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>>1575343
>(Send Natalia to get Kathrin, stay and talk to Cellica)

Looking at your Italian friend, you nod to her, glancing in the direction of the Teuton Tents. Understanding what you meant, Natalia gives a slight bow, and walks off, to retrieve Kathrin, your (provisional?) Lieutenant.

Turning to Cellica, who has wrapped her arms around herself, frowning, You clear your throat, and approach the ginger elf, uncertain.

"Cellica, is... everything alright?"

Giving you a sharp glance, she immediately looks away, and mumbles something.

Looking confused, you begin to say, "I'm sorry? I didn't catch-" when you are promptly interrupted by her cold words.

"So is this what you 'Crusaders' are like? Murderers? Was the thing at the village just a lie to get me alone?" She stops hugging herself and sticks a finger in your face, pointing accusingly. "Are you a butcher as well, Victor?"

This.... isn't like Cellica, at least, not what you know of her. She's cheerful, easygoing, kind, and naive, not cold and accusatory. This must have seriously shaken her faith in you, and the knights around her. You don't know what they say about nobility and knights in Mornaur, but you can read between the lines. You've tried to alleviate her concerns about this, but...

Sighing, you scratch behind your head, looking down. You were confused and angry, as well but for a different reason, so you can sort of understand where she's coming from.

>"It is... complicated, Cellica. These men believed what they were doing was sincerely good."
>"It was the Templars, not the Teutons. Don't count me as one of them."
>"I don't appreciate these accusations. All this time, and it takes only one incident for you to lose faith in me."
>Write-in."

>>1575378
>>"It was the Templars, not the Teutons. Don't count me as one of them. What they did was disgusting and out of line with even the most radical teachings of the Catholic faith."

>>1575396
>"It was the Templars, not the Teutons. Don't count me as one of them. What they did was disgusting and out of line with even the most radical teachings of the Catholic faith."

>Writing.

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>>1575378

"It was the Templars, not the Teutons. Don't count me as one of them. What they did was disgusting and out of line with even the most radical teachings of the Catholic faith." You feel that she should know this, that what they did would not be tolerated in your homeland.

Cellica looks down, flushed. "And what about Natalia? And Marcus? Aren't they Templars too?"

This gives you pause, as she's technically correct.

"Well, Marcus, he was one of us, before the Templars called for aid. And Natalia... she's different. I don't know why." You look at Cellica, and put a hand on her shoulder. "But I assure you. We are not all like that."

The elfess sighs, and she looks up at you, with a weariness that reminds you that Cellica is an adult as well. "I know, Victor, but this..." She hugs herself tighter. "This makes me wonder about you, and Marcus, and Natalia, and Kathrin, and Sigmund."

You nod, but don't say anything. You understand.

From behind you, you hear a quiet voice in German speak to you.

"Victor..."

Turning your head, you see Kathrin and Natalia approacing, and you nod to them, dreading Kathrin's response. How would she take this, you wonder?

Apparently, fairly well. She seems to be calm and composed, but for the few months you've known her, that's her standard modus operandi.

"Victor, I understand why you didn't tell me of this yesterday. Natalia filled me in. I am still disappointed, though I know that is irrational."

Nodding at her in thanks, you take a deep breath.

It's time to tell them. About Gabriel, and your dreams.

>"This might sound... odd, and heretical, but I am talking to the Archangel Gabriel."
>"I... don't know how to make this sound less stupid and whimsical, so I'll just be forthright with you. I'm speaking to an Angel."
>"I see an Archangel in my sleep, sometimes."
>"I.... never mind, it is too fanciful." (Don't tell them.)
>Write-in.

>>1575455
>>"I... don't know how to make this sound less stupid and whimsical, so I'll just be forthright with you. I'm speaking to an Angel."

>>1575455
>Don't Tell them
It's clearly a vision sent by the great deceiver Satan to tempt us from straying, we must not spread this heresy

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>>1575573
True believer right here.

>>1575478
Seconded

I don´t see the point in Victor believing the vision to be Stan´s work, since we already told his boss about it

>>1575478
>>1575641

>"I... don't know how to make this sound less stupid and whimsical, so I'll just be forthright with you. I'm speaking to an Angel."

Writing.

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>>1575455

"I... don't know how to make this sound less stupid and whimsical, so I'll just be forthright with you. I'm speaking to an Angel."

The words come unbidden to your lips, before you can stop yourself. Looking at the three women, you try and gauge their reactions. Then you wish you hadn't.

Kathrin, bless her, looks at you like you have a fever, and seems incredibly uncomfortable. Cellica looks at you incredulously, like you just said that your head was a bear, or something ridiculous like that. Surprisingly, Natalia is the only one who doesn't seem to react with some manner of disbelief, instead looking away with mild discomfort.

