A new version of our old favorite story game. Feel free to join us at any time. Our new story chronicles the lawless 1700s in England when penniless peasants turned robbers roamed the regional roads to plunder from the rich aristocracy.
Jake Smith was the Blacksmith in Romley aided by his apprenticed Nephew and younger brother Moses. Jake's Smithy had been handed down to him generation after generation each to the Eldest son. Moses, his younger brother was afflicted with the Crawling life as his legs wouldn't work, all shriveled, and yet he painted ...... with oily brushes, and ... nner chimes, he wandered into the kitchen looking at Shoeing horses, Jake's main work, required he had Stables and turned a pretty penny with his Equine Merchandising. He with his wife Rose and their three wee bairns were regulars at Reverend Flasher's Services. Jake had greatly helped Reverand Flasher's drive to rebuild the church's Belfry donating supplies and labour to the project. The local Constable and Magistrate of Romney were well enamoured by Reverand Flaser's promises of Eternal Grace and Heavenly riches... Jake was a Disciple of Molly's Masked Maraurders who believed in Earthly riches and the here and now. His bellows fired the forge that could melt almost any metal...
There was still work to be done on Reverend Flasher's church belfry. He actually wanted a new bell altogether. There was much needed church refurbishing such as repairs on wearing walls and crumbling roofing. The Vestry had seen better days too. This all cost money that he and his parishioners did not have., even tho they had been as generous as was possible. Flasher and his maid/companion Molly had talked about the need to find expenses for the church restoration, while Molly's mother too was ill and with her father away at sea, she was unable to find money for her treatment. Jake the Smithy too was finding regular work, outside of shoeing horses, hard to find. So the three decided, at least for the immediate future, to take from the rich to give to the poor, them. The two men had the idea of making Molly the head of their gang as both the Reverend and Jake were well known by the villagers.Thus Molly's Masked Marauders was born. Next on their agenda was to work out a plan for their new adventure.
Jake made a discrete stiletto dagger for Molly just in case she ever needed it. One stab with it could be fatal. He made a nice scabbard for it too that could be easily hidden on one's person like strapped to a leg. Jake had several horses of his own and let Molly use a mild one. His was a fiercesome big black Stallion that Jake had different Winter coats for. Even dyes to temorarily slighty change a horse's coat's colour. He knew the tricks. He often rented his nags out too, usually to rich toads that couldn't tell a horse's head from its bum. He told the Reverend and Molly how he could change a horse's appearance. Jake stabled Reverend Flashers steed too and freely as a tithe to the Church. Jake wouldn't broardcast it but he secretly fumed at the excesses of the rich and the desperate lives most poor commoners lived. Eighteenth century England was brutal to the common folk. Reverend Flasher well read Jake's thoughts on the great disparity between the rich and the poor in England. Jake liked the idea of stealing from the rich to give to the poor, to be spent discreetly like credit like here and there and everywhere. Ah, but Molly's the boss. She talked the Reverend and me into this dark venture. With the Reverend signing on I did too. Molly's our quiet behind the scenes leader. She's the one with a sharp mind, engaging personality, and ear for gossip and news. Jake and Flasher knew she was the invisible Queen of Gossip in Romley, and for many lands about. Jake once saw her in deep conversation with a Royal courier. She just smiled at him when she saw him looking..
"Molly what is our plan or mode of operation", said Flasher as they assembled for their first meeting."I have some ideas and so has Jake. I suggest we attack only after dusk as less risk of being recognized even with our masks. I intend disguising my voice. I used to do some acting in my younger days and had a penchant for mimicking dialects". Molly had a perceptive mind and reminded us that we needed to be smarter than those robbers now rotting in dungeons across England. She told us that the gang needed to have someone on the inside of the Bow Street Runners who can give us gen on when the toffs will be traveling in our district and also any raids planned by the local Chief Constable, Desmond Fancey who has threatened to wipe out our kind. The two men sniggered at the ridiculous name. "We will have to pay this inside man well as he is a vital part of our venture. Plus we will need a 'fence' to take valuables off our hands, specially traceable jewellery". Sounds good Molly said Flasher. By the by dear girl, you told me you had access to three pistols belonging to your seafaring father?
