Chapter 6: The Buzzard’s Nest
The
Buzzard’s Nest[i] is the headquarters of
Jean "La Buse" Orande and his gang, known as the Buzzards. ‘The Nest’
is an older hôtel located[ii]
in a poor part of Paris close to the Couvent Les Filles-Dieu near the Porte
Saint Denis. The Townhouse is two stories high with a somewhat taller tower in
one corner. Overgrown with ivy, it looks both picturesque and neglected.
Having
decided to raid the Buzzard’s Nest to locate Pierre, the witness to Brian
Chastel’s murder of his wife and son, the companions spent several days first observing
the Buzzard’s Nest.[iii] In parallel, Guy
obtained an audience with his friend the Provost of Paris and used his favor to
obtain official sanction by the Provost for the raid and his agreement to
provide a cordon of Paris Archers, led by Guy’s acquaintance Sergeant Boisrenard,
to surround the Buzzard’s Nest during the raid. All their preparations take a
week, therefore the raid was scheduled for the morning of December 11.
Explored
Section of the Buzzard’s Nest
As
a distraction to decoy some of the guards away from the Buzzard’s Nest, Guy
pretended to be Brian Chastel. He went up to the front door of the Buzzard’s
Nest, knocked, and said “Hello there, I am Brian Chastel. The word on the
street is that you are looking for me. What do you want.” After word that he was
there was carried inside by one of the two muscle-bound porters, Guy high tailed
it out of there with half a dozen Buzzards[iv]
in close pursuit. Guy led them on a long and merry chase eventually ending the
pursuit when he changed into a different set of clothes handed to him by one of
his agents and then disappeared into the crowd.
Meanwhile
back at the Buzzard’s Nest, Norbert, dressed in humble clothes and a produce
seller’s apron, pretended to be delivering a wagon load of produce to the Nest.
He was accompanied by Father Signoret, dressed as a farmer and wagon driver,
and Gaston, dressed in his boots and buffcoat under a concealing cloak. Gaston
refused to dress as a farmer and he retained his hat on the seat next to him. Armed
only with various knives appropriate to their disguises, the three hid their
swords and pistols, along with a couple of muskets, in the farm wagon under the
produce. To obtain the wagon and produce, Father Signoret used his connections
in the Jesuit Order to get a wagon pulled by a mule and a partial load of good
produce from a wealthy farmer who was sympathetic to the Jesuits. Another
sympathizer, who worked as a carpenter, modified the wagon to create a small
concealed space under the vegetables just large enough to hide someone – to be
used to smuggle out the witness Pierre – should that become necessary. The
carpenter also provided them with a heavy, iron capped wooded ram fitted with
brass handles – suitable in size to be wielded by a giant. This they hid with
the weapons under the produce.
Norbert
knocked at the gate, but it was quite some time before anyone answered.
Eventually a burly balding thug with a black beard exited the front door of the
Buzzard’s Nest and asked what they wanted. Norbert, acting the part of a
persistent substitute produce vendor, persuaded the thug to talk to someone
inside and eventually the gate opened to admit the same bearded thug, a cook,
and a scrawny boy. Norbert persuaded the cook to have a look at his wonderful produce.
The cook inspected the produce and approved it for delivery. The gate was opened
wide and the cook led the group down the alley. Norbert’s ruse had successfully
gotten the three into the rear courtyard.
The
rear courtyard (#21) included rotting wooden stables overgrown with vines on
the north and east sides of the courtyard and a central fountain for water. The
house formed the south side of the courtyard. In the center of the north side
of the house was a covered porch and next to the porch was a two story trellis overgrown
with thick ivy vines. The back door to the house was sheltered under the porch,
so Signoret backed the wagon up to the open door, which is when the trouble
started.
Father
Signoret used hand signs to signal Norbert and both grabbed their weapons. Then
the Jesuit tried to intimidate the thug, the cook, and the scullion into
telling them where the prisoner was. Humbly dressed as a simple farmer,
Signoret was not an impressive figure and he failed to intimidate anyone. The
cook and the boy ran for the door while the thug moved to sound the alarm by
ringing the bell next to the rear door. To forestall this, Signoret threw his
rapier at the thug. The blade nailed the black-bearded thug to the rear door,
killing him.