Kathrin is the first to speak up, looking around furtively, checking that there were no eavesdroppers, and getting in close, talking in a low voice.

"Are you... alright, Victor? Do you have a case of the vapors, delirium maybe? The friars know medicine, we can catch this before word gets out. You haven't told anyone, right?"

About to respond, you are cut off by Cellica tilting her head, asking, "Victor? Why would you talk about... talking to an Angel? I remember those things from my schooling, they're... divine messengers or something. Why would you bring them up now?"

Sighing, you look at Natalia, and give a wry smile.

"Might you have something to add, Lady Natalia? Since we seem so fond of giving our opinions on what I just said."

Natalia blinks, surprised that you mentioned her. The other two look at her expectantly, waiting for her to call you out on the crazy statement you just made.

"Ah, well. I, uh."

Natalia shifts, uncomfortably.

"I don't have anything to add, I'm afraid."

You raise an eyebrow. Natalia is usually more eloquent and calm than this. Interesting.

>"Is everything alright?"
>"Did something happen while you were getting Kathrin, Natalia?"
>"Consider my interest piqued. What gives you pause, My Lady?"
>Write-in.

>>1575746
>>"Consider my interest piqued. What gives you pause, Comrade?"

>"Consider my interest piqued. What gives you pause, My Lady?"

>>1575755
>>1575959
>"Consider my interest piqued. What gives you pause, My Lady?"

>>1575746
>"Consider my interest piqued. What gives you pause, My Lady?"

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>>1575746

"Consider my interest piqued. What gives you pause, My Lady?"

Natalia, surprised, blinks once, and then looks down, embarrassed.

"Well... I..." She scratches her head, shuffling her feet in the dirt. She sighs, and looks directly at you. "I... may have omitted something from my story, earlier, when I told you of my expedition."

Now sufficiently curious, you ask, "And what might that be, Natalia?"

"I... saw something similar, when I saved Ka, my d-daughter," (You note the stutter) "from the debris of the burning village. An Archangel, he called himself Raphael. I was trying to lift the debris off Ka, and then he... he touched my hand, and then left. Ka... was hurt badly, and then I touched her, and she was healed."

She shifts uncomfortably.

"So... I have no issues believing him, as I have seen an angel as well. It is truly a blessing from God."

You all stare at Natalia, who looks back at you, unsure as to how you'll react.

>"Well, it is a relief that ALL of you don't think I'm daft."
>"Wait, you healed Ka? Like a miracle?"
>"Could you demonstrate somehow?"
>Write-in.

>>1576054
>"Well, it is a relief that not ALL of you don't think I'm daft."

>>1576054
>>"Wait, you healed Ka? Like a miracle?"

>>1576054
>"Well, it is a relief that ALL of you don't think I'm daft."
>>"Wait, you healed Ka? Like a miracle?"

>>1576062
>>1576064
>>1576080
>"Well, it is a relief that ALL of you don't think I'm daft."
>"Wait, you healed Ka? Like a miracle?"

Writing.

>>1576054

Nodding, you give a reassuring smile to Natalia.

"Well, it is a relief that ALL of you don't think I'm daft."

After a second, what she said registers with you.

"Wait, you healed Ka? Like a miracle?"

She nods. "Yes, it was very similar to one, at the very least."

Scratching the stubble on your chin, you consider this information. It's possibly very useful, depending on the situation. A blessing from the LORD doesn't come every day. However, this is not the time to test her ability, so you shelf that idea for later.

"Very well," you say, "I suppose we will discuss this later. For now,we all have our duties to attend to. So, farewell." Walking off with little warning, you head to the training grounds, as you feel your irritation from earlier return.

Reaching the training grounds with little fanfare, you approach the head of the grounds, and begin your training.

>1d20, BO3 to see how your training goes.

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>1576159
Hoping we get a minor injury so Natalia can "lay on hands"

Rolled 6 (1d20)

>>1576159

Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>1576159
rawlin

>>1576177
>>1576261
>>1576276

>14

Writing.

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>>1576159

The training goes passably well, but it only provides a brief distraction from your annoyance and frustration. As soon as you finish, leaving the field for your tent, to dry down, your mind returns to the murder, and your thoughts darken once more.

But you try and force your mind away from that, for it's almost time for the meeting the Saint called.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dressed, wearing your cleanest tunic and trousers, you enter the tent in... while not a foul mood, your men avoided talking to you on the way here. Opening the tent, and entering with little fanfare, you come into the sight of the the Knight-Captains standing at the table, muttering, glaring daggers at each other.

Taking your place with the Teuton captains that remain, you glance at each other, reading the mood of the room. It's not good.

