A Toothy Extraction

<- Scribe Notes Spring 806

Summary

Adventure: A Toothy Extraction
GM: Gordon
Session: Spring 806 wk
Night: Thursday Night
Location: Errol's place, 21A Wilkinson Rd, Ellerslie.
Level: High

Party

1. Sir Christopher A male Human Illusionist Church Knight played by Andrew W
2. Kayseri A female Human Illusionist played by Rosemary
3. Ithilmor A female Elven Star mage played by Clare
4. TDP A male Human E&E/Water Mage played by Phil
5. Darien A male Human Shadow mage Acolyte of the Church of the The One Horned God played by Errol.
6. Veor, a Ice mage played by Bernard
7. Isil Eth, a female Elven Mind mage played by Ian Wood
8. Silverfoam, a male Elven Namer player by Michael Parkinson.

Contact Robert Llanggan - Master of Horsham & Mikleton

Item Notes

A Separate page for loot

Mission

Extract the resident Vampires from the towns of Horsham & Mikleton in Pevensey, who have taken over the towns and are starting to fight using their enthralled humans. These vampires came from the Hormikleton Forest. Our employer, the only escapee, had to Pact to a Demon to get out and get help. Link to map of expected area of operations (160kb)

Notable People in the area

Referenced from what little remained after the burning of the previous scribe notes during a librarian party.

• Earl Edric: Lord Oswalds Father, Earl of Pevingston
• Lord Oswald: A then 12 year old(now 14/15?) lordling who was attempting to prove he was becoming a man
• Lord Harold: Lord of Mikilton
• Emeralda: Lord Harold's wife
• Simon: Leader of the renegade werewolves(the ones trying to kill the vampires)
• Pen: Leader of the werewolves prepared to make a treaty with the vampires.
• Misha: One of the vampires, the one that was associating with Jazel.

What Actually Happened

Being an account of the exciting adventures of three elves and their companions.

Interrogating our Employer

We start by interrogating Robert Mayor of Horsham.

According to Robert....

Party: So tell us what you need us to do exactly.

Robert: Free Horsham and Mickleton from the Evil Vampires. Killing them would be ideal, but persuading them to go elsewhere would be good enough.

Party: And you will be paying us?

Robert: I will leave some ancient artifacts with the Guild for your payment. The Earl of Waterford will also be suitably grateful.

Party: Where are the Evil Vampires?

Robert: All over Horsham and Miklton but mainly in the town hall chambers of Horsham.

Party: How did you get away?

Robert: I had to pact to a daemon. I would come with you to help in the rescue but I'm going to hell now.

Party: Which daemon? What did you agree to?

Robert: Ummm, Errrr.

Party: Why did you need to pact to a daemon to get away?

Robert: There is a curfew and travel resriction place by the mayor and his councillors. Wait I am the mayor - I passed those edicts! I can't remember much very clearly. The Evil Vampires will be after my family now I have escaped - please rescue them. Tell my wife that I love her.

Party: Are these the same Evil Vampires that Kit and Veor knew?

Robert: Yes ... who else could they be?

Party: What about the werewolves that were fighting the Evil Vampires?

Robert: The Evil Vampires killed them. The magic of the forest is unstable now.

Party: What else can you tell us about the Evil Vampires?

Robert: I think there is some sort of friction in the Evil Vampire camp.

Party: Why do you think that?

Robert: They have organised feuds between Horsham and Mickleton. Not normal feuds, there is no historical basis for these feuds.

Party: Sounds like a right pickle you have got yourselves into.

Robert: Yes. I fear I will never return. If you get a chance - could you also get this note to Matild of the Gardens without letting my wife know about it.

Information Gathering

The Approach

The day after the Guild meeting we fly to West of Campden, and one of our excellent boat builders made a barge. We floated down river to Campden, and our illusionists made oxen in the barge. I'm not sure why cause they sure stink. We went to the market in Campden and some information is forthcoming. Everyone has a different story about the causes of the feud between Horsham and Mickleton. Working on a cover for our presence we get a letter from a baker to deliver to a bakery in Horsham. We also hire guides, two burly traders, Ceolwulf Strankblok and Hunwald the Quick. The have recently returned from Horsham where they were beaten by the townsfolk. We lash them with DAs, divinate them and interrogate them. Herewith a summary of our findings:

• Item: They are under no magical effect, compulsion or charm.
• Item: They have no special magical abilities.
• Item: Hunwald is in the early stages of Lycanthropy, which began this week.
• Item: They show the effects of having been under the Hormickleton Doom, within which the Lycanthropy started.
• Item: The Hormickleton Doom was associated with entering the magical forest in the past.
• Item: They visited Horsham to check if a particular household had a particular jewelery box.
• Item: They were mistaken for Mickleton spies and set upon and beaten up. They fled into the forest and were rescued by woodsmen.
• Item: Veor and Kit recognise these woodsmen as the Werewolves.
• Item: They were fed, their injuries tended. They were escorted out in the morning.

