The King's mistress Rosamund Clifford has summoned you to Godstow Abbey, near Oxford. Whilst the summons is not widely discussed, those in the know seem to be calling the assembled personnel The Order of the Queen Regent, though some prefer The Queen Regent's Vassals, or if they are of a less complementary persuasion That Upstart's Peasant Mercenaries.
Regardless of your motivation, you have chosen to attend the biannual gatherings of this group. It was a surprise when you got here to be told that the gathering is protected and those involved are bound by powerful magic. This magic ensures that you cannot be badly harmed or killed during the meetings, and that your journeys to attend will always be swift and safe, so long as you do not abuse that guarantee.
Godstow Abbey is a new nunnery founded in 1139. It lies just north of Oxford, near the royal forests of Woodstock. The Abbey has recently come into money after Henry II set up a home for his mistress Rosamund Clifford nearby, surrounded by a maze, and paid the Abbey substantial sums to care for Rosamund in his absence. It is widely rumoured that Queen Eleanor and 'Fair' Rosamund were never on good terms, and that the maze was to protect Rosamund from Eleanor, though given Eleanor was imprisoned for treason at the time, this seems unlikely. Perhaps Henry and Rosamund simply wanted privacy.
The Abbey is easy to reach by boat, by road, and through thick woodlands. There are also several secret passages leading there, which seem to change frequently through magical means. It is very easy to get undetected to and from the meetings, even without the magical effects, and it is nigh-on impossible to monitor all the ways in and out at once. This means that it is virtually impossible to waylay an enemy on the way to or from a meeting.
There are a significant number of guards present both at the meeting location and the surrounding area. They have been instructed to make sure no one bothers those attending (or departing) from the gatherings. Further, a powerful ritual of peace has been laid down by a priest of St Bernard, and attempting to violate it is likely to raise their patron's ire. However, it is said that the dutiful or rightful delivery of curses and similar “messages” is permitted.