel with black wings, no you are not Gabriel take his sword and strike him.

'''Music : The Ringed City - Dark Souls III'''

Robert de Mandagout is on the central place with Hugues IV des Baux de Marseille
Hugues is wearing an elaborated red dress with their crest : A sun with a red backrgound.

: "Brave brave people of Marseille, foul rumours have been spreading lately.
God is and always have been blessing our sacred city, the recent fire in the cathedral is a pure accident and the culprits have been sevrely punished." / "Brave peuple de Marseille. De terribles rumeurs se sont répendu récemment. Dieu béni et a toujours béni notre chère cité. Le récent incendie dans la cathédrale n'est que pur accident les coupables ont été punis sévèrement.."

"It's the jews, we saw them !"/"c'est les juifs, je les ai vu !" shouts someone in the crowd.
"It's a curse"/" nous sommes maudits, dieu nous a oublié !" shouts someone else

"Your lord protector Hugues IV des Baux de Marseille and myself come before you to demonstrate that god's will is on our side and protects us." / "Votre seigneur et protecteur Hugues IV des Baux de Marseille et moi meme sont venu témoigner de l'amour de dieu et de sa miséricorde."

'''Music : Lacrimose'''

He stops and fall on his knees.

"My Lord, it is a miracle !"/"Mon seigneur, c'est un miracle !"
"Holy of the most holy, the angel Gabriel himself descends upon us. Yes my lords, you heard our prayers, we are not worthy of you most holy presence"/ "Par tous les saints, l'ange Gabriel lui meme nous rends visite. Oui mon seingneur avez entendu nos proières, nous ne sommes pas dignes de votre sainte présence."
"No, you are not Gabriel. My lord, what have we done to suffer your wrath. Sheathe your sword. No. No. Nooooo." / "Non, vous n'êtes pas Gabriel. Mon seigneur qu'avons nous fait pour mériter votre courroux. Non, ne porte pas ton épée sur nous. Non. Non. Noooon".
He then tries to draw a guard's sword and start attacking the lord of Marseille.
He yells "the destroyer angel is upon us. Good people of Marseille. Repent ! Repent !" / "L'ange exterminatteur est sur nous. Peupel de Marseille repnts toi ! Repentez vous tous !"

* Explanations :

Hugues IV des Baux de Marseille 1311-1351 is 36 yrs old. He is the Viscount of Marseille and lords of les Baux.

Agout des Beaux is very jealous. His seal : http://jean.gallian.free.fr/comm2/Images/sceaux-dauph/Baux1.jpg
DESCENDANTS DU ROI MAGE BALTHAZAR !!!
Seigneur de Caromb
Sénéchal Beaucaire,
Nimes et Toulouse
Cap. gén. en Languedoc

He has been trying to assasinate Hugues for years, because if he died, he would become the lord of Marseille.

By searching in the history of his family,

Devise : A l'asar Beautezar http://jean.gallian.free.fr/comm2/fam_fich/b/baux.htm

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_des_seigneurs_des_Baux

https://en.calameo.com/read/001513011c76c5b895e08

His uncle Agout is very jealous. If he could kill him, he would become the most powerful noble of Provence.
That's why he became "L"
His full name. Agout Louis des Baux. Hence his nickname : "L"

Their crest : A sun with red background.

3 courbes :
(Actual 20 June - 20 July) : Few death 1 Nov 24 Nov
7,5x increase 0 - 150 24 Days (Actual 20 July - 13 Aug) (Quanrantaine pour les villes alentours 31 July) 24 Nov - 15 Dec
85x 13-23 150 - 1000 10 Jours (Actual 13 Aug - 23 Aug) 15 Dec - 25 Dec Birth of the Antichrist ????
(Actual 23 Aug - 13 Sept) : Stagne 1000 3 Jan - 23 Jan
(Actual 13 Sept - 3 Oct) : Chute du nombre de morts 23 Jan - 13 Feb
13 Sept, Entry exit of the city completely banned.

The apocalypse's Dragon = Satan = The Plague. The apocalypse beast from the sea = The relic owners. TThe apocalypse beast from the land = the Antechrist = The relic owner, the "pope"

* Unsolved mysteries :

What do the abraxas with ten crowns means ?
What was Agout's "legacy" ?
Where did the philospoher stone go, how did it attract so much money ?

* Historical themes :
-Plague in Marseille
-Apocalypse

=Part 1 The Rumours 10 Nov - 24 Nov=
* '''Normal : Z_Normal-Département Nécrologique'''

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = The Bishop wakes up. Two doctors argue doctor says he has "'''ague'''", or "smallpox" or perhaps he was poisonedn ('''fièvre de ventre''', fièvre charbonneuse ou trousse-galant, bosas, carboncles en français). His simptoms : Fever, bubon rouge et chaud sous l’aine les aisselles ou les genoux, le cou Tres soif.. Lots of sweat. Delirium and dellusions. He shit himself, smells bad. He say repeatedly : "Behold, I have sinned, and I have done perversely; but these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand be against me, and against my father's house." "Regarde! C'est moi qui ai péché, c'est moi qui suis coupable. Mais ces brebis, qu'ont-elles fait? Porte donc la main contre moi et contre ma famille!" People know the bible and they make immediate paralelw tih the King davivd plague.
| 15min = The ashes in the cathedral have been cleaned. And the molten metal have left the marks in the ground of a dragon with seven heads. When a priest see this, he make a sign of cross and say : "And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads." "Un autre signe parut encore dans le ciel; et voici, c'était un grand dragon rouge, ayant sept têtes et dix cornes, et sur ses têtes sept diadèmes." '''Music : Lacrimosa''' As they say this a crow flies away screaming.
| 30min = A person in the hospital or in the streets took his weapon and start fighting back the angel. He starts attacking foreign merchants. His Symtoms : Pink Cough, black spots on fingers and neck.
| 45min = The players notice everyone is wearing a chapel with a black angel with a sword and a black feather. Some random commoner offers one to the players for protection. We have to repent and pray god's mercy.
| 60min = Riche fuyant marseille déguisé en paysant en enfouissant des richesses dans des jarres d’huile d’olive
| 75min = A Crazy priest is yelling that people should repent, the angel with the black wings will come. He is followed by one or two flagellans.
| 90min = Final scene with the riot of diseased people. Players roll 5-6 or are ill. THey lose all 50 Soliders.
}}

The lord says that similar cases have appeared few days back. So he will be in charge of stopping the disease. But he asks the church to help him fight rumours.
If the players start to try to fight the disease, he will tell them to stop and focus on the panic.

The players start with 50 soldiers working for them.

PEOPLE BLAMED : les juifs, les bergers, les sorciers, les marchands, en particulier ambulants

Knowledge apothecary, they can make perfume if they want, enough to protect them.

==Rumour 1 : The de Baux family is cursed - 10 Nov==
That's why the cathedral burned, and god sent a message. All victims where linked to the family one way or another.
Which explains the black angel.

Action : Organise a big mass to sanctify the lord or organise a fake miracle.
Action : Blame someone lese (like the Bishop)

==Rumour 2 : The Ville Haute is poisoning people from Ville Basse covering it up like a disease - 14 Nov==
A Civil war is starting where the Ville Basse (the port) wants to attack the Ville Haute (under Bishop authority) because most cases where in Ville basse, so they think it's the Bishop who is trying to spread fear.

Useless Action : Make a Speech. People don't believe.

Action : Raid the rioter's HQ Combat (squirmish)

Action : Ville Haute make some kind of Donation or strong monetzary gesture.

Action : Pay the merchant leaders / promise them to have better access to the ville haute market

==Rumour 3 : Jews are poisoning the wells - 18 Nov==
It start with some Jews being hanged.
Because at least two or three christians died near the Jewish quartier and no jews died.

Action : Drink publicly from the well. Or show some Jews are actually ill (make some fake Jew if need be)

===Riot against the Jews - 22 Nov===
'''Music : Baston Brigands'''
A riot is happening against the Jews of one quartier, they are all getting killed. Other jews are scared.

Action : Sneak the jews out.
Action : Barricade them

==Rumour 4 : Soldiers are slaughtering people in the port - 24 Nov==
'''Music : Lacrimosa'''
The players check, it's true.

Final scene :
They are walling an entire part of the city.
Ils embarrciadent et condamnent les maisons en secret juste quelques patés de maisons. Ils transpercent les gens qui essaient de d'enfuir. Il ne les nourrissent pas pour qu'ils meurent plus vite.
Des gardes tuent un malade qui a réussi a sortir.
Puis c'est une émeute de gens qui s'enfuient.

=Part 2 The Plague 24 Nov (10 death) - 15 Dec (150 death)=
* '''Normal : Z_Normal-Cathédrale Silencieuse'''

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = All markets closed people angry about it. Small Riot. People go drink at the river because they don't trust the wells.
| 15min = Apoticaires vendant des faux remèdes pour se protéger la fièvre de ventre, he also sell fake relics and phylacteries. "Carbuncle gems"/"Escarboucles" à porter sur soi. Albert le Grand says i protects against poisons. Lots of boats leaving, lots of people leaving. One rich priest was found dead. All of his money gone. His Eyes are terrified on his face. The population is terrified to see that priests are not immune.
| 30min =Most Rich Houses are Empty - Lots of Thiefs. Port closed. All "Gouvernails" on all boats are removed. Someone runs in the streets yelling "The angel with the black wings is coming"
| 45min =Poeple Forbidden to leave the City. Riot at the gates, people killed. Minus 40 soldiers. One quartier wall themselves in and organise a clandesitne theater.
| 60min =Forbidden to bury people. Corpses burried in Charnier with chaux vive. Thief loot houses and corpses. Minus 40 soldiers. Another noble found dead, all of his money gone. Black feathers everywhere in his home.
| 75min =Everyone who has the disease, alive or not is thrown to fosse commune. Minus 40 soldiers. Drawings on the walls of an angel with black wings and a sword. Another Quarier wall themselved in.
| 90min = Church Close. No more Thieves dare to loot anything. No more beggars also. Streets empty. All players see the shadow of the winged angel. Roll of catch the disease. They loose all soldiers and doctors.
}}

The lord begs the players to help him in his fight against the disease, because his attempts have been unsuccessful.

It's been a bit less than a month, they had one or two death per day. But yesterday they had 10 in one street and tried to quaranteen the part, but couldn't.

==Problem 1 : Different people trying to help are disorganised 24 Nov - 10 Death / day ==

Action : Rule that they have to obey to the players. Or create a daily meeting with them.

The players have the previous soldiers plus 200 and 10 doctors They have the help of doctors with museau de cuir (pas un bec à cette époque)

==Problem 2 : Basic rules 29 Nov - 15 Death / day ==

Actions : Some quartiers quaranteened. Walled ?

Actions : Forbid people to leave their home.

Action : Clean the streets

Action : Close restaurants and all public places

==Problem 3 : No place for hospitals 2 Dec - 24 Death / day ==

Action : requistion businesses
Action : Requisition market places
Action : use churches

==Problem 4 : Lots of Thieves spreading the disease. 6 Dec - 37 Death /day ==

Action : Pay the thief guild.

Action : Death penalty for thieves.

Action : Mettre Des croix blanches/noire/rouges sur les portes ? pour éviter que les voleurs attrapent la maldie

Useless Action : Publicly explain that the disease is contagious.

==Problem 5 : Too many corpses to burry individually. 10 Dec - 57 Death / day ==

Action : Fosse commune.

Action : Burn corpses on the streets not accepted at this point.

==Problem 6 : Lots of people hungry, total shortage of food. Merchants refuse to go into the city. 13 Dec - 89 Death / day ==

Action : Commerce without contact. The merchant arrives, drop the goods and a bag of coins is thrown at him. COins are perfumed to purify it.

==Problem 7 : A random noble require the right to leave 15 Dec - 138 Death / day ==

Action : Kill him discretely
Action : Give him a letter of health
Action : Any other ways to make him shut up

==Problem 8 : Lack of money.==
Action : take money from the deceased
Action : Borrow money from rich people in the city

=Part 3 The Horror 15 Dec (150 death per day) - 25 Dec (1000 death per day) =
* '''Normal : Z_Flippant - Quake'''

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min =Permanent stench of death. Church full of bodies Are scealed. Complete silence all stray dogs died.
| 15min = '''Music : Procession Of The Flagellants from The Seventh Seal'''A massive protest of Flaggelands yelling and chanting everyone kneel in their wake.
| 30min = Baby crying in a house. His mother just died, he is alone in the world. Minus 50 conscripts. Archers at the city gates. Anyone leaving the city killed on sight. Minus 50 conscripts. Very rich man in Marseille found dead. All of his money Gone, a tall man hiding wings below his cape was seen leaving the scene, a burned contract signed by L can be found in the chimney.
| 45min =Orgies of Horse Meat killed all the horses. Minus 50 conscripts. Crow feathers in all the streets.
| 60min =Canibalism. Minus 50 conscripts. The Richest man in Marseille found dead. All of his money gone. His last words. I expected you. The destroyer angel. A tall man hiding wings below his cape was seen leaving the scene, there was an L etched on his cape.
| 75min =Streets are Empty All houses are nailed. Corpses pile up in the streets, no more burning. Minus 50 conscripts.
| 90min =Guards stop obeying. Doctors also. Stop counting. Total Chaos. All consripts and guard and doctors are dead or left.
}}

15 Dec 138 Death / day
17 Dec 189 Death / day
19 Dec 259 Death / day
21 Dec 354 Death / day
22 Dec 486 Death / day
23 Dec 666 Death / day
24 Dec 912 Death / day

The players have all previous soldiers and doctors plus 400 unarmed conscripts.

==Problem 1 : 100 dead. Too many corpses to carry by hand. 15 Dec 138 Death / day ==

Action: Use carts. (unless done laready)

'''Nobody wants to pull the corpse carts. Because they die too fast.'''

Action : Use the prisoners.

Action : Motivational speech or Charmisa or Deus veult.

==Problem 2 : A Crazy monk nails black feathers on a lot of doors. 19 Dec 259 Death / day ==
It terrifies the local population.

Action : Offer food reward to anyone who saw him. Then burn him at the stake.

==Problem 3 : People sneaking int he royal palace to sneak out food and water. One deseased died in the food storage. 22 Dec 486 Death / day ==

Action : Put the food in the dungeon.

Action : Purify it with smoke.

Most people in the council left.

==Problem 4 : Too many corpses to put on carts. 23 Dec 666 Death / day ==

Action : Burn corpses directly in the streets.
Stench in the streets of bruning corpses.
Almost nobody in the council. Hugues is ill.

==Problem 5 : Quartier de la Tourette too hard to remove corpses. 100% of people died theree. 24 Dec 912 Death / day ==

Action : Burn the whole Quartier. Or anything else that makes sense.
If burn it is a big big problem because the Mistral is constantly blowing.

Just two people in the council.

=Part 4 Hell - 25 Dec=
* '''Normal : Z_Flippant - Dark World'''

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = They realise that it's quite cold in the palace (servants stopped heating) and the streets are perfectly quiet. They are in a dead city. The head of guards decides to wall the entrance of the palace. Outside the only noise is a person lying in front of the palace coughing.
| 15min = They hear footsteps and grinding stone noise in the Castle. One of the feverish servants of the lords tries to asassinate him he wield a human bone. Roll or get disease. The Bone is old. It's unclear where it come from.
| 20min = They hear footsteps and grinding stone noise in the Castle.
| 30min = At some point the light is off, then the angel arrive, one player need to roll. From this point on, they have to keep light on. They see fire burning in the distance with a clear stench of burned bodies.
| 40min = They hear footsteps and grinding stone noise in the Castle.
| 45min = At some point the diseased in the street stop coughing. There's absolute silence. They hear a silent sound. That's when the Angel visit the players until the player make some noise, one player need to roll if he doesn't make noise fast enough. From this point on, they have to keep noise and light on. In the distant they hear a Kyrie Eleison.
| 60min = One of the soldiers fall asleep, the angel visit him in his sleep, from this point on they have to stay wake, light on and noise. In the distant they see an ocean of people fleeing in the streets, they don't know what or why. If they haven't found it yet, a door stay open.
| 75min = Crowd of people try to bash the wall down, they are starving and crazed. Time is running out.
| 90min = The disease flock in he castle, the player have to fight and all roll for disease. They run to a random door and land in the final church.
}}

The Lord of marseille's staff has fever. The lords, the players and his personal guards are the only ones in the palace who are healthy.

He begs the players to ensure his safety. After that event, he has fever too and can't leave bed.

The player's role is to protect him.

Survive the plague themselves and save the lord of marseille who can't move

He is worried because his uncle Agout disappeared of his room.

==Make Noise, then keep light, then stay awake==
Step by step they will have to keep noise, light and stay awake to keep the angel at bay.
As soon as there's a long enough moment of silence, the angel comes. So they have to make noise.
The players need to find a solution to keep the noise.
Same for light and sleep depending on the timing.

==Secret passages==
The Lord doesn't know of secret passages, that he is aware of.
Studying the map of the castle is useless, because it doesn't tell where is the entrance.
Solution : Put some dust/flour on the ground until they find where the footsteps come from.
Solution : Check for cold wind below furnitures.

==The Templar Cupboard==
The steps come from a cupboard.
The players could easily destroy it, but it would sound the alarm.
That's one way of doing it though.

On the cupboard there are pedestals for swords. One is missing. The name Barral 1er des Baux is written on this pedestal.
If they ask tthe lord, he will reluctantly say that he has a dark reputation because he was pasionnate about alchimie and the occult and he was close to the templars. I'ts possible to find a templaer sword sowhere else in the castle, on a mannequin.
Puttting there a templar sword unlocks the door.

==Templar Hideout==
If the players are all immmune, the lord come with them.

Lost of books about templars, lots encyphered letters.
Some gold lots of armors.
Spiderwebs everywhere.
They learn about the past of this family.

Where did he go ?
Spiderwebs everywhere, except one place.

Also, there's only one place with bones.

They learn that Barral 1er des Baux was excommunicated five times. Excommunié à cinq reprises, n'hésitera pas à s'exclamer: " Tous les absous sont mes ennemis et tous les excommuniés mes amis."

==Hell==
'''Music : Gyorgy Ligeti - Lux aeterna (2001- A Space Odyssey)'''
They have until the end of two times the music to figure it out.

A place full of skeletons. Tomb of Barral 1er des Baux.
Lots of Crows in the room looking at them.
That's where the bone sword was kept. (perhaps other artifacts as well ?)

In the middle of the room, there is a pedetals that used to have a black oily stone on it.
Around it is an unbelievable fortune.

One of the players is attacked by the Destroyer Angel. If the players are all immmune, the lord come with them.
The angel has black wings.

Barral 1er des Baux has a tomb, only his tomb is not opened.

Action : The player should open his tomb. They see his corpse, but his sword is missing.
Once the angel of death is gone, they can keep following the destroyed spiderwebs.

The Lord remember a story. That he was afraid of crows and he died when a crow landed in his window.

==Killing L==
'''Music : Z_Baston-Skeleton Dance'''
They arrive to a nearby church full of bodies. Danse macabre fresqueses in the church. Statue of an angel with a sword.
He is in tthe church top floor.
He is tall, has a big cape and a templar shield in his back, so it looks like he has wings.

He acuses the players of having stolen his philosopher's stone.
With a wave of his sword peiple who are still alive in the piles of bodies will get up and attack the payers. Roll for disease.
Up to the players to kill him remotely. They have to kill him TWICE. The first time is not enough, it makes him use his rage.
There's a statue above him of an angel with a sword. It's unstable, possible to make it fall. Lots of crows on the wings of the statue commenting on the fight. His platform is unstable as well.
players might have a remote atack, all is ok.

=Epilogue=
Epilogue musics :
*'''Epique entre-scenart gagant 12-Pista de audio 12.mp3'''
*'''Epique entre-scenart gagant 12-Pista de audio 12.mp3''' (put it twice)
*'''Fin epique glorieuse 06-Final'''
*Then loop this Playlist '''Normal-Prima'''

While searching the cache, they find a letter signed between L and "the Pope" who explains they will use L's legacy to make the philisopher's stone. This letter is sealed by L's seal.

On his corpse they find a signet ring. The letter L with on the background an Abraxas with ten crowns. http://prima.wiki/images/c/ce/Abraxas.jpg
"rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. The whole earth was amazed and followed the beast. And they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like the beast? Who is able to wage war against it? " "je vis monter de la mer une bête qui avait dix cornes et sept têtes, et sur ses cornes dix diadèmes, et sur ses têtes des noms de blasphème. Et toute la terre était dans l'admiration derrière la bête. ils adorèrent la bête, en disant: Qui est semblable à la bête, et qui peut combattre contre elle ? "

It's Christmas 1347, the Beast is released on europe.
'''Danse Macabre'''

100 000 inhabnitants in marseille, half are dead.

Decisions :

What to do about Hugues IV ?

What do they recommend about ville haute vs ville basse ?

What do they recommend the Sword ?

What do they do about the gold ?

Historic context :
After the plague all the population leave on the hills near Marseilles for a while before returning to the city.
Few days later, the Queen Jeanne will unite the ville haute and ville basse.

==Post Game Bonus==

Send those to the players as a post game bonus :

As a bonus, here is the Emblem of Agout des Baux : http://jean.gallian.free.fr/comm2/Images/sceaux-dauph/Baux1.jpg

The Emblem of Barral 1er des Baux : http://thierryhelene.bianco.free.fr/drupal/sites/default/files/barral2.jpg

An article about Barral 1er des Baux (automatic translation) All is historical, he was indeed excommunicated 5 times, and died when a crow landed on his window : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barral_Ier_des_Baux

http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=fr&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Ffr.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FBarral_Ier_des_Baux

http://prima.wiki/images/b/b1/Agout_des_baux_biography.png

An article in French about Barral 1er that explain his link to the templars : http://www.lesfilsdelavallee.fr/index.php/fr/les-statuts-secrets-de-lordre-des-templiers

Here is the scene from the movie "the Seventh Seal" with the Flagellants during the black plague : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_bhj-_LRY8

The "Beast from the Sea" of the Tapestry of the Apocalypse : https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/PMa_ANG036_F_Angers.jpg

[[Category:Scenario]]
[[Category:Official Scenarios]]

Danse Macabre Part 4

2026-03-07T17:58:37Z

Taiko:

==Teaser==
Send to the players before the game :

28th of October 1347, Marseilles (Provence, Holy Roman Empire)
His Magnum Opus cost him everything: his fortune, his family, his soul.
Under the unholy gaze frozen in clay of his demented masters he works tirelessly.
The end is near, his pact is formal.
Soon he will be the richest man in Marseille and probably in the whole Empire !
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

28 Octobre 1347, Marseille (Provence, Saint Empire romain)
Son Grand Oeuvre lui aura tout coûté : sa fortune, sa famille, son âme.
Sous le regard impie figé dans l'argile de ses maîtres déments, il travaille inlassablement.
La fin est proche, son pacte est formel.
Bientôt, il sera l'homme le plus riche de Marseille et probablement de tout l'Empire !
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

=Intro - Danse Macabre=

* Initial situation :
**Date : 28 October 1347
**Location : Marseilles (Provence, Holy Roman Empire)

Previously, the players have found an invitation for a Masquerade (Bal Masqué) for the Toussaint 31 Oct 1347 !!!! (Fete des morts).
There was a date, but no address on it.
On the invitation, there is a drawing of the Saint Victor Abbaye in the background. https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbaye_Saint-Victor_de_Marseille
This is a hint that the ball will happen in Marseille.
And indeed, a ball is organised there, near the docks.

The players find where the maskerade was supposed to happen. It was supposed to happen in Marseille. In the cathedral.
They arrive few weeks before to try to investigate.

Every year, a Masquerade (Bal Masqué) is organised in Marseille by the church. It happens in the cathedral : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbaye_Saint-Victor_de_Marseille

The actual point of this masquerade is to gather all the representatives of the different Bone objects.

The ball is organised by "Bishop".

During the ball, he will give them instructions on how to meet them for the final ritual : The burning of the tower.

Cathedral is a living place, lots of beggars and orphans. People sick and poor. But balls are organised there too.

The players go to the cathedral early. To prepare.
The maskerade is organised every year it's not connected to "L".
"L" uses this venue as a way to secretly give instructions on the actual meeting place and time. The meeting will happen in the cathedral where they will do the final ritual of the bones.
The deacon of the cathedral ("Bishop") is corrupted as well.

The danse macabre masquerade
The cathedral is mostly closed. Because it's in construction.
All services are held in one wing which is still open
They build a spire of bones, to be sure the workers aren't aware that those are bones, they are hidden in word and straws

* Explanations :

"L" has been preparing a ritual for a very long time.
For his ritual to succeed, he needed lots of skeletons of people killed in a certain way.

That's why he recruited the Merchant "Coin", the Ministrel "Violin", the deacon "Bishop" etc...
They had the task to kill X people in a very specific way. "Coin" had to buy corpses or sell goods that would kill, "Violin" had to dance them to death, etc....
As a compensation, they got gold, support and a "Bone" item.

All these corpses where shipped to him to marseille encased in bricks made of flamable materials.

The point is to make a spire with all the corpses and burn it.

If successful, this ritual will multiply the virality of the plague and let it spread through europe.

* Unsolved mysteries :
Why trigger the Black Plague ?
Who is "L" ? Where does those "Bone" objects come from ?

* Historical themes :
Bal des Ardents : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bal_des_ardents tragic even where a charivari ended in a fire
Cour des miracles
Orphans
Beggars
Whores
Aumone
Hospital
Cathedral

=Part 1 Cour des Miracles=
* '''Normal : Z_Normal-Cathédrale Silencieuse'''

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = Visit of the cathedral and infirmary. They notice how brightly colored the cathedral is, as they used to be in that time.
| 15min = There's an old man in his bed, with a lady sobbing at his side. She's a whore (she wears very bright colours) and he is her dying father. Her son was taken as well. Her left shoulder is bleeding a strange wound with a strange shape.
When interrogated, she will explain that she was forced to partake in satanic rituals. She remembers particularly the stench of sulfur and the heat. (more infos about her in the scenario track.
| 30min = A Leper come to them asking for Alms. He said he was refused in the Leprosy. He is an actual lepper. He tell the players that orphans are disappearing, he also tell them about people meeting at night in the crypt below the cathedral. When he goes there, he cannot find the door, he points to a wall (an actual wall). He just rememebr wrong. '''When he sees the wall Music : Alone in the Dark Mysteries'''
| 45min = They see a man counting coins. When approached he pretends to be blind. He is a thief. After they finished takling to him, their purse is gone. And so is he. '''When he sees the wall Music : Alone in the Dark Mysteries''' His left shoulder is bleeding a strange wound with a strange shape.
| 60min = They go to their room. The hostel owner have been killed. Stabbed at the left shoulder. '''When they see he is dead : Alone in the Dark Mysteries''' Their stuff have been stolen. When they leave the hostel, it burns. When it burns. '''When they see it burn : Berserk Behelith'''
| 75min = A riot between sailors (ville basse) and soldiers (ville haute) they fight against a new tax instored in the ville haute that tax goods coming from the sea and sold at ville haute. The Lepper is found dead in the riot. '''When they see the dead lepper : Berserk Behelith''' His left shoulder is bleeding a strange wound with a strange shape.
| 90min = They see a vallet feeding an orphan. He runs away and bring them to the trap. ''When they are attacked : Baston Bridgands !''
}}

The players arrive at the cathedral of Marseille. They are Greeted by the ex deacon (évèque) of Marseille : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasbert_de_Valle
He is the Camerier of the pope : E.g. he manages finances for the pope.
He managed to get funds to renovate the cathedraL.
THe current Deacon (évèque) stays in Avignon while the cathedral is being renovated.

The evil cult will pay some poor to take part of their rituals, part of the ritual is to wound them in the shoulder. The wound is the shape of a hare foot, it's the sign of the devil.

The Deacon has a crosier (crosse épiscopale) with a relic inside. A little chesspiece representing a skeleton Bishop.

He greets the players and they talk about the Masquerade that will happen.

As they meet him, he is playing chess against a canon.

The players can make one move.

The game pieces have their specific moves, which are also used for Byzantine (round) chess:
The King moves one square in any direction.
The Counsellor/Queen moves only one square diagonally.
The Elephant/Bishop moves exactly 2 spaces diagonally. It can jump over other game pieces. This means that its movement is restricted to only 8 places on the board.
The Knight moves like the modern chess knight: two spaces forward/backward or sideways plus one space at a right angle (an L-shape). The knight jumps over other pieces.
The Rook moves like the modern one: unlimited movement forward, backward or sideways until it has reached another piece. It cannot jump.
The Pawn moves one square forward when not capturing. Capturing occurs one step diagonally. Unlike modern chess, the pawn does not have the two-square step as the initial move. When pawns reach the other end of the board they are promoted to a counsellor.

He is very cooperative (he's a Trickster).

The Cathedral is being expanded, they want to build some new towers https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbaye_Saint-Victor_de_Marseille#Les_remaniements_d%E2%80%99Urbain_V

He will let them visit if they want except the tower because it's unstable yet.

Worse case scenario if they really want to visit the tower, they see nothing. Bones are hidden inside bricks made of material that can burn but looks like stone.

He want to throw them on the wrong trail. So he tells them about the numerous Oprhans disappearing. In the mean time he will order thugs to kill the players.

He says there is a heretic cult in town who takes orphans.

The point is to lure players into a trap.

They visit the hospice with the deacon.
They see Leppers, old people, beggars, orphans, diseased, wounded soldiers, madman, crippled, prostitutes.

(if the ask the orphans to stop begging, they need to pay, but it doesn't solve anything, just stop the killings)

Action : Ask the orphans where they go beg. See that there is just one street with zero orphan beggars (because that's where they disappear)

Action : Ask the prositute where she met with the person that led her to the statanic ritual.

The prostitute has a lot to say. Her sould is broken since her son got caught and since she partook in the satanic ritual.
She remembers that she was paid by a very wealthy vallet wearing provins blue in a street in Marseille.
Little did he know the horrors she would have to commit to survive.
Then he put a blingfold on her and she walked on pavement, then grass, then some moving stone noise, then crawling underground, then a massive door unlocked and she arrvied in hell.
She cries as she describes hell : The heat, the sulfure. She was like inside a stomach.
There were statues decapitates with weird clay horrors instead of their heads.
There was an assembly of people in black robes. One of them was the master of the ceremony, he was the most cruel. Under his cape there was something like wings. His voice was sweet and seductive, sweet like a knife.
Most prostitutes, orfans and beggars who where brought there died if they refused to submit. She wishes that she had to courage to die, because now her soul is gone because of the horrors she commited.
They made her to horrible things and as a prostitute, she have done disgusting things in the past but nothing of this magnitude. There was rape, but not only, there was murder of childrens, but not only, there was canibalism but that wasn't event he worse of it. She refuses to say what was the worse of it because it broke her sould. (some kind of combination of the three in the wrong order. The point is not to describe gruesome things to the players but to suggest them.)
She cries and want to redeem.

Action : There is a vallet looking through his window all the time. For no reason.

Action : They search his home, he is not here. He left throught the window to go to a nearby home (the two homes are very close.)

The other home is a trap. That's where they are attacked.

A lot of brigans with clubs come to them. ''When they are attacked : Baston Bridgands !''

Combat (Skirmish) or they are wounded before the guards arrive.

=Part 2 Danse Macabre=
* '''Normal : Psychlopean King in Yellow (put in the background with very very low volume : Vampire Dark Waltz)'''

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = The ball starts with a feast in the cathedral. That draws all the poors. The meat tastes weird. Everyone wears a mask, even the poor. Lots of tables, from rich to poor. Different food on each tables. A very strong feeling of evil. Almost everyone have a wound at the shoulder.
| 15min = A strange noble come to them and ask for a Dance. He insist. If a player dance with him or refuse, he take off his mask and salute. He has the same face of a baron that died a long time ago. A splendid lady that radiates evil takes his hand to ask him to dance (she is the "Lover" of the danse macabre). Later on, the players cannot see him anymore.
| 30min = Their drink have been exchanged with blood. They spit. In their food. They find a card with a skeleton.
"Vous qui vivez: il est certain,"
"Quoique cela tarde, que vous danserez."
"Mais quand, Dieu seul le sait!"
"Réfléchissez à ce que vous ferez alors. "
| 45min = Someone shouts start attacking someone else with his knife. He is a madman : "Is saw them ! Human bodies in the cathedral ! Hundreds of them ! ! I hear their screams ! Don't get any closer !" He is not wounded at the shoulder. He is quickly surrounded by guests with skeleton masks, in particular a monk face hooded with a rosary (chapelet in english) made of bones that radiate evil take his hand and take him away (it's the Priest (curé), also an artifact) and he is taken out of the ball. Never to be seen again.
| 60min = A man with a skeleton mask come to one of the players that have an artifact. He ask him to dance and the player cannot resist. This player is gone until the next phase. He is found unconscious on the way to the cemetry. With a wound on his shoulder.
| 75min = '''Music : Behelit Berserk''' Characters chained together and covered in feathers and oil arrive and scream like monsters.
| 90min = '''Music : Danse Macabre''' The fire starts and the maskerade stops, players are caught in the fire.
}}

The players attend the Masquerade / Charivari / Carnaval. All the Danse Macabre characters will attend.
This day is All Saint Day, also sometimes considered a Day of the Dead, hence the theme.

It's held in part of the cathedral everyone has masks.

They feel some very heavy ambiance.

Action : scan the crowd for artefact bearers, there are clearly lots of them who avoid the inquisitors as much as possible. They are extremely defensive.
For example they see :

A man completely obessed with a small chest hidden by a piece of cloth. The usurer.

They see a couple sitting on a donkey. The man on the back, the lady in front. Followed by a lot of people making a lot of noise. It's a charivari, a punishment because they re-married. The donkey is followed by a man with a walking stick. He radiates evil It's the Hermit.

Some of the guests start to puke blood. A doctor come to them. His face covered with a mask. He radiates evil. He walks them out of the party. They will die the next day.

A Wealthy religious men with a Ring that radiates evil. The cardinal.

A man with Huge arms that radiates evil. The sergent.

Action : follow them, they can see that a weird person (disguised as the grim reaper) give them all a letter.

Action : Either they steal the guy's bag discreetely or take the letter from an artifact bearer who is drunk.

The letter is a name and date in the past and a time. It's the name of a person who died. Raymond II des Baux 1237, he was the lord of Marseille a century ago.

Action : Tonight they should go to the grave of the person with the given name. It's a small crypt.

When they leave the maskerade, the fire starts, but they are spared.

There they see someone waiting for them.

They have to get rid of him one way or another.

Clearly there are traces of a recent passage.

=Part 3 The crypt=
*'''Normal : Z_Flippant-Gyorgy Ligeti''' without '''01-GyrgyLigetiRequiem'''

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = They hear a long scream echoing and then it's gone.
| 15min = As they crawl, there's some blood stains on the floor. It taints their clothes.
| 30min = Scratching noise coming from a tomb. It's a rat inside.
| 45min = Blood dripping from the ceiling. No idea where it come from. They hear chanting. Something evil is happening upstairs.
| 60min = They see a man crawling in their direction. He was the victim of sacrificial rites, his skin is covered in cuts, his muscles are paper thin. Shortly after the players find him, he dies.
| 75min = Lots of Owl (Hiboux) arrive and look at the players. After a while. They all leave at the same time.
| 90min = The cultists found them and try to smoke them out. They are Wounded. '''Music : (fast start) Light of the Seven (EP 10 Trial scene)''' at 00:40 the gallery is full of smoke and they start to choke.
}}

They enter the des Baux crypt, there is a secret passage that lead to the cathedral. There hear people talking and it resonates a lot.

The secret passage arrives in a strange building. (it's a forgotten part of the crypt of the cathedral)

===Entrance===

The entrance is concealed and they have to find the entrance.

Eye of detail : reveals one of the tombs that was frequently opened

Knowledge : Reveals the name of a person that is not supposed to be buried here

Strength : Allows to open all tombs quickly

Worse case scenario they spend a lot of time doing it. Which advances the ambiance track by one.

Uner it is a very narrow tunnel recently dug, they have to crawl for a certain time, then they arrive in the crypt.

One of the players is stuck. They have to help him.

===Crypt===
The crypt is situated in the cathedral.
When they enter, they hear chanting from outside.

There is a monk that heard them enter. He hides.

When they are all inside, they hear a lock sound.

The monk just locked the gate they came from, then he throw away the keys.

They are locked in.

Three doors in total : The door they came from, locked with a heavy gate.
The heavy iron gate that leads to the cathedral : Locked before they came in.
A strange wooden door.

He starts shouting, they kill him quickly.

They have to find a way out without making too much noise.

The monk threw away the keys through the gate they took to enter. Just one key is reachable.

Action : they have to find a smart way to reach it.

It is a key with a carved skull on it. The key looks like a small dagger.

There is a wooden door which is covered with metal sculptures of skeletons. Skeleton dancing with people.
It is locked.

Action : One of the statues is perfectly identical to the Bone Chesspiece. if they pull it down, it reveals the keyhole. Then either lockpick or use the key.

===Undercrypt===

There is a very strong smell of sulfur that pours from the room behind.
The players puke.
Thé room is very warm. Because the blood pool de was boiling. They question wether they are in hell or on earth.

THe room is an ancient crypt with statues, all of which where mutilated. INstead of their heads there is an awful clay figure sqhowing horrible scenes (rodin gates of hell style)

There are 8 statues (Lucifer is missing) they represent the 9 archdevils of hell. [http://prima.wiki/images/1/15/3_Archdevils.png] [http://prima.wiki/images/7/7e/6_Secondary_Archdevils.png]

There are lots or alchemical equipments and a very strong stench of chemicals mixed with blood.

In the corner of the room there is a pedestal to put a book and lots of chains to keep it. But the book is absent.

They see a bookshelf and lots of notes. One open book.

Action : The last written note is a letter.

The letter explaine that the person has few weeks to hold his part of the bargain, he has to kill X people in this exact way otherwise they will come for him. And death will be the last of his worries. Signed "L."

Action : The open book is a ledger it talks about all the "bricks" brought by each persons.

Action : Read the book son the book shelf. One of them will force the user to keep it.

Action : Analyse the alchemical substances either using a skill or by reading the books.

One of the alchemical substances is very strong burning rock.

Action : use it to break the gate that leads into the cathedral.

===Cathedral===

They see the ritual happening. They understand that they are in the cathedral.

=Part 4 The tower of bones=
* '''Normal : Baston Skeleton Dance'''

They find the tower of bones. Then a fire starts.

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = The fire starts. The cathedral is on fire. There's a spark of fire on their clothes which start burning.
| 15min = The fire is unnaturally strong. They smell strong incense. They see some ritualists falling with candels they recognise some poor they saw before, for example the prostiture. Tha'ts how the fire started.
| 30min = The tower burns, revealing skeletal hands in the fire. An artifact bearer drops and starts drooling. The other players can wake him up.
| 45min = Incense smell intensifies. They hear souls screaming. they now see clearly that the tower is hiding a spire of entwined skeletons.
| 60min = The sound of souls screaming is strong and unbearable. Some heads open and scream fire then the skeleton falls. All the players who have artifact start walking toward the tower, the other players stop them, but they all temporarily insane.
| 75min = More and more skeletons start falling from the tower. THe ground is glowing red with skeletons crawling. Parts of the roof caves in. They have to avoid it.
| 90min = The tower collapses. Same for the roof of the Cathedral. They are hurt.
}}

The ritual is accomplished, they start to burn the tower.

All the artifacts holders keep chanting, they are at the top of the cathedral.From times to time some people doing the ritual fall.

The players try to stop the ritual but to do so they have to climb the cathedral and "Bishop" is there to attack them.

As the tower burns, it reveals all the corpses bound in a spiral.

Fire pours through the skulls.

They hear horrible sounds, like souls.

The air is filled with strong incense, makes them hallucinate.

Phase after phase the fire become more unnatural and stronger. Start to burn more and more of the cathedral.

BOSS fight against the deacon "Bishop".

When they enter the cathedral, "Bishop" happens to be there.

If they have any remo way to attacking him, they skip one step.

There's a very narrow stair. "Bishop" ask a cultist to hold it with a spear. The "cultist" is a poor from before with a mark on his shoulder. He is clearly not himself.

Combat skills can work or any other way to kill him. Otherwise they are wounded.

They climb the stairs, "Bishop" raises a dead cultist poor man corpse. His eyes burns. One of the players clearly see that it is only a big cultist with a skeleton mask. He has a Shield and a mace.

Action : Combat duel can work. Attacking the roof can work. Otherwise one player has to stay and let the others pass. He is wounded or killed.

There a very narrow "poutre" they have to cross, but two crazed poors shoot at them.

Action : They have to find any meaningful way of passing through. There's no protection immediately next to them, but the previous soldier had a shield.

They get closer to him and he starts screaming, which breaks all the surrounding windows and there's a surge of fire, it break all remaining ground between him and them.

They have a way to retreat to the nearby walls.

Or they have a shot at him.

Action : if they have anything to attack distantly or jump through, they can do it. If not they have to leave. If they go back, they can grab the bows of the previous soldiers, but they have to be very veyr fast.

If they reach this point fast enough, they can leave indemn. Or they are hurt.

if they manage to kill him they can keep the [[Bone Chesspiece]].

Either way, they are separated from the rest of the cultists who run away.

The ritual is a success.

The players have no choice but to jump to water to leave the burning cathedral. They see a ship that is attached to the cathedral.

=Epilogue=
Epilogue musics :
*'''Firelink Shrine 1h + Fire sound'''

All the city is fighting the fire for a long time. After hours of fight, the fire is finally tamed. They use large hooks to destroy the buildings around it. But for some reason the fire doesn't propagate at all outside this tower of the cathedral.

All the city is helping to clear the fire. In the remnants of the cathedral, they find an ocean of burned bones.
In the ocean of corpses, they see a huge iron egg containing lots of half dead people. One of them only is alive, it is an italian sailor. His body is almost entirely burned. He has a big commplicated pattern completely black on his left shoulder. His body is covered in black spots. He explains in latin that their ship was attacked and they where caught in this weird ritual.

He caughts a lot. He dies in the same day.

The pope is very embarrased that a person very close to him was a heretic, so he decided to change the date of his death, to make sure he couldn't be linked to this incident and made sure nobody could talk about this event. Since only the tower burned, he decides to rebuild it.

The sailor is sent to a hospital and dies shortly after there.

All the people in the hospital die of the plague. The black plague is releaseed in Marseille !

1 November 1347

==Post Game Bonus==

Send those to the players as a post game bonus :

The Cathedral of Marseille : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbey_of_St_Victor,_Marseille

Actual picture of the crypts below the Cathedral : [http://prima.wiki/images/4/4e/Cathedral_Crypt.jpg]

There was an actual events where during a masquerade people coevred themselves in feathers and oil and caught fire (even though it was not at that period) it was later called the "Bal des Ardents" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bal_des_Ardents : [http://prima.wiki/images/4/46/Bal_des_Ardents.jpg]

[[Category:Scenario]]
[[Category:Official Scenarios]]

Danse Macabre Part 3

2026-03-07T17:58:26Z

Taiko:

==Teaser==
Send to the players before the game :

2nd of August 1345, Coy (Kingdom of Murcia, Crown of Castille)
With faded tulips in her hair she dances every week.
Her soul was the prize for her immortal love.
How many will be the victims of her selfish heart ?
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

2 Août 1345, Coy (Royaume de Murcie, Couronne de Castille)
Avec des tulipes fanées dans les cheveux elle danse toutes les semaines.
Son âme fut le prix pour son amour immortel.
Mais nombreux seront les victimes de son coeur égoïste
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

=Intro - The Skeleton Violinist=

* Initial situation :
**Date : 2nd of August 1346
**Location : Coy is a small town near the Castle of Lorca, Kingdom of Murcia, Crown of Castille.

There's a little water stream in the town

A vast shipment of poison was sent to this tiny town. Players rushed as fast as they could on scene.

When they arrive, they see a gallow with a peasant ready to be hanged.
The peasant has his feets on a small stool.

Music : '''(fast start) Light of the Seven (EP 10 Trial scene)'''

"By decree of Sancho Manuel de Villena Señor Consort of Coy and warden of Lorca, the follow crimes will now be punishable by death :

-Any suspition of cedition against the crown of Castille

-Any refusal to pay taxes

-Any practice of islamic rites

-Any nocturnal visits to the necropolis of Coy

Any and all offender will be hanged by the Señorial guard."

After '''00:39 (music time)''' the person who is about to hang start twitching.

He manages to free his hands and he starts smiling.

Then he start dancing on the stool.

Everyone is shocked.

And after a while he falls from the stool and hangs.

As he is hanging, he continues dancing for a long long time.

A time way too long, peasants start screming : "It's the curse !" "La Dama de blanco will take us all !"

He should be dead already, until the soldiers stab him with a spear and he slowly dies.

When the other peasants see that, they say. It's the "curse"
When asked about it, they say the curse brings lots of misery.

The crops are rotting, the harvest isn't good.
A '''"Dama de blanco"''' appears every weeks between friday and saturday near the necropolis (below the ruins of teh islamic castle).
A '''skeletal violinist''' is spotted sometimes in the ruins of the castle.
(explain that in this period violins don't existe yet, so it's actually a ministrel and his instrument is a Kemenche, an islamic violin)
The ladies are ugly.
Some children disappear and lots of unborn childs.

* Explanations :
'''Hernando Locura''' was in love with '''Beatriz''', but his father '''Juan Madraso''' wanted to marry her to the Bourgmestre instead.
So he drowned him and the burried him with him instrument.
But he pretended to drown and survived. He then left his grave to get his revenge.
When Hernando was at his worst, an individual approached him and explained him about dancing plagues.
Told him that if he did what he had to, he would get his revenge.

The plan was the following : he would teach Hernando how to trigger a dancing plague.

Dancing plagues are a phenomenom of mass hysteria that actually happened several times in european history https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dancing_mania
It is a phenomenom of mass hypnosis, where people believe a dancing plague is hapenning so they are hypnotised and become part of the dancing plague.
During a dancing plague, people start dancing irresistibly and can't stop for days and days.
It usually happen during terrible famines.

The individual did the following :

He would offer Hernando the Skeletal Psaltery.
He would also give him a chest full of devil's bread. A very pure, very tasty white bread laced with "ergot de seigle" a poisons that makes people delirious.
He would also make sure a battle is triggered between the peasants and the soldiers so Hernando has an opportunity to destroy the food reserves, steal food for himself and to bribe people. It's also a good opportunity to lace some food reserves with mandragora.
He also told him to bribe some persons to pretend their body is forced to dance.
The point is to first enfeeble people, by starvation and by poisoning (mandragora and "ergot de seigle").

Once they are very enfebled, pretend a dancing plague is starting (with bribed actors) a hence triggering a collective hysteria.

He also explains him a way for him to see '''Beatriz''', she would have to pretend sleepwalking.

Obviously Hernando did not imagine this plan, but the individual asked him to do it anyway to get his revenge.
When Hernando sees that the inquisition is involved, he doesn't know what to do. And try to scare them away, and if possible make them dance for long enough so he can get his revenge without harming them. (harming the inquisition would mean running for the rest of his life)
That's why he tries to drug them with mandragora and put them in a situation where it's almost impossible to resist the mass hysteria.
Whether he succeeds or not, his goal is not to kill them.

* Unsolved mysteries :
Who is the individual that gave him the Psaltery, the bread and imagined the plan ?
Why giving him a Skeletal Psaltery at all ?

* Historical themes :
Peasant life

Famine

Dancing Plagues

Ergot fungus poisoning

Peasant revolts

Language of Flowers

War between Castille and Aragon

Recnoquista

=Part 1 Midnight Dance=
* '''Normal : Departement Necrologique'''
* '''When people threaten them to dance : Chant_Entrapment-8'''

The players will try to hunt down this skeletal ministrel and kill it.

{{Ambiance Track
| 15min = It's been a long summer with heavy rain, they see crops rotting. Some peasants still trying to collect some, they search through the crop for non rotten grains.
1/3 of the crop is left fallow (jachère) 2/3 have been planted, but not reaped.
| 30min = They hear screaming from inside a hut
(a peasant have been poisoned with ergot de seigle.)
They visit the hut :
The hut is made of clay and straws, no windows.
Inside the hut, a third of the area is penned off for the animals, which live in the hut with the family. A fire burn in a hearth in the centre of the hut, so the air is permanently eye-wateringly smoky. Furniture is a couple of stools (tabourets), a bed of straw, and a few cooking pots made of clay.
They are cooking leaves and mushrooms as well as rotten grain.
The penn is almost empty, only one very thin sheep remains.
There's a small carper for muslim prayers folded in a corner.
The sick peasant see the players then scream "No ! No Dancing ! No Dancing ! No Dancing !" '''Music : Chant_Entrapment-8'''
When asked what happended, the family doesn't know, he was sick since few days, a fine tissue handkerchief was found on him when he went mad. He had skipped a dinner on that day.
| 45min = Some peasants are eating a rotten carcass of a boar. It is not legal for peasants to hunt, in this time only lords have the right to hunt. But they swear it was a dead carcass they found and they didn’t hunt it.  Another peasant comes towards them with a knife he looks at very angry « No ! No Dancing ! No Dancing ! No Dancing ! » '''Music : Chant_Entrapment-8''' He is caught very quickly. 
If the players search him, he have a tissue handkerchief with bread crumbs on it.
| 60min = There's a child lost in the woods (Sebastian). His parents tried to get rid of him. But he came back. They see he has a toy of "Pedro El Cruel" ridiculised.
| 75min = A Priest gathered lots of people in a large hut. They all start laughing incontrolably and say "No Dancing ! No Dancing ! No Dancing !" '''Music : Chant_Entrapment-8'''
They all come from one home. If the players search their home, there are several tissue handkerchiefs with white bread in it.
| 90min = At the end of the atmosphere track, they are attacked by a bunch of peasants who want to eat their meat. Either they have the Combat (skirmish) ability, or one of them is Wounded.
}}

They go to the spot where the skeletal ministrel is supposed to have appeared, in the night between friday and saturday.

They see a white women dancing. Like a ghost.

She dances next to the Necropolis and the ruins of a muslim castle.

While she dances '''Prince of Darkness - Fire Emblem'''

They approach and see that it's actually aliving lady.
Called '''Beatriz de la Fuente''', the Bougmestre's '''Fernando de la Fuente''' young bride wakes up every saturday morning t go dance in the woods until sunrise.

She dances every week in the woods. With withered red tulips in her hairs she wears a wonderfull white dress. She had a bucket of withered red tulips in her chamber.

Then she goes back home.

She is pretending to be sleepwalking, so if the players wake her up, she wakes up, no problem.
She pretends to be sleep walking because the truth is, every weeks, she goes to see her lover. But of course she can’t say that because he’s supposed to be dead.