We continue on to Melton where we leave the two traders. We talk with the people of the town. They tell us there are three merchant houses in Horsham who have issues with the town council of Mickleton. These houses are:

• Quoenburg General
• Tond & Berct Spices
• Aldfrid Kirkwell Clothier

These problems have built up over the past 6 months. There have been merchant raids. Both towns have lost favoured sons (dead and buried). There has been a resurgence of Maandar'rik, an old druidic animalistic religion. This religion is being practised by farmers, hunters and foresters. The farm stocks are healthier, and the horses very well tended. Priests bless the hunt, and more animals are taken with less injuries. There are vague rumours of dark goings on and distrust.

We travel on down the river to Horsham. On the way we work on our disguises. The docks are bustling and the town seems to be doing well. Ithil, Silver, Darian and Kyseri go into town to deliver the letter to the bakery. Enquiries reveal that "The Gardens" are a town estate and the rumour is that the family are Witches. We don't yet attempt to deliver Robert's letter. We can detect no magical controls on the people in town. However the people are judgemental, and will not haggle or gossip. There are militia on the street, both uniformed and plain clothed. There is still a temple to the Powers of Light, but also we see farmers dressed up as priests. One of these is linked to Maldronix (presumably by a pact). He is an earth/air mage. The produce in the markets is better than you would expect, the livestock we see are blessed, and have obviously benefited from good husbandry. There are some empty houses, some of which have black wreaths on them. We work out the symbols of the three merchant houses.

Down at the docks the rest of the party observe the goings on. All the barges have guards, some of whom are clearly spell casters. These include a couple of Necromancers and some barges are clearly furnished by Illusionists. We estimate there are about 30 mages all up.

Elfenburg adventurers

Kit sees someone hand signalling "Seagate?" and he replies "Yes". his info is passed to another barge - a cloth merchant. A chap hops off to talk with Kit. They are from another "Northern" adventurers' guild. Kit heads off to talk to the captain. He is elven and the nicely decked out cabin is not illusioned. Isil arrives to inspect the cloth. They don't like this resurgent cult which has also been noticed in Elfenburg. The originator can be found in spring (this spring only?), but not in other seasons. Three have been lost trying to track the source and they are heading back now to get reinforcements. The pacted priest was one of them (linked to the the originator?), and there was more than one. One of the cult disappeared/teleported/portalled when almost beaten in combat, taking a couple of Elfenburg adventurers with him.

Other information gathered from the Elfenburg adventurers include:

• The Fey don't live in the forest, they live in the meta-area of the forest. They are Seelie fairies.
• Vampires in the forest?
• The Elfenburg adventurers won't be back for a while (years?). Isil offers to help with political stuff back home.
• It's scary in Mickleton - town regimented. Follow due process. Practice arts of battle. All are soldiers.
• Lord Oswald has been much less hands-on in Hormickleton, and is instead concerning his older brother by not being a jerk at the castle.

They give us the barge and cloth. When we get the papers and log from the boat we discover it was Isil Eth's barge all along. Kyseri and Kit make illisionary elves to man the barge. Isil, Kyseri and Silver remain on the barge while Darien and Ithil head off to talk to other potential adventurers on barges. Kit, TDP and Veor head into town to visit the PoL temple.

Darien and Ithil do the rounds

The first barge we approach has merchants from Bowcourt, but investigations suggest they are actually from Sanctuary. They are here to get some cargo. They believe their ultimate hirer is a local. They are involved with the Quoenburgs, and are staying at a local inn. They haven't been here long. They generously give us 6 wine bottles of holy water.

The next barge is like ours, made with ship strength and illusioned. Inside it is clearly a group of adventurers with equipment laid out ready for battle. They are from MMHS and have been hired by a Factor in Pevenston to deal with the vampire. They have been here a day and a night and haven't yet uncovered any evidence of vampires. They were told there was just one vampire ("that's normally enough"). They think the town councilors would be able to illuminate the issue. Local merchants seem to be having troubles leaving town. We told them a little of what we understand - that there may be more than one vampire (this caused them to take things more seriously), that more than one town seems to be affected , and a little about the werewolves. Their mages include: Water, Illusionist, Mind, Fire, Namer, and Earth. We agree to continue to share information, and possibly help each other if an attack is the best solution.

