Black Watch: Let it Burn

Scribe Notes

Summary

Adventure Black Watch: Let it Burn
GM Stephen
Season Summer 824 WK
Night Monday
Location New Windsor
Area Seagate and Carzala
Level Low

Party

1. Celeste (Party Leader pro tem) - Half-Elf (f) Barbarian - Dean
2. Zardoz (Scribe until rescued) - Halflynge (m) Celestial (Sh) - Martin
3. Kharmul - Human (m) Celestial (Dk) - Chris C
4. Moly - Orc (m) Fire Mage - Ciaran
5. Hrothgar Bronzebeard (Military Scientist until relieved) - Dwarven (m) Artificer - Alex

Employers

Seagate Guard and the Seagate Guild

Mission

Protect Seagate, Carzala, its people and interests from all dangers - domestic, foreign and other.

A threat has been foreseen that requires the temporary reformation of the legendary Black Watch.

While all previous members were nowhere to be seen and comparable heroic guild members of note were all 'busy', the Seagate Guild once again demonstrates its depth of talent, volunteering an elite squad of top tier heroes (those not fast or wise enough to be 'busy') to once again protect Carzala.

The heroic volunteers are recruited for a 12-week term of service in the Seagate Guard at the top-end of the pay scale.

Payment

4,800sp ea (12 weeks at 400sp p/w) + room and board in the barracks.

Scribe Notes

Duesday 1 Meadow

The Summer season Guild meeting started out pleasantly enough. Having returned from the wilds of Westmarch I was more than happy to get good Carzalan cobbles once more underfoot and to see what opportunities might arise for lucrative employment. There was the usual renewing of acquaintances, and good-natured joshing over who had picked up what (treasures, curses, diseases, spider children) and so on.

As the afternoon wore on, and no particularly interesting capers presenting, I was just resigning myself to an enforced period of rest and relaxation, (and perhaps a little training) when one of the well-nigh interchangeable guild representatives (this one a little more nervous and sweatier than usual) cornered me and requested that I head at once to meeting room 3 as the Guild had need of my “particular skills” in the “urgent defence of Seagate”. Who could turn down such a flattering petition? Less than a day later, I’m rather wishing the answer was “me”.

On the way to the room, I assumed the form of an elf, partially as it is a new ability and interesting, and partially out of capriciousness. The room was empty when I arrived, so I took a chair and stretched out my now elongated legs. Not long after a rather wide-eyed young dwarf wandered into the room, and then in bounded Celeste, with whom I was already acquainted, and her cat Nunda. I surprised Celeste with my altered form, and she in turn disconcerted me by suggesting that, given my elven physique, we might engage in amorous activities. An immediate image of bruises, breakages, and dislocations arose, and I demurred. Hrothgar Bronzebeard, for that was the dwarf’s name, introduced himself as a recent arrival to the guild and an aspiring binder mechanician.

The remaining three chairs remained stubbornly empty, in hindsight, another warning sign. Our anonymous representative waited a while before leaving in search of our errant comrades, and on his return informed us that three other members had been secured for the group but that their arrival had been delayed. Once assembled our full group will comprise Celeste, daughter of fire; Hrothgar the aforementioned dwarf; Moly, orc fire mage and pyromaniac; Kharmul, a dark celestial; and I, your humble scribe.

The Guild arranged greater and lesser enchantments and lucky numbers, which together took most of the afternoon to apply. They were particularly generous in offering full spread greater enchantments though they did note that the myrrh was past its use by date, and while the greater enchantments appeared as efficacious as expected, over the course of the afternoon and evening deleterious results of the sub-standard myrrh became apparent.

Summarizing the mission, our liaison explained that the duke’s astrologers, amongst their usual prognostications to determine the fortunes of Carzala, received a reading filled with imagery of fire and blackness, which they interpreted as Seagate burning and of requiring the skills of the Black Watch to prevent this. I cannot help but feel that the astrologers may be misinterpreting their reading. The composition of their new Black Watch patrol has me wondering whether we may be the source and cause of any such devastating conflagration. It would certainly not be the first time that a prophecy has been self-fulfilling.

