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KK- if any of my social superiors attend the party, can I simultaneously toady to one of them while being toadyed to by any lower-SL folks who want to? If not, that’s totally fine.

I don't see why not.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Being toadied to is essentially a passive business.

Col. Bael,

I have reconsidered and find it most appropriate to attend my commander's event to better recognize his tremendous generosity.

Lt. Col. Guderian

(I'll be there and I'll toady to you. Enjoy your +1 SP.)

(Yay!)

Psst: I'm trying to get Christian F to join the game.

Mrs Bael and LeBlanc:
Congratulations, sirs, on your successes both against the Spaniards and here in Paris. If you can stand up to (and stomach) the company of our local cavalry regiments I would ask that you join me next month, the first week of (Octobre) at the Horse Guards for gambling and carousing. I would like to meet my fellow officers before we all move on to better things. I will be paying myself for carousing although you will have to pay for your own mistresses, gambling etc.

Regards,
Patrick le Tacomanne

Le Poireau Parisien de Septembre 1621

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Lafayette Gagnon, formerly M. but now a Major, has come to Paris to seek his Fortune. He is a Stout-Hearted Fellow of proven Valour and Loyalty in the service of His Majesty the King. Yet, hailing from Bruges, he finds himself Bereft of Friends in the Capital. Thus he wishes to make the Acquaintance of other Men of a Respectable and Virtuous Sort, who may lend Aid towards his Prospects and Career. He is also an excellent Prospect for a Husband, having a sound Financial Status in addition to the aforementioned Qualities, and thus Inquiry may prove useful to Parents of Daughters. Correspondence should be directed care of Mme Fournier's Boarding House, rue Gilet, La Rive Droite.

Monsieur Roland LeBlanc wishes to announce that he is drunk and doesn’t give a fig who knows it.


Court and Social
His Most Christian Majesty the King was pleased to sign the commission of Baron Mauvoisin as Major in the Royal Foot Guards.

The Cardinal Richelieu proposed that the 13th Fusiliers Regiment should be dissolved, since its establishment is so badly depleted by service in the recent campaign that it will be easier to recruit the few remaining officers to other regiments than to fill out the ranks.


Around Town



A great Party was held at club Red Philips in Week 1. The famous strategist Major Guderian, lately returned from famous service in the Spanish Netherlands with the Picardy Musketeers, was seen attending Lt-Colonel Bael of the same regiment, who himself was paying close attention to Lt-Colonel LeBlanc of the Royal Marines. The comrades in arms were joined by Major Thoré, normally dour, who was no doubt intoxicated by his rapturous reception by the Paris mob a week before. The young war hero is the most famous warrior of the recent campaign and has ascended rapidly from an obscure background, making him the icon of the man in the street.

Week 2: Major Gagnon of the Gascons, chanced to visit the apartements of Madame Bibi, where he encountered Lt-Colone Bael who was about to take the lovely Bibi to his Club for a revel. The modest Major withdrew in favour of his social superior. Monsieur Bael conducted his lovely Mistress to Red Philips, where they settled in for a serious session at the dice tables.

Although the Lt-Colonel is a famous gambler, his luck was not properly in this evening. Three wins were balanced by two tactical cuts and a loss -- the Monsieur left the tables 50 Pistoles to the good, which is a poor haul by his normal standards.

His comrade in arms Major Guderian absented himself from the gaming programme and was seen with his servant carrying bundles of late summer flowers to the Rue des Batiments, where are to be found the apartements of Madame Delphine Artois. The Major was afterwards seen returning to his barracks with a scowl on his heroic face!

Meanwhile Monsieur LeBlanc moved his party to Hunters Club, where he attended his old friend the recently ennobled Baron Mauvoisin, who was seen to be wearing a magnificent new suit and the sash of a Major in the Royal Foot Guards! While the young cutlasseur fawned upon the noble Baron, his bill was settled by the Major’s servant.

Major Thoré, apparently a slave to duty, stayed at the Picardy Musketeer’s headquarters practicing rapier with some of the men.