Silver surveys the area

Silver uses a Crystal of Vision to scout out the area. He sees evidence of new fortifications (a pallisade) at Mickleton, and also checks out Oswald's fort which seems well garrisoned.

We only need one boat

TDP, Kyseri, Silver and isil take the Elven boat out of town, unload the cargo and hide it in some rocks courtesy of Kyseri. We fold up the boat (which results in a back-pack sized parcel) and ride a wave back into town.

Kit and the temple

Meanwhile Kit, TDP and Veor head to temple crescent. There are four temples here, one for the PoL, one of the cult of Maandar'rik, one to the local Saxon gods, and one empty. They enter the PoL temple which seems normal enough, but has no Michaelines or Sammealites. Kit approaches a senior priest, and introduces himself as the Western Church inquisition. He is concerned for the spiritual health of the flock. The priest invites him to dinner at 5pm and offers an appartment for our stay.

An acolyte shows kit to the Crystal Rooms down an alley beside the temple. There is a mews there with many apartments. Our suite is dedicated to St. Crystal. This is not consecrated ground. there is a living room with four bed chambers off it. Kit consecrates the living room and one bed chamber. TDP checks out the neighbours with a wizard's eye - nothing much to report. ~1/3 of the apartments are occupied.

We all congregate at the Crystal Rooms. Darien checks for spies tracking Kit and finds none.

Kit and Veor go to pray in the church. The service is much more "love thy neighbour" than is usual for a PoL temple. There is also no passion to the worship. There are plain clothes militia in shadows watching the service. Kit goes to invite them to join in the service but an acolyte heads him off. The service is hurried at the end and after the collection is taken, some is given to the militia. After the public service there is a private service for the priests in church elvish, which the militia stay for.

An acolyte brings a trolley with dinner for 4 to the rooms.

Kit then goes to the refectory with the priests where there is a proper service. A Urielite, Gabrielite and Raphaelite come and sit with him and discuss matters. The Abbot has been arrested by the militia, although they seemed unhappy about it. He was taken to the town council buildings. The priests protested without any success. They then send for help from the church in Foxcourt with no reply. They have had no communication at all with people outside Horsham. People who leave just disappear. Outsiders have stopped visiting. They suspect the "dog" religion without any proof. The cult started up about a year ago. It took over the temple of another agricultural cult. The other empty temple has been empty a long time. Kit uses his wily talents on the room full of priests and exhorts them to renew their faith.

Things get exciting

We organise an open fire in the middle of the room and Ithilmor dances. Most of us feel better for this.

Veor heads off to watch if anyone leaves the temple to visit the town council. He spots an invisible acolyte heading back to the temple. Kit follows the acolyte while TDP watches with his wizard's eye. When the acolyte enters the temple he becomes visible. Kit follows him into another room where he overhears the acolyte and a priest talking in a strange language. Kit reproduces the sounds of the speech in our rooms. It is extremely painful to listen to and Kyseri and Darien run screaming from the building.

Confusion ensues with everyone going in a different direction. Ithil manages to rally Darien and everyone ends up in the temple.

Combat happens. The least injured of the opposition dies while the other is subdued.

The Aftermath

A crowd of priests and acoloytes comes to the door and exclaims "They have killed Father Claudius". A stream of bright white light hits Silver, and he intones "Peace be with you". A few other spells hit harmlessly and everyone calms down. The leader talks with us, he is a Raphaelite named Gawain. Kit starts an Inquisition.

The injured man is named Rawulf and is pacted to Mandronix. Kit asks if he has given his parole, and he replies "It doesn't matter any more" while biting on his knuckle. He falls dead to the floor. We try and save him (Ithil triggers a trollskin, Silver tries an empathy) to no avail. Kit, unimpressed by this interruption to his interrogation, summons Rawulf's spirit to continue. He is a spy in the PoL temple reporting back to the Maandar'rik council. He has been here four months. He doesn't know an awful lot, but has his suspicions that the Maandar'rik council controls the town council and that there is a vampire about. There are two other spies in the church, Dov and Selvin. (Selvin tries to escape at this point but is captured by Kyseri and the crowd.) The aweful language that they were speaking is a "god-given-gift" to those pacted to Mandronix. Our presence in town has been reported to the Maandarik council. He knows of 6 pacted people in Horsham, the most powerful, the high priest MMMMM, is much more powerful than Rawulf. He can change into an eagle and is working on a badger, and can control undead. He is nigh on impossible to kill and can teleport to Hell, a Mountain Aerie (an air place of power in the mountains to the north-west, with architecture), and an Elemental Plane of Earth. This ability doesn't work on holy ground.

