There is a blasted tower abut half a day's ride from Oxford. We discuss the possibility of spreading the rumour that the Knights who went to the mine found the treasure and decided to run off with it themselves to the tower. Apparently there is a hag based there. Deciding that we don't want to upset the fey, we decided against this plan.

We discuss plans about how to take Oxford.

We will sneak a few dozen men into the city the night before. through the culvert, wearing some fake talbards that look similar to those worn by the city guards.

A couple of hundred men hide in the barns outside the city walls.

After the gates are opened, the inside group takes the inner gates to the castle and the outside gate.

The soldiers hiding in the barns then charge in and provide support to everyone else.

What really happens:

We sneak into the city. I lead the men who are mugging the guy with the city gate keys, and come up with a really bad choice of locations to spring the trap. Fortunately, one of my men points out a better location. We crack him over the head and grab the key.

We (8 of us) head down to the gatehouse where 3 guards from the night shift are warming themselves by the fire. We have a bit of a conversation where I mention we have orders to search everyone coming in and out today, hence the extra numbers. Whilst one of us is opening the gate, one of the guards begins to notice that our tabards aren't quite right. I point out that there are 8 of us and 3 of them, so they keep quite.

We take the gatehouse without a fight, and let the outside army in. We take the walls as well, whilst the bulk of the army move towards the main keep.

There is the noise of fighting from up near the castle, but it doesn't last very long. Those in the castle surrender, and Oxford is ours.

We rescue the lady, and capture 16 knights (£12 each) as well as the treasury, which has £60 of silver.

Brias is installed as the new Earl after 'finding' some documentation which confirms him as being the bastard son of the old ruler. Much of the money is spent on plugging the security holes that we discovered.

Earl Roger is throwing a major Winter Court.