The small craft reaches Pendennis Castle beneath formal escort. Arus, Elizabeth, Thomas Veale, and his sister disembark together, while the corporal keeps his scarlet-coated men arranged around them.
Within the castle offices, clerks prepare a register beneath the Viscount’s crest. The ledger remains secured in Arus’s satchel, and Thomas keeps one hand near the pardon hidden in his waistcoat.
The Viscount
Read the offer aloud before witnesses. The Veales are to hear every condition, and every promise is to be entered into the Sheriff’s record.
The Customs Clerk
Thomas Veale and his sister are placed under the protection of Viscount Falmouth, with safe passage and amnesty conditional upon truthful cooperation.
Thomas listens without interrupting. His sister stands close beside him, anxious but composed, while Elizabeth watches the clerk’s pen with sharp attention and the corporal guards the office door.
Arrus Gandon
We guessed your plot, Mr. Veale. We prepared a discreet escape for you and your sister before anyone could close the net.
Arus lowers his voice after the formal reading, keeping the explanation between himself and Thomas. The clerk pauses over the register, waiting for the Veales’ acknowledgment before sealing the promise into law.
“I will nod to the corporal, indicating that his curiosity can be satisfied simply by listening to the proceedings before us. Of course I will await patiently until spoken to, when Viscount Falmouth is satisfied everything is in order. I will not reveal the ledger or even it's existence until he and I are in a more private setting, where he may question Thomas Veale more thoroughly, answering several questions that have been on all of our minds about the true nature of Baron Billings' activities.”
SUCCESS (Good Intrigue, rolled +2)
Arus gives the corporal a small, knowing nod, then settles beside the register with patient composure. His leather ledger remains concealed within the satchel at his side.
Corporal James Venn
Very well, sir. I will listen and keep my questions until his lordship has finished.
The corporal turns his attention fully to the clerk. Thomas stands beneath the Viscount’s crest, his sister close beside him, while Elizabeth watches every line entered into the record.
The Customs Clerk
The conditions are understood. Truthful cooperation is required, and protection extends to both Veales under the Sheriff’s authority.
The Viscount
Let the register be witnessed and sealed. Once that is done, Mr. Veale will answer further questions in private, where his account may be tested properly.
Arus waits without interruption as the clerk finishes reading and presses wax beneath the Viscount’s crest. The room’s attention remains on the formal proceedings, leaving his concealed evidence undisclosed.
Thomas Veale
I understand, my lord. I will speak plainly when called upon, and I will hold nothing back.
“I reassure Thomas’s sister beside the register. Both Veales likely lived in fear of the Baron, unable to breathe easy until at least this far away from his reach. And I doubt Miss Veale would have nothing of value to contribute to her older brother's account of the activities of the Billings' estate, overt or otherwise.”
SUCCESS (Superb Willpower, rolled +3)
Arus turns from the register toward Thomas Veale’s sister, keeping his voice low and his manner steady while the clerk’s wax cools beneath the Viscount’s crest.
Arrus Gandon
You and your brother are beyond Baron Billings’s immediate reach now. Breathe freely, Miss Veale. You are under the Sheriff’s protection.
The young woman’s shoulders loosen. She looks first to Thomas, then to the sealed register, and the fear held rigidly in her face gives way to cautious relief.
Anne Veale
I believe you, Mr. Gandon. I have waited a long while to hear anyone say that and mean it.
Anne Veale
My brother knows the ledgers, but I kept rooms and carried messages through the household. I saw which visitors were received after dark, and where certain accounts were taken.
Thomas turns sharply toward her, surprise widening his eyes. The clerk pauses with his pen raised, while Elizabeth’s attention fixes on Thomas Veale's sister with immediate interest.
Anne Veale
I can name the servants who altered entries, and the cabinet where my father’s private memoranda were kept. I will tell the Viscount everything I remember.
✓ Quest Accepted
Learn the full extent of the Billings estate’s hidden dealings
✓ Quest Accepted
Obtain the comptroller's memoranda
“Can Miss Veale first identify who her "father" is? We need to know who is the same one that she speaks of having a cabinet holding her "father’s" memoranda? Is she an illegitimate daughter of the Baron (and Elizabeth's secret half-sister)?!”
