The Butterfly Device - A Grand Campagin

@IAmWhoa: Indeed, Robert is on a boat right now and therefore knows nothing that is going on back home. In fact, being even younger than Osbern and having never really befriended Matilda, Robert knows nothing at all of the reign of Baldwin, little of his own father's rule, and has never heard the phrase "She'll Kill Them All!"

Ignorance is bliss.

Late Winter, 1085 - The Mediterannean Sea

The sound of waves slamming against their ship, each threatening to destroy their vessel. The sight of a horizon with no land to be seen. The feel of being knocked off your feet, as the sea continues to launch saltwater into your eyes. The smell of hundreds of men living inches from each other. The taste of the food, rotten with bugs.

It was a dream come true.

Unlike his father, Robert had been born for a life at sea. Still too young to be of any use behind an oar, he instead followed Captain Humphrey up and down the galley, inspecting every aspect of the trip, learning every step of the Captain's duties, ensuring everything was going to plan...and discovering that, generally speaking, it was not.

In fact, it was during one of these inspections that Robert had the occasion to say:

"Was that a lion?"

Captain Humphrey and the other men laughed at the idea...that somehow, an African Lion had swam across the mediterranean and climbed onto their ship, but Robert was insistant. He had heard the roar of a lion. He distinctly remembered the sound the lion made, after seeing one at King Philippe's menagerie when he was just of seven years. There was no mistaking it.

Robert continued to insist he had heard a lion...with Captain Humphreys quickly growing impatient...when Robert heard a different noise. A tearing of some sort.

But this time, Captain Humphreys heard it too, and looked up at the fresh tear in his sail.

"What in the..."

But the question was answered before it was even asked, as a second cannonball found the Captain's right leg, causing Humphrey to collapse into a pool of his own blood.



Robert looked around as the men scrambled to position.




They were about to be captured by pirates.

I've been wanting to do a contest here for a while...I know exactly what the contest itself will be...but I'm struggling to come up with an award for the winner.

There came a point in my game where I had a choice between following one of three or four characters, and I figured that would be a good prize...choosing which character you wanted me to focus on.

But...it turned out that that saved game was corrupted, so we're stuck with the choice I made before I came up with the contest.

So...

1) Would you guys be interested in a mini-contest?

and

2) What would be a cool prize?

Not a bad suggestion...though I'm not sure how to implement it in the game short of "cheating." Another problem is that I like to play well ahead of the story, so that I can use hindsight to see what occurrences are relevant. For example, I didn't even come up with the whole "She'll Kill Them All" storyline until well after the pirate attack that I just mentioned...so imagine how different the story would be if I'd started writing while I was still playing as Baldwin.

So...the adventures of Bishop Enewald...Spy Master Slinky...


...and Marshal Snugglie?

Ha, alright, alright. The consensus has spoken. The winner will be added into the game.

I'll wait until a new non-royal character is introduced (IE Bishop Humphrey, etc), then we'll hold the contest.

Okay...you know what? Let's just go ahead and hold the contest now...with the understanding that your character will not arrive for a while.

(For those who saw the previous question here, I figured it was too easy. Google could answer it.)

The question is...Annelies received a message right about the same time that Reinel was stuck with an arrow in Jerusalem.

First person who correctly guesses the author and the content of the message...not exact words mind you...wins!

PM me the answer!

Ha...sure, since I'm interested in what is going through everyone's mind while they read (and especially for storylines that I didn't consider!)


But only your first guess counts for the competition.

Late Winter, 1085 - The Mediterannean Sea

Cannonballs continued to fire, tearing into both the hull and the Count's men as they ran for their swords...unsure of how exactly one fights cannonballs with swords, having never even heard of such a weapon before.

Robert ran across the deck as bodies piled around him...but he wasn't looking for a place to hide.

He was looking for a way to fight back.


He found Captain Humphrey laying on his back, a good distance from where his left leg lay.

"Captain!"

"The sword, boy. Take my sword. Won't do me any good, haven't got any fight in me left."

"What am I going to do with it, Captain? They stay safely on their boat, launching these balls at us."

"It's not a military battle, son. Those men are pirates. It's a robbery. They have no desire to sink our ship...they want whatever treasures they imagine are aboard. Eventually, they will try to board our ship. And when they do..."

Robert nodded, accepting Humphrey's sword. "Stay strong, Captain. This will be over soon, and then we'll get you help."


Moments later, the first pirate landed on starboard.