Robbing Lord's Vault: A 14th Century Adventure

I rose from my crouch, the cold ground pressing against my knees as I peered through a crack in the wall. Unrelenting rain beat down on the roof of the small shed, threatening to collapse at any moment. My only protection from the maelstrom outside was a wooden wall, hardly enough to keep me dry, much less safe. A flash of lightning illuminated the rugged terrain a few dozen feet away. The gang’s hideout had been built into a rock face, stone and earth forming a crude cave that opened up into a clearing.

A campfire flickered nearby, illuminating four men seated around it. They stared into the flames as if they were contemplating their lives. I knew better; they were watching for movement out in the storm, waiting for someone foolish enough to try sneaking up on them and taking their share of the stolen gold. The coins were piled in the middle of the clearing where I now hid. I manage to sneak past two sentries on my way here, leaving their bodies hidden back in the forest, but I couldn’t risk bringing them with me. The coin would be safer if no one knew I had it.

My goal was just within reach now, but there was still so much left to do before I could claim it for myself. Slipping out from behind my hiding spot, I raced across the open grass toward my prize. It didn’t take long for me to reach the pile of gold—I had deliberately left it not far from my entrance point earlier that night when I first snuck inside their cave—but by then I had already attracted unwanted attention.

The nearest gang member jumped to his feet and yelled something, his voice drowned out by another clap of thunder. With my eyes fixed on the coins resting in front of me, I scrambled forward until my hands were wrapped around two heavy bags of gold coins. As soon as they were in my possession I darted back toward cover just as another flash lit up the area around me and another man shouted a warning. He fired blindly into the darkness before returning to his seat by the fire as if nothing had happened.

I was nearly back to safety when an arrow sank deep into my shoulder, pain searing through my body as it passed through muscle and bone before lodging itself deep into an oak tree off to my right side. Without missing a beat I continued running toward my sanctuary, flailing wildly with both bags of money while dodging trees and rocks along the way. My chest burned but I pressed onward until at last I reached safety once more within reach of shelterous rock face waiting beyond. Three more arrows thudded into trees around me as I ran but all missed their mark thanks to luck and plenty of cover close at hand for those who knew how to use it properly. Once safely tucked away within several large boulders and another small cave dug into a hillside wall that protected me from sight from above or below, all that remained was to retrieve what belonged to me!

I took off toward where I had hidden my loot only moments ago. Careful not to drop either bag or alert anyone who might still be watching from across this barren wasteland between our positions that someone else might be moving about, despite being concealed myself beneath an old sheet discarded near where I hid earlier today when scouting out this location unmolested by anyone else planning on stealing what wasn’t mine! Bypassing the rickety shack built against the far wall of this cavernous abode where these ne’er-do-wells apparently made their home without further notice given either by those inside or without—unfortunately too preoccupied with drinking ale and raising hell with one another than bothering themselves with trivial matters such as security!—I arrived at my destination without further incident… at least none that required immediate attention!

Confident it was safe enough now that everyone outside guarding against attack had moved indoors following some predetermined timetable set in place well before tonight’s events unfolded—allowing me ample opportunity to retrieve what belongs to me!—I bent over and placed both bags onto an empty table abandoned near where we had recovered what rightfully belongs to us after spending countless hours enduring these criminals’ constant harassment! No sooner did they finally leave us alone than we discovered what belonged rightfully returned home! Their negligence allowed us to reclaim our property without any further trouble… so long as we can get out alive!