NO, BUT (Likely, rolled 66)
Thomas Veale’s sister falters beneath the sudden attention. Her gaze moves from Elizabeth to the Viscount’s crest, then settles on the clerk’s open register.
Anne Veale
No, my lady. Baron Billings is not my father. I meant my own father, the late estate comptroller, who kept accounts for the household.
Elizabeth’s expression changes from startled recognition to sharp disappointment, while Thomas closes his eyes briefly, as though fearing the danger in every remembered name.
Anne Veale
He kept a locked cabinet in the account room. The memoranda were his, but they recorded instructions from the Baron’s office, and names my father was ordered to conceal.
The Viscount
Then you are not a hidden Billings heir. You are a witness to his machinery, which may prove more useful than blood.
The clerk’s pen resumes scratching. A disappointing secret closes, but another path opens plainly: the account room cabinet may still contain the memoranda linking the Baron’s office to concealed payments.
Elizabeth Billings
Tell us where that cabinet stands, and who still carries its key. We may yet find the truth your father was forced to preserve.
“I will address Lord Falmouth and respectfully recommend that we immediately reconvene in a more confidential setting before burdening the Clerk with keeping a straightforward account of details that have not yet been fully explained or even spoken aloud before this very moment. I will suggest that we implore all present who have inside knowledge of the workings of the Billings estate, Elizabeth included, to make their full knowledge known to the Viscount as quickly as possible, before deciding on a plan of action.”
SUCCESS (Good Intrigue, rolled +2)
Arrus Gandon
My lord, I respectfully recommend that we reconvene somewhere private before burdening the clerk with details not yet fully explained or spoken.
Arus keeps his voice measured and gestures toward the open register. The office quiets, and even the clerk lowers his pen, recognizing the wisdom of discretion.
Arrus Gandon
Let everyone who knows the Billings estate speak freely, Elizabeth included. Once you have heard the whole account, we can decide our course.
The Viscount
Agreed. Clerk, preserve what has been entered and close the register. We shall continue in my private council room.
The clerk sands the fresh ink and closes the book beneath the Viscount’s crest. Guards open the inner door, directing the gathered witnesses toward a quieter chamber.
Elizabeth Billings
I will tell him everything I know, my lord. The account room, the household routines, and the names my father trusted.
Anne Veale
Then I shall speak plainly as well. My father’s memoranda may explain what the household was ordered to conceal.
“I will wait for the Viscount to dictate his preferences within his own private council chamber, but once there is an appropriate moment when he has commanded those present to speak plainly about what they know, I will chime in and emphasize the importance for all to hold nothing back, nor to hesitate about what may feel like an unsafe accusation to make against an established nobleman such as the Baron, and that this is a protected space and conversation, wherein no one should withhold even their personal suspicions as they will not be held accountable for the truth of what will be independently verified by others later. "It is high time to dispense with the timid caution that allows secrets to hide behind formalities. The new lord Sheriff of Cornwall needs answers, and he needs them now..."”
SUCCESS (Good Intrigue, rolled +1)
Arus follows the witnesses into the Viscount’s private council chamber and waits while his lordship takes the head of the table. The door closes, leaving the formal register outside.
The Viscount
We are among walls under my authority. Speak plainly about what you know, what you witnessed, and what you suspect. No rank will shield wrongdoing.
Arus waits until the Viscount finishes, then lifts one hand, asking Thomas and his sister to hold their replies. He leans toward them, speaking first in a hushed whisper.
Arrus Gandon
We guessed your plot, and prepared for it with a discreet plan to get you and your sister to safety before anyone could close the net.
He straightens and addresses the whole chamber, his measured voice carrying past the polished table and the Viscount’s silent guards.
Arrus Gandon
It is high time to dispense with the timid caution that allows secrets to hide behind formalities. The new Lord Sheriff of Cornwall needs answers, and he needs them now. Hold nothing back, even personal suspicions or accusations against an established nobleman. This chamber is protected, and no one will be held accountable for truth that later inquiry independently verifies.
