Archive Nine

Extract from MS Bremen-Scholst 668, here after referred to MS Bremen-Scholst

It came to pass in the year MCCCCX since the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ that the Order of the Hospital of St Mary of the German declared war upon the abominable race of Poles and Lithuanians, who despite their pretensions to Christianity were still vile and pagan brutes beneath, fearing none but their own dark deities. They were wolves amongst the sheep and the shepherd was to chase them off so as to preserve the flock and this was to be done by any means necessary. Grandmaster Ulrich von Junginen gathered all his brethren to the castle of Marienburg in Prussia and bid them to make preparations for war. All the materials of war were gathered beneath the roof of the great fortress. All the bridges and crossing points of the nearby rivers were guarded against intruders and all those who would not swear their loyalty and faith in our savior were expelled. The vineyard of the Lord was to be cleansed of the unclean foxes that gnawed at the roots of the faith. From across the lands of the Empire, from the domains of the most Christian Emperor Sigismund and beyond, from Hungary and France many noble knights of Christ did hear the call of the Teutonic Order and made their way to Marienburg as fast as they could, so that through their assistance and strength of arms, the light of Christ and the civilization of the German peoples might be preserved and His word might continue to be heard. Tens of thousands gathered and the castle became full, so many were there that they had to camp beyond the safety of the walls, in the fields and woods there abouts. Gardens were turned over to camps and a sea of tents, too innumerable to count spread about the walls. But the Poles and Lithuanians were cunning, they had many spies and sympathizers across the land who hated the Germans and the Teutonic brethren with a great passion and desired them gone from the land, such was the hatred that the Adversary bestowed in them through their vile rites. Every night they would slip into camp and make off with supplies of kill those who strayed too far, sometimes disguised in the pelts of wolves and other beasts. Every morning bodies were dragged from down river of those who had been killed, and piles of heads were found placed at cross roads as a warning to others. However, the warriors of the army of God and the Teutonic Order steeled their resolve and affirmed their commitment to the cause evermore, and vowed to do justice for their callously slain brethren. In the lands to the south, beyond the river the Poles and Lithuanians gathered a great army, terrible was its size and ferocious were its half civilized peoples. To tell of all the horrors that they inflicted upon the Christian peoples thereabout would be too great, but it was as if the very bowels of Hell had spewed forth all the demonic filth they contained upon the land of men and many terrible acts were committed without thought or care.

Letter between subject Carolus of Hildesheim and subject Horst de Novara

Lord Commander,

A newly arrived ship bearing supplies of corn and wine has arrived at docks routed from Magdeburg. I have had the supplies unloaded and distributed to the various supply point about the encampment. The continuing raids of the faithless pagan bandits has caused some worry and consternation amongst the army. This will no doubt be a welcome sight to many. In addition to the arrival of these victuals a further four of our kindred were placed as passengers on board. One of these was the commander of the Knights of Gesu, Gaius Menius Pelagius. I am concerned by his presence here. That order despite its presence in many an imperial land remains as yet unaffiliated and has not placed it banners to either cause. Blood will out and the Tzimisce are loyal only to themselves. He will bear watching, as such I have set knight brother Jordan of Bohemia to keep watch over him. Four others were in is company, a follower of that vile desert shaman Set, a member of House Tremere and a gypsy woman who appears to be of the polluted blood of Nosferatu and finally a Cappadocian. Such a strange sight to see such a motley and peculiar collection of travelling companions, a portent perhaps of the age in which we live. I have directed them to the various areas of the camp that they might wish to reside for the duration.

Brother Carolus

June 15^th 1410

Letter between Subject Horst de Novara and subject Carolus of Hildesheim

Brother Knight Carolus,

Fear not brother as to the presence of the perfidious Greek. His blood may be mired with the effeminacy and weakness of the Asiatic races, but his order of warriors remains within the bounds of the Empire. Such a foolish decision as to stand against his sovereign and master will not be tolerated. Discussions so as procure assistance of his order are well underway. I have received him audience within the walls of the castle, as indeed I have with the other members of his troupe. His knights shall be with us before the end of the month. The Tremere should be of some great use, you know of their hatred for the Fiends. Magister Siegfried von Thüringen will set him to course, no doubt he has many talents as the Usurpers often do. For the time being he shall be placed within the confines of the Hospital and see to the sick there in. The Cappadocian, while detached from this world by his own concerns is of some comfort. Leave this one to his machinations for they are of no great concern to us. We have use for the mystical prattling’s of an itinerant trickster To the Nosferatu I have seen and heard little, as is the nature of their ways, but I too urge caution in regards to thus one. Place them towards the edge of the camp, if God sees fit then they may be of some use yet against the marauders that plague us. As to the Setite, the lady Lucita has warned me of her guiles and honeyed words. She is not to be trusted, but do not underestimate her pleasant form, she remains a viper, full of venom and bile that would infect all she touches. The lady Lucita suggests that the motives of this serpent are not contrary to our own, giver her room and disturb her little. Do no more than hospitality and Christian virtue demands.