Now
fully armed, the three companions chased after the fleeing cook and scullion
who loudly yelled for help as they ran. The three entered[v]
the foyer to the porch (#20) which was dimly lit by arrow slit windows and a
smoldering fire in a fireplace. They continued their pursuit into the great
hall (#15) which was well lit by a pair of chandeliers and a blazing fire in
the fireplace. By the light, they could see a desk and chair in the shadows in
the southeast corner of the room. Entering the hall through a door in the
northeast corner, from there they could see that the room had four additional
exits. A frayed, faded carpet ran down the middle of the hall from north to
south connecting two of the doors, near the southwest corner was a third door,
and the last door was in the middle of the east wall. As they entered, they heard
footsteps to the north and saw the scullion disappear through the door at the
north end of the faded carpet.
The
three companions headed for the door in the southeast corner. Father Signoret
entered and quickly identified the room as an antechamber used as an armory
before the sounds of combat drew his attention back to the main hall. Back in
the hall, Norbert and Gaston heard the east door open as four brigands emerged.
Slung from the belt of each brigand was a simple hanger sword. Norbert hefted his
two-handed sword and tried to intimidate the brigands. But with odds of
four-to-two in their own hideout, the brigands refused to back down and drew
their own swords. Gaston drew his rapier and vizcaina as he and Norbert moved
to engage the four. Norbert’s two opponents hurried to close with the giant
before he could bring his enormous sword into play, but their haste betrayed
them and they ended up tripping each other and falling to the floor. Acting
quickly, Norbert pulled one of the brigands to his feet and placed the blade of
his greatsword against his foe’s throat, then pinned the other brigand to the
floor by standing on him with one huge foot. Meantime, Gaston ran one foe
through then shouldered the other back through the open doorway, pulling the
door closed as the brigand stumbled into the other room.
Meanwhile,
the north door opened and four club armed thugs emerged seconded by the cook,
now armed with several carving knives, and the scrawny scullery boy armed with an
iron spit. Attracted by the first sounds of battle, Father Signoret returned to
the hall and raced north to engage the thugs. He stabbed one of the thugs but
the other three forced him to retreat rapidly as they moved into the room after
him. Signoret ducked as the cook threw a carving knife at him, then reengaged
with the thugs. He killed two more and the fourth thug fled out the door to the
rear foyer while the cook and the scullery boy fled back to the north.
Gaston
wiped the blood off his blade, sheathed his sword and main gauche, drew and
cocked his pistols, and used them to cover the two northern doors. Father
Signoret returned to explore the armory while Norbert questioned his prisoner.
The giant threatened to slash open the throat of the brigand he held captive,
unless he told them where the gang was holding the witness prisoner. The
brigand said there were no prisoners. Growing frustrated, Norbert pressed the
blade of his sword against the brigand’s throat drawing blood. Then he asked him
if there was a secret place that the brigand didn’t know about where the cook
took food for someone. The brigand looked confused and asked how he would know
about the place if it was a secret. Growing angry, the giant squeezed the
brigand so hard he couldn’t breathe and ordered him to “tell me about the
prisoner named Pierre!” In response, the prisoner only made painful wheezing
sounds.
At
which Gaston interrupted to say, “Cousin, he can’t answer you if he can’t
breathe.
“Sorry,”
Norbert said to Gaston. He decreased the pressure and again asked the brigand about
a prisoner named Pierre. Again the brigand claimed that the gang didn’t have
any prisoners. So instead, Norbert asked if there was anyone in the house named
Pierre. The prisoner told him that there were two men named Pierre. “Describe
them,” Norbert ordered.
“Well
Black Pierre is short and stocky, he’s bald but he has a bushy black beard. The
other Pierre is tall and thin, a blonde with a scraggly mustache,” the brigand
said.
“What
do they do and where do they stay?”
“Black
Pierre is a door warden. He sleeps beyond that door,” the brigand said indicating
the door to the east. “The other Pierre, the blond, is a cutpurse. He stays
with the other cutpurses.”
Just
then, Norbert heard the sound of running footsteps behind him. He turned his
head to look behind him and saw the axe wielding woman with the crooked-toothed
smile who he had seen at the Tavern Brevage Noir. “You!” Norbert shouted.
