Use Your Loaf - June 986

Prologue
Brother Cedric had returned to Harbottle, on the border of the Border Kingdoms. Griselda was recovering from her ordeal with the goblins and meetings at the preceptory had returned to normal with the requisite complement of doughnuts. Then one day a villager came racing into the village with dreadful tidings.

The Lord of the Manor, Lord Beauvriere, was away at the capital, and it would appear that Lord Alain de Sucre was riding in the direction of the village. With most of the village guards away, things looked desperate. Lord de Sucre coveted the apple orchards around Harbottle, which were famed for their cider apples and had long sought to tax the village, despite the fact that he had no legal right to the revenues. However, in this instance it would appear that Lord de Sucre had heard of Griselda's ordeal. He had loudly announced that he would seize her and take her back to his castle, where she could bake sweet confections for him and his cronies.

And so it begins
Brother Cedric had been kicking his heels for a fortnight now, since returning from the Goblin Lands. Now, when there was fighting to be done, the Lodge Master, the Righteous Brother Manfred D’Homme, had decided he could stay and guard the Lodge. They all knew how good he was at fighting goblins, so why had he been left here to play nursemaid?

After the second service of the morning, Brother Cedric left the Lodge to the Saviour’s Glowing Ring and crossed the village towards the bakers. There Griselda would be getting her buns out for the gathering crowd. Since saving her he could always be guaranteed a little something special round the back. Already his mouth was watering at the prospect. Just then little Burt, the cobbler’s youngest, came rushing into the village.

“They’re coming! They’re coming!”

Griselda's father turned to Brother Cedric. Panic was writ large upon his face and the fear in his eyes should have melted even the blackest of hearts. However, it was well known that Lord de Sucre had no heart, not even a black one.

"Brother Cedric," he shouted, "Brother Cedric, please save my daughter."

With that everyone in the village except the Brethren disappeared from sight. A tumbleweed rolled across the main street and a distant harmonica began to play.

“Spread out men and cover the entrances to the village”, said Brother Cedric. “And, Brother Leelov, stop playing that infernal instrument!”



They didn’t have long to wait as the enemy approached from behind the Bakery. It was their dastardly neighbour's men trying to take them from behind by surprise. The Brethren rushed to meet them, Brother Wilfhelm charged towards the horsemen causing one to panic and flee from the village. In a moment the battle was on. The enemy slingers seemed to have been sold a dud load of pebbles. They might have been better using rock buns. Wilfhelm’s other opponents quickly rounded upon him and he soon slumped to the ground. Brothers Cedric and Leelov rushed to his aid, while Brothers Konrad, Siegfried and Klaus attacked a second group.



Konrad soon fell to a savage blow. The tide then began to turn and just as the Brethren were gaining the upper hand, reinforcements arrived in the shape of the sneaking Lord himself. Brother Leelov soon succumbed to a brutal assault.



As Brother Cedric charged another mounted knight. Brothers Seigfried and Klaus used their loaf. They rushed into the Bakery to protect Griselda. They could defend better from behind the Bakery's doors. Herman the Spearman headed into the Lodge to the Saviour’s Glowing Ring. Alain and his men pressed the bakery door hard only to be beaten back. Herman put up a brave fight , but eventually he was knocked to the ground senseless.



Meanwhile Brother Cedric pushed the knight back and eventually pulled him from his horse and killed him. The Brothers in the bakery killed one of Alain’s knights and he fled from the scene, only to return with more men. By now all three Brethren were in the bakery fighting to protect Griselda’s dough. They soon dispatched Alain’s men and the cowardly cur slunk off to lick his wounds.

Conclusion
“Oh, thank you, boys, " gushed Griselda, "I kneaded a hero and you all rose to the occasion. It's no wonder that our Bakery flour-ishes in this village. I certainly doughnut expect you to ask for a reward but you have saved my life several times now. We are poor people so I cannot make a proper dough-nation to the Lodge, although there is muffin I would like to do more than that. Still, at yeast there is one thing I can do for you. Line up in an orderly fashion because I have something special for you. Ok now, one at a time, please.”

With that she got her special baps out.

Terrain from the WorldWorksGames Villageworks set.