The Viscount
Well said. Let every witness speak without fear, and let my officers test each claim afterward. Begin with the household accounts and leave nothing concealed.
“I reassure Thomas’s sister about her protection and strive to convince her that the protection is real. I will try to soften the tone of the heavy moment and insert an overlooked courtesy and ask her to forgive me for not asking for her given name before now. Once she shares it, I will address her with it as an assured confidant and re-emphasize that I will risk my own well-being to shield both herself and her brother from whatever consequences flow from her honest candor until the corruption is torn out by the roots and she again feels safe in the countryside of her own homeland. Then I will reiterate that the same applies to Thomas as well. I will ask directly about important details like the comptroller's cabinet and who likely still holds a key, their speculations and theories about the contents as well as whatever else may be true but not written down anywhere. In short, everything...”
SUCCESS (Good Intrigue, rolled -2)
Arrus Gandon
Forgive me, miss. I should have asked your given name before now. You are protected here, and I will risk my own safety to shield you and Thomas until this corruption is torn out.
Anne Veale
My name is Anne Veale. I believe you, Mr. Gandon, though such promises make you answerable for us both. I will not forget that cost.
Anne’s guarded posture eases beneath the courtesy. Thomas watches Arus with renewed hope, while the Viscount remains silent, allowing the assurance to become a bond witnessed by his household.
Arrus Gandon
The same protection applies to Thomas. Now tell us everything about your father’s cabinet, its key, what you suspect it contains, and what was never written down.
Anne Veale
The cabinet stood behind a false ledger shelf in the account room. My father kept the key on a black cord, but after his death the chief house steward likely took it.
Anne Veale
I suspect it holds payment tallies, private instructions, and names disguised as household expenses. The steward also carried messages after dark, though no register records them.
Thomas Veale
She is right. I saw the Baron’s seal on orders my father copied, and the steward knew which entries must vanish. Her testimony will expose more than my ledger, but it places her openly against powerful men.
“I will produce the leather-bound ledger for the Viscount to examine, "My lord, Mr. Veale was thoughtful enough to provide us with these physical records of the claims he and his sister now make, and I believe their word can be trusted by how well it corroborates their account of things within the Billings' estate grounds." Then I will address the anxious Mr. Veale, "Thomas, you were wise to seek Elizabeth's help, but the time to complete the other half of such measures as producing this ledger means more than just using it as a bargaining chip in exchange for personal safety... Now the mysteries die, and the truth comes out. Enough hints and vague indications... Tell us plainly what kinds of crimes the Baron has likely committed and for how much time? Out with it, without further delay!"”
SUCCESS (Superb Willpower, rolled +0)
Arrus Gandon
My lord, Mr. Veale has provided these physical records. They corroborate his and Anne’s account of the Billings estate, and I believe their word can be trusted.
Arus places the leather-bound ledger before the Viscount. Its worn spine, crowded pages, and altered entries give the testimony a material weight the room cannot dismiss.
The Viscount
A useful record, Mr. Gandon. I will examine it while Mr. Veale answers plainly.
Arrus Gandon
Thomas, you were wise to seek Elizabeth’s help, but safety cannot be the only purpose of this ledger. The mysteries end now. What crimes has the Baron likely committed, and for how long? Speak without further delay.
Arus gestures for Thomas to remain silent while the Viscount finishes reading, then leans close and explains in a hushed voice that their plot was guessed and a discreet escape prepared for both Veales.
Thomas Veale
The Baron has falsified customs accounts, concealed Crown revenue, and paid privateers to move untaxed cargo. The scheme began at least twelve years ago and continued through three successive harvest seasons of war.
The Viscount
That is no family scandal. It is sustained fraud against the Crown, conspiracy with armed men, and corruption reaching into my jurisdiction. Your ledger and testimony will be recorded together.