Kit interrogates him about the resurgence of the religion. About 300 years ago "Great Prophet" had a "Walk of Truth", and amalgamated a number of agricultural religions. He preached tolerance and good husbandry. In the last 12 months, a part of the Maandar'rik Grand Council reinterpreted the writings of the Prophet and redefined some of the holidays to make them "more fun". Rawulf got a promotion and came here from where he used to be based near Elfenburg. There are no special holidays coming up in the near future, except the full moon celebration. In this celebration they thank the full moon by running with the animals, either in animal form or at great speed. The Equinox will be a grand event with sacrifices of cows and chickens.

We store Rawulf's soul in Isil's amphora.

Kit now interrogates Selvin, who is a local and knows almost nothing. TDP sends him to sleep for three days.

Kit moves onto Father Claudius. He died of a heart attack. He was expecting to make a report tonight in a butchers store but hadn't yet made the arrangements. He can walk through walls. The Maandar'rik Council (who are all from Elfenburg) decided to install some under-employed vampires here and take over this part of the world. He doesn't know what is going on in Mickleton. He knows of about 15 pacted people in the town. He only knows for sure of one vampire here. He dislikes fey and hunts them in the forest.

Time for sleep

Kit, Veor and Ithilmor go to get people's gear as we decide to sleep in the temple. On the way back Kit sees someone out of the corner of his eye. Kit charges off to investigate. The guardsman surrenders and comes into the church with us. Veor has to collect up the baggage and ferry it into the church. The guardsman is a uniformed guard on the beat. The plains clothes militia are a new thing and they get up to quite disgusting stuff. He is keeping his head down because things just aren't right at the moment. Some relatives of his tried to leave town and were met at the docs by the Plain clothes brigade and taken to the town council and never seen again. The town council building is rather mysterious - he only goes into the constabulary office there.

TDP and Darien search the Vestry but find nothing.

We sleep at last.

Things get boring again

We discuss options over breakfast and decide to send three notes to the town council, Maandar'rik council and the Saxon church. These notes introduce us as Father Christopher D'Abres of the Gabrielite Inquisition and entourage. We send the bodies back to the Maandar'rik council. We speak with Rawulf's soul which it turns out would prefer to remain in the church.

We head down river a ways and sink the boat. We renew the illusions covering all our stuff on the river bank and fly off towards Mickleton. We stop and investigate the lay line as we see it is a scorched scar across the forest. The scorched earth continues into the farmland a little way and we set down about 1/2 a mile from the forest which is as close as Kit will go (and they say he is foolhardy). It is a high mana area so a fair amount of casting occurs. Then we continue to the north of Mickleton and land behind a copse of trees. The fields are square surrounded by very well worn and precise paths. There is also an interesting irrigation system. The plants are in some way enhanced - the aura strength is slightly stronger than "short lived non-sentient plant". Silver and Isil waltz behind the party as we travel into town. We see guarding rune sticks in the fields. They were made by a ritual and last a season. As we get close to town we see a group of well ordered militia, with rank 15 witchsight and rank 25 armour of earth. They are not pacted. We see a moth about to land on a plant and it is zapped by the adjacent rune sticks. Kit disguises us as as stonemasons and carpenters and we head visibly into town, allowing the first ward to affect us. It is a wall of stone. We now notice some carts beside the path have ballistas. The militia come over and we offer to work on the fortifications. They take us into town through the wards on a path of cold iron stones.

