Adventure 02: Parisian Interlude
Our tale continues. The beginning of the tale is here.
This is a brief adventure that introduces three locations, Les Deux Chevaux, the Salle d’Armes of the Fraternity Sainte-Didier, and the Hôtel de Tréville as well as several associated NPCs e.g. the Tavern owner and several King’s Musketeers.
This is a brief adventure that introduces three locations, Les Deux Chevaux, the Salle d’Armes of the Fraternity Sainte-Didier, and the Hôtel de Tréville as well as several associated NPCs e.g. the Tavern owner and several King’s Musketeers.
Les
Deux Chevaux or The Two Horses[i] is
a tavern on the right bank near the Pont Neuf. The tavern is owned and run by
La Chat Calico, a former prostitute and the on again, off again lover of Gaston
Thibeault. La Chat Calico has a tempestuous personality, but she cares for
Gaston and she allows him the use of a spare room above the tavern for free.
The Fraternité
Sainct-Didier[ii]
is located across the Rue Charonerie from Les Halles, the salle d’armes of the
Fraternité Sainct-Didier is arguably the most prestigious fencing school in
Paris. Named for Henry de Sainct-Didier, a Provençal swordmaster and author of
a 1573 manual, the Fraternité Sainct-Didier is the most distinctly Gallic of
the schools active in Paris, emphasizing the French style as the equal of or
even superior to the Italian schools. The rivalry between the Fraternité
Sainct-Didier and the Fratellanza di Giganti is well-known and bitter. Students
of the fraternity come from the bourgeoisie as well as the nobility of France;
many students travel to Paris from distant provinces to attend classes at the
Fraternité Sainct-Didier.
The maître supérieur is
Justin Sainte-Pierre, a member of the Académie d’Armes. He is a sparkling and
witty fellow, quick to criticize and slow to praise. When he can, Guy practices
with the master or sometimes Gaston, but not others. He prefers to keep his
strengths and weaknesses concealed rather than revealed. Gaston, on the other
hand, is always ready and willing to take on all comers. He sees the salle as a
relatively safe place to hone his skill, though practice is never a substitute
for real combat. Gaston sometimes finds the bloodless battles in the salle
frustrating as impractical techniques like the quick cut score many points in
practice when in reality they could easily get you killed. In one well attended
duel, Gaston fights Jan Jelita Zamoyski, a Polish noble and a devotee of the
Eastern style of fencing. Zamoyski favors the quick cut, but Gaston’s usual
response is to use the stop-thrust which results in a tie for points, but which
in real combat would leave Zamoyski dead or dying.
The Hôtel de Tréville is
the Paris
residence of the comte de
Tréville, captain-lieutenant of the King’s
Musketeers.[iii]
The court of his hotel, resembled a camp from by six o'clock in the morning
in summer and eight o'clock in winter. From fifty to sixty Musketeers, who
appeared to replace one another in order always to present an imposing number,
paraded constantly, armed to the teeth and ready for anything. On one of those
immense staircases ascended and descended the office seekers of Paris, who ran
after any sort of favor - gentlemen from the provinces anxious to be enrolled,
and servants in all sorts of liveries, bringing and carrying messages between
their masters and M. de Treville. In the antechamber, upon long circular
benches, reposed the elect; that is to say, those who were called. In this
apartment a continued buzzing prevailed from morning till night, while M. de
Treville, from a small office located off the antechamber of the townhouse,
received visits, listened to complaints, gave his orders, and like the king in
his balcony at the Louvre, had only to place himself at the window to review
both his men and arms.
The long staircase of
the Hôtel serves as the location of a frequent sport among the Musketeers: King
of the Stair – two (or more) Musketeers duel their way up and down the stairs,
the winner driving his opponent up into the antechamber or down into the
street. Taking the lower starting position, which carries a disadvantage, is
considered the position of honor among the guardsmen.
Lucien challenges one of
his fellow Musketeers, Aristide de Sandras, who has been holding the high
ground against all comers. Lucien’s unfamiliarity with fighting on a staircase,
combined with the advantage of height allows de Sandras to defeat the new
Musketeer. Lucien tumbles down the stairs. This provokes laughter from his
fellows, but Lucien takes it in good spirit. He and de Sandras go off to
celebrate their victory or drown their defeat as seems appropriate to each.
Lucien has found a friend among the Musketeers.
[i] (T6) Les Deux Chevaux is located at grid
coordinates [F8].
[ii] (F5) The Fraternité Sainct-Didier is located
at grid coordinates [G7].
[iii] (H10) The Hôtel de Tréville is the Paris
residence of the comte de Tréville, captain-lieutenant of the King’s
Musketeers; it is located on the Rue de Vieux Colombier near the Carrefour de
Croix-Rouge (L22).
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