In Week 3 the partying continued non-stop as Lt-Colonel Tacommane of the Dragoon Guards squired his fragrant Mistress Olympe to Club Horse Guards. Such a good time was had that the beau sabreur had hardly left the Club before he came back to continue his revels into the following week!

Major Guderian, maybe despairing of the wiles of women betook himself to the Rue Pigalle, where he fell in with Leblanc of the Marines, and much merriment ensued. Unusually they were joined by Major Thoré, normally an abstemious character.

Lt-Colonel Bael, meanwhile, appeared at Red Philips again without Bibi, and began a carouse of heroic length, it lasting well into Week 4. While this debauch aroused the admiration of his fellow officers, it seems that his Mistress was less than amused by being left out of the festivities, as the luscious Bibi was seen walking out one afternoon with the young Major Gagnon!

Unaware of this disaster in the realm of Venus, Monsieur Bael was busy giving the benefit of his gaming experience to a young gentleman, Monsieur Le Main, a member of the Club, but sadly the run of dice was against the young man who ended the session 50 Pistoles down.

Week 4
The newly commissioned Baron Mauvoisin introduced himself to his Battalion by a week of rapier practice. We are sure that the King will be most gratified to note that such a war hero takes so seriously the duties of protecting The Royal Person.

Roland LeBlanc left his carouses for a few minutes in order to pen an advert for this paper, which he sent by hand of his servant Robin, a notably rotund man who certainly did not suffer from the recent rigours of army rations. He might be said to be a Round Dobin. Le Poireau is gratified by the patronage of such distinguished gentlemen as Mr. LeBlanc.

The Lt-Colonel Bael was also working hard to solve the problem of being nearly sober, and
seems to have succeeded wonderfully well, judging by the final bar bill at his Club. Regimental colleagues amused themselves separately though, Major Thoré applied himself to drills at the barracks, while Major Guderian made a determined foray to the hotel of Madame Manon Bouvier, though we are unable to report on the results of this expedition.

The young Le Main, having tired of the game of Dice, elected to continue his carouses in the Rue Pigalle.

Such was the life of Paris this month, when conquering Heroes returned from War to resume their normal daily lives.

Sport
Monsieur Bois, the famous Goffer, apologised publicly to his followers for having entertained a mere 19 mistresses during the recent years of his career. “I know I have let down my family and disappointed my friends, and I promise to apply myself diligently to improve my scoring in the months ahead.”

Paris
Le Poireu Says: Save the 13th Fusiliers!!
Let a a good man be found to become Colonel, so that our glorious 13th Fusiliers may not die.

La France
Farmers nationwide complained of the appalling summer weather. In unison they called upon His Most Christian Majest’s government to do something.


International
Laughable Silliness of the English King

His Majesty King James the 1st of England and 6th of Scotland is said to have given the province of Canada to Sir Alexander Sterling. Intelligent Frenchmen can scarce believe that such a minor territory, fit only as a source of beaver pelts, should be considered a fit reward for a knight.



Swedes On The March

The monstrous wave of Protestantism rose higher this summer when Godless Swedish troops occupied the Baltic port of Riga. When will this horror cease?



Business
Normandy declares a Bumper Crop!
Both the apple orchards and the herds have prospered greatly thanks to the wonderful summer weather. The province reports with confidence the expectation of the most bounteous Calvados harvest and plentiful supplies of Camembert in the autumn.

Cheese shares fell 15 points on the news.

Awesome. With awesomesauce on top. The boys are back in town!

Yup. And the new maxim is: If the presents don't succeed, find a girl who always accepts cash.

There isn't enough fighting in Paris. I hate having to have a reason for a duel. This is why I prefer the battlefield. In war, a soldier needs no reason but the command of his king.

Recruit more players! Seriously, if we had two dozen guys going after the same short list of mistresses, no doubt there'd be blood on the streets nearly every week. I've tried to recruit about a half-dozen friends so far; might actually get one or two of them in soon.

I like the new character sheets a lot.

Leaderboard has been updated on the Website.

Is there anyone who still can't see the website? I made it visible to all the internet.

I can see the website now, though I still don't have a googlegroups account.