We are commanded to report to the Seagate guard HQ at 6 am on the Morrow and present ourselves to Senior Sergeant Albrecht as his new Black Watch patrol. There was discussion of historical issues arising from previous such patrols, and we were requested to wherever possible deescalate tensions with noble officers and extinguish enmities. It was made abundantly clear to us that we would be subject to the laws of Seagate and that should we execute any violence against criminals we would need to provide irrefutable proof that they had been involved in wrongdoing.

On this basis I have quietly requested that Hrothgar craft several poor-quality daggers such that may be found on the body of a thug; I will retain these in case they are required. I'm also considering whether a small supply of debased or street-cut Krrf might not be a good idea.

The relative importance of the urban areas that make up Greater Seagate was explained, with Old Seagate leading the list and Southport rearmost. There was also some delicate dialogue concerning current politics in Seagate, Mayor Roderigo the sausage maker, and recent policies on halfling equality. The infamous “F & F” tavern was mentioned at which Celeste's eyes veritably blazed, and she insisted that we must visit it that evening.

Taking our leave of the Guild we headed to Old Seagate in search of the current location of the “F & F”. Celeste managed to locate Dedication Road and the homely temple of Chantress (through some mystic connection with her fathers), while I secured the current location from a likely looking character. Somewhat unusually the current tavern location was in New Seagate, so we proceeded back that way, encountering Moly as we entered Duke Street and approached a warehouse with lurking bouncers. Inside crates and barrels had been pushed aside or used to form a bar and there were organised fights already beginning.

Celeste and Molly entertained themselves by beating on local bravos, Hrothgar became the obvious target of swarming pickpockets, and I had fun relieving the pickpockets of their ill-gotten gains. Hrothgar was rather unimpressed by the Tavern, and I must say after visiting a genuine dwarf tavern in Westmarch, so was I. Despite its fame I feel that it would require substantial self-reflection, a prodigious course of self-improvement and considerable raising of personal hygiene standards for the “F & F” to aspire to reach the coveted status of “dive bar”. We left before the obligatory bar brawl and general melee got into full swing as we had an early morning planned.

W'ansday 2 Meadow - Training Day

Leaving the Guild in the bleary-eyed dawn we made our way across the bridge to New Seagate. There was some confusion with the bridge guards as we had been warned not to present as Guild members but when we did not, they began making suspicious and invasive inquiries into who we were, what we wanted in New Seagate at this time of the morning, and why we were equipped for battle, exposing further flaws in this cunning “Black Watch” scheme.

Arriving at HQ we were shown in and given an orientation speech by Senior Sergeant Albrecht, a rather aged and leathery human of that particular military subvariety that if sliced across would probably show chevrons throughout like novelty candy. Sergeant Albrecht was quite dismissive of the astrology reading and irritated that his summer budget for additional guards was being wasted on a Black Watch patrol. As such he expects us to operate as a standard guard patrol within Phoenix Company while discovering who it is that plans to burn down Seagate during our plenteous free time.

While on patrol we are expected to dress and act like regular guard members and while we remonstrated that this restriction could easily prevent us from achieving our Black Watch mission imperatives, he remained obdurate. I have been made patrol corporal (under the name Zebulon Grimes) as evidently having halflings in the guard meets targets set by Mayor Roderigo, and we have been issued with leather armour, saps, heavy truncheons, manacles, and whistles that it seems have the magical property of summoning other guards, provided they are not too far away, or busy with other duties. I was also issued a key for the watch boxes, semi-lockable outhouse shaped buildings scattered around Seagate from which we can resupply.

It appears that if we are to successfully prosecute our conflicting directives, we may need to work around our guard duties. We have discussed subcontracting the guard patrol aspect of our work, perhaps to out-of-work actors, and also manufacturing senior guard insignia that entitles the wearer to bear more military arms, but perhaps other ideas will present themselves after our first patrol accompanied by the sergeant.

I am colluding with Hrothgar to modify the appearance of my armour so that it will pass casual inspection as guard leather while not losing its exceptional abilities - a small act of defiance that I was suitably grateful for later in the day, and something I wish we had been less quick to compromise on.

After further fitting out of guard gear, and a brief précis of the expected duties of a town guard, which I now understand should avoid creating too much paperwork for our seniors, only some of whom are lettered, the Senior Sargeant led our happy band out on a training patrol.