Walking from the back of the tent, behind a sheet, in his living quarters, St. Herard takes his place at the head of the table, and rolls out a map (pic), and looks at the assembled Knight-Captains, staring at each of them, including you, deep in the eyes.

It gives you the chills, to be honest. The man's eyes are a piercing blue-grey.

Anyways, he gestures to the map. "Ar lae'st repors an' maps say we're inna flud'plain. An' taht we're s'round'd by ah Impr'um Fahlminatah. 'Parently, they're heath'n, an' bastar's to erryone 'round 'em."

He gives each of you a knifelike smile, his grin slashing across his hard, leathery face.

"We'r losin' peop'l. Slowly, but sur'ly, we'r. So. We can' sit still 'ere any longer. Ah am, wit teh powr's the Pope an' God invest'd in me, declarin' a holy Crusade agains' em."

This news startles the other Knight-Captains, and the Saint winks at you. This was what he was talking about?

"Ah'm command'n three armies ta go ou' 'n bring th' word of tha Lord t' these heathen, an' bring Chrisn'dom ta these lands."

Breaking out three markers, the saint places them east, north, and west of the warband camp on the map, and leans back in his chair.

"Te're gon' be armies, each 400 strong, Teutons, you'll be sup'lmnted wit' tree Templar warbands, Remain'n 600 men'll stay 'ere, an' build a cit'del."

The man crosses his arms, and looks at the assembled Knight-Captains.

"An'y questions?"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

After much deliberation, you worked every aspect of the plan out with your fellows.

The Teutons would....

>Go West, across the river, into the plains.
>Go East, through the forest, to the moors.
>Go North, into the mountains.

And the Templar bands supporting them would be....

>Sir Aedilhun Gage, Marcus' captain. Is young and faithful, much like Marcus.
>Belladonna Natalia Baldoni Eufrasia Cusimano, your friend.
>Sir Paglario of Pisa, a Templar that you have issues with, yet is effective in battle.
>Sir Guies de Mesniel, a French Templar who is notable for his valor.

I'm gonna call this one here, open voting until next update.

>>1576450
>Go north into the mountains
>Sir Audilhun Gage

>>1576450
>Go North, into the mountains.
>Sir Paglario of Pisa, a Templar that you have issues with, yet is effective in battle.
Let's mix things up. Plus we can be there if he decides to do something iffy.

>>1576574

Supporting this battle plan

>>1576450
>>Go North, into the mountains.
>Sir Guies de Mesniel, a French Templar who is notable for his valor.

>>1576450
>Go North, into the mountains.

>Sir Aedilhun Gage, Marcus' captain. Is young and faithful, much like Marcus.

>>1576574
>>1576579
>>1576633
>>1576636

I probably should have put this in front of the greentext, but you're picking THREE Templar units to back you up.

Sorry for the confusion.

>>1576636
Moved to mobile
>Sir Aedilhun
>Belladona
>Sir Guies

>>1576760

Seconding this

Are we equipped to move through the mountains?

>>1576972
Not currently, but you will be.

>>1576633
>Go North, into the mountains.

>Belladonna Natalia Baldoni Eufrasia Cusimano, your friend.
>Sir Guies de Mesniel, a French Templar who is notable for his valor.
>Sir Aedilhun Gage, Marcus' captain. Is young and faithful, much like Marcus.

>>1576450
>Sir Aedilhun Gage, Marcus' captain. Is young and faithful, much like Marcus.
>Belladonna Natalia Baldoni Eufrasia Cusimano, your friend.
>Sir Paglario of Pisa, a Templar that you have issues with, yet is effective in battle.

>>1579029
Actually switch Natalia with
>Sir Guies de Mesniel, a French Templar who is notable for his valor.

>>1576760
>>1576814
Good opportunity here to investigate the Templar mudering civilian claim. Natalia is off the suspect list which leaves these three. Might allow us to prevent war crimes if we took them instead

>>1579021
>>1576760
>>1576636
>>1576633
>>1576579
>>1576574

>Go North, into the mountains.

>Belladonna Natalia Baldoni Eufrasia Cusimano, your friend.
>Sir Guies de Mesniel, a French Templar who is notable for his valor.
>Sir Aedilhun Gage, Marcus' captain. Is young and faithful, much like Marcus.

Calling the vote here.

Writing.

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>>1576450

Eventually, the decision was made that the Teutons, supported by the three Templar warbands, would head north into the mountains, due to their experience with similar conditions in Germany. The three captains to accompany you, you concluded, would be Natalia, Sir Guies de Mesniel, and Sir Aedilhun Gage, for their close ties with you and the other Teuton Knight-Captains, and the high amount of Germans in their warbands.

