(G337 16/12/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM)) 62

(G337 16/12/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM)) 62

DAY 173 (thu)

Kirk spent another day having fun in the virtual reality and managed to finish the day winning 4000 credits for his trouble.

DAY 174 (fri)

Having had enough fun in the Sikarisian games he decided to take Tor Celes out on a date. Sikaris did not have any local money, any reasonable request was given to them free of charge.

That evening they had a nice meal then went to see a spring-ball game (this was Celes's choice!) and then went to a hotel for the rest of the night.

DAY 175 (sat)

In the morning Kirk and Celes returned to the Caco. The BattleSim 9000 had been fitted and so after lunch they lifted off into space and had a series of simulated battles against the Aeroshuttle.

The Caco won the first battle, although it was quite close. The Aeroshuttle could target more accurately and was a little more manoeuvrable, but the Caco had more firepower.

They carried out the space trails for the rest of the day and while the Aeroshuttle did well, the Caco usually won.

DAY 176 (sun)

Kirk, after discussion with Janeway, decided to go on ahead while the Voyager finished off some business with the planet.

Once the course was laid in Kirk went down to the Caco's small engineering lab and started work on modifications to his MATSE system. He planned to add audio enhancement and a motion detector.

DAY 177 (mon)

Kirk woke in the morning to find that his cabin was very cold. He used his comms badge to contact Dell. Dell had been asleep too though and had no idea why it was so cold.

The main light in the cabin would not go on and Kirk found the door would not open either. Perplexed, he dressed, put on his shield and grabbed his rifle. He contacted Paterson who was in the cockpit.
'I'm trying stuff, but nothing is happening!' she reported, 'Also, we have changed course, going back towards Nimiri space.'
'I'm stuck in my room and nothing is working!' said Dell.
Then from Paterson, 'Oh my god! What are you doing here?'
There was the sound of a phaser going off then a thump as a body hit the floor.

Kirk, with a sense of urgency, managed to get the cabin door open by hacking the panel with his tricorder. In the corridor he saw James Adam standing at the other end. The AI avatar said, 'Captain return to your room.'

Kirk fired on the avatar and Adam fired back with his own rifle. It was a tense firefight up and down the corridor. When Kirk shot the gun out of Adam's hand, the avatar charged at Kirk and attacked with his utility fingers, using them as claws.

Next he used his tricorder to open Murphy's room, then opened up the cockpit. Murphy got to Paterson just in time to save her.

Kirk, wanting to end the AI mutiny, went for the door to the engineering lab, where the AI core was held. Before he could open the door though, a stern face appeared on the panel and said,
'My name is Quorg! This ship is now under my control! Do anything at all with this door and I will vent you all out into space!'

(G335 25/11/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM)) 61

(G335 25/11/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM)) 61

DAY 172 (wed)

In the morning Ensign Alan Munro, who still blamed Kirk for the death of his sister, contacted him to  let him know the Aeroshuttle had been refabricated and was ready for space trials.

He suggested that the Caco be fitted with a computer system called 'BattleSim 9000' so they could have simulated battles. Captain Janeway had approved it.

Kirk set up the Eng Bot to install the new systems and then went on shore leave. The Caco was free to land at a spaceport on the planet's surface.

Sikaris was an advanced planet, with plentiful resources and no conflicts of any kind. Much of the planet was happy and playful.

Once they were all cleared by the doctor for entry, Kick entered himself into some live action shooter games and had a great time demonstrating his marksmanship skills to the population of the planet.

The games worked by overlaying a virtual reality over the area designated for playing the game in. This was forests, parks, city streets and such like. While they all ran around in this area virtual enemies would jump out and attack them. In other games they would fight each other. The games were very realistic, so Kirk's skills, all acquired during real firefights, were very easily applied.

He advanced quickly though the ranks and entered a competition for the next day that would earn him some money if he placed highly in the ranks.

(G338 23/12/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ) WA18

(G338 23/12/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ) WA18

DAY 306 (8th Hammer)(January) cont ...

After some discussion they decided to let Random see how they could get back into the city and anticipating that would take a day or two, in the meantime they would attempt a stealth mission.

Their task was to go to the estate of Rathol Erlend, a few miles outside of Westgate, and kill him. Random assured them that he was a very bad person. Before going Fenrir and Veddic put on disguises, they had learned their lesson from Castle Cormaeril.

At noon they arrived at the 'Grand Manor' and landed in a copse of trees some distance away. Veddic remained while Fenrir and Arahel flew over the estate. It had a tall wall around it, with sturdy gates. The main building was not large, but there was a separate servants building and stables. There were at least eight guards around the place. The cold weather was keeping people indoors, but occasionally servants walked from one building to another.

After a few hours a rich looking couple on horseback arrived at the estate and were let in by the guards. The horses went to the stables and the couple entered the main building. Throwing all their previous plans out the window Fenrir attempted to sneak in behind them and managed to gain access.

The couple met the lady of the house in the main sitting room. They all seemed nervous and talked about deliveries of 'boxes' that had arrived at their houses. The rich couple were concerned that the next phase of their plan (whatever it was) was to go into effect and that it had to be Rathol Erlend that did it. Lady Erlend agreed and they couple went on their way.

Fenrir remained in the room and watched, invisibly lurking in the corner, as the lady ordered tea then sat and bit her fingernails for a considerable time. Eventually she went upstairs and Fenrir followed her.

She knocked on a door at the top of the stairs, but a gruff voice told her to go away. When she left, Fenrir stayed and after a bit started knocking on the door. The voice shouted 'Go away!' again but when Fenrir kept knocking there was no more shouts.
After five minutes of knocking a young man burst out of another door and said,
'Please mother, he's not... oh?'
He was confused and went downstairs.

Fenrir could then hear voices from the bottom of the stairs. He resumed his knocking, but was interrupted by two guards coming up the stairs who said such things as 'We mean you no harm!'
Later they tried to catch their invisible unwanted guest by throwing a pan of flour in the air, but Fenrir managed to duck into another room.

The housekeeper then went around and locked everything up. Fenrir found he was more or less trapped on the landing for the rest of the night.

DAY 307 (9th Hammer)(January)

Fenrir spent the night sleeping in the corner of the landing. Arahel went back to the copse where Veddic waited and had a nap.

At seven in the morning Fenrir had to get out of the way while the housekeeper went around opening up the house again and pulling back the shutters. By nine in the morning he was bursting for the toilet so snuck out the window and went to do his business on the roof. Arahel was also there. The changed there plan and he sent her off to Westgate to get a Ring of Knock.

He returned to hide on the landing again and Arahel went to town. She ended up at Gondeth's Magaries. In the end though a Ring of Knock was a bit expensive so she came back with five single use items, magic doorknobs, which were on special offer. She also ordered a magic spear for herself.

She did not return until the evening. Since the house was all locked up, Fenrir spent another night on the floor of the landing.
Before he retired for the night he went and did his business at the bottom of the cellar steps.


DAY 308 (10th Hammer)(January)

When the house keeper had opened the shutters, Fenrir snuck up onto the roof and met Arahel. He took the magic doorknobs from her and she returned to Veddic. Fenrir went back inside and after taking a deep breath, took a doorknob and used it to open the door of the room in the manor that he hoped contained Rathol Erlend.

(G336 02/12/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ) WA17

(G336 02/12/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ) WA17

DAY 306 (8th Hammer)(January)

At four in the morning, while Fenrir was on watch, there was a knock at the door. He quickly woke the others then went to listen.
He heard a loud whisper, 'Help me!'
Shrugging, he opened the door and before him stood a naked woman, her hair bedraggled and her skin dirty.
She rushed forward to try and hug him, but he lifted off the ground on his magic bat wings.
Hugging herself instead she said, 'You are very scary! I now consider you to be my friend!'
She had an odd way of talking, as if she did not know the common tongue very well.
'Who are you?' asked Fenrir.
'I'm Hilda. Hilda the, err... lady.'
Veddic, who was now about half awake, cast Dispel Magic on her, but it did nothing.
Fenrir landed and talked to her some more.
She whispered in his ear, 'Have you ever considered killing and eating your friends?'
She then turned into a dire tiger and attacked Veddic. She nearly killed him too, with all her claws and teeth, but Fenrir managed to talk her out of finishing him off.
Instead she turned to attack the annoying Willo-wisp that was attacking her. This gave Veddic enough time to get back on his feet and hit her with a Flame Strike spell.
It also hit Arahel (the willo-wisp) but she managed to avoid some of the damage and survive.
The phasm (for that was what it was) died and since it was already outside the room, they simply shut the door and went back to sleep.

In the morning Veddic animated the two skeletons he had collected the previous day. They were ettercaps so capable of attacking people, but not of drawing a bow. When not in use, he put them inside his bag of holding.

They continued navigating their way through the dungeon and came to a room with a dried up channel in it and some desiccated meat. The next room beyond that contained three basilisks. Arahel rushed into the middle of them to administer electric shocks and came dangerously close to being turned to stone.
It did distract them long enough for Veddic and Fenrir to kill all three of them though.

The next corridor lead to outside the dungeon.

They stood at the exit of the dungeon and surveyed a wide panorama of waste and decay. They were at the base of a tall finger of rock, one of many in the landscape, each of them jutting out of a black watered swamp. Thin mist and clouds of flies hung over the pestilential water untroubled by any wind. The air was hot and sticky, as if heralding a storm, and indeed, in the distance, across the wet flat lands they saw a thunderstorm although it is too far to hear the crack of lighting as it struck the ground.
There was no sun, moon or stars visible, just black clouds overhead. There was a perpetual gloomy twilight, nothing more.

