Black Magic Woman

Employer - Baroness Longford of Longford on Barratry

Summary - The Baroness' daughter-in-law has taken up with foul pagans following the untimely death of her son in the Drow Invasion. She is clearly leading her people into dark demon worship. Fortunately she has a second son able to properly govern the lands of Benetor on Barratry. She wants some mercenaries to oust the demon worshiper and her supporters so that lawful rule may result.

Level: Low.

Party Members

Ignis A 7 foot tall Human Air Mage played by Fabio

Mungo Third Son Barbarian Human Warrior Skin Changer played by Michael M: War Leader & Herald

Boris the Orc Warrior/ Necro/ Loudmouth played by m haycock Second Leader.

Horton Mind Mage Human Skin-Changer played by Errol Cavit

Quentin Ulysses Ash Orc Templar Warrior Namerish played by Sean English: First Leader

Poppy Human Fighter with Bob the Dog played by Karen D.

Dear readers, please be advised while reading these scribe notes that "most" of the details are
accurate, the descriptions of the party members are not, especially of myself.
The scribe, even though doing a tremendous job, has placed his own slant on my character which is
based on what he believes to be true. 
So please read on with the modicum of belief.

Quentin Ulysses Ash.

1 Frost We meet the Baronesses' retainer John who confirms that the daughter in law, is indeed wicked practicing foul habits including magic and dancing naked through the hills... we agree immediately to take the job on hearing the latter heinous crime, in fact forget to even inquire what the pay will be... Its all politics and the plan is to replace the dancing daughter in law with the Baronesses' second son, her first son having perished nobly & alone without significant retainers while facing down 200 orc's about to bust through a castle breach. There is no open hostility between the two women, but if my knowledge of womenfolk is any good inside they are glaring at each other like two cats in the same yard. The daughter in law is apparently an ex "adventuress", which to her mother-in-law no doubt has only one possible meaning..... Quentin - not only an orc but also a milk drinking woman fearing Holy Roller to boot, is against my advice elected party leader - last adventure Lady Nicola, lovely lass but a damned pre-Raphaelite held this role & it caused all manner of problems in conducting legalised banditry for some other noble lady. Our destination is the town of Goodbridge where 20 or so retainers reside in a castle guarding a bridge. I will be the War Chief (Military Scientist) & scribe.

After obtaining heavily discounted greater enchantments from the guild, not that I need one of course - it was more by way of reassurance for the others, Boris the Orc & I head out for a departure feast - to toast our gods but mostly to feast on large chunks of roasted meat, tell lies about our daring and meet the local lasses who are suitably enamoured after they see the colour of our silver. Quentin, Horton and the easily impressed Ignis a new adventurer and already picking up bad habits, are off to get an early nights sleep, drink a cup of warm milk & kneel in their slippers & dressing gowns to say their prayers. Sadly the ale turns out to be foul I've been cruelly cursed it dawns on me. A check at the guild's Namer's college reveals that some dodgy black myrrh has been used by the Ensorcerers Guild & that anyone who received a greater enchantment will have two curses. Mine are that the first cup of ale in a day will taste like crap & I will suffer from hives under the moonlight… Well there is good news amongst the bad - only one cup will taste bad. Boris & I head back to the tavern…

2 Frost Boris & I awake in the stable at cocks crow with the Hammer of Thor pounding our temples - Quentin's plan is to ride to our destination so we slept in the stable to ensure they didn't leave without us - it will only take a month each way. John the retainer is not present. he too has been partying - same as everyone in the guild aside from Quentin, Ignis & Horton - & has to be first located and then dragged from the temple of "The One Horned God" where he has signed up for eternal debasement. Turns out everyone is tainted by the dodgy "Greater" - as follows:

Boris- nightmares & spells will cause black spooky tendrils to arise form the earth.

Quentin - a stone will be permanently lodges in his shoe & will always make a bad first impression to others - although as he is a disapproving orc this is no real shock.

Horton - allergic to potatoes & will moult during shape changing - ever wanted to see a shaved cat?

Ignis - will fart while casting magic & contact with the opposite sex will make him change colour.

On reflection we elect to fly & are equipped with 20 hour flying spells. Food will be scarce so we all provision appropriately. I study maps & set way points.