“I will politely interrupt the exchange at an appropriate moment to propose dramatic action requiring Lord Falmouth's immediate attention: "My lord, I must reiterate that as much as the good Mr. and Ms. Veale have to offer in the way of additional newly revealed secrets, however shocking, the contrived pretenses under which they were brought here will not fool the Baron and his cronies for long... And as soon as the fear of what they might reveal -and to whom- sets in their minds, the scramble to destroy further evidence of Lord Billings' crimes, and those who participated in them, will surely compel them into action... I request your leave to summon the commander of the 25th Regiment immediately, whom I will join with your orders to pursue and arrest anyone who attempts to prevent us from securing St. Michael's Mont in full force of your authority, my lord. We must act quickly, for every passing hour gives them tremendous opportunity to oppose us somehow..."”
SUCCESS (Good Intrigue, rolled +0)
Arrus Gandon
My lord, the Veales’ revelations will not remain secret. Fear will drive the Baron and his allies to destroy evidence and silence their accomplices. I request leave to summon the commander of the 25th Regiment, join him under your orders, and arrest anyone obstructing our seizure of St. Michael’s Mount. Every hour gives them greater opportunity to resist.
The Viscount finishes reading, then raises his hand to keep Thomas silent. Arus leans close and quietly explains that their plot was anticipated, and that a discreet plan had already secured both Veales’ escape.
The Viscount
Your warning is sound. The Baron’s fear will make him dangerous, and delay would serve him better than me.
The Viscount closes the ledger and strikes the table once with two fingers. His decision cuts through the chamber’s restraint, turning testimony into immediate action.
The Viscount
Send for the commander of the 25th Regiment at once. He will place his men under my authority, and you will accompany him, Mr. Gandon.
The Viscount
Secure St. Michael’s Mount, arrest anyone who obstructs the Crown’s inquiry, and preserve every record you find. You have my seal, my warrant, and my full authority.
A guard, a young adult man with a sturdy build, close-cropped brown hair, and a square jaw beneath a dark navy wool uniform and polished black boots hurries from the council room with the sealed orders. Elizabeth straightens beside the Veales, while the Viscount’s authority moves outward toward the mount before the Baron can answer it.
“I will take this brief opportunity to request a moment in private with the Viscount. With his assent, I will encourage Elizabeth to help the Veals find a hot meal and hospitable accommodations to rest before the investigative work resumes. After they leave I will explain that I believe there is another sensitive, nuanced political layer important enough to be considered: Elizabeth's fate... I will express my strongly felt personal opinion that, in truth, none of these severe misdeeds would've ever likely come to light if she had not put herself at great risk, to both her family name as well as her own personal safety, which is how I came into the Viscount's service in the first place. To add more danger to the larger picture, I want him to know that may not be of noble birth, but that I do understand the threats posed to the royal reputation, and by extent, all servants of the Crown... And if will permit me, I have already thought of recommendations for how to deal with them.”
SUCCESS (Good Intrigue, rolled -2)
Arrus Gandon
My lord, before the orders depart, may I have a private moment? I would first see Elizabeth and the Veales fed and properly housed.
The Viscount
Granted. Miss Billings, see them given a hot meal and respectable rooms. Then join us again, if you wish.
Elizabeth guides Thomas and Anne toward the servants’ passage, promising warmth and rest before questioning resumes. The Viscount waits until the door closes, one hand resting on the sealed orders.
Arrus Gandon
My lord, Elizabeth’s fate is part of this political matter. These crimes might never have surfaced without her risking family name and personal safety. That is how I came into your service.
Arrus Gandon
I was not born noble, but I understand the danger to the Crown’s reputation, and therefore to every servant who bears its authority. If you permit it, I have recommendations.
The Viscount
You have my permission. But understand the cost: your counsel now binds you to the outcome, and I will hold you accountable if Elizabeth’s position is mishandled.
The Viscount draws a chair opposite his own and leaves the council table between them. He has granted privacy, protection for the Veales, and a hearing, but Arus’s influence now carries a debt.
“"That is a burden I gladly accept, my lord. In truth, I think of it not only out of duty but because, if you'll pardon my plain words, I have grown very fond of the young lady Billings... However I would not dare offend her good upbringing -or station- by presuming to court such a charming noblewoman as a mere common servant, even in the household of such an esteemed patron as your lordship, for which I am eternally grateful. It is an honor to serve you. It it is also my understanding of the world that a nobleman such as yourself can never truly know the minds of those who serve them, such as myself, until they know what drives them beyond a simple sense of duty and honor. I wish to confess that I have such a motivation, my lord, but I believe it may serve you well for your own interests rather than against you. If you'll forgive me for seeking your counsel on the matter, I trust that if her father is indeed brought to the King's justice, you will remain her patron in his stead?”