Where they were was about thirty feet above the landscape, on a slope that went down into the swamp. To their north there seemed to be nothing but endless swamp with the fingers of rock being the only feature to break up the view. To the south they saw feint lights of what might have been a settlement.

They decided to head towards the lights, with the two skeletons taking the lead.

After a while they saw a figure, dressed in full plate armour caked in mud and dried blood, emerging from a cluster of rocks in the swamp.
He watched them from a distance, his hands leaning on a two handed sword that was planted into the ground.

When the figure saw the skeletons it took a few steps back and raised its sword.

To begin with they decided to ignore the armoured figure, but after a while it began to dawn on Fenrir that they had no real instructions to do anything out here, wherever it was, and no idea where they were going.
He went over to talk to the figure who was initially wary, but in the end took off his helmet to reveal a young and handsome face.
He introduced himself as Barrington, a paladin of Tyr.

He said:
''
I've been here for months now. My friends, all of them, they were killed by Junbara, the dragon that hunts this region. I was knocked out and fell down a hole. When I woke up I saw that I was the only survivor. I buried them where they fell and tried to make my way back here. The dungeon had been repopulated though, its a great place for monsters to live apparently, compared to the swamp I suppose. I tried to get my way out but got turned back by a black pudding. I tried again, but a swarm of darkmantles got me. I've been waiting and  hoping something might change. Now that you are here, well I assume you cleared your way through the warren of corridors in the spire?
Tell me the way and I can get out of here! Don't go north, there is nothing for a hundred miles. And that city to the south is full of undead, don't go their either. Whatever you are here to do, I'd advise you to do it quickly before Junbara finds you. He has a way of sniffing out magical items and he has  great interest in them.
''

Fenrir and the others said they would accompany young Barry out.

At about ten in the morning they went back through the portal and returned to 'Spectre Island'.

They exited the portal, then the ruins, stepping into the winter sunlight. To their surprise there is a nice little cottage sitting just to the right. Cavu opens the door to the cottage and beckoned them inside.
'Come inside, have some tea!'
The cottage only had one room but it was reasonably well furnished with four bunk beds, a table with eight chairs, a writing desk and fireplace that was keeping the interior nice and warm. At the table they saw Nebulus the Rascal.
''
We were just going over our plans. Things have changed a little, after the... ahem... situation with Cormaeril. It's not all bad news though. Gerty has decided to bring Nebulus on board to add some strategy to our efforts in Westgate.'
Nebulus stood up and said, 'Oh yes, happy to be part of the team! And since I'm setting up shop here for a while, I may as well let you know my true identity...
''

Nebulus removed his hat and his formed changed to that of a teifling gentleman, his large horns curling around the back of his head. It was Random Hessertreeb, the fellow that Sylvia had told the adventures of when I (Rollo) had been with her in the Plane of Shadow.

They talked for a while, then Cavu left. He teleported away with Thjodhild, a wizard that apparently worked for him.

Among other things Random said:
''
The most important thing is to get you situated in Westgate again. Something big is happening, and no, I can't tell you, because.. and I'm looking at you here Fenrir, you have a tendency to blab whenever captured. So, need to know basis at the moment. I don't know much anyway. Well, Westgate is the most important, but not urgent right now. I'll leave it up to you. If you want to get back into Westgate I can put out feelers, see how to get you back in. We have near unlimited resources for that. Or you can explore the Plane of Shadow,
I have more information on that when you are ready. Finally, you can help me out with one or two things, and practice your stealth  skills to boot!
''

It looked like they had a new boss.

(G334 18/11/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ) WA16

(G334 18/11/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ) WA16

DAY 305 (7th Hammer)(January) cont ...

Arahel (in the form of a will-o-the-wisp), Fenrir and Veddic entered the portal and found themselves standing in a room made from carved stone.
Now, of course, if I had been there I would have taken the time to examine the stonework, determine who carved it and when, was it the yuan-ti or someone before them? Could any meaning be determine from anything etched onto the walls?

Their attention was not drawn in that direction though, their curiosity was focused on the only door in the room. The door was made of strong wood, bound in iron. They were not interested in its construction though, only what was on the other side of it.

It lead into what can certainly be described as a dungeon. Not the type that is a prison, but a properly large network of corridors and rooms that are often built by crazed wizards or other types of weirdo.

The corridor bent round to where some darkmantles were roosting. For some reason they did not want to attack the party and they simply flapped away down side corridors.

They tried the first door they came to, but it triggered a trap which caused a cave in. All of them were injured by falling stones, but no one was killed. None of them were any good at searching for traps.

The door lead to a large room which was empty apart from some writing on the wall that read:

''
The Order of the Emerald Falcon killed a hydra here" on the north wall.
''

They continued on their way, down more corridors and through more empty rooms until the came to a T-junction where they were attacked by two ettercaps. One of the monsters tripped a trap though and fell down a 100ft pit. The other one was easily killed by the party and then Fenrir dumped its body down the pit as well.

He then realised that they might have had treasure so flew down the pit to take a look. They monsters didn't but there was other loot down there, including a fine set of plate armour (with a skeleton inside it). He took the gold and left the armour for now.

As they continued deeper into the dungeon they realised the monsters were no huge threat, but the traps were. Without a rogue they had no real defence against them. They accidently triggered a spear trap at the next door that hurled dozens of spears everywhere. They were all hit by several.

The next room they came to was small and completely filled by a black pudding. These creatures can be dangerous, they had battled one before under the Devil's Brew Tavern, and it nearly got a hold of Fenrir when he got too close to the door. Once he had got out the way though Arahel was able to zap it to death with her lightning.
The black pudding, much as it lashed and thrashed about, could not get a hold of her.

Down the corridor, in a room on their left, they met a large animated suit of armour. It was a shield guardian which had the ability to cast Fire Shield on itself. Fenrir and Veddic kept their distance, but Arahel needed to get close to use her lightning which meant that she got burnt each time she attacked.
Again though, their foe struck at the will-o-the-wisp and only hit her once in the entire battle.
With the lightning and Fenrir's eldritch blasts, the thing was destroyed in less than a minute.

They were tired from all the fighting and getting caught in every trap they blundered into though and decided this would be a good place to rest for a while.

Before they did so Veddic requested that Fenrir drag all the corpses up from the pit he could find and dump them in the black pudding room. Veddic wanted to raise some dead.
Fenrir obeyed the order without question.

(G333 4/11/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ) WA15

(G333 4/11/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ) WA15

DAY 303 (6th Hammer)(January) cont...

Roztov here again reader! You may remember Fenrir, Arahel and Veddic were taking on a squad of Night Masks. Well, from what I can gather there never was a chap book revealing what the motivation of the Gruesome Giant was, not that I've located so far anyway.

In any event, on this night, the Night Mask attack had been broken and the remaining rogues and the other warehouse guards slinked back into the night.

Once the coast was clear the six men that had been sent by Nebulus to take all the warehouse goods away managed to catch one of the runaway horse and carts, then they sped off back to Westgate as quickly as they could.

With no other reason to stick around, Arahel turned into a giant owl, and with Veddic on her back she joined Fenrir in flying back to their cottage.

They were tired and went straight to bed. A couple of hours later, at around three in the morning they were all startled awake by something crashing through the roof.

Now, follow me here readers, and see if you can guess what was happening based on these facts.

1. Fenrir and Co had recently raided Castle Cormaeril.
2. Fenrir, when captured, had told Lord Cormaeril their address.
3. The Cottage is roughly six hundred yards from the Castle.
4. The Castle had several very visible and pretty large bolt-throwers mounted on its battlements.

Can you now guess what had just knocked half the slates off their roof?

More fell, not always hitting the house, but those that did penetrated the slates and continued down right into the rooms. One of the thumped into the bed beside Fenrir, narrowly missing him.

Wisely they all headed downstairs. Veddic started putting on his armour, with the aide of Groza.
As more bolts landed in the lane outside they could see that some of them were aflame and that smoke was coming from inside. Fenrir and Arahel went back in and managed to put out the fires, but after a while it seemed futile. They did not fancy taking on the castle, so they simply packed up all their belongings and after a short discussion they decided to fly to Ferbone.

An hour later they knocked on the door of the Dead Badger and woke up the landlord. He arranged them a small apartment in the inn and they slumped back down into their beds, weary and extremely annoyed.

In the morning they went to see Weynay in her shrine.
'What brings you back to Ferbone?' she asked.
'Our inability to gauge the range of ballista,' muttered Veddic.
'We are hiding!' declared Arahel.
'It's not fair!' said Fenrir. 'All we did was raid them, kill some of their guards, leave a big hole
in the side of the castle and release a demon inside! Some people are so touchy.'

She was a friend of theirs, so she presumably bit her tongue on any sarcastic thoughts that may have entered into her head.

That night they got drunk at the inn.

DAY 304 (6th Hammer)(January)

Fenrir and Arahel did not report for duty with the Day Air Watch that morning. They took a look at the cottage though. It was a smoking ruin.

They spent the rest of the day sulking in the Dead Badger back in Ferbone.

DAY 305 (7th Hammer)(January)

They were all set for another day sulking in the pub, when Weynay came to them with some information to cheer them up. She knew of an ancient tree ent that had long since taken root in the forest south of the bridge.
It would occasionally give out treasure to people, or so it was said. They thanked her and decided to take a look.