Meanwhile,
Father Signoret reentered the antechamber in the southeast corner. It was
obviously the gang’s armory (#16). On the walls hung various swords, axes, half
a dozen matchlock pistols, a pair of crossbows, and several old matchlock
muskets while there was a quantity of powder and shot on a shelf. On the opposite wall, the Jesuit saw
another door. He listened for a while at that door, but he only heard an
unusual whistling sound, like a strong wind blowing over the eaves of a roof.
He carefully backed away from the door then stood guard at it while trying to
listen to Norbert’s questions out in the great hall. Hearing a shout from
Norbert, the Jesuit returned to the great hall and closed the door to the
armory behind him. There he saw Norbert threatened by a charging axe woman.
Norbert
tossed the brigand he had been questioning aside and stepped away from the
brigand he had pinned to the floor with his foot. Then he hefted his greatsword
in both hands and moved to engage the axe woman. He used the quillons of his
greatsword to catch her axe and then used his great strength to tear one axe
away from her. But he was barely able to retreat in time to avoid a vicious
blow from her other axe. He found something about her crooked smile and the
vacant look on her face unsettling.
Meanwhile,
the brigand released from under Norbert’s foot tried to take advantage of his captor’s
distraction by crawling away while the brigand Norbert had questioned pounded
frantically at the eastern door telling his friend “Quick open up and attack
the giant from behind.” Gaston halted the crawling brigand by pointing one
pistol at him. And as the combat came near to ending, the other brigand’s
pounding on the door became even more frantic as switched to calling on his
fellows to let him in, but despite his cries, the eastern door never opened.
Rapier
in hand, Signoret closed on the axe woman from behind and called on her to
surrender while Norbert knocked away her other axe with a tremendous blow of
his sword. Father Signoret called on Norbert to knock her unconscious and
Norbert swung the heavy pommel of his greatsword at her head, dealing her a
tremendous blow. But the blow didn’t drop her. She stepped back, shook her
head, flexed her jaw, and spat blood out of her mouth. Then she drew her dagger
and held it out between Norbert and Signoret.
Signoret
moved as if to strike her, but she ducked aside and Gaston’s blade caught
Signoret’s in a bind. “She has fought bravely,” Gaston said. “To strike her
when she is practically unarmed is not honorable.” Frustrated at Gaston’s
intervention, but unwilling to provoke a conflict within the group, Signoret
backed off.
After
the combat the prisoner with the sore ribs walked slowly towards the northeast
door, all the while holding himself around his ribs with both arms as if he was
in great pain. But before he had gone far, Gaston stopped him and his prone
companion by pointing his remaining pistol at them and slowly shaking his head
no. At the sight of the staring muzzle, the two brigands collapsed in fright
and in relief at being freed, even temporarily, from the clutches of the angry
giant.
Meanwhile,
Norbert took advantage of the temporary lull to ask the axe woman her name. She
said she was Jeannie Artois. He tried to talk to her, but he was short of
temper and it seemed everything he asked or said only confused or angered her.
Finally he called her feeble minded, and she stopped smiling, yelled that she
was not feeble minded, and with a vicious shriek she leapt towards Norbert
dagger in hand. He dropped his sword and caught her hand twisting it until she
dropped her dagger in pain. She struggled, but Norbert’s titanic strength was
overpowering. He held her helpless until she could be taken prisoner. But her
constant shrieks, curses, and threats caused them tie her up with Norbert’s
apron and gag her.
Since
at least one of the Pierres might be to the east, Norbert decided to open that
door. But he decided that he would send the prisoner he had questioned through
the door first. He forced the prisoner despite his injured ribs to try to open
the door. But it was either locked or barred. Norbert thought about returning
to the wagon to get his ram, but he decided not to take the time. Instead he
threw himself against the door. At the first attempt the door creaked and
flexed and at the third attempt it burst open, the bar a shattered wreck.
Beyond was a high ceiling stone walled room (#24). With an odd statue of some
kind on the north, a few simple wooden benches that looked like old church
pews, and several beds and cots. The room was warmed by several coal braziers
which caused it to be very smoky. Later, Signoret would identify this room as
the old family chapel.