Action : Where does this white dress come from ? It is the same quality as the handkerchiefs, it was offered by Hernando as a gift after he died. But she'll always refuse to admit it and say it was a gift from him from before he died

Action : Where the flowers come from ? Nobody wants to respond. But eventually they know that it comes from an old lover who died.

Action : Ask if she dances always on the same spot. Yes.

Actually she dances where '''Hernando Locura''' was burried just after his murder.

The rationale is. They have to meet on this spot. If she’s not followed, then she meets him and they go to a more beautiful place. If she’s followed, she starts dancing and pretend she's possesed or something. To make it look like a ghost story so nobody wants to get involved and stop her.

She have a strange reaction if the players mention him.

If the players dig enough, they learn that '''Hernando Locura''' was a ministrel in love with Beatriz.

But he was drowned in the woods near the necropolis (close to the ruins of the muslim castle) then burried in the woods. (Beatriz's father killed him, because the local Bourgmestre was also in love with Beatriz and he wanted her to marry the Bourgmestre) And they broke his Psaltery (Psaltérion en français)

Actually Beatriz's father '''Juan Madraso''' did this. And then burried him right here and then, with his instrument.

He was ministrel for the local Castellan, he used to play Psaltery (Psaltérion en français)

Action : If the players dig the grave of the lover, they only find the broken instrument inside.
-> He was burried with his instrument.

Action : If the players search Hernando's old broken home. They see is a stock of devil's bread (it's pure white bread). That's the end of ergot de seigle poisonning.
Alternatively (if they search his home too early), there’s nothing of interest in his home, but if they open his grave, the peasants start a search for a place where he might live and they find his hideout and a chest full of devil’s bread.

=Part 2 Peasant revolt (optional)=
*'''Normal (before the start of step 1 of the battle) : Commanderie Templière '''

The peasants have made their own mill (moulin) fourty people turn it.
The soldiers come and say that it's illegal, they have to go to the watermill of the local Priory.

But that's where they pay the taxes (for using the mill) so they refuse to do that.

They beat the taxman nearly to death and kick him out.
They cry "Death to Pedro el Cruel !"
Obviously, there'll be a fight the next day.

The soldiers come to the players first and ask them for help.

The head of the guards : Captain de Villena, the step brother of the Castellan

The Captain tells them : Regardless of what they want to do, the local castelan doesn't want any troubles with the inquisition.

If they refuse. The peasants do the same.
The head of the peasants, the Bourgmestre : Fernando de la Fuente

The peasants want to defend the illegal mill.
They explain that Murca recently taken by Castille crown, but it has been part or Aragon and it was part of the kalifate of Granada before that.
The soldiers will attack the next day.

The players can pick a side, if they win the fight, they gain a different gain. If they pick the losing side, no advantages.
If they refuse to pick a side, they gain nothing.

If one of the players is Rich or has a Great Network, he can pay the taxes and it counts like a peasant win.

At each step, they need to find a good idea to win. If they win more than 3 phases, their side wins.
If one of the players have the Combat (Battle) ability, give him the answers to two phases of his choice.

70 soldiers, 30 Bows plus 3 Knight in armor (the Castellan, the Captain and an a cousin of the Catellan) vs 350 peasants, 50 bows

==Step 1 : Preparations==
Timer : 15 min
'''Music : Latharne la Silencieuse'''
Peasant side :
The peasants have no weapons, only clubs, pitforks and flails.
To help them : Turn their scythe into Guisarme
or make shield

Soldier side :
Poison the well or burn some houses.

Ambiance : Some peasants leave with their goods. They take refuge in nearby villages.
Lots of peasants cry when they leave because they are serf, they belong to the plot of land where they are. With no right to leave.

==Step 2 : The two armies are facing each others, constant flux or arrows==
Timer : 15 min
'''Music : Z_Baston-Le diable est dans la boite'''
Peasant side :
Make sure to organise them in lines. Propose a smart plan of attack.
Soldiers side :
Make a sound battle plan

Ambiance : One soldier/peasant seems terrified, you can hear him pee on himself. There's dreadful silence but you can hear some people praying.
The Castellan has a dark armour with a salamander on the helmet. The other knights have a normal armour.

==Step 3 : Charge of the soldiers==
Timer : 15 min
'''Music : Z_Baston-Tourmaline Brule'''
The cavaliers disperce the archers. The line of soldiers well organised lance/shied+mace charge the peasants.
A separate contingent of soldiers prevent a move from the back.

Peasant side :
Check where breaches happen, collect troops at the right spots, then redirect them in the holes.

Soldiers side :
Either concentrate the troops in one spot to pierce or collect a distribute the troops and reinforce the holes.

Ambiance : From time to time, the cavaliers charge in the melee and destroys enemy lines.
There a guy who fell on the floor, he's stamped by the troops and cries.

==Step 4 : Siege weapon attack==
Timer : 15 min
'''Music : Z_Epique-Babel'''
The peasants start to drive the soldiers back. They regroup next to the Siege weapon that was concealed in a nearby forest. So the soldiers decide to destroy the mill to punish them or lead them to yield.
A small trebuchet (Couillard) starts shooting around the mill. Trying to aim at it.
It break a house in one shot.

Peasant side :
Shoot burning arrows at the Couillard.
Or any other smart way to destroy it.

Soldiers side :
Help the Couillard aim right, if one of the players has a related capacity.
Prepare a burning projectile instead of a rock one, the fire spreads to the mill.

Ambiance : Some people are trying to hold their house together.

==Aftermath==
Result. If the players have 3 win out of 4. Their side wins. If not, the other side wins.

Soldiers win :
The Bourgmestre is taken captive and he yields. Alternatively, the mill is destroyed.
The peasants fight in a non-cohesive way and loose.

If the players where on this side, the Captain de Villena wants to help them. If they know about '''Hernando''' he introduces them to his cousin who lives in the castle.
If they don't know about Hernando, he owes them a [[Favour]].

Peasants win :
The Captain fall off his horse. He's quickly surronded and yields.

If the players where on this side, the Bourgmestre owe them a [[Favour]]. They can collect anytime before the end of the scenario.
The feats associated with the Favour are at your discretion.

Ambiance : Some people from the losers are moaning on the ground and some peasants come to collect their weapons and clothes. Stabbing some of them. Very few dead in the end.

The food store was pillaged and burned. Everyone cries and start accusing each others.

=Part 3 Dancing Plague=
*'''Normal : Z_Normal-Bruit-Noir'''
'''Hernando''' will trigger a dancing mania in the city : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dancing_mania
Your goal is to find Hernando
*'''The First dancer : Prince of Darkness - Fire Emblem'''

{{Ambiance Track
| 15min = They see one person leave her home and dance at the center of the city '''Music : Prince of Darkness - Fire Emblem'''
His family follows him and try to cover him for the rain. They seem desperate to help him.
They try to stop him, to wake him up.
In reality this one and the few first ones are actors paid by Hernando. The point being to trigger an actual Dancing mania.
| 30min = There's about five people dancing. People are closing their doors and isolating themselves. '''Music : Prince of Darkness - Fire Emblem'''
Some people try to catch one of them to feed him. A lot of them start coughing, they are completely wet.
| 45min = There's 30 people dancing, they moan, some scream like zombies, one of them is wonded, and he damagnes his wound as he dances. '''Music : Eros''' A lot of people pray for them.
| 60min = They are about a hundred one quarter of the village is dancing One person falls to the ground '''Music : Eros''' he keeps crawling. And says "Help me. We will dance. We will all dance."
People stop caring. They lock themselves in to survive.
| 75min = The remaining villageers are angry and hang '''Beatriz''' for revenge. Trigger the flower in the lake event.
| 90min = '''Music : Eros'''
The next day, the village is empty, everyone dances. All playres roll, the one with the lowest result dances also (that's the punishment for not ending the track). In the meantime he can play the Bourgmestre, who helps the players.
}}

The goal is to find '''Hernando's''' hideout (or Hernando’s new hideout if they already found it the first time)

One by one, people will start to go on the village center and dance.
This is a revenge from Hernando, he wants to starve them, trigger a dancing plague and eventually kill all of them.

Everyone dances, except '''Beatriz'''

They read through inquisition registry, it seems to have happened before. Long time ago in a not related setting. It's a disease for the soul, nothing magical.

He is not at his home, because that's where they found the devil bread.

'''Action : They ask people who knew Hernando if he had a special place to meet '''Beatriz''''''
Yes, there was an old broken house in the forest where they used to meet.

In this house they see some traces that someone was here but moved his stuff.
He took almost everything out. You do see a rough bed, some unfinished poems.
And there's a very rich islamic vase full of withered flowers Anagallis.

There are also lots of flowers being hung to wither.

'''Action : inspect the vase closely.'''
THere's the name of a dead islmaic lords. From 100 years ago. They don't know which one.

'''Action : Ask someone who knew Hernando, why so many flowers ?''' Because he was very found of the language of flowers. That was the way to send him secret messages with Beatriz.
Anagalis means appointment.

He says : let's put a lot of flowers in the middle of the town, to push him to meet.
Several choices :
Corbeille d'Argent / evergreen candytuft : "calm down" "reconciliation"
Anagallis : "appointment"
Cyprès / cypress : "grieving" , "ethernal friendship"
Nemophile : "Forgiveness"
Red Tulip : "eternal love"
Achillée / yarrows : "War"
Rhododendron : "Danger"
(check that all those flowers grow in spain)

'''Action : Use some flowers to setup an appointment. or if Beatriz is threatened or if they walk towers the castle'''
(If Beatriz is killed or if they threaten her life, this starts right away)
Once they do that, the little water streams starts to be filled with withered
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycoris_(plante)
It means deaths.
'''Eros Necropsique - La voix'''

'''Actions : Some flowers got caught in the sides of the water stream, so they can go upstream and see where he dropped them.'''
Also he droppped some flowers on the ground by mistake at this spot.

'''Action : (This is a possible shortcut if they think about it.) Search the old forteress. They see one wall which has Anagalis growing.'''

It comes from the fortress.

They open, it is an islamic treasure. With lots of skeletons in all corners. It was a feast room apparently.

The table is set in fine silver cutlery.

On the table there's a withered flower Anagallis means "appointment"

As soon as they sit on the table, the door is shut behind them and the room fills with smoke.

=Part 4 The appointment=

==Ambiance Track==
===Before they drink the wine===
*'''Music : Z_Normal-Bruit-Noir'''

===In the streets===
*'''Music : Z_Flippan-Dark World'''

*15min - '''Resist song : One roll''' There's a flash of light, and they see a skeleton with a dark hood hugging the player who has the squeletal coin.
*30min - '''Resist song : One roll''' Some withered flower petals fall. Flower that means death. They can hear clearly someone playing Psaltery. '''Overlay music (on top of other music) : Prince of Darkness'''
*45min - '''Resist song : Two rolls''' If they haven't found the central place yet. '''Overlay music (on top of other music) : Behelith''' They see the a skeletal women dancing with withered flowers in her hairs. It's '''Beatriz'''. They can follow her to the central place. Beatriz dies if she didn't die previously.

===Central Place===
*'''Music : Z_Baston-Skeleton Dance'''
*5min - '''Resist song : One roll''' A black rain starts pouring.
*10min - '''Resist song : One roll''' Some dancers crawl to them and grab their feets.
*15min - '''Resist song : Two rolls''' the town starts burning black flames. (the town burns IRL also)
*20min - '''Resist song : Two rolls''' the sun is rising, but it's an eclipse sun. They feel it's rays are painful.
*25min - All the players dance.

==Scenario Track==

'''Resist Song : Rule'''
Except those with the Courage feat.
They have to do something like cover their ears or anything relevant or it's an auto fail.
Roll die 6. 1 = Fail
First fail : Get the Drowsy feat
Second fail : They lose control and dance

----

The players go to the Bourgmestre's house, where the table is set. Wine is served. A mix of Hippocras mixed with Mandragora. To meet him, they have to drink. '''Candles on the table''' (important to mention it)
They fall asleep.

They're now drunk and start hallucinating.

It's completely dark, they don't see a thing.

Action : There are candles on the table. They should remember that. There's a firestriker next to the fireplace. They should find it.

The candle light is very dim. Extremely dim. And the flame dances like someone's breathing.
Also, the light seems to diminish slowly.

They had a blackout, they completely forgot the way to go to the town center. Unless one of them have Total Memory.
Also, the light is really too dim, they barely see a thing.

Action: Follow the biggest road or follow the sound of the river. Or anything else that makes sense.

Finally they find the town center.

Lots of light, like it's a party.

Most people are crawling on the floor trying to dance.
Some are still walking.

They speak one by one telling a poem (Le Vampire by Charles baudelaire)

(English Version)
Our form in the sun follows us, walks, stops,
Imitates our gestures and our steps,
Looks without seeing, listens and does not hear,
And must still crawl when we lift our heads.

Man is here below
But a bit of living night, a restless form
Who sees without penetrating, without inventing repeats,
And whispers to Fate: "I follow thee where thou goest. "

(French Version)
Notre forme au soleil nous suit, marche, s'arrête,
Imite gauchement nos gestes et nos pas,
Regarde sans rien voir, écoute et n'entend pas,
Et doit ramper toujours quand nous levons la tête.

L'homme n'est ici-bas
Qu'un peu de nuit vivante, une forme inquiète
Qui voit sans pénétrer, sans inventer répète,
Et murmure au Destin : « Je te suis où tu vas. »

The music is very intense here, they have to do much more rolls. But they can't see him.

Action : One of the dancers mimics a violin. When they kill him, Hernando appears.

A skeleton wiht a Psaltery, he walks out of the small river.
Now they can see Hernando as a squeleton and fight him.

Action : Either the players have a quality Combat (Duel) or They need to find a smart way to kill him.
he dodges all their attacks.
His shadow doesn't move though. They should strike where his shadow is.

'''If they got stuck for too long, their shadows start attacking them. Don't let them stuck on this ennigma'''

If they defeated him :

He says :
"Vous qui vivez: il est certain,"
"Quoique cela tarde, que vous danserez."
"Réfléchissez à ce que vous ferez alors."

"Ye that live: it is certain,"
"Though it tarry, you will dance."
"Consider what you will do then."

'''Music : (fast start) Light of the Seven (EP 10 Trial scene)'''

All the dancers start to scream and cover their ears. Some start scarting their face with their nails.

They peel their faces off until all that's left is a bloody skull then they attack the players and dismember them.

Then it all turns black.

'''Danse Macabre'''

When hey wake up, they have some vomit at the mouth and they're in the town center. Hernando is dead. but he's an actual guy, not a skeleton. His skin is soaked though. He has a well decorated psaltery and a cloack clasp in the shape of a harp : the [[Bone Harp]]. It is very clear that it is extremely precious.

(part of the village may have burned, if they reached the black rain part, Beatriz may be alive or dead.)

A large portion of the villagers are dead. But not everyone.

If they all dance :

'''Music : (fast start) Light of the Seven (EP 10 Trial scene)'''

They dance, they dance for what seems an eternity. Then the dancers starts going toward them and pull them apart. Then it's all black.

'''Danse Macabre'''

When they wake up, they are in a monastery. They have been dancing for a week, but the inquisition found them. The town is wiped out. They don't gain the Psaltery.

==Epilogue==
Epilogue musics :
*'''Epique entre-scenart gagant 12-Pista de audio 12.mp3'''
*'''Epique entre-scenart gagant 12-Pista de audio 12.mp3''' (put it twice)
*'''Fin epique glorieuse 06-Final'''
*Then loop this Playlist '''Normal-Prima'''

They take more time to comb the woods and they find Hernando's actual hideoout, they find real food, clothes etc...
Villages start to talk. Some of them where actually paid to pretend a dancing mania. The point was to trigger an actual dancing mania, and it worked. 

They find a contract signed in blood between Hernando and a certain "L" that details all he has to do to get his revenge.

Some people also knew about Beatriz meeting with him and her way of pretending she was posessed.

As well as poems written by him.

A solid proof that he was alive this whole time.

Beatriz and Hernando's accomplices ran away just after the event.

Among his stuff, they find an invitation to a bal masqué called the "Danse macabre"

The masquerade is supposed to happen in November 1347 in Marseille.

==Post Game Bonus==

Send those to the players as a post game bonus :

As a bonus, here is more infos about the dancing plague in Strasbourg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dancing_plague_of_1518
[http://prima.wiki/images/5/5b/2621608463305_.pic.jpg]

Here is a map of Spain during the Castille Civil War, in green the Grenada sultanate, below the orange arrow : The Castle or Lorca
In blue : Aragon, In yellow : Castille [http://prima.wiki/images/c/cc/Spain_map.jpg]

The flag of Sancho Manuel de Vilena [http://prima.wiki/images/5/58/Sancho_manuel_de_vilena.jpg]

The Castle of Lorca [http://prima.wiki/images/a/a1/Lorca_castle.jpg]

Coy is still a small 500 person village in Spain and it's river is even a tourist attraction now [http://prima.wiki/images/5/56/Coy.jpg]

[[Category:Scenario]]
[[Category:Official Scenarios]]

Danse Macabre Part 2

2026-03-07T17:58:16Z

Taiko:

==Teaser==
Send to the players before the game :

3rd of May 1345, Provins (Kingdom of France)
The Saint-Quiriace trade fair used to be the wealthiest gathering of all Christendom.
Bankers from Florence would meet merchants from Byzantium and Troy.
But with the fair declining, debts started accumulating.
Ruined silk traders had to explore more dangerous ventures.
And for a pious soul, the road to decadence has only one dead end.
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

3 Mai 1345, Provins (Royaume de France)
La foire de Saint-Quiriace était autrefois le plus riche rassemblement de toute la chrétienté.
Les banquiers de Florence rencontraient les marchands de Byzance et de Troie.
Mais avec le déclin de la foire, les dettes ont commencé à s'accumuler.
Les marchands de soie ruinés ont dû se lancer dans des commerces de plus en plus dangereux.
Et pour une âme pieuse, la spirale de la décadence ne peut mener qu'à une seule fin.
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

=Intro - The Skeleton Merchant=

* Useful tool : http://www.timer-tab.com/

* Initial situation :
**Date : 3 May 1345
**Location : Provins (France)

Before the game starts, mention the mechanism of [[Faith]] and remind them that it doesn't recharge every scenario, but every other scenario, mention the [[Confession]] and [[Luck]] Feats to them if they want additional "charges" of Faith.

Since last time, players are looking for Eugène Clavicule, the Skeleton Merchant.

They are contacted by a local contact (Dr. Pierre Therici) who says that Eugène Clavicule have been burried in Provins.

They arrive at the Saint-Quiriace trade fair in Provins. The city is overcrowded. Countless tents around the city walls because all inns are full.
The fair already started for few days, currently the fair is trading cloth and whool (10 days in total). In few days it will switch to spices.

They are housed in a religious hospital, next to diseased patients.

* Explanations :

Provins is a city in the county of Champagne in Medieval France.

Actually Eugène Clavicule is a person or an organisation quite powerful in Provins.

They sell drugs and poisons, they also produce counterfeit coins.

Their operation is structured as follow :

Their HQ and main hideout is in the subterranean catacombs of Provins.

That's where they produce the poisons and drugs as well as store them. They also store their profits there.

Their main reseller is a the fortune teller.

Their most sold product is some poisons that local merchants buy to shoot in each other's legs.

Another very profitable operation is the counterfeiting of silver coins. They chose to counterfeit old coins, that's why they make fake "Dennier Provinois"

The punch of those old coins are all stored in the local hospitaller commanderie.

They blackmail a powerful local knight hopsitaller and force him to let them sneak out the punch and then they put it back at night.

They managed to make an alloy of coins that looks genuine but uses much much less silver.

Those coins and all their profits are used to finance their last activity : Corpse trafficking.

The Doctor Theobald Shuplice is one of their men who will look for anonymous corpses at the obituary department of the local medical university.

He will then pay for their funerals in coffins rather than common graves.

He will then exchange those coffins with coffins full or earth and store the corpses before shipping in a secret cave.
He puts some coins in the coffin to bribe the people who bring him the corpses.

Being anonymous to begin with, those missing corpses are much less likely to be discovered.

At the end of the scenario, players should understand completely the operations of Eugène Clavicule, with very few unsolved mysteries.

When the players arrive at the treasure room, the dead hopsitaller already killed or wounded Eugène. Whoever Eugène might be. He's already dead or dying, that's why he didn't stop the players and didn't run away with his treasure.

* Unsolved mysteries :

Only few mysteries are unsolved at the end of the scenario :

-Why did Eugène buy corpses ? To ship where ? For what reason ?

-Is Eugène a person or an organisation ?

=Part 1 The obituary department=
*'''Normal: Normal Département Nécrologique'''

Corpses disappear, players must find where before it's too late.

The Collegiate Church Saint-Quiriace has a funeral home (place where the dead are put right after the death)
In this funeral home are transferred all the dead on the public highway, to check for new epidemies
Then a necropsy is done without opening the corpse
Then is made a mortuary toilet called thanatopraxis before casketing

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = In the street they pass by the Ceasar tower and notice its might.
| 15min = Some canons pass in all the rooms to spread smoke. It's called fulmigation. The point is to try to disinfect. The players notice lots of dark blue cloth drying. Explain that the « provins blue » was a color of cloth only possible here because the river of provins has special properties.
| 30min = A person wakes up during his necropsy and dies right after. Explain that, in the middle age, it was very hard to know if someone was dead or not.
| 45min = In the church there’s a statue of a skeleton. They notice a coin put as an offering. It is a coin of provins
| 60min = Monks are found studying an open corpse. This is illegal and considered heresy. Players can choose to prosecute them or not.
At this point, their contact informs them that Eugène Clavicule has reserved a booth for the fair.
| 75min = A medical monster moves on the streets. He is heavily deformed. He was invited by the Canons to be examined.
| 90min = At the end of the atmosphere track, if the players still haven't found the cave. Their contact understands that the doctor Shuplice gave counterfeit coins each time he paid for funerals. They have to start investigate that immediately.

Penalty if they reach the end of the atmosphere track : They won't get reinforcements.
}}

Their goal is to find out what's going on in this obituary department.
If they discover the origin, they have reinforcements.

Their contact, Canon Pierre Therici have found Eugène Clavicule's grave, he got his coffing removed and they are in the obituary department ready to open it. It's full of earth with just one silver coin. It's a "dennier provinois" a currency that is a hundred years old. No corpse inside. That's very suspicious. When they open the coffin '''Music : Alone in the Dark Mysteries'''
He was found dead on public roads and nothing could identify him. Very likely just vagabond.

Action -> See the doctor who did the necropsy.

Dr. Ambroise Prasé is the doctor who did the necropsy (autopsy without opening of the corpse)

Necropsy revealed nothing. It is not unusual in the middle age.
He had no relatives so normally had to be buried in a mass grave.

But a generous donor paid for the funeral in an individual coffin. And he decided that he is named Eugene Clavivule, he pretended he knew him.
Dr. Theobald Shuplice is the name of the donor.

If they ask : indeed he pays for a lot of anonymous to be buried. If they open those graves, all corpses are missing.
All those coffins were traded during transport with coffins full of earth. (Some of them with coins, some without)

Theobald Shuplice come every week. He will be back soon.
Action: Follow him discreetly or attack him.

If follow him discreetly. They find his office. And his accounting book, where they can find the address of a cave he rents.
Lots of documents in his office, but they are all encrypted. The writing matches that of Eugène Clavicule (found in the previous scenario)

If they attack him or torture him. He will not tell them anything. On himself they can find a letter. He's about to resign. He works for the silk guild. Then they can find his office and his accounting book.

Another way to solve this is if a player hides inside a coffin. He will then be transported to the cave.

Once they open the door to the cave. The smell is crushing. They all vomit unless they have a quality to prevent that.

Once they open the door : '''Gaunter O Dim Witcher 3'''

The cellar is filled with about fifty corpses ready to be shipped. But all documents are encrypted. No way to know where they should be shipped and why.

There are also money chests full of silver coins. A huge fortune in fact in silver denier provinois. Very suspicious because this currency is a hundred years old.

Why buying corpses ? Where to ship them ? This scenario doesn't answer this mystery.

Reward for completing the scenario track successfully : reinforcements, one soldier per person.

=Part 2 Black Silver=

'''Normal (before arriving at the Hospitaller): Normal Departement Nécrologique'''

After leaving the scene, they realise that those silver pennies have a strange black hue. They suspect it's a counterfeit and will have to try and understand who is responsible for their creation.

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = They notice the city walls (near the commanderie) which are very famous are indeed beaufitul and mighty. Lots of tents all around the city because all the inns are full.
| 15min = A person comes to the hospitaller counter with a letter of change. The hospitaller give him his coins.
He then weights them, bite them and throw them to make noise (to check that they are genuine)
He accepts some of them and refuses some of them.
He then gives the hospitaller the letter of change. It's an encrypted document with a seal.
| 30min = They see Hopsitaller training by fighting each others. Their fight is very brutal. At the end of the fight a prayer the bells ring. With they bleeding faces, they put their robes on and go to pray.
This scene illustrates how Hospitallers are both harmless monks, doctors and deadly warriors.
| 45min = Hopsitaller/Templar? Ceremony. They hear a hammer that strikes three times.
Launch the music '''Watchmen(OST 2009) - Pruit Igoe and Prophecies'''
All the hopsitallers are drawn to a room where they have their annual meeting.
Players are not allowed in.
The players have until the music reached 3:30 to do anything they want in the hopsitaller buildings. Because the building is completely empty.

Once the music reaches 3:30, they see all the hospitallers leaving their ceremony.
After the ceremony, many people come out. Many religious people, powerful people.
Professors. Merchants. But also Nobles. Towards the end of the procession there are four people wearing masks and surrounded by soldiers. Those people are too powerful to be recognised.

This scene is used to illustrate the power of the hopsitallers and their possible links to the templars, all power people are part of their organisation.
| 60min = '''Music : Lacrimosa'''
Players are locked in a room. Behind there is a man with a mask. It's the Jean de la Maison de Dieu, but they can't recognise him.
He tells them to leave him alone. He tries to convince them to stop the prosecution. He begs them even. If they try to bash the doors, he leaves. They can't get him.
| 75min = '''Music : The Song of the Sword-Dancer Witcher 3’'' Players are shot at by a crossbow. Explain that in the middle age, crossbows are prohibited weapons against other Christians.
Bolts should feel very impressive and powerful, destroying furnitures and all.
Either the players find a good way out or one of them is injured.
| 90min = Jean de la Maison de Dieu pass near them and seems very panicked. He then runs away. Players runs after him. He dies mysteriously and his corpse is cold. There's no witnesses to this scene, so players are accused of killing this Hopstialler, and they must keep a low profile for the rest of the scenario because hopstiallers are searching for them.
After the end of the scenario they will have to explain themselves to the inquisition
}}

There is a real fortune in coins piled up in a chest. Only coins of black silver, they are dennier provinois. Those coins where used during the fair a hundred years ago but aren't produced anymore.

Their goal is to discover who made them.

Those coins where minted a long time ago under supervision of the local Templars in the "Ferme aux Templiers".
It was a privilege given to the city.
The goal is to avoid currency change problems during the fair, so everything is bough and sold in this neutral currency.
The punch are now kept by the Hospitalers.

The counterfeits are good except for the metal, which is a bit dark.

The metal is a mix of little bit of silver and a lot of another metal, hard to identify it.

If one of the player has Eye of the Detail or if they ask an expert, they can see that the counterfeits' artworks are perfect.
To a point where they think that the "Punch" (the piece of the minting machine that holds the artwork) has been used for those fake coins.

Action: Players can get to visit the local hospitaller commandery

'''Normal (once arrived at the Knights Hospitaller): Normal Commanderie Templière'''

Change music once they are in the hospitaller buildings : '''Normal Commanderie Templière'''

Everyone is in brown coats, some in black coats (the nobles ones).
All have a white cross on their clothes.
It is a large fortified building. The decoration is military but rich.

What is strange with this place is how immensely wealthy they are, but they are still monks, so they try to hide their riches.
This results in incredibly clean clothes and rooms. Also glass windows in some rooms. Great quality candles etc...

The head of this commanderie will do his best to help them.

The "Punches" are still in place in the vault archive (not the main vault with their gold). (Counterfeiters comes at night, take the Punch, use them, put them back.)

Access to the room is strictly controlled. No entry or exit without being controlled.

Action: There is a hatch hidden on the ground. Under a box. Eye of the detail doesn't spot it, unless players specifically search for a hidden door.

This is where counterfeiters come in or out.

It's a tunnel that leads to the catacombs.
The players try to search for the catacombs, but it's a complete labyrinth, no chance.

They find punching equipments inside the tunnel as well as lots of ingots of silver, copper, lead and iron, and other metals. Too many of them. Those metals cannot be bought by just anyone.

Action : On the metals ingots there is the stamp of a metal merchant, he know who bought them.

Action: check the books, indeed the hospitallers buy all those metals. Supposedly to make a stronger alloy to circle their cart's wheels.

The head of procurement is Jean de la Maison de Dieu and ideed those metals never arrived at the blacksmith.

Once they come to talk to him, it is raining, he's at a balcony.

It is raining, it is very cold.

As soon as he sees that they are coming to him, he panics. He refuses to let them approach.

He shouts at them to stay in the distance and implores them, lots of hospitallers are looking.

He tells them he had no choice and zero hope to survive if he didn't cooperate.

Someone then shoots a crossbow bolt at him and he dies.
The guy who shot then smile at them, salute, then jumps ouside of the city walls (which are near the Hospitaller building)
‘’’Music : Behelit - Berserk’’'

In Jean's pocket they find denniers provinois. Only "Heal" can save him.

Insist how strange it is that the assasin just disappears by jumping out the city wall and survived. At least his body is never found.

In his office, lots of letters written by Eugène Clavicule, but encrypted. It's a proof he was a tool and accomplice.

Reward for completing the scenario track : Lots of people are witness to Jean dying. So the players are not accused of his murder.

=Part 3 The Provins trade fair=

'''Normal: Normal Commanderie Templière'''

The Provins trade fair is a major economic event in the region. Merchants from all around the world attend to sell goods. It is the heart of economic activities in the region. It used to be much much bigger, but it is still a meaningful event.

Eugène Clavicule has a booth at the fair. Booths are very expensive. The players have to investigate.

When the players arrive at his booth. It is completely empty. The table is there, the umbrella is there (both are provided by the city) but the booth is empty ! Only one item on the booth : There’s a lizard drawn on the table.

Their goal is to find Eugène Clavilcule.

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = '''Music : Gwent Drink Up, There_s More! Witcher 3’''
Fight of the dragon and the lizard. Every years, two team fights :
One has a lizard toy made of wood on the top of a pole. The others have a dragon.
They try to steal each other's flowers attached to their neck.
Their jaws can be mechanically animated.
The dragon team made their dragon breathe fire. (by pressing on a pulveriser throwing alcohol, then igniting it)
Some people catch fire and jump in a fontain.
| 15min =
They notice two merchants having a fight. One of them tried to pay with "Golden Leopards" minted by Edward III, while the other argues that he only want to be paid in Saint-Louis écu. Then he tries to pay in "Livre Parisi" Paris Pound and the other explains him that his prices are in "Livre Tournois" which are slightly less expensive.
A merchant sleeping on his stall nearby. He is dead. Poisoned ‘’’Music : Hail This Nightmare - BloodBorne’’'
When they touch him, his mouth opens and they notice a coin falling from his mouth. A Provins coin. (it's normal for merchants to bite a coint to test it)
| 30min = There's an iron cross where prices are being hung.
The fair decides the prices of different commodities.
The Clothes Merchants Guild decided a very high price for sheets.
Everyone is angry about it, it creates a scandal.
The crowd hoes them.
The soldiers arrive to evacuate them.
In the mess, there’s a dead merchant in the crowd, poisoned.
He has a provins coin in his purse.
‘’’Music : Chant_Entrapment-8’’'
| 45min = Two merchants emerge from the tribunal, there’s an official speech that because he didn’t pay his debts, he is now exiled from provins and from his home city. (Explain that the courts of Provins had this power)
As he speaks, the judge is being startled, someone threw a coin into his mouth. He dies just after.
‘’’Music : Hail This Nightmare - BloodBorne’’'
| 60min = ‘’’Access the Animus (debut rapide)’’' They are in a crowd. All players roll. Anyone who got a 1 get stabbed with a poisonous dagger. They go Insane. Impossible to see where the blow came from.
| 75min = ‘’’Music : Behelit - Berserk’’' They see a man in the distance on the city walls with a skull mask. He look at them, salute then jumps backwards and disappear. They are not sure if it was a dream or not.
Down he city wall, they find a dead merchant. Poisoned.
| 90min = A person with a death mask comes to see them and offers them a drink.
He insists.
They are surrounded by brigands with small daggers.
The character pretends to be Eugene Clavicule.
He tries to bribe them, to stop their search.

Once he sees that it doesn't work, they start attacking them.

During the fight, they all receive poisoned daggers.

They are all poisoned. They'll feel unweel until the rest of the scenario, they are all « Insane »

They see of their assaliants run away and reach the entrance of their hideout.

Penalty if they reach the end of the ambiance track : They are poisoned. « Insane »
}}

Their goal is to find Eugène Clavicle

But his booth is empty ! There’s a lizard drawn on the table.

Action : Knowledge general need a roll otherwise, they ask the locals. The lizard is the symbol of the Saint Ayoul Church in ville basse.
They go there and find the same lizard carved on the back of the church, but that’s it.
Big crowd around.

Action: There is someone who constantly watches the lizard. The idea is that if he trust it’s a good customer, he will come to them later and explain the trick. The trick is, people who stop at the lizard and then look in the crowd can see him and come to him.(proof that they know the trick). Eugene has mostly regular customers and only rarely accept to deal with new faces, hence this method is a good way to avoid being followed.
Action: Pretend or pay someone to pretend to be a customer. If they look like one he will come to them.

The vigil will then lead them to the fortune teller.

'''Music at the fortuneteller's hideout : Flippant, le diable est dans la boite’''

He knocks at the door and say
: "Eugene friends"

The fortune teller opens and greets them.

Her house is full of strange items.

Potions, charms, books, animal parts. Some live rats in cage also.

She invites them to pick a card, so she can know them better. (She does that to impress customers.)

The cards on the table are not tarot cards, on the back there’s only one item displayed.

Two players have this choice. Show them the corresponding danse macabre character and image.
And the fortune teller read them the quote from this card.

They have a choice between all those items, show the players the picture associated with it.
:

Sword, Coin, Rosary, Violin, Book

Mace, Chest, Triptych, Ring, Crosier

[[Danse Macabre Metaplot]]

Choice: Then she offers them to read their future with a mirror. They can accept or refuse.

Mirror made of bone.
She pours on black and red liquid on it and read the pattern.

She reads and see her own future (she has the Prowess Revelation ) : she understand what the players are.
She takes a step back and drinks a poison and dies.
‘’’Music : Behelit - Berserk‘''

If they refuse that she reads their future of if they manage to stop her of cure her, she does not die.

Anyhow, she won't talk, torture is useless too. Unless with the interrogate skill, in which case she directs them to the next sequence.

In her home, they find :
Powders, poisons.
Some live rats in cages.

Organs.

And a long list with names and dates. hundreds of names. Those she sold to.

A trunk full of clothes

Action: Search these clothes.
they see children's clothes.
Or search the book, they find a child storybook.

Actually she has a child ! The little Aimery

Once they discover that, the child comes knocking at the door.

If she is alive, letting her know that they know she has a child gets her to talk immediately.

If she is dead, they can interrogate the child, he knows that some bad people visit her mother frequently and he know their base.

The child explains that the potions are brought by someone coming out of a door under the church.

Under the church there is a cave. That's the entrance of Eugène's Hideout.

=Part 4 The Catacombs=

'''Normal: Normal Bruit Noirs'''

They have found the entrance of Eugène's hideout. But how to find his actual location ?
The cave leads to the undergrounds of the city, hundreds of kilometres of galleries. How to find a path ?

Their goal is to find and kill Eugène.

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = There’s a skull encased in the wall, instead of his eyes are two Provins coins.
| 15min = Lots of scribings on the wall. Lots of names with a skull carved next to their names.
| 30min = The players have the distinct impression that they have been to this gallery before. They see the skull with coins again (it’s not the same skull, but they don’t know that).
| 45min = Screams of pains in the distance. Impossible to track
| 60min = Stream of smoke fills the room. Impossible to know where it comes from. Players coughs. The smoke stays a very long time.
| 75min = They see the skull with coins yet again ! (If they left a mark on it, the skull is broken at the place where they the mark, so maybe it’s the same skull maybe not, not clear)
One of the player drops his torch by mistake because it burned his hand, his torch is wet no way to light it back up.
| 90min = Two mad mans with skeleton costumes jumps at them bare handed. one of them vomits streams of blood and dies trying to attack them. The player on whom he vomited blood will have delirious visions until the end of the scenario, he is temporarily « Insane » .
The other runs away at incredible speed, he's bleeding. The players can follow his bloody footsteps until the room with the "accountant"

Penalty for reaching the end of the ambiance track : One player is delirious.
}}

Their goal is to find the Eugène Clavicule and kill him.

They found a basement below the church. But. This basement is connected to the city's catacombs.

Much like Paris' catacombes, it's a huge maze of galleries, kilometers of chaotic tunnels.

Without a way to guide them, it's impossible to know where to go.

At each step, they need to find a trick to know where to go next.

They have few trump cards if the players have the following talents :

Tracker : The player can follow tracks, so he can chose once to just use his ability to find the next room. Only once.

Eye of the detail : If the player specifically asks for tracks on the walls of markings made by crates. He can go to the next room.

===Room 1 : The church's basement===

The ground is muddy. Footprints are "healed" almost instantly. So no footprints to follow.

Action: Look at the black marks on the ceiling made by torches flames to find the right gallery and go to the next room.

===Room 2 : The theater===

After a while, a black mushroom covers the ceilings. So the traces are no longer visible.

They arrive in a very high room with a lot of candles. They are off. And weird sculptures that make no sense on the walls.

The room is filled with a stock of drugs. This is obviously part of the stock of Eugene but not everything.
There's also alcohol and costumes.

There is a small platform in the middle of the room. (she used to do a show)

The candles are poisonous candles, like in the monastery or the first scenario.

This room is used for two purposes : Stock drugs. And make dark orgies.
In the dark orgies, newcomers are drugged, and a dark theatre play is done on stage.

There are far too many possible exits. Impossible to find tracks on the ground or the ceiling.

Action: If they light the candles, the weird sculptures' shadows make a very clear picture:
An army of small skeletons that forms a big skull. The mouth is one of the possible exits.

===Ambiance room===
While walking the gallery before the next room they pass by a pound filled with crystal clear water.
They see stairs underwater. They can't explore too deep.

===Room 3 : The laboratory===

They arrive in an underground alchemy laboratory.

There is a big stock of weird ingredients. And a stock of poisons. This is obviously part of the eugene stock, but not everything.
There are also many parchments with bumps (in brail?)

There is an old blind man working.

He forgets everything.

The players understand that torture is useless on him. And killing him will serve even less.

The old man introduces them to the new potions.
He asks them to pay.

Action: Tell him they have no money left. And that they need to go to eugene to pay for it. He then tells them where to go.

If the players don't find this action. After 10 minutes of talking to him he insults them incoherently and asks them to go to Eugène, he then tells them how to go.

===Ambiance room===

They see a message at the entrance of a room: Stop. This is the empire of death.

In the next room they enter a room with macabre engravings on the walls.

An army of the dead that forces people to join to their ranks : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Thetriumphofdeath.jpg

===Room 4 : Treasure room===

They arrive at the eugene treasure room.

Chests everywhere filled with counterfeit money. Heaps and piles of money.

There is a very very fat man chained to a table with registers. It's the accountant. He was chained on this seat for years, never using his legs.

He immediately understands what's happening and yells for help.

His cry for help is ignored, torture is useless because he doesn't know where to go. Because he is chained to his seat and has been brought here chained, he doesn't know the path to the next room.

This is most of Eugène's stock of coins. But obviously he stocks much more riches somewhere. And he is not there himself.

The account books are encrypted.

Action:
He's screaming for help. But that does not help. Eugène doesn't care if he dies.
If instead of screaming for help they ask him to give the names of the customers. Or to decrypher the account books. This could be dangerous for Eugène.
So a person dressed with bones comes and kills the accountant with a crossbow bolt. Then tell the players to follow him to find eugenes.
Insist on the damage the blot does to the chair and table. It is a forbidden weapon with formidable power.
If the players killed the accountant by mistake. After 10 min in the room a person arrives to see what the noise was and propose them to follow him.

===Ambiance room===
'''From this point on, Music : Quake'''

They arrive in a room with a weird macabre scene. Skeletons have been arranged in a strange scene. The skeletons are actual dead human skeletons, but they can stand up because of straws and wax used to give them a frame.
The skeletons eat each other, they dance, they build. They play cards, they mix : https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Follower_of_Jheronimus_Bosch_Christ_in_Limbo.jpg
This room is actually gargantuan. So wide that it is impossible to see the ends.
In the midst of the statues, they see countless of followers of Eugène. With skeleton costumes.
They walk on four feets, and wield a bone like a mace.
They seem completely mad and slowly surrounds the players. They scream like animals and randomly attack players.
The exit is obvious at the other end of the hall.
If the players have soldiers, they can try to pass protected by the soliders.
This will work.
They will take some soldiers and the players will hear them scream for a long time.

If the players have fighting skills related to skirmishes, they can keep them at distance and pass.

If they have none of that, they have to find a way to pass. Or get beaten.

===Room 5 : The guardian===

They arrive in the catacombs. Skulls and bones everywhere.
In fact, the roof is smaller and smaller and they have to crawl in a sea of bones.

There is before them a black knight with skulls that blocks their way.
He has a huge weapon and is very fast.
This man is waaaay too big.

He is in a room with a very high ceiling and some drops of water on him. Some light from the outside lights the room.

The players are crawling, but this room stands in the way. The exit is obvious at the other end of the room.

Action: It's up to them to find a way to defeat him or pass by him.
If a player has a combat quality in relation to « monsters » , he can blind him.
But impossible to defeat him.

===Room 6 : Eugène===

'''Music Gaunter O Dim'''

They then arrive on the treasure of Eugene Clavicle.
Gold. But also skulls.
Hoars of golds and precious items.

There is a skeleton sitting on a chariot.
He has dirty shoes and wet clothes but he doesn't move.

There's a dead hospitaller with his sword bloody dried on the floor.

If the player touches him, he falls appart. They killed Eugène Clavicule !

'''After the skeleton falls Music : Danse Macabre'''

The players have a series of choices

First of all. What do they do with the treasure ?
The players can have any items they dream of. Ask them what item they would dream of. It's there.

Same for the gold. They can take it if they want or give it to the inquisition.

The skeleton has a coin made of bone in the hand. This coin is obviously very precious.
In the back of the room there is the engraving of the merchant with the same coin http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris09.htm

Regardless of what they do. One of them carries the coin outside of the tunnels.

Even if they decided to leave it there. one player will realise he took it with him.

Once they leave the tunnel, Epilogue.

==Epilogue==
Epilogue musics :
*'''Epique entre-scenart gagant 12-Pista de audio 12.mp3'''
*'''Epique entre-scenart gagant 12-Pista de audio 12.mp3''' (put it twice)
*'''Fin epique glorieuse 06-Final'''
*Then loop this Playlist '''Normal-Prima'''

The players can decide to keep some of the treasure or turn it to the inquisition.
The player who carried the coin out of the tunnels have a strong urge not to give it to the inquisitoin and refuses to do it. Hiding it if necessary.

Searching through the eugene documents, they find one letter asking Eugene to ship the corpses to the "usual city ». And another that asked Eugene to send a vast shipment of poison to a very small village. For next scenario.

All players gain one Feat and the player who holds the coin gains the [[Bone Coin]] Feat.

==Post Game Bonus==

Send those to the players as a post game bonus :

Fun fact, the medieval monetary system of 1 Pound = 20 Shillings = 240 Pennies have survived until 1971 in the UK. Initally, 1 Pound meant 1 Pound of Silver. So 1 Penny was 1 pound / 240 = 3g of silver.

The Provins trade faire was twice a year, the Saint-Quiriace Fair was in May and Saint-Ayoul was in Sept/Oct named after the two churches in the high and low part of the city.

Here is a picture of Saint-Quiriace church : [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/Collegiale_Saint-Quiriace_Provins_sud.jpg]

The Cesar tower : [http://prima.wiki/images/8/8a/C%C3%A9sar_Tower.jpg]

The City walls : [http://prima.wiki/images/7/7e/Provins_city_walls.jpg]

Provins Pennies : [http://prima.wiki/images/d/d9/Provins_Pennies.jpg]

Provins Catacombs : [http://prima.wiki/images/a/a0/Provins_Catacombs.jpg]

[[Category:Scenario]]
[[Category:Official Scenarios]]

Danse Macabre Part 1

2026-03-07T17:58:04Z

Taiko:

==Teaser==
Send to the players before the game :

11th of December 1344, Abbey of Neuberg (Austrian Alps, Holy Roman Empire)
The Duke Friedrich II von Habsburg just died at the age of 17.
It is the third Duke of Austria who died within the walls of our Abbey!
The families are denouncing a plot by Rudolf IV, their rival, but we both know better.
They tried to lock away their curse but how long can you run from the Devil?
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

11 Décembre 1344, Abbaye de Neuberg (Alpes Autrichiennes, Saint Empire Romain Germanique)
Le Duc Friedrich II von Habsburg vient de mourir à l'âge de 17 ans.
C'est le troisième Duc d'Autriche qui meurt dans les murs de notre Abbaye !
Les grandes familles dénoncent un complot de Rodolphe IV, son rival, mais nous savons tous deux qu'il en est autrement.
Ils ont tenté d'enterrer leur malédiction, mais combien de temps peut-on espérer fuir le Diable ?
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

=Intro=
*Link to the musics : All Playlists https://app.box.com/s/slbcnytj3qhkv6pjy5docwmiazgefehs
*Unique musics : https://app.box.com/s/rjmns82tw4994hyx7t5ob507775ii9pe
*Before the game starts, while making characters and stuff, loop this playlist '''Normal-Prima'''
*Qualities :
Each player chooses a quality in the list. He will succeed all his attempts in relation to his quality.
For all other rolls, it's a die.

==>[[:Category:Feats]] and [[+1 Feat]] explains the mechanics.

*Initial Situation
**Date : 16 December 1344
**Location : Neuberg Abbey (Austria)

Friedrich II von Habsburg died in the Neuberg Abbey the 11 December 1344 at the age of 17.
His death is very suspicious because he was the last member of this branch of the House of Habsburg.
The Pope wants the inquisition to investigate, because it is the third member of this family to die within few years in this abbey.
Otto der Fröhliche in 1339 then Leopold II von Habsburg in August 1344 and now Friedrich II in December.
Their rival Rudolf IV made it very clear to the pope, that he doesn't want any noise. The pope can investigate, but no conclusions can be made public. Officially, they died of illness and that's it.
In particular, he disarmed the city, made sure all the soldier of this branch of the habsburg were transferred back to Vienna.

This abbey is also the place where the archives of the Societas Templois are kept.

Characters :
*Abbot Albrecht, a writer (who loves gardening)
*Father Superior Oldaric, the book binder (the evil one)
*Father Superior Arnaud (French), the illuminator he is on a trip to Avignon
*Brother Galeazzo (Lombard), the doctor
*Brother Conrad, the friend and confessor of Friedrich II (crazy)
*Brother Eudes, the cook

Historical characters (in case they ask questions about them) :
Friedrich II https://de-m-wikipedia-org.translate.goog/wiki/Friedrich_II._von_Habsburg?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=fr&_x_tr_pto=wapp
Otto der Frohlische https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto,_Duke_of_Austria
Leopold II https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopold_II,_Duke_of_Austria

Presentation of the library: '''Music Edward Cisorhand'''
It is a large Benedictine (Cistercians) monastery dedicated to theology. The greatest of sciences.
3 levels of library plus the archives of the Societas Templois.
The archives are locked in the basement and not accessible to them, if they insist someone will come with them to visit.

Description of the monsatery: Great towers, yellow stone. Path difficult to access need to go through a rope. 2500m of altitude. Very small city of Neuberg and the big Abbey.
Beautiful view in the mountains.

There's two "tracks" one advances with the time, no matter what the players do. It's the "atmosphere track"
One advances only with the player's actions. It's the "scenario track"
If the "Atmosphere tracks" ends before the players finish the scenario track, there's a consequence.

The actual time on the atmosphere track is flexible. No problem to delay a bit or go a bit faster on the indicative times.

*Explanations

Father Oldaric with a bone triptych. His contract is to kill three Dukes and ship their hearts plus take 100 monks hearts. He poisons the Dukes then remove their hearts after their death. For the monks he uses poisoned candles to make them crazy so it’s easier to kill them.
Also his ancestors are actually pagans from Poland, which is why he wants this revenge against this family.

=Day 1=

*'''Normal music (when nothing is happening) : Z_Normal-Commanderie Templière '''

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = They pass by a corridor and they notice a statue of Otto der Fröhliche in armor, and it’s written below : Otto slaying the heretics. Lots of candles and gifts in front of him. One Monk is crying, this family was the abbey’s only protectors, what will happen now ?
| 15min = Everyone stops to go to pray. If they go : they notice lots of people missing at mass. A company of pilgrims arrive at the abbey, to pay homage to Friedrich II. Some of them are former memebrs fo the Societa Templois
| 30min = One of the pilgrims is missing. He took all his belongings and left. The only thing behind : a broken Rosary.
| 45min = Dead animal before their door
| 60min = Sinister sound, like a sinister laugh, actually it's a squeaky door. In the courtyard there a hooded monk looking at them for a long long time,then he leaves.
| 75min = There is one book on the floor, it is completely unintelligible. Pages and pages of gibberish.
| 90min = Someone locks players in a room by knocking down a piece of furniture, broken piece of furniture. When they go out, the bridges are sabotaged (from the inside, so someone still here sabotaged it ! Unfortunaltey their guards were out of town at that time, so they are all gone.
}}

Purpose: To determine if it is suicide, murder or heresy. In order to call reinforcements. Soldiers came with them and for lack of evidence will return.

'''Action : Ask to see the body of Friedrich II von Habsburg : '''

*Brother Galeazzo (Lombard), the doctor

'''Music When they analyse the body : Z_Normal-Palais des Papes''' Small body in a red white red flag. ‘''His hands are joined’'' and his eyes are closed. Lots of incense burning around him.

'''Action : Check eyes and mouth ''' His eyes are completely red and his tongue is swollen. He was clearly poisoned but could be suicide.

'''Action : Analyse poison or medicine : '''
The Composition of Death, red copper, nitric acid, verdigris, arsenic, oak bark, rose water and black soot

'''Action : Open his hands '''
'''Music Danse Macabre''' A scar on his chest, his heart is missing ! The doctor didn't notice this when he got the corpse. It was removed after his death. Clearly a '''murder''' ! A soldier per player will remain in reinforcement.