I've just accepted one invite via email, and extended another, quite different one...

A servant wearing dark clothes delivers a handwritten note to Col. Bael's servant. It simply states: "Mon ami: I have heard. Let me know if you require a second. M.G."

So like, are we getting to be behind a turn here. I don't mind doing the game every other week instead of once a week. Maybe once a week if we are ever on forced campaign again. I mean heck there could be MORE PLAYERS soon.

No disrespect to Kilkrazy who is running the best darn campaign of EnGarde! I myself for one have ever played in. Heck the best pen and paper I have been involved in in a while, maybe we could go back in time ten years and assault Undermountain. I suppose once a week keeps players interested other than just me, Ragnar and Panzer.

Or we could do something like every ten days. Orders due on the 1st, 11th and 21st of each month, for example. So 36 turns in a year instead of 52, maybe more if we are campaigning we can get an extra turn in.

The schedule got badly disrupted around Christmas-New Year.

Now the character sheets are properly organised it becomes easier to run the game.

We can go weekly with the number of players we have at the moment. If the number of players increases enough, I would have to go to fortnightly turns. I think I can handle 12-15 players on a weekly basis.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
As players what you will find it the more players in the game, the more planning and plotting you have to do each turn, especially when you start to use influence and get Appointments which allow you to directly affect other players. For example, if someone became a colonel of a regiment, they make the decisions about who can join the regiment.

Le Poireau de Paris -- Special Bulletin



The 13th Fusiliers are saved from disbandment!

His Most Christian Majesty King Louis XIII has made the following announcement.

“The 13th Fusiliers being an honourable corps with a long history, it would displease Us greatly to disband the Regiment.

We hereby appoint the Monsieur Jean-Luc Thoré, being at present a Major of the Picardy Musketeers, to the Colonel of the Regiment.

We confide that the 13th Fusiliers will quickly be restored to strength and good regard under his leadership.

Young gentlemen of bold spirit seeking a career in service, may apply to the Colonel for admission to the Corps.”

Le Poireau thanks the people of Paris for their dedicated support of one of our oldest regiments.



Automatically Appended Next Post:
NB: If a regiment has a player character as its colonel, he makes the decision to accept or refuse applicants regardless of other factors such as Influence and Luck.

Someone wanting to join a regiment without the nuisance of visiting the HQ and dicing for it, might find it advantageous to send a note to the Colonel regarding their desire to join his corps.

"Huzzah for Col. Thore! Well done, there."

Have to echo Taco's comments about the campaign. It's a ton of fun, and I love the details KK adds.

Le Poireau de Paris de Octobre 1621


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Court and Social

Commissions and Appointments
Monsieur Jean-Luc Thoré is appointed Colonel of the 13th Fusiliers.
Monsieur Jean-Michel Bale is appointed Colonel of the Picardy Musketeers.
Monsieur Manfred Guderian is appointed Divisional Adjutant of the 1st Division of Foot.

Danger of the Huguenots
His Excellency the Cardinal has warned of the dangers of religious factionalism. “One country must have one religion, and the religion of France is Roman Catholicism.”


Around Town
The new Colonel Thoré of the glorious 13th Fusiliers repaired immediately to the headquarters of his regiment, where he spent the entire month in examining applicants, practicing rapier and other necessary duties.

One applicant who was accepted to the regiment, is the young André le Main, who takes up the duties of Subaltern. While he closely followed his Colonel’s example in practicing rapier, the young blade did not neglect the necessity of rest and relaxation, and partook of a carouse in the Rue Pigalle in week 4.

The Major Gagnon of the Gascons, having made a new acquaintance last month, enjoyed three weeks in her company – we mean of course the lovely Bibi, lately seen out and about with Monsieur Bael who is said to be fuming about her lack of fidelity to him.

The new Major of the Royal Foot Guards, Monsieur le Baron Mavoisin, advanced his rank to Lieutenant-Colonel. We feel sure he could be persuaded to step higher if the way were open. The new second-in-command spent several weeks in practice of the Rapier.