Norbert
moved to search by the beds and cots, but he was surprised as half a dozen men
leapt out from concealment behind the stonework. They threw daggers at Norbert,
but he was able to dive for cover behind a bed frame. He called for help, then
leapt up and attacked the dagger throwers, they tried to flee but their were
too many for all to reach safety in time and Norbert cut down three of him with
a huge sweep of his two-handed greatsword.
He
pursued his opponents into the next room (#22) which was lit by a fireplace and
like the previous room it was furnished with several beds and cots. Along
several walls were tall, empty bookshelves and on the southern part of the east
wall was another door. As he contemplated that door, Norbert was surprised by a
brigand who stood up from his cover behind a bed and pointed a matchlock pistol
at him and pulled the trigger. Fortunately, the powder in the pan was damp and
the gun didn’t fire. The brigand threw the useless pistol at Norbert and
retreated to the far end of the room as he drew his sword.
Attracted
by his cousin’s call for help, Gaston ordered Signoret to guard the prisoners
as he ran towards his Norbert. He arrived as Norbert was facing off against the
swordsman. The threat of a pair of loaded pistols and a giant’s greatsword was
too much for the brigand and he surrendered. They sent him first into the next
room then quickly followed when no shots were fired. Beyond they found a room
(#23) lit by a warm fireplace and containing miscellaneous office furniture,
and cots and beds for 4-8 people. Inside there were the three dagger throwers.
They
took their four new prisoners back out to the great hall where Signoret awaited
them. They questioned the prisoners and learned, much to their chagrin, that
not only were neither of the two Pierres prisoners, but both of them had been
killed in the fighting. Black Pierre was the short, bald, bearded man who had
tried to sound the alarm by the porch and the other Pierre was one of the
dagger throwing cutpurses who Norbert had struck down in the old chapel.
Saddened
by their lack of success, the three companions warned the untied Buzzards not
to show themselves or they would get a lead ball through one eye. They then
took the wagon back out by the alley gate. As they turned out of the courtyard
someone fired a shot at them from an upper porch window, but the shot only hit
the wagon injuring no one.
Chapter 7: A Really Big Show
After
the raid on the Buzzard’s Nest, Father Signoret reported his findings to Vicar
General Michel Delage. He reported that Brian Chastel was the thief. The reason
for the theft was that he needed the money to pay a blackmailer not to reveal
that Chastel had murdered his wife and son while the family was on pilgrimage. Signoret
said that the question of how he gained access to the Curia Funds was
unanswered. His brother Father Basil Chastel could have been involved, but
there was no evidence at all to support that.
Several
rumors were circulating in Paris. Guy heard that the Chevalier de Branville was
sponsoring Norbert de Peyrafon for membership in the Order of the Holy Ghost.
Guy decided this might not be a bad thing, since if Guy was not accepted into
the order this year, he could use the debt notes he holds from Peyrafon to
force him to sponsor Guy for membership in the next year. As a secretary to
Cardinal Richelieu, Father Signoret noticed the Cardinal had been spending time
with the Queen Mother Marie de Medici and separately with King Louis XIII. It
is rumored that the Cardinal is attempting reconciliation between the King and
his mother. Signoret also learned that in September Brother Mellitus, the so
called Miracle Monk, disappeared from Paris without his superior, Prior Robert.
The monk’s current whereabouts are unknown. Gaston learned that there was a
rival for the affections of his mistress, Madame Rolampont.[vi]
Throughout
Paris the churches were decorated for Advent and to celebrate the first
Christmas of the new Pope, Urban VIII.[vii]
Meanwhile, Binet’s Grand Troupe of Players prepared for opening night for their
new comedy: The Fountain of Poseidon.
In preparation for opening night, Guy consulted his friend Chancie who told Guy
that the Chevalier de Branville would also be attending the play. In token of
gratitude, Guy invited Chancie to accompany him to the show. “I think you will
find this show to be most diverting, Chancie.”
At
the ticket office, Guy bribed the attendant to tell him where Baron Villemorin
was sitting. He relayed this information to Gaston who then purchased a seat on
the opposite side of the theatre so he can watch the Baron and know when to
act.
