The Crusade

[Ace_General]

Here, on an empty feild in kent, less then half a days march from the Thames estuary, the armies of England begin to assemble

Marshal Richard de Clare arrives with his 50 man company of hardened Anglo-Germano-Norman mercenaries, and has the knights and calvary form up for inspection and takes his pick of a personal guard/strike force and distributes 40 of his men to serve as sergeants and advisors

[Ace_General]

Sorry accidently posted in the wrong place

[Gandalfus]

5000 men, levied from the heartland provinces of Middlesex, Oxford, Bedford, Suffolk, Essex and Norfolk arrive in formation and from up near the coast as the ships are prepared.

[Ace_General]

Marshal de Clare has the incoming levies dump off their gear and has them form up for inspection after their gear has been deposited in the baggae

RIchard rides over and says to one of the levies nobles

Where is the king

[Gandalfus]

The king dismounts in full armour.
Here, marshal.

[Ace_General]

The king dismounts in full armour.
Here, marshal.

De clare also dismounts and walks over and does a slight bow and says

Nice to see you, my Lord, the loading is going well, and the troops will be ready for inspection soon.

Also, my king, I have taken the liberty of finding some of the most able knights and mounted men at arms and am arranging them into a elite guard unit based on the companion calvary of old

Though, if you mind my asking your majesty, what is your view on the struggle between the Emperor and Pope.

[Gandalfus]

He winked slyly.
The emperor has the right of it, so long as he's winning. If the pope wins, he has the right of it. England is staying out of this, for now. In the future I hope that the king of England has more power over his countries religion.

[Ace_General]

He winked slyly.
The emperor has the right of it, so long as he's winning. If the pope wins, he has the right of it. England is staying out of this, for now. In the future I hope that the king of England has more power over his countries religion.

De clare gives a bemused smile
Ah, a king who thinks for himself. In my time on the continent I've met Templars and more then a few frenchmen who would stab their own mothers while shouting "Deus Vult" if a man in the proper headgear told them too.

Though the muslims are just as bad, if not worse. Its fitting, almost the will of god that Templar and Turk get to fight one another to the death

[Gandalfus]

I agree. We also have some holy friends coming with us, as well.
500 hospitallers are spotted making their way towards the camp, flying the banner of the cross.

[Ace_General]

I agree. We also have some holy friends coming with us, as well.
500 hospitallers are spotted making their way towards the camp, flying the banner of the cross.

De clare turns and says quietly to the king
Speak of the devil. At least their not Templars

De Clare walks over to the men and says in French

Good day my brother knights, I am Sir Richard de Clare, Lord Marshal of the English Crown. What brings you to kent on this fine day? Would you like something to drink? Or Perhaps a seat?

[Adamat]

Earl Harys and his 75 men arrive at the coast, flying white banners with a black cross. The Earl had spared no expense in outfitting his men like true crusaders, it seemed. He had a kite-shield with the same sigil hanging from his left arm, and his bow in his right. His men started forming up in rows of three.

[Gandalfus]

The man responds in a heavy accented French.
Hail, we are here at the behest of our grandmaster, to return the favour the English King gave us by allowing us to set up a Chapterhouse in England, and to take part on the crusade. But I had no idea the English spoke French.
He grinned, and motioned for his men to ride over. He bowed to the king, and set up camp.

[Ace_General]

The man responds in a heavy accented French.
Hail, we are here at the behest of our grandmaster, to return the favour the English King gave us by allowing us to set up a Chapterhouse in England, and to take part on the crusade. But I had no idea the English spoke French.
He grinned, and motioned for his men to ride over. He bowed to the king, and set up camp.

De clare responds somewhat surprised and switches to Latin

English, no, I am of Norman blood. As is most of the nobility and thus they speak french too. Though if your not from hear, and you do not speak French, might I enquire where you good sirs are from, because last time I checked, the Germans were to keen on crusading orders

And may I ask what the composition of your forces is

OOC: Most of the normans and anyone important spoke french as their mother tongue up until the 1400s, and educated and religious people can speak latin

[Gandalfus]

OOC: I know, but most French viewed the English as barbarous.

He nodded, and spoke the same.
Aye, your Domine is most gracious, allowing us to come here and set up our Chapterhouse. It's only right that we aid you. We come from Aleppo and Tripoli, but the majority of us are from crusading families. French, English, German, Italian...

He looks at his men.
500 well armoured mounted knights, ready for battle, and by the grace of God, we shall win.

[Ace_General]

OOC: I know, but most French viewed the English as barbarous.

He nodded, and spoke the same.
Aye, your Domine is most gracious, allowing us to come here and set up our Chapterhouse. It's only right that we aid you. We come from Aleppo and Tripoli, but the majority of us are from crusading families. French, English, German, Italian...

He looks at his men.
500 well armoured mounted knights, ready for battle, and by the grace of God, we shall win.

De clare sniffs and says

Bit of a ride, eh? More knights are always good, we configured our troops to support them.

I heard that the Byzantines smashed the Turks up pretty good, but the Duchy of Antioch also took a beating, while the Kingdom of Jerusalem took Gaza and is marching into Egypt. So where does the order or Rome what this enterprise to go, Cario or Antioch or somewhere else?

[Gandalfus]

The king walked over.
We help the Romans retake Anatolia. Then we liberate Edessa and bequeath it to Antioch, then march south and aid in the conquest of Egypt. That is the objective for our crusade.

[Adamat]

Earl Harys joined the King and his conversational partners. He didn't speak French at all, but pretended to know what was said.

[Ace_General]

Earl Harys joined the King and his conversational partners. He didn't speak French at all, but pretended to know what was said.

De clare turns to the earl and offers

Latin?

And were discussing the objects of the crusade. Excuse me, but have we met your grace?

[Adamat]

The Earl sheepishly said, "Oui," and then noticed they weren't speaking French but another language he did not understand.

[Ace_General]

The Earl sheepishly said, "Oui," and then noticed they weren't speaking French but another language he did not understand.

De clare responds in some slavic language

Da, Moiye Drugoi
He then waves his old mercanry companies chaplain over and says

He can translate, as long as our Hopsitalar friend doesn't start speaking Samaritan or some other heathen language

De Clare extends his hand and says

By the way, I'm Sir Richard de Clare, Lord Marshal of the Crown