Week 1
Monsieur Bael and Monsieur Le Tacommane went together to the club Horse Guards and caroused. They played at dice – Monsieur Le Tacommane making the throws while his accomplice gave him advice. Although Monsieur Le Tacommane is quite a novice at the tables, he certainly does not lack the stomach for the game and played maximum bets on every throw. His Mistress Olympe was always at his side, offering moral support.

After three throws Mr. Le Tacommane had lost twice and cut once. Pistoles were flowing like a river across the table to the House, but Monsieur Bael advised his friend that Luck would soon change, and so it did! The next three throws were all won by the Dragoon Guards officer, who declared himself satisfied and left the table 125 Pistoles to the good.

Monsieur Bael’s comrade in arms Monsieur Guderian was absent from this carouse. He had better things to do apparently – involving a young lady whose name is known to begin and end in N.


Week 2
While Mr. Le Tacommane continued his carouses at Horse Guards, Olympe on his arm, Colonel Bael excused himself on an affair of the heart. Who knows which lovely young lady is fortunate to have been the object of his affections?

Mr. Guderian meanwhile was content with the simple pleasures of Rue Pigalle.


Week 3
The doughty Guderian went to his club the Frog and Peach, in order to carouse. Where he met Mr. Bael who was back at the dice tables.

The Colonel, an experienced gambler, had a choppy night of it, and could not establish his luck. Even so he managed to walk away 100 Pistoles to the good.

Mr. Guderian however much he enjoyed his drinking, received a mysterious note and became most upset on reading it. The club’s doorman said it was definitely from a lady since it carried a delicious scent. One can only speculate as to the contents. The good officer returned to his carousing, perhaps to drown his sorrows.

The Horse Guards Club, most unusually was not graced by the presence of Lt-Colonel Le Tacommane and his Mistress Olympe. The lady was abandoned at home while the beau sabreaur, already a noted swordsman, practiced with his regiment’s weapon.


Week 4
As Mr. Le Tacommane continued his practices, the young Gentlemen Mr. Gagnon of the Gascons and Mr Bael of the Picardy Musketeers had arranged a meeting at the hill of Montmartre outside the city walls.

This engagement followed on an indiscretion committed by Mr. Gagnon during Septembre.

The ground was prepared by Mr. Bael’s servants. When Mr. Gagnon arrived, the two gallant officers exchanged the usual courtesies before they drew and crossed rapiers.

Mr. Bael sprang to action at great speed, taking his opponent by surprise and touching his left hand. Mr. Gagnon however was only lightly cut and returned a cut which took Mr. Bael in the arm.

This wound put Mr Bael slightly off his pace. Although he attacked swiftly, his timing was off. Mr. Gagnon was able to parry and riposted with a thrust to the thigh.

Mr. Bael was by now looking weak from loss of blood, however his courage was still as strong as ever. Again he sprang to attack, and Mr. Gagnon sprang at the same instant! Both men landed their blades on each other. The Colonel Bael’s was a serious thrust through and through Mr. Gagnon’s shoulder. For a moment it seemed this might turn the tide of the fight, however the Major’s blade also drew blood. At this, Mr. Bael feeling very weak, found it necessary to put up his sword.

The two Gentlemen shook hands and with the help of their servants bound up their wounds, then returned to Paris together, the Colonel Bael heading for his club in order to help speed his recovery by a good carouse. The Major Gagnon went straight home.


Le Sport
France wins all of The Rugby!

The Three Nations tournament of The Rugby between France, England and Scotland was won by France when Scotland and France ganged up on England thus outnumbering the English by 73 players.

The English kicking game was hampered by their new boots, which cover the leg up to the mid-thigh. The English found difficulty in raising their feet higher than the level of the knee. Thus they were unable to kick properly at their opponents’ crotches, a serious disadvantage in this sport. Despite this setback the English played well, their heavy boots offered a firm footing in the mud and allowed them to swing their fists with great effect.

Final Score: France and Scotland 1, England 0.

48 players are recovering in the Hopital St Suplice.


Paris
Le Poireau Says Hurray for Colonel Thore and the 13th Fusiliers!!
Colonel Thore is to be congratulated in taking this important post. His heroic reputation will surely restore the regiment to full strength.


