Weather: with chilly temperatures and an intermittent drizzle, with a light breeze.
Upon the last day in question before the beginning of the journey the next day, Madam informs the party that an expected blizzard and gale is set to arrive in the morning, according to the prediction of weather she has received. This is expected to blow over by afternoon, so the time of sailing has been extended to two bells after noon, whereupon she is confident they shall be able to safely make their way through the many shoals and isles south of Fiume.
It has been a rather unpleasant stay in the city. Temperatures have, at best, been brisk, more commonly chilly or frosty ... though not worse than that. The amount of humidity in the air, being by the sea, has made it all seem much worse, and it is especially hard on those used to continental climates. It seems that at no time has anyone been warm.
The city is old, and filled with shiny churches and polished citadels, looking much brighter than they might in some mythical future 21st century. The Shrine of Trsat shouldn't disappoint, as parts of it were added just seven years ago ... moreover, there are not many upon the steps or the top, as this is the off-season for pilgrims. The 561 stairs, however, are a misery ... they are not of even size, they bend and are crumbled in places, and so it is worse than merely climbing 50 well-designed stairwells. By the time any of you reach the top, it is late in the day and you're exhausted ... in the cold weather (colder as you climb) it all seems completely awful. So while the shrine is marvelous, none of you are in a humor to see it by the time you reach it.
Yet you can't help notice that the more penitent seem driven to go up the stairs on their knees ...
Andrej would likely not have the urge to do so. After all, there's very little likelihood that there's a stair of more than one flight anywhere in Cumana.
The Master-of-Arms is an Austrian named Oscar Deitweiller. His men (none are women) are all Austrians save one: the Slavonian sapper, named Belbog. The footmen are called Moritz, Matthais, Lorenz, Dominik, Kilian, Valentin, Marco, Gabriel, Roland and Konstantin. The two crossbowmen are Rainer and Manfred.
As regards hay, the horses will need 30 lb. per day for a light or light war horse, 38 lb. per day for a medium horse and 45 lb. per day for a heavy war horse. Hay is 4 c.p. per pound (I haven't had stables charge for it in the past - I may need to change that, since it is more expensive than I would have guessed at).
I figure the party's whole weight - less hay - is 1,753.25 lbs. Something else I've never worked out is freight rates ... but if I compare modern freight rates with the cost of staying in an inn for one night in a private room (comparable to a hotel), I get a cost of 25 s.p. per ton per day. So if the party will work out how much additional hay they need, we can work out those rates - remember that even if the hay disappears, its technically still hold that can't be used for other goods, until such time as you put into port and then the weight can be renegotiated.
Too real for a campaign? Hah.
Any other questions. I'm still working on an answer for the Cumana government.
Oh, also, I get 24 persons and 10 horses. Madam will ask for SEVEN days travel time in advance ... to repeat, that's 8 s.p. per person and 1 g.p. per horse per day.