The morning was largely occupied learning the basics of proceeding, appraisal of alleyways, the accepting of gratuities but not bribes, polite extemporizing, and the taking of particulars. We also gained experience in judging the willingness of locals to provide space for the guard to pass. This seemed the norm save for a recalcitrant few pedigreed popinjays and pompous prigs, either narcissistic nobles, inheritors of receding chins, arrogant adventurers, possessed of unfounded airs and graces, or boorish bourgeoisie, revelling in their nouveau riches.

After a pleasant albeit plain lunch funded by the Senior Sargeant, and marred, at least in my case, by some abdominal rumblings and an inability to partake of the buttered potatoes, we were approached by a halfling matron in some state of distress. Fleda Underlake, late 50s (wouldn’t provide accurate age for the particulars), of Mimbleberry Close, off Oak Wood Street, Fairtown, wished to report missing her daughter Albo Fleda Underlake, 27, of same address. Per Mistress Underlake, her daughter and friends had been out the previous Duesday evening at a reputable halfling-run tavern on the north side of New Seagate, but Albo had failed to return home and her whereabouts were not known. We made assurances that we would investigate immediately and set out north, proceeding through Michael’s Gate into Fairtown.

The next few hours were spent locating and interviewing Albo’s companions, who after some initial evasion and prevarication admitted they had been at an altogether other tavern, one primarily serving humans rather than halflings. Celeste presented a master-class in looming, and the additional presence of a human, dwarf, and orc helped loosen tongues. The young woman had been seen flirting briefly with a human youth, and also with an apprentice halfling tailor, and that they were unsure of when or with whom Albo left, or whether she had still been at the tavern when they themselves stumbled home drunk on cider.

The remarkably tame and pleasant Dancing Apples tavern was our next stop where a young staff member (Maisie, 20s, human female) recalled “Proudfoot’s group” of the night before but could provide no additional details regarding Albo. Proceeding on to the street of tailors we closely questioned Doderic Barrowes, 41, journeyman tailor at Silk and Buttons. He admitted to having purchased the young woman several pots of cider, but claimed when they each visited the privies around 10 bells she disappeared. He continued to repeat his claim that: “I didn’t do nothing wrong”, and we warned him to expect us back had he withheld information.

Our Sargent departed at this point for HQ after commending us on our diligence in investigating beyond shift end, and we returned to the tavern. The minimalist ablutions behind the establishment adjoined an alleyway and we surmised it possible that Albo had departed that way, though whether of her own volition or not we couldn’t say. While we were conferring, we were approached by a neighbour, Grapdrop Cointoe, 137, male dwarf, who complained to Hrothgar about the noise for the tavern and assumed that we were there to close it down. Further grumping and grumbling revealed that at about the time Albo disappeared he shouted at two humans dragging a protesting “child” away down the alley. We thanked him for his information, extemporized regarding the tavern closure and agreed we were now most likely looking for a victim of abduction.

After discussion Celeste lopped back to Aldo’s home and returned shortly after with a pair of house slippers. Activating Nunda, she had the cat scent the slippers and then try to follow Albo down the alley. Nunda’s presence caused something of a stir in the main streets, but frankly, by this point we were quite prepared to dispense with the illusion of being guards in the interests of finding Albo.

The trail continued into Unity Street and then into minor roads off that thoroughfare, with Nunda losing the scent in an oddly smoky-smelling area of back alleys. As the direction of travel appeared to head toward the docks we moved further south and attempted to reacquire her scent but could not. Our appearance at the docks created some consternation amongst the less law-abiding folk that had begun to ply their trade in the increasing gloom. I made enquiries of a helpful citizen, who was moving goods most likely not his own, and he seemed quite truthful when he claimed to know nothing about halfling trafficking and expressed that in the current political climate only nutters would engage in such an egregious act.

The smoky area intrigued us as we couldn’t envisage the cause of so strong a smell at street level. Returning to the area we investigated more closely and eventually teased from Nunda that the smell was something she had experienced before when Celeste was learning Fire magics, specifically Smoke Creation. We were still unsure why this may have been cast in the alley, but after all other examination provided no new findings, Celeste conjectured that the smoke might reveal something of note. Creating smoke caused a fiery symbol to become visible to infravision on one of the firmly secured doors opening off the alley. The sigil’s aura identified it as linked to the Duke of Fire, marking this as a likely nest of fire cultists. Hrothgar made much of the door transparent and we and the cultists seated inside next to a brazier in the back of the warehouse were somewhat startled to observe each other.