The people of Mickleton go purposefully about their business. The town has been razed and completely rebuilt, using the materials of the old buildings. There is a herring-bone pattern to the streets. We pass the temple of Maandar'rik which is surrounding by what looks like a petting zoo. There is a town square and a parade ground. We are led to a long table in the town square where we wait for the town fathers to come and judge us. Someone comes to the table. He is an Air/Earth mage and is associated with Mandronix. He cannot shape change. He greets us and then switches to Common. He doesn't introduce himself. "We take our inspiration from old works." TDP asks to see their (evil) plans. It seems the new town plan is taken from an old manuscript. "Through the blessings of the great father we can produce wood." They are, however, short of stone and Kit offers to help with quarrying stone. Father Xavier is the expert on the plans and this priest goes to get him. He returns with Father Xavier and Captain de Paul, introduces them and departs. They bring out the plans and a long boring discussion of the plans and tactics and strategies ensues. I drink a lot of wine and fall asleep. I am woken as we are taken to a pub and shown to our rooms. The pub is full of people in uniform all in good cheer. A rank 20 hypnotism cast by a mind mage has affected the people. We must do some more information gathering this afternoon.

Isil Eth is called away on business, and we struggle on alone. We continue to talk to the locals, everything is the faulr of "Those Damn Horshamites". "10 men came and stole our pig" - that sort of thing. They are very suggestable about what "Those Damn Horshamites" might be responsible for and capable of. The mayor has ceded power to the military. Captain le Paul comes along and we talk tactics. They are using wind and bolts to protect against (who? - the Horshamites?). We negotiate a good pay rate based on effective days work (rather than actual days work). There is a farming rune mage who comes round from time to time and makes the rune sticks to protect the crops. The village people are part of the ritual, and no-one dies. The sticks zap anyone going into the field. I guess they know when it's harvest time. Kit asks for strink and 150 6' stakes. Kyseri heads of to organise this.

We head out of town to discuss options. Kit builds a wall. We head out to the ley line and power up. Ithilmor dances. Kit talks to faeries. We head back into down, after dark and get a stern telling off. The streets are deserted. Veor binds ice and lines our room with it. We settle down to sleep and watches. Kyseri and Kit are on the first watch and Kit has an owl outside which he uses to keep watch on the town. I never noticed that owl before - those pesky illusionists.

A Midnight Encounter

That night, around 11-ish, the party is woken by those on watch - the priests are gathered in the town square, with a mysterious figure. We huddle round TDPs crystal ball, and see two completely vacent villagers led out of a building. As the first one bares her throat, the party springs into action, and sprints 100 yards towards the town square.

Kit is the first to arrive, and engages the vampire with flashy swordplay. Ithilmor, flying just behind him, invokes Elbereth Gilthoniel, produces sunlight and turns the unholy. This irritates the vampire. The sound of foul Black Speech echos across the square and Ithilmor flees into the night, never to be seen again. Silverfoam rallies the party. TDP stops at 300 feet to give covering fire, while Darien, Veor & Kayseri run closer. TDP rainstorms the vampire, to stop it endurancing (we later discover every hit is an Endurance). Having failed to affect the vampire significantly after several blows, Kit engages the priests, to little effect. Silverfoam steps forward and engages the vampire. The vampire starts to eats Silverfoam, but suffers horribly as he harms Silverfoam - some eye-for-an-eye talent. The priests are all quickened by now, and use their foul Black Speech to send Darien & Kayseri fleeing in terror, after Ithilmor. Kit dances around stabbing repeatedly with consecrated weapons, but fails to distract the vampire (who is steadily chowing down on Silverfoam), so he kills one of the mercenary commanders, and greviously injures the other. Veor has laid down a hail of ice projectiles, but these make no impact on the priests. TDP's multiple Slownesses has affected a couple of them, but not yet the vampire.

The vampire picks up Silverfoam, and starts flying off. Kit leaps maybe 10' into the air, and just nicks him. The vampire says "I'll come back and fight you when you turn visible". Kit turns visible. The vampire drops Silverfoam's body, and charges into close with Kit, who is stunned and shreded, but injures the vampire a couple more times on the way in (a second aorta hit, losing sword #5).

Half-time Summary At half-time, odds are 4:1 in favour of Team Maandar'rik.

The vampire shreds Kit, shattering his hip. As he goes to take a bite, Kit turns to mist. TDP rips his shirt off, teleports to Silverfoam, and saves him from death by a fraction of a second. The Town Square fills with the sound of a Holy Choir. Some of the evil priests join in. The vampire finds no one worthy to fight, and goes to a priest to get help removing the curved sword through his heart. Kayseri and Darien turn to rejoin the fight, but are overtaken by the magnificent sight of Ithilmor swooping in on wings, casting holy star furies. Two priests have moved to engage Veor, who evades and fends them off for long enough that a revived Silvefoam can heal him as he crumples to the ground. The dead mercenary captain gets up and scatters bits of priests around. TDP gets serious, and starts hosing down the big table, the vampire, and the active priests with holy dragonflames. The vampire & the captain start fighting. Kit comes out of his pain-induced fog, and turns the 50' table to methane a split second before another dragonflames. The fight stops.