Location Ticket Price # Seats
Center Floor Level (restricted) 25 sous 4-6
Upper Level 12 sous 72
Lower Level 10 sous 72
Gallery A (away from stage 3-4) 7 sous 48
Gallery B (near to stage 1-2) 5 sous 48
Theater Drawing (by Inigo Jones)
Left Gallery
|
Upper Left
|
Lower Left
|
Row
|
Lower Right
|
Upper Right
|
Right Gallery
|
||
Father
Signoret
|
Villemorin and Rolampont
|
Jeannie
|
1
|
Gaston
|
||||
Branville and Peyrafon
|
2
|
|||||||
Guy
and Chancie
|
3
|
D’Anvers
|
||||||
Duchess de Fronsac
|
4
|
Cassanha
|
||||||
Center Floor Level
|
||||||||
Contessa
di Montefusco
|
Marquis
de Verneuil, Bishop of Metz
|
Richelieu
in a Mask
|
||||||
L’Omino
the Dwarf
|
Captain
Blondel & (1) Guard
|
Baron
Ile-de-Batz
|
||||||
On the way to their seats, Guy and Chancie ran into
Branville and Peyrafon, who were seated adjacent to them. Branville and Chancie
exchanged a series of pointed comments, the most telling of which was Branville’s
observation that Chancie was wearing last season’s silver buckles on his shoes
instead of this season’s knee ribbons. Chancie was embarrassed, but Guy helped
him retreat before the Vicomte lost all composure.
Once
in his seat, Guy spotted the Comtessa de Montefusco and her dwarf L’Omino
sitting to the left of the Bishop de Metz. On the Bishop’s right side sat a
masked man in somber yet elegant attire. The other characters took their seats
as the play began. The first half of the play was greeted by the audience with
mild approval and some interest.[viii]
During
the intermission, Signoret spotted Villemorin and saw that he was with Gaston’s
mistress, Madame Rolampont. Using the gallery above the stage, the Jesuit
crossed to the other side of the theatre, but before he could warn his friend,
he noticed Gaston heading downstairs. Looking across the theatre, Signoret noticed
that Villemorin and Rolampont had also left their seats. Following Gaston downstairs,
Signoret moved behind the Baron so as to prevent him from retreating in the
event of a confrontation.
Gaston
saw Villemorin standing near Marie de Rolampont. The Baron was in line for
refreshments while she stood fanning herself to attract the admiring gazes of
the men in the crowd. Grasping his sword hilt in anger, Gaston started towards
the Baron to challenge him that instant. But, as he stepped forward he recalled
the plan to embarrass and humiliate the Baron through the play. He stopped,
knuckles white on his sword hilt, and turned around to return to his seat.[ix] Patience. My time will come, Baron.
Meanwhile
on the other side of the theatre, Guy left his seat to obtain refreshments for
Chancie and himself. On his way to a shaved ice vendor, he noticed the Duchess
de Fronsac in the audience. Covering his face with his hat, he avoided her
notice and finished his mission and returned to his seat in time to witness a
surprising scene on stage.
During the intermission, Norbert was
backstage having his makeup touched up by Gerta. She asked him, “Who iz zat voman
in the first row who vas staring at you?” Norbert had noticed nothing, but
before he could look out to see the woman he overheard a disturbance near the
stage door. The huge one-eyed enforcer known as Le Gros Boeuf, had entered from
the rear entrance and tossed aside the two stage hands who vainly tried to bar
his path. Then he began breaking up the furniture and props.
Norbert
moved to stop Le Gros Boeuf. But with only a flimsy stage trident as a weapon he
snatched up a chair to use as a shield and called for someone to “Fetch my club
from the dressing room.” He was repeatedly forced back by Le Gros Boeuf’s heavy
club. Driven onto the stage, he and Le Gros Boeuf presented an odd intermission
show to the sparse audience. Suddenly Norbert tossed the ruined chair aside, turned,
and ran for the wings where Gerta waited with his club. Meanwhile, Jeannie
Artois jumped on stage and drew her axes to face Le Gros Boeuf. Backstage,
Norbert grabbed his club from Gerta and circled behind the painted screen to
the other side of the stage and attacked his foe from behind.