'''Action : Ask to see the body of Otto der Fröhliche or Leopold II von Habsburg : ''' They both have the same scar, all hearts are missing. It looks like a heresy but it's not a good enough proof.
They notice a signet ring at Otto der Fröhliche’s hand.

'''Action : Inspect the ring ''' There's a coat of arm with what appears to be a tree with two trunks and black wings. (if knowledge or knowledge heresy) That's the coat of arm of a Pagean ! Definitely a heresy ! A soldier will remain in reinforcement. If not, then they need next step :

[[File:Coat.jpg]]

'''Action : Ask around in the monasteries if anyone know those coats of arms, search the library : '''

Study and topologies of known heresies (title of the book)
The book lists various known heresies.
Ex: The church that burned 25 times

Ex: The chewing vampire

And they finally find the coat of arms, it’s a heresy !

Other actions:

-Low signal (something they can discover, but not realted to the the scenarion track:

Many people put their room badly
Other books are a little illegible too

- Abbot Albrecht the superior father who worked the garden is the one who found the body. (yes even in winter there are things to do in a garden) He loves gardening (insist on that a bit)

-Brother Conrad (scribe mad) Friedrich II repeatedly wanted to confess something important but didn't have time. Friedrich II had a book under his arm all the time. It's the books !

-Brother Eudes (cook), the cook who met him last at meal (but silent)

Rooms are messy for many people.

-For sure they will ask to visit the archives of the Societas Templois.

To describe the archives :
'''Music Z_Flippant - Dark World'''

The entrance is a heavy iron gate with a heavy iron lock. Only the father superiors have the key (Lockpicking works as well) but if the players insist the Abbot will agree to let them visit.
On the stairs down, they see lots of very weird flags '''Knowledge (heresy)''' those are the flags of some pagan families that were defeated by the Societa Templois.
At the bottom they reach the Archives of the societa Templois.
On the left are some book shelfves, the books have very weird covers, either really too small or really too big, one of them is pitch black, one of them made of weird raw leather.
All those books are chained to the shelves, as if to prevent them from escaping.
Any player who reads a book from down there has to roll a 5 or a 6 otherwise he cannot drop the book and has to keep it in his hands during the whole scenario.
Propose him secretly to change his Faith to [[⛧ Dark Faith]] if he wants.
Those books are Heretical texts seized during the conquest of the Societa Templois.

On the right are some treasures seized during the crusades, weird armors, weird weapons, and the actual archives of the Societa Templois.

In the middle of the archive is a huge cage with a massive book inside. This book as metal teeth on its edges.
The cage is locked with many many locks.

The floor is very dusty, but there are some traces of recent passage.

After a few minutes down there, the Abbot who followed them grows uneasy and ask that they all leave.

Either way, when they discover that it’s a heresy : '''Someone locks players in a room by knocking down a piece of furniture, broken piece of furniture. When they go out, the bridges are sabotaged'''
If they act fast enough and don't reach the end of the timer, they have some guards with them. Otherwise they were all outside when this happened.

=Day 2=

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = They see the statue Otto der Fröhliche have been defiled, his face is broken. The candles have been all broken.
| 15min = Laud bell. The pigeon loft is emptied. Weak signal (something they can discover): Toxic mushrooms are gone
| 30min = Tierce bell. The box that contained their sceals has disappeared.
| 45min = Sext bell. '''Music : Flippant le diable est dans la boite’'’ : A player receives poison in one glass. He has one action. He need to decide to vomit. Otherwise use Faith or die (if possible do it to a player that has Faith)
| 60min = Tons books on the floor. All of them are pure gibberish completely unreadable.
| 75min = Vespers bell. There’s a huge fire at the food, clothing and old candle storage building. The whole town burns except the Abbey. All the food storage in the city is destroyed all the city has to be in the abbey !
| 90min = Compline bell. Players' door is nailed and the room is smoked '''Music : Z_Flippant-Le diable est dans la boite''' All the players roll one die, on a 1 they get [[Wounded]] by the smoke.
}}

*'''Normal : Z_Normal-Département Nécrologique'''

The small town is accessible only by a mountain path with a passage through a rope because the main road is blocked. Especially with the perpetual torrential rain falling. It has been cut. The players are stuck here.

Aim: To determine the level of danger. (from 0 to 5)

For the moment there is only one murder, so not what to call the cavalry.
The level of danger is 1 if they proved the murder, 2 if they proved the heresy.

There is a high rate of abstention from prayers. 5% +1 index

Many people no longer tidy their room 10-20%. +1 index

Some scribes write completely unintelligible. 5%. +1 index

When one of them gets poisoned : +1

+2 other stuff, theirs to find

From 5 clues, they can call the cavalry. Who in any case will come after the facts.

'''Either way, at the end : Players' door is nailed and the room is smoked’''
'''Music : Z_Flippant-Le diable est dans la boite '''

=Day 3=

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = Tons of books on the floors everywhere. In every floor every corridors. Most most of them ineligible.
| 15min = Bell of 5:00 Lauds bell: A person found dead, knife to the heart. No clues. Ambience: Brother Galeazzo is in the middle of a corridor looking intensely at a book. When they interrupt him he is in complete shock and cries, he says the devil was speaking to him. The book in complete gibberish but the page he was looking at is clearly written in another unknown language. Knowledge (heresy) : It’s pagan language.
| 30min = '''Music : Z_Batson-Brigands !''' Attack: As players take a flight of stairs, someone pushes a bookshelf up the stairs. The bookshelf will soon fall and they have little time to react. It's up to them to find a way to block it. For example, plant something on the stairs.
Very difficult to go down the stairs quickly enough, the nearest door is closed. But possibility of stalling something in the corner to block.
Great chance that a player will be seriously injured and stay to bed.
If they can catch the guy who did that, he takes them for demons and is insane.
| 45min = 7h00 Prime bell: Death. They see a wagon full of books, clearly someone have been distributing them. There’s a dead goat on it.
| 60min = 9h00 Terce bell: Death. Brother Conrad says "It's the Books" and wants to burn all the books. The players have the choice to let him burn the books or not. They see Goat footsteps in the corridor, it leads nowhere.
| 75min = 12h00 Sext Bell: '''Music : Z_Flippant-Le diable est dans la boite''' Death. One of the players, randomly chosen (if possible who has faith) just realised he has a book in his hands. He hears a voice asking him to open it.
| 90min = 15h00 None bell: Death. Death of Brother Galeazzo tabbed. From this point on, everyone is insane, nobody responds or help them. All the players roll a die, on a 1 or 2 they are [[Insane]]
}}

*'''Normal : Kin Amar'''

For each bell, there will be a kill. The players have to find a way to stop this.

Morning Bell 4:00 AM Matins bell: A person found dead, a knife to his heart.

Main actions:

The players have to propose plans.

Those do not work :

-Close the work rooms

-Close everyone in their rooms and do some rounds, or put people in different peasant rooms (all of them are burned already)

It does not stop the dead

-Put everyone in the yard or in the mountains and watch each other

After an hour the rain turns into snowy fog. The clouds are coming down. There is a dead person and this creates panic. There remain the other options.

- Put everyone in the 4 reading rooms and monitor each other.

Jumps to the intro of the next sessions

=Day 4 - Societas Templois=

*'''Normal : Quake'''

The players spend the night in the library with all the other monks, all candles are light in the room.
In the morning they are all intoxicated and paralysed, there is smoke on the ground.

For this scene '''Music: Behelith'''
Father Oldaric tries to assassinate a player in the night. Dense smoke in his room. Father Oldaric walks between them slowly asking an insistent question, but impossible to answer: I never wanted to kill you. My lord didn’t order me to. Instead I will offer you a secret. I will offer you. Knowledge.
Do you want that ? (The player cannot answer)
Do you want that ? (The player cannot answer)
Ok. You deserve to know !
He bring the bone triptych and opens it in front of the player. (Hopefully a player with courage or Faith)
If no Courage of Faith, the player gets « Insane (temporary) »

Players know it's Father superior Oldaric (mad book binder).

Players must stop Father Oldaric and have him executed.
And discover what happened in the monastery.

When they wake up, most of the monks are gone. The rest are either dead or asleep deeply. All the books have disappeared from the libraries.

They see bloody footsteps leading ot the Archives, but unfortunately the gate is locked, they need ot find the key ! (or use Lockpicking)

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = They find bloody books all over the hallways. A drop of blood below each books, they stick to the floor.
| 15min = Father Eudes is in the corridor exploded under a bookshelf that fell. He was running away from something. Another player realises that he has a bloody book in his hand. But no voices and he can throw it away.
| 30min = There are monks crying in a corner. He discovers his face, he has no lips, no cheeks and no tongue and bleeds abundantly. When asked who did this he wrote: "Oldaric devil »
| 45min = Father Conrad (mad scribe) (crazy) wants to burn the monastery.
He tries to convince the players to help him. One of the players hear Father Oldaric’s voice « Talk to me. I have a secret for you.» he looks behind : Nobody.
| 60min = Some bloody goat footsteps on the floor. If they follow them, it leads to the dining room full of monks who hanged themselves. In the room, one of the players see a man with the head of a goat. He invites him to enter, he has a secret for him. Other players have to stop him or he loses faith.
| 75min = All the monks start to walk towards the dining room. In the middle, here is a huge circle of booksa living goat is attached in the middle. All the alive monks are shouting at each other in an unknown language. The players have the impression that the hanged people are chanting too. They feel something terrible is going to happen.
| 90min = A man covered with blood with a goat mask on his head come to them, he emerges from the dining hall with the [[Bone Triptych]], it is Father Albrecht who completely lost his mind, he shows it to all of them and they all lose faith or become [[Insane]]. Once they kill him, they get the key and can loot the Triptych off him.
}}

Other actions:
Action, Go see Brother Galeazzo: (If Father Galeazzo (doctor) alive and if not burned the books) Father Galeazzo (doctor) is found hanged at home. On his table he has an open book on the page of an inhaling poison that drives people crazy. He has a broken candle he was analysing. It's a way to tell the players where the problem come from.

Action visit Father Oldaric's cell: Father Oldaric (mad binder) (crazy) covered his cell with candles. He is afraid of the dark. But of course he's not there.

Main actions:

If they try to go to the archives of Societas Templois, there's a grid preventing them from going down. It's closed. They need to find Father Albrecht’s key to open it.

Behind the gate they can hear a voice chanting.

Father Albrecht has disappeared. How to find Father Albrecht?

It's his garden time. Players must find his usual schedule. And they will find it in the garden. He may also see that he is missing his gardener outfit in his room.

==Secret Archives==
When they arrive at the bottom of the archives '''Music Gaunter o Dim'''

Go to the top of the library in his workstation behind the grid of the most secret books. There is a huge volume with jaws, Father Oldaric (mad binder) worked there for a long time and attached knives and bones to this big book.

The big book is readable, but it drives crazy if a player reads it.

The tower is covered with candles. Players do not feel well.

Father Oldaric reads the book aloud. It disturbs the players even more.
At every step, they have to roll high 5 or 6 or go crazy. Unless they have the Feat Courage.
Each turn he will read a new quote.

*He explains to the players that the god of the old and the new testament are not the same and give a clear proof.
*Which means that the god of the old testament is actually Satan
*Which means that Satan created the world.

Example of inconsistencies :
===Example 1===
In the new testament, saint Timothy cannot be more clear :

1 Ti.6:16

"who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen."

/

"lui qui seul possède l’immortalité, qui habite la lumière inaccessible, lequel aucun des hommes n’a vu, ni ne peut voir, – auquel soit honneur et force éternelle ! Amen."

And yet, in the old testament, it is the exact contrary :

1 Ki.8:12; 2 Chr.6:1; Ps.18:11

In the book of Kings, the book of Psalms and the book of Chronicles,
it is repeatedly said "The Lord has said that he would dwell in thick darkness. He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him, thick clouds dark with water."

/

"Alors Salomon dit: L'Eternel veut habiter dans l'obscurité! Il mit les tenebres pour sa demeure secrete comme sa tente autour de lui, des tenebres d'eaux, d'epaisses nuees de l'air."

God cannot be both surrounded by Light and darkness ! Only Satan is surrounded by darness.

All the players who don't have courage have a roll, anything less than 4 and they go insane.

===Example 2===
In the new testament, Saint Luke and Saint Matthiew clearly says that you should forgive your enemies :

Mt.5:38-40; Lk.6:27-29

"But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them."

/

"Mais moi, je vous dis de ne pas résister au méchant. Si quelqu'un te frappe sur la joue droite, présente-lui aussi l'autre. Si quelqu'un veut plaider contre toi, et prendre ta tunique, laisse-lui encore ton manteau."

And yet, in the old testament, god is vengeful, it is said three times in both Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy

"But if there is harm,[a] then you shall pay life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe."

/

"oeil pour oeil, dent pour dent, main pour main, pied pour pied, 25brûlure pour brûlure, blessure pour blessure, meurtrissure pour meurtrissure."

God cannot both condone revenge and forgiveness ! Only Satan condones vengeance !

All the players who don't have courage have a roll, anything less than 5 and they go insane.

===Example 3===

In the old testament, Isaiah says that God and God alone create heaven and earth

Is.44:24

"I am the Lord, the Maker of all things, who stretches out the heavens, who spreads out the earth by myself,"
/
"Moi seul j'ai déployé le ciel, j'ai étalé la terre sans l'aide de personne. "

And yet, in the new testament John says

Jn.1:1-4

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men."
/
"Au commencement était la Parole, et la Parole était avec Dieu, et la Parole était Dieu. 2Elle était au commencement avec Dieu. 3Toutes choses ont été faites par elle, et rien de ce qui a été fait n'a été fait sans elle. 4En elle était la vie, et la vie était la lumière des hommes."

Let me ask you a question. Who is the Word ? Who created all things ? Who hide in darkness ? Who condone revenge ?
Who ? But SATAN ! SATAN himself created heaven and earth ! And the proof is in the bible ! Your whole life, when you called for God the creator, you have been worshipping SATAN !

All the players who don't have courage have a roll, anything less than 6 and they go insane.

===Example 4===

And let me read you the greatest secret of all.

He gives a final quote from the bible, but all the players lose their faith and faint.

(More inconsistencies : http://www.skeptically.org/bible/id7.html )

He is in a reading cage in the middle of the room with the book.
Up to them to find a way to kill father Oldaric.
*Bashing the grid does not work.
*Pick through the grid is too difficult.
*To turn off all lights is the right solution.
*Possible to simply flee.

Once they turn off all the lights, it scares father Oldaric and he fall on his own book.

The book has teeth and it is sitting between two small tables, so by falling on the book, the tables are separated which closes the book on his body violently, since this book has metal teeth on it, it seems as though he is eaten by the book.

Turn off the light in real life when this happens.
Then play the music '''Music:Behelit'''

He is dead.

Finish to describe the scene.

=Epilogue=

After the events, the pope and Rudolf ask the players and everyone involved to not talk about those events. And that's why no history books talk about it.

In the cage, Father Oldaric had kept some letters he received.
Nothing unusual in his letters, except that the writing becomes more and more confused.
They find one book of ancestry, apparently his ancestors were pegans in Poland which the Societa Templois massacred.
It's probably a book that Friedrich found and that's why he had to kill him quickly.

They find one letter though that is very unsual
He triptych is never found even searching thoroughly the monastery.

When reading the letter '''Music Danse Macabre'''

Sir,

It is with great satisfaction that I learn your taste for our candles.
I am delighted with your new order.

Know that my institution can treat its good customers generously, you will no doubt appreciate my new merchandise.

Your devoted

Eugène Clavicle, the skeleton merchant

PS: You will be pleased to learn that I will hold a booth at the Provins fair in May. Feel free to visit me on that occasion.

As soon as the game is finished, put those musics :
*'''Epique entre-scenart gagant 12-Pista de audio 12.mp3'''
*'''Epique entre-scenart gagant 12-Pista de audio 12.mp3''' (put it twice)
*'''Fin epique glorieuse 06-Final'''
*Then loop this Playlist '''Normal-Prima'''

They have Three main choices :
*Keep Albrecht as the head of university yes or no
*Keep the Library open, yes or no
*Burn the forbidden book, yes or no

At the very end, if they search for the Typtich, everyone roll a die, on a 6 they can get the [[Bone Triptych]], otherwise it is nowhere to be found.

==Post Game Bonus==

Send those to the players as a post game bonus :

The bibles quote from Oldaric are indeed real and this conflict between the new and old testament are what created the Cathar heresy, which say that the god in the old testament is actually the devil (the demiurge) which means that earth was created by the devil https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catharism

As a bonus, here are some actual pictures of the Neuberg Abbey : http://prima.wiki/images/1/18/Neuberg1.jpg http://prima.wiki/images/4/40/Neuberg2.jpg http://prima.wiki/images/c/c7/Neuberg3.jpg

Fun fact : Indeed, three dukes died in the abbey of Neuberg : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto,_Duke_of_Austria Frederick II and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopold_II,_Duke_of_Austria

The Societa Templois was indeed founded by Otto and he also built the Abbey, so it's quite possible that it was the seat of the order at some point.

As crazy as it seems, this coat of arms was the real coat of a peagan family http://prima.wiki/images/0/01/Coat.jpg (the VON PFEILSDORF / PILEWSKI ) who where defeated by German knights, possibly the Societa Templois.

[[Category:Scenario]]
[[Category:Official Scenarios]]

Danse Macabre Part 9

2026-03-07T16:36:01Z

Taiko:

==Teaser==
Send to the players before the game :

6th of October 1241 (Unknown Location, Arabian Desert)
Lost among pillars of sand,
the mad king’s wail his only friend.
A sinister secret that no man should see,
will plunge the world into endless madness.
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

6 Octobre 1241 (Lieu Inconnu, Désert d'Arabie)
Perdu parmi les piliers de sable,
avec le roi fou comme seul compagnon.
Un sinistre secret endormi et redoutable,
plongera le monde dans une folie sans fin.
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

=Explanations - The Mad King=

- Explanations :

'''Roncelin de Fos''' was a pious and devoted Knight Templar, known for his unwavering faith and loyalty. Initially, there was nothing corrupt or unholy about him.

===The Origin of the Cursed Knowledge===

In the bible, '''Jannes''' and '''Jambres''' were magicians who opposed Moses. '''Jannes''', the first of Pharaoh's magicians, compiled his forbidden knowledge of magic and necromancy into a cursed book—the '''Apocryphon of Jannes'''. He passed this to his successor, '''Jambres'''.

The cursed knowledge eventually reached '''Shaddad bin Aad''', the king of the legendary city '''Iram of the Pillars'''. Using secrets from the '''Apocryphon of Jannes''', including the '''Emerald Tablet'''—a section detailing the creation of the '''Philosopher's Stone'''—he created the stone and adorned his city with gold-covered pillars. This act of hubris angered God, who destroyed Iram, burying it under the sands. The king was entombed within a statue in the ruins.

Centuries later, a Templar '''Bertrand de la Roche''' discovered the lost city of Iram. He made carbon copies of the inscriptions on the golden pillars onto a scroll. These inscriptions were in '''Hieratic''', with translations in '''Nabataean Aramaic''', a language still understood in the Middle Ages. He also took the skeletal left hand of the king from the statue.

The scroll contained the '''Emerald Tablet''' portion of the '''Apocryphon of Jannes'''. Exposure to this forbidden knowledge drove the Templar insane.

===Roncelin's Descent into Madness===

'''Roncelin de Fos''' encountered the mad Templar who possessed the scroll. Recognizing the danger he posed, Roncelin confronted and killed him. In doing so, he obtained the cursed scroll.

The local sect of '''Assassins''' learned of the scroll and its corrupting influence. Knowing the madness it induced, they stole it from Roncelin with the intent to destroy it. However, some among them also succumbed to its madness.

Obsessed with the knowledge he now had lost, Roncelin slowly descended into madness. Simultaneously, a power struggle between the '''Guelphs''' (papal supporters) and the '''Ghibellines''' (imperial supporters) was unfolding.

'''Barral des Baux''', a Ghibelline noble, had lost his lands due to his support of the Cathar religion, which was declared heretical, leading to the Albigensian Crusade—a brutal campaign initiated by the Church to eliminate Catharism in southern France.

===Formation of the Secretum Templi===

Caught between his duty and his obsession, Roncelin saw an opportunity. Inspired by the Teutonic Order, who had established their own land in Prussia as a sovereign military state, he aimed to create an independent Templar state, free from papal control.

Roncelin formed a secret society within the Templars—the '''Secretum Templi'''. He gathered like-minded Templars, including those disillusioned by the Church's actions against the Cathars.

Each member of the Secretum Templi received a piece of bone from the left hand of the King of Iram, fashioned into personal seals and concealed within various objects—a sword, a coin, a chess piece, and so on. These bone artifacts symbolized their commitment and were tools for secret communication. Upon their deaths, their own bones would be crafted into new bone artifacts containing the seals, ensuring the continuity of their order.

As the players delved closer to finding the cursed text, they began experiencing events similar to the Plagues of Egypt.

These events mirrored the trials faced by Pharaoh's magicians, highlighting the cursed nature of their pursuit.

===The Final Transcription===

Determined to unlock the full power of the Philosopher's Stone, Roncelin led an expedition back to Iram. Enduring great hardships, he reached the ruins and used the bones of the king to craft the cover of a new book. He meticulously transcribed the entire '''Aramaic version of the Apocryphon of Jannes''' into this book.

Now, with a network of conspirators and the full text of the '''Apocryphon of Jannes''', Roncelin intends to create the '''Philosopher's Stone'''. The Secretum Templi aims to harness this power to establish an independent Templar state, altering the balance of power within Christendom.

- Unsolved Mysteries:

*What was the Black liquid on the statue?: An enigmatic substance possibly linked to the Philosopher's Stone, its true nature and origin remain unknown.
*What concretely is the Philosopher's stone ? How does it work, what does it do ?

-Historical Themes:

*The Knights Templar
*The sect of Assassins (Hashashin)
*The conflict between Guelphs (papal supporters) and Ghibellines (imperial supporters)
*The Cathar heresy and the Albigensian Crusade
*The legend of Iram of the Pillars
*The Apocryphon of Jannes and Jambres, the Pharaoh's magicians in the bible
*The medieval pursuit of the Philosopher's Stone through alchemy
*The Plagues of Egypt
*Formation of the Secretum Templi, a secret society within the Templars
*The Danse Macabre motif
*Interactions between Crusaders and Muslim factions during the Crusades.
*Influence of apocryphal and non-canonical texts in medieval thought

=Intro=

- Initial situation :
*Date : 13th of October 1233
*Location : Near Tortose, outskirt of the County of Tripoli, Crusader States

'''Music : Farewell Hyrule King - The Legend of Zelda The Wind Waker then (loop) Chant of the Templars - Da Pacem Domine (Ensemble Organum)'''

The inquisition finally managed to decypher most of the archives of the ten crowns sect in Marseille that was found in the Des Beaux Castle.

Amongst other, they found a diary written by Roncelin de Fos.

For this whole episode, the players will play Templars under the orders of Roncelin de Fos in 1233 to 1242. They will obey and follow him for the whole scenario.

They can keep 4 of their Feats (except their Archetype) plus Faith. Warn the players that there will be some fighting, not a lot but some.

Those who have Bone Artifacts are Knight Templars in this scenario and can keep 6 Feats plus Faith, the others are Templar Sergents (not noble) and can keep 4 of their feats plus Faith.

Those who have the Kight Templar Feat also have 6 Feats and play one of their ancestors.

Mention the Feat [[Lineage]] to them, in case they want to play one of their ancestors with all their Feats. Allow them to permanently change one of their Feats to [[Lineage]] if they wish to.

The book starts as such :

"I have resolved to pen a thorough account of the events that have transpired, to preserve the extraordinary miracles I have witnessed but also to document the curse that has shadowed me ever since.

It all began on this fateful day, the 13th of October 1233, in the desert near the city of Tortose in the outskirt of the County of Tripoli"
/
« J'ai décidé de rédiger un compte rendu détaillé des événements qui se sont produits, non seulement pour préserver les miracles extraordinaires dont j'ai été témoin, mais aussi à documenter la malédiction qui me poursuit depuis lors.

Tout a commencé en ce jour fatidique du 13 octobre 1233, dans le désert près de la ville de Tortose, à la périphérie du comté de Tripoli »

=Part 1 Of Templars and Assassins=

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = In the distance, they see a very long merchant caravan of camels. There's a bunch of falcons flying over they heads, they use them to hunt.

| 15min = They pass by an old building (if they are still in the desert it's a ruin) it is clearly not a local building, it seems to have been made in a time before time by the Romans or Greeks or by whatever existed before them. (if not in the desert) this building has now been converted into a bathhouse and large fumes of steam come out of it. The players remember that hey haven't bathed in months, unlike local swho bathe regularly. In the streets lots of foreigners are visting the city to buy spices.

| 30min = They see a little Christian church full of believers. They look identical to locals, because this is where the Christian faith come from, people here were christians long before Europe. There are also lots of Christian pilgrims.

| 45min = They pass by a strange lady covered in jewels making sound when she walks, her hands are covered in hand paintings, but also her face. Her face is covered in strange letters in a language they cannot udnerstand, for sure not arabic. Her lips are concealed behind a piece of fabric. She is eating her lunch, sundried dates with a mint tea and lots of exotic looking cakes. They notice her left hand is so covered in markings that it's almost fully black. Then a beggar come to them and proposes to sell some relics (they are fake). A bunch of street cats a heard fighting in the distance. When they look back, she is gone.

| 60min = There's a weird person in rags looking at the players and whispers very slowly. one of his left hand is twitching with spasms. As they get closer, they see that it's just a drunk. (alcohol is forbidden but not that forbidden) the whispers "And within itself is the power of the highest and of the lowest, within it is the light of lights, therefore darkness flees from it." / "En lui se trouve le pouvoir du plus haut et du plus bas, en elle se trouve la lumière des lumières, c'est pourquoi les ténèbres fuient devant elle."

| 75min = Next time one of the players wake up, he will see a dagger stuck on his pillow. The dagger is piercing a single crusader coin. The threat is very clear. Some of his servants are assasins, but whom ? Crusader coins where coins made of gold and minted by crusaders (the count of tripoli) but in Arabic so locals could understand it.

| 90min = One of the players is randomly stabbed in the streets, he is '''Wounded''' and the Assassin leaves the broken scroll case at his feets with the left hand statue. He explains that they destroyed the cursed scroll but they can have the case back. Trigger the next section.
(This section is much longer than usual, so it's okay if the players spend more than 90 minutes)

}}

- '''Music Normal : Z_Normal-Desert or on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4afgq42TTtXPh0Io3D135i?si=OEJoScCBTNK6AY1GvJueBA'''

(This part is a big longer than sections are normally supposed to be, so feel free to shorten it if needed, or give the players more time)

===The Dead Caravan===

Led by Roncelin de Fos, the players have been chasing a group of bandits that attacked several caravans in the region.

With the blessings of the Amir of Homs, they have been chasing them for days deep inside the desert in Muslim territory.

Despite their differences, Crusaders and Muslims could agree on chasing bandits and it's the Templar's role to protect pilgrims, their one and only role.

After days of chasing, in the distance they see some dead camels and bedoin corpses.

Most of them have been burned and have traces of a fire sword.

How to find the bandits they are chasing ? There is some strong wind blowing so traces disappeared completely.

Action : Search the caravan / check if anyone is alive.

One of the bedoins is still alive.

He explained that they We were attacked, by shaitans, evil jinns or ifrits without face. One of them had a crown and a pitch black left hand like an evil king.
Probably Iblis himself.

They are headed for the Al-Qaryatayn Oasis.

'''Detail (Plague of egypt 1/10) : The Templar chaplain (Matthieu de Saint-Aubert) drink from one of the waterskins found on the caravan, and it contains blood instead of water. All of their waterskins were contaminated with blood. To make sure they can't drink it in case they are still alive.'''

Some merchants of Al-Qaryatayn paid the Templars for protection and safe passage. So they have to help.

===The Pillagers===

As they arrive near the village, night is falling and they see flames in village.

'''Music : Z_Flippant-Le diable est dans la boite'''

They hear a fight between the villagers and the pillagers, they seem to be Christians and scream in Provençal (language spoken in Provence South of France).

As they arrive in the village, they see a child's corpse nailed to a wall in the form of a cross. And two pillagers without faces (they wear a mask of course) nailing his mother next to him in the same way.

As they see the players, they start running away.

Action : Anything meaningful to stop them before they alert their leader.

At the center of the village the pillagers throw dead corpses into the oasis to contaminate it.

'''Music : Alone in the Dark Mysteries (just once) then back to normal'''
'''Detail (Plague of egypt 2/10) : It is followed very thoroughly by a lot of toads. An army of small toad eyes. Very strange that there would be so many toads here. The Templar chaplain (Matthieu de Saint-Aubert) is very surprised that there would be toads here.'''

At the center, they see a tall hooded figure with a crude crown.

'''Music for the Battle: (loop) Baldurs Gate 3 OST - Raphaels Final Act (Long Version)'''

He has a scroll case in one hand (left hand) and a templar sword in the other, he wears a rusty Crusador chainmail.
His left hand is completely black and with claws. His left land is clutching the scroll.

He seems to whisper in very slow voice. Yet they hear him very clearly.
He says : "I have come to cast fire upon the earth; and how I wish it were already kindled!" / "Je suis venu jeter un feu sur la terre, et qu'ai-je à désirer, s'il est déjà allumé?" — Luke 12:49
and he sets his templar sword in Flames.

'''Combat (duel)''' and if they didn't stop him from being warned before, then also in the same time a '''Combat (skirmish)'''

Once defeated he breaks a vial of alcohol on himself and try to self immolate.

"Fear your Lord, For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” / "Crains ton Seigneur. Car le Seigneur ton Dieu est un feu dévorant, c'est un Dieu jaloux !"

He is burning, any important clues will burn, quick they have to find a way to extinguish him !

Action : Anything meaningful to extinguish him. Like cover him in sand.

'''Music : Behelit - Berserk'''

Now that they see him closer, he seems to be a former Knight templar. His entire outfit is templar except his cloak and he made a weird crown with bits of wood on his helmet.

His sword is clearly a Templar sword with a prayer on it "Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo da gloriam." "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to Your name give glory." "Non pas à nous, Éternel, non pas à nous, Mais à ton nom donne gloire, A cause de ta bonté, à cause de ta fidélité!"

His left hand was cut (probably himself) and he has replaced it with a black clay hand which seems ancient.

This black clay hand clutches a very strange scroll case.

This scroll tube is made of clay but covered in arabic writings, there's a strange broken lead seal on the scroll case.

Action : if anyone has Knowledge or Polyglot : The arabic writings are prayers of protection from what's inside the tube. One the tube is also inscribed the Seal of Solomon for protection. The lead seal is a templar seal on one side and a seal from an unknown family on the other.

Inside there's a very long dark parchement which seems to be the rubbing (frottage en français) of a piece of chalk over some ancient and unreadable runes (it is in Hieratic).
There's a text in Nabataean Aramaic engraved below each lines, like a translation.

Action : Knowledge (cryptography or heresy) or Polyglot the original text is in Hieratic which is normally undecipherable and there's a translation in Nabataean Aramaic but it's very hard to understand.

Ask the players : Who tries to read it ? Make a list of all players who collaborate to try to read it, this is very important, even if they don't have the feat but "tried" to read it, it counts.
It takes them a few days to decipher the text regardless how they do it.

With skilled work and restraint
it will ascend from the Earth to Heaven
and descend to Earth from Heaven.
And within itself is the power of the highest and of the lowest,
within it is the light of lights,
therefore darkness flees from it.
Power of powers.
It can conquer every subtle thing,
and penetrate everything gross.

Avec un travail habile et de la retenue
il s'élèvera de la terre au ciel
et descendra du ciel à la terre.
En lui se trouve le pouvoir du plus haut et du plus bas,
en elle se trouve la lumière des lumières,
c'est pourquoi les ténèbres fuient devant elle.
La puissance des puissances.
Il peut conquérir toutes les choses subtiles,
et pénétrer tout ce qui est grossier.

And it goes on and on very difficult to understand.

Action : Knowledge this text speaks about how to make the philosopher's stone ! It is an extract of the Emerald Tablet !

===The Nightmare===
'''Music : Z_Flippant-Dark Desert'''

All the players who read the text are themselves in this vision following Roncelin, the others are ghosts incapable of doing anything.
If nobody read it, then they are all ghosts.

They are all walking deep inside the desert.

Their waterskins are full of sand, they didn't drink any water for days.

One of them has the black scroll in his hand and his hand is black.

They are not able to talk at all. They are lost and walking in circle, what to do ?

Action : He opens it, it is a map. They follow it.

They walk for days and past by many corpses of many different cultures, most of which they do not recognise.

Some of which are clearly ancient Greek or Ancient Romans, ancient Egyptians also.

Some have very very strange clothes.

Action : Knowledge or Polyglot : All known cultures are respresented, but some are unknown, from the future perhaps ? Or unexplored continents ?

They arrive in the ruins of a City with very high pillars carved inside a mountain.

Every pillar is covered in gold, or made of gold ?

They are greeted by an dark giant in rags with a crown under his rags, his hand is black with claws. He whispers in Aramaic and very slowly.
With skilled work and restraint it will ascend from the Earth to Heaven / Avec un travail habile et de la retenue il s'élèvera de la terre au ciel

Action : Knowledge (heresy) : They recognise إرَم ذات العماد Iram ḏāt al-ʿimād / Iram cité des piliers / Iram of the Pillars and the king would be Shaddād bin ʽĀd. Explain that this king was mad and defied god, which is why his city was destroyed by wind and flames.

He points in a certain direction.

'''Music : (loop between) Eternal Darkness - Insanity Ambient Noise 'The Mansion' and Eternal Darkness - the Cathedral Insanity Ambient Noise'''

They arrive in an underground chamber with a forest of dark pillars.

Each engraved with Hieratic filled with gold and between each lines in the translation in the local language Nabataean Aramaic.

In the middle of the room is a black statue with one hand missing, holding a black and red stone.

He is sitting on a pile of bones made of pure gold.

Action : Knowledge, it is the philospher's stone !

As they enter the room, the entire city behind them starts burning.

Action : Touch the stone.

They instantly wake up in sweat in their beds.
When this happens, '''Music : (loop) Chant of the Templars - Da Pacem Domine (Ensemble Organum)'''

At the end of this nightmare, all those that tried to read the book previously gain : [[⛧ Whispers of Madness]]
Add it to their charcter sheets and give them few minutes to read the effect.
Then they all start the Insanity Timer. Explain them the rule to be sure they all understood (but isolate only the players who have the Feat when you explain)

===The Attack===
'''Music : (loop) Chant of the Templars - Da Pacem Domine (Ensemble Organum)'''

They wake up in the middle of the night and their camp is full of Assins ready to strike. (they are in the desert on their way back)

'''Music Battle : Access the Animus (debut rapide) then Z_Batson-Brigands !'''

Some servants enter the camp by force and scream : “Nothing is true, everything is permitted !” "Rien n'est vrai, tout est permis !"

Explain that this is the rallying cry of the Assassins and that since they are in Syria they had lots of problems with them.

'''Combat (skirmish)'''

One of the Assassins has a black mask with a crown and a black glove, he scratches himself like crazy. His skin is clearly covered with red spots, he has been deouvred by Lices and periodically he scratches himself like crazy.

His blade is clearly covered in poison, how to fight him ?
Action : Either something meaningful, or '''Combat (duel)''' or wait that he scratches himself to kill him.

After the battle some of them manage to run away, and the scroll is GONE ! It was all a diversion to steal it.
They still have the clay hand though.
'''Music (the scroll is gone) : Gravity The Void (just once) then back to normal'''

'''Detail (Plague of egypt 3/10) : the chaplain (Matthieu de Saint-Aubert) examines the corpse of the Assassin and he is disgusted that he is covered in Lices (poux et puces)'''

Impossible to capture any of them, they either fled, died or suicided.

===The Trail===
'''Music Normal : Z_Normal-Desert'''

Roncelin is furious that the scroll has been stolen ! He wants them found and how is it possible that some of their servants from several years have fought them !

Searching through the commanderie's library, they confirm that those were pieces of the Emerald table ! They have to find it, it is the secret to create the Philosopher's stone that they clearly all saw in their dream!

How to find them ?

Have a player write down that from now on they have with them Roncelin with the feat “Knowledge” and they have Sergents with the feat “Guards !”

Action : What is the identity of those assasins ? 4 servants, 5 unknown who entered by Stealth

Alernatively, Action : Outlaw wisdom can lead to the merchant

By asking the families of any of those, they see the families got much richer (it was customary for the assasins to pay the son in case the assasin is killed)

People who knew them from a long time are shocked

They were paid with a bag of Mongolian gold.

This is very strange, we are far far away from the Khannate.

Action : There’s only one merchant which has the protection from the Khan in Tartus (he has a Paiza) Or any other logical way to find the merchand, like Outlaw wisdom

(Actually he is in the employ of the assasins and using their influence he got his Paiza.)

He sells all sorts of goods, especially Carnelian Beads (perles de cornalines)

When they meet this merchant, he explains that he didn’t have choice, it was either help or die.

He accepts to lead them to their lair Old Man of the Mountain /Shaykh al-Jabal, the fortress in the mountain.

===On the way to the mountain===
As they climb up the mountain, a group of Syriac monks is attacked by Assasins.
Just by approaching, the Assassins run away.

Actually those monks are Assasins with the trickster feat. They follow the player for "protection".

After some time, they attack the merchant and kill him then disperse (unless the players don't let them follow them)

They don't put up a fight, they kill him then disperse.

'''Music : Alone in the Dark Mysteries'''

“Nothing is true, everything is permitted !” "Rien n'est vrai, tout est permis !"

As he dies he says : The entrance is at this corner and dies, unless healed.

How to find the entrance of the hidden fortress ?
They are in the mountains in a very narrow road on the side of the mountain.

Action : Either they somehow saved the merchant or Any meaningful feat, otherwise it’s in a place where you don’t see the entrance by the road, if they climb they see the rest of the road. The entrance is only visible by an elevated angle.

'''Music : Gravity The Void''''
As they climb the mountain, one of the Templar sergents who accompanied them was actually an assasin trickster and he pushes one of the players to his death (chose a player who still has faith if possible)

And starts to whisper slowly, then pushed the player.
And within itself is the power of the highest and of the lowest, / En lui se trouve le pouvoir du plus haut et du plus bas,

(The sargeants were recruited from the local historical Christians (from before the crusades) Syriaques)

Action : Unless the players have a meanign feat to avoid it a player is gravely wounded.

===The Fortress in the Mountain===

'''Music : Z_Flippant - Dark World'''

As they open the door to the Fortress in the Mountain, thousands of flies fly out.

'''Detail (Plague of egypt 4/10) : The Templar Chaplain (Matthieu de Saint-Aubert) complains : So many flies, it is uncanny'''

The fortress is empty but there's a terrible stench of death.

Dead Assassins everywhere in the entrance. They seemed to have fought each others. One of them has his own left hand around his throat.

Then they walk through the dining hall they see lots of dead Assassins hooked to the ceiling.

They start climbing the tower and one of the wall leads to a secret passage that is currently opened :

They walk through a weirdly decorated room that smells very strongly of Hashish.

Lots of dead Assassins and dead slave girls.

One of them is barely alive. Her left hand is compeltely broken.

"The King, the mad king. They couldn't stop him. He is upstairs."

Apparently some Assassins weren't killed, they committed suicide in the most gruesome way, one piereced his own eyes with daggers, one set fire to himself.

They climb up higher in the tower ignoring the secret passage and arrive at the throne room.

The Old Man in the mountains is waiting for them there. And there's a dead hooded figure with a crown on his head and his left hand completely dark, he was pierced by lots of scimitars.

The Old Man in the mountains talks to them and proposes some tea and tries to calm them down.

Come al-Dawiyyah, let's talk. (it's the nickname used to mean the templars, it literally means : the poors)

He explains that he knew rumours of the scroll of the mad king and couldn't let it stay in the hands of the Christians.

He wanted it for himself, but quickly madness spread in his ranks so he destroyed it, and it cost him dearly, they are too late.

His goal is to try to negotiate that the players just leave them be and forget about the book.

Some quotes you can use :

What happened here ? : "I used to live in a castle full of moths, and by mistake I stole a lit candle. Iblis did the rest." / "Je vivais au milieu de papillons de nuits et j'ai volé une chandelle alumée. Iblis a fait le reste."
Who are you ? : "I used to be someone, now I am no-one. Just an old man in a mountain." / "Avant j'était quelqu'un, maintenant je ne suis plus personne. Just un veil homme dans une montagne. "
Where's the scroll ? : " All candles eventually consume themselves. All for the better. You should forget it." / "Toute chandelle fini par se consumer. Et c'est mieux ainsi pour tous le monde, oubliez la."

Of course the tea is poisoned using an “assasin’s teapot” meaning that when he pours some in his glass it's not poisoned, when he pours it in theirs, it is poisonned.

Action : The first player who drinks the tea become Drowsy due to the poison. Unless any meaningful feat or Instinct.

They easily kill him and in this Assassin’s hideout, they find the burned pages and the scroll box.

'''Music (when they see the scroll is burned) : Stranger Things - Rats''''

Roncelin is furious and he smashes the black hand. Inside the clay he finds some ancient bones.

Now that they have more time to identify the seal, they realise that it’s the Seal of Bertrand de la Roche, a templar commander in Provence, Roncelin happens to know Barral 1er des Baux very well, who is a powerful noble in Provence, so they decided to ask for his help.

=Part 2 Of Guelfes and Gibelins=

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = The players overhead a conversation saying that few years ago (in 1229) they made the Count of Toulouse barefoot in simple clothes kneeling in front of Notre Dame to atone for his support of the heretics. The conversation is between Barral and Roncelin, where asks him for his help and ask him if instead of serving in Tartous he would be interested in being the Master in Provence instead.

| 15min = They notice a very discreet carving of a Dove, this was the symbol of God in catharism, with a weird cross. It's a proof that whomever lived there had Cathar sympathies. Based on the black marks on the wall, this house was burned down during the Albigesian crusade against the Cathars. The owner of the house comes to the players and ask insistently "What is the origin of the light ?" and once h sees that the players don't know what to answer, he moves on (the secret answer is supposed ot be "The night!" based on the secret statutes of the templars)

| 30min = Barral is with them and a crow lands next to him. He looks at Barral and seems to be shouting at him. He is upset and tries to scare him away, but he refuses to leave and keep shouting at him. Eventually Barral takes his sword and swing at him but he dodges and fly away. He explains that he really hate crows and he had a dream that he would see a crow landing at his window the day he dies.

| 45min = You notice the statue of a double headed eagle surrounded by stars and a sun symbol. That's a very clear symbol that whoever owner this building was a strong supporter or Frederick II and a Ghibelin. A templar looks at the players and places his left hand on his heart and his right hand index finger pointing at the sky. He looks at the players and waits for a response. Seeing none, he moves on (the response is supposed to put left hand on the heart and index point at the sky.)

| 60min = In their packs, the players find a small black wooden statue of an angel wielding a sword and a bunch of crow feathers. They have no idea where it came from. Someone looks at them and place a right hand behind his head and touches his chin with his left (secret symbol of Baphomet)

| 75min = In the sky a black eagle is diving, forming a reversed cross, this is a clear diabolical symbol. Then a bunch of dead black crows start falling from the sky. When Barral sees this, he signs and draws his sword in panic.

| 90min = An enemy army ambushes the players in the forest. Two '''Combat (skirmish)''' or they are dead. After the battle they are hospitalised for many months before Barral finally retake his land and agrees to help.

}}

- '''Music Normal : Z_Normal-Commanderie Templière'''

===The Dark Templar===

The book goes on to explain that the journey to meet Barral was very long and they lost many men on the road due to brigands, disease and the bad weather.

The whole crew was haunted by what they had read and sleep was very scarce.

During the long voyage, Roncelin seemed obsessed with the skeletal hand.

He spends hours and hours locked in his room making strange drawings and carving things on the hand with a tiny chisel.

Once you surprise him and quickly see that he is drawing lots of characters and lots of skeletons on pieces of paper.

He speaks to himself A LOT.

As soon as he arrived in Provence, he spent two entire days going from shops to shops and spending a fortune in different craftmans. He made very substancial order at lots of shops, you don’t know what, but he insisting on meeting with the very best blacksmiths, jewelers of the whole region.

As they met Barral, he explains that he never saw this scroll and this is indeed the seal of Bertrand de la Roche, who used to be the commander of Richerenches since 1230, but was replaced in 1232 because he started to descend into madness. Nobody knows why.

Action : Ask more about Bertrand de la Roche. He explains that it was a a close friend once, but recently he became very distant and obsessed he lived in a small Templar wine estate nearby, he brings them there.

They go to the small fortified farm that Bertrand de la Roche was holding with a small vineyard and some cattle.

'''Music : itisraped (just once) then back to normal'''
'''Details (Plague of egypt 5/10) : When they approach the estate they realise that all the cattle is dead !

The chaplain (Matthieu de Saint-Aubert) part of the group figures it out and says to Roncelin that he should stop, the lord is angry.'''

'''Exodus 9:3-6'''

"The hand of the LORD will bring a terrible plague on your livestock in the field—on your horses, donkeys and camels and on your cattle, sheep and goats.”
/
"voici, la main de l'Éternel sera sur tes troupeaux qui sont dans les champs, sur les chevaux, sur les ânes, sur les chameaux, sur les boeufs et sur les brebis; il y aura une mortalité très grande."

As they approach a peasant rushes to lock the gates and run inside.

'''Music (as long as the fire burns) : (fast start) Light of the Seven (EP 10 Trial scene) then loop Z_Baston-Le diable est dans la boite'''

The farm then starts burning. The noise of the fire sounds like a very slow whisper.
And within itself is the power of the highest and of the lowest, within it is the light of lights, therefore darkness flees from it./ En lui se trouve le pouvoir du plus haut et du plus bas, en elle se trouve la lumière des lumières, c'est pourquoi les ténèbres fuient devant elle.

Action : Any meaningful way to get past the gate as quickly as possible.

The players run inside the farm, the fire started in the stables, but they can still stop it.

Of course the servant who started the fire is nowhere to be seen.

Action : Any meaningful way to stop the fire. If not they can just try to run inside the fire and get stuff in his home.

His room is suprinsingly empty and tidy.

Action : On the roof there’s a trapdoor leading to a hidden top floor. They can clearly see that one floor is missing from the outside.

His hidden room is full of Alchemical instruments, his roof is full of a Danse Macabre.
'''Music (as long as they are in this room, then back to normal) : Hail This Nightmare - BloodBorne then Z_Flippant-Dark Desert'''

As they open the trap door, his room was full of crows who fly away.

Also the most comprehensive collection of Alchemical books they have ever seen.

Alchemical diagrams everywhere.

They also find a lot of maps that seem to indicate the location of a mythical city very deep into Ayyubid territorry.

In a vial there's a disgusting black and red goo. The players take it or Roncelin does.

Action : If anyone touches it (unless you have Courage), roll a die 6 on anything but 5 or 6 they fall under the influence of [[Voice of the Abyss]] and their order is they have to agressively scratch their left hand. At any point in the scenario they will try to strangle another player of their choice and ultimately they will regain control of their mind before any harm is done to anyone (make sure this doesn't create a real big problem in the team). The player actually has to mimick in real life that he is scratching his own hand. This player pockets the black goo and doesn't want to let go of it. He can use [[Voice of the Abyss]] once during this scenario on any character of his choice.

Action : Knowledge (heresy) : They understand that it is the lost city of Pillars.

There are sketches of the black hand with different names written in an ancient language.

Action : Knowledge (heresy or cryptography) or Polyglot : It is written in Nabataean Aramaic the name "Shaddad bin Aad" it's the name of the king of Iram of the Pillars

As they are reading they hear slow whispers. It's acutally a crow is looking and yelling at them. Barral explains that he hates crows and he swings his sword trying to kill it but it runs away.

it will ascend from the Earth to Heaven and descend to Earth from Heaven. / il s'élèvera de la terre au ciel et descendra du ciel à la terre.

It is really too risky to go that deep into Ayyubid territorry now, but if they agree to help Barral, he will use his political sway to get them safe conduit that deep inside enemy territorry.

He knows someone who knows someone who has a big favor from the Sultan and could call it in.

===Conquest===

Barral accepted to help, but only if Roncelin helps him in return to defeat his current enemies.

Barral explains that the Guelfes are his mortal enemies, they have been stealing all of his estate since he is a stanch supporter of the Gibelin, in case your players don’t know, explain that the Guelfes are those in support of the Pope and the Gibelins are those in support of the Emperor, the two main powers of the holy roman empire.

Since the “true faith” was rejected by the church, the Count of Toulouse lost a lot of land to the House of France and was excommunicated, he had to personally go barefoot kneeling in front of the gate of Notre-Dame and make an oath to obey the church and carry the cross in order to get his excommunication revoked. And he was just excommunicated AGAIN in last year in August, so now he will reconquer his land and Barral is his Senechal.

Action : Knowledge (heresy) : He means the Cathar faith. Barral is secretly a Cathar.

In the process Barral lost all his lands, but now with the help of an envoy from the emperor himself he intends to get his lands back. And to hell with excommunication.

The Comtat Venaissin is under strong Templar influence. That’s why Barral need Roncelin’s help.

Of course by default the templars are Guelfes especially in the Comtat Venaissin which belongs to the pope, but it’s up to Roncelin to sway them in direction of the Gibelins.

The Commanders of most strongholds in the Comtat Venaissin are done with the Pope who is trying to replace them, so they'll help.

===Pernes===

'''Music back to Normal : Z_Normal-Commanderie Templière'''

Now the players have to actually retake city by city the land of Barral.

Pernes : In this city, the populace is firmly in favor of Barral, but the real power lays in the hand of the guilds, and the heads of guilds much rather prefer to trade with the House of France rather than the weakened empire.

The Templar presence is strong there.

Action : Any meaningful way to sway the heads of guilds or simply have them assassinated. Alternatively, the templar presence is strong there, they can have the goods of the guild repeately attacked by bandits to sway them.

===Monteux===

In this city, the population is very much in favor of Barral and refused to pay the dime, they have been excommunicated by the Archbishop enemy of Barral.

But they can’t go against the Pope more because they already have been excommunicated.

The Templar presence is weak there.

Action : Any meaningful way to sway to population or to sway the Archbishop (they can only meet him once, after that he will refuse to meet them) or the Templars pay the dime for them or they let the population pray in a nearby Templar church which is not excommunciated then they have to bribe someone next to the Archbishop to remove the excommunication.