As a note in the benefits of hindsight, getting Hrothgar to take a minute and cast the spell one-way only would have been helpful. As would have been being more supportive of his desire to bring a battering-ram, or “Dwarven Lockpick” as he calls it.

One cultist ran, presumably to alert others, while the second activated a flaming sword as Celeste and Kharmul broke down the door. Moly crashed though the scattered fragments of the door and engaged the cultist whose eyes promptly glazed from stunning blows, dropping his sword. Celeste scooped this up and headed left, as Kharmul and I headed right, after the fleeing cultist.

A moment later a globe of volatile liquid exploded against the brazier in the room, filling the area with fire. Kharmul had another globe shatter against his chest, drenching him but not catching alight. The globe throwers retreated, with us in hot pursuit. Celeste dropped the flaming sword, having sensed evil from it, and reaching the central part of the warehouse we discerned that boxes and crates had been stacked up to create a concealed area. Marked on the floor was an arcane circle, the lines alight with invisible flame, at the centre of which lay a small figure we assumed was Albo. Two cultists were engaged in chanting, while the two we were chasing attempted to collect new globes from barrels.

Celeste and I brought these down while Kharmul engaged one of the chanting cultists, who proved somewhat more adept than his fellows and with an invocation “in Agni’s name” set our companion and much of the room alight, exploding numerous globes, before plunging his flaming dagger clean through the ineffective guard leathers. As Kharmul dropped insensate, fire spread at preternatural speed throughout the building, a clawed hand rose from the burning floor adjacent to the discarded sword, and the furthest cultist entered the circle and approached the sacrifice with a blazing dagger.

I scrambled to ensure my target was no longer a threat, and then attacked the cultist who had so badly injured Kharmul as Celeste attempted to extinguish the inferno and Hrothgar and Moly arrived. What happened next may require some discussion and unravelling. The entire conflagration appeared to be drawn into Celeste who became an incandescent pillar of fire. All of the other flame was quenched, building, daggers, and summoning circle. The discarded sword was slagged and two detached clawed fingers remained.

The cultist in the circle attempted to murder Albo with his snuffed out dagger but muffed it. He did not get a chance to undo his mistake as he then received a shot from Hrothgar’s slug thrower to the face and was beaten to death by Moly.

The pillar of fire coalesced back into Celeste who restrained the surviving cultist, near squashing me in the process, and I discovered with considerable regret that I was too late to use a healing item on Kharmul.

We threw open the front doors of the warehouse onto Unity Street and blew whistles until additional patrols arrived. One of the new arrivals noted the Albo was suffering from an immediate infection as a result of the failed sacrifice attempt, and not knowing how quickly that might prove life threatening I used the item I had prepared and removed the effect.

We returned to guard HQ with Kharmul’s body, and Albo.

There are going to be hard words about this. We warned Senior Sargeant Albrecht that typical guard gear may prove inadequate and that deprived of the specialist equipment we possess we may not be able to commit to Black Watch duties. If Kharmul had been wearing his own armour and wielding a weapon more suited for a melee there may have been a quite different outcome for him.

Buffs & Mil Sci & Misc

To Follow Up?

• Fire mages getting a bonus this Summer.
  • That doesn't usually happen, does it?
• Strange tax breaks for sausages.
  • Something no doubt involving Mayor Roderigo the sausage maker.
• Non-hobbits being forced out of the bakery business in Seagate?
  • Expect the Agency might want to know about this...
• Agni vs. usual Duke of Fire?
  • What's that you say Hrothgar? Check the Guild notes...
  • Since 809, cults of Agni... sacrifice of female halflings... what the hell happened in 809? Oh, A Civilised Ending... Mortimer??
  • Auntie Amelia punched him where? In the Dakhini?! Oh, my!

Weirdness due to bad Myrrh

• Hrothgar - extra left finger
• Moly - compulsion to apologize on causing harm
• Celeste - cat-like water aversion
• Zardoz - lactose intolerance
• Kharmul - greater negative effects from equines

Long Term (assumed always on)

Magic (caster)	Rk	Effects	Duration	Ce	Za	Kh	Mo	HB
Spell (?)	?	?	?

Short Term

Magic (caster)	Rk	Effects	Dur	Ce	Za	Kh	Mo	HB
Spell (?)	?	?	?