SUCCESS (Good Intrigue, rolled +0)
Arrus Gandon
That is a burden I gladly accept, my lord. I have grown very fond of the young lady Billings, though I would never presume to court her above my station. I serve you with gratitude, but I ask your counsel. If her father is brought to the King’s justice, will you remain her patron in his stead?
The Viscount studies Arus across the table, weighing affection, ambition, and the political advantage of keeping Elizabeth beneath a loyal protector’s authority.
The Viscount
You speak more honestly than most men seeking favor. Yes, Mr. Gandon. If Sir Alfred falls, Elizabeth will remain under my patronage, and no court will treat her as an abandoned daughter.
He taps one finger against the sealed orders, his expression sharpening from private consideration into deliberate policy. The promise is not merely charitable; it secures Elizabeth’s position and his own influence.
The Viscount
As for your regard, I will not forbid it. But you will court her with respect, and you will accept her answer as freely as you seek mine.
The closed door gives no sign of Elizabeth’s return. Within the quiet council room, however, Arus’s request has become an acknowledged possibility rather than an impertinence.
The Viscount
Should she choose you, her father’s disgrace will not be laid at your feet. Serve faithfully, speak plainly, and I will see that her future remains her own.
“"Thank you, my lord, with all my heart!" I will leave my seat for taking a more appropriate knee before him, not looking down in a grovelling fashion, but with pride and sincere gratitude in my eyes as much as in my words... I place my sword hand as a fist over my heart in the gesture of a solemn pledge, "I will not disappoint you, my lord. From this day forth, I shall strive to continue to distinguish myself in service of your house until the day that all my betters may see me as worthy of your trust, and, God willing, that the King may someday recognize my service and elevate me to a station worthy of asking for the young lady Billings' hand, if she will have me. Until such day, if it comes, I will defend her honor as I would defend yours, and obey your commands faithfully, by my sword or my life, whenever either my be required..." Then I will softly bow my head in sincerity and profoundly genuine gratitude.”
SUCCESS (Good Intrigue, rolled +0)
Arrus Gandon
Thank you, my lord, with all my heart. I will not disappoint you. From this day forth, I will distinguish myself in service to your house until my loyalty earns your trust and, God willing, a station worthy of seeking Miss Billings’s hand, if she will have me. Until then, I will defend her honor as I would yours and obey your commands faithfully, by my sword or my life.
Arus leaves his seat and lowers himself onto one knee before the Viscount, spine straight and gaze level. His sword hand forms a fist over his heart, his pledge carried with pride rather than submission.
He bows his head at last, the gesture solemn and sincere. The sealed orders remain beneath the Viscount’s hand, while the quiet chamber gives the vow its full weight.
The Viscount
Rise, Mr. Gandon. A man who speaks of service, honor, and a woman’s free choice has understood the terms better than many born to rank.
The Viscount’s guarded expression eases into approval. He extends one hand, not to command Arus upward, but to mark the pledge as accepted between near equals in purpose.
The Viscount
Serve faithfully, and I will make your conduct known where it matters. As for Elizabeth, you may seek her hand only as her equal in respect, never as her owner.
Beyond the closed door, footsteps approach from the servants’ passage. The Viscount’s promise stands settled, and Arus’s pledge has become part of the house’s future rather than merely a hopeful petition.
“I will stand. "I completely understand, my lord. As to my first act in protecting her good name, I must seek your guidance in how to proceed in the sensitive matter of also protecting the Crown's.... Would we not be wise to take the minimum necessary compliment from the Regiment to successfully secure St. Michael's Mont without raising alarm across all of Cornwall? Would it not also best serve the Crown to, how to put it, leave room for discretion about the former Sheriff in the King's service, as well as that of the name of lady Billings herself?"”
