So how is everyone!
I’m feeling pretty fine, because my decision to take a day off today and visit the Australian Open tennis was completely justified!
Did I watch this match live on Court 3? OH YEAH!
But, back to Falcon’s attempt to preserve the authoritarian fascist status quo.
You know, our hero.
Dave Grohl, you cheated on Louise Post. You know, this woman :
You idiot, don’t even talk to me.
Anyway, brain, stop distracting our narrator.
As mentioned at the end of my last entry, I’m headed off to the Middle Ages battle of Crecy. The book has taken particular care to remind me that one of my probable ancestors, Sir Thomas Chandos, is fighting in the battle and it would be helpful if he didn’t you know, die, without sowing his wild oats.
So to speak.
I arrive in 1346 AD and survey the battlefield-to-be. The French vastly outnumber the English, but my knowledge of high school history confirms that the use by the English of longbows (rather than crossbows) will prove decisive.
For my purposes, I have to try to divine Yelov’s motive in visiting Crecy when giving thought to how I position myself. I can station myself in the reserves near King Edward, in the vanguard near the Black Prince, in the flank with the Earl of Northampton or among the Black Prince’s knights, and specifically near Sir Thomas Chandos.
Aside : One of my favourite anecdotes is refers to how a messenger was sent from the Black Prince’s contingent to seek reinforcements from the King. The King’s response? (And remember, please, that this was his son being besieged)
“Let the boy win his spurs.”
Ice cold, baby.
Anyway, the constant reinforcement of Sir Thomas as ‘important’ can’t be coincidence. Also, the book has downplayed any possible overall consequences to the future timeline of interference at this battle. I position myself near Sir Thomas and try to restrain myself from noting any similarities between his face and my aquiline features.
CAIN’s uses some dubious fashion sense to fashion a crest for me that consists of a simple red chevron on a white background. Messrs Smith and Thomson probably couldn’t have anticipated that this design would also be the jersey for Hawthorn’s arch-enemies the Sydney Swans :
Hmph.
As I take my position within the English forces, the ability of the English longbows to fire six to eight arrows for every crossbow bolt is beginning to prove decisive. The French Genoese mercenaries buckle and run for cover. Given the option of retreating to the King’s reserves, moving closer to the Black Prince, or staying where I am, I elect to back my first choice and remain near Sir Thomas.
The English archers continue to maintain the upper hand until a small group of French knights break through the line and initiate some fierce fighting around me. In particular, a French knight, Sir Louis de Nevers, ‘calls out’ Sir Thomas.
In one of those ‘this is important’ moments, I am informed my Psychic Awareness detects the usual emotions that surface during battle : fear, pride and bloodlust…but also ‘a strange blank’. My initial guess is that this indicates that someone at the battle is being mind-controlled by Yelov or another hostile psychic.
I am then cheerfully informed that Sir Thomas could be ‘struck dead at any moment’.
Joy.
I have the options of attacking Sir Louis (either with my sword or by way of Thinkstrike), Thinkstriking Sir Thomas so that he seems dead or simply waiting to see what happens next.
Now – I have an interesting choice. Obviously if no-one has meddled with the timeline already, Sir Thomas is going to survive, and won’t need my help against Sir Louis. However, for all I know, Yelov or someone similar is controlling Sir Louis, or has given him a blaster or the like.
In the absence of actual evidence that there’s been meddling, I resolve not to interfere. Real Prime Directive stuff, right?
Before I can even have time to doubt myself, Sir Thomas, in a move worthy of a Falcon ancestor, takes out Sir Louis, burying his sword in the Frenchman’s side. Suddenly an anonymous English knight appears and (non-verbally) challenges Sir Thomas. Interestingly (and by ‘interestingly’, I mean, “Uh-oh, here comes trouble.”) the following is mentioned :
- His shield bears no insignia but is rather as ‘black as sable’;
- His mace (raised to strike Sir Thomas) appears to ‘crackle with a blue aura’;
- I am unable to detect ANY thoughts at all under the helm of the ‘knight’.
Even Stevie Wonder could see what’s going on here. Reminded of similiar troubles with robot(s) near the start of Book 1, this is clearly an android of some kind sent to try and kill Sir Thomas, and therefore blinking me out of existence. I can use Power of Will, my sword or my blaster. Since Power of Will obviously won’t work on a robot, and using a blaster in the middle of a battle from 800 years ago isn’t advisable, I whip out my sword.
Yeah, I’m no Kit Harrington, but then….who is?
I have to make an Attack Roll, needing a 7 or higher to succeed.
By way of my roll of 11, I manage to smash the ‘knight’ in the elbow, and my suspicions are confirmed when smoke and sparks fly from the impact point.
Does that mean the combat is over??
HAHAHAHAHA…of course not – but it does mean that this post is over.
Endurance : 20, Evasion – +1, Thinkstrike – +1, All other modifiers – 0
Equipment (extra) – Keladi pills
Current paragraph – 24
Pop culture!
Independently of political views, the vast majority of people agree that those serving in the armed forces deserve respect and admiration. This song, by Queensryche, deals with the heartache and longing of those family members left behind. Just to make sure that there wasn’t a dry eye in the house, this video is replete with actual photographs of those serving together with their loved ones.
Falcon Gamebooks - Playthrough 