La France
Farmers complain of bad weather
The Farmer’s Union petitioned the Cardinal Richelieu for relief from the unseasonable autumn weather.

Rebellion of the Huguenots
The Siege of Montauban has ended badly for the forces of Law and Order.
The Huguenots still hold the city, while the Royal Army is done in and worn out by a two month’s siege. With the season no far advanced towards Winter, it is doubtful whether any progress can be made this year.


International
Peace between Poland and the Ottomans

Battle at Khotyn Dniester
King Sigismund II of Poland has beaten the Turks in a great battle lasting a full month and ended on the 28th last.
This news arrived at the same time as word of a Treaty signed between Poland and the Ottomans on Octobre 9th.
The treaty, called Peace of Khotyn, must be ratified by the Sublime Porte and the High Porte, even then, it may be doubted as to how long the peace may hold.


Business
The East India fleet now being delayed a month, The Company said a Fleet might be delayed and still make port safely, though the likelihood of danger of storms increased as the season wanes.
Shares of the Company fell 20 points.

*cough*. Ow. My spleen.

Mes amis, is anyone in a mood to share a drink in comraderie with a wounded man?

Always at the ready to support a comrade in arms--always. Still, a noble fight. Ah to fight again! The autumn bells of Paris are lovely, of course, but my heart belongs to the din of the battlefield . . . and to one other. But alas, she is as far above me as heaven itself. Come, Monsieur Colonel, and let us sing of old wars and fresh wounds.

Yes, mes amis, Paris is both beautiful and deadly when it comes to matters of the heart. I believe I shall avail myself of this city for another moon, but I grow restless as do my troops. Perhaps a little blooding against the Huguenots will do us some good. My battalion will join the winter campaign against the nonbelievers as a training exercise of sorts to sharpen the sword for the summer months ahead.

I can only pray and toil that the 13th recovers in time to join you, my old friend.

Gentlemen, if you would be so kind as to accept my invitation, I will welcome you both at Blue Gables in the third week of Novembre. Friend Manfred, if you will sit and drink with me, I look forward to discussing your plans in regards to the heretics, and the use of Picardy's finest.

It will be an honor as always Monsieur. I shall be there with a full set of both battle plans and vixens.

Le Poireau Parisien de Novembre 1621 


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Luc-Vincent Thoré gratefully accepts command of the 13 Fusiliers, of
whom he expects no less heroism than that so recently evinced by his
former regiment the Picardy Musketeers.  Thoré has sworn that His
Majesty's enemies shall tremble whenever the 13th marches.


“Some lines recently translated by Col. Bael, from the barbarous English tongue into something more refined”:
 
“Dedicated to an Ideal Lady:
Drink to me, only with thine eyes
And I will pledge with mine;
Or leave a kiss but in the cup,
And I'll not look for wine.”


Court and Social 
His Excellency the Cardinal Richelieu congratulated the Polish on their concluding a peace with the Ottomans.

The King has taken up a new sport of Le Croquet. It is played upon a fine lawn with a mallet by which the player strikes a wooden ball to direct it through a narrow hoop.


Around Town 
The city was rather quiet this month. Many gentlemen spent a lot of time practising with Rapier, &c. which is not to be wondered at given the great duel which occurred in the month last, which has excited all sporting passions.

Week 1: The Baron Mauvoisin squired Madame Olympe to Club Bothwells. Whilst the lady is perhaps somewhat beneath a gentleman of the Baron’s social lievel, she is indeed lovely and has other qualities to recommend her to the discerning.

In contrast to the rarefied atmosphere of Bothwells, the stews of Rue Pigalle were patronised by Lt-Colonel Guderian and the young Subaltern Le Main of the renowned 13th
Fusiliers, who were followed by footpads on their returning to their apartements and Mr. Le Main, a doughty young man turned upon his follower like a raging bull and clasping him by the neck and thigh, threw the knave bodily over a wall into the cess pit of the convent of St Martin, a fit punishment for such a creature!