Three hours into the flight we spy way below us 5 giant winged creatures herding people into a cave. We swoop down and engage in bloody combat with 5 griffons who fight to the death - its a near thing as they are damned tough. Everyone of our party stands their ground not giving an inch - you can forgive moral foibles such as an aversion to alcohol & women of easy virtue - in fellows who will back you in a fight!! The prisoners all flee the cave - after seeing our orcs probably & assuming we intend to eat them - but not before making an offering to us of their meagre possessions and running off into the hills . Luckily Quentin is overruled from returning the loot. A search of the cave by Boris' undead helpers uncovers various treasures.

Off we head, flying to our destination. Aquila & Aladar pass quickly beneath us. Boris & Quentin see an orcish fort. We see hordes of lizard creatures on the prowl below. We land 10 miles outside of Konigsberg after 18 hours flight and stay the night hidden in a copse. On awakening John the reatainer leads us as we head mostly by road toward Goodbridge taking about a week. On 7 Frost we note a large queerly rigged ship wrecked on a hill, about 90 feet long ( we are about 200 miles inland). A skeleton crew is noted on deck, and 4 angry minds inside…. There is elvish script on the side - which none of us can read. There is a large breach in the side with the lower deck exposed.

Session 2

Boris the Orc using his foul (but useful) skills at necromancy animates the 8 skeleton crew who walk creakily from the ship where he enchants them again with more foul magic to make them talk to us. They were an airship of Drow elves shot down by (good) elves during the recent battle. Aboard are 4 mages - a mind mage, a celestial and a necromancer & a number of relics & magical items. He tells 7 to bury themselves and keeps one as a servant.

We advance toward the ship feeling an evil chill that make us stiffer, robbing us of agility. There is a dark shadow all over the ship. Moving inside the wreck we come across a large room stinking of malevolence that has evil magical circles inscribed on the floor - one containing a five pointed star & the other a triangle... "Great circles of summoning!!" various of the magically inclined amongst us mutter. A spooky cowled figure emerges garbed in a white robe, a lion-skin belt, carrying a silver sword.. "Garbed in the robes of a Greater Summoner!" Boris exclaims - I'll take him at is word on that one although the colour scheme seems all wrong - I'd have assumed black with bloodstains & embroidered skulls - but no they apparently like white?!

One thing is not in doubt - that he desperately is in need of re-killing - he is of the undead (a lich or a demon at least I am sure.)

Poppy hurls beakers of holy water that set it aflame! Horton tries to seize its mind with his spells! Ignis attempts a lightning Bolt spell! I charge & smite & smite again - but each blow sends cold pain down my my body & I am drained of strength & life force until I fall to my knees... It seems my saga will be one of those shorter ones where the hero dies in the bloom of his youth which wasn't in the plan .....!! In desperation I call on the mighty Odin to let me stand on my feet & fight my foe .... strength fills me enabling me to rise and dispatch the fiend's soul back to the fiery pit it belongs.

Its body is dragged into the sunshine where it melts. Boris says it was a Night Gaunt which I assume is one of the most serious undead types. Boris' skeleton slave searches the ship revealing various bits of loot.

We retire a safe distance (3 miles away) and recuperate & debate how to fight the undead. Quentin the Orc reveals he is apparently more of an aspirational knight templar than a current practitioner & has no magical symbol or holy sword or holy words that will make the the undead retreat in a cowering fashion - he has not even chosen a god yet but simply hopes one of the holy orders will take him in.

"Well its not too late" I tell him encouragingly, "you could chose a decent god like Odin or his son Thor who will want you to drink, feast, ogle the shield maidens & encourage you to fight" (rather than moping around like some guilty teetotal shopkeeper with a bad case of the piles who has been caught by his mother, whom he still lives with, peeking into the women's bathhouse). But he is determined & will not budge. He should be more like Boris who knows that being an orc means - that whatever virtues he might possess & decent drinking companion that he is turning out to be - at heart he is an evil f$%$er & has gone into the race appropriate career of necromancy.

The next day 9 Frost we venture back to the ship & search. Magical Stone ballistae bolts as well as the usual sheets, halyards, spair sails etc are uncovered.