However, there were some issues to solve before you headed north. There was the matter of the route to take, as well as the issue of recruiting the archers from earlier.

For the route, there were three plausible routes to take. The first, swung west, by the river, going around the first part of the range, or, as much of the range that you could see. This would be best if you wanted to find any cities of the Imperium.

The second, while similar, chose instead to head through a mountain pass that an expedition had spotted earlier. This was the safest bet if you wanted to root out any mountain strongholds of the Imperium Fulmintata.

The third route, instead, chose to cut to the east, and make for a valley that cut in between the range. This would be the easiest terrain to fight on, at least, if you planned on lancer charges.

Where would you go?

>Route A, Northwest around the mountain range.
>Route B, North-Northwest into the mountain pass.
>Route C, Northeast into the valley.

As for the archer situation, where would you draw from to make a sizable troop? There weren't very many options, but they were as follows.

>Recruit hunters from the human village in Mornaur. (Free, relatively experienced fighters, but few in number.)
>Recruit archers from the elves in Mornaur. (Hardened soldiers, with decades of experience, but you'll have to compensate them.)
>Recruit from the refugees from the village. (Not soldiers at all, but they're free, and there are quite a few able-bodied men among them.)
>Write-in.

>>1579424
>>Route A, Northwest around the mountain range.
>Recruit from the refugees from the village. (Not soldiers at all, but they're free, and there are quite a few able-bodied men among them.)

>>1579424
Recruit the Hunters then have them Teach the Refugees how to shoot.

Route C

>>1579424

>Recruit archers from the elves in Mornaur

Which route has the land they grow food on? I vote that one. Better to starve them out and force them to come to us than to get bogged down in city sieges or mountainous terrain.

>>1579499

You won't know until you choose a route to go down. But I can tell you that Route A and Route C are the most likely ones that have farmland.

>>1579529

For the love of god we need scouts! Can't we have Celly ride ahead and report back?

C, then, since that's the best route for picking up an extra troop from either the human village or the elf town.

>>1579580

Well, yes, the lack of scouts was an issue. But remember, the force you were a part of were a shock troop sent to reach the Saracen horde approaching Acre as quickly as possible.

>>1579435
>>1579453
>>1579499
>>1579580

>Route C, Northeast into the valley.

I think I'm going to merge some of the votes, if that's okay.

>Recruit from the refugees, but swing by the village to see if you can get any experienced archers there.

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>>1579424

You decided to head into the valley, where you hoped to find farmland, (to starve the Imperium out, if possible,) and land that was easier for horsemen to fight on, while still heading up into the mountain range. In addition, you choose to recruit from among the refugees, while still heading by the human village in the Mornaur forest to find experienced hunters.

>(+20 Knave Archers)

Afterwards, you learned that, through hunting, the rest of the army had made rough cloaks and such for travel through the cold of the mountain, and gave them to your army, readying them for the weather at high altitudes.

>(Cold Weather gear received!)

Leaving the camp, heading across the plains, you headed to the village in the forest, that you saved from the Wild Hunt, to recruit experienced huntsmen. It seems so long ago, now, that you ran from Wod and his Black Hounds..

Reaching the village with a small detachment (the main army waited just outside the forest, setting up camp on the plains,) you are pleasantly surprised to see several banners with the Black Cross of the Teuton order hanging on the backs of the village homes on the outside of the village.

Sharing a meaningful look with Kathrin, you ride into the village center, where you are greeted by Father Donaidh MacAodhagain, the monk who you left behind in the village, surrounded by the four knights that you left to guard both him and the village, two of whom, you note, have squires standing behind them, dressed in Teutonic tabards.

"Victor, how goes it? It's been a while, has it not? Come, tell me why you are here!"

Dismounting Gunnar, you clap him on the shoulders and smile.

"It is good to see you, Father. I have come for..."

>"Your blessing, and any able-bodied men who can pull a bow."
>"To check on the village, and see if I cannot find any huntsmen willing to join with our army."
>"Archers to train those we have recently recruited. I do not wish to disparage our new recruits, but they are poor with a bow."
>Write-in.

>>1579926
>"Archers to train those we have recently recruited. I do not wish to disparage our new recruits, but they are poor with a bow."

I guess I'll call this one here, too. Open voting and all that.

>>1579926
>"To check on the village, and see if I cannot find any huntsmen willing to join with our army."

>>1579926
>"To check on the village, and see if I cannot find any huntsmen willing to join with our army."

>"To check on the village, and see if I cannot find any huntsmen willing to join with our army."

>"To check on the village, and see if I cannot find any huntsmen willing to join with our army."

Forgot I had already posted here. Please, ignore