Spring 1223 - Sir Achilles and the Troll

Sir Achilles took note of the improving weather and sent construction workers to being the finishing stages of the work on the bridge on the path to Ploeuc. The largest part remaining was the flat roadway, to sit on the beams bridging between the already constructed stout revetments.

The workers returned, worried, saying that the bridge was already finished. More, the bridge had been finished with a fine stone arch spanning the river, which was far more than Achilles had planned (and more than he could afford to pay for!). A quick inspection in person confirmed the improvements to the bridge.

The bridge lies out of sight of the old road: the road now forks, where the old road runs down to a wider shallower part of the valley, so the road can climb down to the river and ford it; the new road turns upstream a short way to a rocky outcrop where the valley steepens and narrows and the bridge may leap a lesser span. None who passed down the path over the winter thought to divert and inspect the bridge, but rather dodged the rains and made straight for their destination. Now the fine arched bridge stood in all its finished glory...

Achilles returned, and sought audience with Speculor - as the most prone perhaps, to do something stupid with a bridge... Speculor was asked whether any of the magi had been Bridge-Building, but he affirmed that, no - all magi had been busy about their scholarly studies. Achilles retreated to his Manor to contemplate matters, and the possibilities as to who or what might have altered the bridge.

The consensus seemed to be that it had to be a Troll, and that the Magical Haunted Forest was merely living up to its name. If this were so, then they had better investigate more carefully. There was also the matter of the planned Shrine: Achilles did not wish to annoy a monstrous Troll, but equally having a man of the cloth might just be useful if things went wrong.

He summoned his men, together with Father Edwin, and went to the bridge. If all were well, Fr. Edwin could bless the enterprise and install the shrine to St. Christopher they had prepared.

As they took first steps onto the bridge, it seemed that all heard the sound of pebbles falling into water, as if disturbed in some large echoing space. Somehow, the sound seemed out of proportion, much louder and clearer over the rush of water than it had any right to be. They stopped, backed off, and stepped on again, and the sounds repeated.

They stepped off and sent Zane back to peer under the bridge: he reported that it was very black, but that he could See a cave under the bridge.

Now, Achilles was very certain that they had not build over a cave, for that would have greatly weakened his foundations for the bridge platform. Legends of Trolls came leaping to mind, making all look nervously at each other - that is, except for Garth fils de Troll. So, Garth was sent to investigate...

He approached the arched underside, and prodded with his maul, calling back that he could see no cave. Achilles insisted he continue, as Zane was known to See truly, even things which were not there. Garth called out "Greetings Cousin Troll...", and tapped some more, and repeated this. He felt a rumbling in his belly as some vast deep voice spoke within him, and appeared to reply!

The others encouraged Garth forwards, to go inside if possible, so he continued - and a Cave Mouth opened up before him. It was very dark, and he could not see, so the others set to lighting a small fire, to light a Torch. In the delay while this proceeded, the Troll within called again to Garth, and again, becoming impatient - so Garth took a bold step and entered anyway. The cave within was merely gloomy, not pitch black. As his eyes adjusted, he found himself face to face with what must surely be his cousin: a real live Troll, from the under-earth!

The troll spoke some while with Garth, until Garth worried that he overstepped what little authority he had, to negotiate the value of tolls and passage. He asked to leave, and bring his Lord, Sir Achilles. The Troll agreed, saying only that if this other were not so agreeable as Garth then he would have to eat him; Garth stated that this would be over his dead body, and the Troll was forced to agree, if that must be so.

Sir Achilles was not over-pleased at the prospect before him. He took Fr. Edwin aside, and made a hurried confession, and received absolution, with a promise to complete penance when (if!) he returned alive from the Monster in the cave. (If he died in the exercise, surely this were penance enough?) He followed Garth into the gloomy cave, and found himself retching, and cursing that Garth had not warned him of the vile stench. The troll was all he had heard and feared: as tall as a man when stooped, as tall and half as tall again if it stood straight, with arms like a man's thighs, and teeth and claws to match; its voice was like the rumbling of a mountain, seeming to form itself inside his belly (fortunately now empty). [1]

It would seem that the Troll desired Silver, and Goats. Sir Achilles did not believe he could afford to pay a goat each time his men crossed, nor even silver each time. He explained that he hoped that his men might pass frequently, and need they pay Toll each and every time? The Troll enquired were they then to become friends? As friends, they need not always pay Toll, if they would send Gifts in advance. Soon they had agreed that at the start of each Season, Sir Achilles would send III Goats as a sign of his esteem for the Troll, and all strangers who crossed must pay the Toll in Silver!

As for the matter of passage: if those who crossed were to whisper the pass-phrase

"I am a friend of Sir Achilles, and he has paid the Toll"

then they would be allowed to pass. It was left implied that if too few people paid real Tolls, that the Troll might not be so satisfied...

Shaken, but having survived the experience, Sir Achilles left the cave and re-emerged into the Spring air, and rushed to wash his face in the clear waters of the river. Climbing up to the others, he told Fr. Edwin that the shrine would be better placed "just off the bridge, on the approach". Fr. Edwin might have protested this, but having become accustomed to the strange things happening around Wizards and those who associate with them, he allowed - subject to confirmation by Magus Constantine -that it should be so.

Upon their return Sir Achilles made haste to arrange for III of the finest goats to be sent to the Troll - the finest, lest the gift displease him, and they would not want the Troll displeased! Then, too, to tell the Magi that they had a Troll to "guard" their southern approaches, and that the bridge now existed, but would not "carry enough traffic to aggravate the Magi, but only allow our own people to cross freely". The Toll, and the Troll, would discourage all and sundry from crossing! Achilles also sent to warn the folk of Ploeuc not to violate the bridge, but to pay the Toll if they must cross; his own Stewards he entrusted with the pass-phrase.

The magi themselves felt that the Redcaps ought in fairness to be informed. Other magi could announce themselves and be welcomed, or pay the Toll. The magi found that they quite liked the idea of a Troll guarding the southern approach to the Covenant, although Speranda objected to the wording of the pass-phrase -- surely, it should state that those crossing were members of the Covenant of Saxum Caribetum, and friends of the magi! However, the other magi felt that re-forming the words - a matter involving direct negotiation with the Troll - was not so important as letting the Troll guard the bridge!

Fr. Edwin found that he was happy with the pass-phrase, and made sure to say a prayer each time he crossed, as he must frequently do to minister to the people of Ploeuc.

Newcomers

Sir Achilles was delighted to find that his messages sent to encourage skilled craftsmen to come and settle in Caribet had born fruit, and that III crafters had come to his manor. He was by now so resigned to the awful truth of the weirdness he had inherited that he was not over surprised at the nature of the skilled folk he acquired, but rather expected that each must have some dark secret reason to be driven from the safe normal world into this mad place in the Haunted Forest. (Why was it he himself was here?)

So:

Fulk Malavis, Illuminator, Hunchback and Whore-caller, should join his service; and

Margery, glassblower, young, pretty and cast-out-with-child, should also be a fine contributor to his service; and

Georges Silversmith, who seemed implausibly normal, but must surely (by now) be expected to have some problem (best left unexplored), should also be a fine contributor to his service.

These three craftsmen (whatever) should add to his own status by their skilled output, and in providing services to the Magi, bring approval and silver to Sir Achilles! The magi were indeed gratified, and left to resolve their internal priorities - who should have first call on the glassblower, who the silversmith, and whose new book should be first to be Illuminated (and who then should get to read that book!).

Notes

[1] Surely that was not Garth eating something in the corner of Achilles' eye?

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