At this point I point to a side encounter as Death of Insanely Overpowered Fireballs collects his souls.

Silverfoam and Ithilmor stablise and soothe pain on the unconscious TDP & Kit, who were 50' from the epicentre. Veor rolls the newly-dead priests off him. Darien, Veor, and some other primates summoned by Kayseri pick up party member bodies and the dropped weapons. Meanwhile, the dead captain has brushed off the soot, and is growing more & more vulpine. Ithilmor turns him, then star furies him. Maandar'rik seems concerned, and mutters to himself, then starts searching for a new body. Unfortunately for him, his servants are ashed. The party drag Ithilmor & the semi-conscious Kit from the demon, and fly off into the night.

Mummy's Aprons

We return to mummy and hide behind her apron. Silverfoam grows new facial muscles. TDP grows a new face. Kit is rebuilt. The rest of party gets steel rods inserted in their backbone, except Veor, who has yet to run from overwhelming odds.

The Return

Sneaking In

Mid Morning 5th Thaw, we set out from the Guild again, after powering up, and get to Mickleton by mid-afternoon. We continue to strategise at length. We power up some more at the ley line and teleport/wind walk to the temple in Mickleton. We check out the priests in temple, they are generally associated with Mandronix but do not have dark speech. The peasants are still under the effect of rank 20 hypnotism cast since we left. There are about 20 minds beneath us, some sleeping, some active at work or study and one contemplatice mind. There are 1-10 greater undead beneath us.

The end is nigh. The end is custard. It's all turning to custard. We request Tirimasu next time.

We head three stories down a spiral staircase, Kyseri locks a door using non-magical means and the rest of us disbelieve. We get to a portcullis, and can see a curved mana void beyond. The surroundings are made from non-bound earth. There is a large natural cavern with a beaten earth floor, and three summoning circles. There are 3 large coffins, and also 6 standing coffins around one summoning circle. The place is littered with furniture and wards, and overall is set up to repel an attack by an army. There are 5 people around a table (two of whom are invisible), two invisible people on a couch and two visible people setting tables.

Oh Boy what fun this will be.

Blasting In

All kinds of stuff happens. Kit and Darien teleport across the room to attack the people at the table. The rest of us to our magical stuff. Veor puts 1 tonne blocks of ice on the coffins. Ithilmor starfires people. Kyseri chucks candelabras. Isil Eth sends out phantasms. TDP slows and disenhances people. Silverfoam turns off wards right and left and raises our morale. Reinforcements arrive. Isil Eth casts divine light. They seem to be trying to sacrifice people in the summoning circles. Veor does well trying to stop one of them throwing a dark horn into the Mana Void. Eventually Veor is foiled and the horn directs evil darkness into the cavern as it spins in the Void. Ithilmor falls unconcious, and most everyone else loses the magic in effect on them.

Veor grabs the horn out of the mana void. TDP goes over to Ithilmor and then ignores her unconscious body. Isil Eth plays a fife which gives people a selection of her buffs. Darien dives to safety and gets another Necrosis ready. Silverfoam drinks a potion and discovers that he doesn't know the Counter Spell needed to stop the rituals. Two of the circles keep chanting. Kyseri releases a flash of light and blinds Veor. Isil Eth and TDP let off Dragon Flames. One of the circles stops chanting as it starts to run short of priests. Wispy things only visible via Manasight waft around the room in a nasty manner. Silverfoam rallies Kit and he starts to come to his senses. Tendrils wrap around the ice on the coffins. Ithilmor comes to her feet and heads purposefully across the room to the still chanting circle. The last priest in the other circle enters the central sigil and appears to be about to do himself harm with a sacrificial sword. Kit leaps on him and cuts his arm off. Silverfoam and Isil Eth try to get rid of tendrils. Ithilmor walks through a Necrosis on the way to the circle.

Veor extinguishes the fires in the magical urn – figuring the urns might be magical but perhaps the fire isn't. Possibly controlling the tendrils. Kit continues to wreck havoc on the people just outside the circle. Whirlwind vortex hits Veor, Darien and TDP and leaves behind a foul stench. TDP sleeps Ithilmor. The bad guys animate a corpse to go get Ithilmor. Kyseri sends a Gorilla off after her as well. Veor goes back to the mana void with the horn and aims it at the tendrils trying to remove the ice. Also affects Ithilmor again, waking her, removing the compel on her and knocking her unconscious. All the wispy things go away, the surviving archers exit, and the last priests are mopped up (including one Slept).

