The Distinguished Mr. Rose Chapter 25: Chapter 25: Roland of the Twelve Peers

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Chapter 25: Roland of the Twelve Peers The paladin called Roland bowed his head, and addressed the players with a dominant, authoritative voice. “Well met, heroes of another world. I am Sir Roland of the Twelve Peers. Among the eleven others who serve as his Holiness’s advisors, we oversee the well-being and the defense of this sacred Empire, as well as the court’s high tribunal. You need only seek the insignia of the Imperial Eagle upon our garbs to identify our members.” Lucius felt the hair on his skin come to a halt. Sir Roland’s demeanor was respectful, but his tone was anything but - pushing down on all within the hall with a spine-chilling pressure. It didn’t take a keen eye to see that the paladin’s courtesy was a poorly veiled front; his words, while cordial, were spit with a tongue laced in venom and distrust. He was nothing like the Archbishop. Rather than welcome the players with open arms, he regarded them with the most doubt. Some of the more fearless players tried to stand up and resist his suppression, but they were soon overcome with a cold sweat: faces pale and drenched in exhaustion. It was as if an invisible force had chained them in place. They would have been stuck there were it not for the Archbishop’s chidings. “Roland, my friend, this jest is in poor taste.” The paladin reacted not, but after a moment, the pressure disappeared and the frightened players were released from their bindings. “I know not what you infer, Father Turpin. I am merely greeting them in accordance to the knights’ standard.” “These people are not knights.” “Such has been made clear, evidently. We shall see if this result be fortune or disappointment.” The paladin sighed, and then faced the group with a reluctant sobriety. At the very least he viewed them not as enemies - perhaps due to the mediocre resistance demonstrated during his taunt. “The Archbishop has deemed you warriors summoned by our God. Whether this claim be true, it matters not. You are here now, intertwined with our empire’s fate, so I am obliged to treat you as my fellows. I am not ignorant that you are all foreigners to this land, so I do not expect you to know nor familiarize yourself with our culture. Regardless, I will hold no quarter should you bear ill will to our people. The innocent harbor no sin. If you must direct your hatred, then let it be upon me.” Sir Roland was not a friendly man by any means, but Lucius saw in him a sincere pledge to protect his people. It was inevitable that one shouldered with such responsibility would be wary towards those with unknown intentions and capabilities. The fact he still chose to accept them, however, meant that the troubles of this nation must truly be dire. The Archbishop coughed and, discreetly, pulled the paladin back. “Thank you for your time, Sir Roland. The man may come across as fierce, but I plead for your understanding. Dark times have besieged us these past years. It is his duty to be cautious.” His words were meant to inspire charity and cooperation, but to the players, they only felt a creeping sense of dread. If there existed ten others with strength similar to these two, then how terrible must this threat be? The answer to that, the Archbishop would soon give. The holy man clasped his hands together and regaled upon them a solemn account of the empire’s history. The knights, and even Sir Roland, saluted out of respect, listening to the speech with clenched fists and… fear? “Twenty years ago,” Turpin began. “This land was on the cusp of greatness. His late Holiness, Pepin the Cruel, had just united the warring territories under the banner of conquest. All became subjects of the Holy Empire, and toward this unfortunate, fragmented world, harmony was no longer an impossible dream. New trade routes were established; kings and queens alike relinquished their crowns; and for a time prosperity flourished like never before. Those of the Danes, the Saxons, Moors and Saracens all: they became our neighbors, forging