Following her directions, and with Arahel using her tracking skills, they found the ent in a clearing beside a waterfall.

Arahel did the talking and it appeared that the ent would tell them of the location of some treasure in return for answering riddles.

The first was:

When you went into the woods you got me.
You hated me yet you wanted to find me.
You went home with me cause you couldn’t find me
What was it?

The answer was:

A splinter

They didn't get it.

The second riddle was:

The one who makes it, sells it.
The one who buys it, never uses it.
The one that uses it never knows that he’s using it.
What is it?

The answer was:

A coffin

They didn't get that one either.
In the end they got this one right:

It cannot be seen, it weighs nothing, but when put into a barrel,
it makes it lighter. What is it?

The answer was:

A hole


The end then said:

''
Hum, hum, hum...

Follow the narrowest trail to the largest lake,
What shines in the middle is the thing you should take,
Down in the depths, guarded by scale, gill and fin,
Courage and strength together riches will bring.
''

Above the waterfall was a large pool with water so clear that they could see a golden chest at the bottom of it.
They could also see some aggressive looking fish.

Arahel jumped in and turned into an aboleth and made short work of them though.

The chest contained a reasonable amount of treasure and was valuable in itself.

After this, they decided to get back into the swing of things by taking all the loot they had gathered recently into Westgate to sell. They went in disguise.
Among other things Fenrir purchased a bag of holding.

Later in the afternoon they flew out to the '100 islands', a cluster of small islands five miles north of Westgate.
This was a region used by smugglers and low level pirates. The water was shallow and full of hidden rocks so was dangerous to ships any bigger than a rowing boat. It was also where the Night Parade had told them that the portal they knew of was located.

The island they were looking for was a finger of rock that jutted out of the sea by about ninety feet. There were some ruins on it, and on landing they went to investigate the largest of them.

They were attacked by wraiths and a spectre, but Veddic was powerful enough to send them packing. The portal they were looking for (a glowing red circle on the cobbled floor) was in the ruins and while the others perished one  of the wraiths made it through.
Not before it was zapped a few times by Arahel who had turned into a will-o-the-wisp.

They explored the rest of the island but it was no more than a 150 feet or so across. The other buildings looked like sheilings, temporary shelters that had been built by persons unknown long ago.

As the island offered no more threat or excitement they decided to enter the portal.

(G332 28/10/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM)) 60

(G332 28/10/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM)) 60

DAY 150 (tue) cont...

The crew of the Cacophony were delighted to see their errant captain, but informed him that Voyager had gone on without them, to follow up information they had heard about a planet called Sikaris.

Without any more waiting about Kirk ordered the Caco to follow Voyager at a steady Warp 7 or so.
This would average them about 1.5 Light Years a day.

DAY 151 (wed)

Caco does 1.5 LY

A base on a rocky asteroid was located with scanners. Kirk logged it and maintained course.

DAY 152 (thu)

Caco does 1.5 LY

DAY 153 (fri)

Caco does 1.5 LY

DAY 154 (sat)

Caco does 1.5 LY

DAY 155 (sun)

Caco does 1.5 LY

DAY 156 (mon)

Caco does 1.5 LY

DAY 157 (tue)

Caco does 1.5 LY

Today Crewman Dell reported that some of the ships systems needed more attention. Kirk helped out as best he could.

He was also working on his Repair Bot every day, as much as he could. His plan was to adapt it to the Caco's systems so that it would take much of the load from Dell.

DAY 158 (wed)

Caco does 1.5 LY

DAY 159 (thu)

Caco does 0.5 LY

About halfway through the day of travel the Caco encountered a mixed Talaxian/Occampan merchant vessel.
They established comms then drew alongside so the ships purser could come on board.

He was a friendly chap and willing to trade. Kirk purchased three more sensors which were also fitted as part of the price. He also filled the ships water tanks - a total of 826 gallons.

DAY 160 (fri)

Caco does 1.5 LY

The main deflector went off line and Kirk repaired it.

Meanwhile Voyager had arrived at Sikaris.

DAY 161 (sat)

Caco does 1.5 LY

Kirk completed work on the Repair Bot. He then set it into action. It still required a few tweeks in its programming but in general it appeared to function very well.

DAY 162 (sun)

Caco does 1.5 LY

DAY 163 (mon)

Caco does 1.5 LY

DAY 164 (tue)

Caco does 1.5 LY

Crewman Sandra "Crasher" Paterson fell down the stairs and dislocated her shoulder.
Crewman Murphy fixed her up in sickbay.

DAY 165 (wed)

Caco does 1.5 LY

The main communications went down for a few hours today. Kirk and the Repair Bot fixed it.

DAY 166 (thu)

Caco does 1.5 LY

DAY 167 (fri)

Caco does 1.5 LY

Today they found an errant cargo pod and took it on board. It contained various possibly useful items.

DAY 168 (sat)

Caco does 1.5 LY

DAY 169 (sun)

Caco does 1.5 LY

DAY 170 (mon)

Caco does 1.5 LY

DAY 171 (tue)

Caco does 1.5 LY

Today the Caco arrived at Sikaris
 
Voyager had already been their 11 days. The crew were enjoying some well earned shore leave.

(G330 07/10/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM)) 59

(G330 07/10/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM)) 59


DAY 149 (mon)

Kirk awoke at 4 am and lay for a while, trying to come up with another plan. He had his comms badge still and for that he was thankful. He realised this was the only thing that could help him escape.

With the lights dimmed and hiding under the bed covers he interfaced with the badge to redesign all his intrusion programs into the Vhnori police systems.

By about 8 am he was done and got some rest.

At 4pm he was awake again and ready to have another go at escaping. He watched the security cameras and waited for the stairs and the area outside his cell to be clear. As he waited he made further modifications to the programs to make all police comms die when he made his escape.

At around 9pm all was clear and he went for it. At the top of the stairs he was spotted by some guards  unfortunately, but he was able to lock down the stairwell doors to hold them back. He made it all the way down to the ground floor.

Looking through the door window at the bottom of the stairs he could see a large foyer with about ten cops and a couple of dozen people milling around and waiting in queues.
Using his comms badge he triggered the 'Fire Alarm Cascade' and the foyer began to clear.

He could hear banging from upstairs, the guards were trying to break down the doors. Kirk was in a hurry to get out, but he could see that a few of the police had not left the foyer. They appeared to be confused as to why their radios were not working.
Kirk routed a message through the tannoy;
'There is a bomb threat! This is not a drill! All guards to muster points!'
He looked again, the guards had not gone out, but they did notice him and came to the door.
Kirk hid under the stairs, then used his comms badge to unlock all the doors on the landings.
This had the beneficial effect of releasing all the people trapped upstairs, who then came down the stairs in a confused flood. Kirk made it outside hidden in the hub-bub.
He then locked the main glass doors, opened all the cell doors and reactivated all the radios.

The confusion this caused was enough to get him clear of the police headquarters. He then put in a call to 'RenegadeX' and arranged a pick up.

RenegadeX was an intelligent but weak looking Vhnori. There was a female in the car and another male who was doing the driving. As they drove away all three asked Kirk many breathless questions about the afterlife and the Next Emanation.
Kirk wasn't really in the mood for theology so told them that they were most likely just people called "NPCs" in an "RPG" played by two middle-aged Scotsmen.
Whatever they were expecting, it wasn't that, but regardless of this they took Kirk to their hideout, a 'terraced' mansion in the suburbs of the city.
Kirk was very glad to get a shower, change out of his prison clothes and eat something other than  prison food.

He asked for some tools and other gear to build a 'Sub Space Gubbins Box' which he said would be able to communicate back from the Next Emanation. He knew very well it wouldn't work, but counted on the fact that they would not know that.
Even if it was bunkum it took him hours to make and he went to bed after he'd finished. The Vhnori were on a much longer day night cycle though and remained awake.

DAY 150 (tue)

The Vhnori, unsure of how humans bodies worked woke Kirk up at what his comms badge told him was 3 am on a Tuesday morning.

After breakfast he realised that if he was to survive on the other side, the "Next Emanation", he would need an environment suit as he'd most likely arrive in a vacuum or a deadly atmosphere.

The Vhnori civilisation was not advanced enough though and while some second-hand spacesuits could be purchased they would be non-functional. He opted for arctic gear, a full face mask and oxygen tanks, and hoped that this would be enough. It was all paid for by a hacked bank account.

He then asked RenegadeX and his girlfriend to take him to the safest option for a 'coffin' and they reckoned on a temple in a village out in the countryside.

When they arrived at the village Kirk simply and boldly walked right in to the temple carrying all his gear.
There were a few people about and the verger said for Kirk to wait while he consulted the Thanatologist.

Kirk waited for ten minutes, then grew impatient and burst through into the next chamber. The Thanatologist was on a communicator (and it didn't occur to Kirk why that might be!) and seemed nervous when he entered.
'Come on and do this ceremony so I can get out of here!' demanded Kirk.
'I'm in the middle of one now!' returned the Thanatologist.'You'll have to wait!'

A minute later, of course, the local police arrived. The Thanatologist had been on the communicator to them to report an alien acting very strangely and when asked by the police to describe said alien it matched the description of the one that had just escaped from jail in the city.

Initially Kirk tried to talk his way out of the situation, but in the end his frustration and desire to get back again won through and he started shooting with the 9mm RenegadeX had given him.