Thinking
this is all part of an intermission buffoonery, the partial audience called out
to warn Le Gros Boeuf who turned just as Norbert struck him. The behemoth fell on
top of Jeannie and pinned her beneath his bulk. Norbert moved forward to strike
another blow, but his path led him over a trap door in the stage through which
he fell. With one foe gone, Boeuf rolled over and punched Jeannie unconscious. Just
as the huge enforcer regained his feet, Norbert suddenly reappeared as he was
propelled back on stage by the machina beneath another trap door. Badly injured
from the first blow, Le Gros Boeuf chose discretion and ran away. Norbert turned
and made a sweeping bow to the partial audience, received desultory applause in
response, then gently carried the unconscious Jeannie off stage.
Once
there he told Gerta to fix his makeup, which had been smudged during the fight,
while someone else tended to the unconscious Jeannie. Meanwhile, Acton the
Magnificent quickly went to Salvatore Machiavelli, the playwright, to get some
lines to cover up the odd short scene – “Ladies and gentlemen, we hope you have
enjoyed our comedic representation of a battle between the god Poseidon and his
child the Cyclops over an Amazon Princess.” Prepared by Acton’s speech, the
audience responded with greater applause.
Shortly
afterwards, the play resumed and in the second half, the satire directed at the
character of Baron V. became even more pointed and biting. As a result, Villemorin
became increasingly angry culminated in an outburst where he halted the play by
threatening Acton the Magnificent. Feeling safe on stage, in reply Acton bragged
about how the people of Paris should not be denied the wonder of his great
performance. But realizing that Villemorin’s threats of harm to him were quite
real, Acton’s impromptu speech stuttered to a stop.
Suddenly,
Father Signoret nimbly leapt onto a chandelier and with his black robes
flapping the like wings of a great black bat, he swung down into the seats next
to Villemorin where he commanded the Baron to stop interfering with the play or
else.[x] In
response the Baron tried to grab the Priest before he could draw a weapon or
take further action. Signoret punched Villemorin knocking him against the
railing. Villemorin tried to knee the priest but failed. Signoret again struck
the Baron with his fist causing the Baron’s return blow to miss as the Baron
had to grab the railing to keep from going over. Nearby audience members
scrambled to get out of the way. While watching the battle through his lorgnette, the Vicomte de
Chambrie said, “I say Guy, isn’t that your cousin the priest brawling with
Baron Villemorin?”
“You
mad Jesuit!” the Baron said as he launched a flurry of blows to Signoret’s
midsection knocking the wind out of him and forcing him back against the seats.
But as Villemorin stepped forward, Signoret caught him with a series of blows
to the face hammering him backwards. The combatants separated moving for
position and striking a series of blows that did not connect. Other theatre
goers arrived, attracted by the brawl, and Norbert Peyrafon grabbed Signoret
from behind, pinning his arms to his sides. Signoret tried to break free but
failed so he kicked at Villemorin who stepped aside and delivered another heavy
blow to the priest’s midsection.
The
three continued to struggle until Guy arrived. He called on them all to cease their
public brawling so that the ladies could enjoy the rest of the play. Villemorin
insisted that the Mad Priest be detained and charged. Guy succeeded in delaying
any such action until after the play. Unsatisfied with the suggestion but with
the audience clearly against him, Villemorin left in anger and, in his rage, he
committed a further breach of etiquette by forgetting to escort Madame
Rolampont.[xi]
Interruption
over, the play continued, though without the Baron’s presence, the planned
ending was somewhat anti-climactic and Gaston’s goal of maneuvering an enraged
Baron into a duel was again thwarted. However, Gaston was able to reassert his
position with his mistress, Marie de Rolampont. Despite the impromptu
performances, the audience enjoyed the play and the unorthodox activities
provided gossip for the rest of the season.
After
the play, Gaston escorted Madame Rolampont home; Guy accompanied Chancie home;
and the acting troupe went out to celebrate. Norbert invited Father Signoret
who was now very popular with the troupe, especially with the star, Acton the
Magnificent. Despite some initial debate about the advisability of bringing her
axes to the inn, Jeannie Artois joined the celebration. Despite the nature of
the evening, there was a noticeable rivalry between Gerta and Jeannie for
Norbert’s attentions. As a result, Jeannie challenged Gerta and Norbert to a
drinking contest which left Gerta passed out and snoring and both Jeannie and
Norbert drunk. Norbert was the winner, but he was surprised by how much wine
the much smaller Jeannie could hold. The two exchanged stories about growing up
on a family farm, where Jeannie chopped a lot of wood. She told Norbert she
left the farm and joined a band of mercenaries for a couple of years and she
admitted that she didn’t know how to read.
