http://www.mizus.com/files/pbm/LOTR-1116-9.zip

Kosmas Mavrozomis (Zim) is truly a blessed man. His fleet continues to avoid all inclement weather, and the winds themselves appear to favor him as if send by God himself. This year Kosmas and his men have sailed farther and faster than they believed possible. The ocean voyage itself is nearly behind them, and barring a serious turn of luck, they will reach the Egyptian shore next year. What they will find there, alone and without allies, will be less certain.

Vissarionas ek Lesvou (Ramses II CP) has benefited from whatever forces guide the hand of Crusader Mavrozomis' fleet. He too has sailed beyond all expectations of both his men and ships. Favorable seas greeted him every morning, with strong and constant winds. There is still much of the sea yet to be crossed, but he has established a commanding lead over all other Crusaders bar Kosmas. Overall, this is an impressive performance for one who started the voyage so poorly.

Annios Solomon (woad&fangs) was determined to put the treachery of previous years behind him, and urged his men on towards the open sea. So hard and fast did they sail, that soon they caught sight of the fleet of Stavros ek Amarinthou (Knights_of_Palma). Stravos' men had set a steady, but none too strenuous pace, and before they knew it Annios Solomon and his ships were along side of them. Soon a good-hearted race began, and both Crusading armies sailed into sight of Rhodes together.

Whatever luck Vartholomaios Ksiros (Rowan) had at the beginning of the voyage has long since fled. His ship was more badly damaged by the storm than was initially realized, and soon the bilges began to fill with water. For a while, the crew became panicked and began to think that they would sink altogether, but soon Rhodes appeared in the distance and they were able to put in to a protected harbor on the northwest of the island where repairs were begun. The fleet will be repaired and ready to sail again next year, but the Crusaders had best hope that their luck changes quickly if they are to reach Egypt before the holy mission is completed.

Efstathios Laskaris (Ibn-Khaldun) has continued his trend by performing more poorly than his previous year. He is still making progress, which is commendable, but without further efforts the riches of Alexandria and Cairo will elude him for certain. He had best hope that next year brings more favorable results.

Methodios Tagaris (Tristan de Castelreng) is lucky to still be alive. After the disastrous storm of the previous year, he had sailed close to the Anatolian shore to allow his men to have a chance of swimming to safety in the event he foundered. This did not prove to be the case, and the make-shift repairs they conducted on the barred coastline were not to the standards of the glorious shipwrights of Constantinople. Within days, leaks began appearing all over the fleet and they were once again forced to seek the shelter of a protected cove to do further repairs. Egypt is the last thing on the minds of most of the sailors and Crusaders these days, as the very prospect of a crossing of the great Sea itself terrifies them beyond all reason.