Alan (the Lone Librarian rides again) Teder’s Reviews > Kindel linn > Status Update

In an afterword, it is revealed that the Greeks did not hold Antioch in the end and that Bohemond prevailed. Hughes de Payens founded the Order of the Templars afterwards with 8 other Crusade veterans under his black cross flag and that the scribe Raimondus survived and did complete his chronicle called "The History of the Franks who conquered Jerusalem".

June 1098 Antioch. Before the forces exit Antioch, Hughes de Payens improvises the Pope's flag from a white sheet by drawing a black cross on it. During the battle, Gerard is shot with an arrow that is seemingly from Tancred. Dieter is struck down and before losing consciousness he sees the purple flag of the Greek Basileus Alexios flying from a tower in Antioch.

June 1098 Antioch. Dieter and Hughes de Payens go to Bishop Ademar to discuss how to raise a volunteer force for what is seemingly a suicide mission. The idea is formed that the volunteers will fight under the Pope’s own banner. Meanwhile an offer is made to Kerbogha to end the war with a single trial by combat but it is refused. The night before the assault Raimondus says he will be with Ademar & the Holy Lance.

June 1098 Antioch. Dieter and Gerard agree that Antioch shouldn’t remain in any one king’s hands as that would destroy the Pilgrimage. Back at a war council with Bohemond, Dieter learns that the plan is that a bataille formed of the Tarfuurs and volunteers will storm Kerbogha’s camp in a separate strike from the main force once battle is joined. Bohemond plans for Gerard to die during the assault.

June 1098 Antioch. Dieter returns to Bohemond and swears fealty to him. He says he has convinced the Greeks with his plot (it is not clear who he may be siding with here). Dieter returns home to Maria and talks with Andronikos while admiring the illustrations on a scroll. He goes to meet the man with the deep-dimpled chin who reveals that his name is Gerard de Roussillon and that he himself is the Tarfuur King.

June 1098 Antioch. Dieter wakes up and is confronted by a man with a deep dimple on his protruding chin, plus the surviving Greek spy from the Twin Sisters tower on the night of Antioch takeover and a priest-like man. He reveals to them that Bohemond is planning for the death of the Tarfuur king and that he himself is the assassin. Dieter says he will arrange to deliver Antioch to the Greeks. They release him.

June 1098 Antioch. Dieter asks Andronikos to find the oil merchant Kleon. He himself goes to find Mecharim & Angelo to ask their help. Dieter meets with Kleon and asks him to arrange a meeting with the forces that he smuggles arms for, presumably representatives of the Greek Basileus. Dieter is met by an escort who leads him on a long winding path through the city and at the end he is knocked out.

June 1098 Antioch. Earl Bohemond summons Dieter and says he should swear fealty to him instead of Earl Raymond as they have common enemies in the Greeks and as Raymond is likely to find out how Dieter was able to secure Antioch for Bohemond. He asks Dieter to assassinate the Tarfuur leader who he considers disruptive. There is a hint that Bohemond is a pederast (odd manner with cup-bearer). Dieter talks to Galena.

June 1098 Antioch. Dieter joins the group at the cathedral for the excavation. The pilgrim Petrus leads the digging. Dieter selects another pilgrim and a poor soldier to assist the dig. There is a hint that something may be planned but no more is stated. Petrus discover a spear shard and calls it the ‘Holy Lance’. He presents it to Earl Raymond and Bishop Ademar. Andronikos says it is from a Syrian spear & not Roman.

June 1098 Antioch. The scribe Raimondus visits Dieter & Maria. Andronikos shows the library. Raimondus wants to know what associations the 'Holy Lance' has with Antioch. Raimondus discounts any ‘Holy Lance’ in Constantinople and says they need a relic to inspire the Crusaders here now. He says a poor pilgrim named Petrus has had a vision that the ‘Holy Lance’ would be found under the altar in the Antioch Cathedral.