As of yet no word has come of the activities of the fiend Vala. She remains locked up within her hold deep within the forests, a coward no less, he blood betrays her. Scouts have seen no movements on the roads or wood betwixt the castle and her abode. She it seems will not take part in what is to come. Nevertheless, once victory is assured and we have put Rustovich and the simpering Vykos to their final deaths, her turn will come.

Lord Horst de Novara

June 16^th 1410

Letter from Subject Lucita to Subject Ambrosio Luis Moncada

My Lord and dearest father,

Troubles continue to brew in the East, I fear that no measure of arguments or money will be sufficient to end the storm that is to come. Vykos remains implacable, Horst even more so. There remain little to be done here and I shall soon be returning to the warmer and more civilized climes of Aragon. I have born your missives to Vykos, and he too is concerned over the rumours of Hardestadt. It is this fear, for fear it must be, that drives him on this course. He will not bear any threat to the security of his clan, should Hardestadt emerge once more. His takes council from Annatole now. I have bid my farewells to them both. The Ventrue remain tight lipped, if they are but pawns they do not know it yet. One again my paths have crossed with the Greek and the Serpent of my heart, and Vykos’s Cappadocian paramour. It seem that they too have acquired some new playthings of their own.

Lucita of Aragon

June 16^th 1410

Letter between subject Fulk of Flanders and subject Horst de Novara,

Lord Horst,

The situation within the encampment grows steadily worse day by day, no, night by night! I urge you to resolve the situation immediately. Either bring more of the army within the safety of the walls, or purge the forests hereabouts of the villains that inhabit them. If this cannot be done then I urge a movement to Schwetz forthwith. Yet more bodies have been found, some eviscerated as though by wild beasts, others decapitated. Rumours have reached our ear that the Gangrel have sided with the fiends and no doubt this is their work. The men are telling stories of men cloaked in wolf skins. Others talk of strange watery maidens in the rivers and ponds, are these the Rusalka? If no action is forth coming then the men will soon depart and your command of the army will be in jeopardy.

Fulk

June 17^th 1410

Letter between subject Horst and subject Fulk of Flanders

Dearest Fulk,

I am not unfeeling or uncaring, the lamentations of you and your men have reached my ear and alays stir my heart to action. Fear not I have placed new guards on the boundaries of the camp, including new kindred so as to keep the wolves from your door. All is ready for the movement of the army to begin. Soon we shall be on our way to Schwetz, remain strong, and fear the Lord God. A reckoning for the fiends is coming.

Lord Horst de Novara

June 18^th 1410

Letter between subject Siegfried von Thüringen and an unknown recipient in Ceoris

Master,

An initiate of our Blood has arrived here in Prussia, at the castle of the German Order at Marienburg. I am unfamiliar with him, his name or his work, yet he is skilled and knowledgeable of our arts. In this time of crises I would request further information upon him, so that his skills might serve us and the House better. His name is Thomas of Huntsbridge and he arrived here in the company of not only a follower of the Setite faith, but a Fiend! A vile sodomite known as Gaius Menius Pelagius. I have set matters right here in the castle, why the Ventrue should admit him and tolerate his presence I know not, but he is guarded. Please send all information relevant to this matter with the next flight of Gargoyles. The Ventrue are concerned over increasing reports of abductions and deserted villages. They believe the fiends have crafted and army of monstrosities greater than which has ever been seen before. Even if this is not the case then the benefits of making them believe that their deliverance in this struggle was on our part is merit worthy nonetheless.

Seigried von Thirningen

June 19^th 1410

Letter between subject Rusila and subject Valdemar,

Sister,

The Cappadocian Xavier Hugo has arrived and inquires after you just as you were informed by the High Priestess herself. I have done as instructed, details upon your location have been given and he will seek you out in Schwetz. I have also given him the box to ponder upon as you so desired. You have faced may disappointments in followed of the Via Ossium, perhaps this one shall be different.

