Grima seems to ingratiate himself quickly into the group (after all, they've known and worked with him for several months, so he can't be all bad?).
The burial of Sancho and Vincent
The next morning, Thursday the 4th of June, the company and several people from the village attend the short burial ceremony for Sancho and Vincent in the village graveyard, led by Prior Guillaume. The middle-aged friar looks haggard and tired, but he gives a brief but moving speech over the dead and thanks them for their ultimate sacrifice for Les Hiboux and in service of the holy church. They are lowered into the ground and quickly covered up by the village's gravedigger. Two simple wooden crosses are staked into the ground at the head of the graves and that's -- as they say -- is that.
On the road to Vyones
Guillaume has his two acolyte monks quickly tether two mules to a simple wagon and the companions load into the back of it and it trundles off down the road. At the crossroads where the road turns south for Arles and north for Vyones, is a simple roadside inn. the company takes lodgings for the night and they set off the next morning and arrive without incident at the gates of the great walls of Vyones that eveing about an hour before sunset. The Prior tells the troupe to take lodgings where they will and to meet him in the cathedral of Vyones on the morrow before Sunday Mass. He will try to arrange an audience with his holiness the Bishop.
A night on the town
That night, the actors-cum-adventurers explore the mazy streets and alleyways of the vibrant city. People bustle about here and there and seem to be a lively bunch, for there is much baudy laughter coming from the numerous wineshops and taverns that line the main road bisecting the town from east to west. After inquiring around, they find a suitably dingy, and dimly lit basement tavern proclaiming itself as the "
Gilded Chalice." Inside the smoky tap-room is full of rough looking characters huddled around corner tables, dimly lit by candle light. A weasel-faced man of saturnine aspect behind the bar grins broadly and welcomes you in. Bottles of Burgundian red, that burns like fire are bought, passed around and consumed. In short order,
Vandal downs four bottles by himself and starts to really raise a ruckus, grabbing bar wenches by the waist and spinnning them around. His antics summon two burly brutes who escort the nearly insensible mountainman out into the darkened street where he can be heard laughing and bellowing. Shortly thereafter, he chooses to drop his trousers and relieve himself onto the leg of a passing merchant, who immediately calls out to the guards, who struggle to subdue the blind drunk lout, but eventually he falls down and they truss him and toss him into jail for the night.
Meanwhile back in the wineshop,
Madeline can't help herself and offers to buy rounds for the house and starts bragging about your exploits outside of Les Hiboux, speaking of ancient tombs, lost treasure and other such fanciful things. Those of you who have remained more immoderate in your consumption, notice that there are many rough characters in the bar who share furtive glances and whisper in the corners of the bar. Some of these men slide up to Madeline and start buying her drinks, which she happily receives and consumes, continuing her braggadocio. Minus one Vandal, the party retires to a hostel at the eastern gate where the Prior took lodgings and they wake up the next morning and take breakfast. In the middle of their repast a mud-stained, and foul-smelling Vandal (more than usual) staggers into the common room clutching his head, but seemingly no worse for wear. He doesn't seem quite as exuberant or loquacious this morning, perhaps he'll share where he got to off to? But you all doubt it.
Meeting the Bishop
Prior Guillaume and the party walk to the center of town where the great cathedral of Vyones is located. They attend mass and afterward they are summoned to a chamber where they are greeted by the Bishop himself. He is a tall, imperious fellow with a hawk-like nose and steely, shrewd eyes. Prior Guillaume explains all the strange events that have befallen the village and in turn he questions each of you. When all is said and done, his face looks concerned, but he says little; only that he will write to the Pope himself in Avignon and ask that a detachment of Templars be sent to more thoroughly investigate these claims. With that he dismisses you and thanks you for your service to the holy mother church and you are sent on your way.
You all spend one more night in Vyones, waiting for the merchant banks to open. You take Horatio's note of credit and the bank cashes it without question. Some of you attend to shopping in the market square or idle your time walking the streets of Vyones, exploring its various nooks, crannies, gardens and curio shops. You set out for Les Hiboux late that morning, stay another night at the roadside inn, and arrive late Tuesday evening, the 9th of June.
(deduct 10sp everyone for lodgings and distribute the 500sp cashed from the banknote however you see fit and do any shoPping in the city that you want to)
