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 asshole 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.
The French...
Ah, the French.
They could sense victory, you could smell it.
On that day for the first time our archers used the longbow.
Quicker to load, further in flight.
Their arrows, their arrows were useless. Couldn't reach us.
And ours, ours were like a dark, buzzing cloud.
And that day's end, field was littered with their dead and their dying.
And custom how matter how fierce the battle, was to use the misericorde.
Misericorde, it's the 'mercy-giver'.
You stab straight through the armpit directly into the heart. It's quick and painless.
But on this day, there was an end to chivalry.
King Edward ordered every Frenchman
left alive to be killed without mercy.
Arms, heads, legs...
hacked away.
God's greatest army
descended into savagery.
Forgive me, but how does that conscern the pestilence?
We invited Death among us that day.
He hasn't left us since.
That woman you killed,
she was not a witch.
Why did you volanteer to join us, monk?
To serve God.
Killing witches serves God.
The woman was already dead.
If I had freed her, the mob would have caught her again and burned her.
I spared her suffering.
Sometimes that is all you can do.
He says: 'turn back'.
Where we're headed
men have become savages.
It must've been something pretty special, to tempt you away from that nice, warm monastery.
Anything you wanna tell me?
- No.
You know what my job is?
I am a torturer, truth-getter.
Spend hours on a man.
Can smell a lie, and I smell you.
Pray somewhere else, if i were you.
Have you broken any vows yet, boy?
Leave him be, Mold.
Back, get back!
Griff!
Griff?
I said: Get Back!
- Leave me alone. Leave me alone.
Let me look.
Let me look.
Just going to take a look.
Alright? OK my friend. Just having a look.
Why didn't you tell us?
I'm sorry.
His journey is finished here.
I prefer mercy.
I need to make a confession to the friar.
- No..
cannot be sure how this thing spread.
- WHO THE HELL ASKED YOU?
I will take your confession.
Come, you shall have absolution.
YOU KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!
Ego te absolvo a peccatis tuis in nomine patris et filii et spiritus sancti.
Forgive me.
Our Father who art in Heaven..
Hallowed be thy name..
Come thy kingdom, forfilled be thine when in heaven as in earth
...bread give us today
I need a moment with him.
Alright.
I'm glad it's you. I can see things.. Urgh..
Farewell my friend.
Bury him.
The forest of Dentwich.
- How far to the marsh?
Half a day, perhaps less.
Be on your guard. God has slipped over the horizon.
You're on watch tonight, Swire.
Giving Griff absolution...
took courage.
Do you truly believe this village can rise the dead?
I would not be here otherwise.
You doubt it?
I believe that hunting necromancers and demons serves men more than it serves god.
You have learned much nestled inside the monastery.
Demons and necromancers are among us.
As you will find out.
Soon enough.
I'll get some sleep.
Averill.
Averill.
Averill.
Averill?
No.
No, no, no. No.
Averill.
Wake up!
Ulric!
Get up!
Wolfstan!
Ulric, wake up!
Wake up! Ulric!
How many are in the forrest? How many?
- Calm down. What did you see? What did you see?
They are in the forrest. I don't...
- How many? How many?
I don't know. I don't know.
How many?
- He doesn't know.
Mold, forward, now.
Wait. Wait.
Get in there. NOW!
Yah, shut the fuck...
No!
GOD! GOD!
Where is Ivo?
You alright?
We lost Ivo.
Why did you leave the camp?
Speak.
I came her to meet a woman.
- And where is she?
She did not survive the forrest.
God has punished me for leaving his monastery.
God has better things to think of.
Because of you...
one of my men is dead.
If we move, we move now.
How do we know the man we've come for is not here?
These men are nothing more than common thieves.
You will lead us to the great marsh.
- Sir, i am of no use to you.
You will lead us...
or stay here alone and be damned.
The village lies beyond the marsh.
What's the plan?
Identify the heretic...
capture him...
put him in the cage.
That will never go across the marsh.
- Then we'll leave it behind!
Drag him here.
Come on, boy.
Come on.
What brings you to our village?
We seek refuge.
A place to rest, nothing more.
Then you are welcome.
My name is Hob.
I am Ulric.
You were attacked?
In the forest.
Then you did well to reach us. That forest can be dangerous.
May I ask what you were doing?
- Bringing relief to the suffering.
Relief?
From what?
Word of the pestilence has not reached you?
Word is all that has reached us.
Come.
What the hell is going on?
We need guile to draw out the necromancer.
Noone acts
unless I say so.
Tonight we'll feed you and give you a bed.
And in the morning we'll escort you to a safe part of the forrest.
We're not welcome?
Of course.
But why would you stay?
Here is some buckets,
you need to wash.
This is no time to be blinded by grief.
If this is hell
can't wait for heaven.
You're not bound for heaven, Swire.
Believe me.
I'll tend to your wounds.