The cops, out gunned by one of the best marksmen in the Delta Quadrant, made a run for it and with the doors locked and the Thanatologist and verger as hostages he forced them at gun point to take him through to the 'coffin' chamber and dispatch him. Anxious to get rid of him they did it as quickly as they could!

He arrived on an asteroid. Luckily there was some atmosphere trapped inside it, otherwise his oxygen mask would have probably exploded off his head. It was toxic though, so the oxygen came in handy, and the arctic gear kept him alive long enough for the Cacophony to detect him and come get him.

He'd been on the Vhnori planet for eight days, and his crew had not deserted him.

(G331 21/10/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ) WA14

(G331 21/10/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ) WA14

DAY 303 (6th Hammer)(January)

[Hail dear reader! Roztov here. Just to write a note at the front of this next entry. I recently came across this West gate chapbook that describes what happened next in good detail. You may recall that Arahel, Fenrir and Veddic were clearing a warehouse of denizens on behalf of Nebulous the Rascal.]

''
Mythes, Escapades, Monstyrs And Strange Goyngs On in Westgate and Envyrons

by

Modrick Templeman

Greetings readers, to this, the 36th edition of "Mythes"! In this book I will firstly describe what has become known as:

The Gruesome Giant of Westgate.

The giant was first reported at the South Gate one dark and stormy night. This dreadful creature stood a clear fifty foot high, and as the guards trembled in fear it threw the corpse (or what remained of it as it had chewed her legs off!) of Lady Dreggleblot over the wall.

The next time it was seen was on the battlements of Castle Cormaeril where it tossed guards and hapless servants over the wall and into the sea before descending into the castle proper to slay many more. It finally knocked a hole in the side of the castle (plainly visible to any that cared to go take a look!) and again escaped into the night.

For the third sighting I was lucky enough to be present on the scene soon after it was spotted. It is an area of a few dozen warehouses west of the city. It is well guarded. Each warehouse employs some form of individual protection and there is a central tower that watches the entire area.

I spoke to one of the tower guards and here I will relay his story:

-- I am a guard employed by the local merchants to man the old tower. Anyway I had heard that a couple of the Night Masks were hiding out in the rooms under the warehouse where it all happened, names of Hackerman and Nafta. I'd seen 'em about the place a couple of times.
Old Hackerman came charging out screaming about how his mate had just been killed by a tiger. Well, we got the gang together to go take a look. I reckon Old Hackerman and Old Nafta had been playing cards down there when they were set upon and scared out. Nafta, well he got eaten by the tiger, but Hackerman managed to get out.
Just as we were getting ready to go over to him, it was night time you understand and we were carrying torches, he was hit by this big long line of green light and went flying into a ditch. I didn't see where it came from, but Bertle our wizard pointed out it was magic. Seemed bleeding obvious to me.
Well anyway, we grabbed his dead body and took it back to the tower.
After talking about it for a bit we decided we weren't going up there to get blasted, not on what they pay us, so we sent word back to the Night Masks and a few hours later a squad of them came, lead by some tough looking girl in black leather.
Anyways, they went up and we followed, being a bit braver now that there was a dozen of us, like. Well, it was just carnage really. The warehouse was being raided, no big surprise there, and there were a bunch of guys and three sets of horse and cart.
We all charged in, but suddenly there was this bleeding giant standing there and then the green magic started hitting us.
It hit Bertle a couple of times and he went down. I helped drag him back out of it and watched the rest from behind a bush. The Night Masks charged in, but they were just swept aside by the giant like a man swatting away kittens. Those that didn't get killed ran off into the woods on either side of the warehouse and began sniping with their crossbows.
There was another man there too, a cleric I think, and I just made out the outline of a man on the roof of the warehouse every time the green lance of light hit one of the Night Masks.
The girl in leather was nowhere to be seen, but there were three horses there with the three carts and two of them just toppled over stone dead during the fighting.
Then suddenly she appeared right behind the cleric and tried to stab him. Her dagger just bounced off his plate mail though. She was hit by that green light and then vanished into the dark, running for her life. I just hung back and helped get a healing potion down Bertle's neck. --

There we have it readers! The first part of an eye witness account of the third sighting of the  Gruesome Giant! Where happens next? Why is it here? What is it's motivation? Don't miss the instalment when all will be revealed in all its terrible bloody glory!
''

(G329 30/09/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ) WA13

(G329 30/09/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ) WA13


DAY 300 (3rd Hammer)(January) cont...

It was evening and Fenrir was still in the cells under Castle Cormaeril. Sure that he would be able to talk his way out it somehow, Veddic and Arahel went to sell all their loot at Gondeth's Magaries.

Fenrir was indeed trying to talk his way out of his cell and started by requesting a guard to fetch him a 'Fire Knife'. Sodder, the wizard they had battled earlier, arrived and Fenrir turned on the charm.
He made a friend but it was not within Sodder's power to release him.

That power was Tagreth Cormaeril's alone and he arrived later to interrogate Fenrir, who was tied down to a bench in another larger room. Fenrir tried to be as friendly and charming as he could, but Tagreth kept the questions direct and simple.
From what I gather this was how it went:


Who are you?
    - Raziel Lightningrod

Where are you from?
    - Waterdeep

How long have you been in Westgate?
    - couple of weeks

What brought you here?
    - a life of grand adventure

Who do you work for?
    - Day Air Watch but also
    - freelancing for a mysterious third party who recently hired me to spring the Diablos.

Why did you want with the Diablos?
    - see above

What do you know about the Night Parade?
    - very little, the guy was a member of that?

How long have you been in the watch?
    - 6 days

Who are your associates?
    - Dressdelle of the watch
    - Arahel
    - Veddic

Where are you accommodated in town?
    - small place in town

From what else I have heard about this encounter there was a bit more back and forth after that:

Fenrir: Before you go, my lord. Consider having me work for you as a double agent in the watch?
Tagreth: After your cack handed attempt at jail breaking? And proving so lose and easy with your secrets?
F: Ah, but I went softly on your guards. I did not wish to kill anyone I didn't have to.
T: That was first of your many mistakes then!
F: I did not wish you to appear weak my lord, just to do what I had been paid to do.
T: You should have killed them all, ruthlessly. I would have done.
F: (Growling) Make no mistake, I could have easily slaughtered them all!

Tagreth was affected by Fenrir's intimidation, but turned to leave anyway. The impatient warlock at that point made the fateful decision to chance his arm with an old 'friend' and called out,
'Hello dear, you're home early!'

You may remember, dear reader, that this was the phrase that summoned Bnurgstickslackskin (if he was in  the mood to be summoned) and Fenrir's luck was in (well, if you consider a fifteen foot tall, four armed glabrezu demon suddenly appearing in the room lucky).

Needless to say Cormaeril near soiled his trousers when Bnurgstickslackskin appeared, his mighty bat wings filling the cell. Bnurg grabbed a guard in one of his massive pincers and held him like a child clutching a doll.

'If you could unchain me now old chap,' said Fenrir.
Terrified, Cormaeril did so, then backed out of the cell.

Fenrir helped himself to one of the magic crossbows as he left, flying out the hole that Arahel had made while she was a giant. Bnurg was too big to fit down the side corridor so for reasons only known to himself he ripped the guard he held in half, threw the two bits at the other cowering guards then snarled 'Today is your lucky day!' at them. He then dematerialised back to the Abyss.

Fenrir was halfway home when he slapped his forehead and turned back again, remember that he should really have taken Bwabazwards the diablos with him!

Back in the cells he politely requested the guards release Bwabazwards to him and with trembling hands they opened the door and let the diablos out. Fenrir carried him home through the air on his back.

He arrived at the cottage at about eleven in the evening, then with Arahel and Veddic they all took Bwabazwards to the house on Fish Street where the Night Parade dwelled.

In return for the glad return of Bwabazwards, the Night Parade told them that the portal they sought was on a small island five miles out to sea. They could provide them with a boat if required.

Also while there Fenrir finished chatting up Bezebelle, their leader, and then disappeared upstairs  with her for a couple of hours of very mysterious and dream like passion.

Arahel and Veddic waited awkwardly downstairs for him.

DAY 301 (4th Hammer)(January)

At about one or two in the morning they finally made it back to the cottage and their beds. Only to be up again a few hours later to report for their Day Air Watch shift at seven.

Well, Veddic got a lie in, but Arahel and Fenrir reported for duty and were immediately called in to
Trepplemar the Magnificent's study.
When asked about what had happened up at Castle Cormaeril, Fenrir lied his head off saying they had been up there, but just at the market and certainly had not seen any big scary demons!

As ever his smooth manner managed to keep Trepplemar off their backs for the rest of the day, which they spent, as usual with Dressdelle. The weather was snow, sleet and rain so they mostly took shelter on the towers and watched for trouble from their while drinking sugary tea and eating the local food (burritos and chimichangas).

Nothing exciting happened at work so they made their way home at the usual time fairly well rested.
They found that a letter from Cavu had mysteriously appeared on the kitchen table. It was in code, but using the book 'Lady Lovelace and her many gnomish lovers' as the key the swiftly decoded it.
It read:

''
Use whatever extra funds you need to make this happen, but you need to become the leaders of the  faction you have chosen. Do it gently, but do whatever it takes to make this happen. If this seems  impossible at this moment, then see how far you can get investigating the Snake Gate. From what
I'm picking up from Gerty, I think that whatever you find there may help you with what you are doing  in Westgate. In order to reply to this message, please write it in code and hand it to the merchant I named in my previous letter. You may expect a reply the next day.
''

Fenrir wrote a short reply telling Cavu that they were planning a boat trip out to the location of the island, but did not immediately deliver it to the merchant.