The cabin at the stern lower deck is a charnel house of dead corpses - probably slaves whose blood the crew used as fuel to run their ship...Boris turns 8 into zombies who remove the dead bodies.. little of value is found...

Climbing up to the top deck we enter what must be the crews quarters revealing a variety of treasures - well in excess of what a normal crew would receive - Drow pay well apparently. Its a wonder the guild sided with the good elves during the recent war - knowing the avarice of most of its members.

That only leaves the back cabin... it is sprung open to reveal 4 undead figures swathed in rich garments seated at a table playing at cards - the game of 'Bridge" according to the more courtly of our party. Apparently, Boris & Horton reveal later, they are furious at having to play Bridge for eternity. A deadly battle ensues where a combo of Poppy's holy water, Quentin's not yet holy sword, Ignis's lightning bolt, Boris' axe, Horton's mind spells; and most significantly my twin swords "Hope Crusher" the evil fiends are seen off...

Session 3

A trap door is opened in the back cabin to reveal more corpses - the dead through magic tell Boris the Necromancer they were to be used as sacrifices to power the Drow air-ship. Poppy using her "mana-vision" determines that the mana flow is from a break in the large magic crystal that covered the ships keel & previously powered its flight. Shards of crystal are retrieved.

A group of dwarves equipped with axes & mining equipment pass by - en route to a gold vein that has appeared in local river following geographical upheavals during the war they tell us. We share drinks. They sell several of us sharpening stones for 100 sp each.

We head to a distant Manor House where our employer the Baroness resides. En route we encounter a mysterious stern faced young woman garbed in white. Alana she tells us is her name. She is a disciple of a god "the Devourer" who despite the name is apparently aligned with the so-called forces of good & seeks to devour evil (I swear I saw Boris the Necro twitch when she said that although I could be mistaken). Poppy's mana-seeing vision determines that she is shielded by some magical force & may be genuine in her claim. She has some incomprehensible babble about how "things will continue as they have unless we want things to change" & "balance" & so I assume she is talking about republicanism or some other. We move on leaving her to her vigil.

We meet the actual guards to the Manor House who introduce us to our employer - the Baroness - a well dressed middle aged woman who looks haughtily down her long nose at us. She has the manner of someone descended from 100 generations of men who rode horses & wielded swords (although doubtless the odd silver-tongued Bard or overly handsome stable lad will have featured discretely somewhere in that list - they always do). The Castellan & trusted family retainer is Sir Gareth. She confirms that our job is to remove the "adventuress" & wicked pagan sorceress Rebecca (of Ashford) who resides with her coven of evil & wanton female followers in the keep of Crossbridge (5 miles away) worshiping the foul diety "Chantress" - who I've never heard of. Finally we negotiate terms - 25,000 silvers plus salvage rights.

While we talked Alana beat up about six of the Baroness's guards who attempted to detain her. Tough! I approach her again in attempt to uncover her intent - but she is equally incoherent about our actions being important and having consequences. She won't be pinned downed to specifics because that would affect free will.

Sir Gareth reveals some information: that the keep is heavily fortified, the walls are heavily guarded & 40 foot high. He and the party reject my No. 1 Military Scientist plan of a siege - damn that would have been fun . The party equally rejects my No 2. Military Scientist plan of a contest of arms with me v. Rebecca's champion - can't see why the truth always favours he victor.

Sir Gareth reveals that Rebecca was a commoner from Aladar originally & had studied magic at the SouthHaven Academy for Girls. Her parents reside in a nearby village. The son married Rebecca for love - which is the latest fashion. The Local Priest of the Western Church is Leon with his Bishop based in Konigsberg.

The white garbed Alana is it seems not a republican but a disciple of the "Reformed Spiteful Sisters of Perpetual Disonance" - a gang of disapproving shrewish harpies who promote temperance, bang cymbals incessantly & are aligned with the Michaeline Knights - obviously highly dangerous womenfolk - and no wonder she was unmoved by my "special look only for her" and (un)subtle flex of my biceps, on our first meeting.