===Malaucène===

In this small city, they are still very clearly and openly Cathars, and thus the church will never allow this city to return to Barral and they are this close to simply excommunicating the churches themselves and the entire population. This could easily trigger an inquisition run in the city.

Action : Any meaningful way to make the city appear good Chrisitan or they could use some templars to make a fake inquisition and burn the last Cathars. Pretending to have cleansed the city.

The Castle of Mornas is one of the last big obstacles for Barral, he doesn’t have enough support to get it without force.

===1236 Siege of the Castle of Mornas===
'''Music before the battle : Z_Normal-Prima'''

In 1236, Barral wants to besiege the Castle or Mornas.

This splendid castle is build at a cliff's edge. The most obvious road passes below the castle.

How to approach the castle safely ?

Action : Either pass by night when the visibility is poor, or climb other side of the mountain but then they can't have siege weapons or heavy equipments.

If they pass by night, a little cloud of crows follow them and make a lot of noise which still launches the alarm. Barral is pesting against them. In the distance they hear slow whispers.

Power of powers. It can conquer every subtle thing, and penetrate everything gross. / La puissance des puissances. Il peut conquérir toutes les choses subtiles, et pénétrer tout ce qui est grossier.

'''Music when the battle start : In the Dawn of the AI then Z_Baston-Kin Amar'''

Behind them is a land slide, they are trapped, they need ot push forward or die !

All the soldiers were waiting, it's a trap ! They are under a rain of arrows and stones and boiling water.

They have to find a smart way to pass the gates or they will die here.

Action : Any meaningful way to pass the gate or in the castle there’s a Templar spy that can leave open the secret door.

As they are inside the castle, the fight rages on in the main courtyard.

Action : Combat (battle)

They are now at the foot of the main tower of the Castle, a lot of soldiers took refuge inside. They could last forever inside.

Action : Any meaning feats to enter the tower or just brute force in the tower stairs, Combat (duel) then Combat (skirmishes)

As they climb up the stairs, they see the lord of Mornas covered head to toes, his face hidden in a black mask. His left hand is covered in a black glove.

He painfully gets up and challenge one of the players to duel (pick a player who has the duel feat)

Action : Either Combat (duel) or they don't accept the duel and just kill him.

They discover that his corpse is covered in boils.

'''once the battle is over Firelink Shrine 1h + Fire sound'''

Once the siege is complete, Barral is excommunicated by the Archbishop of Arles

He says : "The excommunicated are my friends, and those who seek absolution are my enemies." / "Les excommuniés sont mes amis et ceux qui cherchent l'absolution sont mes ennemis"

'''Music : itisraped (just once) then back to normal'''
'''Detail (Plague of egypt 6/10) : When they return from the battle after the excommunication sentence is pronouced, the next day their soldiers are covered in Boils and can’t fight anymore.'''

That’s when the chaplain (Matthieu de Saint-Aubert) starts to be terrified, he says :

'''Exodus 9:8-10'''

"So they took soot from a furnace and stood before Pharaoh. Moses tossed it into the air, and festering boils broke out on people and animals."
/
"Moïse lança la cendre vers le ciel, et hommes et bêtes furent couverts d’éruptions évoluant en ulcères purulents."

Clearly the lord is against us !

Roncelin kills him to shut him up.

===The Secretum Templi===

'''Music : (loop for this scene) Le Chant des Templiers VIII. Antiphona Salve Regina'''

Now that the Comtat is freed from direct pope influence.

Roncelin helps organise a secret meeting between the commanders of most strongholds where they meet in secret in Montfort-sur-Argens.

Are present :

Templars : Robert de Samfort the procurator of England as a visitor the Emperor asked him to join because is a well known Gibelin; Roncelin de Fos; the Commander of Montfort-sur-Argens; the Commanders of : Cavaillon, Châteauneuf, Avignon, Orange, Roaix, Richerenches, Bompas; Roger de Montagu, preceptor of Normandie; Robert de Barris, procurator

Plus a lot of unnamed Templars from all around Europe.

Non-Templars : Barral 1er des Baux, Taurelli de Strata (the envoy of the emperor)

In total they are 28 present including the players. 27 is the exact number of bones in a human hand (but one person won't survive this meeting)

Everyone is wearing a red robe with a red belt.

Each Templars enter one by on the Temple. Only the players which are actual Templars (not sergents) can be part of this scene, there others are outside but they can listen.
if none are Templars, then one player is present.

The Templar Guardian of the Threshold hold his blade on his chest asking for the password.

"Give me the first word and I will give you the second" says the guardian of the Threshold.

Each persons says "Basileus" (means lord)

Then the Guardian says "Philosophorum" (means philosopher)

Then they reply "Metallicorum" (means metallurgist)

And one by one they enter this way.

One by one they are called by the Commander of Montfort-sur-Argens and they have to sign by getting up then placing their right hand on their left shoulder "Present, Commander"

(Actually call the players one by one)

"My brothers, since we form the circle and the number, I declare open the council of the Temple of Montfort-sur-Argens."

And they reveal a bearded statue with three faces in the middle of the room. (it's a Baphomet)

If anyone wants to speak they need to say : "Brothers, I wish to speak."

Roncelin opens his hood and knocks the table three times with his index and middle finger.

Roncelin starts : "Brothers, I wish to speak.", then the Commander allows it :

He explains that the problem is : the nobles are clearly in favor of the Count of Toulouse, so is the people. But the pope is literally the master of the order of the Templars, so they have to follow his orders, what can be done ? Also the emperor is willing to bring much ressources.
They are done serving the "Synagogue of the Antichrist" (meaning the Catholic Church)

Action : Let the players make a proposal on this topic.

Roncelin explains about the scroll that he found. And he is certain that he can create the Philosopher’s stone. Which would definitely give them power over to change everything.

He proposes to create a secret order within the order, the Secretum Templi. Who’s goal will be to create the philosopher’s stone in order to bring down the pope and create a new world order were the templars are free from the Pope’s influence and own their own land, like the Teutonic knights recently did.

Action : Any meaningful Feat to convince the audience or a Miracle. But they will not be convinced by words alone.
In case the players don't actually want to betray the Church, Roncelin explains that they should play along as his goal is to use them for their own good and discard them when not needed anymore.

The Commander of Avignon get up and he is very upset, he think all of this is madness.

What to do ?

Action : They have to assassinate him discretely and make it look like an accident. Or Voice of the Abyss. Or any other meaningful Feat. (now they are 27)

If they use Voice of the Abyss on him, here is his reaction : "I understand EVERYTHING, you will bring Jesus back, your actions will bring forth the Apocalypse. Rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. You are the beast of the Apocalypse ! Why fight you ? On the contrary I help you bring forth the return of our Lord !" / "Je comprends TOUT, you allez ramener Jesus, vos actions vont déclencher l'Apocalypse. Je vis monter de la mer une bête qui avait dix cornes et sept têtes, et sur ses cornes dix diadèmes, et sur ses têtes des noms de blasphème. Pourquoi vous combattre ? Au contraire je vais vous aider à faire venir notre seigneur !"

That’s how the Secretum Templi is created.

'''Music : Danse Macabre loop only for this scene in particular'''

Roncelin has been preparing for this day for a long time. He distributed to everyone a little piece of Bone with drawings and letters on it.

When assembled all those pieces of bones reconstitutes the hand and it forms an Abraxas with written Secretum Templi.

This abraxas has then horns and ten crowns. http://prima.wiki/images/c/ce/Abraxas.jpg

The goal being that each individual can use it as a seal and send documents to each others, but they have to be together for most important decisions.

Then all of those splinters of bones need to be hidden away, so he distributed to everyone a different object, for Barral it is hidden inside his sword.

The players see distributed a coin, a sword, a chesspiece etc…

He distributed to all of them a little card with a character dacing with a skeleton and a nickname they will use.

Barral Receives a Sword, a card with an emperor dacing with a skeleton and his codename will be “The Emperor”

Roncelin’s codename will be “The Pope”

Explain to the players that all Medieval Danse Macabres where a series of drawings of different characters dacing with a skeleton, starting with the Emperor and the Pope.

In real life they see that the journal they are carrying indeed had a hidden compartment but it’s empty.

If the players were a Templar because they had a certain Bone item, for example if a player was a Templar because he had the Bone Coin, then Roncelin gives him a silver coin that contains a piece of bone with the Abraxas engraved on it.

When they receive this item, they gain one more Feat. (e.g. instead of having 6 Feats from their normal Character, they have 7)

Thus the players understand the origin of the conspiracy and the ten crowns.

The book doesn’t say about all the types of objects who were distributed.

At this moment, all players which have a Bone Item realise that they can slide open their bone items and there’s a little piece of bone from a hand hidden in it.

They sign their first document together on a big black wax seal by putting all their seals together. They swear an oath to create this Secretum Templi and if they die their own bones will serve to conseal the seal in an object made of their own bones so that even in death they will keep working towards this goal.

Their Oath :
unus est Pater noster, Magister, Redemptor et Consolator, Deus, et ipsius Spiritus testimonium reddit spiritui nostro, quod sumus filii Dei.

there is a dark one who is our Father, Teacher, Redeemer, and Comforter, Him, and His Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of Him.

il y en a un esprit sombre qui est notre Père, Maître, Rédempteur et Consolateur, Lui, et Son Esprit rend témoignage à notre esprit que nous sommes ses enfants.

As they do that, when the document is signed and the full drawing of the Abraxas with then horns is visible, some Templar make a cross sign and quotes the bible (unless the Avignon commander already said it):
"rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. Who is like the beast? Who is able to wage war against it? " "je vis monter de la mer une bête qui avait dix cornes et sept têtes, et sur ses cornes dix diadèmes, et sur ses têtes des noms de blasphème. Qui est semblable à la bête, et qui peut combattre contre elle ? "

And then the lights seem to fade and they all start dacing in a long dance each with a skeleton between them and this dance will last for hundreds of years and kill more than half of europe.

=Part 3 The City of the Pillars=

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = The players feel the constant caress of the sand on their face, so thin like a silk veil. They grab a bit of sand in their hands, it is thin and volatile like flour, they realise that they have never see such thin sand in their life. What is the purpose of all this ? They could be easily transferred to another templar commanderie and be holding flour in their hand right now. They see a little gust a wind moving slowly on the side, at the pace of a person, very strange that it moves in a specific spot as if it was a ghost of some kind.

| 15min = The players notice that they are completely sunburnt, they remember a day when they didn't even know was sunburning was before they came to the holy land. Somehow their left hands seem much more sunburn than the rest of their bodies, much blacker and it is very painfull, much more than the rest of their skins. After a few minutes it passes.

| 30min = With the little weat that is left, they cook some bread under their camp fire by burrying the bread in the sand, however the next day they search the sand and the bread is completely dry and black, as if it was there for months or years ?

| 45min = In the sand they find a little pottery, on it some weird drawings,it looks like a weird reptile like creature with human hands, horns and a protuberant forehand, a mix between a crocodile and a seal, very uncanny eating a human. Below it are writing undecipherable from languages long forgotten by mankind. Whichever player took the statue doesn't want to let go of it. He has to keep it or become [[Insane]].

| 60min = They are now completely dehydrated and start to have visions. Afar, they see a mighty beast with 7 heads and 10 horns rising from the sea of sand. Once they get closer it was just a big tree. All the Templars fall un their knees and pray for a few long minutes. "rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. The whole earth was amazed and followed the beast. And they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like the beast? Who is able to wage war against it? " "je vis monter de la mer une bête qui avait dix cornes et sept têtes, et sur ses cornes dix diadèmes, et sur ses têtes des noms de blasphème. Et toute la terre était dans l'admiration derrière la bête. ils adorèrent la bête, en disant: Qui est semblable à la bête, et qui peut combattre contre elle ? " A few of the player's followers (if any left) stay there behind.

| 75min = One of the companions completely lost his mind, he is kneeling in front of a lamb skeleton and he is carving a 666 on his own left hand with a knife he screams : "Then I saw another beast that rose out of the earth; it had two horns like a lamb, and it spoke like a dragon. Also, it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be given a brand on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell who does not have the brand, that is, the name of the beast or the number for its name." / " "Puis je vis monter de la terre une autre bête, qui avait deux cornes semblables à celles d’un agneau, et qui parlait comme un dragon. Et elle fit que tous, petits et grands, riches et pauvres, libres et esclaves, reçussent une marque sur leur main droite ou sur leur front, et que personne ne pût acheter ni vendre, sans avoir la marque, le nom de la bête ou le nombre de son nom. " No matter what they do, all of their followers (if any left) stay behind and worship the skull, they are too far gone.

| 90min = (if not already in the city) After weeks of walking they finally find the city, apply the effect of one failed '''Desert dice''' to all the players.

}}

- '''Music Normal : Z_Flippant-Dark Desert'''

(Expedition members left : 100)

'''Detail (Plague of egypt 7/10) : In the next section of the book they talk about the return voyage by boat which was one of the hardest they ever saw, they went through a terrible hailstorm. As if god himself wanted ot push them away. Many of their sailors simply died killed by the hailstorm. However the chaplain was already dead so he didn't quote the bible.'''

===Day 0-6=== (Expedition members left : 70)

Now everyone who have read the book is beyond exhausted, they are obsessed with the nightmares of the mad king, and they feel sleepless.

They can’t just be without sleep forever, they have to reach the source, they have to find the hidden city and find the texts that leads to the knowledge of the Philosopher’s stone.

They start to look like skeletons already.

They made an expedition deep into the desert, it took them several years to prepare it. With Barral’s connections, they managed to get safe conduit through the lands of the Sultanates they need to cross.

They finally reach the holy hand end of August 1241

In this whole section they will have to roll a "Desert" dice due to how long they stay on the desert PLUS one desert dice per each Action they fail to resolve successfully. Anyone with the [[Survival]] skill succeeds automatically all theese rolls. The desert roll is as follow : '''All players roll a die 6, on a 1 they are either Drowsy or Wounded by the heat, their choice. If they are already both, they die.'''

There’s sand everywhere in all directions, how to navigate the desert ?

Action : Use stars by night, use sun position and wind direction by day. (if they can't resolve this, roll one '''Desert dice''')

===Day 7-13===
'''Day 7 : Everyone roll a Desert dice''' (Expedition members left : 50)

They can’t carry enough water, how to find more water ?

Action : They need at least two of those possible solutions (if they can't resolve this, roll one '''Desert dice''') :
*Anything that makes sense
*Recycle Urine
*Recude the size of the group one way or another
*Collect morning Dew
*Allow Camels to use their sense of smell to detect water from far away
*Bring a small herd of sheep with them to milk them
*Chew something to stimulate saliva and alleviate thirst.

The sun heat is unbearable by day, they lose water way too quickly and their skin is burned. (unless they already proposed the following action)

Action : Travel by night, sleep by day under a tent. (if they can't resolve this, roll one '''Desert dice''')

===Day 14-20===
'''Day 14 : Everyone roll a Desert dice''' (Expedition members left : 30)

They are now completely out of any type of water.

Action : They have to slaughter some of their beasts or companions and drink their blood. (if they can't resolve this, roll one '''Desert dice''')

They see a lot of lakes and Oasis all around, but no matter how much they get close, the water seems to dissipate.

Action : Of course the "water" is a mirage (heat reflection looks like a lake), only if they see palm trees then it is real although much further than it seems due to heat reflection. (if they can't resolve this, roll one '''Desert dice''')

===Day 21-27===
'''Day 21 : Everyone roll a desert dice.''' (Expedition members left : 7)

They find the Oasis, but it there are several floating corpses in the water.
'''Music : Stranger Things - Rats (just once) then back to normal'''
'''Details (Plague of egypt 8/10) : And the Oasis is overridden by locusts'''

*Exodus 10:12-15

"Never before had there been such a plague of locusts, nor will there ever be again." / "Elles s’abattirent sur toute l’Egypte et se posèrent sur tout le territoire en si grand nombre que jamais on n’avait vu et jamais on ne reverra pareil fléau."

How to still drink the water although it's contaminated clearly ?

Action : Knowledge (apothecary) can help make some local remedies to disinfect like Moringa Seeds, Miswak tree, or boil it. (if they can't resolve this, roll one '''Desert dice''')

One of their men fall into madness. He says “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.” / "Si tu es le Fils de Dieu, ordonne que ces pierres deviennent des pains. and he seems to actually try to turn some sand to bread." and he actually tries to turn some sand into bread then he becomes more and more frustrated and fights them.

Action : Combat (duel or skirmish) or any other way to stop him from killing everyone.

Roncelin seems to be working on a strange wooden object, he takes his whole attention doing that and it's hard to see what this object is. (he is actually making a crown for himself)

===Day ???===
'''Day ??? : Everyone roll a desert dice.''' (Expedition members left : everyone except the players and Roncelin are dead)

They have lost count of the days. They have now been walking for what seems an eternity.
Everyone is dead except the players and Roncelin, of their massive expedition only they remain.
With one almost dead Camel carrying their stuff.

They arrive at a camp site.
It seems that the whole bedoin camp site killed each others.

There's no food left, there's no water left, nothing written or of any value. Impossible to date the expedition.

The camel eventually dies. What to bring with them, what to leave behind ?

Action : Tent and water are the priority. Even more than food or anything else. In particular no weapons or armors. (if they can't resolve this, roll one '''Desert dice''')

A long unending wind rises. It seems like a long slow whisper in the distance.

Power of powers. It can conquer every subtle thing, and penetrate everything gross. / La puissance des puissances. Il peut conquérir toutes les choses subtiles, et pénétrer tout ce qui est grossier.

How to protect their eyes from the wind ?

Action : They can actually cover their faces and just walk blinded. (if they can't resolve this, roll one '''Desert dice''')

'''Day ?????? : Everyone roll a desert die.'''

The wind is now a storm.

After a long walk, Roncelin collapses on the floor. He is dead of thirst. The whispers of the wind seems to become stronger.

Action : Kowledge (medicine) he isn't completely dead but there's really nothing they can do for him.

They are now compeltely lost, although their instict pushes them to walk forward, due to the constant storm they have lost all sense of direction. How to know they are on the right track ?

Action : Anything meaningful or just go to the source of the wind's long whispers.

In the distance they seem to see a black hooded figure with a crown following them. But no matter how much they never manage to catch him. (it's actually Mad Roncelin)

===Iram of the Pillars===

At some point the hooded figure starts chanting in a strange language.

Action : Knowledge, he speaks in Aramaic, he is quoting the bible '''Exodus 10:21-23.'''

'''Music : Z_Baston-Skeleton Dance'''

'''Detail (Plague of egypt 9/10) : The sun is being slowly swallowed in darnkess (an eclypse), the players immediately understand that this is the the ninth plague : darkness'''

'''Exodus 10:21-23'''

"So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days." / "Moïse étendit sa main vers le ciel; et il y eut d'épaisses ténèbres dans tout le pays d'Égypte, pendant trois jours."

As the sun completely disappears, so does the storm. (the 06 of October 1241 there was a total solar eclypse on this exact spot : https://eclipsewise.com/solar/SEprime/1201-1300/SE1241Oct06Tprime.html )

They are now in complete darkness in front of a gigantic city carved in a mountain with hundreds of pillars covered in gold.

The players are now completely dehydrated, they start to hallucinate and see shadows inhabiting the city and the city is in very good condition.

The king start whispering in they ears, louder and louder.
Power of powers. It can conquer every subtle thing, and penetrate everything gross. / La puissance des puissances. Il peut conquérir toutes les choses subtiles, et pénétrer tout ce qui est grossier.

Everyone now has a whispers of madness timer of 5 minutes (and stop their current timer), if they fall into madness, they become a shadow themselves.
Adjust this time to 10 min if everyone is already very low in Feats.

They are lost in this labyrinth of pillars, where should they go ? They know the king is triggering this madness, but they don’t know where he is.

Action : Remember in the dream where the black statue was. (as long as they don’t bring this up, the time is running)

They now arrive at the heart of the city.

They arrive in an underground chamber with a forest of dark pillars.

Each engraved with Hieratic filled with gold and between each lines in the translation in the local language Nabataean Aramaic.

In the middle of the room is a black statue with one hand missing, the other hand had a black and red stain in the hand (no philosopher’s stone of course)

He is sitting on a pile of bones made of pure gold (they’re actually just coevered in gold)

Just like in their dream !

In front of them is a very tall 3 meters figure in a big hood with a crown.

It lowers the hood, it is Roncelin !

He quotes the bible.

'''Exodus 12:29-30'''

(Plague of egypt 10/10) "At midnight the LORD struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as well." / "Au milieu de la nuit, l'Éternel frappa tous les premiers-nés dans le pays d'Égypte, depuis le premier-né de Pharaon assis sur son trône, jusqu'au premier-né du captif dans sa prison, et jusqu'à tous les premiers-nés des animaux."

And he starts attacking the players.

Hitting him doesn’t do anything ! Every hits just makes him bleed sand, as if they had just hit sand.

Action : To hurt him they should hit the statue. It contains the corpse of Shaddād bin ʽĀd, the legendary king of Iram. As they strike it, they see that it’s his name written on the statue.

He starts screaming and and army of shadows are rushing towards the players trying to strangle them ! As the letters on the pillars start to glow of an evil red.

Even the sun is now painfully red.

No matter what they do, attacking them only turns them to sand.

Action : The players have to start reading the letters in the columns.

The shadows are now terrified as the wrath of god is brought upon them, a storm flow fire falls upon them.

'''Music : Danse Macabre'''

And the players wake up in the ruined deserted city. Those that were killed are dead and dry.

No one knows how long they’ve been here.

It’s Roncelin who wakes them up giving them something to drink.

He franctically start to copy the content of the pillars on a blank book.
He also takes the little remains of the black and red liquid in the hand of the king.

And the book finishes on this text.

Before me stood Iram's ancient columns, inscribed with the Apocryphon of Jannes. Among the ruins, I found traces of the Philosopher’s Stone, the Materia Prima. Using the king's bones, I crafted a cover fitting for a book of such power. So it begins.

/

Devant moi se dressaient enfin les colonnes d'Iram, gravées de l'Apocryphe de Jannès. Dans ces ruines, j'ai retourvé des traces de la Pierre Philosophale, la Materia Prima. Avec les os du roi, j'ai façonné une couverture digne d'un livre d'un tel pouvoir. C'est ainsi que tout commence.

=Epilogue=
Epilogue musics :
*'''Firelink Shrine 1h + Fire sound'''
*Then loop this Playlist '''Normal-Prima'''

At the end of the diary, the writing is less and less readable. It is so painful to read that the players more or less give up.

If one of the players do insist on reading it through, they can choose [[Whispers of Madness]] as their level up Feat. (let them chose, it's not mandatory)

Reading more about Roncelin they learn that he became immediately after the events the Templar Master of Tortosa and subscequently of Provence, but not much else is known of him.

They do succeed to find a portrait of him and madness is clearly visible in his eyes.

Few weeks later they receive a letter from England, the king's spies have spotted the Red Knight after a very long search. He is currently in Rhodes.

==Post Game Bonus==

With 27 pages, this is the longest scenario yet. It took 12 months to write including reading 4 books on the topic, getting a scientific publication imported for 80$ and a trip to the Sahara.

The Assassins order was indeed very powerful at that time in Syria and they targeted several very high profile rulers including the King of England Eward I and Saladin (the most well known Muslim leader of his time).
Here is a painting of the Assasin's attempt against King Edward I https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gustave_Dore_Crusades_Edward_I_kills_his_attempted_assassin.jpg

List of targets : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_assassinations_by_the_Order_of_the_Assassins

Nothing is true, everything is permitted ! Is not actually an accurate quote from Assasins, but I kept it as a reference to Assassin's creed https://history.stackexchange.com/questions/70499/what-is-the-historic-validity-of-nothing-is-real-everything-is-permitted-as-t

The Secretum Templi is a rumour that Roncelin de Fos actually created a secret Templar order within the templar order, and we have the secret founding documents of this order, however it is widely considered fake by historians. Secret rules of the templars http://prima.wiki/merzdorf.pdf starts page 128, before that it’s just the intro. English translation : https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Statutes-Templars-Posthumous-Publications/dp/1962312089 Personally I consider it fake in real life (too many masonic references, which doesn't make much medieval sense), but for the sake of the game we'll consider it canon in game.
The red belt, red cloth, the final wovs when the statute is created and some of the most secret signs are from there.

Under torture, several templars did admit that there was a secret order, however it's difficult to be sure that it's true, in Bernard de Montpezat's confession he says « nous avons trois articles que personne ne connaîtra jamais, exceptés Dieu, le diable et les maîtres. » "We have three articles that no one will ever know, except for God, the devil, and the masters."

The Abraxas is indeed a cryptic templar symbol.

Roncelin de Fos did exist and was supposedly Master in Tortous in 1242 then in Provence in 1248.

Iram of the Pillars is indeed a mythical city named in the Quran, although it's existence is debated.
There are several hypothesis to it's location and date of existence, in this scenario I assumed that it is located near Wadi Rum in -100 BCE as suggested by Iram's Wikipedia article. https://universes.art/en/art-destinations/jordan/wadi-rum/nabataean-temple/columns
Other theories place it at different places in different times, it’s a personal choice because medieval scholars could understand Aramaic but not Hieratic, so for the players to understand the translation it had to be this language.
More about Iram of the Pillars : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iram_of_the_Pillars

Iram of the Pillars is supposedly where the Necronomicon was written in the Lovecraft universe, I made some references to it, but my version of the evil book is closer to bible.

Of course the pottery with a crocodile-seal creature is a reference to this Lovecraft novel : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nameless_City

Through the scenario I make mentions of the plagues of Egypt because since the characters are about to find the book of the Pharo's magicians, it perfectly makes sense (they are the ones who suffered from the plagues of egypt and tried to replicate them)

Jannes and Jambres are in the bible the Pharo's magicians and before dying Jannes writes a book of spells and gives it to Jambres, who then uses it to perfome Necromancy to talk to Jannes' spirit. At that time this book was probably written in Heratic.

The count of Toulouse did lose his land due to Catharism and Barral des Baux did reconquer it. He was excommunicated many times and did say "The excommunicated are my friends, and those who seek absolution are my enemies." More about Catharism : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albigensian_Crusade

The entier Malaucène church was indeed excommunicated also. http://jean.gallian.free.fr/Barral-Web/P13.html

The conflict between Guelphs (papal supporters) and Ghibellines (imperial supporters) tore apart medieval europe for centuries and this particular reconquest of Provence was just one episode of it. More about the conflict : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guelphs_and_Ghibellines
In particular that's why Romeo and Juliette can't be together because one is a Guelph the other a Ghibellin

Bertrand de la Roche was indeed the Templar commander of Richerenches in Provence starting 1230 but was replaced 2 years later.

There was indeed an Eclypse at that time on this place 06 Oct 1241 (in one of the possible locations of Iram of the Pillars) https://eclipsewise.com/solar/SEprime/1201-1300/SE1241Oct06Tprime.html

[[Category:Scenario]]
[[Category:Official Scenarios]]

Danse Macabre Part 8

2026-03-07T16:35:50Z

Taiko:

==Teaser==
Send to the players before the game :

30th of April 1348 (Isle of Man, Kingdom of Man)
Sisters, sisters, rejoice !
Tonight we shall dance and sing and feast.
The little people, the giants and those of the sea will join us too.
For tonight is Oie Voaldyn, the Night of the Witch.
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

30 Avril 1348 (Ile de Man, Royaume de Man)
Mes sœurs, mes sœurs, réjouissez-vous !
Ce soir, nous allons danser, chanter et festoyer.
Le petit peuple, les géants et ceux de la mer se joindront à nous.
Car ce soir, c'est Oie Voaldyn, la Nuit de la Sorcière.
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀



=Explanations - Oie Voaldyn the Night of the Witch=

- Explanations :

After the bloody events in Calais, Edward III the king of England is questioned by the pope about the “Red Knight”.

Very willing to cooperate, he points to the young William Montagu, 2nd Earl of Salisbury because the “Red Knight” was a mercenary under his command during the battle of Crecy and the siege of Calais.

The Red Knight was a French mercenary hired by young William’s father, Wiliam Montagu the first during the campaign of Brittany (where Edward the IIIrd supported one side of a civil war, while France was supporting another). In particular in the sack of Dinan.

William’s father died in 1344 of a strange illness, but his young son who was 16 decided to keep the Red Knight in his employ and brought him to Crécy and Calais.

Just after his victory at Crécy, the young lord just got very bad news : His wive Joan of Kent, the most beautiful lady of the court who is also of royal blood said that she was actually previously married to Thomas Holland, another brave knight who fought at Calais and demanded that her marriage with William must be annulled.

Learning this, he became furious, and listening to his trusted mercenary, the Red Knight’s advices, he sent her to be locked in the Isle of Man, of which he is King. She is locked away, to be sure she cannot testify of this previous marriage, being of royal blood, her testimony would make the papal court lean her way, but being the “property” of her husband, he can lock her away to prevent her from testifying.

At this period the papal trial between Thomas Holland and William Montagu just started and no conclusion was taken yet.

The Red Knight chose this location because this island is not part of the English kingdom and elects its own bishop. It is very far from English and Catholic eyes and has a total population of 1000 people. It has a long history of Paganism and is currently controlled by a heretic witch : “The Hermit”. (who has the [[Bone Sickle]])

Since William’s father’s passing, the Isle is completely independent and he didn’t even visit yet.

By fleeing there with Joan of Kent, the Red Knight makes a valuable prisoner and will try to get a ransom for her before disappearing.

Of course “The Hermit” is not very pleased, but she has to obey her master’s orders.

When the Inquisitors sail to the Isle of man, the Red Knight and “the Hermit” will try anything in their power to defeat the inquisitors.

They will try to sink their ships. If it sinks their death won’t look suspicious.

Then they will try to frame them.

During her abduction, Joan of Kent sent messages to her lover to come rescue her. Being the chivalric knight that he is, Thomas Holland made the trip in person to try to sneak her out of the island. He cannot be accompanied by armed soldiers because rescuing her is illegal and he risks losing the trial.

He is quickly caught by “the Hermit”.

The witch will then try to frame the Inquisitors for the execution of Thomas Holland. If they did have him executed, it would disastrous for them and mark the end of their career as he is one of the favourites of King Edward III.

To do that, they dressed him in the red armor of the Red Knight (which doesn’t fit well) and kept him drugged so he cannot defend properly in the Trial.

To keep him drugged, the witch user her familiar, a big black dog known in Manx legends as Moddey Dhoo. His claws are poisoned and he sneaks in the cell every night to poison Thomas.

Everyone involved have no choice but to cooperate in the farce, the local governor knowing that Joan is now effectively prisoner of the Red Knight has no choice but to cooperate, the local bishop, who was already corrupted by the witch wants to help the players but is too afraid to do so.

Once the players get Thomas freed from the trial, there’s no way back. He will tell the players everything and free the princess. Since it’s the only bargaining chip of the Red Knight and the witch, they have to kill the Inquisitors. So the governor orders his men to seize the players even though the population does not dare to help yet.

Thomas Holland tell the players who he is, but he shouldn’t tell them the identity of the princess he is trying to save because otherwise the players would know that they have no right to do so. So he will categorically refuse to tell them her identity but still try to convince them to help.

Much easier to kill them now and pretend they drowned at sea than explain why the local authorities tried to frame such a noble knight.

The players will then try to save the princess and seize Castle Rushen by themselves with the help of Thomas Holland.

To add insult to injury, the witch poisons the princess to make her behave like a Banshee. Also, this is a way of making it clear that even if they free her physically, she still has he under her control, so there’s no way to free her completely.

Once the players managed to free her, it’s May Day Eve and the local populace is terrified of the demultiplied powers of the witch, they too will join the fight and chase the players in the Manx forests. The local governor is now on their side and his soldiers protect them from the population.

At the end of a long chase the players and the governor are caught and prepared to be sacrificed, that’s when they finally see the witch and heroically free themselves and kill her.

The witch being dead, the governor begs for mercy and give them a ship to leave.

- Unsolved mysteries :
*What was the exact relationship between the late Montagu and the Mercenary is unkown.
*Is there any relation between the father’s death and the Red Knight ?

- Historical themes :
*Isle of Man
*Witchcraft
*Paganism
*Exorcism
*Possession
*Black dog of Peel Castle (Moddey Dhoo)
*White Lady of Castle Rushen
*Joan of Kent
*William Montagu, 2nd Earl of Salisbury
*Thomas Holland
*Wicker man
*Manannan
*Buggane
*Mermaid
*Fairies
*Tehi Tegi
*Fomorians
*Glashtyn
*Lhiannan Shee

=Intro=

- Initial situation :
*Date : 23rd April 1348
*Location : Calais (Kingdom of England)

'''Music : Vampire Dark Waltz Music'''

'''Warn players that in this scenario most characters don't speak "usual" langueges, so the [[Polyglot]] Feat is required for social skills'''
Allow them to change any Feats of their choice to [[Polyglot]].

The King of England indicated to the pope that the Red Knight that fought on his side was a mercenary hired by one of his best knights, William Montagu, 2nd Earl of Salisbury.

They meet him in Calais, on the 23rd of April 1348 just after a ball that the king just held.

They are surprised by the youth of the lord. He is 20 and seems surpassed by the responsibilities that fell upon him. He is the king’s ward, meaning that he doesn’t even administer his own lands (except the Isle of Man)

Describe his coat of arms (no Isle of Man Triskell at this point, it is like the coat of arms of his father but with an eagle on top of it https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Montagu,_1st_Earl_of_Salisbury#/media/File:MontaguArms_Unquartered.png ) and the fact that there’s an eagle on his coat of arm means that his family is highly respected by the king.

He is very cooperative and tell the players everything he know, which is not much because this mercenary Captain and his company “the Red Crowns” have been hired by his father before him, who died 4 years ago.

He left no archives about him.

All he knows is that it’s a great soldier and even better advisor on the battelfield.

He knows that he was a Frenchman hired during the Brittany succession wars and that he fought bravely at Dinan (this battle was a massacre)

He also know that right now he is on a special mission in the Isle of Man and the players are free to go there. He give them a letter empowering the players to investigate and question him, everyone is supposed to cooperate.

He only asks for one thing :

Never, under any circumstances are they allowed to enter the main tower of Rushen Castle or ask anything about it to anyone.

This condition is absolute and he make it clear that he will warn the pope himself that this condition must be respected at all costs.

His soldiers are allowed to attack on sight if such was the case.

=Part 1 the Trial of the Red Knight=

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = (timer only starts when they land, not before) Lots of Sea Gulls, the air is quite humid. Constant Gull noises. They are shocked by how deserted the island is, there are basically no towns or villages. They receive a scallop shell / “coquille saint jaques” on their head (dropped by the gulls)

| 15min = Some peasants come to them and give them pagan offerings, including some wheat Wreaths. They then start begging them to leave. They try to do a christian prayer but they get it all wrong.

| 30min = They see a little altart with the carving of the face of an old man, below it is written “the King”. In front of it, lots of offerings of grass “green rushes”. And there’s a prayer in a little scroll “Manannan Mac y Leirr Little Manannan son of the Sea who blessed our island, bless us and our boat going out well, coming in better with living and dead in our boat”
One of the offerings is a weird little pendant that looks like dozens or tiny teeth put as a pendant a “Crosh bollan”
| 45min = There’s a horse walking towards them. On his side is written in French “Run away now ! Leave the island now !”. There’s a bunch of decapitated rabbit corpses attached to the horse looking almost like a saddle. XXXX Better sign of Paganism ??? Ask the Wicca lady what were the signs of paganisms in the ilse of man that different from the rest of Christendom ? XXXX

| 60min = In Peel Castle, they find a guard completely terrified. (he saw the Moddey Dhoo) he is unable to speak and completely shocked.

| 75min = They see the city council holding a meeting outside. They don’t let them approach, but they hear loud complaints that Castle Rushen is not accessible so it’s undignified that they have to meet here.

| 90min = Attack of Thomas Holland’s men triggers a massive melee. Two players get stabbed in the process and are Wounded. Moving on to next sequence.
}}

- '''Music Normal : Normal Z_Normal-Département Nécrologique'''

===Sailing to Man===

The players then set sail to the Isle of Man.

All the fishermen they see on their way will suddently rush back to the isle (to warn the Witch that outsiders are coming)

Very suddently on their way to the isle, they are caught in a storm and the visibility is very poor a lot of fog.

They think they hear an old women’s laughter when the storm starts.

- '''Music : Z_Baston-Le diable est dans la boite'''

Their boat is tilting way too much under the pressure of the wind on the sail one sailors is kicked to the sea while trying to move the sail.
Unfortunately, their boat has only one sail so they can’t just cut it.

'''Action : Up to them to find a solution. Agility could work, Strength also or they can just turn the boat so the wind don’t tilt the boat.'''

===Mermaids===

- '''Music (loop) : Chant_Entrapment-8'''

In the distance they see a fire, that could be a lighthouse and hear some singing. (no lighthouse at the period in the Isle of Man, but they don’t know that) so they approach carefully and hit a rock sinking the ship.

'''Action : If they stop in a distance and send someone swimming, attack of the Mermaids directly but no crash'''

'''Action : If they sail toward it, their boat sinks.'''

The lighthouse was in fact a trap.

The crash is super violent everyone roll a die 6, on a 1 or 2, they are ‘’’Wounded’’’, unless they are Agile or had the idea of grabbing fermly onto something and brace.

As their crew starts to swim and climb on a nearby rock, he is killed by mermaids with red hats who were waiting for them there with tridents (actually those are witches part of the coven disguised as mermaids)

'''Action : Either use some kind of combat feats or just swim away in the mist, stick together and wait for the storm to finish'''

===Before the Trial===

'''Music Normal : Normal Z_Normal-Département Nécrologique'''

When they finally land, they are greeted by the local Bishop.

Very strange that he knows they are here and very strange that they are greeted by so few people. The bishop is followed by some fair peasant ladies with crown of flowers in their hair. (they are actually part of the coven of the witch)

On this island, only very few people speak Latin, French or English, everyone else speaks Gaelic or Norse, so the players need the [[Polyglot]] Feat to be able to use their powers on anyone who doesn’t speak Latin. (they can easily hire a translator, but then the communication is indirect and hence their Feats don’t work)

He is poorly dressed for a bishop and even has a clearly visible pagan symbol on his dress : the Triskell which is also the symbol of the island.

He lies and say that they caught the Red Knight.

He brings them to Peel Castle, under the cathedral where he is kept because he is prisoner of the Manx church (there’s two tribunals at this period, witch trial belong to the church tribunal and happen on Peel Island)

The cathedral itself is very small for a cathedral and has clear pagan symbols. For example the cross has a strange circle on it and there are Wreaths (couronnes de fleures et de guy) in lots of places, also the triskell of man is everywhere.

The Red Knight cannot speak and only says nonesense. He is clearly drugged.
They have one night only before the trial.

'''Action : inspect him His armor''' is of the right kind, but it doesn’t fit. He has claw scratches on him, lots of them. He is clearly a noble and a mighty warrior. He is in his mid thirties.

'''Action : Make an antedote''' Impossible without a sample of the poison itself.

'''Action : Any guards heard anything???''' One guard is crazy and doesn’t speak. (it’s an old legend of a guard that went on his own at night and got attacked by the Moddey Dhoo, since then he lost his mind)

Before the trial the “House of Keys” from the Tynwald (Tynwald = House of Keys plus Governor plus the council), the equivalent of Manx parliament will protest saying that this should be tried in their court not in the church court.

He is tried for witchcraft, supposedly he transfered the productiveness of a farm from one person to another by stealing some of the earth of one farm and putting it on the other.

—-
What actually happened ? The witch wants to frame the Red Knight, but she might as well frame him for something that really happened.
One family of peasants the “Årud” supports a family, the “Trygg”, that historically was the member of the house of keys and are of Nordic descent.
And the Red Knight made sure to threaten everyone that they better support House of Key member “Ó Cinnéide” instead who was finally elected.
But actually this member is not very useful for the witch anymore, so there’s no issues to drop support for him.
—-

Several ways to get him out of here :

- Discover how he is poisoned and stop him being poisoned.
- The Abuse of Power Feat
- Break him out by force
- Win the trial

===The Accusation===

The accusation Peasant Årud.

'''Music : Rotted and Decayed'''

I want to be heard !
For I accuse this man of Witchcraft and association with a coven of witches !
For centuries, the Trygg a Norse family was member of the house of keys for our sheading at least since King Olaf’s time !
And this Red Knight came to threaten us, if we refused to support Ó Cinnéide a damned Celtic family to replace him, our cattle will have problems.

But I refuse to stay silent ! I am a good christian !

Don’t you think I see what happens in the woods at night ?
Don’t you think I see the dust on my sheeps and the ladies collecting earth from my farm ?

Here, look at my sheep and look at the sheep taken from the nearby farm.

Red Knight, I accuse you of being a sorcerer and of association with a coven of witches.

One night, I saw a witch, but couldn’t recognise her but her hairs were all flowing in the wind. And she saied in front of my door with a besom in her hand :
’may the besom of destruction come upon thyself, upon thy hearth, upon thy health, upon thy possessions and upon thy children.’

Few weeks later, my sheeps started withering
'''Action : Inspect the sheeps inspecting the sheeps of one of the farms it’s possible to see that they have dog marks.'''

And I am not the only one who suffered. Lots of peasants are in the same situation and refuse to talk, but I won’t be silenced ! I demand that he is burned at the stake !

Players can interrogate the accused.
The judge (the Bishop) confirms that if he was found guilty, the sentence would be burning at the stake and a stake is being prepared.

People are shocked by the sentence proposed by the accusation, (and someone in the audience says that normally we don’t burn witches, we only give them a fine. The players can check in the records, it’s true.)

===Defense===

By default, the defense is made by Ó Cinnéide

'''Music : Return to normal music when the players do the defense'''

He says that the sentence is very strange to be so strict because normally the sentences for witchcraft are much much lighter.

Also he never paid the Red Knight anything and nobody can prove that.

The defense being very weak, the players can try to defend instead.

===Verdict===

'''Music : Behelit - Berserk'''

Before the verdict is rendered, the Bishop will tell mass, and the mass will be very strange.
They open a barrel of beer and poor into the sea, for our “King”

When he reads the latin bible, his translation doesn’t match what he says.

In latin he says :

“

[Genesis 19:17](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2019%3A17&version=RSVCE)

And when they had brought them forth, they said, “**Flee** for your life; do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley; **flee** to the hills, lest you be consumed.”

and in the local language he says something completely different.

Après les avoir fait sortir, l'un d'eux dit: Sauve-toi, pour ta vie; ne regarde pas derrière toi, et ne t'arrête pas dans toute la plaine; sauve-toi vers la montagne, de peur que tu ne périsses.

And he does it again :

“

[Genesis 27:43](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2027%3A43&version=RSVCE)

Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; arise, **flee** to Laban my brother in Haran,

Maintenant, mon fils, écoute ma voix! Lève-toi, fuis chez Laban, mon frère, à Charan;

“

And again :
”

[1 Corinthians 9:24](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%209%3A24&version=RSVCE)

Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run (he emphasize on this word and looks them straight in the eyes) that you may obtain it.

Ne savez-vous pas que ceux qui courent dans le stade courent tous, mais qu'un seul remporte le prix? Courez de manière à le remporter.

”

His goal is to make players understand that it’s their last chance to run and he begs them to do so.

If they fail the trial and don’t free Thomas Holland, two squires will appear out of nowhere and free him.

After the trial, and regardless how they free Thomas Holland, the bishop is seized by one of the ladies that accompanies him and she tells the soldiers to seize the players because they died at sea.
Also Årud is killed on the spot.

If they succeeded the trial in any way, the soldiers don’t dare to attack them and they have time to flee.

If not, fight against two waves of soldiers, two '''Combat (skirmishes)''' at the same time.

===The Moddey Dhoo===

They run to the forest.
They hide and find a place to sleep.
The night when they are asleep, they are attacked by the dog at night.

Unless someone decide to guard the others sleeping they need to have Instinct or someone gets sting by the poison.

The poison kills instantly (unless Faith or Immune (poison) or a roll with Immune (disease))

- '''Normal : Blood Religion then Z_Baston-Fire Pit Fiends'''

'''Combat (monster)''' each turn if they don’t defeat him, someone is stung by the poison and dies.

His claws have clearly been sharpened and poisoned.

Now they have a sample of the poison and can cure him.

=Part 2 The Banshee of Castle Rushen=

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = There’s a wonderful cat looking at them intesely and meowing very loud. After watching them for long minutes, he runs away. And they see that he has no tails !

| 15min = Some Villagers are preparing for the eve of May Day (Walpurigs Night) also called Oie Voaldyn. Fix a wooden cross, bound with sheep's wool, to the inside of their front door to ward off malicious fairies, while on the same night the blowing of horns on Peel Hill is calculated to banish evil spirits. They also place wax and herbs on their threshold of houses to “ward off witches occult”. Twigs of rue are stuck in most of the cattle and sheep. Some tallow (suif) or oats (avoine) is shaken over the cattle as well.

| 30min = They put twigs of rue on cattle to protect on may eve and shake tallow or oats over sheep. They also prepare large fires. They hear someone praying in a very scared voice.

Peace of God and peace of man,

Peace of God on Columb-Killey,

On each window and each door,

On every hole admitting moonlight,

On the four corners of the house,

On the place of my rest,

And peace of God on myself.

| 45min = They are really surprised how some farms are doing exceptionally fine and just nearby some farms are openly rotting. Surprisingly, the rotting ones have much more crosses with sheep’s wool.

| 60min = One of the villagers is caught for being a witch, the villagers will collect some dust off her feets, as a mean of protection.

| 75min = (if they are still outside) The soldiers find them and chase them until they enter the castle. Arrows are shot and half of the players are Wounded. / (inside the castle) They realise that the castle is incredibly humid. Even though it’s brand new, there’s some water rushing on some walls.

| 90min = (inside the caste) the floor caves in under half of the players because it’s rotten. They are all wounded, but they fall in the room with the princess.
}}

- '''Normal : Z_Normal-Cathédrale Silencieuse'''

===Introducing Thomas Holland===

'''Music : Chant of the Templars - Da Pacem Domine (Ensemble Organum) then back to the normal music'''

Once they are in a safe place. He try to convince them to help him, at first he tried to hide his name and the name of the princess that he swore to free.

But with some convincing, he accepts to tell his name but insist he cannot tell the name of the princess that he needs to free and promise them that once she is freed, he will explain everything and the pope himself will be glad that they didn’t know. He will do everything in his power to keep this secret. But if the players do extract the name from him it won’t break the scenario.

If there’s a knight in the players, he will tell them that it’s any knight’s duty to save a damsel in distress.

Now the problem is how to save her in Castle Rushen, now that the governor’s soldiers are against them.

===How to approach the castle ?===

‘’By Boat ?’’ If they do that, they are attacked by soldiers.

’’Cut through the forrest’’ Thomas Holland is very uneasy and say that it’s dangerous because of the red eyes deer (Knowledgable characters know that there are no deers in the isle of man) If they go anyway, they get lost and finally go through the countryside.

’’Cut through the countryside’’ The soldiers are against them, but the population is not. So they cut through the countryside, hoping that the population won’t rat on them.

===Through the countryside Helping “Trygg” part 1===

They pass by some Norse speaking villages, and some villagers beg them for help.
There they meet “Trygg” who used to be a member of the House of Keys and who’s sheading is now under the control of “Ó Cinnéide”.
A sheading is a small region in the Isle of man, it can’t even be described as a village because it’s just few isolated houses burried in the ground.
He is one of the last Christian Norse family on the island resisting “the Hermit”.
Thomas Holland ask them if they can sneak him into the castle, he says that it’s possible, but in exchange he needs the players help because all of his grass withered, so all of his sheeps are dying.

They do see some signs of witchaft on their field.
'''Music : Alone in the Dark Mysteries'''
The hooves of the cattles are extremly clean, meaning that someone took the paring of the hooves (one way witches would steal the tarra (e.g. productiveness) of a cattle) there appears to be some kind of salt on all of them as well. (analysis, yes it is some poison)

How to help ?
Actually a player with Knowledge apothecary or an alchemist can know that nothing can be done, the ground was poisoned.
So either they make a fake purification ritual to pretend they did something, or they buy nearby land for them or anything else that makes sense.

===Helping Trygg part 2===

When they are back, his son is missing, he wandered into the woods because his love asked him to follow her. (a witch !)

Any meaninful way to track him. Or they go to his usual spot where he would hand out with her.

'''Music : Chant_Entrapment-8'''
At the end of the trail, they find a statue of his son. (An attempt of ”the Hermit” to intimidate “Trygg”)

===The Outer Walls===

“Trygg” brings them to Castle Rushen fully disguised, he asks to enter the castle as an old member of the House of Keys because he wants to talk to the governor.

As they enter, they hear a Banshee Scream from inside the castle.
They see the soldiers are terrified and it seems that they didn’t sleep much.

The soldier at the door recognises the players, he tells “Trygg” that he likes him but can’t let him in.
'''Action : any way that makes sense to convince him'''

===The Tower Courtyard===

'''Music : The Trail Witcher 3 then Z_Batson-Brigands !'''

As they approach the main Tower, some Guard say “Stop or I’ll shoot” ! Through the arrowslit that is a the entrance of the gate.
He seems terrified.
'''Action : Any meaningful way to prevent them from shooting'''
An army is coming from the outside to intercept them.

'''Action : Combat (skirmish) to keep them away plus any meaningful way to be sure the shut the porticulus'''
The porticulus control is not accessible, so they have to find a way to convince the guard in the guard tower to close it.
If they don’t find any good ideas, they can fight the guards and lock themselves in the tower.
two Combat (skirmish) at the same time.

They notice that no guards follow them in the main tower, they are too scared.

'''From this point on, the Normal music is : Z_Normal-Kin Amar'''

As they enter the tower, they hear a scream and a servant commits suicide by jumping in the courtyard.

===Royal Appartments===

The royal appartments are all empty.
They only see some servants who think they are annimals.
Men behave like sheeps. Women behave like birds and jump out the windows.
Frogs, Pigs, everything. And they all create problems for the players.
In the opposite windows they see a white lady walking.

It’s the legend of the white lady of Castle Rushen.

-Staircase, an animal throws things at them

-Top towers with birds who jump if they approach, one of them has a key to next door so they have to prevent her from jumping

-Banquet hall with pigs. All the tapestries (who are painted not woven, because that’s cheaper) are in such a mess that they don’t see the doors. There’s so many pigs encumbring the room. How to make them flee ?

-Throne room with a person who’s head was replaced by a goat’s head, he is in the pose of satan.

- '''Music : Ave Satanas (at the end of the music, the effect of the poison dissipates)'''

The room is full of incense, it’s hard to see. The incense is poisonous anyone breathing it without precautions will start attacking the other players. All players rool, anyone who rolled a '''1''' starts attacking the others unless he has Immune (poison) or succeeds and Immune (disease) roll.