Rusila

June 20^th 1410

Letter between subject Fulk of Flanders and subject Horst de Novara,

Lord Horst,

Wolves were seen prowling the edge of the camp last night. They seemed to fear neither man nor fire. They came up close until scrutiny by our number forced them to retreat into the woods. The moon is full, this bodes ill. Wolf packs are howling in the night, idle gossip turns men’s hearts cold. The gangrel and their ilk will soon be upon us I fear.

Fulk

June 20^th 1410

Letter between subject Horst and subject Fulk of Flanders,

Dearest Fulk,

Fear not as to the machinations and urges of the beasts. We depart in three days’ time for Schwetz. Begin your preparations, I shall have brothers Carolus and Jordan assist you in all matters and ordinances as is required.

Lord Horst de Novara

June 21^st 1410

Letter from subject Lucita of Aragon to subject Ambrosio Luis Moncada

Dearest Father,

I can see the fires burning for some distance. I stand now upon the deck of my ship heading back along the river to the safety of the coast. The army of God with its German masters was to depart tomorrow, but something has gone awry. Death follows wherever those three set foot, yet they themselves remain unaffected, like the eye of a storm. Fear not, I have preserved the writings of the Sinner Priest Georg von Hessen. His annotations on the documents you requested are, insightful if not novel.

Luicta of Aragon

June 23^rd 1410

Letter from subject Reinhold of Ratisbon to subject Horst de Novara

My Lord Commander,

I now write to you to inform you of the disaster that has befallen the army you had sent to assist us at Schwetz. No doubt you have seen the fires but now you must read of the anguish that has befallen us. This is what we have gathered from the survivors that have gathered here. Upon breaking camp the army moved out in good order from about the castle and heading along the road to Schwetz made good order for two days. Upon the third day the camp, having been made for the night not far from the river, was set upon by a pack of demonic wolves. Reports vary but their numbers were in the order of five to twelve. These were no simple creature for the wood that scavenge, but beasts that walked upon two legs as men, or stood as tall as the greatest of oxen when upon all four paws. They appeared as if from nowhere and set upon men and kindred alike, they must have been invited into the camp and guided by traitors for how else could such a task be accomplished without a hue and cry being given. Panic ensued and the force of our arms was insufficient. The army broke and ran pell-mell for safety. Many were caught in the woods and savaged by these beasts. I fear that brother Jordan has met his final death, as has brother Carolus. Lord Fulk has survived nonetheless and was brought hither by a wagon belonging to an old gypsy woman who had been travelling with the army. Of the MCC men sent by yourself, only now CCLVX have arrived in Schwetz. These were no wandering Gangrel my Lord, but Lupines. It seems the fiends have forged a demonic alliance with the moon beasts.

Reinhold of Ratisbon

June 29^th 1410

Letter Between subject Radik Ducheski and subject Vladamir Rustovich

Lord,

Our socuts report that the army of the Germans and their various allies has now moved out Eastwards from Schwetz. They have left a sufficient garrison to hold it and guard their supplies. I have set our Gangrel and Nosferatu friends to following them and await their reports. We have encountered a sorry motley of kindred travelling the woods here abouts. Seems they had an unfortunate altercation with some Lupines a few day previously and have been alone since. This includes one of our blood, a Gaius Menius Pelagius. He seems to have some connection to Vykos. Additionally this Gaius had a pet Tremere with him, our Obertus kin are fond of such boys I hear. They are aware of our recent activities in the villages near the fords. Not all of the crossing were as well fortified as the Ventrue tyrants had imagined. Our Carpathian brethren have left monuments of the villagers behind to mark them as ours and ward away any interlopers. There is still no word on Vala. I shall oversee these vagabonds we have acquired before bringing them to the army’s camp where those more exalted than I may determine their fate. They have in their possession a beast, some sort of Porcus Bellorum. It is an admirable creation, if somewhat crude. In future I shall make sure that all crafting material in villages is used before we depart.

Radik Ducheski

Steward

July 1^st 1410

Letter between subject Vladamir Rustovich and subject Ladislas Baroski

Captain,

I have received word from Ducheski. All goes as planned. Prepare the army to cross the river, there is little opposition to face, the eyes and ears of the Teutons have been bilnded. We shall make of Schwetz in due course and lure out the Germans. Taras and Tengael of the Gangrel will assist you in this matter, trust their counsel, they know the area well and have been fighting the Venture here for longer than many have lived. I know you have concerns over our alliance with Vykos, he listens only to Annatole these days. Fear not, I, shall converse with him. He is not in Greece any more, he will learn cooperate.

Viovode Vladamir Rustovich

July 3^rd 1410

Letter Between subject Radik Ducheski and subject Vladamir Rustovich

Lord,

My Scouts have reported that the army of the Teutons is heading directly for Neumark. They intend to meet with the kine troops of Poland and Lithuania at the fords near Kauernic.