SUCCESS (Good Intrigue, rolled +0)
Arrus Gandon
I completely understand, my lord. To protect her good name and the Crown’s interests, would it not be wiser to take only the minimum force necessary to secure St. Michael’s Mount without alarming Cornwall?
Arrus Gandon
And would discretion not best serve the Crown regarding the former Sheriff’s fate, as well as the name of Lady Billings herself?
Arus rises, then lets the final question rest between them. He keeps his manner respectful, offering the Viscount a narrower, quieter victory than a public descent upon the mount.
The Viscount
You are right. A regiment marching in force would turn inquiry into panic, and panic scatters evidence faster than any guilty man.
The Viscount
I will send only the detachment required to secure the estate and its records. The commander will act under my seal, quietly, and without needless display.
The Viscount
As for Sir Alfred, his disposition will remain discreet until the evidence is tested. Elizabeth’s name will be separated from his crimes wherever the law permits.
The Viscount draws the sealed orders closer and marks a revised instruction in the margin. Arus’s counsel has become policy: measured force, controlled knowledge, and room for Elizabeth to survive her father’s fall.
“I will prepare to execute the Viscount's orders and follow the plan to preserve unwritten degrees of discretion surrounding the raid of the Billings' estate. To seek greater clarity, I will ask, "Regarding the premise for our search, what shall we have the commander tell his men is the reason for our presence there, my lord? Seeking unrelated fugitives or criminals hiding somewhere on St. Michael's Mont? Is there anyone else you may be thinking of who would also make the appropriate target of the public scrutiny and criticism? I may be able to arrange some persuasive activities from nearby associates I may still know from my earlier days sailing in those landings, such as the villagers living above the nearby cove..."”
SUCCESS (Good Intrigue, rolled +1)
Arrus Gandon
Regarding the search, what reason shall the commander give his men? Fugitives on the Mount, perhaps, or another public target for scrutiny? I may arrange distractions through villagers above the nearby cove.
Arus keeps his tone low and practical, offering the commander a harmless explanation while reserving the real purpose for the Viscount’s seal and trusted ears.
The Viscount
Tell the men they are seeking concealed Crown records and persons suspected of aiding the former Sheriff’s unlawful trade. That charge is broad, credible, and requires no public naming of Elizabeth.
The Viscount
Do not invent a particular fugitive. A false name invites questions, while suspected smuggling gives every watcher on the coast a reason to accept the search.
He draws the revised orders beneath his hand and adds a brief instruction, authorizing discreet inquiries among the cove’s villagers without turning them into declared suspects.
The Viscount
If your former associates can create noise elsewhere, let it concern a rumored landing or illicit cargo. No threats, no needless arrests, and no action that exposes this household.
The Viscount
The commander will know the true objective. His men will hear only enough to perform their duty, while Cornwall hears a routine inquiry into smuggling.
✓ Quest Accepted
Secure St. Michael’s Mount for the Crown inquiry
− Scene Quest Removed
Obtain the comptroller's memoranda
“Do sailing conditions and the tide favor a soon departure time by ship (would be faster)?”
YES (Even, rolled 30)
A clerk returns with word from the landing. The tide is falling cleanly, the wind sits fair from the west, and a fast cutter can reach the Mount before dusk.
The Viscount
Then we do not wait for daylight. The water favors a swift departure, and the estate must be secured before word outruns us.
He draws the revised orders close and adds a final seal. Beyond the castle windows, gulls wheel over bright water, while the harbor tide slides outward beneath them.
The Viscount Guard
My lord, the cutter can cast off within the hour. With this tide, she will make the Mount faster than any road party.
The Viscount
See it provisioned lightly and kept quiet. The commander receives his true instructions aboard, away from every curious ear.
The arrangement turns urgency into advantage. A discreet voyage will carry the warrant toward St. Michael’s Mount while the narrowing tide denies the Baron time to scatter his hidden papers.
The Viscount
Mr. Gandon, finish your preparations. When the cutter sails, Cornwall will believe it follows smugglers, not the collapse of a noble house.