DAY 302 (5th Hammer)(January)

Day nine of Arahel and Fenrir's shift with the Day Air Watch was clear, but over cast. They patrolled around the city but it was uneventful. They talked to Dressdelle a bit, she was pleasant company. She had previously told them that she was doing 'community service' for the city of Westgate but as yet was not willing to reveal why.

After their shift they were once more summoned to the chamber of Trepplemar the Magnificent. She had obviously learned more of the events at Castle Cormaeril.

She started with:

''
Although I'm not unhappy in the slightest that you went after that old bastard Cormaeril and the  Fire Knives, you brought the watch into it. This is going to cost us a lot of political capital to smooth over. I see no other way but to kick you out of the watch.
''

Fenrir once more managed to talk her round, admitting that they had been their to rescue someone. She relented and went on to say:

''
Lady Dreggleblot and then the Fire Knives. That's two big mistakes in less than ten days. One more and I've got to get rid of you, for good this time. Any more and you'll bring the watch to its knees!
''

That evening, back at the cottage, Nebulous the Rascal, their friend the jolly merchant arrived at their door, hooded and cloaked. When safely in the kitchen he offered this sage advice:

''
If I knew your plan was going to be go in all guns blazing then I would have cautioned you. My advice would have been to either use stealth to get in and strength to get out, or strength to get in and stealth to get out. Only use strength both ways if you have it and surely you must of known you needed some extra muscle when I told you how strongly defended the castle was?
And to not go in disguise is unforgivable, I'm trying not to think about it, it's an insult to plan making, really! I, of course, would have chosen stealth in and stealth out.
You'll live with this mistake for a long time. In Westgate you see, it's all about factions, and political power. It's much better to know where to apply just a little pressure, than hammering away with brute strength in the hope that this compensates for lack of understanding and preparation.
''

His advice fell on deaf ears though. Fenrir had his own way of doing things and Arahel was too young to understand most of it.

Nebulous also told them that if they planned to help him with the warehouse he wanted to knock over it would have to be this night or the next so they agreed to do it that night.

A guide took them to where the warehouse was, a couple of miles along the coast. He was a gnome called Charrlo "Chuckles" Marnon and they arrived at about eleven o'clock that evening.

The plan was that they were to deal with all the warehouse guards, then shine a light at the door to let the others know it was safe to come and start taking away the merchandise.

To start with Arahel turned into a spider and skuttled under the door. She found a large room full nearly to the ceiling with bales and boxes. In the walk ways were large skeletons, standing motionlessly.

When she reported back, they broke the main lock and entered. The skeletons were bigger than human, but easy for a powerful cleric like Veddic to deal with. Fenrir finished them off as they ran away.

The warehouse was clear, but they found a trap door at the back and opened it up. There was a ladder down to a stone carved corridor. At a crossroads they saw a flesh golem that attacked them.

Arahel turned into a tiger and went for it. As the thing was immune to magic, Fenrir could not help and all Veddic could do was heal Arahel whenever she required it. Bit by bit she tore chunks off the golem with her claws until it was nothing but a heap of flesh and bones.

They golem vanquished they moved on further into the dungeon.

(G328 23/09/2013 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ) WA12

(G328 23/09/2013 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ) WA12

DAY 299 (3rd Hammer)(January) cont ...

[Back at Castle Cormaeril, Fenrir, Veddic and Arahel are fighting the toughest of the castle defenders]

The corridor they were in had stairs at either end, the entrance to the prison area and a narrow corridor that they had assumed led to the latrine.

While the others hid round the corner of the prison cell junction Fenrir went ahead, invisible, to take a look. He could see the guards and a dwarf that looked like a wizard. They could not see through his invisibility and as he drew closer some of them fell asleep from the Symbol of Sleep  he was now carrying.
The wizard cast a spell though that revived most of them.

Fenrir took a look down the narrow corridor and it did indeed lead to a latrine. The shaft was far too narrow for a grown man to climb down though.

As he passed again, a couple more guards fell over. The dwarf shouted up the stairs to persons unknown, 'There is a mobile sleep effect going on here!'

Fenrir cursed the intelligence of dwarves.

Meanwhile, Arahel was noticing things. She could hear the other end of the corridor being blocked off, up the other set of stairs. She could tell from the sound of furniture being dragged.
She also noticed that the prison corridor was made of dressed and mortared stone blocks while the southern wall (facing outside) was carved from solid rock.

Fenrir started blasting at the defenders at the other end of the corridor. The intelligent dwarf (known as Kredderau as they would find out later) shouted, 'It's a Warlock!'

I hate this guy, thought Fenrir, he's a know-it-all and he wants everyone to know it!

Veddic made for the lavvy corridor and down at the bottom, waited for the others. In hindsight  perhaps Arahel should not have remained in the form of a giant as it took her a while to crawl down the corridor, which left Fenrir (with the unconscious body of Baz, the person they were there to rescue!) alone to fend off the dwarven wizard.

Kredderau was being healed and helped by someone out of sight round the corner. He could now see Fenrir perfectly fine and was immune, more or less, to the eldritch blasts.

Veddic had no chance (or great desire) of getting down the toilet so he waited until Arahel the giant arrived and with her knees braced against the interior stone began to push at the exterior stone-block wall.
Her great strength made a huge chunk of masonry collapse out into the night and they all jumped down to the bushy ledge below. Arahel then changed into a giant eagle and with Veddic on her back flew off into the night.

Badly injured from the lighting bolts cast by Kredderau, Fenrir surrendered.

[I should note here, that in the end it had not been a terrible plan and they had very nearly got away with it. If Fenrir had been a bit quicker or had had a better means of escape than  a toilet then perhaps they would have been successful. Oft times people in my line of work forget that getting out is just as tough as getting in, if not harder!]

A female cleric emerged from around the corner and guarded Fenrir while Kredderau went to take a look out the hole. He returned a few minutes later.

As Fenrir was stripped of his weapons and lead to a cell, Arahel flew out to sea and around to the eastern side of Westgate. They then landed, she changed into an elven form and together they used her Watchman's badge to enter then city and then exit it at the west gate.
Finally the ended up at the cottage, bruised, battered and somewhat dejected.


Meanwhile, Tagreth Cormaeril himself (the lord of the castle) had been woken up and asked a few questions of Fenrir such as, 'Who are you?'
'Raziel Lightiningrod,' Fenrir replied.
(One of the guards then piped up, 'I think he is one of the new Day Air Watch guys!')
'Who hired you?'
'Ahh, Barry Shit-Knees at the Purple Lady.'
'Bah!' growled Cormaeril. 'Throw him in a cell, I'll deal with him in the morning!'


DAY 300 (3rd Hammer)(January)

Arahel awoke to the sound of Riz and Fylker snoring. They had come back from another drunken night of fun with the party animals of the Dock Ward Watch.

As usual she reported for duty and when Dressdelle asked her where Fenrir was she replied, 'He is currently indisposed...I'd rather not go into it...'

Dressdelle shrugged. It was a foggy day anyway and they did no flying, simply sitting on one of Dressdelle's 'perches' drinking tea and eating tapas.

Back in Castle Cormaeril, Fenrir was woken by the guards and beaten up. Between reminding them that he had helped their commander with a blessed bandage yesterday and his demonic ability to soak up damage, he was not badly affected.

Later the commander of the prison guard chained him to a bench and asked some questions, but his heart wasn't in it. Fenrir was too clever with his tongue to be successfully interrogated by a man of average intelligence.

Arahel returned to the cottage at seven o'clock and then Fylker arrived home at eight.
He had a black eye and a big smile. Apparently he had just beaten Geoffrey the Mammoth of the East Ward Watch in a boxing match taken a purse of 100 gold.

(G327 16/09/2017 via Roll20 - AP(GM), JF) RL9

(G327 16/09/2017 via Roll20 - AP(GM), JF) RL9

[Back in the forests west of Barovia - So sorry, dear reader, for all this chopping and changing! I really must sort out my note books!]

Ah, dear reader, I have neglected to mention something else that happened while we were in Barovia. Not to me, but to my wonderful wee rat that I love so much - Rolanda.

I mourned Badger every moment of every day back then, so it was of some comfort to have Fluffy and Rolanda with me.

When we had been back at the town, burying Kolyan Indirovich, the Burgomaster of Barovia, Rolanda had been sent down into the cellar of the mansion to get a bunch of keys to lock the place up.
'Some of the windows and doors haven't been locked in decades,' Ireena had explained. 'But they should all be locked up now if I am to leave the place empty. The keys are in an old wooden box with the family crest on it. It shouldn't be too hard to find and I think a ... ahem ... rat should have no trouble carrying them back.'