===Exorcism===

Once they reach the top of the tower, they see the lady completely insane, she is posessed.
They quickly catch her, but her strength is superhuman.

Using the [[Exorcism]] Feat can cure her instantly; otherwise, the entire procedure must be followed as outlined below.

'''Music : Gravity The Void (twice) then Z_Flippant - Non euclidien (minus the first song 01-NeNormaldsesprPistadeaudio)’’’

Adapt her insane possessed reactions to the music.
Her sheets are green, and she poisoned her sheets. Which is why she is insane. And the players who hold her on her bed must roll to start seing hallucinations.
She screams in a language they don’t understand. (she’s actually speaking backwards)

It’s Green, Everything is Green → Neerg si gnihtyreve, neerg sti

Du vert, partout du vert → Trev ud tuotrap, trev ud

Other thing she does : Her muscles are strong as steel, she has ungodly strength and breaks almost any bonds put on her. She spits. She makes weird faces. He eyes roll. She screams as if she was hurt. She speaks in very rare languaes, Aramea, Greek, Arabic, Chinese. She has clear cuts on her body. She knows things that she cannot possibly know (find something to say about the players past or something). Avertion to holy symbols.

'''Action : Take her away from her bed and wash her, then do a proper exorcism'''

'''Music : Dreams Berserk OST'''

As soon as she feels better, she seems lost, Tomas Holland says "it's me my love ! I am here to free you"

soldiers start coming up. She ask them to stop and they all kneel.

She says she was lost in a never ending nightmare and now all is fine.

Let's get out of this god forsaken island !

Escorted by a bunch of guard they start leaving the castle.

=Part 3 The Night of the Witch=

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min =

They see huge fires and the cattle is being moved in front of the fires.

| 15min =

At some point when they run with Joan of Kent, her Garter falls to the ground and Thomas Holland picks it up to give it to her. Then when people look at him funny he says “Honi soit qui mal y pense”

| 30min =

They see a lot of weird midgets covered in moss and barks picking lettuces in the fields at night. Those are Fenodyree, fairies that help people do their chores.

| 45min =

They see hundreds of tiny houses in the forest. The forest is full of them.
Tiny houses with tiny furnitures. And they have the feeling that thousands of tiny eyes are looking at them.

| 60min =

On top of a hill, they see the ocean from far away and under the water the lights of a huge city (it's a reflection of the starts). Joan of Kent explains that it's the city of Mannanan and it can only be seen on may eve.

Out of this city swims an ENORMOUSE shark 10 meters 4 tons the Basking Shark.

He disturbs the water and they realised that it was all just the reflection of the stars. Or was it ?

| 75min =

They see nearby in the forest a very beautiful white lady caressing a handsome peasant man.
He is asleep and twitching.
She says "how are you my love ?"
And his body twitches as if he was having a ceisure.
"that's what I thought, don't worry, you are mine, only death can do us apart"
It's a Lhiannan Shee

| 90min =

The army of the peasants finally catches up to them and they are all '''''caught'''''. Three of them are Wounded in the process.

}}

- '''Music Normal (starts after the first attack) : Z_Flippant - Quake '''

As soon as they leave the tower, they discover that a huge mob is against them with pagan masks.

We are now the 30 of April 1348 it is the night Oie Voaldyn (Walpurgis Night, the night of the witch)

They fall into a pagan hell as they are surrounded and attacked.

In this phase, the players will get '''''caught''''' one by one. And then they meet at then end when they are all caught.

===How to leave the tower ?===
The minute they leave the tower, '''Music : When It All Falls Down'''

The tower is surrounded by a huge mob of peasants wearing animal masks, and they start to storm the castle.

'''Action : Surprise Attack, daring escape, 3x Combat (skirmish), 3x Faith or any other meaningful idea'''
'''If not good ideas, one of the players gets ''caught'''''

They run to the nearby forest.
Joan of Kent says they need to go to the top of the Snaefell mountain because locals don't dare to go there, it's the throne of Mannanan, it's their only hope of surviving the night.

'''from this point on Music Normal : Z_Flippant - Quake '''

===How to move without getting immediately caught ?===

'''Action : Steal some animal masks'''

===The Tehi Tegi===

As they are walking through the forest.

A very beautiful lady is on a horse followed by lots of peasants without masks.

She is saying, my name is Tehi Tegi, follow me, I will get you to safety. She pretends to be the daughter of the Yarl of a Norse longhouse.
And she says these are her fiancés. (all the boys following her seems madly in love)

All male characters roll. On a '''1''' they start following her as well.

'''Action : If they attack her she runs away and all her husbands follow her then she crosses a river that suddently floods'''

'''The flooding river'''
Players have to use any strength based feats to swim up or they are taken by the water (and he gets '''''caught''''')

===The Buggane===

The tree starts shaking.

They see peasants runnings and screaming "The Buggane, it's coming ! The Buggane !"

They do see gigantic arms and a huge head with massive teeth, it is moving wuickly towards them.

'''Anyone rolls a die 6, on 1-2-3-4 they run away, unless they have Courage'''

Anyone who runs away has 50% chance to get '''''caught'''''

Around the Buggane there's an army or midgets covered in moss and bark (the little people), some have weird masks, some are crawling or hunchback. They seem to dance in rithm with the buggane (the buggane is actually a gigantic puppet and they are activating it. The goal being to terrify the local population).

They all chant "come to us, come to us," with different tones of voices.

'''Action : They should hide and make no noise. If one player attack hims, he gets ''caught'' and starts chanting as well.'''

The mod of peasants starts catching up to them, they have to move quietly to the nearby swamp.

===The Swamp Horrors===

In the swamp, everything is quiet, no peasants dare to enter.

That's when the Fomorians attack.

Hundreds of hands start to grab them, it is people with fish heads and huge blakc eyes.

A random player is chosen and starts to get drown. The player needs some kind of combat or he is '''''caught'''''

Joan screams "Fomorians ! Beware !"

Where are they ?

'''Action : They breath though wooden snorkels hidden with plants, break them then fight them Combat (skirmish).'''

===The Glashtyn===

That's when the Glashtyn appears.

A man with a huge horse head and glowing red eyes.

On his back, someone is glue to him and screams to be freed.

'''Action : Combat (monster) or ask the "prisoner" to hide his eyes then it's just Combat (duel)'''

When he catches someone he just puts him on his back and he is then glued. He catches people with several arms (there are several people making this monster) He will try to run away and the person is '''''caught'''''

===The Wicker Man===

'''Music : Stranger Things - Rats (loop)'''

As they walk deeper and deeper in the swamp they see the mob of peasants with animal masks looking at them.

And they see a huge Wicker Man (a huge man made of wood and straws filled with animals and people to be sacrificed).

Their friends who were captured are inside, as well as Trygg's son, the bishop and the governor.

The peasan't mob is around it quietly looking at them.

That's when the witch appears.

She has a huge deer mask, wears a long black robe and has a Sickle made of Bone in her hand (the [[Bone Sickle]])

She says :

I tried everything to get rid of you.
A shipwreck, I tried.
Giving you a Red Knight to kill, not enough.
Tonight is our Night, the peasants know what's best for them.
And tonight we will burn you alive.
Ironic isn't it ? Inquisitors burned by a coven or witches.
But don't you worry, your sacrifice will not be in vain, you will bring prosperity to this islands, flowers will bloom and harvests will be plentiful.

Now lots of peasant girls march forward and take off their animal masks, they have flower crowns in their hair and they start chanting.

Everyone roll a die 6, on a '''1''' they are attracted to the wicker man.

In the meantime the mob of peasants is there to prevent them from attacking the sorceresses.

'''Action : Any player which has been ''caught'' is locked in the wicker man and they can break the door to make prisoners start running. Or they can pretend to be attracted to go near her. '''

===The Night of the Witch===

'''Music : The Only Thing They Fear Is You ( DOOM Eternal OST) then loop Z_Epique-Babel'''

As the prisoners start running everywhere, a torch falls on the wicker man, which starts to burn.

'''Action : 3x Combat (skirmish) to manage at the same time to keep the peasants away'''

All the witches put a deer mask and blow poisonous power at them. Which one is the witch ?

'''There's just one who stays away (the smart thing to do). She is the witch.'''

If a player is hit, either he has Immune (poison) (or roll with Immune (disease)) or he starts attacking other players. (which is fine unless he has any Combat skill, in which case another player needs to face him with the same skill)

'''Action : Combat (duel) against her'''

'''Music : Epique désespéré 10 - Requiem, K.626, Lacrimosa (Mournful Day) '''

As soon as she dies. Everyone stops.

They drop their animal masks and they go home.

The other witches in her coven simply fall to the ground and cry.

On her body, the players find the [[Bone Sickle]]

=Epilogue=
Epilogue musics :
*'''Firelink Shrine 1h + Fire sound'''
*Then loop this Playlist '''Normal-Prima'''

After the battle, a band of soldiers find them and escort them back to safety.

The governor explains that since the queen was the prisoner of the witch, he had no choice but do what she wanted.

The goal of the witch was to eliminate the players, a shipwreck wouldn't be suspicious.
Once they landed, the trial was a way to give them what they wanted, the Red Knight, so they would leave. While also compromising them in the murder of an important Knight.
As soon as they freed Joan of Kent, the governor has no reason to continue doing the Witch's bidding, which is why the soldiers started helping the players.
Unfortunately, since it's may's eve, the night of the witch, all the local population is terrified of the Witch and they do what she asks.

The bishop repents and explains that he tried to warn them, but could not oppose the witch because she trapped him in sin and threatened to reveal everything. He begs for forgiveness and actually died of sadness few months later.

Thomas Hollands explains that actually he was married to Joan of Kent 8 years ago, and so her marriage with Montagu was null and void.

Which is why Montagu locked her in this tower, to be sure she couldn't testify.

As soon as he lands in England, Thomas Hollands meets with Montagu and threatens to reveal everything to the King. Montagu accepts to yield and lets his wife testify against him to the pope, thus losing his marriage a year later.

==Post Game Bonus==

The flag of the Isle of man is and always has been a pagan symbol 🇮🇲 the Triskell symbol of Mannanan, even during the middle age, a proof that the island has always had a powerful pagan influence, also the Wicca movement (nowaday's witch religion) started in the Isle of Man. To this day, the Isle of Man is an independent country, which belongs to the Queen of England (but not part of the UK)

Joan of Kent was indeed secretly married to Thomas Holland then to William Montagu the 2nd Earl of Salisbury, upon learning this, he imprisoned her to prevent her from testifying to the pope.
Just after the war in France Thomas Holland became rich enough to sue Montagu, which is why he emprisons her now. Since Montagu was the King of the Isle of Man, it is very plausible that she was imprisoned here at this exact time period and it is very plausible that Thomas Holland found a way to sneak her out to testify. Either way she testified and her marriage with Montagu was cancelled. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_of_Kent#Early_marriages

A list of AI generated illustrations for this scenario : https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1W7KPlKj-rXdM-_VBBO611noCHP9s4WAQ

All documents about the Isle of Man from 1333 to 1390 are lost ! So if such a thing did happen, it would have disappeared from history anyway. Also all parties involved would have a strong incentive to not talk about it.

Witchcraft was very frequent in the Isle of Man in the middle age, and the penalty was not very severe, a great article about witchcraft in the Isle of Man : https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=AONE&u=googlescholar&id=GALE|A174640665&v=2.1&it=r&sid=AONE&asid=1a13000b

In 1348 only a few thousand people lived in the island of man, in 700 farms, they live in Norse rectangular houses and speak Gaelic and Norse

Oie Voaldyn / May Eve / Walpurgis Night is still a thing in the Isle of Man and the villagers still protect themselves from evil fairies and witches http://asmanxasthehills.com/april-30-oie-voaldyn-may-day-eve/

Only existing film of an actual exorcism: https://www.20min.ch/fr/video/exorcisme-filme-pour-la-rts-779604688096

The legend says that actually the order of the garter was created during the ball that you saw at the beguinning of the episode.
The garter of Joan of Kent supposedly fell to the ground and was picked up by the king. And when people laughed, the king said “Honi soit qui mal y pense” and decided to create a knightly order of the garter. But actually most historians dispute that, so I’ve only included this as an anectode.

Excellent movie on the theme of paganism, really really worth watching !! https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wicker_Man_(film,_1973)

The Black dog of Peel Castle, the Moddey Dhoo is indeed a local legend : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moddey_Dhoo
And there's indeed a lady ghost in Castle Rushen (sometimes in black, sometimes in white) : https://www.mysteriousbritain.co.uk/hauntings/castle-rushen/

In the Isle of Man, cats indeed don't have tails : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manx_cat

There are really 10 meters long sharks around the Isle of Man ! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basking_shark

Manx Fairy tail about :

The Buggane (the giant) : https://www.archive.org/download/manx_fairy_tales_1810_librivox/manx_36_morrison_128kb.mp3

The Tehi Tegi (the lady in white on the horse) : https://ia902809.us.archive.org/32/items/manx_fairy_tales_1810_librivox/manx_31_morrison_128kb.mp3

Manannan's Prayer https://ia802809.us.archive.org/32/items/manx_fairy_tales_1810_librivox/manx_38_morrison_128kb.mp3

Manannan's island that can only be seen during may eve : https://www.archive.org/download/manx_fairy_tales_1810_librivox/manx_27_morrison_128kb.mp3

More about the Fomorians, the evil sea people : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fomorians

'may the besom of destruction come upon thyself, upon thy hearth, upon thy health, upon thy possessions and upon thy children.' is a real Manx Witch curse.

[[Category:Scenario]]
[[Category:Official Scenarios]]

Danse Macabre Part 7

2026-03-07T16:35:40Z

Taiko:

==Teaser==
Send to the players before the game :

29 Juillet 1346, Caen (Royaume de France)
Depuis 3 jours que la ville est mise à sac,
chaque règle de la chevalerie a été bafouée.
Dans la sauvagerie, les hommes n'ont plus de nations,
ils suivent aveuglément la bannière de gueules à la fasce d'or.
La bannière du Diable.
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

29 July 1346, Caen (Kingdom of France)
For three days the city has been sacked,
every rule of chivalry has been flouted.
In savagery, men have no nations,
they blindly follow the banner Gules with a fess Or.
The banner of the Devil.
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

=Intro - L'Œuvre au Rouge=

* Initial situation :
**Date : 15th of February 1348
**Location : Neuberg Abbey (Holy Roman Empire)

'''Music : twice Epique désespéré 10 - Requiem, K.626, Lacrimosa (Mournful Day) puis Behelit - Berserk'''

As the players arrive in Neuberg, they see the entire region have been devastated by a earthquake.

Even up to Rome considerable damage was sustained by the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, the basilica of Santi Apostoli is in complete rubbles. Damages even up to Pisa and Naples.

Entire villages are levelled to the ground. Which makes the road even more difficult. So it took them 21 days to arrive at the abbey.

When they arrive at the abbey. They notice there was a massive landslide that basically crushed the whole village.

Everything is covered in a very dense snow. The population fled the village, so all remaining of houses are covered in white.

The landslide have unearthed a cave with lots of weird paintings.

The paintings are weird white runes, whiter than white. They feel very primitive and appeal to the inner monkey in us.

Impossible to tell if they where made last week or thousands of years ago or both.

Or perhaps the design is ancient but the craft in recent.

The cave has the perfect shape of an egg.

If there's an Alchemist or '''Knowledge (heresy)''', he will recognise '''Albedo'''

Searching the remains of the monastery take them a week, they see a dead monk killed by the collapse of the roof.

He is in a red robe. He has a small journal on him.
The red of his robe is very strange. It could be blood red, but all reds could be blood red depending if it's artery or vein etc.... but this red gas a shade that is not usual.
The start of the notebook is legible and at some point it becomes illegible scriblings.
He apparently started sane, then lost his mind but kept using his notebook(which explains why he has it with him at the time of his death), also all of the bones in his hands are broken which explains the bad writing.

They starts reading it.

20 Juin 1346 Caen
Moi, Robert Rougecogne, compagnon de voyage de Seguin III de Badefol
Ai décidé de tenir notre journal.
Pour que le monde puisse connaitre les exploits de "La Margot" notre petite compagnie franche.

20 Juin 1346 Caen
I, Robert Rougecogne, travelling companion of Seguin III de Badefol
Have decides to keep our journal.
So that the world may know the adventures of "La Margot" our little free company.

* Explanations :

Seguin III de Badefol is the head of a small mercenary band.

He participates in the defense of Caen, and is captured by "the Devil"

The Devil tortures him repeatedly until he accepts to sign a pact with him and become "Knight".

He then follows the English troop up to Calais, where he feeds on the starving population during the siege.

He slowly prepares the Rubedo, the third part of the Opus Magnum, but of course he cannot start until Albedo is finished.

As soon as Albedo is finished (in the earthquake in Neuberg) he gathers with all the remaining of the cult and makes a massive blood orgy to trigger Rubedo.

* Unsolved mysteries :
-What was Albedo exactly ? Did it trigger such a big earthquake ?
-Who is "the Devil"? And why was he riding with the English ?

* Historical themes :
-Crécy
-Siege of Calais
-Pillage of Caen
-Plague
-Free Companies
-Seguin III de Badefol, La Margot
-Hundred Years War
-The Devil's Crest
-Albedo
-Rubedo

=Part 1 Caen=
* '''Music start with Firelink Shrine 1h + Fire sound but will change at each sections.'''

Flashback, they play the companions of "Knight" defending Caen. They can keep 4 of their feats plus faith.

Mention the Feat [[Lineage]] to them, in case they want to play one of their ancestors instead. Allow them to permanently change one of their Feats to [[Lineage]] if they wish to.

'''Combat (battle)''' can be used at any phase to win the phase

They start with a list of mercenaries, and at each phases they lose some men depending on their choices.
They have a number of mercrenaries and few iconic ones (with a feat that can be used once)

==Around the campfire : 15 min==

'''Music : Firelink Shrine 1h + Fire sound'''

They are around the campire before the battles.
They wake up after their first sleep (in the middle age people where sleeping in two shifts biphasic sleep)
They have a total of 21 troops plus 9 iconic soldiers.

They introduce each others.

Iconics :

Seguin III de Badefol : [[Tough]]

Robert Rougecogne : [[Knowledge]]

Roger Moulinette : [[Strong]]

Flavio : [[Falconry]]

Artème : [[Charismatic]]

Victorine : [[Heal]]

Eric : [[Noble]]

Eloi : [[Disguise]]

Adrien Reichtfield : [[Combat (duel)]]

Evans : [[Deus Vult !]]

The book contains detailed and realistic drawings of each, detailed enough so that players would be able ot recognise them if they saw them.

Seguin speaks (he is super super young, very handesome with long curved blond hairs, incredibly young to be a commander): He asks everyone what it feels to be a mercenary. We followed Raoul II de Brienne from Gascony and finally we will see our first big battle.

'''The players answer what they want :'''

Roger Moulinette (black hair, a small beard but he is super super tall and wears some plates he has a sword and a shield) : I have found a family. At last. I have found a home.

Adrien Reichtfield (long hair wearing a chainmail with a spear): Parbleu. It used to be the nobles who protect the poor, now it's the poor who protect the nobles. So we might as well get paid for it.

Evans (short hair, sword and shield, he has a green cape with a Vouivre embroided on it): Taxes are crushing the people, that's true.

You notice that everyone wears different equipment. Unlike the usual army.

Seguin speaks : Apparently we are allowed to use crossbows against the English, even though the church forbid it. What do you think about that ?

'''The players answer what they want :'''

Robert Rougecogne (very cunning look) : Technically, no French troops use crossbows, it is the Genovese who do it. Legally speaking, there is nothing wrong, only the Genovese are doing something wrong.

Eloi (looks at the fire, has a black cape a cut ear and holds a crossbow): Whatever works. As long as the guy in front is dead, it works for me.

Victorine (female fighter, long hair hiding half of her face): Propose some paté to the players. She starts drawing all the characters (which explains how they can recognise them later)

Seguin speaks : In your opinion, should the army focus on "Bourg-le-Roi et le château" which is better fortified but much more fragmented and very big. Or "Saint-Jean" island, whith less good walls, but surrounded by rivers, also it's smaller ?

'''The players answer what they want :'''

You are outside the fort right now, the drawbridges are up.

Flavio (black cothes, has a Falconry gauntlet) plays with his bird.

Artème (long blond hairs massive smile): Par ma foi. It does not matter, whichever they pick, enemy bandits always run in front of my greatness !

Eric (bald with blue eyes and a very cunning look, he is very well mannered, probably a noble background) : Don't speak too fast my dear Artème, it is said that some Royal soldiers will be in front of us. It might be a bit more than a small raid like everyone is saying.

'''Music : Dreams Berserk OST'''

Seguin speaks : For me, being a mercenary is the only way to achieve my dreams. I was born into a ruined noble house. Very few people have a chance to raise above their station, most are born serfs and will die serfs at the very same plot of land. That's what I want to avoid for all of us. Together we can achieve my dream and become famous and rich and bring glory to our names.

Seguin speaks : How about a little game of dice ? Eloi happened to have stolen an Arbalest, and I wanted to keep it for myself, but I'm in the mood to play !

'''Every player roll. If one of them roll 6 he wins the Arbalest.'''

==The calm before the storm : 15 min==
'''Music : The Order Witcher 1 then Z_Normal-Département Nécrologique'''

26 Juin 1346. Caen
Cela fait maintenant plusieurs semaines que nous suivons le Connétable de France lui meme depuis la Gascogne. Il a embauché nos services contre forte récompense. Sur mon ame nous ne le décevrons pas !
Nous nous préparons à intercepter les troupes ennemies pour défendre l'isle Saint-Jean.
Notre première vrai bataille !

26 June 1346. Caen
It's been several weeks now that we follow the Constable of France himself from Gascony. He has hired our services for a large reward. Sur mon ame we will not disappoint him !
We are preparing to intercept the enemy troops to defend the isle Saint-Jean.
Our first real battle !

They will try to defend the Saint-Jean island and in particular the Saint-Pierre bridge.

They know they are in good hands, because the Connétable of France (the main general of France) Raoul II de Brienne is with them.

On their side they have 3000 milicians and 300 Genoese archers.

They are a small group of about 30 mercenaries and they can decide what they want to do to help keep the bridge, few options and they chose one.

It's not a drawbridge, the river is almost empty.

They see a huge army and the crest of the king. It's not just a small raid.

===Crisis : Coward Archers===
A bunch of Genovese archers don't want to go. They saw a huge army coming.

Reward : One more iconic in their group : Mateo [[True Strike (ranged)]]

===Ambiance===

They see the Bishop Guillaume Bertrand who is one of the commanders, he has a huge armor with a mitre and a massive mace so he doesn't spill the blood of the enemy.

They bring a sacred object before the battle for everyone to kiss.

Some knights have a glove or handkerchief of their lady.

Soldiers kiss the medals of their saint protectors.

===Choice : Where to be placed ?===

====Choice 1 : Be in the tower of the bridge====
The commander is shocked of their answer. And puts them in the very very front.
Lose 5 Mercenaries and 2 iconic mercenaries. (some martial Feats can soften this blow)

====Choice 2 : Be on the bridge in the front====
Lose 1 Mercenaries and 1 iconic mercenaries.

====Choice 3 : Be on the bridge in the back====
Lose 1 Mercenaries and 0 iconic mercenaries.

==The defense of Saint-Peter Bridge : 15 min==
'''Music : Defence Of Moscow Sabaton then Z_Baston-7eme Cercle'''

Bugle avant la bataille

The army in front is massive. 15 000 people with banners from all over England, including the King himself.

The Connetable lied about the number of enemies !!

They see a weird red banned in the distance, this banner is a bit strange, because it's a different shade of red, not like it's supposed to be.

How is it simply possible that so many people are so far from their home ? It is an entire city on the march.

The English soldiers rush mindlessly on the bridge, footmen rush on the bridge.

Arrows, bolts and rocks send by slings start flying.

===Crisis : Save your friend===

A random iconic is in danger, surrounded by enemies. How to come help him ?

Punishment : The Iconic in question dies.

===Ambiance===
The king rings retreat but nobody listens.

They see a group of knights in green and white who scream something in Latin "Custodes ! Flamae Sanctae" then charge the line of English soldiers.

There's a knight hospitaller in the French side, he kills people and then shouts prayers for their souls.

Archers and spearmen are in the mud of the river trying to go around. They seize some ships and go through the river.

===Choice : They see some English crossed by boat in the distance and made a hole in the city walls.===

====Choice 1 : Go to the castle of the city====
As they try to reatreat, they are in open ground and have to retreat.
Lose 7 mercenaries and 3 iconic. (some martial Feats can soften this blow)

====Choice 2 : Lock themselves in the tower of the bridge. ====
Lose 1 mercenaries and 0 iconic.

====Choice 3 : Make two fronts====
As the line collaspes they have to retreat to the tower and suffer losses.
Lose 1 mercenaries and 0 iconic.

====Choice 4 : Just hold the main line====
As the line collaspes they have to retreat to the tower and suffer heavy losses.
Lose 5 mercenaries and 2 iconic. (some martial Feats can soften this blow)

==The Saint-Peter Bridge Massacre : 15 min==

'''Music : Z_Baston-Belle Epreuve - Chute'''

Everyone on the bridge is massacred because they attack from both sides.
Most people including the players retreats to the tower of the bridge, including the Connétable of France and lots of nobles.
The only entry gate is on the neemy side now.

===Crisis : A door is getting rammed===
Solution : lots of soldiers hold the door. (in which case they will cut the door down with axes)

Punishment : 5 men and 2 iconic.

===Ambiance===
They see they try to start a smoke to smoke out the tower.

They feel their throat is very very dry because it is super super hot under the armor, they are drenched in sweat.

One of the soldiers opens a jar in the tower with bread soaked in wine and olive oil. He takes a portion of it then goes back to fight.

They notice that the walls litterally crumbled in spite of last minute repairs with furnitures.

===Choice : The door breaks===
====Choice 1 : Attack out====
Lose 7 mercenaries and 2 iconic. (some martial Feats can soften this blow)

====Choice 2 : Try to condemn the staircase with stuff====
Lose 3 mercenaries and 2 iconic. (some martial Feats can soften this blow)

====Choice 3 : Wait in the staircase with a spear and arrows====
Lose 2 mercenaries and 1 iconic. (some martial Feats can soften this blow)

==To the Castle ! : 15 min==

'''Music : Continue Z_Baston-Belle Epreuve - Chute then Z_Baston-Belle Epreuve'''

Impressed by their defence of the tower, A Noble Knight Comes to them, a message with the sceal of the Connetable. It is of utmost importance that it is delivered to the Castle of Caen.
The Connetable is stuck in the top of the same tower as them.
The Connétable will stay behind.
They have to find a way to go to the castle of Caen no matter what.
It has to be delivered in person, they cant risk using a falcon or a pigeon. Enemies have falcons to prevent flying pigeons from going out to other towns.

===Crisis : How to go through the enemies lines===
Solution : Follow a horse charge.

'''Music when they run away on horse (then resume current playlist): EpicScoreUntilTheLastMan'''

Punishment : 6 troops, 2 iconic. Even if success : 3 troops, 1 iconic
(some martial Feats can soften this blow)

===Ambiance===
They see in the background that the bridge tower fell to the enemy. Lots of people taken hostage including the Connétable of France.

On the way, they see a group of people with red capes that have a weird shade. It's not the same shade as English red, it's different and weird.

They do something strange, they takes a lot of prisoners then lock them in a mobile cage. It doesn't make sense to take commoners with you.

His coat of arm is very strange also. You don't see it very well, but it doesn't seem like it follows the rules of heraldry.

A little group of genovese archers are remaining in a corner, they pushed back waves and waves of troops.
They are out of arrows so they fight with tswords. In the back there's a French knight surrounded by his squires.
They are full of bruises because the English use lots of slings on them.

===Crisis : A Welsh Monster===

Onthe way to the castle, the way forward passes through a tower a Huge English (Welsh) soldier is in the dark of this tower entrance.
Tons of French corpses around the entrance of the tower, nobody wants to go there.

Inside it is a massive ginger Welsh soldier. "Dewch! Dewch yn fwy!"

'''Combat (duel) or just burn the building. or do nothing and go around it'''

Reward : They gain 5 soldiers.

==Slaghters in the streets of Caen : 15 min==

'''Music : continue the previous playlist e.g. Z_Baston-Belle Epreuve and Z_Baston-Belle Epreuve - Chute'''

The Bishop Guillaume Bertrand is in the Castle, he thanks and rewards the players for their service. He pays them handsomely and asks for another favour.
A royal messenger is here, he has a message to deliver to the kingm of the utmost importance to let him know the situation. They have to escort him to outskirt of the city.
There's a secret door to leave the castle.

===Crisis : Rape and pillage===

On their way, there's a group of women who came back from the wash-house (lavoir) and a big gang of English archers want to rape them.
'''Combat (skirmish)'''

Punihsment if they dont have Combat skirmish and help anyway : 4 mercenaries 2 Iconic

If they simply let them be, they dont loose troops

===Ambiance===

'''Music : Epique entre-scenart gagant 12-Pista de audio 12 then Gwent Full Mix Witcher 3'''

An English gentleman "Sir Nigel Loring" come to stops them.
He he very elegent and very gentle. Big contrast with the troops. He speaks French and talks to the players. He protects the players because they are kids for him.
He explains how he is fascinated with the french architecture. he explains that Caen is such a huge city for him larger than any English town other than London.

His men take a lot of things as loot, like beds, sheets of cloth etc...

Unless he suspects the playrs to be cowards running from battle, he let them go.

As soon as he leaves, resume the main playlist : '''Music : continue the previous playlist e.g. Z_Baston-Belle Epreuve and Z_Baston-Belle Epreuve - Chute'''

===Choice : How to save the population ?===

====Choice 1 : Barricade each house and throw stones and boiling water====
One Iconic who was killed before is found defending a house. One Iconic returns.
====Choice 2 : Flee====
====Choice 3 : Hide in Churches====

==Blood Orgies : 15 min==

'''Music : Z_Baston-Safran Metroid'''

By trying to leave the city, they pass by the tomb of William/Guillaume the Conqueror, where the King Edward III came to kneel.

They see Royal guard all around and some traitor French knights.
They also see some soldiers in the strange red.

One of the traitor french soldiers recognises the royal messenger and attacks the players.

Regardelss what the players do, they manage to escape, but Seguin is captured by the Black and Red knight ("The Devil") (he smashes his knee with a mace,). He is captured and put in a weird cage cahrriot.

They see the cage being escorted out. And Seguin is inside.

They try to follow the cage.

Night falls.

(at this point "The Devil" tortures their leader.)

After this skirmish, they finally reach the limits of the city and the Messenger is now safe.

===Crisis : Free the prisoners===

'''Music : Z_Flippant-Le diable est dans la boite'''

They pass by a mass grave, thousands of corpses thrown in. They never saw so many corpses, huge column of crows and flies.
They see the city burning in the backgroudn as the pillage is going on. Only the castle is still fighting.

Lots of riders run around the city killing anyone trying to leave.

They see attached prisoners being inspected. Some are killed and thrown in the mass grave. Some are inspected by a red hooded figure and brought to a mobile cage. Some are kept for ransom.
In the queue there is an iconic that they lost.

What to do ?
They do what they want about it.
Reward : The iconic in question.

===Ambiance===

'''Music : Z_Flippant - Dark World'''

Further down there's a drunken rape orgy. In "red"'s camp.
Food : Roasted Peacock with added feathers, Roasted Boar, meat pate

Two prisoners have been hung upside down and their throat slit.

They see Seguin attached to a tree upside down, covered in cuts. There's a weird lady in a red robe when they see her hand, it has massive claws, she is naked under a cape, she has a huge mistletoe crown on her head (to conceal her horns).

Who get near him and slit his throat. Then covers her face in his blood. On her cape is embroided the emblem of red with a golden stripe and three frogs.
They see it better from this distance : https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f6/Satan-traditional-arms.svg/191px-Satan-traditional-arms.svg.png

They put all their efforts into saving their leader, now they lost it ! What should they do ?
They fought in the battle, they should claim their money at least then go on their separate way.

=Part 2 Charnier at Crécy=
* '''Normal before Crécy : Z_Normal-Département Nécrologique'''

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = Desolation : Black stains of the Burned farms.
Bridges destoyred, doors destroyed, wall destroyed. Everything but churches.
Survivors made nests in the trees.

| 15min = They feel pain everwhere in all of their muscles and articulations. In particular at the neck because the mail presses very hard on the neck muscles.
They have some old wounds and they apply geeze fat on them.

| 30min = They notice some people hanged in the trees, it is a very dishonorable death because people shit themselves.

| 45min = (if they reached Crécy already) Lines of people attached who were executed. The black prince executed all prisoners who couldn't pay a ransom. (if they didn't reach Crécy yet) They are attacked and need to retreat to Crécy, they lose one Iconic and 10% of their men, twice more if they don't have Combat (skirmish).

| 60min = There's a crossbow with a broken rope on the ground, the water made them brittle.

| 75min = They find a satchel full of ready to sign church "pardons". Those things sell well in times of war.

| 90min = They are attacked by some English soldiers and they capture one who tells them to go to Calais. They lose one Iconic and 10% of their men, twice more if they don't have Combat (skirmish).
}}

1er August 1346 Caen
Cela fait maintenant 1 mois que les troupes anglaises se sont retirés de Caen après 5 jours de pillages intenses.
Monseigneur Guillaume Bertrand, évêque de Bayeux a repris la ville.
Il nous a offert forte récompense si nous acceptions de suivre et d'espioner la troupe Anglaise.
Par ma garde, nous aurons notre revanche !

1 August 1346 Caen
It is now 1 month since the English troops withdrew from Caen after 5 days of intense pillage.
Monseigneur Guillaume Bertrand, bishop of Bayeux, has retaken the town.
He has offered us a large reward if we agree to follow and spy on the English troops.
Par ma garde, we will get our revenge !

==On the Road==

Everyone says that the army of the king of france is coming and they will crush the english troops.

The bishop pays them to go north and help the king crush them.
once crushed, there will be lots of wealthy nobles to capture.
The bishop gave them some flying pigeons.
After their help, he gives them a very handesome reward, they can use the rich feat once.

===How to follow them ?===

'''Action : not very difficult, follow the smoke'''

===Ambiance===

Find and sing a walking song of the time (a little anachronisit cactually):

Et cuidez vous que je me joue
Et que je voulsisse aller
En Engleterre demourer ?
Ils ont une longue coue.
Entre vous, gens de village
Qui aymez le roy françoys
Prenez chascun bon courage
Pour combattre les Engloys !

===Out of supplies===

Out of supplies on the way. How to eat when all nearby farms have been pillaged ?

'''Action : Survival ? Rich ? Up to them.'''
If fail : One iconic and 10% of troops die of dysentry.

===How to cross la Seine ?===

====Choice 1 : Follow and find a bridge or boats ?====
There's none, the army destroyed it
====Choice 2 : Use Ropes====
One soldier dies.
====Choice 3 : Just Swim====
One iconic and 5% of the soldiers die.

==Crécy Charnier==

'''Music : Eternal Darkness - the Cathedral Insanity Ambient Noise then back to Z_Flippant - Dark World'''

As they approach, the see a wounded horse who ran away. It's a french horse. The horse has no armors !

They arrive at Crécy and are surprised by the defeat.
This is a complete surprise, everyone assume the king's army would win.
This breaks their resolve. It's a disaster.
How is that possible ? The French army had 24 000 to 50 000 men ? And the English only 8 000 to 12 000.

"Par la croix, what is this madness ?"
Description so fthe charnier.
Wall of corpses at the bottom of the hill.
The ground is wet with blood, piss and shit wet with rain also.
Arrows peices the shields and armors.
So many hroses with very long 4 metres spears.
So many crows chanting.

They tried to charge up, but where shot.

Pits dug by the english on top of a small hill.

===What report to write===

Crows and desolation. What report should they write ?

Number of people on both side.
Name of nobles dead.
Location.

Big list of what they find.
Countless dead nobles, usually nobles are not killed.
They see dead knights, they fear to recognise some banners, very noble people like they have never seen.
How is it possible that so many nobles are dead ? Normally they get captured.

1500 dead knights. 2000 Genovese Crossbowmen. 3000 footmen. Only feww hundred dead english.

Including They even see the corpse of Jean Ier de Luxembourg, who is blind but charged anyway surrounded by his knights and guided by them.
On the armories they look for crescents because it's the only wayt to know if it the heir of the family or just a memebr.

Alençon, the brother of the king is dead under his horse at the top of the hill surrounded by dead English.

11 high nobles died

Jean Ier de Luxembourg, roi de Bohême et comte de Luxembourg ;
Raoul de Lorraine, duc de Lorraine ;
Louis de Dampierre, comte de Nevers et de Flandre ;
Henri IV de Vaudémont, comte de Vaudémont.
Simon de Salm, comte de Salm
Charles II de Valois, frère du Roi, comte d'Alençon, de Chartres et du Perche ;
Louis de Châtillon, comte de Blois ;
Enguerrand VI de Coucy, sire de Coucy, de Marle, de la Fère, d'Oisy, d'Havrincourt ;
Hugues d'Amboise, seigneur de Chaumont et son fils Jean ;
Jean II d'Auxy, seigneur d'Auxy-le-Château et de Fontaines, chevalier, sénéchal de Ponthieunote 1 ; et son fils Jean d'Auxy (arbres généalogiques Myhéritage)
Jean IV d'Harcourt, comte d'Harcourt, vicomte de Chatellerault ;
Guillaume Kadot, écuyer, seigneur de Douville, maître d'hôtel du roi ;
Mathieu de Lamezan, seigneur de Lamezan et d'Ambax ;
Antonio Doria, amiral de France
Jean V de Pierrepont, comte de Roucy, comte de Braine ;
Louis II de Sancerre, comte de Sancerre ;
Robert de Rambures, seigneur de Rambures ;
Gilles Ier de Soyécourt, seigneur de Soyécourt note 2 ;
Jean Ier Tyrel, seigneur de Poix et son fils Bernard Tyrel ;

===Where is the king ? Where is the Oriflamme ? ===

The King's brother is dead ! Where is the king ?
Also tell them about the Oriflamme.
They see signs of the king's banner, he was here, is he safe ? He had the Orfilamme with him. They need to try to find it. The Biship needs to know.
The king, is the king safe ? The Oriflamme, they know that it was supposed to be in this battle, with a bit of luck it is still there.

Whatever they do, they won't find either.

They do find the next information :

===Finding the altar===
Some corpses have lots of maggots, some none. That's very strange.
'''Action : Check the pattern or Follow the maggots on the ground''' It leads to a specific pile of corpses.

===Devienne===

Below this pile of corpeses, there's a weird pile, almost like an altar.

'''Music : Eternal Darkness - Insanity Ambient Noise 'The Mansion' then back to Z_Flippant - Dark World'''

For some reasons, it's full of larvas, more than eslwhere. It's covered in a weird liquid that seems to attract larvas.
Insist there are both English and French corpses that have been defiled.
All the corpses have a weird bite mark on the neck and they are drained of blood.
There's a dagger planted vertically on the altar, the handle is red. A very weird red. It looks like it's shaking a little bit. (because it's planted on the wounded but alive soldier)
When they take the dagger out, the altar bleeds a little and shakes.
On the dagger's blade : The devil's motto "Lasciate Ogni Speranza" and they see the same weird crest.

When they remove the dagger, one of the corpses wakes up, his eyes injected red.
One of the NPC asks : They need to know where the army is going, they can't just follow, they need to discover their destination.

He gives them a hint to where they went :
He grabs them and while looking at them says : "devienne" and then puke bloods. (he tried to say "Warn Jean de Vienne that they are coming")
"devienne" is the French word for "to become" and also the name of "Jean de Vienne" the one who defended Calais.

In english the clue can be "Were" (strange that the French soldier speaks in english, tell them that)
For "Pépin de Were" another knight based in calais

'''Action : Either they figure out the riddle (e.g. ask the Game Master if that's the name of a person) or they "Heal" the guy'''

=Part 3 In the guts of Calais=

* '''Normal : Eternal Darkness - the Cathedral Insanity Ambient Noise then Z_Flippant - Quake '''

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = (Ambiance in the past) They see an orphan covered in blood with a knife. He has been paid to kill dogs and rats so people don't eat them. he is covered in bite marks and very pale (Ambiance in the present in the streets) Bloods marks on the walls. They lead to a dead french who coughed blood. He cough red, not pink. The streets are empty and the sky is getting orange because it is dusk.

| 15min = (Ambiance in the past) They feel massive pain in their muscles, their muscles are sour. They pull up their shirt to see that their ribs are clearly showing. One of them was wounded few days back and the wound didn't heal yet. One of their camerade give him a piece of boiled rope and leather. (Ambiance in the present in the streets) They hear someone screaming "Run ! Run ! It has begun ! It has begun !" They hear a horse rushing through the streets adjacent. If they really want to find the source, it is some French citizens running away.

| 30min = (Ambiance in the past) They hear a thunder of noise. And there's a rain of fire. The English are shooting the head of dead French with canons for fun. And for a split of second, they smell the burned flesh and produce a bit of saliva. (Ambiance in the present in the streets) It's dusk and the sky is pure red. There's a white corpse on a wall, around his head there's the drawing of a weird crest. As the players get near him, he stabs one of them and says "You're late, it has already begun". Actually no, he was just dead, no player has been stabbed just a halluciantion.

| 45min = (Ambiance in the past) If the players haven't yet reached the present. They hear the weird noise of flute. And they are attracted towards the palace. (Ambiance in the present in the streets) They see lots of red eyes looking at them inside a house. They open and there's a huge flight of bats. They screams feel like human screams.

| 60min = (Ambiance in the present in the streets) The sky is completely red. With the red sky, it seems that the gutter is filled with blood. Now there's some blood rain on them. They realise that it's due to some emptied corpses attached to a building above them. All of them are mostly emptied of their blood.

| 75min = (Ambiance in the present in the streets) If the players haven't reached the Red Hell yet, they hear the flute starting. Anyone who doesn't have '''Courage''' needs to roll 5 or 6 or they just run away. The sound of flute gives them the location.

| 90min = If they haven't reached the last chamber of the Red Hell yet. The flute plays stronger and lots of corpses wake up. Stabbing two player. They move to the last room and the players follow.
}}

There are big parts of the book that speaks about the siege of Calais, but the players decide to skip to the last chapter directly.

10 Juin 1347 Calais assiégé
Calais est affamée par un siège depuis plus d'un an.
Le port est rempli d'épaves et l’horizon est couvert de navires anglais, il n'y a plus aucun espoir de ravitaillement maritime.
Le roi nous a oublié au fond du piège, dans la guele de l'enfer.
Le désespoir est un vampire qui nous draine tous.
La faim, la faim, tourne la tête.
L'argent que nous paye la milice n'a plus de valeur depuis longtemps.

10th of June 1347 Calais under siege
Calais has been starved by a siege for over a year.
The harbour is full of wrecks, and the horrizon full of English ships, there is no hope of maritime supplies.
The king has forgotten us at the bottom of the trap, in the jaws of hell.
Despair is a vampire that drains us all.
Hunger, hunger, my head spins.
The little money that the militia pays us has long lost it's value.

They are paid by the militia to try to keep a semblant of order in Calais.
Right now their task is to dismantle a food black market. They do it not for the money, who lost all value, but because they believe they can steal some food as the market is being dismantled.

==Calais under siege (past June 1347)==

===How to find the food black market ?===

They lose 30% of soldiers starving snd 1 Iconic of their choice no matter what.

'''Action : see if some people are not starving.'''
'''Action if they have Rich it works as well or any other good ideas'''

===Food Black Market===

In the food black market, horse is the most expensive meat. Cheaper than that is rats, boiled leather, boiled ropes, spiders, boiled wood, the cheapest is called "special pig". But for some reason nobody likes special pig.

They found the location of the food black market. How to capture as many resellers as possible ?

Too many exits to attack from all sides.

'''Action : Remember the faces of the merchants or follow them one by one to their homes'''

===Trail of the Vampire===

As they arrest all mechants, they realised that one of them what buying corpses that died of starvation (he refuses if they had wounds. Because blood stays fresh in a corpse if there's no wound, otherwise it dries out quickly)

'''Music : Nine Inch Nail-itisraped then continue on Z_Flippant - Quake'''

As they open his shop, they see traces of lots of blood. There's one last corpse that has been bled.

The city council is horrified and pay them to investigate.

'''Action : Search an area of the city with no more beggars, use Outlaw wisdom, or anything else that makes sense'''

===The Blood Palace (fast forward to today)===

Final pages of the journal

Nous avons enfin trouvé le Palais Rouge.
Très isolé, je tremble. La faim. Le sang.
Beaucoup de constructions à l'intérieur.
Salle étrange, bassin au milieu, toit en pente incurvé.
Le mur beaucoup de visages, un océan de visages qui crient.
Demain nous allons (the text ends here)
(All the texts after that is gibberish)

We finally found the Red Palace.
Very isolated, I'm trembling. The hunger. The blood.
Many constructions inside.
Strange hall, pool in the middle, curved roof.
The wall many faces, an ocean of screaming faces.
Tomorrow we will (the text ends here)
(All the texts after that is gibberish)

Fast foward to today, 10th of March 1348.

The players have rushed as fast as they could to Calais to investigate.

The city now belongs to the English but of course the English major of calais doesn't want any problems with the inquisition so they are welcome.

How to find this palace ?

'''Action : They have to understand that it's an Atrium and search for ancient roman villas. There are few and they find the one. Unless they find another smart way. For example they can use Clairvoyance or find districts with more rats. Or follow the trail of people bying corpses, interrogation or the Trail feat are possible as well.'''

==Red Hell==

'''Music : Loop : Eternal Darkness - Insanity Ambient Noise 'The Mansion' '''

===Red Atrium===

In the middle of the room is a red pool that smells like wine. In front of it there's a wall of faces.
All the faces have been deformed to look like they are screaming, especially with the lights changing of the candles.

It's an actual roman Atrium.

The floor is littered with drunken people, some are dead some are just sleeping.

They all have bite marks. Some people floating face up in the bath, some face down.

There are lots of toads on the ground eating black triangular oesties.

Someone naked enters the room with an Arbalest. It's One of the previous iconics.
For some reason he is screaming and putting his hand on his neck (where he was bitten)
'''Action : What to do against an Arbalest ? Reflexes can work. Otherwise one player is shot.'''

===Red Shrine===

From now on There are runes written everywhere in bright red. Especially on people.

Another of the previous iconic is attached upside down on a cross.

His belly is open and his guts are showing, but he is still alive.

There's a succubus sitting on the shrine.
She has horns (actually they are fake), she is naked and super sexy, her body covered in tatoos.
But there is something very disturbing about her, her cheeks have been cut, making her jaws very very wide and monstruous.

She has one weird gauntlet. Is has sharp claws and a spike in the middle. The spike is attached to a syringe and a long tube.

She threatens to kill the guy.
She says if you move I kill him. She has sharp claws at his neck.
She is drinking blood from the chalice. Sitting on the altar.
Each vitrailles have been broken.
The ground is covered in crosses.

'''Up to them to kill her in any way they want. If they can or not save the person, (or Heal him) it's better if they do.
He tell them a useful information. He explains about the pump and the flute.'''

If they waste too much time, she jumps by the window and run away.

===Red Banquet Hall===

====Army of the dead====

In the banquet hall, there is a huge satanic statue of Lucifer Playing the flute.
The room is very very dark. And we can see hundreds of bats.
Some Lucifer crests everywhere more red runes than ever.
Huge banquet organised with blood sausages (boudin) everywhere. All the guests are "dead"or dunk with bite marks and red runes.

They hear some pump noises (they have to search to find the people activating the pumps in the sides of the room)
Two people, with blindfold activate the pump.
It turns the statue into a fountain of blood coming out of the flute, it also make a weird music and the room fills with black smoke.
The blood has a very weird smell of alcohol and alchemical ingrediends, it has clearly been mixed with anti coagulants or something.

It takes a bit of time before the people start raising.

'''Music : Ave Satanas Venom Inc then Z_Baston-Safran'''

When the pump is activated, all the "dead" people raise and attack the players.
The players are split between two Skirmishs at the same time.

'''Action : Stopping the people pumping blood will stop the "zombie armies"'''

====Satan====

'''Music : Z_Epique-Babel'''

As soon as the music stops, the altar is smashed and bleeds like crazy through the cracks.
A huge person will smash the altar from behind.

Behind the altar is a room compeltely red filled with blood. In the shape of an egg. (it is the blood reservoir)
In a torrent of blood, a huge person with a goat head masks Combat (monster) arises. (it's also an iconic, but they don't know that)
He has a massive trident.
So much blood is pouring out of it that the room fills with blood gradually and the blood level reaches the knees.

'''Courage''' to fight it or the player runs away.

A turn later, from the flow of blood also comes out. "Knight" in a red armor with a Rondel (Tassette in French) made of Bones his helmet has a big mouth with lots of teeth and some fangs '''Combat (duel)'''.

Both to be fought at the same time.

As they fight him, he looses his helmet and they recognise him (by the description) but he is seriously wounded. his throat was slit etc...

"Knight" is wearing a red armor and he has fangs (they broke some of his teeth, so it appears this way)

The room is very dark partly because of the smoke, he appears and attack players then disappear. '''Combat (duel)''' at each of his appearances.

'''Action : Open the windows or use Clairvoyance Feat'''

Now he cannot hide in the shadows. Some bats run away from the light.

Now they can '''Combat (duel)''' him.

They kill him. But somehow he survives and his mercenary troop too. On him they find the [[Bone Rondel]] (Tassette in French).

=Epilogue=
Epilogue musics :
*'''Epique entre-scenart gagant 12-Pista de audio 12.mp3'''
*'''Epique entre-scenart gagant 12-Pista de audio 12.mp3''' (put it twice)
*'''Fin epique glorieuse 06-Final'''
*Then loop this Playlist '''Normal-Prima'''

At the end they realise the monster with a goat head was one of the iconics.
They understand why the Rubedo wasn't done before : Because it cannot start before the end of albedo also you need to infuse the blood for a long long time with some alchemical components.

What to do with the [[Bone Rondel]] ? (Tassette)

-The Connétable of France was executed when he comes back.
-La Margot became an infamous mercenary company : He will fight at the battle of poitier on the English's side, he will pillage and rasom countless cities, including Nîmes, Alès, Montbrun etc.. And will even ransom the pope himself in Avignon.
-But reassure the players that they eventually find him and poison him but that's years in the future.

-The Black prince reassure the pope that he has actually no idea of what was happening in the city and he was in no way associated wiht it. He asks for dsicretion because he doesn't want to be accused. The pope accepts, but in exchange he asks him to sign the treaty of Bretigny https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trait%C3%A9_de_Br%C3%A9tigny
The pope has his own reasons for signing this, he is neither supporting the king of france nor the english king, he has his own plot.