Meanwhile the servant of Lt-Colonel Tacommane, was seen to purchase a large quantity of lavender eau de toilette of Provence, a very fit gift for a lady if a Gentleman were to find his heart ensnared by some bewitching visage. The valiant Mr. Tacommane having recently abandoned his Mistress Olympe, must have cast eyes upon another Lady of charm and grace.

Week 2: The Baron Mauvoisin seemed to consider he had enjoyed enough disports for one month and applied himself to his regimental duties with vigour, and was seen fencing up and down the courtyard of the Royal Foot Guards headquarters for most of the rest of the month.

Lt-Colonel Le Tacommane caused a stirr by appearing at Club Hunters not his usual haunt of the Horse Guards and wished to gamble to the greatest extent allowed. The Lt-Colonel was disappointed to find how low the table limit is, only 200 Pistoles, and declared that such a club was hardly fit for a cavalry officer but he would stay as long as his Mistress Camille, were content to accompany him.

The fierce officer then repaired to the dice table and threw down a steady series of bets, winning five, losing only one and cutting on three which proved him an apt student of his friend Mr. Bael. The warrior left the tables 500 Pistoles to the good and declared perhaps Hunters was not such a bad club after all. After this excitement being a dedicated office Mr. Tacommane spent the rest of the month in practice of the Sabre.

At the Picardy Musketeers Colonel Bael and Lt-Colonel Guderian, old comrades in arms, sparred with each other and seemed evenly matched in skill though the Colonel is certainly the stronger of the two.

Week 3: The Colonel Bael chose to relax this week by holding a party at Club Blue Gables which he attended with Mistress Roxane whom had not been seen in the company of a Gentleman for some months. The Colonel was attended by his deputy Mr. Guderian, and a young Subaltern Mr. Le Main of the 13th Fusiliers who brought the regrets and apologies of his Colonel the undoubted Hero of the late campaign in Flanders, whose current task to revitalise the regiment takes up all his time.
It was disappointing that Mr. Bael, a noted gambler at Dice, did not display his skill for the edification of the members of his new Club on this occasion. It is much to be hoped that the Colonel will choose to challenge Fortune when he next visits, so that Dice fans may once again have the pleasure of observing his skill.

Week 4: No-one of note was seen around town as all busied themselves in practice of their favourite weapons.


Paris 
The Constable of Paris warned that the activities of footpads in various areas, especially the Rue Pigalle, being a concern to the authorities, it behooved any gentlemen who might be returning home in the early hours, to take care of themselves and their purses.


La France 
The recent weather has been of great concern to farmers in all of France, who are united in their call for the government to do something to avert the crisis which is advancing upon them as surely as a glacier advances down from Mont Blanc.

In surprise news, a rumour emerged that The King has not taken an acknowledged Mistress from among the Queen’s ladies-in-waiting for some months. Le Poireau does not care to dignify such a scurrilless rumour with any expectation of its proving to be the truth.


International 
This month there has been no news, so instead we present a commemorative lithograph of the Siege of La Rochelle.




Business 
East India Fleet Arrives!
Early indications are of a disappointing 10% return on investments.

Dear sirs:
After studying our nation's noble history in recent weeks I considered heading back off to war but I have decided it is worthwhile, and has been made my worthwhile to remain in Paris for just a liiiiiiiitle while longer. Besides the fact my (our) men need their rest. Madame Dupont and I will be at Hunter's this first week in Decembre if anyone should care to join I (the incomparable Mr. le Tacomanne) will be picking up the bar tab you will have to pay for whatever gambling yourselves, of course. Mrs. Bael and Leblanc are invited in particular although Mrs. Guderian, Gagnon Thoré can consider themselves invited as well. I have found Hunter's to be an excellent place for gambling although maybe not as generous as my old home with The Horse Guards, of course. With the highest regard,

Patrick le Tacomanne

Mrs. Tacomanne,

I have decided it would be a terrible sin to send my good Catholic men into the field for Christmas. I will let them rest for the holidays with their families and pursue the campaign against the heretics in the new year. I will gladly join you in the first week of December.

Manfred Guderian

::crickets chirping::