Checking Out

TDP suggests we make an ice sheet and run the three coffins back and forth through the mana void. We note the upright (still bound) coffins have the names of the vampires from the forest on them.

We chat with one of the vampires in a casket under a ice block. He had his will broken, and has been used by the M priests as a "unintelligent threshing machine". Originally from the Isles of Adventure, he was captured by M's forces as the Dark Circle weakened. He can't come up with a convincing reason to believe he will repent, so we open the casket and chase him around the place when he changes to mist. The other vamp under ice trys to sneak out (not sure why they didn't go out their holes during the fight), he doesn't last long.

The upright coffins contain humo-forms (with tokens like hair attached), bound with rose vines. There are also binding inscriptions on the outside. One of the six forms isn't bound, and is un-named. It appears the vampires of the forest have been bound into inactivity by this magic.

The three summoning circles have different abilities:

• Gate to Power, can summon M's agents, or himself
• Battle Circle, extents Area of Effect magices to cover city-size areas
• Summoning, can call forth other entites (e.g. the wispy many-armed being that emerged earlier)

The passage that a couple of flunkys escaped down leads to a parade ground (1/4th mile by 1/8th mile) under the Hormikleton forest (the passage is too short to be mundane). The parade ground is surrounded by hundreds of portals to locations scattered around the county (perhaps Duchy?), an explanation for the barracks at ground level for thousands, along with the armoury down here for them. There are also hundreds (if not more) of blue figurines, containing a soul - Kyseri recognises the method of storing an entity's abilities, and we gather as many as we can manage (as the soul is tormented). Other useful items are collected for future transport (we can open a boat on the parade ground).

We summon a Dark Sphere (planning on using it to break the binding inscriptions), but manage to get a promise of the assistance of Elven Gods to investigate and deal with the binding magic. We also find out that the inscriptions and the rose vines are part of the same magic. We decide to delay releasing the 5 vampires until the situation "upstairs" is stable. We use the Dark Sphere to make a pathway to the surface (so we have the option of wind-walking in later), and go talk to the locals.

The locals (including minor church staff) appear accepting of the warning we give them of attack tonight, and are still under a magical effect (due to expire in ?? days). We acquire a guide, and take a boat to the ley line to revive and rest. The High Mana restores most of the lost magic (TDP makes a deal with a fey about his Greater), but the horn causes issues - we bury it in ice to isolate it from M's elements.

A cherub shows up (Michael's?), tells us about M's history (a jumped-up demon's underling), and offers us transport to Horsham at dawn to clear out that nest. We rest, then power up (but fail to get a Dark Sphere).

The Second Cleansing

The Cherub calls up a set of Cathedral Doors for us, and we charge on through. Emerging in the Town Chambers as the vampires are getting into their coffins, we quickly despatch them with the assorted religious items and abilities available. The eight priests are also sent to their fates, while three misguided innocents are spared.

Next target is the temple, where six priests are similarly dealt with - to their credit, they identified themselves, and asked that we let the innocents go. The other two active temples in the street accepted the recanters (and their livestock). We note that the general townsfolk have become their normal animated selves, but a mob of the special guards (a few dozen) arrive to show their disapproval. Various non-lethal means are used to calm them.

Returning to the Town Hall, we find that the original councillors were killed, and representatives of merchant houses are organising things. We are invited to breakfast with Matilde of The Gardens and discuss how the merchants wish to show their appreciation.

The Final Reckoning

We visit the Earl in Pevenston and discuss things. Young Oswald is becoming quite the military man, and has made dealings with the Fae. Oswald invites us to become members of his household. We stay the night at the Castle and the Earl grants us small boons. The next day we head back to Hormickleton forest. Most of us head into the forest (except Silverfoam and Darian). We step into the forest and activate a feather. We are transported to the Trans-seelie which seems much like the forest we left but rather less corporeal. We are met by a party of Fae, who welcome us and we have a fairy feast. Lots of fun and frolicing. They treat us well. Sir Kit traded a Urielite monastry and accompanying vineyard for the skill of getting lost in fae forests. We head back to Mickleton and Kit finishes the piece of wall we started and makes it a monoment to those innocents who died. He also repairs the hole in the Temple.