This is the story as related to me later by Rolanda;

''
Well boss, you know, I'd been feeling a bit weird lately. I thought it was just some bad cheese but it seems like I can cast a spell or two now! Nothing as big and impressive as you or Tie-Pie but you know, a magic missile or so. Good eh? I don't know where it's coming from but I'm not complaining!
It sure came in handy when I went down into that cellar. I had a sniff about and the first room I went into had a giant ant in it! I was so frightened that a magic missile just shot out of me!
Up until that point I had no idea I could do it! I think the giant ant was just as amazed as I was. Well I managed to kill it anyway but it did bash me about a bit.
Then in the corridor outside I saw a sleeping gnome.
'Here!', I said. 'What are you doing snoozing away in her Ladyship's house?'
'I mean no harm, little talking rat,' said the gnome. 'My name is Roywyn and I am a gnomish singer and lute player. I came through a tunnel. I was hiding from the undead who had attacked me on my way to town.'
'Fair enough,' I replied. 'Well, make yourself useful and help me find these keys!'

Together we roamed the cellar, finding more rooms and more corridors and many more of those annoying giant ants. We made a good team, sort of I suppose, but those ants were really mean
and we had just about had it when we finally came across the chest with the keys in it.
It was just as well, since Roywyn had only two Cure Light Wounds potions and we had used them both.

Well, you know the rest boss, I didn't tell you until just now, on account of how Roywyn wanted to stay hidden in the cellar for a while longer and I didn't know how Ireena would take to gnomes in her under-rooms. You know how badly gnomes smell right? No one wants that.

Got any more cheese?
''

(G326 09/09/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ) WA11

(G326 09/09/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ) WA11


DAY 299 (3rd Hammer)(January) cont ...

While Fenrir and Arahel were out on patrol over the skies of Westgate, Veddic prayed and studied the rituals on how to animate dead. He had thoughts along the lines of buying suits of armour and bunging animated skeletons in them.

The Day Air Watch met no one interesting over the city today, but Dressdelle did mention that there had been reports of 'dragon activity' in an area of mountains not too far away called the Southern Uplands. She suggested they could go take a look after they had had their breaks.

Once their shift had ended and after dinner they all decided that tonight would be the night they would try and rescue Bwabazwards from Castle Cormaeril. As they came up with a (pretty rough!) plan there was a knock on the door then they heard Groza the housekeeper talking to another woman. She was a local lass who was pregnant and wanted her tummy to be touched by a fey for good
luck.
Arahel didn't really know what to do, but gave a blessing as best she could.

Once the house was quiet again, Arahel went for a fly above the Castle. It was not far from the cottage they rented, indeed  only another large country house and some woodland separated them. Arahel, who had excellent eyes, saw the guards at the  towers, a culvert that opened out to the sea on the north side and at the base of most of the towers a hole where a  castle latrine emptied.

After this scouting mission they all went through the trees to the base of the castle. Veddic then cast 'Symbol of Sleep' on a stone. This would prove a useful tool for subduing the guards although it did cost them 1000 gold in diamonds and opals.

Fenrir (immune to the effects of the symbol as they all were, due to the properties of the spell) then flew above the prison tower, invisible, and tossed it onto the battlements.

Three of the guards fell over into a deep slumber. Next he returned to the trees and gave Veddic a piggy back up to the tower. In full plate armour, Veddic was not light. As other guards came into the radius of the spell and fell asleep where they stood, they landed on the battlements and dealt with the few that still remained standing.
Next they travelled all the way down to the basement of the tower, stepping over sleeping servants and guards as they went.

They then entered the prison area and quickly dealt with the guards and Fire Knife rogues that were stationed in the central area of the cells. The captain and some others were still standing, but again, quickly dealt with. Fenrir and the others were trying not to kill anyone so when the last guard backed off to help his fallen comrades they allowed this.
They saved some time by asking the guard which cell 'Baz' was in (his name is virtually unpronounceable to anyone on this plane!) and they found him, asleep of course, on the floor of his cell. In the entrance of the cell, between the two doors, was a box of magical items. They did not question why it was there and helped themselves to everything.

Despite saving some time, the castle was now fully awake to the invaders and as they attempted to leave they were attacked by the castles powerful magic users. Arahel had turned into a hill giant, but she was now a bit of a target for Fire Knife rogues armed with magical crossbows that fired Acid Arrows.

Also, from room on the main corridor a wizard had been disturbed from his slumber and came out to rain down fireballs on them. They were now meeting the real power of the castle, something they were not really equipped to face head on.

They managed to chase off the Fire Knives who went upstairs and barricaded the doors, and also injured the wizard (a man called Sodder they would learn later) enough to make him hide in his room.

However, there were more people coming from the other end of the long corridor that the prison exited to. Heavily armed guards, more Fire Knives and more magic users. Things were beginning to get hairy.

Eat Your Dinner!

Eat Your Dinner!

(The Skills That (Don't) Pay the Bills)

Being a father of three I have a lot of recently acquired skills that will only be useful for a short period in my life.
I can change a nappy quickly and efficiently, or at least I used to be able to.
Pop, Pop, Swipe, Wipe, Bag, Bish, Bosh, Yoink, Tab, Tab, Done!
I've not done one in a couple of years, so who knows? How rusty are my nappy changing skills now?

I used to be able to catch, strip and change a toddler for bed in about two minutes. This too is a skill that I no longer have a use for. I sometimes feel like I want to borrow a baby or a toddler now, just to keep my hand in. Seriously.

One thing though, that I think I'll never be able to shake, is my overwhelming desire to make sure a child finishes its dinner. Myself and the wife feel the same way, on this we are in complete agreement, we simply cannot suffer to see a child not clear its plate.

Over the last ten years we have developed the following tactics.

1. Firmly saying (i.e. shouting) 'Eat Your Dinner!' and pointing at the plate repeatedly.
2. Long lectures on Food, Nutrition and the horrors of Vitamin deficiency (i.e. Ye Olde Tales of Skirvy Pete the Pirate).
3. Suggesting that at next dinner time they can eat handfuls of dandelions and mud, since they don't seem to like what is being served to them today.
4. Me guarding the kitchen door to catch kids trying to escape back to Minecraft or CBeebies.
5. Threats of reductions in computer time and other privileges.
6. Guilt trip stories of hungry refugee children from around the world.

It has now reached a level as to be pure instinct. So much so, that now I actually have to leave the room if I am eating at a table where a kid I have no control over is picking over a plate of food, for fear of what I might say.

What I am holding back, if given vent, would go thusly:
Me: 'Eat your bloody dinner!'
Kid's Parent: 'Oh, but Ben doesn't really care for broccoli we just put it on his plate anyway.'
'Wh-at?'
'You know, get him used to it. He never eats it.'
'WH-AT?'
'Don't worry about it.'
'So its just ... thrown away? After every meal?'
'We just, you know, don't force him. He just eats what he wants. If he's not hungry then that's fine.'
'That's. Fine... Oh that's fine, is it? Food going in the bin? Hey, that's no problem! Just eat a few mouthfuls then go back to Roblox. If your hungry later, have a bag of crisps. No problem. It's fine! Well you know what else was fine? Hitler! That's what you want is it? Bring back Hitler? He didn't finish his dinner either!'

... you get the idea, honestly I think I am that bad.

Recently someone said to me, 'Oh, but your children are so good. They always eat their dinner, mine are so fussy.'

Well, let me tell you, my kids clearing their plates did not happen by accident! It's not like we are just got lucky and happen to be blessed with children that will eat anything put in front of them. They eat it because they know what's  good for them and this took years and years of hard work from me and the wife.
They always eat their dinner now because we used every trick and tactic (see above) we had and never ever gave up or even  slacked off. It was a ten year battle, and eventually we won.
And for you, the thing is, you tried to get your kids to eat their vegetables, for a month or two. Or even a year or two.
And then you gave up. Never give up!

Now my kids (bless them) eat everything put in front of them, usually with very little prompting. It remains to be seen if we've inflicted any eating disorders on them, but I suppose we'll see later in life.

But me and the misses, we are so bad that now I think between the two of us, we could break a hunger strike.

... Walks into cell, 'You're on hunger strike eh? Not eating this lovely plate of food eh? Eat the food! Eat it! You want it to go to the birds? There are children in Syria that would cry in joy at the sight of a tiny bit of this food! Eat it!
You'd rather it was thrown away? With so many people hungry in the world? Eat it! You'll get no pudding! No TV or computer tonight, eat it! Look at this lovely meal. The chef spent ages on this. How do you think he'll feel? Knowing you didn't even touch it? Eat it! Eat! It! Eatit!'
... and similar, for hour after hour. I'd take pleasure in it. I think we would break anyone in the end.

There is something wrong with me now. Seeing food going to waste is on a level with genocide. That's not right. I realise that.

All I can say is, hopefully one day my kids will forgive me.

(G325 02/09/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ) WA10

(G325 02/09/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ) WA10

[And back to West gate again!]

DAY 298 (3rd Hammer)(January) cont ...

Just to do a little back story here and to catch up with someone who was thought dead.
Well, you may remember that Veddic Carver, the cleric of Kossuth who had been one of the original members of the party that had left Waterdeep to travel to Kingsholm.
Of course, he never made it to Kingsholm as he was savaged to death by bears on the Thar.

Or was he? It turned out he was savaged only *very nearly* to death. When the ogres arrived and saw he was a cleric of Kossuth they called off the bears and made sure he did not die.

He was then kept in a cage for ten days and traded for a chest of gold from the Burning Dagger Orcs  that also lived on the Thar and who were, as it happened, devout worshippers of Kossuth.

Veddic was in communication with Jamella Dotrok back in Waterdeep (via the Sending spell) and she helped sort out the trade. Veddic thanked the orcs (and donated a 1000 gp to their tribe) then, as ordered by his boss (or Eternal Flame if you prefer) Dotrok he made his way to Westgate.