Radick Ducheski

Steward

July 4^th 1410

Letter between subject Ladislas Baroski and subject Radik Ducheski

Steward,

The Cainites you sent us were a most perplexing bunch. It seems that the Cappadocian, Xavier Hugo was his name, is actually the lover of Lord Vykos. Vykos had him served up on a sumptuous platter of tongues. Yet that Xavier took him by force in his own tent. It seems they spent much time in Greece together and that night was their first meeting in many a decade. Their lust were borne out, knowing each other as only Carpathians can. If this is the mettle of our Obertus bretheren it is little wonder they lost the city of Constantinople so readily many centuries ago. Beyond this matter though, salacious as it might be, who knew Vykos enjoyed playing with the dead at night, is that Gaius Menisu Pelagius has agreed to serve our Lord Rustovich. He and his pet Tremere shall gain us entry to Schwetz and so cut off the supplies of the Teutons now that they have marched out. Annatole, the monk, spent some time locked in debate with this Gaius, accusing him of all sorts of Heresy. I don’t like it myself. Word has reached us that his Order of Gesu is marching under the Teutonic banner. Seems this lickspittle Greek will play both sides. Prepare nonetheless, the army will be moving out soon.

Captain Ladislas Baroski

July 4^th 1410

Letter between subject Vykos and subject Annatole

Psychomachia, metamorphoses…APOTHEOSIS!

Vykos,

July 4^th 1410

Letter between subject Vladamir Rustovich and subject Radik Ducheski

Steward,

When Gaius Menius Pleagius and his companions are with you, observe and listen to all reports and utterances from them. I wish to know of anything relating to a Nosferatu by the name of Malachite. He was an individual of some reputation in Constantinople. Vykos is most concerned about locating him, which makes me about locating him first. They will not be with you for several days yet, they seek an audience with Vala, and some rogue entity connected to her. The army will be marching tomorrow, the river is secure, deal with Schwetz with your force, the rest of the army heads East and North. We are to shaow that force of Germans that has already departed from Schwetz and deal a death blow to them and their aspirations once and for all. This land is ours. We have found a site for battle and will set the bait for the Teutons. Gaius will do as he has been told, a lot rides on this form him, more than he knows I think.

Viovode Vladamir Rustovich

July 5^th 1410

Letter between subject Valdemar and subject Rusila

Daughter,

Xavier has arrived and we have conversed. I have given him the warnings and delivered unto me, and advised him upon my own thoughts concerning the upstart Giovanni who are his blood cousins. The time of Xavier Hugo is running short, the grains of sand pass for all of his blood, and soon there will be nothing but ashes for all of them. A bitter harvest is coming, a second Feast of Folly. I only hope that the High Priestess is correct, that her visions are true. Xavier Hugo may be the last best hope for his Clan. He walks upon the edge of a knife. War comes for us all, it is no longer safe here. I suggest you seek passage to the West before it is too late.

Valdemar

Priestess of Bones

July 8^th 1410

Letter between subject Radik Ducheski and subject Vladamir Rustovich

My Lord,

Gaius Menius Pelagus along with the Tremere and the Nosfeartu that accompany him were more than adequate and loyal to the cause as you said. Whatever business they had with Valas has now been completed. We entered Schwetz and put the inhabitant to the sword. The town burned for two days. We lured some of the Teutonic army beyond the wall and were able to defeat them in a series of small engagements. Upon returning to the town at night the Germans were caught unprepared, believing their army had driven us off, and they were cut down in the streets. The German settlers and those of the Polish kingdom who served them have been shown the errors of their ways. We have many new constructs and Vohzd and Szlatcha. We shall send reinforcements to you forthwith for the coming battle. Word from our scouts has reached us that the remainder of the army that was at Marienburg has now marched out to meet you in the Grunwald, seem they need all the troops they can muster, word has it even the cooks and piss-pot carrying catamites of their order have donned armour. The Hochmaster Ulrich von Junginen is in command.

Radik Ducheski

Steward

July 12^th 1410

Extract from MS Bremen-Scholst

So it came to pass that the two armies met, those of the Teutonic Order of the Hospital of St Mary and those of the combined Poland and Lithuania upon the 17^th July. The sins of man were heavy amongst the Germans and when the hour came for battle God’s favour was not with them. The army was put to rout in the forests near Tannenberg and the Germans along with their allies were forced to retreat back to Marienburg which was soon placed under siege. These were dark times for the Germans in the lands of Prussia.