Molly loved her stiletto dagger, she had it strapped to her right thigh under her heavy skirts, she could easily whisk it out with her right hand if she felt the need to. She thanked Jake when he presented it to her, she had always had a soft spot for him, he was always enthusiastic and helpful. Molly knew she had to get some information for their next job, she had to get it right if her gang wanted rich pickings. Reverend Flasher would be around soon, he made her laugh as he was fun to be around yet knew when to knuckle down and get on with the job in hand.
Thou says we decide on Molly's plan of an inside man at the Bow Street Runners plus a tax fence to buy excess jewellery and other expensive knick knacks. Jake does thee know of any police men that are tired of poor pay and conditions and can be trusted. Molly said she knew of a friend that knew of a trustworthy jeweler that had done some tax fencing in the past? We all three have decided that both these people are important to our operation or lest we end up rotting in one of Peel's dungeons.
Reverend Flasher, I do know of a Jeweller in old London who would buy loose gems and lumps of Gold or Silver. His name is Godfrey and he has a small shop in Petticoat Lane.
At their next meeting Molly handed Jake and Flasher each a pistol that had belonged to her seafaring father. Meanwhile Jake had assurances from Mr Godfrey of Petticoat Lane, London that he'd be our tax fencer, but only for a good price as capture by the authorities meant a long spell in a prison dungeon or transportation to the American colonies. Molly had a long time friend in the Bow Street Runners, Police Sargent Henry Dowsett, who had become disgruntled at being overlooked for promotion on more than one occasion. So Molly knew that paying him 5 pounds sterling every month would ensure his loyalty as he had a wife and two pre teen children to support and that was becoming almost impossible on his meagre salary of 25 shillings a month. For this generous bounty Dowsett had to inform Molly whenever a police raid or ambush was planned on any local county inns, roads or byways. The sargent knew full well disclosure of his collusion with known thieves was instant dismissal and a spell in one of Peel's dungeons.
Thanks for the pistol Molly, I'll take good care of it and will oil up it's parts. Yours too Reverend. The noise from my workshop will conceal taking a few practice shots with the pistols.
Molly put her own pistol back inside her frilly garter, the same frilly garter that Reverend Flasher gave to her the night they robbed a coach full of gentry, Jake had rode his horse Infront of the coach to bring it to a standstill, then all 3 highway robbers had robbed the occupants of money, jewels and clothes, leaving them stranded and naked in the middle of nowhere. Molly enjoyed her role as Reverend Flashers housekeeper during the day, but her evening role was more exiting, being the leader of her gang, robbing the rich and pocketing their ill-gotten gains!
Flasher was rather embarrassed seeing the hoity toity men left without a stitch then rushing to cover their modesty with whatever they could find. Jake was anything but embarrassed as he watched and guffawed, while Molly sniggered. Then the three quickly mounted their horses and galloped off into the evening carrying their latest bounty of money and jewels which like all their spoils will be placed in the small secret room behind the church vestry..
That worked out well Molly, it was funny seeing the Toffs stranded naked as we left them. I took the weapons off the coach driver and emptied his pistols. I left them with him as I won't steal from honest workers. Reverend Flasher, I love your secret room for our loot, weapons and disguises. Was that an oak barrel of Rum I saw in there? I thought it was just wine given out in Communion?
Molly took out a small dagger that she kept hidden, she thrushed it into the oak barrel, Flasher and Jake got their tankards and filled them from the gushing rum from the gash Molly made. Time to pool their loot, they each tipped out what they had taken from the last holdup, jewels, gems, sovereign coins, and of course clothes, which Flasher would rough up a bit then donate them to the needy in his parish.
Jake saw the four small shiny tankards and filled them up with rum for all and restoppered the the small barrel of Rum. Reverend Flasher looked a little stunned thought Jake and helped him sup his precious rum. It was really very, very nice and had some Earl's seal on the barrel. Jake laughed as he topped up the little tankards with more rum. Looking at the underside of Flasher's tankards Jake belched and said "Nice Silver tankards Rev, perfect for the occassion." Soon Jake was emptying his booty onto the little table in Flasher's safe room. "Coins to the needy" suggested Jake, "in whatever ways". Basic precious metals like this pure silver dagger I best melt down into a lump of silver. It's a lovely dagger though with very distinctive artistic engravings and pearls in its hilt, but best to prise out the pearls and melt the silver. Oh look, its handle is wrapped in gold thread. Uhmn, should I melt that and halve its value?