Watch Order

Hour:	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
	P1				P2				P3
	P4				P5				P6

Marching Order

Skirmish Formations (Front)
Default	Single File

Astrology

Lucky Numbers

Celeste	Zardoz	Kharmul	Moly	Hrothgar
48	72	15	11	99

Not at all disturbing astrology reading

I touch the fire and it freezes me.
I look into it and it's black.
Why can't I feel,
My skin should crack and peel.
We want the fire back.
Now through the smoke they call to me.
To make our way across the flame.
To save the day,
Or maybe burn away.
So we will walk through the fire.

The torch I bear is scorching me,
And the heroes are laughing I've no doubt.
Our hope it fries.
Our salvation, it dies.

We'll see it through
It's what we're always here to do.
So we will walk through the fire.

One by one they turn from us.
I guess our friends can't face the cold 
But why they froze not one among them knows 
And never can be told

So one by one they come to me.
The distant redness as their guide.
But what they'll find.
Ain't what they have in mind.
It's what they have inside.

What's it gonna take to strike a spark.
These endless days, 
Are finally ending in a blaze.

And we are caught in the fire.
The point of no return.
So we will walk through the fire,
And let it burn.

Calendar

Summer: Meadow 824 WK
	Moonday		Duesday		W'ansday		Th'rsday		Frysday		Reapsday		Sunday
		Beltane Full Moon	1	Guild Meeting	2	0600 Basic Training	3	0600 Day Patrol	4	1400 Evening Patrol	5	White Lotus 2200 Night Patrol	6	Seagate Light Festival Special Duties
	7	0600 Day Patrol	8	1400 Evening Patrol	9	2200 Night Patrol	10	Off Duty	11	0600 Day Patrol	12	1400 Evening Patrol	13	2200 Night Patrol
	14	Off Duty	15	0600 Day Patrol	16	1400 Evening Patrol	17	2200 Night Patrol	18	Off Duty	19	The Castellan Borderers Ball 0600 Day Patrol	20	1400 Evening Patrol
	21	2200 Night Patrol	22	Off Duty	23	0600 Day Patrol	24	1400 Evening Patrol	25	2200 Night Patrol	26	Seagate Crafters Ball Special Duties	27	0600 Day Patrol
	28	Full Moon 1400 Evening Patrol	29	2200 Night Patrol	30	Off Duty	1	0600 Day Patrol	2	1400 Evening Patrol	3	2200 Night Patrol	4	Seagate Guild masters Ball Special Duties
Summer: Heat 824 WK
	Moonday		Duesday		W'ansday		Th'rsday		Frysday		Reapsday		Sunday
	5	0600 Day Patrol	6	1400 Evening Patrol	7	2200 Night Patrol	8	Off Duty	9	0600 Day Patrol	10	Seagate Races 1400 Evening Patrol	11	The Duke's Summer Ball 2200 Night Patrol
	12	Off Duty	13	0600 Day Patrol	14	Midsummers Eve (Faerie Day) 1400 Evening Patrol	15	Solstice 2200 Night Patrol	16	Off Duty	17	Seagate Summer Fair 0600 Day Patrol	18	Seagate Summer Fair 1400 Evening Patrol
	19	2200 Night Patrol	20	Off Duty	21	0600 Day Patrol	22	1400 Evening Patrol	23	2200 Night Patrol	24	The Castellan's Brastor Summer Ball Special Duties	25	0600 Day Patrol
	26	Full Moon 1400 Evening Patrol	27	2200 Night Patrol	28	Off Duty	29	0600 Day Patrol	30	1400 Evening Patrol	1	2200 Night Patrol	2	Off Duty
Summer: Breeze 824 WK
	Moonday		Duesday		W'ansday		Th'rsday		Frysday		Reapsday		Sunday
	3	Day of Death 0600 Day Patrol	4	1400 Evening Patrol	5	2200 Night Patrol	6	Off Duty	7	0600 Day Patrol	8	1400 Evening Patrol	9
	10	Off Duty	11	0600 Day Patrol	12	1400 Evening Patrol	13	2200 Night Patrol	14	Off Duty	15	0600 Day Patrol	16	1400 Evening Patrol
	17	2200 Night Patrol	18	Off Duty	19	0600 Day Patrol	20	1400 Evening Patrol	21	2200 Night Patrol	22		23
	24	Full Moon	25		26		27		28		29		30