The rest of the party (probably excluding Boris), damned surprising since I know the sort of things at least half of them have done on guild missions in the past (because I was there too doing the same thing - remember those 2000 dead peasants Horton?) seem to now have moral concerns that we should only depose Rebecca if it is lawful to do so - & are even prepared to reject the Baroness's 25,000 sp contract altogether if not. Quentin's upright & lawful virtuousness must have spread amongst them causing severe memory loss & a faux moral guilt that if they were honest, is imaginary. Now I'm no cold-hearted thug & have no illusions that this job is more about the ancient & noble tradition of a daughter in law in the eyes of a (snobbish) mother being a conniving slut & who unlike mummy is hopeless at laundering golden boys smalls or cooking his favourite sweet-bread tart; than any particular crime on the part of Rebecca. However I don't know Rebecca, or her gods, she is a sorceress & I agreed to take the job - & we haven't even been asked to kill her?!?

An argument arises when Quentin, to my ears, imperiously instructs me that I may not speak during our planned audience with Rebecca (as part of investigating whether she deserves to be chased off) & this evolves into another argument over who should be the party leader. Quentin resigns as Leader & recommends Boris who is elected.

To help bemused readers, yes there was an argument, to my shame. But to put things into perspective the
argument was taking place in the middle of the road with framers and folk all around listening to the
party's rather loud conversation. A conversation in which we, not just Mungo, were divulging our purpose
for being here and our plans. So the only good course of action I could take was to resign and hand the
reins of leadership to the next party member, who would accept it. Thus quickly shutting down the argument,
and we proceeded at a much quieter pace.

Quentin Ulysses Ash.

Quentin - his tusks still quivering with rage over my comments about the nature of orcs - asks that I tell truthfully if in my mind there is not a difference between he (Noble Quentin) an Orc & Boris the Necromancer also an orc? Hmmm - I weigh it up thoughtfully...... On one hand Boris practices a foul evil & unnatural type of magic but is a good drinking companion, humorous and generally reliable. Quentin is a noble, brave, doughty warrior in fact is probably similar in character to One-Hand Tyr the Fearless of the Northern Gods. BUT he drinks milk & goes to bed early & eschews the company of womenfolk... so its a draw then. "No difference" I tell Quentin whose reddish orc eyes just about pop from his skull in still increased rage. Being noble and decent, instead of swinging an axe attempting to remove my head, he states that he will not speak to me...

We stay the night at the manor. 10 Frost ' Our armour needs to be repaired which will take three days. Poppy, a Merchant, contemplates trade. We hear gossip at local tavern that Leon the Priest has taken up with a foreigner dressed in white.

A visit is made to Leon at his church. Poppy tells us her vision shows that a shield of red emerges from the temple and protects the village in a dome. Red is the colour of Michael the Angel Horton says. Inside Alana is with Leon who is an elderly ex Michaeline Knight. The Devourer is a new god aligned with the Big Four Western Gods. Leon, for a MIchaeline seems exceedingly reasonable & tolerant - he tells us Rebecca is a pagan & a witch but no worse than many & that you need to live and let live with pagans - Is he bewitched himself I ponder later? No apparently the party tells me - they (the Michaelines) get that way - i.e. obtain a modicum of sensibility if they live past 25 which is about 1 in 100 of them. Poppy tells us that the source of the red magic shield is Leon & that it comes from there gaze of a seraphim. Leon says that the Baroness has the better claim at law but as long as Rebecca acts in the name of her husband there are no real issues.

That night Horton & I in our animal forms (leopard & wolf) scout around the village discovering a war band of about 50 orcs armed with curiously crafted staves - dis-similar to the usual style of a quarterstaff - apparently magical staves its is revealed. They are camped about 2 miles outside the village may have been intending to attack the village are deterred, probably sighting an ambush we set.

11 Frost

A Michaeline Knight, handsome beyond belief turns up....

Buffs: Rank 20 greater enchantment - all areas.

Treasure: Griffon Cave: magical mace, gold bracelet (500 sp), magic dagger, magic breastplate & pauldrons size 6, magic candlestick.

Airship: Greater Summoners gear all magic: robe, hat, belt: nature is power, broad-sword (adds WP to strike chance), five black magic candles, a locked trapped chest, curvy dagger. Valuable loot from the crews quarters. Stone Ballistae bolts enchanted with geomancy. Loot from 4 x undead spell casters. 12 x Shards of magic crystal from ship keel. Dwarf sharpening stones - +1 to dam - 5 uses per sharpen.