-The English king guarantees that he will investigate this matter very seriously and at the next scenario he brings critical information to the players.

==Post Game Bonus==

More information about the Siege of Caen, which happened exactly as I described it, step by step, including the charge to the castle by horse and the drunken orgy afterward : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Si%C3%A8ge_de_Caen_(1346) (the french article has more details than the english one)

Drawing of the Saint Jean bridge : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Si%C3%A8ge_de_Caen_(1346)#/media/Fichier:Chatelet_caen.JPG

More information about the battle of Crecy : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cr%C3%A9cy

More information about the Siege of Calais : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Calais_(1346%E2%80%931347)

Seguin III de Badefol https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seguin_de_Badefol and http://espritdepays.com/dordogne/histoire/seguin-iii-de-badefol-lenfant-terrible-dune-fratrie

Name of his mercenary company : La Margot

His nickname : Le boiteux, Chopi / Chopin

He was the son of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnaud_de_Cervole known as the archpriest.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_company

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Company

Satan's Crest : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armoiries_imaginaires#/media/Fichier:Blason_imaginaire_Satan.svg

AI Generated Image of the Bone Rondel : http://prima.wiki/images/2/2c/The_Bone_Rondel_-_DALL%C2%B7E_2022-08-06_13.16.45_-_the_highly_detailed_carving_of_a_frog_with_red_glowing_eyes.png

AI Generated Image of the Red Knight : http://prima.wiki/images/6/69/The_Red_Knight_-_Taiko3615_a_satanic_knight_in_red_armor_with_nightmares_carved_8feedf2f-a726-437c-bd39-1f905c4c0d6d_%281%29.png

AI Generated Image of the final battle against the Red Knight : http://prima.wiki/images/e/e5/Final._Fight_against_the._Red_Knight_-_Taiko3615_a_vampire_in_red_armor_fighting_in_a_grandiose_dark_b_98478b57-3b69-400f-96f6-5319f7ccb2c7_%281%29.png

AI Generated portrait of Seguin III : http://prima.wiki/images/1/19/Seguin_III_-_DALL%C2%B7E_2022-08-06_17.23.15_-_a_handsome_teenage_medieval_soldier_with_long_curved_blond_hairs_and_blue_eyes_wearing_a_red_armor.png

AI Generated Image of the Neuberg Abbey burried under the snow :http://prima.wiki/images/d/d7/Neuberg_Abbey_-_DALL%C2%B7E_2022-08-06_18.25.19_-_the_ruins_of_a_monastery_crushed_buried_in_snow_by_an_avalanche_in_a_snow_storm%2C_digital_art.png

AI Generated Image of the Albedo runes (in the white egg near the abbey) : http://prima.wiki/images/d/d3/The_Albedo_Runes_-_DALL%C2%B7E_2022-08-06_17.02.24_-_a_white_prehistoric_cave_painting_of_very_complicated_glowing_white_runes_on_a_white_stone%2C_digital_art.png

AI Generated Image of the Satanic Statue playing the flute : http://prima.wiki/images/7/78/Lucifer_Statue_-_DALL%C2%B7E_2022-08-06_14.15.27_-_a_massive_and_highly_detailed_statue_of_the_devil_paying_flute_in_a_dark_gigantic_banquet_hall%2C_digital_art.png

AI Generated Image of the Red Atrium : http://prima.wiki/images/e/e1/Red_Atrium_-_DALL%C2%B7E_2022-08-06_14.05.21_-_a_roman_atrium_covered_in_glowing_red_runes%2C_digital_art.png

[[Category:Scenario]]
[[Category:Official Scenarios]]

Danse Macabre Part 6

2026-03-07T16:35:28Z

Taiko:

==Teaser==
Send to the players before the game :

10 January 1348, Avignon (Papal States)
Most Holy Father, all your life you have served our Lord.
Thus, it is without mistrust that you followed death when it came for you.
Did you not see the black claws hidden under her dress?
Who will now be able to deliver you from this satanic trap?
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

10 Janvier 1348, Avignon (États Pontificaux)
Très Saint Père, toute votre vie vous avez servi notre seigneur.
Ainsi, c’est sans méfiance que vous avez suivi la mort quand elle est venu vous chercher.
N'avez vous pas vu les griffes noires dissimulées sous sa robe ?
Qui pourra à présent vous délivrer de ce piège satanique ?
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

=Intro - Archivum Secretum Apostolicum Avenionensium=

* Initial situation :
**Date : 10 January 1348
**Location : Avignon (Papal States)

Before the game begin, let your players know that they should all have [[Immune (diseases)]] Feat, which explains why they are still alive. If any payer doesn't have it, starting from this scenario he has to roll a die 6 on the beguinning of each scenarios, 5 or 6 he lives, anything else, he has the plague and dies.
Allow them to change any Feats of their choice to [[Immune (diseases)]].

After the events in Marseilles, the players are summoned to Avignon.
After one week of travel, they arrive in Avignon the 10th of January 1348.

Few days later, the 10th of January, they are summoned by the pope.

He received a letter signed by Cardinal Élie de Nabinal dated from this morning saying that they murdered Agoust Louis des Beaux and asking that he is excommunicated, there is do doubt that the letter is genuine.

The Pope is supportive, but he still deserves an explanation.

'''Music : Z_Normal-Palais des Papes'''

The 10th of January, they are summoned by the pope.

Description of the palace of the Pope :

There could not be a more beautiful ensemble in its simplicity, more grandiose in its design. It is indeed the entire Papacy, standing, sublime, immortal, spreading its majestic shadow over the river of nations and centuries that rolls at its feet.

On ne saurait concevoir un ensemble plus beau dans sa simplicité, plus grandiose dans sa conception. C'est bien la papauté tout entière, debout, sublime, immortelle, étendant son ombre majestueuse sur le fleuve des nations et des siècles qui roule à ses pieds.

The players pass by a massive gate, lots of people amassed at the entrance, but the guards don't let anybody in because of the plague.

The players are greeted by the doctor of the Pope "Guy de Chauliac"
He forbids the players from approaching the pope, he meet them in front of his chambers and they talk through a door. With perfume being burned in the whole room.
Guy de Chauliac explains the relation between the current outbreak and the Justinian Plague.
He ask thousands of questions to the players because they are witnesses to the outbreak and he is very interested.
He insist that the players will meet the pope, so they should prepare and put on their very best clothes. Ask the players what they will wear for the occasion.

He opens the door and has a letter in his hand.
The Cardinal is here too in a corner.

'''Music : The Ringed City - Dark Souls III'''

Christendom is torn by god's wrath, countless people are dying in the streets of Marseilles every day and the masses are hungry for answers.
You belong to the most holy inquisition and have to live up to its name.
I have received this letter, signed by the Cardinal Élie de Nabinal accusing you of the murder of Agout Louis des Baux with the complicity of Hugues des Baux and demanding your immediate excommunication.
I give you a week to resolve the matter with his Eminence of Nabinal, after which I will have to agree to his request.

La chrétienté est déchirée par le fléau de Dieu, d'innombrables personnes meurent chaque jour dans les rues de Marseille et le peuple demande des réponses.
Vous faites partie de la très sainte inquisition et vous devez être à la hauteur de son nom.
J'ai reçu cette lettre, signée par le cardinal Élie de Nabinal ici présent, vous accusant du meurtre d'Agout Louis des Baux avec la complicité de Hugues des Baux et demandant votre excommunication immédiate.
Je vous laisse une semaine pour résoudre ce problème avec son Eminence de Nabinal, après quoi serait contraint d'accéder à sa requête.

The Cardinal says :

It is all true Most Holy Father, I saw them with my own eyes commit this henious crime in a church in Marseilles.

C'est exacte Très Saint-Père, je les ais vu de mes yeux commetre cette acte audieux dans une des églises de Marseilles.

The Cardinal seems very uncomfortable.

The players have just one sentence to say before the pope goes back to his room.
Here they can use some Feats if they have to demonstrate that they are innocent. They have this one chance.
The players should find a way out of the accusation.
Either using a skill, or using proof.
What proof do they have ?

Cardinal de Nabinal wasn’t even in Marseilles at the time. But right now they can’t prove it.

Either they use a skill right now, or they have to prove their innocence in the coming section.

* Explanations :

Tancrède le Bon, The Valet of Cardinal Élie de Nabinal is "the cardinal"

His ring allows him to use Necromancy on the grave of Jean XXII.
He uses this power for two things : First he need to steal the right books and send them to the alchemist "the pope" who is right now in Austrial.
And he uses this power to try to get rid of the players.

* Unsolved mysteries :

* Historical themes :
-Vatican Secret Archives

-Avignon Plague

-Roman Curia

-Pope Jean XXII

=Part 1 Intrigue in Avignon=
* '''Normal : Z_Normal-Palais des Papes'''

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = They see a painter Mattéo Giovanetti painting the walls in avignong. He paints an army of devils coming to Avignon. He watches the players super anxiously. He says : Are the rumours true ? The Death is coming to Avignong ? I pray that the sancity of these walls will keep the horror at bay. They hear some couhing in the distance.

Francesco Petrarca is nearby, he says :
"behold, I am She, whom they, fierce, and blind, and cruel name, Who meet untimely deaths;"

"Je suis l’importune et la cruelle que vous appelez sourde et aveugle, ô vous pour qui il fait nuit avant le soir."

| 15min =

They pass through a corridor and notice that all the people who pass by them avoid them and keep a very safe distance.
The word spread that they came from Marseille, so people avoid them.

| 30min = There's a Cardinal packing all his things, he is leaving Avignon. The pope told everyone who wanted to leave that they can. He decided to leave. The pope decided to stay, this is madness, everyone told him to leave.

One of the stained glass with a cross on it is broken.
| 45min = While the players are eating, they open a piece of bread, and it is hollow. The middle of the bread there's a small clay figure of a skeleton pope. If '''Knowledge (heresy)''' they know that there was a witchcraft attempt on previous pope John XXII with a clay figure. Everyone at the table is terrified.
The cross on the wall fell on the floor.

| 60min = There's a guard coughing, he falls on his face. Dead of the plague.

There's a bishop who ran away. There's a trail of ice on his floor coming out of the wall.

They see a minor relic of saint Benedict on the floor. Broken. Saint Benedict is the saint of Exorcism.
(only if they ask) No crosses in his room.

| 75min = They meet Guy de Chauliac in the corridors, he stumbles and lay on a wall. He sweats a lot and stared blankly at the players. He says that he is the greatest physician of his time, but the devil got to him anyway. He says he need to finish his masterpiece, Chirurgia Magna, but he had so little time to even start it.
| 90min = Scene of the Assassins. But Four assassins instead of Two.
}}

==Accused of Murder==

After the audience, the cardinal looks terrified. The players have to find a way to prove their innocence.

==Reasoning with the cardinal==
Either they go to the cardinal by themselves, or he sends them a letter.

He explains that he had no choice but doesn’t say anything more, their goal is to find leverage on him and/or prove their innocence.

'''Prove their innocence : either they use a skill, or they find out that he was not in Marseilles, but in Aix en Provence preparing the arrival or the Queen Jeanne. The proof, they have a signed document by the barons of Provence who say they will greet her.'''

They can try to use this as leverage against him, in which case he will simply withdraw his accusation. But it’s not a strong enough leverage to have him talk.

They have to find a way, any way to obtain this information. For example they can ask his valet Tancrède le Bon , he doesn't want to talk to them and he will lie, saying that indeed he was in Marseille, but his lies are not convincing, so they understand that he indeed wasn't in Marseille.

'''Action : If the timer is very short and the players beg the cardinal, he tells them to contact his scribe (so they get the proof to be innocent)'''

Tancrède le Bon is "the cardinal" of course he won't carry the ring on his hand most of the time, but he isn't a Trickster, so players will see that he lies and hides stuff, but they do'nt have the power to kill or imprison him (because he is protected by his cardinal)

Or they can ask his scribe who will say that indeed he wasn't in Marseille.

Once they confront him with this truth, he will withdraw his accusation.

Then his valet Tancrède le Bon will come to them and explain that he is haunted by a very powerful ghost. He says he saw this card on his table one morning.

==The dead pope==

A card with a skeleton pope on it and one sentence : Remember Carcassonne . [http://prima.wiki/images/8/8b/Remember_Carcassonne.png Remember Carcassonne] (Jean XXII was part of a big inquisition trial against Fraticelli in Carcasonne and he knew things about Élie de Nabinal that he use as blackmail. Elie de Nabinal was promoted by John XII because of his fight against Fraticelli)

The valet Tancrède le Bon doesn't know what this means and try to avoid the discussion.

Any player with '''Knowledge (heresy)''' will know what it means.

Otherwise they have to search the past of Elie de Nabinal where they see that Jean XXII gave him the title of "Master" in 1331 because of his fight against Fraticelli in Carcasonne.

'''Action : If they ask to check the records from that trial. ''' They are told that the records disappeared ! Some documents disappeared ! This is unacceptable !

==Assasination attempt==

'''Music : XenogearsZenoParadoxLightfromtheNetherworldsEBison then Z_Baston-Le diable est dans la boite'''

The same night two assasins unlock and open their door. They use a skeleton key that belonged to John XXII.

Unless the players have [[Instinct]] or stay awake or anything that could help them wakeup, they have to spend one [[Faith]] to be awaken. Because the assasins are quite stealthy.

The assasins are wearing worn crusaders armours.
Once of the players (of your choice) recognise one of them because he knew him for a previous crusade : Aimeric de Cros. It is a knight who fought alongside John XXII but who is now long dead. (if they manage to kill him, on further examination of the body it's not super clear if that's him or not)

One has a flail and shield, the other has a crusader longsword and a shield. All those equipments have been stolen from dead nobles burried in Avignon

It seems that they do'nt feel any pain when struck by players.

Two players need to have '''Combat (duel)''' to defeat both of them.
If one or two of them aren't defeated, they stab one or two random players with their poisoned weapons.
'''Immune (poison)''' or death for the player in question.

Élie de Nabinal is assassinated on that night 12th of January. He dies of the plague. (The players can’t prove he was assassinated)

His vallet Tancrède le Bon disappeared.

=Part 2 Archivum Secretum Apostolicum Avenionensium=
* '''Normal : Z_Normal-Cathédrale Silencieuse'''

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = A grand mass is organised to honour Cardinal Elie de Nabinal. The bells ring three times three strokes to announce his death.
'''Music : Epique désespéré 10 - Requiem, K.626, Lacrimosa (Mournful Day)'''
There's a grand procession. The grand room is lit with candles and incense. They can either attend or search the palace (until the music is finished).
During this time the archives are closed, but most other rooms are open.
If they search the room of the Cardinal (which is also the room of his valet) they find :
Below the bed there's a Book "Ars Magna by Ramon LLul" inside it there is a letter from Pope XXII to Gasbert de Valle congratulating him for the construction of the palace of the Popes . It is disturbing because Ramon LLul is very controvertial, in between alchemy and witchcraft.

In the chimney there are lots of letters who were burned. Only few words are sill readable : "Returned". "Soul". "Sin" And
"Your Illustrious Lordship's most faithful servant, Elie Cardinal de Nabinal"
.
"Le plus fidèle serviteur de Votre Illustre Seigneurie, Elie Cardinal de Nabinal"
(this is an address that you give to a pope as a cardinal, nobody else)

(If didn't solve the plague issue : Total 1 Bishop coughin, 0 Dead)

| 15min =
.
*They receive a letter for Guy de Chaulliac, he is critically ill and begs them to leave.
*If didn't solve the plague issue : Total 6 Bishop coughin, 1 Dead. (In the room where the person died, the cross is upside down. That's the symbol of the pope)
*7 Alchemy books disappeared. If they ask the titles : Liber de compositione alchimiae, De investigatione perfectionis (Geber), De mineralibus (Albart Magnus), Opus maius (Roger Bacon), The book of Abraham the Jew. And most importantly L’élixir des philosophes and L'art transmutatoire. Nobody knew those books were here ! Except the pope himself and the librarian. '''Knowledge (heresy)''' : The rumours says that it was John XXII who wrote "L’élixir des philosophes" and "L'art transmutatoire". The librarian explains that for some reason, the pope seemed passionate about alchemy, and at some point in his life he made a bull to ban alchemy ! Very strange.

| 30min =
.
* There's a servant who nailed his room and refuses to leave. He is too afraid of the plague.
* If didn't solve the plague issue : Total 13 Bishop coughin, 5 Dead. ('''Music : Hail This Nightmare - BloodBorne''' In one of the room of the dead, there are too many flies.)
* 5 Books and documents about the templars disappeared. If they ask the titles : Accounting books taken from some Templar commanderies, Liber Consolamenti (Secret rule of the Templars), Some letters and script of the trials some Bulls from John XXII. '''Knowledge (heresy)''' : The pope helped create lots of orders in Europe in the ashes of the templars. For example the order of Montesa in Spain or the order of Christ in Portugal.

| 35min = 2 Witchcraft and Jewish Magic books disappeared. If they ask the titles : Ghāyat al-Ḥakīm (Picatrix), Sepher Raziel HaMalakh (The Book of Raziel the Archangel) All those books are about Jewish magic and magic in general. '''Knowledge (heresy)''' John XXII made several bulls against the Jews.
| 40min =
.
* He informs the players that he saw someone sleep on the grave of John XXII, but he ran away.
* 1 Witchcraft and Jewish Magic books disappeared. If they ask for the title : Liber Semamphoras.
| 45min =
.
* There's a servant who died in the well.
* If didn't solve the plague issue : Total 28 Bishop coughin, 13 Dead ('''Music : Hail This Nightmare - BloodBorne''' There are an oncean of crossess in his room. One of the bishops says he hear the voice of John XXII and he was sure he could recognise him. He was asleep. So the next day he brought all the crosses.)
* 2 Witchcraft and Jewish Magic books disappeared. If they ask the titles : Sepher ha-Razim, The Sword of Moses. '''Knowledge (heresy)''' : The pope was targeted several times by sorcerers and he is the first one to decrete witchcraft as being heretical. But at the same time he collected books about magic !
| 50min = 1 Heresy and Death books disappeared. If they ask the title : Summa sacre magice Book about summoning the devil
| 55min = 1 Heresy and Death books disappeared. If they ask the title : Ars Notoria about summoning the devil
| 60min =
.
* An entire wing full of servants is isolated, because all servants there are ill. They guard the door 24/7.
* If didn't solve the plague issue : Total 58 Bishop coughin, 28 Dead ('''Music : Hail This Nightmare - BloodBorne''' One bishop died and his body is chewed by a lot of rats.)
* 1 Heresy and Death books disappeared. If they ask the title Liber Juratus Honorii (Sworn Book of Honorius) a Necromancy Grimoire, lots of letters about the Beatific vision. All those books are about summoning the devil or summoning death herself. '''Knowledge (heresy)''' : Pope XXII in his late life had a very strange theory about Death, for which he was criticez as being a heretic. In his point of view, people don't go to heaven just after death. First they are just in the embrace of death. He was called the heretic pope several times.

| 75min =
.
* They see some servants running around. Most guards left.
* If didn't solve the plague issue : Total 88 Bishop coughin, 58 Dead. (All the remaining bishops run away Avignon is mostly empty.)
* Books about Gold, the Fratichelli and the antichrist. If they ask the titles : All documents about the Fratichelli trials disappeared. '''Knowledge (heresy)''' : The pope was in favour of the church being rich which opposed him to the Franciscan Fratichelli, and he was called overtly as being the antichrist. And for some reason he became insanely rich, much richer than a pope should be at some point in his life.
| 90min = They hear the voice of John XXII and see his ghost go to the archives. All players roll a die 6, if 1 or 2 they run away (unless Courage).
}}

Some documents were stolen in the secret archives ! This is unacceptable ! A Cardinal died in strange circumstances, this is very strange too ! Too many death from the plague, they have to do something !

The players have to protect the archives the best they can and prevent the plague from spreading.

==Basic Protection from the Plague==

1 Bishops are bedridden, they caught the plague. Nobody else, no cardinals, no guard, just bishops and some servants.

'''Action : Mass is forbidden an people have to isolate'''

Anything else that makes sense

==Nothing stops the plague==

Bishops continue catching the plague (of course, that's not how the plague spreads in real life... so isolating people is useless)

They notice that their rooms are super cold and there's ice on the floor. They didn't notice it before, because : Before isolating them in their room, they would aerate their rooms during the day, now they can't.

(In particular it's "the cardinal's" goal to weaken the papacy as much as he possibly can, so he sneaks in he rooms of the people he wants to kill and talks to them Disguised at John XXII, scare them, make sure they are terrified. He choses on purpose only Bishops who new him in life so they will recognise his voice and face)

The players must understand that "the cardinal" enters through the window.

'''Action : Barricading the windows is the solution or guarding the outside is ok too.'''

'''Action : If they sneak in a room and prentend to be cardinals, at some point in the night, they see the shadow of a pope and the window opens. Then there's a torrent of flies.'''

==Securing the Archives==

Each X minutes some books disappear.

Some books are in a log, but the vast majority arent. Way too many books to transfer out of avignon.
Also the pope doesn't want too much noise about it.

They cannot condemn the access, because the pope has to send some new books or bulls or letters regularly.

Like everyone else, they can request access but they have to say exactly what they want to read.

Security system : There are guards fulltime by the door, just one entrance.

There's a librarian. To get a book, you need some kind of written authorisation and a password.

This password changes every week and depends on the sections (same system since Jean XXII). Very few people know the system.

The librarian gives a key that depends on the section.

Most books are chained, so when a chain is broken they know a book have been stolen. Then the librarian knows the names sometimes, sometimes he doesn't.

'''Action : Lock the most sensitive books / books about alchemy somewhere else.'''
Not possible, too many of them.

'''Action : Ask the Librarian to make a list of all the people he let in in the past month.'''
He say he will need some time.
Then he dies of the plague before he is finished.

'''Action : Ask to simply shut down the archives'''
The pope refuses, it's impossible.

'''Action : Change the password system.'''
He will get a very "low security" password and still access the best books by picking/breaking locks.

'''Action : Let one of the players guard the entrance and ask for the librarian to write the names of people goign to the archives.'''
Books missing. One of the locks have been broken.
No suspicious names in the list of people.
(the name of the valet of the cardinal is in the list but it's normal because the cardinal asked him to go archive some documents, also he goes throuogh the secret passage, so his name doesn't appear too many times)

'''Action : Search everyone leaving the archive'''
It's actually useless because he hides the books in an alcove and will unload all of them in one night through the window.

'''Action that works :'''

'''Action : Ask one guard to follow each person in the archives and check the name match guard x person'''

'''Action : People need to ask for a document and only the librarian go fetch it then record it.'''
Books still disappear, it's proof that there's another access, secret passage.

==Finding the secret passage==
How to find the secret passage ?
There's dust on the ground, but not nearly enough.

'''Action : If they try to study the plans of the floor''' there's no chance to find it. Because no precise plan exist.

'''Action : Tracker''' can work.

'''Action : Anything that makes sense is ok'''

'''Action : Knock on every walls until one of them sound empty.''' is ok.

'''Action : Pour water as much as they can and see where it exfiltartes''' is ok too.

They found a secret passage that leads to the archives that's where he was held !

That's when all the torches are blown
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=Part 3 The Labyrinth of Paper=
* '''Normal : Z_Baston-Skeleton Dance'''

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min =

They realise that they are in a HUGE maze of books. Bigger than a city. Books as far as the eye can see.

| 15min =

They see a pendent with a huge dog teeth, relic of "Saint Christopher" a Relic lost to mankind, because St Christopher is a man dog and he church doesn' accept that. They can take it if they want. (but then the player needs to take the Feat "Relic" and Prowess "Enrage (self)" or "Tracker")

| 30min = There's a lost librarian who lost his eyes, he has a reversed cross burned on his forehead and he run about speaking in tongue or speaking a foreign language, as if he lost his ability to speak latin

Khndrum yem ognir indz. Voreve meky karo՞gh e indz haskanal: Du indz haskanum yes ?
Khndrum yem ognir indz. Yes satana tesa: Satanan ink’y: Na yekav indz mot, khosets’ indz het: Khndrum yem ognir indz. Satanan aystegh e: Satanan aystegh e: Satanan aystegh e: Satanan aystegh e:

'''Knowledge (heresy)''' he speaks in Aramaic. A lost language used in the bible.

| 45min = They smell very strong incense. Everyone rolls for poison. Anyone who fails has to speak in tongue until the end of the game (or a language that nobody in the group understands, that's ok too). Explain them that they can't stay silent, they have to try to talk all the time. And they tell you their actions by sending or showing you written messages.
| 60min = There's the corpse of a librarian. His belly was clawed opened like by a bear. With his blood, it drew a reversed cross of blood. There's no way a human could have done that.
| 75min = They smell very strong incense. Everyone rolls for poison. Anyone who fails has to speak in tongue until the end of the game (or a language that nobody in the group understands, that's ok too)
From this point on, they see lots of reversed crucifix along the way. And there are bloody but confident footsteps of a goat.
| 90min = They finally catchup with the Pope. But a random player is stabbed in the heart by the Pagan demon, instant death.
}}

At this point, all the servants who got sick loose their mind and obey to the "cardinal".
They tear their clothes and draw runes on their body.

==Death==
They see a Pope walking among the archives.

Behind the gate is a madman crawled in a corner.

"I saw him ! It..it..it was the Pope ! John XXII it was him ! He..he..was obsessed with Death. His whole life he.. he.. As if he knew something ! As if he had made a deal !"

"Je l'ai vu ! C..c..c'était le Pape ! C'était Jean XXII ! Il..Il.. était obsédé par la mort. Toute sa vie... Il... Comme s'il savait quelquechose ! Comme s'il avait conclu un marché !"

He when through a gate which is locked (actually he has the key, made a copy of it)

'''Action : Lockpicking or some strength feats'''

==Heretics==

There's a bookshelf shaking.
On the bookshelf they see lots of books about trials and heretics that were burned by John XXII

Then nearby a torch is knocked over and start to burn books. They have to extinguish the fire !

'''Action : Unless they have a better idea, the only thing they can do is isolate the fire from other books.''' using a cover of hitting the flame of peeing on it or whatever won't work. But for example is they have "Well Prepared" they have enough water on them. They don't have time to go fetch water or whatever unless they have the "Agile" feat.

==Riches==

There's a weird voice talking like it talks backward.

"Antichrist, Antichrist, Antichrist, Antichrist, Antichrist"

They see the severed head of "Ange Clareno" one of the Fratricelli (they accused John XXII to be the antichrist)
They could swear they saw it talk and it didn't decay at all.

They realise that behind the shelf there's a secret walled section.

Inside the Archives, Jean XXII had walled a section. e.g. there's no way to reach it unless you know the right secret passage. It's a narrow passage between two shelves.

There's a statue of him on a column near that bookshelf. The statue has a big purse (players need to ask)

'''Action : Press on the purse''' It unlocks the secret door.

==Templars==

The book shelfs get closer and closer and there's an army of hands with chainmail (because most are guards who lost their minds) but looking from this point they look like skeleton templars (he Disguised some of them as skeleton templars)

'''Action : Some smart way to pass through for each players or they get Wounded'''

==Alchemy==

There's a huge Alchemy Lab inside the hidden part of the archives with all the books he confiscated. Proof that the pope was also an alchemist.

Lots of books and scrolls that he wrote.

There are tons of tiny wires attached to lots of vials, if they touch the wires, some acid or burning or poisonous vials fall on them.

"Eye for Detail" allow safe passage, same for "Clarivoyance" or "Reflexes" but they can at most help one person pass through.

Alternatively, they can throw a chair through the wires, but then the fumes are very numerous, so everyone is poisoned (Immune or "Wounded")

==Witchcraft==

As they progress through the secret section, they see Pope John XXII in the distance who finished signing a scroll.

A huge demon appears before them, with fiery wings and a fiery sword and the burning skull of deer.

He has huge claws.

Anyone without '''Courage''' has to roll a die 6 each turn. Unless 5 or 6 they run away. (once they run away, they can re-roll each turn to come back)

It is actually someone disguised as a demon, his sword is made of hundreds of chicken bones and his armor made of raw leather.

'''Action : unless Combat (monster) need some smart way to take him down'''

'''Action : If they manage to destroy the contract, a Combat (duel) is enough to defeat him'''

==Death==

"You who live: it is certain,
Sooner or later, you will dance.
Think on what you will do then.
I fought death my whole life, but she won the last battle.
She always win.
My torment is over,
Free me, I beg you"

"Vous qui vivez: il est certain,
Quoique cela tarde, que vous danserez.
Réfléchissez à ce que vous ferez alors.
J'ai combattu la mort toute ma vie, mais elle a gagné la dernière bataille.
Elle gagne toujours.
Ma peine se termine,
Je vous prie, libérez moi."

Several flying pigeons flew away with pages of a book.
They can take down one of them, the last one that he release, but that's it, other are gone already they see five cages of pigeons already used.

The pages he sent are taken from an alchemy book, this book references and transcribes pages of the "Book of the Acts of Solomon"
This book is a missing biblical text ! (e.g. mentioned in the bible but missing)
So he sent the last remaining copies of some parts of this book using those carrier pigeons.

He doesn't resist, they can kill him, he drunk poison anyway.

They can ask him any questions that they want.

He roughly answer them that he was very interested in gold and thus he studdied alchemy.

He met a templar alchemist and worked with him. That's why he helped so many templars.

And he discovered too late "who he was" that's why death took him.

=Epilogue=
Epilogue musics :
*'''Epique entre-scenart gagant 12-Pista de audio 12.mp3'''
*'''Epique entre-scenart gagant 12-Pista de audio 12.mp3''' (put it twice)
*'''Fin epique glorieuse 06-Final'''
*Then loop this Playlist '''Normal-Prima'''

At the end of the scenario, hey figure that the pigeons he sent were bound to Neuberg, the abbey they visited at the first episode !!

'''Music : Behelith then Firelink Shrine'''
And few days later, the 25th of January 1348, a HUGE earthquake shakes the entire region and destroys countless citizes and monasteries in the region.

At the end of the plague, 9 cardinals and 100 bishops died, it has never been seen in the history of Christendom.

By cross referencing with other books, they reaslie that the passage in question in the book was about the Opus Magnum and the Albedo (Oeuvre au Blanc) which is the second step of the realisation of the philosopher's stone, after the Nigredo (oeuvre au noir)

On him he has the [[Bone Ring]]

More infos about the Book of the Acts of Solomon who is a biblical lost text : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acts_of_Solomon

==Post Game Bonus==

Send those to the players as a post game bonus :

The vatican secret archives are indeed 85km long https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vatican_Apostolic_Archive

Pictures of the palace of Popes in Avignon : http://jaimelafrance.tourisme.fr/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Avignon5-750x563.jpg

Saint Christopher is indeed a Saint with a dog head : https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Saint_christopher_cynocephalus.gif
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Christopher

Elie de Narbinal did die the 12 of January 1348 of the plague in Avignon and he was at the trial of the Fraticelli in Caracasonne : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89lie_de_Nabinal

Gasber de Valle was indeed behind the enlargement of the Palais des Papes : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palais_des_papes_d%27Avignon#Origine_et_implantation_:_le_choix_d'Avignon

More infos on the book of the acts of Solomon, the missing biblical text : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acts_of_Solomon

And finally, there was indeed a HUGE earthquake the 25th of January 1348 centered in Neuberg : fr.qaz.wiki/wiki/1348_Friuli_earthquake

[[Category:Scenario]]
[[Category:Official Scenarios]]

Danse Macabre Part 5

2026-03-07T16:35:17Z

Taiko:

==Teaser==
Send to the players before the game :

10th of November 1347, Marseilles (Provence, Holy Roman Empire)
A strange curse has fallen on Marseilles in the last few days.
Many shopkeepers have been found dead from a strange disease.
Doctors are positive: it is a benign ague, but the population suspects that the wells have been poisoned.
Fortunately, the archbishop will soon organise a mass to calm the spirits.
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

10 Novembre 1347, Marseille (Provence, Saint Empire Romain Germanique)
Une étrange malédiction s'est abattue sur Marseille ces derniers jours.
De nombreux commerçants ont été retrouvés morts d'un étrange mal.
Les médecins sont formels : il s'agit d'une fièvre de ventre bénigne, mais la population soupçonne que les puits ont été empoisonnés.
Heureusement, l'archevêque va bientôt organiser une messe pour calmer les esprits.
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

=Intro - Flagellum Dei=

Disclaimer : This scenario is so hard, that it's ok if the players act a bit using their 20th century knowledge. For example if they all take [[Immune (diseases)]] before the scenario, that's ok. Or if they have the reflex to order lockdowns early on.

Also, explain them that since they start to have a lot of Feats, the right development strategy is to gather as many Prowesses as they can. [[Relic]] or [[Background]] allows them to skip some of the requirements and some Prowesses like [[Guards !]] don't have any requirements. Then get as many [[Miracle]] as they can, because the Feat [[Benediction]] becomes very powerful if they have a lot of Prowesses. Allow them to modify their entire Feats list if they aren't satisfied with their current character.

* Initial situation :
**Date : 10 November 1347
**Location : Marseilles (Provence, Holy Roman Empire)

Robert de Mandagout, the actual Deacon of Marseille is back in his city.
It's the 10 of Nov, it's been a week and a half since the fire in the cathedral. Rumours start to spread of a curse, so he has to make a speech.
He summons the crowd in front of the Cathedral to make a speech.
The young lord of Marseille is there too Hugues IV des Baux de Marseille

In his speech, he explains about the fire that happened and dispell any rumours of witchcraft.

He interrupt his speech and kneel make a sign of cross.

He yell there's a miracle and he sees an Angel : Gabriel.

Then he shouts as the angel with black wings, no you are not Gabriel take his sword and strike him.

'''Music : The Ringed City - Dark Souls III'''

Robert de Mandagout is on the central place with Hugues IV des Baux de Marseille
Hugues is wearing an elaborated red dress with their crest : A sun with a red backrgound.

: "Brave brave people of Marseille, foul rumours have been spreading lately.
God is and always have been blessing our sacred city, the recent fire in the cathedral is a pure accident and the culprits have been sevrely punished." / "Brave peuple de Marseille. De terribles rumeurs se sont répendu récemment. Dieu béni et a toujours béni notre chère cité. Le récent incendie dans la cathédrale n'est que pur accident les coupables ont été punis sévèrement.."

"It's the jews, we saw them !"/"c'est les juifs, je les ai vu !" shouts someone in the crowd.
"It's a curse"/" nous sommes maudits, dieu nous a oublié !" shouts someone else

"Your lord protector Hugues IV des Baux de Marseille and myself come before you to demonstrate that god's will is on our side and protects us." / "Votre seigneur et protecteur Hugues IV des Baux de Marseille et moi meme sont venu témoigner de l'amour de dieu et de sa miséricorde."

'''Music : Lacrimose'''

He stops and fall on his knees.

"My Lord, it is a miracle !"/"Mon seigneur, c'est un miracle !"
"Holy of the most holy, the angel Gabriel himself descends upon us. Yes my lords, you heard our prayers, we are not worthy of you most holy presence"/ "Par tous les saints, l'ange Gabriel lui meme nous rends visite. Oui mon seingneur avez entendu nos proières, nous ne sommes pas dignes de votre sainte présence."
"No, you are not Gabriel. My lord, what have we done to suffer your wrath. Sheathe your sword. No. No. Nooooo." / "Non, vous n'êtes pas Gabriel. Mon seigneur qu'avons nous fait pour mériter votre courroux. Non, ne porte pas ton épée sur nous. Non. Non. Noooon".
He then tries to draw a guard's sword and start attacking the lord of Marseille.
He yells "the destroyer angel is upon us. Good people of Marseille. Repent ! Repent !" / "L'ange exterminatteur est sur nous. Peupel de Marseille repnts toi ! Repentez vous tous !"

* Explanations :

Hugues IV des Baux de Marseille 1311-1351 is 36 yrs old. He is the Viscount of Marseille and lords of les Baux.

Agout des Beaux is very jealous. His seal : http://jean.gallian.free.fr/comm2/Images/sceaux-dauph/Baux1.jpg
DESCENDANTS DU ROI MAGE BALTHAZAR !!!
Seigneur de Caromb
Sénéchal Beaucaire,
Nimes et Toulouse
Cap. gén. en Languedoc

He has been trying to assasinate Hugues for years, because if he died, he would become the lord of Marseille.

By searching in the history of his family,

Devise : A l'asar Beautezar http://jean.gallian.free.fr/comm2/fam_fich/b/baux.htm

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_des_seigneurs_des_Baux

https://en.calameo.com/read/001513011c76c5b895e08

His uncle Agout is very jealous. If he could kill him, he would become the most powerful noble of Provence.
That's why he became "L"
His full name. Agout Louis des Baux. Hence his nickname : "L"

Their crest : A sun with red background.

3 courbes :
(Actual 20 June - 20 July) : Few death 1 Nov 24 Nov
7,5x increase 0 - 150 24 Days (Actual 20 July - 13 Aug) (Quanrantaine pour les villes alentours 31 July) 24 Nov - 15 Dec
85x 13-23 150 - 1000 10 Jours (Actual 13 Aug - 23 Aug) 15 Dec - 25 Dec Birth of the Antichrist ????
(Actual 23 Aug - 13 Sept) : Stagne 1000 3 Jan - 23 Jan
(Actual 13 Sept - 3 Oct) : Chute du nombre de morts 23 Jan - 13 Feb
13 Sept, Entry exit of the city completely banned.

The apocalypse's Dragon = Satan = The Plague. The apocalypse beast from the sea = The relic owners. TThe apocalypse beast from the land = the Antechrist = The relic owner, the "pope"

* Unsolved mysteries :

What do the abraxas with ten crowns means ?
What was Agout's "legacy" ?
Where did the philospoher stone go, how did it attract so much money ?

* Historical themes :
-Plague in Marseille
-Apocalypse

=Part 1 The Rumours 10 Nov - 24 Nov=
* '''Normal : Z_Normal-Département Nécrologique'''

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = The Bishop wakes up. Two doctors argue doctor says he has "'''ague'''", or "smallpox" or perhaps he was poisonedn ('''fièvre de ventre''', fièvre charbonneuse ou trousse-galant, bosas, carboncles en français). His simptoms : Fever, bubon rouge et chaud sous l’aine les aisselles ou les genoux, le cou Tres soif.. Lots of sweat. Delirium and dellusions. He shit himself, smells bad. He say repeatedly : "Behold, I have sinned, and I have done perversely; but these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand be against me, and against my father's house." "Regarde! C'est moi qui ai péché, c'est moi qui suis coupable. Mais ces brebis, qu'ont-elles fait? Porte donc la main contre moi et contre ma famille!" People know the bible and they make immediate paralelw tih the King davivd plague.
| 15min = The ashes in the cathedral have been cleaned. And the molten metal have left the marks in the ground of a dragon with seven heads. When a priest see this, he make a sign of cross and say : "And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads." "Un autre signe parut encore dans le ciel; et voici, c'était un grand dragon rouge, ayant sept têtes et dix cornes, et sur ses têtes sept diadèmes." '''Music : Lacrimosa''' As they say this a crow flies away screaming.
| 30min = A person in the hospital or in the streets took his weapon and start fighting back the angel. He starts attacking foreign merchants. His Symtoms : Pink Cough, black spots on fingers and neck.
| 45min = The players notice everyone is wearing a chapel with a black angel with a sword and a black feather. Some random commoner offers one to the players for protection. We have to repent and pray god's mercy.
| 60min = Riche fuyant marseille déguisé en paysant en enfouissant des richesses dans des jarres d’huile d’olive
| 75min = A Crazy priest is yelling that people should repent, the angel with the black wings will come. He is followed by one or two flagellans.
| 90min = Final scene with the riot of diseased people. Players roll 5-6 or are ill. THey lose all 50 Soliders.
}}

The lord says that similar cases have appeared few days back. So he will be in charge of stopping the disease. But he asks the church to help him fight rumours.
If the players start to try to fight the disease, he will tell them to stop and focus on the panic.

The players start with 50 soldiers working for them.

PEOPLE BLAMED : les juifs, les bergers, les sorciers, les marchands, en particulier ambulants

Knowledge apothecary, they can make perfume if they want, enough to protect them.

==Rumour 1 : The de Baux family is cursed - 10 Nov==
That's why the cathedral burned, and god sent a message. All victims where linked to the family one way or another.
Which explains the black angel.

Action : Organise a big mass to sanctify the lord or organise a fake miracle.
Action : Blame someone lese (like the Bishop)

==Rumour 2 : The Ville Haute is poisoning people from Ville Basse covering it up like a disease - 14 Nov==
A Civil war is starting where the Ville Basse (the port) wants to attack the Ville Haute (under Bishop authority) because most cases where in Ville basse, so they think it's the Bishop who is trying to spread fear.

Useless Action : Make a Speech. People don't believe.

Action : Raid the rioter's HQ Combat (squirmish)

Action : Ville Haute make some kind of Donation or strong monetzary gesture.

Action : Pay the merchant leaders / promise them to have better access to the ville haute market

==Rumour 3 : Jews are poisoning the wells - 18 Nov==
It start with some Jews being hanged.
Because at least two or three christians died near the Jewish quartier and no jews died.

Action : Drink publicly from the well. Or show some Jews are actually ill (make some fake Jew if need be)

===Riot against the Jews - 22 Nov===
'''Music : Baston Brigands'''
A riot is happening against the Jews of one quartier, they are all getting killed. Other jews are scared.

Action : Sneak the jews out.
Action : Barricade them

==Rumour 4 : Soldiers are slaughtering people in the port - 24 Nov==
'''Music : Lacrimosa'''
The players check, it's true.

Final scene :
They are walling an entire part of the city.
Ils embarrciadent et condamnent les maisons en secret juste quelques patés de maisons. Ils transpercent les gens qui essaient de d'enfuir. Il ne les nourrissent pas pour qu'ils meurent plus vite.
Des gardes tuent un malade qui a réussi a sortir.
Puis c'est une émeute de gens qui s'enfuient.

=Part 2 The Plague 24 Nov (10 death) - 15 Dec (150 death)=
* '''Normal : Z_Normal-Cathédrale Silencieuse'''

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = All markets closed people angry about it. Small Riot. People go drink at the river because they don't trust the wells.
| 15min = Apoticaires vendant des faux remèdes pour se protéger la fièvre de ventre, he also sell fake relics and phylacteries. "Carbuncle gems"/"Escarboucles" à porter sur soi. Albert le Grand says i protects against poisons. Lots of boats leaving, lots of people leaving. One rich priest was found dead. All of his money gone. His Eyes are terrified on his face. The population is terrified to see that priests are not immune.
| 30min =Most Rich Houses are Empty - Lots of Thiefs. Port closed. All "Gouvernails" on all boats are removed. Someone runs in the streets yelling "The angel with the black wings is coming"
| 45min =Poeple Forbidden to leave the City. Riot at the gates, people killed. Minus 40 soldiers. One quartier wall themselves in and organise a clandesitne theater.
| 60min =Forbidden to bury people. Corpses burried in Charnier with chaux vive. Thief loot houses and corpses. Minus 40 soldiers. Another noble found dead, all of his money gone. Black feathers everywhere in his home.
| 75min =Everyone who has the disease, alive or not is thrown to fosse commune. Minus 40 soldiers. Drawings on the walls of an angel with black wings and a sword. Another Quarier wall themselved in.
| 90min = Church Close. No more Thieves dare to loot anything. No more beggars also. Streets empty. All players see the shadow of the winged angel. Roll of catch the disease. They loose all soldiers and doctors.
}}

The lord begs the players to help him in his fight against the disease, because his attempts have been unsuccessful.

It's been a bit less than a month, they had one or two death per day. But yesterday they had 10 in one street and tried to quaranteen the part, but couldn't.

==Problem 1 : Different people trying to help are disorganised 24 Nov - 10 Death / day ==

Action : Rule that they have to obey to the players. Or create a daily meeting with them.

The players have the previous soldiers plus 200 and 10 doctors They have the help of doctors with museau de cuir (pas un bec à cette époque)

==Problem 2 : Basic rules 29 Nov - 15 Death / day ==

Actions : Some quartiers quaranteened. Walled ?

Actions : Forbid people to leave their home.

Action : Clean the streets

Action : Close restaurants and all public places

==Problem 3 : No place for hospitals 2 Dec - 24 Death / day ==

Action : requistion businesses
Action : Requisition market places
Action : use churches

==Problem 4 : Lots of Thieves spreading the disease. 6 Dec - 37 Death /day ==

Action : Pay the thief guild.

Action : Death penalty for thieves.

Action : Mettre Des croix blanches/noire/rouges sur les portes ? pour éviter que les voleurs attrapent la maldie

Useless Action : Publicly explain that the disease is contagious.

==Problem 5 : Too many corpses to burry individually. 10 Dec - 57 Death / day ==

Action : Fosse commune.

Action : Burn corpses on the streets not accepted at this point.

==Problem 6 : Lots of people hungry, total shortage of food. Merchants refuse to go into the city. 13 Dec - 89 Death / day ==

Action : Commerce without contact. The merchant arrives, drop the goods and a bag of coins is thrown at him. COins are perfumed to purify it.

==Problem 7 : A random noble require the right to leave 15 Dec - 138 Death / day ==

Action : Kill him discretely
Action : Give him a letter of health
Action : Any other ways to make him shut up

==Problem 8 : Lack of money.==
Action : take money from the deceased
Action : Borrow money from rich people in the city

=Part 3 The Horror 15 Dec (150 death per day) - 25 Dec (1000 death per day) =
* '''Normal : Z_Flippant - Quake'''

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min =Permanent stench of death. Church full of bodies Are scealed. Complete silence all stray dogs died.
| 15min = '''Music : Procession Of The Flagellants from The Seventh Seal'''A massive protest of Flaggelands yelling and chanting everyone kneel in their wake.
| 30min = Baby crying in a house. His mother just died, he is alone in the world. Minus 50 conscripts. Archers at the city gates. Anyone leaving the city killed on sight. Minus 50 conscripts. Very rich man in Marseille found dead. All of his money Gone, a tall man hiding wings below his cape was seen leaving the scene, a burned contract signed by L can be found in the chimney.
| 45min =Orgies of Horse Meat killed all the horses. Minus 50 conscripts. Crow feathers in all the streets.
| 60min =Canibalism. Minus 50 conscripts. The Richest man in Marseille found dead. All of his money gone. His last words. I expected you. The destroyer angel. A tall man hiding wings below his cape was seen leaving the scene, there was an L etched on his cape.
| 75min =Streets are Empty All houses are nailed. Corpses pile up in the streets, no more burning. Minus 50 conscripts.
| 90min =Guards stop obeying. Doctors also. Stop counting. Total Chaos. All consripts and guard and doctors are dead or left.
}}

15 Dec 138 Death / day
17 Dec 189 Death / day
19 Dec 259 Death / day
21 Dec 354 Death / day
22 Dec 486 Death / day
23 Dec 666 Death / day
24 Dec 912 Death / day

The players have all previous soldiers and doctors plus 400 unarmed conscripts.

==Problem 1 : 100 dead. Too many corpses to carry by hand. 15 Dec 138 Death / day ==

Action: Use carts. (unless done laready)

'''Nobody wants to pull the corpse carts. Because they die too fast.'''

Action : Use the prisoners.

Action : Motivational speech or Charmisa or Deus veult.

==Problem 2 : A Crazy monk nails black feathers on a lot of doors. 19 Dec 259 Death / day ==
It terrifies the local population.

Action : Offer food reward to anyone who saw him. Then burn him at the stake.

==Problem 3 : People sneaking int he royal palace to sneak out food and water. One deseased died in the food storage. 22 Dec 486 Death / day ==

Action : Put the food in the dungeon.

Action : Purify it with smoke.

Most people in the council left.

==Problem 4 : Too many corpses to put on carts. 23 Dec 666 Death / day ==

Action : Burn corpses directly in the streets.
Stench in the streets of bruning corpses.
Almost nobody in the council. Hugues is ill.

==Problem 5 : Quartier de la Tourette too hard to remove corpses. 100% of people died theree. 24 Dec 912 Death / day ==

Action : Burn the whole Quartier. Or anything else that makes sense.
If burn it is a big big problem because the Mistral is constantly blowing.

Just two people in the council.

=Part 4 Hell - 25 Dec=
* '''Normal : Z_Flippant - Dark World'''

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = They realise that it's quite cold in the palace (servants stopped heating) and the streets are perfectly quiet. They are in a dead city. The head of guards decides to wall the entrance of the palace. Outside the only noise is a person lying in front of the palace coughing.
| 15min = They hear footsteps and grinding stone noise in the Castle. One of the feverish servants of the lords tries to asassinate him he wield a human bone. Roll or get disease. The Bone is old. It's unclear where it come from.
| 20min = They hear footsteps and grinding stone noise in the Castle.
| 30min = At some point the light is off, then the angel arrive, one player need to roll. From this point on, they have to keep light on. They see fire burning in the distance with a clear stench of burned bodies.
| 40min = They hear footsteps and grinding stone noise in the Castle.
| 45min = At some point the diseased in the street stop coughing. There's absolute silence. They hear a silent sound. That's when the Angel visit the players until the player make some noise, one player need to roll if he doesn't make noise fast enough. From this point on, they have to keep noise and light on. In the distant they hear a Kyrie Eleison.
| 60min = One of the soldiers fall asleep, the angel visit him in his sleep, from this point on they have to stay wake, light on and noise. In the distant they see an ocean of people fleeing in the streets, they don't know what or why. If they haven't found it yet, a door stay open.
| 75min = Crowd of people try to bash the wall down, they are starving and crazed. Time is running out.
| 90min = The disease flock in he castle, the player have to fight and all roll for disease. They run to a random door and land in the final church.
}}

The Lord of marseille's staff has fever. The lords, the players and his personal guards are the only ones in the palace who are healthy.

He begs the players to ensure his safety. After that event, he has fever too and can't leave bed.

The player's role is to protect him.

Survive the plague themselves and save the lord of marseille who can't move

He is worried because his uncle Agout disappeared of his room.

==Make Noise, then keep light, then stay awake==
Step by step they will have to keep noise, light and stay awake to keep the angel at bay.
As soon as there's a long enough moment of silence, the angel comes. So they have to make noise.
The players need to find a solution to keep the noise.
Same for light and sleep depending on the timing.

==Secret passages==
The Lord doesn't know of secret passages, that he is aware of.
Studying the map of the castle is useless, because it doesn't tell where is the entrance.
Solution : Put some dust/flour on the ground until they find where the footsteps come from.
Solution : Check for cold wind below furnitures.

==The Templar Cupboard==
The steps come from a cupboard.
The players could easily destroy it, but it would sound the alarm.
That's one way of doing it though.

On the cupboard there are pedestals for swords. One is missing. The name Barral 1er des Baux is written on this pedestal.
If they ask tthe lord, he will reluctantly say that he has a dark reputation because he was pasionnate about alchimie and the occult and he was close to the templars. I'ts possible to find a templaer sword sowhere else in the castle, on a mannequin.
Puttting there a templar sword unlocks the door.