He was to seek out Fenrir and see what he was up to. The word on the 'Temple Grapevine' was that something big was going on in the city. He got passage on a fast ship in Melvaunt and arrived in Westgate on this very day.

All he needed to do to find Fenrir was to look up, as the young warlock, Arahel and Dressdelle were all flying about over the city, patrolling from tower to tower in between long breaks and large meals.

Fenrir and Arahel were tired, having had no sleep at all, but they still had a shift to do. Today they encountered a very uncooperative dwarf mounted on a giant owl. He was leaving the city and would not stop and cast magical webs at them. This was an effective way of escaping, but he was still in range long enough for a fireball from Dressdelle to kill his owl.
The dwarf himself plummeted for a bit, but then cast a flying spell. He may have thought that he was then about to make his escape, but Fenrir's ethereal blasts are long range and one was enough to kill him and send him the way of his owl.
It was a spectacular display for anyone who happened to be watching down below. Arahel swooped in and grabbed the corpse (turning into a gargoyle to do so) and when they looted it back at the Watch Tower he was fairly well laden down with treasure. Dressdelle tucked it all away to be sold later.

Later in the day they stopped a flying man who gave his name only as 'Fred'. He didn't want to stop to chat or land and go through the gates so offered 10 platinum pieces to smooth the way.
Fenrir said, 'Make it fifteen.'
Fred handed over the coins and went on his way.

Dressdelle let then leave two hours early, the weather was closing in and they both looked like they needed rest. Arahel, with her eagle eyes, had already spotted Veddic waving up at them and they landed to meet him near the market.

Street performers, fire breathers and jugglers were drawing crowds in the area, part of the new year celebrations.

Veddic followed them to the cottage and Arahel kindly let him have her bed. She herself was happy to, was used to, sleeping in any random corner or chair, much like a cat.

That evening Nebulus came to their door, hooded and discreet. He gave them a mild telling off saying, 'You were there as my guests you know! It will take a few favours and a bit of influence for me to smooth things over with Dreggleblot. I'll probably never get an invite again because  of you!'
He didn't seem all that upset though and reminded them that he still had that warehouse he wanted help with and he also mentioned a castle that 'needed raided' somewhere on the Dragon Coast.
They could do for him in return for messing up his social calendar.

Before Groza (their housekeeper) headed home she asked Arahel to check over the cottage's goat.  The milk had gone funny apparently. Arahel took a look, and cast Detect Magic just in case.
As far as she could tell though the goat just had an upset stomach.
'Was it a witch?' asked Groza.
Arahel said no.

Finaly Fylker and Riz turned up at the cottage, late and drunk. Everyone else was asleep.

DAY 299 (3rd Hammer)(January)

This was Fenrir and Arahel's sixth day 'on patrol' over the skies of Westgate.

Before they went out, Trepplemar the Magnificent called them into her chambers and delivered a fairly stern lecture on the laws of Westgate.

It turned out that you can't just arrest nobles in their own estates outside the city, whatever the evidence. As members of the 'DAW' (Day Air Watch) their jurisdiction was the sky above the city only.
She said:
''
If you want someone arrested within the city, come to me to arrange a warrant. And then the ground based watchmen will likely do it. Even if you see a crime being committed in the streets you are better off - legally speaking - alerting a constable.
Outside the city walls watchmen have no power at all. I don't know how things were done back in Waterdeep, but here we are not a police force. The watch keep the streets clear of scum during the night and guard the gates during the day.
All that being said, in the air you have supreme authority. You can blast anyone you like out of the sky. You don't need a reason. The air above the city is a "no fly zone" and if they don't have a jolly good reason for being up there, then ground them.
''

She told them much more than that and they learned a lot about the city and how it functioned.

(G324 26/08/2017 via Roll20 - AP(GM), JF, MJ) RL8

(G324 26/08/2017 via Roll20 - AP(GM), JF, MJ) RL8

[Returning to my later adventures in Barovia with Sylvia, Yli and Tie-Pie]

DAY 344 (11th Alturaik)(February) cont ...

And so as the evening came to an end we returned to the Inn and ate a late supper before heading for our beds.

I chatted to Ireena for a while before retiring, but gained no new information. She is a pleasant enough conversationalist though.

Geyven, as usual paid for everything. He is a good sort!

DAY 345 (12th Alturaik)(February)

I talked to the landlord in the morning, before we set off west to see the wise woman. He only knew that people that set off in that direction didn't come back and warned of strange beasts and
twisted women.
This part of the world was not a good tourist destination it seemed.

I invested in a hamper full of booze, food and other goodies to help smooth the way when we met this wise woman and whatever other raggle taggle gypsy folk she associated with. I stuffed it into my bag of holding with everything else.

We left the town then, and entered a cold and rugged landscape of tall dark pine forests and mist shrouded mountains. The mist lingered everywhere, limiting visibility and sending a shiver down the spine.

As the day wore on we passed over a bridge, then later found a some wolf paw prints (or something wolf-like anyway, neither myself or Sylvia were not sure) in the track.
They lead to a area choked with underbrush were we found the dead body (dead for two weeks) of a  villager. On the body we found a letter sealed with a letter 'B'.

The letter read:

''
Hail to thee of might and valour:
I, a lowly servant of the township of Barovia, send  honour to thee.
We plead for thy so desperately needed assistance within our community.
The love of my life, Ireena Kolyana, has been afflicted by an evil so
deadly that even the good people of our town cannot protect her.
She languishes from her wound and I would have her saved from this menace.
But I fear the only cure lies within the dreaded walls of the castle,
where none may enter without risking their lives.
There is much wealth in this community. I offer all that might be had
to thee and thy fellows if thou shalt but answer my desperate plea.
Come quickly, for her time is at hand! All that I have shall be thine!

Kolyan Indirovich,
Burgomaster of Barovia
''

Now this was interesting because we had come across another letter earlier (stuffed in the envelope with the strange diary page we had been given in the Weary Horse Inn.

This letter was similar, but where the one we had just found talked of an 'evil so deadly' the earlier one read:

''
The love of my life, Ireena Kolyana, has been cursed by the witches
of Lysaga Hill, and even the good people of our town are powerless
to free her from this enchantment. She wastes away under the witches’
curse and I would have her saved from this menace.
''

Ireena recognised the hand writing of the first letter as her fathers. The letter that talked of the witches then was likely a forgery.

We left the body where it was and continued on our way. After an hour or so we were stopped by an elf that asked us 'What evil do you bring to this forest?' He had a couple of wolves with him.

When I replied that I was a druid and my cousin was a cleric of Sylvanus he relaxed a bit and let us continue. I asked his name and he gave it as Qinnan Thedithas.

As night began to fall we found a decent camp site and settled down to a meal of trail rations and subdued talk. We discussed the events of the day in hushed whispers, feeling the mist about us like a lurking presence. We lit a fire though and that warmed us a little. The magic bedrolls we all have are a tremendous boon in regions like this.

On Ashlyn's watch she heard rustling in the bushes. She quickly woke us all and as we rubbed the sleep from our eyes and drew our weapons there was a tremendous roar and two dire bears charged into the light.

As a druid I have empathy will all animals and attempted to calm them, but they were too enraged or hungry.

Dire bears attack by grabbing you, then slashing with tooth and claw. Fluffy attacked one but was grabbed in a massive bear hug, the poor lad yelping in pain as the bear sunk its teeth into him. As the others backed off I turned into a dire bear myself and met the other one head on, our massive paws swiping at each other.

The bear I was fighting was having the better of me and if I not managed to escape its grasp I'm sure I would have suffered terribly. Sylvia shouted she had a plan though and I disengaged and drew back about twenty feet. Tie-Pie managed to land a Ray of Enfeeblement on one of them and as we scattered Sylvia encircled the bears with a Wall of Thorns.

It was a domain spell and good luck that she had it as it stopped the bears in their tracks and rendered them harmless. I turned into an eagle to get a better view while Yli fired two more arrows through the thorns and killed one of them.

Sylvia cast a Searing Light at the other one then I finished it off with a Splinter Bolt.

As the other bear breathed its last I suddenly realised that in all that heap of fur and thorns was poor Fluffy! He had not stepped back when the Thorns hit and in the darkness I had lost  track of him.

Sylvia dispelled the thorns and I went to him. He was a whisker away from death but we managed to bring him back with magic healing. Sadly he had lost an eye and that would require greater healing later on. He did look rather dashing when we put an eye-patch over it though.

We had also lost a couple of magic bedrolls, torn up in the thorns.

In the morning Sylvia told me she had received a dream from Sylvanus, who was somewhat miffed at us for killing 'defenceless' bears. Well, they were defenceless only after we had penned them in.
I'm not sure how Sylvia took it, but as far as I was concerned Sylvanus could stick his bears up his arse.

(G333 05/08/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM)) 58

(G333 05/08/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM)) 58


DAY 148 (sun) cont ...

Kirk spent the next five hours getting the computer based part of his escape plan sorted out.
First an intrusive program called 'Fire Alarm Cascade' would set off all the alarms from floor 30 to
40. Thirty seconds after that a 'Camera Loop' would play back pre-recorded images of all the corridors while they were quiet.
Finally the doors on his floor and up to the roof would unlock.

This took him five hours to do.

His breakfast came, and once he had eaten, he set off all the programs from the terminal in his room and began his prison break.

