With Sword and Crucifix

A French nobleman, Count Louis de Sancerer, finds himself far from the glitter of Versailles, camping on the banks of the Mississippi in 1682. He joins the legendary explorer Sieur de la Salle and a mixed band of soldiers and Indian allies, all striving to carve a French claim out of untamed swamp and river. The night air is thick with the scent of fresh flowers, yet the quiet is pierced by distant wolves and the restless mutterings of men far from home.

The narrative thrives on the clash between La Salle’s devout, mission‑driven purpose and de Sancerer’s courtly, skeptical wit. Their banter over love, faith, and honor reveals a world where a polished aristocrat must confront the raw realities of wilderness and the looming presence of Jesuit missionaries. As they stare into the dark water, each man wrestles with his own loyalties—to king, to church, and to the promise of discovery.

Richly illustrated and steeped in historical detail, the story paints a vivid portrait of early French exploration. Listeners are invited to hear the rustle of canebrake, the creak of makeshift forts, and the uneasy camaraderie that binds these disparate characters together as they venture into the unknown.