Throughout
the evening the troupe expressed their gratitude for Father Signoret’s
championing of the actors against the Baron and repeatedly toasted his brave
efforts. Enchanted by the dashing and romantic actions of the daring Father
Signoret, the young ingénue Aemilie was thoroughly smitten and flirted
outrageously with the increasingly uncomfortable Jesuit, who remained true to
his calling despite the obvious charms of the pretty young actress.
[i]
(U1) located in grid sector [F4]
[ii] The
Couvent or Convent is denoted as church or chapel (C20) on the Paris Map and is
located in grid sector [H3-4].
[iii]
See the Roof Level Map of the Buzzard’s Nest.
[iv]
(1) Lieutenant, (4) Brigands, (1) Brawler.
[v] See
the player map detailing the explored section of the ground floor of the
Buzzard’s Nest.
[vi]
The rival is Baron Villemorin. Flirtation at the Masquerade: Marie had a
reaction of 10 on 2d6 to Gaston. That is the target number that Villemorin
needs to equal or exceed. Villemorin gets a bonus +1 Flair and +1 higher social
rank.
Is Marie interested in flirting with
Villemorin. Near Sure Thing (60) Yes. Flirtation: Marie (6+3) success;
Villemorin (5+2); Villemorin is interested but Marie finds him unromantic.
Will Branville help Villemorin pursue his
romance? Very Likely (03) Exceptional Yes. Branville gives Villemorin
romantic advice a la Cyrano (he adds half his Don Juan Career +1) and helps the
Baron to buy expensive gifts (+1). November
flirtation: Marie (6+3) success; Villemorin (5+4) success; Marie is
enjoying the additional suitor but still prefers Gaston.
December flirtation: the Baron hopes the
play will tip the scales in his pursuit. Marie (7+3) success with 3 successes
the Baron is quite smitten; Villemorin (5+4) success, but still below Gaston’s
10. The play may tip the scale and Marie will want to ensure that Gaston knows
he has a rival.
[vii] Pope
Gregory XV diesd July 08; on July 19 fifty-five Cardinals conclave in Rome to
elect his successor. On August 06, Cardinal Maffeo Barberini, descendant of a
noble Florentine family, was elected Pope; he took the name of Urban VIII.
Urban, unlike Gregory, is partial to the Spanish not the French.
[viii]
Audience reaction to the 1st half of the play: 5+1+2=8. Script: Salvatore wrote a successful set of changes (8+3=11).
Gaston spent a FP to get a Mighty Success (11+FP+4=16MS) the brave lines of
Gaston the Soldier are repeated throughout Paris = Average Great Success +2. Acting 2nd half: roll Actor+Flair for
the key cast members: Acton 9, Columbine 9, Aemilie 13, Norbert 7 =
Average Success +1
[ix] Gaston
spends a FP to control his temper so that so that the trap of the play can take
effect – humiliating the Baron.
[x]
Signoret’s brawl with Villemorin round-by-round:
Rnd 1 Signoret gets Mighty Success
to swing on chandelier into seats; failed intimidation. Villemorin fails to
grapple.
Rnd 2 Signoret punches -3 LB;
Villemorin fails Dirty Fighting.
Rnd 3 Signoret punches -2LB;
Villemorin misses punch.
Rnd 4 Villemorin punches -5LB
Mighty Success gets 2nd attack, misses. Signoret misses.
Rnd 5 Villemorin misses; Signoret
punches -2LB Mighty Success 2nd punch -3LB.
Rnd 6 Peyrafon grapples Signoret
from behind; Signoret fails to break free; he kicks at Villemorin and misses;
Villemorin hits for -4 LB
Rnd 7 Misses on all sides.
Rnd 8 Guy arrives and
confrontation changes to verbal.
[xi]
Due to a Calamitous Failure and ending any romance with Madame Rolampont.
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