Director's note
which I never leave behind when traveling into danger
Director's note
Close out scene 21
“I nod in acknowledgement and leave to gather my necessary gear and supplies for the serious confrontation ahead, including a rapier, my pistol, shot, and powder. Before leaving Pendennis castle, I visit the castle armory, and select the highest quality dueling sword I can find there to bring with me to The Billings Estate. Then board the navy cutter and begin looking for the 25th Regiment's commander.”
SUCCESS (Superb Perception, rolled +0)
Arus nods to the Viscount, then leaves the council room to gather what the voyage and confrontation demand. His rapier, flintlock, shot pouch, and powder horn are secured beneath his cloak.
In Pendennis Castle’s armory, he surveys polished blades until one stands above the rest: a superb dueling sword with a narrow steel blade, silver guard, and balanced leather grip.
Arus tests its balance with a single controlled sweep, then claims the sword for the mission. The armorer records the issue while Arus buckles the weapon beside his own gear.
The Viscount Guard
The cutter is ready, Mr. Gandon. The commander has been told to expect you aboard.
Arus crosses the harbor under brisk escort and boards the navy cutter. Sailors cast off, lines come aboard, and the vessel turns into the fair western wind.
From the quarterdeck, Arus studies the uniformed men and officers until he identifies the 25th Regiment’s commander, a stern middle-aged officer waiting near the chart table.
The 25th Regiment Commander
Mr. Gandon. I am ready for the Viscount’s true instructions. Tell me what awaits us at Billings Estate.
+ New Item Acquired
Dueling sword
“I will be candid with the commander. "Commander, we are undertaking a most sensitive assignment that must be spoken of in both confidence and privacy." I will find the appropriate place to inform him discreetly, away from unprivileged ears. I will include the need to take the Baron into custody, even against his will, without drawing attention to the incident. The Baron is to be put in irons, covered by cloth and his identity concealed as he is secured below decks and put under guard by men who understand a duty to confidentiality... Likewise, the estate stewardess arrested, but not before she is searched and forced to produce the comptroller's cabinet key and it is brought to me. The foot soldiers going ashore are to be instructed that they are there to question -but not harm- the inhabitants of the island about reported smuggling, continuing to support the public belief that the Baron was removed from his position as Sheriff for merely being too laxed in law enforcement.”
SUCCESS (Good Intrigue, rolled +2)
Arus guides the commander below the quarterdeck, where the wind and working sailors will not carry their words. The cabin door closes, leaving only the chart table between them.
Arrus Gandon
Commander, this assignment is sensitive. The Viscount requires Baron Billings taken into custody, even if he resists, without public alarm. Conceal him beneath cloth, secure him below decks, and place him under guards bound to silence.
The 25th Regiment Commander
Then the regiment will see a disgraced former sheriff removed quietly, while the island hears only of a smuggling inquiry. I understand the distinction.
Arrus Gandon
The estate stewardess must also be arrested. Search her first, and bring me the comptroller’s cabinet key before she is moved. No harm, no spectacle, and no lost evidence.
The 25th Regiment Commander
I will assign trusted men to that task and keep the key in your hands once recovered. The foot soldiers will question inhabitants about reported smuggling, not threaten them.
The commander studies Arus, then folds the orders beneath the chart. His expression settles into professional approval as he marks separate duties for the landing party and the quiet arrest.
The 25th Regiment Commander
It will be done discreetly, Mr. Gandon. By the time the Mount hears its former sheriff has vanished, the cutter will already be carrying him away.
“"Excellent, Commander. I leave their conduct in your capable charge. I only require one small detachment of your quickest-footed, sharp-eyed swordsmen to join me in the effort to arrest any such enthusiastic opponent, and to aid them in equally quick understanding that their dreams of defiance will cost them more dearly than their ambitious hearts had dared to wager... Stout lads, fluent with the words of their steel in hand who can look as fierce with it stance as fighting with it, so that if wisdom may prevail, they may not be required to..."”
SUCCESS (Good Intrigue, rolled +0)
Arrus Gandon
Excellent, Commander. I leave their conduct in your capable charge. I require only a small detachment of swift, sharp-eyed swordsmen to join me and deter resistance.
