Black Death

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the Year of our Lord

1348

The fumes of the dead hung in the air like poison.

A plague more cruel and more pitiless than war had descended upon us.

A pestilence that would leave half our kingdom dead.

Where did it come from?

What carried it's germ?

The priests told us it

was God's punishment.

For what sin?

What commandment must we break that would earn this?

No, we knew the truth.

This was not God's work, but devilry.

Or witchcraft.

And our task, to hunt down a demon,

is God's cure.

Brother Thomas.

Brother Thomas.

Who was taken from us?

- Brother Ignatius.

Is it the pestilence?

- We have not been told.

I have no signs. Please brother.

Let me out.

Averill.

O thanks pretty gorgeous.

Where've you been?

- I was confined... sacred.

I thought you were dead.

I'm alright.

- I prayed, prayed all the time.

I'm alright.

I've brought food.

One of our brothers

died this morning, Averill.

Even the monastery is no longer safe, you must go now.

You must go back to Dentwich Forest

and you must hide there till this is passed.

On Sunday the prior said the pestilence was God's new purge, send to wash away our sins.

Is God punishing us?

- No.

No.

You must go now.

You must go back to Dentwich.

You must go.

Osmund, I...

- Averill, you'll die.

And you will not?

Come with me.

If I leave the monastery now, I betray God.

We've already betrayed him.

You know the Martyrs Cross

at Dentwich forest?

I will wait for you there,

every morning at dawn for one week.

And then I will be gone.

Forgive me, Father. I am confused.

I confess, I am torn.

Can I serve you outside of these walls?

I would leave here, but I would never stray from your grace, father.

Show me Your will.

Father, give me a sign.

I am Ulric, envoy to the bishop.

What I say know does not leave these walls.

Word has reached the bishop of a village that does not suffer as the rest.

They say it is a sanctuary from the pestilence.

There are many villages that have not been ravaged yet by the pestilence.

It is claimed these villagers are beyond it's icy grasp.

Then they are greatly mistaken.

These are difficult times.

Such claims however fantastical...

can find favor with those

less educated than you or I.

Precisely why we cannot fall foul

of rumor and superstition.

God's grip on his people is lucent.

We must ensure the flock is not tempted to look beyond God and church for answers.

I must see for myself how this village is kept safe.

What part have we in this?

- The village I seek lies in the great marsh.

I require a guide, a man of God,

to show the way.

No man here fit for such a task.

With the bishop's blessing

I may choose any man here.

Out of respect..

I grant you that choice

I will lead you there.

No, he is a mere novice.

This requires a more experienced hand.

Let him speak.

The said village you seek lies in the great marsh. I was raised close by in Dentwich Forest.

I know the area better than any man.

He has all the experience I require.

You will lead us.

We leave at dawn.

Osmund, that man is more dangerous

than the pestilence itself.

Father, I prayed for guidance.

God has answered.

Even if you survive,

the world out there will change you.

Perhaps that's what I want Father.

My lady love and I, we lived in joyeous sin,

now my lady love has got the blackened skin.

My lady love and I, we pour our love so brave,

now my lady love rots in an early grave.

We have our guide.

God has no men left,

he sends us a boy.

Are you up to it, son?

I can lead you there.

Pray you do.

Split any man from his a**hole to his apple.

What's that for?

How much does he know?

Ulric was ahh 'frugal' shall we say

with the truth.

This village we're headed to...

they've cast God aside.

In his place sits a demon.

There was talk of sacrifice.

Of men eating men and of raising the dead.

Now we're charged to bring the leader of this village back for confession, trial and execution.

The bishop seeks to roast themself a necromancer.

- Sorry, what is a necromancer?

A necromancer is someone who plucks the dead

from the cold earth,

breathes new life into them.

We have the tools, we have the will.

We journey into hell.

But God travels with us.

- So you misled me.

Return to your monastery if you feel betrayed,or join us and do God's work.

Let's get this cleared up, let's get going.

That includes you, Swire.

We are not as bad as you think.

But worse.

But we need you alive.

You seem well suited to keeping men alive.

I've spent many a long years in the king's army

with Wolfstan and Griff.

I'll be honest with ya'. We've faced a demon before, but we take what comes our way.

What happened to him?

- Ivo was captured.

Wouldn't talk, so the bastard French tore out his tongue.

And him?

- Mold is a men to leave alone...

unless there's butchery to be done.

And Dalywag, he is a torturer,

a hangman,

and if the rumor is true, murderer, thief and deceiver of women.

But apart from that he's a good man.

What about Ulric?

- I've got a wife and child.

I'm here for the money. Ulric is here, because God told him to come.

Burn!

- What's it...

Have mercy, please have mercy. No!

I've done nothing.

We must help her.

- Do you here me?! You deserve to burn!

I've down nothing.

- Burn! Burn the witch! Burn!

You're in league with the devil.

- What is her crime?

She brought death to our village.

- Death is all around us, and it's no invitation.

This does not involve you monk. Step aside.

- I have done nothing, please.

Please, stand aside.

What is this woman accused of?

- She poisoned our well in a pact with the devil now...

half the village is dead.

- I offered a simple blessing over our water to keep everyone safe.

Liar.

- I did nothing wrong.

The dying began after she was seen at the well.

- You have her confession?

Plenty of us saw her cast her spell. Now she must burn,

to spare what remains of our village.

Move aside.

I will not ask you again.

Back.

Thank you.

Do not stop again.

Come on, brown slug.

As sure as the sun will rise and fall, witches will burn.

There's a village in the north, that burned 128 witches in one night.

That's sixteen an hour, for eight hours.

By the time that night was through, they'd killed every woman in the village.

By the end of that week the men were shagging pigs.

Pestilence isn't trial enough, now God has us shagging pigs.

This village we seek, you been there?

No, but I know where it lies.

Hell awaits us, or so we're told.

If you've not got the stomach for it, then leave it now. And I'll have your share of the bounty.

What is the Church believe this pestilence is come from?

I don't believe God is punishing us like many do.

I say from France, where all foul things emerge.

For once Swire, you might not be too far from the truth.

Three summers passed, we fought a battle at Crecy in Normandy,

King Edward's army was dwarfed. For every twenty of us, there were a hundred Frenchmen, at least.

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