Our friends are spending a night in their usual hangout, joined by Roger Dupin, for an evening of revelry. As they get up, grabbing their bits and pieces to call it a night, they notice a note stuck under the bottom of Roger’s last pitcher of wine.
The envelope is sealed with a stamp picturing two crossed swords, either sabres or cutlasses. Roger turns pale, excuses himself and leaves with the unopened note.
Henri and Gerard vaguely recognize the seal belonging to the Archduke De Mainz D'Einartzhausen.
De Mainz, apparently a German by birth, rose to be Archduke sometime near the end of the rule of Henry IV. His early history is not known, but it is rumoured to have been quite bloody. Some say he was a mercenary Captain in the French Army who performed some great service for the King. Others claim he was a seaman. It is known that he is quite wealthy, however, and influential. For reasons unknown, perhaps because of scars or burns, the Archduke perpetually wears a thin, beautiful mask of gold. This also makes it difficult to ascertain his age.
The next morning, the heroes are summoned. De Treville greets them, informs them that he has kept a close eye on them since their arrival, and thanks them for their assistance in the matter of Maitre St Pierre, and old friend of his.
Now, he needs them to assist Roger Dupin in a matter of extreme importance
He shows them the note that Roger received:
'I have the pleasure of desiring your assistance It would please me for you to await my carriage at the Pont du Louvre at 10 o’clock tomorrow morning I anticipate in advance the pleasure of our meeting
Destroy this note after you have read it
By my own hand,
De Mainz"
They set out immediately to the Pont de Louvre. At precisely 10 o'clock, a fancy carriage bearing the Archduke's Coat-of-Arms, and his curious crossed swords device, stops at the Pont du Louvre, driven by a tall silent man, lean and thin, clean-shaven, and dressed as a gentleman, but somehow sinister. Inside, it is guarded by a rough looking man, missing several teeth, with a cutlass. The cutlass armed man introduces himself now, in accented, but passable French, as Johnny Coppers, and Englishman in the special service of the Archduke. Coppers is nearly fifty years old. Asked about his companion, the silent driver, he laughs and explains that his friend Pendu is silent as he had his tongue cut out by the Turks.
The carriage rides out of Paris and on to the nearby country estate of the Archduke. The ride takes nearly half an hour.
The Archduke's estate near Paris, his hunting lodge, is centred around a massive stone villa. The group is shown in by Johnny Coppers, led through a series of dazzling and luxurious rooms, and finally to a rather Spartan study. Coppers takes his leave and they are left alone.
In the study they find a chess set, sitting on a marble table top, apparently hand carved from wood. The white pieces are in the form of European soldiery and the black pieces are detailed like Moors or Turks. There appears to be a game in progress and both players are apparently quite good. The bookcase is filled with volumes on every imaginable subject, including texts on military and naval strategy, theology, law, fencing, and history. The most interesting of all the books is on a pedestal next to the bookcase.
The pages are quite old and yellowed, but the binding appears new. It is filled with fantastic diagrams and pictures in an early Italian style. Henri recognizes the book as being made up of documents by Leonardo DaVinci, the great Italian artist, sculptor, and inventor. The text cannot be easily read as it is in old Italian and is written backwards (as was DaVinci's habit). It seems to contain designs for numerous wild and incredible inventions, including an air ship and a submarine vessel.
The Archduke enters after fifteen minutes. He is dressed in contrasting garments of white and black, surmounted by his emotionless golden face-mask. He courteously greets the characters and thanks them for coming, asking them for their assistance in a problem of his. Politely, he requests that the party do him a service, for which he feels they are well prepared due to the diversity of talents found among its members. He indicates he knows who they are and make reference to some of their less known parts of their background and more recent history.
The Archduke gives them an envelope, containing full instructions, to be taken to Marseilles (in the south of France) and opened there. He will lend the characters his carriage, a team of four good horses, the services of his best man (Pendu) who will accompany them, 50 L each for travelling expenses, and up to 300 L worth of any equipment they feel they may need.
The Archduke's carriage is fancy, but well-made and reinforced with bands of steel to make it fairly bullet-proof. It contains three secret compartments, one under each of the two rows of seats and one behind a panel at the back of the passenger section. There is room for two people on the driver's bench, one behind, and six inside the coach.
The journey from Paris to Marseilles is one of about four hundred miles, or about four days' carriage ride at a swift pace. The party notices on the first day, a red carriage, drawn by eight horses, just a little behind them, as if following. On the second night, when entering an inn, they are be informed that two people a Lord and Lady from Paris, arrived several hours before, asked about the Archduke's carriage, and then left.
When the characters get to Marseilles, they open the sealed envelope for further instructions. Inside is a gold coin, stamped on both sides with the Archduke's crossed swords insignia. An enclosed note reads as follows:
'Take this coin to the Roi des Voleurs. You may find him at the Tavern Trencavel on Rue Ste Marie You will receive further instructions from him
- DeMainz'
The party easily finds the Tavern Trencavel; it has the worst reputation of any place in the city. They are warned several times, as they ask directions that it is not a safe place for a gentleman to go and that even the City Guards are afraid of it.
When they arrive, they find it to be a large but dirty and unlit place. The sign above the tavern bears the symbol of a skull, wearing a crown, above a pair of crossed bones. Inside is the largest assortment of rogues, pirates, smugglers, thieves, beggars, bandits, and cutthroats ever assembled. They are all silent as the party enters and stand menacingly. The biggest three, one with a hook instead of a left hand, approaches the characters slowly.
Saying they are here to see the King of Thieves, the cutthroats laugh raucously. This turns into good natured slapping around and, finally, almost into physical violence. When they show the Archduke's coin, the ruffians back off in fear. The bartender motions the characters to follow him down a hidden flight of steps behind the bar, and everyone gives the party a wide berth.
In the cellar is a huge chamber, decorated as a royal courtroom, and dominated by a large table, at which sit more than 100 motley rogues and villains. At the head of the table, sitting on a throne, with a crown on his head, is the King of Thieves, an obese giant of a man with an eye-patch. Entertainment here in this 'royal court' consists mainly of boxing matches on the table top and knife-throwing at various targets on the walls. There are also numerous dice and card games going on, and a few dirty brawls. On the floor, by the foot of the stairs, lies a dead man. All around, also, are rats, ravens, and a couple of parrots.
The bartender leads the characters up to the throne and whispers into the King's ear. The 'King' welcomes the characters with all of the royal grace he can muster and invites them to sit at his table. When given the gold coin, he smiles and hand them another sealed envelope. He then invites them to stay at his court for a few days and join his royal festivities, which our heroes decline
The new envelope, sealed with the same crossed swords emblem, contains another gold coin, bearing the Archduke's insignia, and another note, which reads:
'Travel to the city of Florence, and present this coin to Count Del Ferro, of the Court of the Medicis. My friends that you have met in Marseille will make sure you aren’t followed.
Take the items he will give you, and hide them in the carriage, then return as quickly as possible to Paris - DeMainz'
The next day, the group leaves for Florence...
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