The 25th Regiment Commander
Granted. Six of my quickest men will serve under your immediate direction. Their steel will speak only if wisdom fails first.
The commander opens the cabin door and gives a low whistle. Six sturdy soldiers in scarlet coats enter, each carrying a sheathed sword and wearing the hard, watchful look Arus requested.
The 25th Regiment Commander
These men are disciplined, quick on their feet, and familiar with close work. They will obey your signals, but they will not create needless bloodshed.
The six swordsmen form behind Arus without flourish. Their boots are sea-ready, their hands remain clear of their hilts, and their silence promises that authority has arrived before the landing does.
The 25th Regiment Commander
Take them, Mr. Gandon. I will handle the landing party and the arrests at the estate. You have your detachment.
Above them, the cutter heels toward St. Michael’s Mount. The small detachment follows Arus onto the deck, ready to disembark at his word as the darkening shoreline draws near.
“I will ask each of the men their names before introducing myself, "Well met, gentlemen. I am Arrus Gandon, sworn sword of the Viscount Lord Falmouth, and his agent of justice as the new Sheriff of Cornwall. Our mission on St. Michael's Mont this evening is not to seek bloodshed, it is to seek answers to the Viscount's questions..." I will explain the needed discretion, and their rules of engagement clearly, following my own lead whether to draw unless threatened with steel first. I will emphasize that, "One way or another, "the answers" will be leaving with us... Do well, and the Viscount shall know of it."”
SUCCESS (Good Intrigue, rolled +0)
Arus faces the six swordsmen on the cutter’s darkening deck. Their scarlet coats are sea-sprayed, their swords sheathed, and the Mount’s shadow rises beyond the rail.
Arus's Quick Swordsmen
Corporal James Venn. Thomas Rusk. Abel Norr. Hugh Pritchard. Silas Wren. Matthew Cole, sir.
Arrus Gandon
Well met, gentlemen. I am Arus Gandon, sworn sword of the Viscount Lord Falmouth and his agent of justice as the new Sheriff of Cornwall.
Arrus Gandon
Our mission on St. Michael’s Mount is not to seek bloodshed, but answers to the Viscount’s questions. We move quietly, draw only if threatened with steel, and follow my lead.
The men exchange brief glances, then straighten. No hand reaches for a hilt. The commander watches from the cabin doorway, leaving the authority plainly with Arus.
Arrus Gandon
One way or another, the answers will be leaving with us. Do well, and the Viscount shall know of it. Keep your heads, your silence, and your courage.
Arus's Quick Swordsmen
Understood, Mr. Gandon. We will follow your signal and keep the peace unless steel makes peace impossible.
“Once the cutter drops anchor, I will insist my detachment is aboard the first landing boat to touch water and row the oars with loud vigor to get to shore with a little delay for the benefit of preserving the element of surprise as much as possible. From the landing we approach the front entrance of the Billings' estate at a brisk march, carrying the articles and documents of the Baron's secret warrant for arrest and orders for detention and questioning under suspicion of crimes to defraud the Crown.”
FAILURE (Fair Seamanship, rolled +1)
The cutter drops anchor, and Arus insists his six swordsmen take the first landing boat. They seize the oars and row with loud, vigorous strokes, delaying just enough to let dusk thicken around the shore.
Arus's Quick Swordsmen
A brisk march, Mr. Gandon. We will make the estate before its household knows whether we are guests or trouble.
The boat noses into the landing. Arus leads the detachment up the road at a brisk pace, but the sealed warrant and detention orders are not with him. The articles expected in his keeping are absent.
They reach Billings Estate’s front entrance beneath the deepening dusk. The gates remain shut, and the swordsmen’s scarlet coats draw wary movement behind the walls, but Arus cannot present the authority he intended to carry.
Arus's Quick Swordsmen
The papers are missing, sir. We can hold the gate, but a demand without the Viscount’s seal may turn this into a standoff.
Before the household can answer, one swordsman points along the outer wall. A narrow servants’ postern stands ajar beyond the formal gate, offering entry without forcing the estate to recognize an unsupported arrest.
Arus's Quick Swordsmen
There, sir. We cannot make the front entrance yield, but that postern gives us another way in.