I'll tend to your wound.
That needs to be dressed.
Come with me.
- Maybe you should get her seeing to.
Where are you from?
- From the monastery at Staveley.
You're in mourning.
Is it so obvious?
Was it a woman?
It's no sin to love a woman.
I have sworn to god.
A man needs more than divine love to sustain him.
And he shouldn't be punished for wanting it.
Do you have a husband?
My husband is dead.
- I'm sorry.
Take off your clothes.
I need to dress your wound.
The pain is going already.
It's extraordinary, the pain is gone.
It is a strong remedy.
May I ask you, how did your husband die?
Men like you killed him.
Men like me?
Men of God.
This church has not seen worship for a long while.
The woman you went with...
- She dressed my wounds, nothing more.
Nothing here is what it seems.
You can help us keep warm, girls.
Child.
I found it.
Where?
- In the marsh.
Every village we rode through had graveyards bursting.
No corpse-fueled pits, no burning bodies.
We cannot judge them for having no disease.
A party was send before us charged with the same task...
four men, none returned.
They were lead by a man like myself.
This symbol is worn only by the bishops envoy.
The girl wore its twin.
Please welcome our guests. What is ours is now yours.
To our guests. 'TO OUR GUESTS'
We also want to give thanks that we've been spared the terrible pestilence...
sweeping through the land.
If I may...
I would like to express our gratitude for your welcome.
Now let us pray.
Pater noster qui es in caelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum.
Adveniat regnum tuum.
Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo et in terra...
Panem nostrum cotidianum da nobis hodie.
Et dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris.
Amen.
- Amen.
I expected grace not the entire Lord's Prayer.
Women outnumber men here. Maybe that's why a woman speaks for them.
Do not be fooled.
Evil works within this place,
within these people.
Osmund.
I just need some air.
We found her in the forrest.
She spoke of you before she died.
Forgive me Lord. I am angry.
Why did you take her?
Why did you take her?
Osmund, where were you?
Why did you betray me?
Why?
Why did you betray me?
Osmund? Osmund?
Osmund.
Osmund?
What troubles you?
- We're to become beasts.
We must become more than beasts if we are to triumph here.
I see no evil here, just a simple village that has not yet been ravished.
Leave a suffering to your heart daunt your senses.
Sir, how would you know, you have no heart to suffer.
I have known grief.
My wife and child sit at God's side.
Yes...
this village is without the pestilence.
But it is also without God.
For this they will suffer.
Are you shy?
I am ugly and I am Christian.
And that is not a good combination in here.
Hm? Piss off.
When will she be buried?
Do not worry.
I will take care of everything.
Can I see her again?
You will.
You were going to tell me these men mean us harm.
Me in particular.
I knew the moment I looked into Ulrics eyes.
But I did not know with whose side you were on.
Come with me.
Come.
What's going on?
Something you should see.
Now.
What's wrong?
Get off.
Eat and drink.
As a Christian you'll appreciate the concept of betrayal.
Together... Keep your head together.
Keep it together.
- Get lost.
Keep it together.
- Get lost.
Keep your head together.
Stop! Piss off!
You're not there boy. Look at me boy. Look at me!
Come on, boy.
Whore!
WHORE!
These Christians arrived in our village claiming to seek refuge.
This was their true purpose.
They came uninvited to our home
bringing malice and hatred.
These are God's gifts to us.
These are his words...
and these fine men his ambassadors.
Thirteen centuries of control and intimidation...
now gaze back at us through those bars.
We do not relish suffering.
We do what we must to keep us safe.
The pestilence, the Christian disease, send by your god to ravage his own people.
By spilling your Christian blood the pestilence is kept away.
You and your flock, you believe that blasphemous filth?
Kill us now, you bitch. Get it over with.
I will offer you all the chance to live.
Renounce your vengeful God, and you will be free.
Keep him and you will die.
Not one man here will bow down to you.
I will die first.
- Who wants to live?
You?
I will fight Ulric for the right to die first.
Choose one.
You will renounce.
I look forward to shagging your mother's ass in hell.
My mother is alive and she doesn't relish the company of soldiers.
Come on.
Come on, men.
Die well my friend.
- Oh, I will.
Come on.
My lady love and I, we lived in joyeous sin..
now my lady love has got the blackened skin.
Lady love and I, we pour our love so brave...
She says yeah.
Now my lady love rots in an early grave.
My lady love and I, we lived in joyeous sin..
Now you will learn about pain.
...Nothing you can teach me about pain.
Don't look. Don't look. Hey, look away.
Look away, boy.
Blood of our blood, unholy trinity divine...
we offer this lamb slaughtering down...
that death not ours shall stay afar.
For Christian blood, putrid and sick...
into our marsh shall weep.
Bitch. You bitch. I'll fucking kill you, you bitch.
I'll slice you open. Do you hear me?
I'll fucking slice you open. I don't fuck.