==Templar Hideout==
If the players are all immmune, the lord come with them.

Lost of books about templars, lots encyphered letters.
Some gold lots of armors.
Spiderwebs everywhere.
They learn about the past of this family.

Where did he go ?
Spiderwebs everywhere, except one place.

Also, there's only one place with bones.

They learn that Barral 1er des Baux was excommunicated five times. Excommunié à cinq reprises, n'hésitera pas à s'exclamer: " Tous les absous sont mes ennemis et tous les excommuniés mes amis."

==Hell==
'''Music : Gyorgy Ligeti - Lux aeterna (2001- A Space Odyssey)'''
They have until the end of two times the music to figure it out.

A place full of skeletons. Tomb of Barral 1er des Baux.
Lots of Crows in the room looking at them.
That's where the bone sword was kept. (perhaps other artifacts as well ?)

In the middle of the room, there is a pedetals that used to have a black oily stone on it.
Around it is an unbelievable fortune.

One of the players is attacked by the Destroyer Angel. If the players are all immmune, the lord come with them.
The angel has black wings.

Barral 1er des Baux has a tomb, only his tomb is not opened.

Action : The player should open his tomb. They see his corpse, but his sword is missing.
Once the angel of death is gone, they can keep following the destroyed spiderwebs.

The Lord remember a story. That he was afraid of crows and he died when a crow landed in his window.

==Killing L==
'''Music : Z_Baston-Skeleton Dance'''
They arrive to a nearby church full of bodies. Danse macabre fresqueses in the church. Statue of an angel with a sword.
He is in tthe church top floor.
He is tall, has a big cape and a templar shield in his back, so it looks like he has wings.

He acuses the players of having stolen his philosopher's stone.
With a wave of his sword peiple who are still alive in the piles of bodies will get up and attack the payers. Roll for disease.
Up to the players to kill him remotely. They have to kill him TWICE. The first time is not enough, it makes him use his rage.
There's a statue above him of an angel with a sword. It's unstable, possible to make it fall. Lots of crows on the wings of the statue commenting on the fight. His platform is unstable as well.
players might have a remote atack, all is ok.

=Epilogue=
Epilogue musics :
*'''Epique entre-scenart gagant 12-Pista de audio 12.mp3'''
*'''Epique entre-scenart gagant 12-Pista de audio 12.mp3''' (put it twice)
*'''Fin epique glorieuse 06-Final'''
*Then loop this Playlist '''Normal-Prima'''

While searching the cache, they find a letter signed between L and "the Pope" who explains they will use L's legacy to make the philisopher's stone. This letter is sealed by L's seal.

On his corpse they find a signet ring. The letter L with on the background an Abraxas with ten crowns. http://prima.wiki/images/c/ce/Abraxas.jpg
"rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. The whole earth was amazed and followed the beast. And they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like the beast? Who is able to wage war against it? " "je vis monter de la mer une bête qui avait dix cornes et sept têtes, et sur ses cornes dix diadèmes, et sur ses têtes des noms de blasphème. Et toute la terre était dans l'admiration derrière la bête. ils adorèrent la bête, en disant: Qui est semblable à la bête, et qui peut combattre contre elle ? "

It's Christmas 1347, the Beast is released on europe.
'''Danse Macabre'''

100 000 inhabnitants in marseille, half are dead.

Decisions :

What to do about Hugues IV ?

What do they recommend about ville haute vs ville basse ?

What do they recommend the Sword ?

What do they do about the gold ?

Historic context :
After the plague all the population leave on the hills near Marseilles for a while before returning to the city.
Few days later, the Queen Jeanne will unite the ville haute and ville basse.

==Post Game Bonus==

Send those to the players as a post game bonus :

As a bonus, here is the Emblem of Agout des Baux : http://jean.gallian.free.fr/comm2/Images/sceaux-dauph/Baux1.jpg

The Emblem of Barral 1er des Baux : http://thierryhelene.bianco.free.fr/drupal/sites/default/files/barral2.jpg

An article about Barral 1er des Baux (automatic translation) All is historical, he was indeed excommunicated 5 times, and died when a crow landed on his window : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barral_Ier_des_Baux

http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=fr&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Ffr.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FBarral_Ier_des_Baux

http://prima.wiki/images/b/b1/Agout_des_baux_biography.png

An article in French about Barral 1er that explain his link to the templars : http://www.lesfilsdelavallee.fr/index.php/fr/les-statuts-secrets-de-lordre-des-templiers

Here is the scene from the movie "the Seventh Seal" with the Flagellants during the black plague : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_bhj-_LRY8

The "Beast from the Sea" of the Tapestry of the Apocalypse : https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/PMa_ANG036_F_Angers.jpg

[[Category:Scenario]]
[[Category:Official Scenarios]]

Danse Macabre Part 4

2026-03-07T16:35:08Z

Taiko:

==Teaser==
Send to the players before the game :

28th of October 1347, Marseilles (Provence, Holy Roman Empire)
His Magnum Opus cost him everything: his fortune, his family, his soul.
Under the unholy gaze frozen in clay of his demented masters he works tirelessly.
The end is near, his pact is formal.
Soon he will be the richest man in Marseille and probably in the whole Empire !
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

28 Octobre 1347, Marseille (Provence, Saint Empire romain)
Son Grand Oeuvre lui aura tout coûté : sa fortune, sa famille, son âme.
Sous le regard impie figé dans l'argile de ses maîtres déments, il travaille inlassablement.
La fin est proche, son pacte est formel.
Bientôt, il sera l'homme le plus riche de Marseille et probablement de tout l'Empire !
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

=Intro - Danse Macabre=

* Initial situation :
**Date : 28 October 1347
**Location : Marseilles (Provence, Holy Roman Empire)

Previously, the players have found an invitation for a Masquerade (Bal Masqué) for the Toussaint 31 Oct 1347 !!!! (Fete des morts).
There was a date, but no address on it.
On the invitation, there is a drawing of the Saint Victor Abbaye in the background. https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbaye_Saint-Victor_de_Marseille
This is a hint that the ball will happen in Marseille.
And indeed, a ball is organised there, near the docks.

The players find where the maskerade was supposed to happen. It was supposed to happen in Marseille. In the cathedral.
They arrive few weeks before to try to investigate.

Every year, a Masquerade (Bal Masqué) is organised in Marseille by the church. It happens in the cathedral : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbaye_Saint-Victor_de_Marseille

The actual point of this masquerade is to gather all the representatives of the different Bone objects.

The ball is organised by "Bishop".

During the ball, he will give them instructions on how to meet them for the final ritual : The burning of the tower.

Cathedral is a living place, lots of beggars and orphans. People sick and poor. But balls are organised there too.

The players go to the cathedral early. To prepare.
The maskerade is organised every year it's not connected to "L".
"L" uses this venue as a way to secretly give instructions on the actual meeting place and time. The meeting will happen in the cathedral where they will do the final ritual of the bones.
The deacon of the cathedral ("Bishop") is corrupted as well.

The danse macabre masquerade
The cathedral is mostly closed. Because it's in construction.
All services are held in one wing which is still open
They build a spire of bones, to be sure the workers aren't aware that those are bones, they are hidden in word and straws

* Explanations :

"L" has been preparing a ritual for a very long time.
For his ritual to succeed, he needed lots of skeletons of people killed in a certain way.

That's why he recruited the Merchant "Coin", the Ministrel "Violin", the deacon "Bishop" etc...
They had the task to kill X people in a very specific way. "Coin" had to buy corpses or sell goods that would kill, "Violin" had to dance them to death, etc....
As a compensation, they got gold, support and a "Bone" item.

All these corpses where shipped to him to marseille encased in bricks made of flamable materials.

The point is to make a spire with all the corpses and burn it.

If successful, this ritual will multiply the virality of the plague and let it spread through europe.

* Unsolved mysteries :
Why trigger the Black Plague ?
Who is "L" ? Where does those "Bone" objects come from ?

* Historical themes :
Bal des Ardents : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bal_des_ardents tragic even where a charivari ended in a fire
Cour des miracles
Orphans
Beggars
Whores
Aumone
Hospital
Cathedral

=Part 1 Cour des Miracles=
* '''Normal : Z_Normal-Cathédrale Silencieuse'''

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = Visit of the cathedral and infirmary. They notice how brightly colored the cathedral is, as they used to be in that time.
| 15min = There's an old man in his bed, with a lady sobbing at his side. She's a whore (she wears very bright colours) and he is her dying father. Her son was taken as well. Her left shoulder is bleeding a strange wound with a strange shape.
When interrogated, she will explain that she was forced to partake in satanic rituals. She remembers particularly the stench of sulfur and the heat. (more infos about her in the scenario track.
| 30min = A Leper come to them asking for Alms. He said he was refused in the Leprosy. He is an actual lepper. He tell the players that orphans are disappearing, he also tell them about people meeting at night in the crypt below the cathedral. When he goes there, he cannot find the door, he points to a wall (an actual wall). He just rememebr wrong. '''When he sees the wall Music : Alone in the Dark Mysteries'''
| 45min = They see a man counting coins. When approached he pretends to be blind. He is a thief. After they finished takling to him, their purse is gone. And so is he. '''When he sees the wall Music : Alone in the Dark Mysteries''' His left shoulder is bleeding a strange wound with a strange shape.
| 60min = They go to their room. The hostel owner have been killed. Stabbed at the left shoulder. '''When they see he is dead : Alone in the Dark Mysteries''' Their stuff have been stolen. When they leave the hostel, it burns. When it burns. '''When they see it burn : Berserk Behelith'''
| 75min = A riot between sailors (ville basse) and soldiers (ville haute) they fight against a new tax instored in the ville haute that tax goods coming from the sea and sold at ville haute. The Lepper is found dead in the riot. '''When they see the dead lepper : Berserk Behelith''' His left shoulder is bleeding a strange wound with a strange shape.
| 90min = They see a vallet feeding an orphan. He runs away and bring them to the trap. ''When they are attacked : Baston Bridgands !''
}}

The players arrive at the cathedral of Marseille. They are Greeted by the ex deacon (évèque) of Marseille : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasbert_de_Valle
He is the Camerier of the pope : E.g. he manages finances for the pope.
He managed to get funds to renovate the cathedraL.
THe current Deacon (évèque) stays in Avignon while the cathedral is being renovated.

The evil cult will pay some poor to take part of their rituals, part of the ritual is to wound them in the shoulder. The wound is the shape of a hare foot, it's the sign of the devil.

The Deacon has a crosier (crosse épiscopale) with a relic inside. A little chesspiece representing a skeleton Bishop.

He greets the players and they talk about the Masquerade that will happen.

As they meet him, he is playing chess against a canon.

The players can make one move.

The game pieces have their specific moves, which are also used for Byzantine (round) chess:
The King moves one square in any direction.
The Counsellor/Queen moves only one square diagonally.
The Elephant/Bishop moves exactly 2 spaces diagonally. It can jump over other game pieces. This means that its movement is restricted to only 8 places on the board.
The Knight moves like the modern chess knight: two spaces forward/backward or sideways plus one space at a right angle (an L-shape). The knight jumps over other pieces.
The Rook moves like the modern one: unlimited movement forward, backward or sideways until it has reached another piece. It cannot jump.
The Pawn moves one square forward when not capturing. Capturing occurs one step diagonally. Unlike modern chess, the pawn does not have the two-square step as the initial move. When pawns reach the other end of the board they are promoted to a counsellor.

He is very cooperative (he's a Trickster).

The Cathedral is being expanded, they want to build some new towers https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbaye_Saint-Victor_de_Marseille#Les_remaniements_d%E2%80%99Urbain_V

He will let them visit if they want except the tower because it's unstable yet.

Worse case scenario if they really want to visit the tower, they see nothing. Bones are hidden inside bricks made of material that can burn but looks like stone.

He want to throw them on the wrong trail. So he tells them about the numerous Oprhans disappearing. In the mean time he will order thugs to kill the players.

He says there is a heretic cult in town who takes orphans.

The point is to lure players into a trap.

They visit the hospice with the deacon.
They see Leppers, old people, beggars, orphans, diseased, wounded soldiers, madman, crippled, prostitutes.

(if the ask the orphans to stop begging, they need to pay, but it doesn't solve anything, just stop the killings)

Action : Ask the orphans where they go beg. See that there is just one street with zero orphan beggars (because that's where they disappear)

Action : Ask the prositute where she met with the person that led her to the statanic ritual.

The prostitute has a lot to say. Her sould is broken since her son got caught and since she partook in the satanic ritual.
She remembers that she was paid by a very wealthy vallet wearing provins blue in a street in Marseille.
Little did he know the horrors she would have to commit to survive.
Then he put a blingfold on her and she walked on pavement, then grass, then some moving stone noise, then crawling underground, then a massive door unlocked and she arrvied in hell.
She cries as she describes hell : The heat, the sulfure. She was like inside a stomach.
There were statues decapitates with weird clay horrors instead of their heads.
There was an assembly of people in black robes. One of them was the master of the ceremony, he was the most cruel. Under his cape there was something like wings. His voice was sweet and seductive, sweet like a knife.
Most prostitutes, orfans and beggars who where brought there died if they refused to submit. She wishes that she had to courage to die, because now her soul is gone because of the horrors she commited.
They made her to horrible things and as a prostitute, she have done disgusting things in the past but nothing of this magnitude. There was rape, but not only, there was murder of childrens, but not only, there was canibalism but that wasn't event he worse of it. She refuses to say what was the worse of it because it broke her sould. (some kind of combination of the three in the wrong order. The point is not to describe gruesome things to the players but to suggest them.)
She cries and want to redeem.

Action : There is a vallet looking through his window all the time. For no reason.

Action : They search his home, he is not here. He left throught the window to go to a nearby home (the two homes are very close.)

The other home is a trap. That's where they are attacked.

A lot of brigans with clubs come to them. ''When they are attacked : Baston Bridgands !''

Combat (Skirmish) or they are wounded before the guards arrive.

=Part 2 Danse Macabre=
* '''Normal : Psychlopean King in Yellow (put in the background with very very low volume : Vampire Dark Waltz)'''

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = The ball starts with a feast in the cathedral. That draws all the poors. The meat tastes weird. Everyone wears a mask, even the poor. Lots of tables, from rich to poor. Different food on each tables. A very strong feeling of evil. Almost everyone have a wound at the shoulder.
| 15min = A strange noble come to them and ask for a Dance. He insist. If a player dance with him or refuse, he take off his mask and salute. He has the same face of a baron that died a long time ago. A splendid lady that radiates evil takes his hand to ask him to dance (she is the "Lover" of the danse macabre). Later on, the players cannot see him anymore.
| 30min = Their drink have been exchanged with blood. They spit. In their food. They find a card with a skeleton.
"Vous qui vivez: il est certain,"
"Quoique cela tarde, que vous danserez."
"Mais quand, Dieu seul le sait!"
"Réfléchissez à ce que vous ferez alors. "
| 45min = Someone shouts start attacking someone else with his knife. He is a madman : "Is saw them ! Human bodies in the cathedral ! Hundreds of them ! ! I hear their screams ! Don't get any closer !" He is not wounded at the shoulder. He is quickly surrounded by guests with skeleton masks, in particular a monk face hooded with a rosary (chapelet in english) made of bones that radiate evil take his hand and take him away (it's the Priest (curé), also an artifact) and he is taken out of the ball. Never to be seen again.
| 60min = A man with a skeleton mask come to one of the players that have an artifact. He ask him to dance and the player cannot resist. This player is gone until the next phase. He is found unconscious on the way to the cemetry. With a wound on his shoulder.
| 75min = '''Music : Behelit Berserk''' Characters chained together and covered in feathers and oil arrive and scream like monsters.
| 90min = '''Music : Danse Macabre''' The fire starts and the maskerade stops, players are caught in the fire.
}}

The players attend the Masquerade / Charivari / Carnaval. All the Danse Macabre characters will attend.
This day is All Saint Day, also sometimes considered a Day of the Dead, hence the theme.

It's held in part of the cathedral everyone has masks.

They feel some very heavy ambiance.

Action : scan the crowd for artefact bearers, there are clearly lots of them who avoid the inquisitors as much as possible. They are extremely defensive.
For example they see :

A man completely obessed with a small chest hidden by a piece of cloth. The usurer.

They see a couple sitting on a donkey. The man on the back, the lady in front. Followed by a lot of people making a lot of noise. It's a charivari, a punishment because they re-married. The donkey is followed by a man with a walking stick. He radiates evil It's the Hermit.

Some of the guests start to puke blood. A doctor come to them. His face covered with a mask. He radiates evil. He walks them out of the party. They will die the next day.

A Wealthy religious men with a Ring that radiates evil. The cardinal.

A man with Huge arms that radiates evil. The sergent.

Action : follow them, they can see that a weird person (disguised as the grim reaper) give them all a letter.

Action : Either they steal the guy's bag discreetely or take the letter from an artifact bearer who is drunk.

The letter is a name and date in the past and a time. It's the name of a person who died. Raymond II des Baux 1237, he was the lord of Marseille a century ago.

Action : Tonight they should go to the grave of the person with the given name. It's a small crypt.

When they leave the maskerade, the fire starts, but they are spared.

There they see someone waiting for them.

They have to get rid of him one way or another.

Clearly there are traces of a recent passage.

=Part 3 The crypt=
*'''Normal : Z_Flippant-Gyorgy Ligeti''' without '''01-GyrgyLigetiRequiem'''

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = They hear a long scream echoing and then it's gone.
| 15min = As they crawl, there's some blood stains on the floor. It taints their clothes.
| 30min = Scratching noise coming from a tomb. It's a rat inside.
| 45min = Blood dripping from the ceiling. No idea where it come from. They hear chanting. Something evil is happening upstairs.
| 60min = They see a man crawling in their direction. He was the victim of sacrificial rites, his skin is covered in cuts, his muscles are paper thin. Shortly after the players find him, he dies.
| 75min = Lots of Owl (Hiboux) arrive and look at the players. After a while. They all leave at the same time.
| 90min = The cultists found them and try to smoke them out. They are Wounded. '''Music : (fast start) Light of the Seven (EP 10 Trial scene)''' at 00:40 the gallery is full of smoke and they start to choke.
}}

They enter the des Baux crypt, there is a secret passage that lead to the cathedral. There hear people talking and it resonates a lot.

The secret passage arrives in a strange building. (it's a forgotten part of the crypt of the cathedral)

===Entrance===

The entrance is concealed and they have to find the entrance.

Eye of detail : reveals one of the tombs that was frequently opened

Knowledge : Reveals the name of a person that is not supposed to be buried here

Strength : Allows to open all tombs quickly

Worse case scenario they spend a lot of time doing it. Which advances the ambiance track by one.

Uner it is a very narrow tunnel recently dug, they have to crawl for a certain time, then they arrive in the crypt.

One of the players is stuck. They have to help him.

===Crypt===
The crypt is situated in the cathedral.
When they enter, they hear chanting from outside.

There is a monk that heard them enter. He hides.

When they are all inside, they hear a lock sound.

The monk just locked the gate they came from, then he throw away the keys.

They are locked in.

Three doors in total : The door they came from, locked with a heavy gate.
The heavy iron gate that leads to the cathedral : Locked before they came in.
A strange wooden door.

He starts shouting, they kill him quickly.

They have to find a way out without making too much noise.

The monk threw away the keys through the gate they took to enter. Just one key is reachable.

Action : they have to find a smart way to reach it.

It is a key with a carved skull on it. The key looks like a small dagger.

There is a wooden door which is covered with metal sculptures of skeletons. Skeleton dancing with people.
It is locked.

Action : One of the statues is perfectly identical to the Bone Chesspiece. if they pull it down, it reveals the keyhole. Then either lockpick or use the key.

===Undercrypt===

There is a very strong smell of sulfur that pours from the room behind.
The players puke.
Thé room is very warm. Because the blood pool de was boiling. They question wether they are in hell or on earth.

THe room is an ancient crypt with statues, all of which where mutilated. INstead of their heads there is an awful clay figure sqhowing horrible scenes (rodin gates of hell style)

There are 8 statues (Lucifer is missing) they represent the 9 archdevils of hell. [http://prima.wiki/images/1/15/3_Archdevils.png] [http://prima.wiki/images/7/7e/6_Secondary_Archdevils.png]

There are lots or alchemical equipments and a very strong stench of chemicals mixed with blood.

In the corner of the room there is a pedestal to put a book and lots of chains to keep it. But the book is absent.

They see a bookshelf and lots of notes. One open book.

Action : The last written note is a letter.

The letter explaine that the person has few weeks to hold his part of the bargain, he has to kill X people in this exact way otherwise they will come for him. And death will be the last of his worries. Signed "L."

Action : The open book is a ledger it talks about all the "bricks" brought by each persons.

Action : Read the book son the book shelf. One of them will force the user to keep it.

Action : Analyse the alchemical substances either using a skill or by reading the books.

One of the alchemical substances is very strong burning rock.

Action : use it to break the gate that leads into the cathedral.

===Cathedral===

They see the ritual happening. They understand that they are in the cathedral.

=Part 4 The tower of bones=
* '''Normal : Baston Skeleton Dance'''

They find the tower of bones. Then a fire starts.

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = The fire starts. The cathedral is on fire. There's a spark of fire on their clothes which start burning.
| 15min = The fire is unnaturally strong. They smell strong incense. They see some ritualists falling with candels they recognise some poor they saw before, for example the prostiture. Tha'ts how the fire started.
| 30min = The tower burns, revealing skeletal hands in the fire. An artifact bearer drops and starts drooling. The other players can wake him up.
| 45min = Incense smell intensifies. They hear souls screaming. they now see clearly that the tower is hiding a spire of entwined skeletons.
| 60min = The sound of souls screaming is strong and unbearable. Some heads open and scream fire then the skeleton falls. All the players who have artifact start walking toward the tower, the other players stop them, but they all temporarily insane.
| 75min = More and more skeletons start falling from the tower. THe ground is glowing red with skeletons crawling. Parts of the roof caves in. They have to avoid it.
| 90min = The tower collapses. Same for the roof of the Cathedral. They are hurt.
}}

The ritual is accomplished, they start to burn the tower.

All the artifacts holders keep chanting, they are at the top of the cathedral.From times to time some people doing the ritual fall.

The players try to stop the ritual but to do so they have to climb the cathedral and "Bishop" is there to attack them.

As the tower burns, it reveals all the corpses bound in a spiral.

Fire pours through the skulls.

They hear horrible sounds, like souls.

The air is filled with strong incense, makes them hallucinate.

Phase after phase the fire become more unnatural and stronger. Start to burn more and more of the cathedral.

BOSS fight against the deacon "Bishop".

When they enter the cathedral, "Bishop" happens to be there.

If they have any remo way to attacking him, they skip one step.

There's a very narrow stair. "Bishop" ask a cultist to hold it with a spear. The "cultist" is a poor from before with a mark on his shoulder. He is clearly not himself.

Combat skills can work or any other way to kill him. Otherwise they are wounded.

They climb the stairs, "Bishop" raises a dead cultist poor man corpse. His eyes burns. One of the players clearly see that it is only a big cultist with a skeleton mask. He has a Shield and a mace.

Action : Combat duel can work. Attacking the roof can work. Otherwise one player has to stay and let the others pass. He is wounded or killed.

There a very narrow "poutre" they have to cross, but two crazed poors shoot at them.

Action : They have to find any meaningful way of passing through. There's no protection immediately next to them, but the previous soldier had a shield.

They get closer to him and he starts screaming, which breaks all the surrounding windows and there's a surge of fire, it break all remaining ground between him and them.

They have a way to retreat to the nearby walls.

Or they have a shot at him.

Action : if they have anything to attack distantly or jump through, they can do it. If not they have to leave. If they go back, they can grab the bows of the previous soldiers, but they have to be very veyr fast.

If they reach this point fast enough, they can leave indemn. Or they are hurt.

if they manage to kill him they can keep the [[Bone Chesspiece]].

Either way, they are separated from the rest of the cultists who run away.

The ritual is a success.

The players have no choice but to jump to water to leave the burning cathedral. They see a ship that is attached to the cathedral.

=Epilogue=
Epilogue musics :
*'''Firelink Shrine 1h + Fire sound'''

All the city is fighting the fire for a long time. After hours of fight, the fire is finally tamed. They use large hooks to destroy the buildings around it. But for some reason the fire doesn't propagate at all outside this tower of the cathedral.

All the city is helping to clear the fire. In the remnants of the cathedral, they find an ocean of burned bones.
In the ocean of corpses, they see a huge iron egg containing lots of half dead people. One of them only is alive, it is an italian sailor. His body is almost entirely burned. He has a big commplicated pattern completely black on his left shoulder. His body is covered in black spots. He explains in latin that their ship was attacked and they where caught in this weird ritual.

He caughts a lot. He dies in the same day.

The pope is very embarrased that a person very close to him was a heretic, so he decided to change the date of his death, to make sure he couldn't be linked to this incident and made sure nobody could talk about this event. Since only the tower burned, he decides to rebuild it.

The sailor is sent to a hospital and dies shortly after there.

All the people in the hospital die of the plague. The black plague is releaseed in Marseille !

1 November 1347

==Post Game Bonus==

Send those to the players as a post game bonus :

The Cathedral of Marseille : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbey_of_St_Victor,_Marseille

Actual picture of the crypts below the Cathedral : [http://prima.wiki/images/4/4e/Cathedral_Crypt.jpg]

There was an actual events where during a masquerade people coevred themselves in feathers and oil and caught fire (even though it was not at that period) it was later called the "Bal des Ardents" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bal_des_Ardents : [http://prima.wiki/images/4/46/Bal_des_Ardents.jpg]

[[Category:Scenario]]
[[Category:Official Scenarios]]

Danse Macabre Part 3

2026-03-07T16:34:23Z

Taiko:

==Teaser==
Send to the players before the game :

2nd of August 1345, Coy (Kingdom of Murcia, Crown of Castille)
With faded tulips in her hair she dances every week.
Her soul was the prize for her immortal love.
How many will be the victims of her selfish heart ?
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

2 Août 1345, Coy (Royaume de Murcie, Couronne de Castille)
Avec des tulipes fanées dans les cheveux elle danse toutes les semaines.
Son âme fut le prix pour son amour immortel.
Mais nombreux seront les victimes de son coeur égoïste
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

=Intro - The Skeleton Violinist=

* Initial situation :
**Date : 2nd of August 1346
**Location : Coy is a small town near the Castle of Lorca, Kingdom of Murcia, Crown of Castille.

There's a little water stream in the town

A vast shipment of poison was sent to this tiny town. Players rushed as fast as they could on scene.

When they arrive, they see a gallow with a peasant ready to be hanged.
The peasant has his feets on a small stool.

Music : '''(fast start) Light of the Seven (EP 10 Trial scene)'''

"By decree of Sancho Manuel de Villena Señor Consort of Coy and warden of Lorca, the follow crimes will now be punishable by death :

-Any suspition of cedition against the crown of Castille

-Any refusal to pay taxes

-Any practice of islamic rites

-Any nocturnal visits to the necropolis of Coy

Any and all offender will be hanged by the Señorial guard."

After '''00:39 (music time)''' the person who is about to hang start twitching.

He manages to free his hands and he starts smiling.

Then he start dancing on the stool.

Everyone is shocked.

And after a while he falls from the stool and hangs.

As he is hanging, he continues dancing for a long long time.

A time way too long, peasants start screming : "It's the curse !" "La Dama de blanco will take us all !"

He should be dead already, until the soldiers stab him with a spear and he slowly dies.

When the other peasants see that, they say. It's the "curse"
When asked about it, they say the curse brings lots of misery.

The crops are rotting, the harvest isn't good.
A '''"Dama de blanco"''' appears every weeks between friday and saturday near the necropolis (below the ruins of teh islamic castle).
A '''skeletal violinist''' is spotted sometimes in the ruins of the castle.
(explain that in this period violins don't existe yet, so it's actually a ministrel and his instrument is a Kemenche, an islamic violin)
The ladies are ugly.
Some children disappear and lots of unborn childs.

* Explanations :
'''Hernando Locura''' was in love with '''Beatriz''', but his father '''Juan Madraso''' wanted to marry her to the Bourgmestre instead.
So he drowned him and the burried him with him instrument.
But he pretended to drown and survived. He then left his grave to get his revenge.
When Hernando was at his worst, an individual approached him and explained him about dancing plagues.
Told him that if he did what he had to, he would get his revenge.

The plan was the following : he would teach Hernando how to trigger a dancing plague.

Dancing plagues are a phenomenom of mass hysteria that actually happened several times in european history https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dancing_mania
It is a phenomenom of mass hypnosis, where people believe a dancing plague is hapenning so they are hypnotised and become part of the dancing plague.
During a dancing plague, people start dancing irresistibly and can't stop for days and days.
It usually happen during terrible famines.

The individual did the following :

He would offer Hernando the Skeletal Psaltery.
He would also give him a chest full of devil's bread. A very pure, very tasty white bread laced with "ergot de seigle" a poisons that makes people delirious.
He would also make sure a battle is triggered between the peasants and the soldiers so Hernando has an opportunity to destroy the food reserves, steal food for himself and to bribe people. It's also a good opportunity to lace some food reserves with mandragora.
He also told him to bribe some persons to pretend their body is forced to dance.
The point is to first enfeeble people, by starvation and by poisoning (mandragora and "ergot de seigle").

Once they are very enfebled, pretend a dancing plague is starting (with bribed actors) a hence triggering a collective hysteria.

He also explains him a way for him to see '''Beatriz''', she would have to pretend sleepwalking.

Obviously Hernando did not imagine this plan, but the individual asked him to do it anyway to get his revenge.
When Hernando sees that the inquisition is involved, he doesn't know what to do. And try to scare them away, and if possible make them dance for long enough so he can get his revenge without harming them. (harming the inquisition would mean running for the rest of his life)
That's why he tries to drug them with mandragora and put them in a situation where it's almost impossible to resist the mass hysteria.
Whether he succeeds or not, his goal is not to kill them.

* Unsolved mysteries :
Who is the individual that gave him the Psaltery, the bread and imagined the plan ?
Why giving him a Skeletal Psaltery at all ?

* Historical themes :
Peasant life

Famine

Dancing Plagues

Ergot fungus poisoning

Peasant revolts

Language of Flowers

War between Castille and Aragon

Recnoquista

=Part 1 Midnight Dance=
* '''Normal : Departement Necrologique'''
* '''When people threaten them to dance : Chant_Entrapment-8'''

The players will try to hunt down this skeletal ministrel and kill it.

{{Ambiance Track
| 15min = It's been a long summer with heavy rain, they see crops rotting. Some peasants still trying to collect some, they search through the crop for non rotten grains.
1/3 of the crop is left fallow (jachère) 2/3 have been planted, but not reaped.
| 30min = They hear screaming from inside a hut
(a peasant have been poisoned with ergot de seigle.)
They visit the hut :
The hut is made of clay and straws, no windows.
Inside the hut, a third of the area is penned off for the animals, which live in the hut with the family. A fire burn in a hearth in the centre of the hut, so the air is permanently eye-wateringly smoky. Furniture is a couple of stools (tabourets), a bed of straw, and a few cooking pots made of clay.
They are cooking leaves and mushrooms as well as rotten grain.
The penn is almost empty, only one very thin sheep remains.
There's a small carper for muslim prayers folded in a corner.
The sick peasant see the players then scream "No ! No Dancing ! No Dancing ! No Dancing !" '''Music : Chant_Entrapment-8'''
When asked what happended, the family doesn't know, he was sick since few days, a fine tissue handkerchief was found on him when he went mad. He had skipped a dinner on that day.
| 45min = Some peasants are eating a rotten carcass of a boar. It is not legal for peasants to hunt, in this time only lords have the right to hunt. But they swear it was a dead carcass they found and they didn’t hunt it.  Another peasant comes towards them with a knife he looks at very angry « No ! No Dancing ! No Dancing ! No Dancing ! » '''Music : Chant_Entrapment-8''' He is caught very quickly. 
If the players search him, he have a tissue handkerchief with bread crumbs on it.
| 60min = There's a child lost in the woods (Sebastian). His parents tried to get rid of him. But he came back. They see he has a toy of "Pedro El Cruel" ridiculised.
| 75min = A Priest gathered lots of people in a large hut. They all start laughing incontrolably and say "No Dancing ! No Dancing ! No Dancing !" '''Music : Chant_Entrapment-8'''
They all come from one home. If the players search their home, there are several tissue handkerchiefs with white bread in it.
| 90min = At the end of the atmosphere track, they are attacked by a bunch of peasants who want to eat their meat. Either they have the Combat (skirmish) ability, or one of them is Wounded.
}}

They go to the spot where the skeletal ministrel is supposed to have appeared, in the night between friday and saturday.

They see a white women dancing. Like a ghost.

She dances next to the Necropolis and the ruins of a muslim castle.

While she dances '''Prince of Darkness - Fire Emblem'''

They approach and see that it's actually aliving lady.
Called '''Beatriz de la Fuente''', the Bougmestre's '''Fernando de la Fuente''' young bride wakes up every saturday morning t go dance in the woods until sunrise.

She dances every week in the woods. With withered red tulips in her hairs she wears a wonderfull white dress. She had a bucket of withered red tulips in her chamber.

Then she goes back home.

She is pretending to be sleepwalking, so if the players wake her up, she wakes up, no problem.
She pretends to be sleep walking because the truth is, every weeks, she goes to see her lover. But of course she can’t say that because he’s supposed to be dead.

Action : Where does this white dress come from ? It is the same quality as the handkerchiefs, it was offered by Hernando as a gift after he died. But she'll always refuse to admit it and say it was a gift from him from before he died

Action : Where the flowers come from ? Nobody wants to respond. But eventually they know that it comes from an old lover who died.

Action : Ask if she dances always on the same spot. Yes.

Actually she dances where '''Hernando Locura''' was burried just after his murder.

The rationale is. They have to meet on this spot. If she’s not followed, then she meets him and they go to a more beautiful place. If she’s followed, she starts dancing and pretend she's possesed or something. To make it look like a ghost story so nobody wants to get involved and stop her.

She have a strange reaction if the players mention him.

If the players dig enough, they learn that '''Hernando Locura''' was a ministrel in love with Beatriz.

But he was drowned in the woods near the necropolis (close to the ruins of the muslim castle) then burried in the woods. (Beatriz's father killed him, because the local Bourgmestre was also in love with Beatriz and he wanted her to marry the Bourgmestre) And they broke his Psaltery (Psaltérion en français)

Actually Beatriz's father '''Juan Madraso''' did this. And then burried him right here and then, with his instrument.

He was ministrel for the local Castellan, he used to play Psaltery (Psaltérion en français)

Action : If the players dig the grave of the lover, they only find the broken instrument inside.
-> He was burried with his instrument.

Action : If the players search Hernando's old broken home. They see is a stock of devil's bread (it's pure white bread). That's the end of ergot de seigle poisonning.
Alternatively (if they search his home too early), there’s nothing of interest in his home, but if they open his grave, the peasants start a search for a place where he might live and they find his hideout and a chest full of devil’s bread.

=Part 2 Peasant revolt (optional)=
*'''Normal (before the start of step 1 of the battle) : Commanderie Templière '''

The peasants have made their own mill (moulin) fourty people turn it.
The soldiers come and say that it's illegal, they have to go to the watermill of the local Priory.

But that's where they pay the taxes (for using the mill) so they refuse to do that.

They beat the taxman nearly to death and kick him out.
They cry "Death to Pedro el Cruel !"
Obviously, there'll be a fight the next day.

The soldiers come to the players first and ask them for help.

The head of the guards : Captain de Villena, the step brother of the Castellan

The Captain tells them : Regardless of what they want to do, the local castelan doesn't want any troubles with the inquisition.

If they refuse. The peasants do the same.
The head of the peasants, the Bourgmestre : Fernando de la Fuente

The peasants want to defend the illegal mill.
They explain that Murca recently taken by Castille crown, but it has been part or Aragon and it was part of the kalifate of Granada before that.
The soldiers will attack the next day.

The players can pick a side, if they win the fight, they gain a different gain. If they pick the losing side, no advantages.
If they refuse to pick a side, they gain nothing.

If one of the players is Rich or has a Great Network, he can pay the taxes and it counts like a peasant win.

At each step, they need to find a good idea to win. If they win more than 3 phases, their side wins.
If one of the players have the Combat (Battle) ability, give him the answers to two phases of his choice.

70 soldiers, 30 Bows plus 3 Knight in armor (the Castellan, the Captain and an a cousin of the Catellan) vs 350 peasants, 50 bows

==Step 1 : Preparations==
Timer : 15 min
'''Music : Latharne la Silencieuse'''
Peasant side :
The peasants have no weapons, only clubs, pitforks and flails.
To help them : Turn their scythe into Guisarme
or make shield

Soldier side :
Poison the well or burn some houses.

Ambiance : Some peasants leave with their goods. They take refuge in nearby villages.
Lots of peasants cry when they leave because they are serf, they belong to the plot of land where they are. With no right to leave.

==Step 2 : The two armies are facing each others, constant flux or arrows==
Timer : 15 min
'''Music : Z_Baston-Le diable est dans la boite'''
Peasant side :
Make sure to organise them in lines. Propose a smart plan of attack.
Soldiers side :
Make a sound battle plan

Ambiance : One soldier/peasant seems terrified, you can hear him pee on himself. There's dreadful silence but you can hear some people praying.
The Castellan has a dark armour with a salamander on the helmet. The other knights have a normal armour.

==Step 3 : Charge of the soldiers==
Timer : 15 min
'''Music : Z_Baston-Tourmaline Brule'''
The cavaliers disperce the archers. The line of soldiers well organised lance/shied+mace charge the peasants.
A separate contingent of soldiers prevent a move from the back.

Peasant side :
Check where breaches happen, collect troops at the right spots, then redirect them in the holes.

Soldiers side :
Either concentrate the troops in one spot to pierce or collect a distribute the troops and reinforce the holes.

Ambiance : From time to time, the cavaliers charge in the melee and destroys enemy lines.
There a guy who fell on the floor, he's stamped by the troops and cries.

==Step 4 : Siege weapon attack==
Timer : 15 min
'''Music : Z_Epique-Babel'''
The peasants start to drive the soldiers back. They regroup next to the Siege weapon that was concealed in a nearby forest. So the soldiers decide to destroy the mill to punish them or lead them to yield.
A small trebuchet (Couillard) starts shooting around the mill. Trying to aim at it.
It break a house in one shot.

Peasant side :
Shoot burning arrows at the Couillard.
Or any other smart way to destroy it.

Soldiers side :
Help the Couillard aim right, if one of the players has a related capacity.
Prepare a burning projectile instead of a rock one, the fire spreads to the mill.

Ambiance : Some people are trying to hold their house together.

==Aftermath==
Result. If the players have 3 win out of 4. Their side wins. If not, the other side wins.

Soldiers win :
The Bourgmestre is taken captive and he yields. Alternatively, the mill is destroyed.
The peasants fight in a non-cohesive way and loose.

If the players where on this side, the Captain de Villena wants to help them. If they know about '''Hernando''' he introduces them to his cousin who lives in the castle.
If they don't know about Hernando, he owes them a [[Favour]].

Peasants win :
The Captain fall off his horse. He's quickly surronded and yields.

If the players where on this side, the Bourgmestre owe them a [[Favour]]. They can collect anytime before the end of the scenario.
The feats associated with the Favour are at your discretion.

Ambiance : Some people from the losers are moaning on the ground and some peasants come to collect their weapons and clothes. Stabbing some of them. Very few dead in the end.

The food store was pillaged and burned. Everyone cries and start accusing each others.

=Part 3 Dancing Plague=
*'''Normal : Z_Normal-Bruit-Noir'''
'''Hernando''' will trigger a dancing mania in the city : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dancing_mania
Your goal is to find Hernando
*'''The First dancer : Prince of Darkness - Fire Emblem'''

{{Ambiance Track
| 15min = They see one person leave her home and dance at the center of the city '''Music : Prince of Darkness - Fire Emblem'''
His family follows him and try to cover him for the rain. They seem desperate to help him.
They try to stop him, to wake him up.
In reality this one and the few first ones are actors paid by Hernando. The point being to trigger an actual Dancing mania.
| 30min = There's about five people dancing. People are closing their doors and isolating themselves. '''Music : Prince of Darkness - Fire Emblem'''
Some people try to catch one of them to feed him. A lot of them start coughing, they are completely wet.
| 45min = There's 30 people dancing, they moan, some scream like zombies, one of them is wonded, and he damagnes his wound as he dances. '''Music : Eros''' A lot of people pray for them.
| 60min = They are about a hundred one quarter of the village is dancing One person falls to the ground '''Music : Eros''' he keeps crawling. And says "Help me. We will dance. We will all dance."
People stop caring. They lock themselves in to survive.
| 75min = The remaining villageers are angry and hang '''Beatriz''' for revenge. Trigger the flower in the lake event.
| 90min = '''Music : Eros'''
The next day, the village is empty, everyone dances. All playres roll, the one with the lowest result dances also (that's the punishment for not ending the track). In the meantime he can play the Bourgmestre, who helps the players.
}}

The goal is to find '''Hernando's''' hideout (or Hernando’s new hideout if they already found it the first time)

One by one, people will start to go on the village center and dance.
This is a revenge from Hernando, he wants to starve them, trigger a dancing plague and eventually kill all of them.

Everyone dances, except '''Beatriz'''

They read through inquisition registry, it seems to have happened before. Long time ago in a not related setting. It's a disease for the soul, nothing magical.

He is not at his home, because that's where they found the devil bread.

'''Action : They ask people who knew Hernando if he had a special place to meet '''Beatriz''''''
Yes, there was an old broken house in the forest where they used to meet.

In this house they see some traces that someone was here but moved his stuff.
He took almost everything out. You do see a rough bed, some unfinished poems.
And there's a very rich islamic vase full of withered flowers Anagallis.

There are also lots of flowers being hung to wither.

'''Action : inspect the vase closely.'''
THere's the name of a dead islmaic lords. From 100 years ago. They don't know which one.

'''Action : Ask someone who knew Hernando, why so many flowers ?''' Because he was very found of the language of flowers. That was the way to send him secret messages with Beatriz.
Anagalis means appointment.

He says : let's put a lot of flowers in the middle of the town, to push him to meet.
Several choices :
Corbeille d'Argent / evergreen candytuft : "calm down" "reconciliation"
Anagallis : "appointment"
Cyprès / cypress : "grieving" , "ethernal friendship"
Nemophile : "Forgiveness"
Red Tulip : "eternal love"
Achillée / yarrows : "War"
Rhododendron : "Danger"
(check that all those flowers grow in spain)

'''Action : Use some flowers to setup an appointment. or if Beatriz is threatened or if they walk towers the castle'''
(If Beatriz is killed or if they threaten her life, this starts right away)
Once they do that, the little water streams starts to be filled with withered
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycoris_(plante)
It means deaths.
'''Eros Necropsique - La voix'''

'''Actions : Some flowers got caught in the sides of the water stream, so they can go upstream and see where he dropped them.'''
Also he droppped some flowers on the ground by mistake at this spot.

'''Action : (This is a possible shortcut if they think about it.) Search the old forteress. They see one wall which has Anagalis growing.'''

It comes from the fortress.

They open, it is an islamic treasure. With lots of skeletons in all corners. It was a feast room apparently.

The table is set in fine silver cutlery.

On the table there's a withered flower Anagallis means "appointment"

As soon as they sit on the table, the door is shut behind them and the room fills with smoke.

=Part 4 The appointment=

==Ambiance Track==
===Before they drink the wine===
*'''Music : Z_Normal-Bruit-Noir'''

===In the streets===
*'''Music : Z_Flippan-Dark World'''

*15min - '''Resist song : One roll''' There's a flash of light, and they see a skeleton with a dark hood hugging the player who has the squeletal coin.
*30min - '''Resist song : One roll''' Some withered flower petals fall. Flower that means death. They can hear clearly someone playing Psaltery. '''Overlay music (on top of other music) : Prince of Darkness'''
*45min - '''Resist song : Two rolls''' If they haven't found the central place yet. '''Overlay music (on top of other music) : Behelith''' They see the a skeletal women dancing with withered flowers in her hairs. It's '''Beatriz'''. They can follow her to the central place. Beatriz dies if she didn't die previously.

===Central Place===
*'''Music : Z_Baston-Skeleton Dance'''
*5min - '''Resist song : One roll''' A black rain starts pouring.
*10min - '''Resist song : One roll''' Some dancers crawl to them and grab their feets.
*15min - '''Resist song : Two rolls''' the town starts burning black flames. (the town burns IRL also)
*20min - '''Resist song : Two rolls''' the sun is rising, but it's an eclipse sun. They feel it's rays are painful.
*25min - All the players dance.

==Scenario Track==

'''Resist Song : Rule'''
Except those with the Courage feat.
They have to do something like cover their ears or anything relevant or it's an auto fail.
Roll die 6. 1 = Fail
First fail : Get the Drowsy feat
Second fail : They lose control and dance

----

The players go to the Bourgmestre's house, where the table is set. Wine is served. A mix of Hippocras mixed with Mandragora. To meet him, they have to drink. '''Candles on the table''' (important to mention it)
They fall asleep.

They're now drunk and start hallucinating.

It's completely dark, they don't see a thing.

Action : There are candles on the table. They should remember that. There's a firestriker next to the fireplace. They should find it.

The candle light is very dim. Extremely dim. And the flame dances like someone's breathing.
Also, the light seems to diminish slowly.

They had a blackout, they completely forgot the way to go to the town center. Unless one of them have Total Memory.
Also, the light is really too dim, they barely see a thing.

Action: Follow the biggest road or follow the sound of the river. Or anything else that makes sense.

Finally they find the town center.

Lots of light, like it's a party.

Most people are crawling on the floor trying to dance.
Some are still walking.

They speak one by one telling a poem (Le Vampire by Charles baudelaire)

(English Version)
Our form in the sun follows us, walks, stops,
Imitates our gestures and our steps,
Looks without seeing, listens and does not hear,
And must still crawl when we lift our heads.

Man is here below
But a bit of living night, a restless form
Who sees without penetrating, without inventing repeats,
And whispers to Fate: "I follow thee where thou goest. "

(French Version)
Notre forme au soleil nous suit, marche, s'arrête,
Imite gauchement nos gestes et nos pas,
Regarde sans rien voir, écoute et n'entend pas,
Et doit ramper toujours quand nous levons la tête.

L'homme n'est ici-bas
Qu'un peu de nuit vivante, une forme inquiète
Qui voit sans pénétrer, sans inventer répète,
Et murmure au Destin : « Je te suis où tu vas. »

The music is very intense here, they have to do much more rolls. But they can't see him.

Action : One of the dancers mimics a violin. When they kill him, Hernando appears.

A skeleton wiht a Psaltery, he walks out of the small river.
Now they can see Hernando as a squeleton and fight him.

Action : Either the players have a quality Combat (Duel) or They need to find a smart way to kill him.
he dodges all their attacks.
His shadow doesn't move though. They should strike where his shadow is.

'''If they got stuck for too long, their shadows start attacking them. Don't let them stuck on this ennigma'''

If they defeated him :

He says :
"Vous qui vivez: il est certain,"
"Quoique cela tarde, que vous danserez."
"Réfléchissez à ce que vous ferez alors."

"Ye that live: it is certain,"
"Though it tarry, you will dance."
"Consider what you will do then."

'''Music : (fast start) Light of the Seven (EP 10 Trial scene)'''

All the dancers start to scream and cover their ears. Some start scarting their face with their nails.

They peel their faces off until all that's left is a bloody skull then they attack the players and dismember them.

Then it all turns black.

'''Danse Macabre'''

When hey wake up, they have some vomit at the mouth and they're in the town center. Hernando is dead. but he's an actual guy, not a skeleton. His skin is soaked though. He has a well decorated psaltery and a cloack clasp in the shape of a harp : the [[Bone Harp]]. It is very clear that it is extremely precious.

(part of the village may have burned, if they reached the black rain part, Beatriz may be alive or dead.)

A large portion of the villagers are dead. But not everyone.

If they all dance :

'''Music : (fast start) Light of the Seven (EP 10 Trial scene)'''

They dance, they dance for what seems an eternity. Then the dancers starts going toward them and pull them apart. Then it's all black.

'''Danse Macabre'''

When they wake up, they are in a monastery. They have been dancing for a week, but the inquisition found them. The town is wiped out. They don't gain the Psaltery.

==Epilogue==
Epilogue musics :
*'''Epique entre-scenart gagant 12-Pista de audio 12.mp3'''
*'''Epique entre-scenart gagant 12-Pista de audio 12.mp3''' (put it twice)
*'''Fin epique glorieuse 06-Final'''
*Then loop this Playlist '''Normal-Prima'''

They take more time to comb the woods and they find Hernando's actual hideoout, they find real food, clothes etc...
Villages start to talk. Some of them where actually paid to pretend a dancing mania. The point was to trigger an actual dancing mania, and it worked. 

They find a contract signed in blood between Hernando and a certain "L" that details all he has to do to get his revenge.

Some people also knew about Beatriz meeting with him and her way of pretending she was posessed.

As well as poems written by him.

A solid proof that he was alive this whole time.

Beatriz and Hernando's accomplices ran away just after the event.

Among his stuff, they find an invitation to a bal masqué called the "Danse macabre"

The masquerade is supposed to happen in November 1347 in Marseille.

==Post Game Bonus==

Send those to the players as a post game bonus :

As a bonus, here is more infos about the dancing plague in Strasbourg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dancing_plague_of_1518
[http://prima.wiki/images/5/5b/2621608463305_.pic.jpg]

Here is a map of Spain during the Castille Civil War, in green the Grenada sultanate, below the orange arrow : The Castle or Lorca
In blue : Aragon, In yellow : Castille [http://prima.wiki/images/c/cc/Spain_map.jpg]

The flag of Sancho Manuel de Vilena [http://prima.wiki/images/5/58/Sancho_manuel_de_vilena.jpg]

The Castle of Lorca [http://prima.wiki/images/a/a1/Lorca_castle.jpg]

Coy is still a small 500 person village in Spain and it's river is even a tourist attraction now [http://prima.wiki/images/5/56/Coy.jpg]

[[Category:Scenario]]
[[Category:Official Scenarios]]

Danse Macabre Part 2

2026-03-07T16:34:13Z

Taiko:

==Teaser==
Send to the players before the game :

3rd of May 1345, Provins (Kingdom of France)
The Saint-Quiriace trade fair used to be the wealthiest gathering of all Christendom.
Bankers from Florence would meet merchants from Byzantium and Troy.
But with the fair declining, debts started accumulating.
Ruined silk traders had to explore more dangerous ventures.
And for a pious soul, the road to decadence has only one dead end.
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

3 Mai 1345, Provins (Royaume de France)
La foire de Saint-Quiriace était autrefois le plus riche rassemblement de toute la chrétienté.
Les banquiers de Florence rencontraient les marchands de Byzance et de Troie.
Mais avec le déclin de la foire, les dettes ont commencé à s'accumuler.
Les marchands de soie ruinés ont dû se lancer dans des commerces de plus en plus dangereux.
Et pour une âme pieuse, la spirale de la décadence ne peut mener qu'à une seule fin.
⚜️⚜️⚜️💀💀💀

=Intro - The Skeleton Merchant=

* Useful tool : http://www.timer-tab.com/

* Initial situation :
**Date : 3 May 1345
**Location : Provins (France)

Before the game starts, mention the mechanism of [[Faith]] and remind them that it doesn't recharge every scenario, but every other scenario, mention the [[Confession]] and [[Luck]] Feats to them if they want additional "charges" of Faith.

