Black Watch Chronicles V: Hand of Fate

The fifth in a series of adventures involving the Black Watch.
Scribe Notes: Session – Autumn 813

GM: Ben Taberner
Night: Monday night
Level: Medium.
Title:Black Watch: The Hand of Fate.

Party

Jerome Miller, an Animator and Puppeteer played by Andrew Withy

Edwin Lankard, a Dark moody boy played by Hannah Jackson

Alexander Dartane (GM Info), A Necromantic Squirrel played by Manu Erwin

Peter Smith (GM Info), A Paladin of Uriel played by Mandos Adventure Full

Employer

Seagate Guards

Mission

Pay

Scribe Notes

1st Fruit 813 WK

Honey is dead and life does not seem to have meaning.

I attempt to drown my sorrows but keep on throwing it all up!!

I took Honey back to Sunshine for burial, that was nice.

Must distract myself by adventuring again. Don't want all the tattoos I do to be of her lovely face!

I am dragged out of a pub by a knight Peter as I'm being a disturbance - must apologise to all involved - he takes me to the guild while I vomit all over him. I sober up on the way - thanks to my belly button ring - and clean up in a water trough, which is an easy fit for one of my size. A previous student of mine Jerry comes along (with his assortment of strangely moving puppets) and we meet Edwin at the guild. Peter advises some folks at the "fort" need assistance with "dark magics". A much needed distraction!!

I gather my adventuring gear on the way to the fort and already feel better, although I sense it will take some time for me to fully come to terms with Honey's passing.

At the fort we find a man with his eyes and hands removed and the local physician Milo working to keep him alive. A rag and bone man "Ormley" found the man in "Finagles Alley" so brought him to Milo as he looked well dressed (hint hint, perhaps a reward guvner?).

After being deputised as members of the watch, we head to Finagles Alley on foot - blood on the ground leads us to the single door - the whole place seems like an ambush waiting to happen. The door is unlocked, and we enter with Peter declaring us to be "on watch business". We frighten the elderly caretaker "Jebsun" who heard the the attack, I'm not saying anything as I assume he would be further frightened.

The Guild day crowds always include some out-of-town kids, and tips tend to flow better on a holiday, so I was performing some of the classic Punch & Judy scenes in Old Seagate when I see Master Alexander the Dark Squirrel being dragged through the streets by some holier-than-thou Knight. I volunteer that the Dark Squirrel should be taken to the Guild, and not to some local lock-up or torture chamber (I normally wouldn't interfere with a tin can zealot, but we animators tend to hand together, lest we hang separately). I tag along to make sure they don't 'get lost'.

At the guild, we run into my mate Edwin, and while we are catching up, the tin can -- who's called Justice Peter, or Peter the Just, or some-such -- gets an urgent message fro his Watch buddies to go down to the fort and bring some experts in Dark magicks. Well, I'm no expert but the other employers turned me down, so I did a bit of gentle selling, and voilà, we've got a job. No pay, mind you, but it's always good to be on good terms with the Watch, what with my stall license having run out a few months ago and all.

Peter rushes off. A good lunch and a gentle ride later, we arrive at the Fort, where the diligent Peter has already been investigating for an hour or more. Some patsy got his hands chopped off and eyes removed, all nice and surgical-like. The watch are sure its not just a debt-collector; its probably a bit neat for them, but I'm keeping an open mind. Edwin and I are deputised into the Watch, and then I point out if they can deputise a talking Squirrel like Master Alex, they can deputise a talking pantomime cow like ol' Bessie. She's absolutely chuffed to be a duly sworn deputy; and its a rare win for equal rights and an important precedent set by the establishment. I've even got a Holy Justice as witness.

We wander down to Finagles Alley, like Alexander said, and trace the blood back into a big wool storehouse (good sound-proofing). The trail leads back to a mess of blood in the middle of the floor, and the Iron-Shod Boots of the Law wakes the caretaker, old man Jebsun, who tries to scamper off, while calling for the Watch and claiming not to know anything. He's either guilty of something, or he's met the Watch before and knows what they are like.

Addendum

Spells and Enchantments

Magic	Rk	Effects	Dur	Peter	Edwin	Jerome	Alexander
XYZ	??	???	??	?	?	?	?

Scribe Notes Style Data

Peter

Jerome

Edwin

Alexander