Quotes

Darien: What happens if you die?
Kit: If anyone shows up, please take their name.

Silverfoam: Remember, if anyone asks where our Illusionist is, don't say "Which one?"

Silverfoam: No, we don't kidnap locals, we hire them as guides. We just don't mention how they will guide us...

TDP: Oh! I don't normally get papers when I take boats!

Kit: They're Powers of Light people, they'll be reasonable.

Ithilmor: There aren't any Michelines here
Kit: At least not on their side.

Silverfoam: Isil Eth is questioned about her jugs

Ithilmor: I was always an advocate of forgiveness
Kayseri: Why did you stop?

Ithilmor: I would never want to come between a man and his wife

"You're a healer, I'm just a dumb warrior" Kit to Silverfoam

"What do we have here - a vibrating Silverfoam" GM to Silverfoam

"I'd rather go back to the Guild than somewhere as dangerous as Bergelfen - the chance of a social engagement is too great" - Anon (ok so I forgot to write down who said it)

Veor: Kit, you need two swords called Judgement to use your better judgement.

Silver to Kyseri: "See, you can hold a candle Isil Eth"

Silverfoam: "Kit puts the 'provocateur' into Agent"

Darien: "So we leave the dark sphere on watch" I deny this - I was refering to the various illusionary primates.

Silverfoam(?): You do realise hat being against the Dark Circle doesn't make those vampires good!? (I thought I said that - Ithilmor)

Captured vampire, stalling for time: I could build a church! Various white-hatted party members: To who?!!

Kayseri: "I'm keen on ANY play that does not have us attacking in a jolly boat"

Sir Kit: Hell's a one-way trip - ask anyone who's been there!

Silverfoam: No, that's Manavore as in magic eater, not Mana-whore as in Guild Member!

Possible Nominations Etc

• Smartest
  • Ithilmor, realising that the way to rally Darien is by seduction.
• Smartest
  • TDP, asking the leader of the enemy to show us their plans - and they do!
• Bravest
  • TDP. Ripping off his armour, and teleporting into the fight alone after the frontline fighters of SF & Kit are rent limb from limb by the enemy, and while most of the rest of the party is fleeing in terror.
• ?Stupidest?
  • Kit, for mixing methane & DF without warning the party. It worked, but only just.
• Stupidest
  • All of us, for not thinking about ways to counter the Blackspeech
• Bravest
  • Veor reaches into a mana void to extract the horn which has removed most of the party's buffs and knocked Ithilmor unconcious.
• Smartest
  • Veor extinguishes the fires in the magical urn – figuring the urns might be magical but perhaps the fire isn't. Possibly controlling the tendrils. (did this work?)
• Smartest
  • Veor goes back to the mana void with the horn and aims it at the tendrils trying to remove the ice. Also affects Ithilmor again, waking her, removing the compel on her and knocking her unconcious. All the wispy things go away.
• Smartest
  • TDP suggests we make an ice sheet and run the coffins back and forth through the mana void.
• Tips for Adventurers
  • The opposition make useful blast shields when the rest of the party let off a massive methane explosion.

Calendar

Spring: Thaw (10)
	Moonday		Duesday		W'ansday		Th'rsday		Frysday		Reapsday		Sunday
		Candlemansa	1	Guild Meeting	2	Campden, river to Horsham Scrap in Temple	3	Travel to Mickleton discuss fortifications Scrap in Town Square	4	Heal at Guild.	5	Fly back to Mickleton. Attack the Vampire Lair Live valiently	6	Fae season opens Attack Horsham Town Hall. Discuss reward over breakfast
	7	Full Moon	8	Fae season closes	9	Fly home	10		11		12		13
	14		15		16		17		18		19		20
	21		22		23		24		25		26		27
Spring: Seedtime (11)
	Moonday		Duesday		W'ansday		Th'rsday		Frysday		Reapsday		Sunday
	28		29		30		1		2		3		4
	5		6		7		8	Rites of Thunor	9		10		11
	12		13		14		15	Equinox	16		17	Eostre	18	The Seagate Spring Ball
	19		20		21		22		23		24		25
	26		27		28		29		30		1		2
Spring: Blossom (12)
	Moonday		Duesday		W'ansday		Th'rsday		Frysday		Reapsday		Sunday
	3		4		5		6		7		8		9
	10		11		12		13		14		15		16
	17		18		19		20		21	Floralia	22		23
	24		25		26		27		28		29		30	Walpurgisnacht