Since last time, players are looking for Eugène Clavicule, the Skeleton Merchant.

They are contacted by a local contact (Dr. Pierre Therici) who says that Eugène Clavicule have been burried in Provins.

They arrive at the Saint-Quiriace trade fair in Provins. The city is overcrowded. Countless tents around the city walls because all inns are full.
The fair already started for few days, currently the fair is trading cloth and whool (10 days in total). In few days it will switch to spices.

They are housed in a religious hospital, next to diseased patients.

* Explanations :

Provins is a city in the county of Champagne in Medieval France.

Actually Eugène Clavicule is a person or an organisation quite powerful in Provins.

They sell drugs and poisons, they also produce counterfeit coins.

Their operation is structured as follow :

Their HQ and main hideout is in the subterranean catacombs of Provins.

That's where they produce the poisons and drugs as well as store them. They also store their profits there.

Their main reseller is a the fortune teller.

Their most sold product is some poisons that local merchants buy to shoot in each other's legs.

Another very profitable operation is the counterfeiting of silver coins. They chose to counterfeit old coins, that's why they make fake "Dennier Provinois"

The punch of those old coins are all stored in the local hospitaller commanderie.

They blackmail a powerful local knight hopsitaller and force him to let them sneak out the punch and then they put it back at night.

They managed to make an alloy of coins that looks genuine but uses much much less silver.

Those coins and all their profits are used to finance their last activity : Corpse trafficking.

The Doctor Theobald Shuplice is one of their men who will look for anonymous corpses at the obituary department of the local medical university.

He will then pay for their funerals in coffins rather than common graves.

He will then exchange those coffins with coffins full or earth and store the corpses before shipping in a secret cave.
He puts some coins in the coffin to bribe the people who bring him the corpses.

Being anonymous to begin with, those missing corpses are much less likely to be discovered.

At the end of the scenario, players should understand completely the operations of Eugène Clavicule, with very few unsolved mysteries.

When the players arrive at the treasure room, the dead hopsitaller already killed or wounded Eugène. Whoever Eugène might be. He's already dead or dying, that's why he didn't stop the players and didn't run away with his treasure.

* Unsolved mysteries :

Only few mysteries are unsolved at the end of the scenario :

-Why did Eugène buy corpses ? To ship where ? For what reason ?

-Is Eugène a person or an organisation ?

=Part 1 The obituary department=
*'''Normal: Normal Département Nécrologique'''

Corpses disappear, players must find where before it's too late.

The Collegiate Church Saint-Quiriace has a funeral home (place where the dead are put right after the death)
In this funeral home are transferred all the dead on the public highway, to check for new epidemies
Then a necropsy is done without opening the corpse
Then is made a mortuary toilet called thanatopraxis before casketing

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = In the street they pass by the Ceasar tower and notice its might.
| 15min = Some canons pass in all the rooms to spread smoke. It's called fulmigation. The point is to try to disinfect. The players notice lots of dark blue cloth drying. Explain that the « provins blue » was a color of cloth only possible here because the river of provins has special properties.
| 30min = A person wakes up during his necropsy and dies right after. Explain that, in the middle age, it was very hard to know if someone was dead or not.
| 45min = In the church there’s a statue of a skeleton. They notice a coin put as an offering. It is a coin of provins
| 60min = Monks are found studying an open corpse. This is illegal and considered heresy. Players can choose to prosecute them or not.
At this point, their contact informs them that Eugène Clavicule has reserved a booth for the fair.
| 75min = A medical monster moves on the streets. He is heavily deformed. He was invited by the Canons to be examined.
| 90min = At the end of the atmosphere track, if the players still haven't found the cave. Their contact understands that the doctor Shuplice gave counterfeit coins each time he paid for funerals. They have to start investigate that immediately.

Penalty if they reach the end of the atmosphere track : They won't get reinforcements.
}}

Their goal is to find out what's going on in this obituary department.
If they discover the origin, they have reinforcements.

Their contact, Canon Pierre Therici have found Eugène Clavicule's grave, he got his coffing removed and they are in the obituary department ready to open it. It's full of earth with just one silver coin. It's a "dennier provinois" a currency that is a hundred years old. No corpse inside. That's very suspicious. When they open the coffin '''Music : Alone in the Dark Mysteries'''
He was found dead on public roads and nothing could identify him. Very likely just vagabond.

Action -> See the doctor who did the necropsy.

Dr. Ambroise Prasé is the doctor who did the necropsy (autopsy without opening of the corpse)

Necropsy revealed nothing. It is not unusual in the middle age.
He had no relatives so normally had to be buried in a mass grave.

But a generous donor paid for the funeral in an individual coffin. And he decided that he is named Eugene Clavivule, he pretended he knew him.
Dr. Theobald Shuplice is the name of the donor.

If they ask : indeed he pays for a lot of anonymous to be buried. If they open those graves, all corpses are missing.
All those coffins were traded during transport with coffins full of earth. (Some of them with coins, some without)

Theobald Shuplice come every week. He will be back soon.
Action: Follow him discreetly or attack him.

If follow him discreetly. They find his office. And his accounting book, where they can find the address of a cave he rents.
Lots of documents in his office, but they are all encrypted. The writing matches that of Eugène Clavicule (found in the previous scenario)

If they attack him or torture him. He will not tell them anything. On himself they can find a letter. He's about to resign. He works for the silk guild. Then they can find his office and his accounting book.

Another way to solve this is if a player hides inside a coffin. He will then be transported to the cave.

Once they open the door to the cave. The smell is crushing. They all vomit unless they have a quality to prevent that.

Once they open the door : '''Gaunter O Dim Witcher 3'''

The cellar is filled with about fifty corpses ready to be shipped. But all documents are encrypted. No way to know where they should be shipped and why.

There are also money chests full of silver coins. A huge fortune in fact in silver denier provinois. Very suspicious because this currency is a hundred years old.

Why buying corpses ? Where to ship them ? This scenario doesn't answer this mystery.

Reward for completing the scenario track successfully : reinforcements, one soldier per person.

=Part 2 Black Silver=

'''Normal (before arriving at the Hospitaller): Normal Departement Nécrologique'''

After leaving the scene, they realise that those silver pennies have a strange black hue. They suspect it's a counterfeit and will have to try and understand who is responsible for their creation.

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = They notice the city walls (near the commanderie) which are very famous are indeed beaufitul and mighty. Lots of tents all around the city because all the inns are full.
| 15min = A person comes to the hospitaller counter with a letter of change. The hospitaller give him his coins.
He then weights them, bite them and throw them to make noise (to check that they are genuine)
He accepts some of them and refuses some of them.
He then gives the hospitaller the letter of change. It's an encrypted document with a seal.
| 30min = They see Hopsitaller training by fighting each others. Their fight is very brutal. At the end of the fight a prayer the bells ring. With they bleeding faces, they put their robes on and go to pray.
This scene illustrates how Hospitallers are both harmless monks, doctors and deadly warriors.
| 45min = Hopsitaller/Templar? Ceremony. They hear a hammer that strikes three times.
Launch the music '''Watchmen(OST 2009) - Pruit Igoe and Prophecies'''
All the hopsitallers are drawn to a room where they have their annual meeting.
Players are not allowed in.
The players have until the music reached 3:30 to do anything they want in the hopsitaller buildings. Because the building is completely empty.

Once the music reaches 3:30, they see all the hospitallers leaving their ceremony.
After the ceremony, many people come out. Many religious people, powerful people.
Professors. Merchants. But also Nobles. Towards the end of the procession there are four people wearing masks and surrounded by soldiers. Those people are too powerful to be recognised.

This scene is used to illustrate the power of the hopsitallers and their possible links to the templars, all power people are part of their organisation.
| 60min = '''Music : Lacrimosa'''
Players are locked in a room. Behind there is a man with a mask. It's the Jean de la Maison de Dieu, but they can't recognise him.
He tells them to leave him alone. He tries to convince them to stop the prosecution. He begs them even. If they try to bash the doors, he leaves. They can't get him.
| 75min = '''Music : The Song of the Sword-Dancer Witcher 3’'' Players are shot at by a crossbow. Explain that in the middle age, crossbows are prohibited weapons against other Christians.
Bolts should feel very impressive and powerful, destroying furnitures and all.
Either the players find a good way out or one of them is injured.
| 90min = Jean de la Maison de Dieu pass near them and seems very panicked. He then runs away. Players runs after him. He dies mysteriously and his corpse is cold. There's no witnesses to this scene, so players are accused of killing this Hopstialler, and they must keep a low profile for the rest of the scenario because hopstiallers are searching for them.
After the end of the scenario they will have to explain themselves to the inquisition
}}

There is a real fortune in coins piled up in a chest. Only coins of black silver, they are dennier provinois. Those coins where used during the fair a hundred years ago but aren't produced anymore.

Their goal is to discover who made them.

Those coins where minted a long time ago under supervision of the local Templars in the "Ferme aux Templiers".
It was a privilege given to the city.
The goal is to avoid currency change problems during the fair, so everything is bough and sold in this neutral currency.
The punch are now kept by the Hospitalers.

The counterfeits are good except for the metal, which is a bit dark.

The metal is a mix of little bit of silver and a lot of another metal, hard to identify it.

If one of the player has Eye of the Detail or if they ask an expert, they can see that the counterfeits' artworks are perfect.
To a point where they think that the "Punch" (the piece of the minting machine that holds the artwork) has been used for those fake coins.

Action: Players can get to visit the local hospitaller commandery

'''Normal (once arrived at the Knights Hospitaller): Normal Commanderie Templière'''

Change music once they are in the hospitaller buildings : '''Normal Commanderie Templière'''

Everyone is in brown coats, some in black coats (the nobles ones).
All have a white cross on their clothes.
It is a large fortified building. The decoration is military but rich.

What is strange with this place is how immensely wealthy they are, but they are still monks, so they try to hide their riches.
This results in incredibly clean clothes and rooms. Also glass windows in some rooms. Great quality candles etc...

The head of this commanderie will do his best to help them.

The "Punches" are still in place in the vault archive (not the main vault with their gold). (Counterfeiters comes at night, take the Punch, use them, put them back.)

Access to the room is strictly controlled. No entry or exit without being controlled.

Action: There is a hatch hidden on the ground. Under a box. Eye of the detail doesn't spot it, unless players specifically search for a hidden door.

This is where counterfeiters come in or out.

It's a tunnel that leads to the catacombs.
The players try to search for the catacombs, but it's a complete labyrinth, no chance.

They find punching equipments inside the tunnel as well as lots of ingots of silver, copper, lead and iron, and other metals. Too many of them. Those metals cannot be bought by just anyone.

Action : On the metals ingots there is the stamp of a metal merchant, he know who bought them.

Action: check the books, indeed the hospitallers buy all those metals. Supposedly to make a stronger alloy to circle their cart's wheels.

The head of procurement is Jean de la Maison de Dieu and ideed those metals never arrived at the blacksmith.

Once they come to talk to him, it is raining, he's at a balcony.

It is raining, it is very cold.

As soon as he sees that they are coming to him, he panics. He refuses to let them approach.

He shouts at them to stay in the distance and implores them, lots of hospitallers are looking.

He tells them he had no choice and zero hope to survive if he didn't cooperate.

Someone then shoots a crossbow bolt at him and he dies.
The guy who shot then smile at them, salute, then jumps ouside of the city walls (which are near the Hospitaller building)
‘’’Music : Behelit - Berserk’’'

In Jean's pocket they find denniers provinois. Only "Heal" can save him.

Insist how strange it is that the assasin just disappears by jumping out the city wall and survived. At least his body is never found.

In his office, lots of letters written by Eugène Clavicule, but encrypted. It's a proof he was a tool and accomplice.

Reward for completing the scenario track : Lots of people are witness to Jean dying. So the players are not accused of his murder.

=Part 3 The Provins trade fair=

'''Normal: Normal Commanderie Templière'''

The Provins trade fair is a major economic event in the region. Merchants from all around the world attend to sell goods. It is the heart of economic activities in the region. It used to be much much bigger, but it is still a meaningful event.

Eugène Clavicule has a booth at the fair. Booths are very expensive. The players have to investigate.

When the players arrive at his booth. It is completely empty. The table is there, the umbrella is there (both are provided by the city) but the booth is empty ! Only one item on the booth : There’s a lizard drawn on the table.

Their goal is to find Eugène Clavilcule.

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = '''Music : Gwent Drink Up, There_s More! Witcher 3’''
Fight of the dragon and the lizard. Every years, two team fights :
One has a lizard toy made of wood on the top of a pole. The others have a dragon.
They try to steal each other's flowers attached to their neck.
Their jaws can be mechanically animated.
The dragon team made their dragon breathe fire. (by pressing on a pulveriser throwing alcohol, then igniting it)
Some people catch fire and jump in a fontain.
| 15min =
They notice two merchants having a fight. One of them tried to pay with "Golden Leopards" minted by Edward III, while the other argues that he only want to be paid in Saint-Louis écu. Then he tries to pay in "Livre Parisi" Paris Pound and the other explains him that his prices are in "Livre Tournois" which are slightly less expensive.
A merchant sleeping on his stall nearby. He is dead. Poisoned ‘’’Music : Hail This Nightmare - BloodBorne’’'
When they touch him, his mouth opens and they notice a coin falling from his mouth. A Provins coin. (it's normal for merchants to bite a coint to test it)
| 30min = There's an iron cross where prices are being hung.
The fair decides the prices of different commodities.
The Clothes Merchants Guild decided a very high price for sheets.
Everyone is angry about it, it creates a scandal.
The crowd hoes them.
The soldiers arrive to evacuate them.
In the mess, there’s a dead merchant in the crowd, poisoned.
He has a provins coin in his purse.
‘’’Music : Chant_Entrapment-8’’'
| 45min = Two merchants emerge from the tribunal, there’s an official speech that because he didn’t pay his debts, he is now exiled from provins and from his home city. (Explain that the courts of Provins had this power)
As he speaks, the judge is being startled, someone threw a coin into his mouth. He dies just after.
‘’’Music : Hail This Nightmare - BloodBorne’’'
| 60min = ‘’’Access the Animus (debut rapide)’’' They are in a crowd. All players roll. Anyone who got a 1 get stabbed with a poisonous dagger. They go Insane. Impossible to see where the blow came from.
| 75min = ‘’’Music : Behelit - Berserk’’' They see a man in the distance on the city walls with a skull mask. He look at them, salute then jumps backwards and disappear. They are not sure if it was a dream or not.
Down he city wall, they find a dead merchant. Poisoned.
| 90min = A person with a death mask comes to see them and offers them a drink.
He insists.
They are surrounded by brigands with small daggers.
The character pretends to be Eugene Clavicule.
He tries to bribe them, to stop their search.

Once he sees that it doesn't work, they start attacking them.

During the fight, they all receive poisoned daggers.

They are all poisoned. They'll feel unweel until the rest of the scenario, they are all « Insane »

They see of their assaliants run away and reach the entrance of their hideout.

Penalty if they reach the end of the ambiance track : They are poisoned. « Insane »
}}

Their goal is to find Eugène Clavicle

But his booth is empty ! There’s a lizard drawn on the table.

Action : Knowledge general need a roll otherwise, they ask the locals. The lizard is the symbol of the Saint Ayoul Church in ville basse.
They go there and find the same lizard carved on the back of the church, but that’s it.
Big crowd around.

Action: There is someone who constantly watches the lizard. The idea is that if he trust it’s a good customer, he will come to them later and explain the trick. The trick is, people who stop at the lizard and then look in the crowd can see him and come to him.(proof that they know the trick). Eugene has mostly regular customers and only rarely accept to deal with new faces, hence this method is a good way to avoid being followed.
Action: Pretend or pay someone to pretend to be a customer. If they look like one he will come to them.

The vigil will then lead them to the fortune teller.

'''Music at the fortuneteller's hideout : Flippant, le diable est dans la boite’''

He knocks at the door and say
: "Eugene friends"

The fortune teller opens and greets them.

Her house is full of strange items.

Potions, charms, books, animal parts. Some live rats in cage also.

She invites them to pick a card, so she can know them better. (She does that to impress customers.)

The cards on the table are not tarot cards, on the back there’s only one item displayed.

Two players have this choice. Show them the corresponding danse macabre character and image.
And the fortune teller read them the quote from this card.

They have a choice between all those items, show the players the picture associated with it.
:

Sword, Coin, Rosary, Violin, Book

Mace, Chest, Triptych, Ring, Crosier

[[Danse Macabre Metaplot]]

Choice: Then she offers them to read their future with a mirror. They can accept or refuse.

Mirror made of bone.
She pours on black and red liquid on it and read the pattern.

She reads and see her own future (she has the Prowess Revelation ) : she understand what the players are.
She takes a step back and drinks a poison and dies.
‘’’Music : Behelit - Berserk‘''

If they refuse that she reads their future of if they manage to stop her of cure her, she does not die.

Anyhow, she won't talk, torture is useless too. Unless with the interrogate skill, in which case she directs them to the next sequence.

In her home, they find :
Powders, poisons.
Some live rats in cages.

Organs.

And a long list with names and dates. hundreds of names. Those she sold to.

A trunk full of clothes

Action: Search these clothes.
they see children's clothes.
Or search the book, they find a child storybook.

Actually she has a child ! The little Aimery

Once they discover that, the child comes knocking at the door.

If she is alive, letting her know that they know she has a child gets her to talk immediately.

If she is dead, they can interrogate the child, he knows that some bad people visit her mother frequently and he know their base.

The child explains that the potions are brought by someone coming out of a door under the church.

Under the church there is a cave. That's the entrance of Eugène's Hideout.

=Part 4 The Catacombs=

'''Normal: Normal Bruit Noirs'''

They have found the entrance of Eugène's hideout. But how to find his actual location ?
The cave leads to the undergrounds of the city, hundreds of kilometres of galleries. How to find a path ?

Their goal is to find and kill Eugène.

{{Ambiance Track
| 5min = There’s a skull encased in the wall, instead of his eyes are two Provins coins.
| 15min = Lots of scribings on the wall. Lots of names with a skull carved next to their names.
| 30min = The players have the distinct impression that they have been to this gallery before. They see the skull with coins again (it’s not the same skull, but they don’t know that).
| 45min = Screams of pains in the distance. Impossible to track
| 60min = Stream of smoke fills the room. Impossible to know where it comes from. Players coughs. The smoke stays a very long time.
| 75min = They see the skull with coins yet again ! (If they left a mark on it, the skull is broken at the place where they the mark, so maybe it’s the same skull maybe not, not clear)
One of the player drops his torch by mistake because it burned his hand, his torch is wet no way to light it back up.
| 90min = Two mad mans with skeleton costumes jumps at them bare handed. one of them vomits streams of blood and dies trying to attack them. The player on whom he vomited blood will have delirious visions until the end of the scenario, he is temporarily « Insane » .
The other runs away at incredible speed, he's bleeding. The players can follow his bloody footsteps until the room with the "accountant"

Penalty for reaching the end of the ambiance track : One player is delirious.
}}

Their goal is to find the Eugène Clavicule and kill him.

They found a basement below the church. But. This basement is connected to the city's catacombs.

Much like Paris' catacombes, it's a huge maze of galleries, kilometers of chaotic tunnels.

Without a way to guide them, it's impossible to know where to go.

At each step, they need to find a trick to know where to go next.

They have few trump cards if the players have the following talents :

Tracker : The player can follow tracks, so he can chose once to just use his ability to find the next room. Only once.

Eye of the detail : If the player specifically asks for tracks on the walls of markings made by crates. He can go to the next room.

===Room 1 : The church's basement===

The ground is muddy. Footprints are "healed" almost instantly. So no footprints to follow.

Action: Look at the black marks on the ceiling made by torches flames to find the right gallery and go to the next room.

===Room 2 : The theater===

After a while, a black mushroom covers the ceilings. So the traces are no longer visible.

They arrive in a very high room with a lot of candles. They are off. And weird sculptures that make no sense on the walls.

The room is filled with a stock of drugs. This is obviously part of the stock of Eugene but not everything.
There's also alcohol and costumes.

There is a small platform in the middle of the room. (she used to do a show)

The candles are poisonous candles, like in the monastery or the first scenario.

This room is used for two purposes : Stock drugs. And make dark orgies.
In the dark orgies, newcomers are drugged, and a dark theatre play is done on stage.

There are far too many possible exits. Impossible to find tracks on the ground or the ceiling.

Action: If they light the candles, the weird sculptures' shadows make a very clear picture:
An army of small skeletons that forms a big skull. The mouth is one of the possible exits.

===Ambiance room===
While walking the gallery before the next room they pass by a pound filled with crystal clear water.
They see stairs underwater. They can't explore too deep.

===Room 3 : The laboratory===

They arrive in an underground alchemy laboratory.

There is a big stock of weird ingredients. And a stock of poisons. This is obviously part of the eugene stock, but not everything.
There are also many parchments with bumps (in brail?)

There is an old blind man working.

He forgets everything.

The players understand that torture is useless on him. And killing him will serve even less.

The old man introduces them to the new potions.
He asks them to pay.

Action: Tell him they have no money left. And that they need to go to eugene to pay for it. He then tells them where to go.

If the players don't find this action. After 10 minutes of talking to him he insults them incoherently and asks them to go to Eugène, he then tells them how to go.

===Ambiance room===

They see a message at the entrance of a room: Stop. This is the empire of death.

In the next room they enter a room with macabre engravings on the walls.

An army of the dead that forces people to join to their ranks : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Thetriumphofdeath.jpg

===Room 4 : Treasure room===

They arrive at the eugene treasure room.

Chests everywhere filled with counterfeit money. Heaps and piles of money.

There is a very very fat man chained to a table with registers. It's the accountant. He was chained on this seat for years, never using his legs.

He immediately understands what's happening and yells for help.

His cry for help is ignored, torture is useless because he doesn't know where to go. Because he is chained to his seat and has been brought here chained, he doesn't know the path to the next room.

This is most of Eugène's stock of coins. But obviously he stocks much more riches somewhere. And he is not there himself.

The account books are encrypted.

Action:
He's screaming for help. But that does not help. Eugène doesn't care if he dies.
If instead of screaming for help they ask him to give the names of the customers. Or to decrypher the account books. This could be dangerous for Eugène.
So a person dressed with bones comes and kills the accountant with a crossbow bolt. Then tell the players to follow him to find eugenes.
Insist on the damage the blot does to the chair and table. It is a forbidden weapon with formidable power.
If the players killed the accountant by mistake. After 10 min in the room a person arrives to see what the noise was and propose them to follow him.

===Ambiance room===
'''From this point on, Music : Quake'''

They arrive in a room with a weird macabre scene. Skeletons have been arranged in a strange scene. The skeletons are actual dead human skeletons, but they can stand up because of straws and wax used to give them a frame.
The skeletons eat each other, they dance, they build. They play cards, they mix : https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Follower_of_Jheronimus_Bosch_Christ_in_Limbo.jpg
This room is actually gargantuan. So wide that it is impossible to see the ends.
In the midst of the statues, they see countless of followers of Eugène. With skeleton costumes.
They walk on four feets, and wield a bone like a mace.
They seem completely mad and slowly surrounds the players. They scream like animals and randomly attack players.
The exit is obvious at the other end of the hall.
If the players have soldiers, they can try to pass protected by the soliders.
This will work.
They will take some soldiers and the players will hear them scream for a long time.

If the players have fighting skills related to skirmishes, they can keep them at distance and pass.

If they have none of that, they have to find a way to pass. Or get beaten.

===Room 5 : The guardian===

They arrive in the catacombs. Skulls and bones everywhere.
In fact, the roof is smaller and smaller and they have to crawl in a sea of bones.

There is before them a black knight with skulls that blocks their way.
He has a huge weapon and is very fast.
This man is waaaay too big.

He is in a room with a very high ceiling and some drops of water on him. Some light from the outside lights the room.

The players are crawling, but this room stands in the way. The exit is obvious at the other end of the room.

Action: It's up to them to find a way to defeat him or pass by him.
If a player has a combat quality in relation to « monsters » , he can blind him.
But impossible to defeat him.

===Room 6 : Eugène===

'''Music Gaunter O Dim'''

They then arrive on the treasure of Eugene Clavicle.
Gold. But also skulls.
Hoars of golds and precious items.

There is a skeleton sitting on a chariot.
He has dirty shoes and wet clothes but he doesn't move.

There's a dead hospitaller with his sword bloody dried on the floor.

If the player touches him, he falls appart. They killed Eugène Clavicule !

'''After the skeleton falls Music : Danse Macabre'''

The players have a series of choices

First of all. What do they do with the treasure ?
The players can have any items they dream of. Ask them what item they would dream of. It's there.

Same for the gold. They can take it if they want or give it to the inquisition.

The skeleton has a coin made of bone in the hand. This coin is obviously very precious.
In the back of the room there is the engraving of the merchant with the same coin http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris09.htm

Regardless of what they do. One of them carries the coin outside of the tunnels.

Even if they decided to leave it there. one player will realise he took it with him.

Once they leave the tunnel, Epilogue.

==Epilogue==
Epilogue musics :
*'''Epique entre-scenart gagant 12-Pista de audio 12.mp3'''
*'''Epique entre-scenart gagant 12-Pista de audio 12.mp3''' (put it twice)
*'''Fin epique glorieuse 06-Final'''
*Then loop this Playlist '''Normal-Prima'''

The players can decide to keep some of the treasure or turn it to the inquisition.
The player who carried the coin out of the tunnels have a strong urge not to give it to the inquisitoin and refuses to do it. Hiding it if necessary.

Searching through the eugene documents, they find one letter asking Eugene to ship the corpses to the "usual city ». And another that asked Eugene to send a vast shipment of poison to a very small village. For next scenario.

All players gain one Feat and the player who holds the coin gains the [[Bone Coin]] Feat.

==Post Game Bonus==

Send those to the players as a post game bonus :

Fun fact, the medieval monetary system of 1 Pound = 20 Shillings = 240 Pennies have survived until 1971 in the UK. Initally, 1 Pound meant 1 Pound of Silver. So 1 Penny was 1 pound / 240 = 3g of silver.

The Provins trade faire was twice a year, the Saint-Quiriace Fair was in May and Saint-Ayoul was in Sept/Oct named after the two churches in the high and low part of the city.

Here is a picture of Saint-Quiriace church : [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/Collegiale_Saint-Quiriace_Provins_sud.jpg]

The Cesar tower : [http://prima.wiki/images/8/8a/C%C3%A9sar_Tower.jpg]

The City walls : [http://prima.wiki/images/7/7e/Provins_city_walls.jpg]

Provins Pennies : [http://prima.wiki/images/d/d9/Provins_Pennies.jpg]

Provins Catacombs : [http://prima.wiki/images/a/a0/Provins_Catacombs.jpg]

[[Category:Scenario]]
[[Category:Official Scenarios]]

Category:Official Scenarios

2026-03-07T16:34:00Z

Taiko: Created page with "All the official scenarios"

All the official scenarios

Danse Macabre Metaplot

2026-03-07T14:51:53Z

Taiko:

* All the characters

Pope - [[Bone Book]] - http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris02.htm

Emperor - [[Bone Sword]] - http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris02.htm

Cardinal - [[Bone Ring]] - http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris03.htm

King - '''Crown''' - http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris03.htm

Patriarch - '''Crucifix''' - http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris04.htm

General (Connétable) - '''Banner''' - http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris04.htm

Archdeacon - '''Ring?''' - http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris05.htm

Knight - [[Bone Rondel]] - http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris05.htm

Bishop?/Deacon - [[Bone Chesspiece]] - http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris06.htm

Squire - '''??''' - http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris06.htm

Abbot - '''Diptych''' - http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris07.htm

Bailly - '''Chains/Shackles''' - http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris07.htm

Scholar - '''Book''' - http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris08.htm

Bourgeois - '''Comb?''' - http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris08.htm

Chanoine - '''??''' - http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris09.htm

Merchant - [[Bone Coin]] - http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris09.htm

Chartreux - '''Cilice''' - http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris10.htm

Sergent - '''Mace''' - http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris10.htm

Monk - '''Rosary''' - http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris11.htm

Usurer - [[Bone Chest]] - http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris11.htm

Poor/Beggar? - '''??''' - http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris11.htm

Doctor - '''Vial''' - http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris12.htm

Lover - '''Necklace''' - http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris12.htm

Priest - '''Cloak clasp (Fermail)''' - http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris13.htm

Peasant - [[Bone Sickle]] - http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris13.htm

Lawyer - '''??''' - http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris14.htm

Menestrel - [[Bone Harp]] - http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris14.htm

Cordelier (Franciscain) - '''??''' - http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris15.htm

Child - '''Toy''' - http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris15.htm

Clerc - '''Church Bell ?''' - http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris16.htm

Hermit - [[Bone Sickle]] - http://www.lamortdanslart.com/danse/France/Paris/dm_paris16.htm

'''Chess game??'''
'''Walking stick''' for Whom ?

Metaplot :

Possible villains :
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasbert_de_Valle
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_de_Tarente
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_X_de_Laval

An alchemist found "the book"
This book explain how to summon demons and gain riches beyond imagination.
It also explains where to find the other artifacts.
"the book" gave the artifacts to lots fo people, including a noble to whom he gave "the sword"
All artifacts bearers should make ritual deathsand ship them to Marseille.
If they do that, they receive titles and money, and their artifacts gain power.
Why ? He actually only need the dead bodies, but by making them do it in a particular way, he can then blackmail them.

The point being to make the tower of Bones and summon the black plague.
They succeed in 1347
The rest of the campaign is to try to kill "the book" and end the plague.
The book or the sword is nicknamed "L." and he signs all contracts under this name.

Theplot happens just before the black plague 1347 in Marseille (change the dates and places of all previous scenarios)
brough by "marin genois"
Explain about Templars disappearing.

"L." know that if he wants to be rich, he has to do an unholy ritual. It has to happen in the cathedral.

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasbert_de_Valle wants to become the archdeacon of a united Marseille.
"L." Promised him he could get that if he agreed to let his workers burn Marseille's cathedral with a tower of skeletons inside.
"L." also gave him an artifact, (the artifact related to the archdeacon (archeveque)

Two artifacts :
The Sword "L." and the Crosier
The Chastellain is a cousin of a noble in Marseille. That's why he makes a shipment of corpses. He is paid hansomely for it.

"the Book" is an alchemist. He has a book made whose cover is made of bones
He manipulates "the sword" and promise him reaches beyond imagination if he accomplishes a ritual.
This ritual requires lots of sacrifices and teh construction of a chapel.
The aim is to summon the black plague.

<DynamicPageList>
category = Hidden
category = Official
ordermethod = sortkey
order = ascending
mode = unordered
</DynamicPageList>

Benediction

2025-08-20T13:55:54Z

Taiko:

{{Feats
| Synonyms = Blessing, Consecration, Benediction
| Prowess? = Yes
| Prowess Prerequisites = [[⭐ Faith]]
| Official? = Yes
| Archetype? = No
| Description =

Through holy prayer and the proper liturgy, you may call down a Benediction that restores strength to the faithful. This Prowess must be performed within a consecrated church, chapel, or cathedral, using the appropriate liturgical tools (such as altar, vestments, or sacred vessels).

By devoting yourself to this sacred rite, you may restore one expended Prowess — either for yourself or for another player — once per scenario.

At the Game Master’s discretion, this ability cannot be used to recharge the most powerful Prowesses, such as [[⭐ Faith]], [[Surprise Attack !]], [[Apocalypse]], [[Whispers of Madness]], or [[Confession]]. This especially applies to Prowesses that require more than one scenario to recharge, or those with multiple prerequisites.

The rite of Benediction lasts for 2 hours.

----
'''Special: Miracles'''

For each [[⭐ Miracle]] you possess (whether used or unused), you may restore one additional Prowess through Benediction.

This only works for [[⭐ Miracle]] on your character sheet, it does not work for Miracles granted by Bone Artifacts.

This does not stack: if you possess [[Benediction]] twice (such as through a special archetype) and also have two Miracles, you may still only restore two Prowesses by Benediction and two more through Miracles — never more than one additional restoration per Miracle.
}}

Main Page

2025-02-28T21:31:24Z

Taiko: Protected "Main Page" ([Edit=Allow only administrators] (indefinite) [Move=Allow only administrators] (indefinite))

== What is Prima RPG ? ==

Prima is a historical horror game where you play inquisitors hunting heretics in the darkest corners of medieval Europe.

Prima RPG is a story focused tabletop roleplaying game.
Story focused means there's a emphasis on player's decisions and ambiance instead of rules and combats.

In 1346, the kingdom of France is ravaged by the hundred year war and just lost the battle of Crecy.

Knight Templars have been arrested thorough Europe, its last remaining members are in hiding or joined other orders.

Hailing from Avignon, pope Clement VI recently launched a crusade to fight heretics abroad.

Dark times nurtures dark thoughts and dark thoughts nurtures heresy.

Soldiers being in short supplies the inquisition have to recourse to outside help.

Your character is amongst the soldiers god has chosen for this task.

(''if you are not familiar with the middle age, you may want to read : [[Europe in 1346]]'')

== Start here ==

'''5 minutes tutorial video'''

[[File:How_to_use_Prima_Wiki.mp4|500px]]

==For players==
Create your Character here :
{{Template:Character/Create}}
(Searching for your character ? They are all here [[:Category:Characters]] )

On Character creation your character has one Feat of your choice.
Archetypes are a subtype of Feats and can be taken on first level.
At the end of each scenario, your game master can award you with a level up : you then gain one more Feat of your choice.

Detailed level up rules : [[+1 Feat]]

===Feats - Archetypes===
We strongly advise you to start your character by choosing an archetype (but it's not mandatory).

An Archetype is a special kind of Feat.
A character can only have one Archetype.
Apart from that, Archetypes are like normal Feats and may be taken at character creation or on any level up.
<DynamicPageList>
category = Archetypes
category = Official
notcategory = Hidden
ordermethod = sortkey
order = ascending
mode = unordered
</DynamicPageList>

===Feats - General===
<DynamicPageList>
category = Feats
category = Official
notcategory = Prowesses
notcategory = Archetypes
notcategory = Hidden
ordermethod = sortkey
order = ascending
mode = unordered
</DynamicPageList>
(Tips 1 : Remember to check the Prowesses list below, as you can always choose either a General Feat or a Prowess when leveling up.)

(Tips 2 : If you use [[Faith]] too often, consider getting the [[Confession]] and [[Luck]] Prowesses)

(Tips 3 : If you do not have [[Faith]], consider getting [[Luck]] (and ideally for extra safety at least one [[Miracle]]) or [[Handicap (lost faith)]] and read thoroughly the article [[Lost Faith]], especially the end.)

===Feats - Prowesses===
Prowesses are a special kind of Feats with prerequisites.
<DynamicPageList>
category = Prowesses
category = Official
notcategory = Hidden
ordermethod = sortkey
order = ascending
mode = unordered
</DynamicPageList>
(Tips 4 : Remember to check the Prowesse [[Miracle]] as it allows you to "recharge" your other Prowesses and can be a great combo.)

===Create new Feat : General, Archetype or Prowess===
Didn't find the perfect Feat, Archetype or Prowess for you ? You can always become a [[⭐ Prima Contributor]] and create a new one here :
{{Template:Feats/Create}}

(for all the content that isn't official yet, it's here : [[:Category:Unofficial|Unofficial Content]])

==For game masters : Official Scenarios==

'''Spoiler alert ! Those scenarios are for game masters only.'''

'''DO NO READ THOSE ARTICLES IF YOU ARE A PLAYER !'''

*[[Danse Macabre Part 1]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 2]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 3]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 4]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 5]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 6]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 7]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 8]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 9]]
[[Category:Official]]

⛧Whispers of Madness (used)

2025-02-28T21:30:40Z

Taiko: Redirected page to ⛧ Whispers of Madness

#REDIRECT [[⛧ Whispers of Madness]]

Frère Hermant Lagrange

2025-02-28T21:29:17Z

Taiko:

{{Character

| Description =
Frère Hermant Lagrange

Jeune moine dominicain entré dans les ordres dès son plus jeune âge car orphelin. Il a été retrouvé bébé abandonné dans une grange. Très dévoué à l'ordre, il voyage et prêche pour lutter contre l'hérésie qui ravage la région du Languedoc. Détestant les ordres bénédictins, avec leur sois disant savoir et leur luxe, il recherche l'approbation de l'Eglise pour devenir inquisiteur officiel du Pape. Mais Hermant, dans sa colère et sa fougue pourrait peut être douté aussi des abus de l’Église ?

| Feats =

* Monk dominicain :

* ⭐ Faith
* Survival
* Fanatic

| Inventory =

*Dagger
*Backpack
Etc...

}}

Main Page

2025-02-28T21:28:12Z

Taiko:

== What is Prima RPG ? ==

Prima is a historical horror game where you play inquisitors hunting heretics in the darkest corners of medieval Europe.

Prima RPG is a story focused tabletop roleplaying game.
Story focused means there's a emphasis on player's decisions and ambiance instead of rules and combats.

In 1346, the kingdom of France is ravaged by the hundred year war and just lost the battle of Crecy.

Knight Templars have been arrested thorough Europe, its last remaining members are in hiding or joined other orders.

Hailing from Avignon, pope Clement VI recently launched a crusade to fight heretics abroad.

Dark times nurtures dark thoughts and dark thoughts nurtures heresy.

Soldiers being in short supplies the inquisition have to recourse to outside help.

Your character is amongst the soldiers god has chosen for this task.

(''if you are not familiar with the middle age, you may want to read : [[Europe in 1346]]'')

== Start here ==

'''5 minutes tutorial video'''

[[File:How_to_use_Prima_Wiki.mp4|500px]]

==For players==
Create your Character here :
{{Template:Character/Create}}
(Searching for your character ? They are all here [[:Category:Characters]] )

On Character creation your character has one Feat of your choice.
Archetypes are a subtype of Feats and can be taken on first level.
At the end of each scenario, your game master can award you with a level up : you then gain one more Feat of your choice.

Detailed level up rules : [[+1 Feat]]

===Feats - Archetypes===
We strongly advise you to start your character by choosing an archetype (but it's not mandatory).

An Archetype is a special kind of Feat.
A character can only have one Archetype.
Apart from that, Archetypes are like normal Feats and may be taken at character creation or on any level up.
<DynamicPageList>
category = Archetypes
category = Official
notcategory = Hidden
ordermethod = sortkey
order = ascending
mode = unordered
</DynamicPageList>

===Feats - General===
<DynamicPageList>
category = Feats
category = Official
notcategory = Prowesses
notcategory = Archetypes
notcategory = Hidden
ordermethod = sortkey
order = ascending
mode = unordered
</DynamicPageList>
(Tips 1 : Remember to check the Prowesses list below, as you can always choose either a General Feat or a Prowess when leveling up.)

(Tips 2 : If you use [[Faith]] too often, consider getting the [[Confession]] and [[Luck]] Prowesses)

(Tips 3 : If you do not have [[Faith]], consider getting [[Luck]] (and ideally for extra safety at least one [[Miracle]]) or [[Handicap (lost faith)]] and read thoroughly the article [[Lost Faith]], especially the end.)

===Feats - Prowesses===
Prowesses are a special kind of Feats with prerequisites.
<DynamicPageList>
category = Prowesses
category = Official
notcategory = Hidden
ordermethod = sortkey
order = ascending
mode = unordered
</DynamicPageList>
(Tips 4 : Remember to check the Prowesse [[Miracle]] as it allows you to "recharge" your other Prowesses and can be a great combo.)

===Create new Feat : General, Archetype or Prowess===
Didn't find the perfect Feat, Archetype or Prowess for you ? You can always become a [[⭐ Prima Contributor]] and create a new one here :
{{Template:Feats/Create}}

(for all the content that isn't official yet, it's here : [[:Category:Unofficial|Unofficial Content]])

==For game masters : Official Scenarios==

'''Spoiler alert ! Those scenarios are for game masters only.'''

'''DO NO READ THOSE ARTICLES IF YOU ARE A PLAYER !'''

*[[Danse Macabre Part 1]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 2]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 3]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 4]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 5]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 6]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 7]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 8]]
*[[Danse Macabre Part 9]]
[[Category:Official]]

Europe in 1346

2025-02-28T21:27:46Z

Taiko:

This article is intended for non-western readers or western readers that are not familiar with the middle age.

In 1346, the kingdom of France is ravaged by the hundred year war and just lost the battle of Crecy.

Knight Templars have been arrested thorough Europe, its last remaining members are in hiding or joined other orders.

Hailing from Avignon, pope Clement VI recently launched a crusade to fight heretics abroad.

Dark times nurtures dark thoughts and dark thoughts nurtures heresy.

Soldiers being in short supplies the inquisition have to recourse to ask for outside help.

Your character is amongst the soldiers god has chosen for this task.

==Politics==

[[File:1346_Europe.jpg|thumb]]

In 1346, Europe is torn apart by power struggles.

The society is divided in three classes, the ones who work, the ones who fight and rule (the nobles) and the ones who pray (the religious).

Nobles inherit their lands and have a strong dominion over their people. They can edict laws and raise taxes. Their responsibility is to oversee their lands and protect their people from invaders. They organise the police, the army and the economy.

Kingdoms are constituted of lords who follow a King, also chosen by heredity.

Kings have their own lands, but are usually not the wealthiest lords of their realm. They have limited powers over the lords they oversee and power struggles inside a kingdom are constant.

Kings can edict laws, raise taxes and launch wars, but they can only do so with the support of their lords.

Nobles are very careful about their reputation, which will influence greatly their relations with their neighbours, that's why the unwritten law of honour is a defining factor in the medieval society.

Lords will follow their king in combat with their troops not because the law obliges it, but because honour command it.

The main powers in western Europe are France, England, the Holy Roman empire (Germany), Castile (Spain) and the Pope.

There is in a war between England and France that just started and there is a power struggle between France, the Holy Roman Empire and the Pope.

The Pope is the head of the catholic Church and since all Europeans are firm believers, he uses this influence to take political power from Kings. Popes are elected by the cardinals (highest members of the church)

The current Pope have been strongly supported by France and he is based in Avignon instead of Rome.

Christendom is still fighting against the Islamic world, Arabs have reclaimed the holy land (Jerusalem and some surrounding cities). The current crusade started in 1343 didn't mobilise as many soldiers as it used to.

Part of Spain is controlled by an Arabian king, it will take a hundred year before Spain reconquers the entirety of his land.

==Faith==

In the middle age, religion is the foundation of society. Every European is a firm believer and follower of the Catholic church.

They will go to the local church every Sunday to listen to a sermon, not attending would be frown upon and can lead to social exclusion.

The Church is the cement between all European nations, while each nations have their own languages, all ecclesiastics can speak latin it is the only international language.

The Church holds the social aspect of society, they open hospitals where the poor and the sick can live for free for a certain period of time to be taken care of by monks.

Monasteries accept anyone in their order, so it is a great refuge for outcasts and orphans. As long as you follow the rules of the monastery, you will be fed and sheltered.

The few existing schools are held by Monks and the vast majority of books have been copied by them.

The Church keeps track of time (bells are rung every hours to indicate the time) and keep every records of birth (baptism) and marriages.

Faith is a very strong drive of society, to a point where people are willing to go to war and die in the crusades only because the church says god will pardon their sins. Wealthy nobles are spending fortunes to buy pardons from the church.

Anyone willing to join the church can do so either as part of the secular or regular order.

"Secular" members of the church follow the rules of the church and become priests, they are part of the "main branch" of the church and have to organise prayers.

"Regular" members will join as Monks and follow specific rules related to the order they have chosen, they usually decide to recluse themselves in remote monasteries.

Secular members may chose to also be regular members and vice versa.

==War==

The French and English royal families are tightly intricate by countless marriages, to a point where the current King of England, Edward III of England is arguably the legal King of France.

French Nobles on the contrary chose Philip VI to be the king of the France, both claims to the throne being equally arguable.

After much tensions, Edward III of England launched a war against France that will last for a hundred years. Their troops first met on the battlefield at Crecy (nothern France) and it was a major defeat for France.

A typical medieval army consists of infantry, archers and cavalry.

Infantry and archers are trained soldiers, while cavalry consists mostly of nobles.

Canons barely exist, they have been used only once in the battle of Crecy but had little to no impact, to a point where most reports of the battle don't mention them. Early firearms haven't been invented yet.

Crossbows are forbidden against Christians.

A typical Knight wears a full chain mail armour, full plate armours haven't been invented yet. They fight on horseback with lances, shields and swords.

The majority of troops were infantry. Recruited through feudal obligations to Lords, hired for money, or brought in as part of mercenary companies, these men were the massed ranks filling battlefields and the soldiers garrisoning towns and castles.

Though there were standards for the equipment men were meant to bring when mustered, the results were mismatched and haphazard. Infantrymen were not wealthy. They wore whatever scraps of armor they could get, the most common and important being metal helmets. Most carried a sword, a mace or an axe for close quarters fighting. Those forming battle lines usually had spears or polearms with which to gain reach on their opponents and fend off cavalry.

==Technology==

In 1346, architecture is dominated by the Gothic style.

Each books are handwritten by Monks mostly and on parchment, paper already exists but is considered a vile material and hence only used for low quality documents. Printing will not be invented before a very long time.

Medicine is very backward, it relies on the theories of humoral types and dissections of corpses are forbidden. Hygiene is almost inexistent, sewers are very rare. In this regard as well as in many others, the Islamic world is much more advanced than Christendom.

Glass is very rare, it is only used for the most expensive buildings, cheaper building use windows made of oiled parchment, bare holes in the wall or don't have windows at all.

Several counties will mint their own coins out of gold and silver, banknotes do not exist yet and the only banking institutions are held by monastic orders. The first privately owned banks start to appear in Italy.

The American continent have not been discovered yet, Christendom buy good from China through the silk road without knowing where they come from.

Besides the book written by Marco Polo, knowledge of Asia is almost inexistent.

[[Category:Official]]

+1 Feat

2025-02-28T21:27:38Z

Taiko:

Yay ! You levelled up !

Now, at any time, you can replace this by a Feat of your choice.

Even in the middle of the game, it can be done ANY time !

Remember the rule :

[[File:Feats_Venn_Diagram.jpg]]
*Feats could be :
**General Feats
**Archetypes
**Prowesses

All of those are *Feats*

Few rules :
*You cannot take a General Feat twice even with a different specialisation.
*You can only have at most *one* Archetype.
*You can only have a Prowess if you meet the prerequisites.

=What to write on your character sheet ?=
At the end of each scenarios, in the "<nowiki>| Feats =</nowiki>" section add one more "<nowiki>{{{Feats|}}}</nowiki>"

As soon as you have chosen which Feat you wanted, modify the line with the name of the Feat : <nowiki>{{{Feats| Courage }}}</nowiki>

If the Feat appears in red, it means you made a mistake in the name, capital letters matter.

If a Feat gives you several free Feats, write them below :

<nowiki>{{Feat| Knight }}</nowiki>

<nowiki>{{Free Feat| ⭐ Faith }}</nowiki>

<nowiki>{{Free Feat| Combat (battle) }}</nowiki>

<nowiki>{{Free Feat| Courage }}</nowiki>

=Feats List=

===Feats - General===
<DynamicPageList>
category = Feats
category = Official
notcategory = Prowesses
notcategory = Archetypes
notcategory = Hidden
ordermethod = sortkey
order = ascending
mode = unordered
</DynamicPageList>

===Feats - Prowesses===
Prowesses are a special kind of Feats with prerequisites.
<DynamicPageList>
category = Prowesses
category = Official
notcategory = Hidden
ordermethod = sortkey
order = ascending
mode = unordered
</DynamicPageList>
[[Category:Official]]

+1

2025-02-28T21:27:30Z

Taiko:

[[Category:Official]]

Andy

2025-02-28T21:26:17Z

Taiko:

'''
{{Character
| CharacterName = Diaz de'Terre
| Description = Diaz is a short, oily man in his early 30s. His slouching posture and lackadaisical demeanor hide an extremely dangerous person who grew up on the streets of Barcelona stealing and fighting for his life. He is a somewhat hopeless drunk who has no real interest in intellectual pursuits or high-minded pursuits. However, it would be a mistake to assume his drinking or careless attitude make him a person to be ignored, for when a situation where action is required presents itself, he can move with catlike speed and the reflexes of a trained fighter. Fiercely loyal to his real friends, anyone else in life is disposable at best and to be disposed of if necessary.

He was recruited by the inquisition after getting himself into trouble in Italy, but before he was sentenced and executed an inquisitor with an eye for useful men recruited him for his talents as part of the inquisition's security forces.

Optional, leave blank if none.

| Feats =
{{Feat| Scoundrel }}
{{Free Feat| Stealth}}
{{Free Feat| Lost Faith}}
{{Free Feat| Outlaw Wisdom}}
{{Free Feat| Trickster|}}
{{Feat| Reflexes }}
{{Feat| Combat (duel) }}
{{Feat| Agile }}
{{Feat| Tough}}

| Inventory =
*Papal insignia horseman's mace
*Inquisitor's Signet ring
*Papal holy water
*papal writ
*Asssasin's wrist dagger
* The nicest boots in Venice
*weighted gold dice
*Damascene scimitar+scabbard
*wax
*flint and steel
*tinder
*Black riding boots gilded with gold velvet
*crossbow bolts
*several kinds of poison
*Red golded inquisitorial robes
*Red leather inquisitor's hat
*Traveling clothes, leather
*thumb screws
*Scabbard, whetstone, oilcloth, oil
*Latin bible
*dried meat
* 2 flasks of the finest cognac
*white rabbit's foot
*Black Chainmail, apaulets, greaves)
*THe fastest horse in Europe and horse stuff
*Masterwork Rapier (guilded & blessed)
* Imperial Chinese repeating crossbow
*5 poisoned crossbow bolts
*opium +pipe
*Wineskin
*Dagger (2)
*Backpack
Money purse
50 gold florins

a amount of well cut worthless gems

jar of animal lard}}