Choose another.
I will renounce.
No. No, you won't. You won't.
You try to leave this...
I'll kill you with my bare fucking hands.
I swear, I do.
No.
Swire, listen to me. If you renounce, you burn in hell.
You...
- My Friend you'll burn in hell.
He's going to kill you.
I swear to god, they're going to kill you.
Swire, stop, nooo.
- I swear to god, they're going to kill you.
God, begone.
I do renounce thee eternally.
God, begone.
I do renounce thee eternally.
Holy Ghost, begone eternally.
Holy Ghost, begone eternally.
Christ, begone eternally.
Christ...
begone eternally.
The false idols have been cast out.
God is gone.
The Holy Ghost is gone.
Christ is gone.
These men will escort you
to the edge of the village.
You are free to go.
Where are we going?
Where are we going?
WHERE ARE WE GOING?
WHERE ARE WE GO... AAAHHH, NO!
Osmund.
You will renounce.
- Leave the boy. LEAVE THE BOY!
Leave the boy and take a man.
He's a boy!
He's a boy! He's a boy!
These monks came to restore our faith.
Today he will abandon his own.
Inside that cottage is the woman he loves.
I've brought her back to him.
- God, I am dead, I'm in hell.
No Osmund, you left hell behind when you crossed our marsh.
Come live here with us.
Come live with the woman you love.
We have no fury.
We have no pestilence. We have no God.
Why are you doing this to me?
Because I like you.
Renounce, and you will be together.
Go.
Go.
Osmund. Osmund.
Do not be tempted.
It is not her. IT IS NOT HER!
Osmund.
Osmund.
Averill.
No, come here.
No, Averill.
Averill, look at me.
It is alright.
It's alright.
You're with God.
You're with God.
And very soon, i'll be with you. I promise you.
I promise you.
I love you, Averill.
In nomine patris...
et filii...
et spiritus sancti. Amen.
Averill is with God.
And so am I.
This shows how cruel they are.
Even the ones they love are slaughtered in God's name.
The boy will not renounce.
You have no power here. You have no power here.
Hob, crucify them all.
You can not tear a true man of God away from his faith.
I do not fear you, nor your pagan lapdog.
Finished?
Bring out the horses.
Crucify us and you shall be spared.
That is the creed of your witch.
You came to our land bringing death.
For once you speak the truth.
We came bringing death.
She cannot protect you from God's wrath.
Repent! Before it is too late.
Hit it.
Repent!
You will renounce.
Never.
No! No!
Never.
Stop!
Let me see the boy.
You did well.
Come on, come on, come.
They will all die by God's hand.
Open my shirt.
Open my shirt.
I am Death.
Vengeance is mine.
God's fury rains down on you.
God is restored.
Run.
Where are you?
Hell awaits you with open arms.
- There is no hell.
Well, heaven doesn't want you.
- There is no heaven.
Why, why follow her?
Because she was beautiful.
And real.
This...
is real.
There is no God.
Where are you?
Where are you?
Thou shall not kill...
Remember?
Remember?
Averill was in purgatory.
Perhaps in your twisted mind.
Did you never think that maybe Averill was never dead?
We found her in the forrest, injured but very much alive.
You know that is not true.
Yes Osmund. Averill was never dead. She was alive.
I drugged her.
I drugged her.
So wh.., why...
Why would you do that? Why would you bury her?
Because people need miracles.
And they worship the miracle makers, whoever they might be.
The people in this village believed in me.
And so did you.
- No, Averill was dead.
You killed her.
Averill was dead.
She was dead.
Bring her back.
I beg you, bring her back.
No, I can't.
Pray to your God.
See what he can do.
She was dead.
There is nothing beautiful or uplifting in returning people to God.
There is no place in heaven for those who kill.
The pestilence claimed no higher purpose.
And those who had survived our swords that day soon fell foul of its sighs.
They were not protected by the witch.
They were simply remote.
And once the pestilence crossed their marsh...
it killed them too.
Osmund.
Osmund.
We're here.
Osmund.
That you've returned safe is a miracle.
Who is that?
- It's a necromancer that I'll be delivering to the bishop.
Here, thats...
How many of you are left.
Enough.
Look after him.
There's no need.
He is back with God.
I never saw him again.
I heard stories.
Dark stories.
That in the years that followed Osmunds heart turned cold.
That in the shadow of his grief he found a hate.
And that in God's name...
he took up the sword and vengeance became his creed.
Can I help you?
Please.
Please.
I've done nothing wrong.
Please.
Please.
You have the wrong woman.
I want a confession, and i want her alive.
Osmund.
She won't confess.
Are you sure she's a witch?
Where is she?
Some say he found the witch...
and that he tortured her and burned her.
Others say it was never her...
it was only her guilt he saw in the eyes of the accused.
I like to think that he found peace...
that he continued seeing beauty in the world...
goodness.