His plan met with initial success, but after a few floors up he was spotted and chased by armed police to the loading bay. Here he hijack a hover car, with a woman in it, and attempted to drive it out.
He crashed against the wall to begin with and the woman jumped out. As cops came up the stairs and shot at the car he managed, somehow, to drive it out the exit, crashing through the roller doors as they came slamming down.

The car was badly damaged though and began to plummet towards the street far below. Kirk screamed, planted his feet on all the pedals and pulled back on the wheel. In truth he had no idea how to drive a car of any kind, let alone an alien hover vehicle.

The car descended sharply and crashed through the windows of the adjacent office, three floors from the top. Dazed, but still alive, Kirk pulled himself from the wreckage and made his way to the roof.

Perhaps he was still in a state of confusion, as he lingered on the roof long enough for the circling
cop cars that had followed him out to spot him and come towards the office block. Kirk went back in, jammed the door shut and headed down the internal fire escape stairs.

The building was clearing of people, morning workers being hustled down the stairs by police as they came up. Kirk could hear them just a few floors down so before he went down much more than a few flights he had to duck into the open plan offices and find a desk to hide under.

It wasn't long though before the whole office floor was full of cops, methodically searching the main area and side rooms. By a minor miracle he was not spotted in the sweep, but the lingering police officers were cutting off his escape route.

He pitched an ash tray across the office and lured two of them away and headed for the stairs.

Kirk managed to get three floors further down, but spotted cops coming up again so headed back into the building. Unfortunately there were more cops on the floor he entered. Kirk threw a chair, but was no better  at unarmed combat than driving a car and they police quickly closed on him and beat him with their nightsticks then handcuffed him.

Initially he was taken to the medical centre back in the police tower where he at least got a bit of a lie down while the doctor healed him up.
He asked to 'see a priest' but this was not how Vhnori culture worked. The priests (and Thanatologists) did not visit prisoners in the same way they did back on Earth.

Kirk's body clock told him it was late evening by the time he was put back in a cell. A smaller one this time with no computer terminal in it. Luckily though he had managed to hide his comms badge again.

He was exhausted and escape seemed even harder now. He tried to think of another way to get out of the police station, but as he lay back on his bunk he was quickly asleep.

(G323 12/08/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ) WA9

(G323 12/08/2017 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ) WA9

DAY 295 (30th Nightal)(December)

Everyone reported to their watch house again this morning.
Forgive me, dear reader, I have little information on what Fylker and Riz got up to over the next few days so I will only record here what I know about Fenrir and Arahel's employment.

As they had done the day before they had a long breakfast then took to the skies.

The only thing of interest that happened during there watch was when a wizard flew high over the walls, heading to the city. He had his wife on his back and carried two heavy looking bags yoked over his shoulders.

He seemed fed up, but stopped to let Fenrir question him. He was on the way to see his mother apparently, at  number 75 Wizard's Cut.

'Good,' said Dressdelle who had been watching and appraising. 'But you forgot to ask his name, where he had come from, how long he intended to stay, why he didn't enter by the gate... oh and his school of magic. The city is not keen on Necromancers at the moment after all that bad business in the summer.'

Fenrir accepted the criticism.

That evening, after work, Fenrir and Arahel went to see Nebulus, flying in through the top window as arranged (Fylker and Riz went to the pub - it was New Year's Eve after all!). He had information for them about Castle Cormaeril, its layout and defences and also told Fenrir he could get his stolen stuff for him if he helped clear a warehouse  of guards prior to him robbing it.
They agreed to do it some time soon.

DAY 296 (1st Hammer)(January) 1377DR

And so the start of the New Year saw them all reporting for duty again as normal. This was their third day in the Watch.

As part of their training Dressdelle was having Fenrir and Arahel talk to the people they found flying above the city. Now it was Arahel's turn and as an eagle she intercepted a flying woman in black called Silderan.
The woman was in no mood to talk, but eventually Arahel pestered her into revealing she was leaving the city because she had split up with her boyfriend.

'Good,' said Dressdelle. 'We are less concerned about people leaving the city. But perhaps she was going to burn down a village somewhere to vent some of her anger?'
'Should we follow her?' asked Arahel watching the angry woman in black fly off into the clouds.
'No, it's ok. We have the authority to stop anyone we like up here, for whatever reason or none at all. But she  didn't explicitly said she was leaving to cause harm. If she had been coming in though, that would have been a different matter.'

When they got home that night there was a mysterious letter on the table. It was opened and read:

''
I'm sorry I cannot come and meet you, there is a lot going on elsewhere that I must attend to.
Hopefully this letter finds you well. If you have succeeded in joining a city faction, then the next step is to see how high you can get up in it. The higher the better. Do remember though, Fenrir old chap, that you are one of the good guys here. Any acts of wanton naughtiness will make Gerty sad and none of us want that.
If you need funds, then enquire after a gentleman called Morne Mardo who is a merchant with a premises on the market square. Give the password 'Burnt Cakes' and when he asks your name
give it as our favourite watchman/dung sweeper.
Mardo will provide funds, but please only use this money for furthering our cause and also when you go there, go in disguise, as a merchant or whatever with some vaguely plausible cover story.
When you are down at the market see if you can pick up a copy of a book. The title of the book I will not name here, but see if you can find it based on these clues:
1. The novel's title has seven words
2. The first word is a title for a grand old dame
3. The second word is made up of two words, the first is what Sune is the goddess of and the second is a material made from yarn that might decorate collars or cuffs.
4. The third word is a conjunction and the middle part of a bandana
5. The forth word is a pronoun for number 1
6. The fifth word means lots
7. The sixth word is the race of our good friend with the name 'The upper part of William'
8. The seventh word may possibly describe the relationship between our friends Durz and Berum

You'll need this book for later!

Cavu the Cursed

P.S. Don't forget to snoop about for that Serpent Door!
''

After a long time of puzzling over the letter they thought it was something like;
'Madame Sun (or Love )lace and knot many gnome partners'

Down at the market they found a lovely old bookshop and eventually, after nearly being forced to buy '50 shades of gnome', 'Gnomes in love', 'Marriage rituals of the dragon coast' and 'The spinster bride' they eventually found what they were after;

'Lady Lovelace and her many gnomish lovers'

They paid double for it, a gold, to also reward the shopkeeper for being kept up well past closing time.

DAY 297 (2nd Hammer)(January)

The 4th day of working for the Watch.

Fenrir stopped a witch as she left the city. She gave a false name and was far to fast on her broomstick for him to catch. He did shoot at her and hit her broom.
She yelped, 'Ooh ya bugger!' but she did not stop.

Later in the day another witch gave a false name to Arahel as she entered the city.

This was the only excitement this day (work wise anyway).

Fenrir asked when they could get a day off and Dressdelle seemed surprised.
'A day off? I was hoping once I'd trained you up, I could take a day off. I've been doing the DAW by myself for a month! Well, maybe in a few days if you seem up to it, I'll take a few days off... maybe get my friend Jendins to keep an eye on you. After that you can have a couple of days.'

Fenrir accepted this.

Back at the cottage they had received an invite to a masquerade ball from Nebulus.
'It's an open house and you can use my name to get in', read the note. 'Get a costume and come along. It starts at 10 o'clock tonight. It is the mansion of Lady Dreggleblot, outside the city. Leave by the South Gate and once you are past the castles you can't miss it.'

They arrived at the villa on foot, Fenrir dressed in a rented costume and Arahel going as herself, reasoning that she would look unusual enough as she was, being small and green skinned.

The mansion, more of a fortified villa, was a large walled compound with a main building and several other structures such as the stables and servant quarters.

The party did not really get going until after midnight.

DAY 298 (3rd Hammer)(January)

They met Lady Dreggleblot herself, a powerfully built woman of middle years. Most of the party was in the main hall. There was lots of food, drunk and music. As the night wore on the masque got more and more debauched and in the dark corners of the villa and the upstairs rooms people found places to kiss and cuddle.

At about two in the morning word went round that something bad had happened. Someone that Fenrir had been talking to said,
'I think someone has been killed! Oh Deary me. Hey. You are the "Duck Detective" are you not? You should go help out.'
The young fellow was referring to the incident in Ferbone where they had not quite managed to save poor Daphne the Duck from the pot.

Lady Dreggleblot herself led them to a service corridor where the body of a serving girl lay dead. From the marks on her body it looked like she had been strangled. Her neck was bruised and scratched. The only other clue they found was a few strands of long blonde hair in her hand. Her name was Nance.
When asked about possible suspects Lady D said,
'Well, I don't know but I remember seeing her talking to Lord Bercy before. Oh and she was sat on Sir Metrum's knee for a while. Hmm, I also remember seeing Baron Nader trying to grab her breasts.'

Looking around the hall they saw Lord Bercy, dressed as a goat, chatting with a group of friends. Sir Metrum was dressed as a bear and had a wench on his knee and Baron Nader, dressed as a wolf, was half asleep on a sofa. They dismissed him as he was bald and tried to look at the other's hand, specifically their fingernails. Sir Metrum was evidently a nail biter and virtually had none.
Judging he could not have left the marks on Nance's neck with nail-less fingers, the finger (hoho!) of suspicion fell on Lord Bercy.

They decided to try and trick a confession out of him. Arahel shapeshifted into Nance and lay on a bed in one of the upstairs rooms. Fenrir sent a servant to get Bercy and hid behind the door.

As he entered Bercy said, 'I was told to come to this room. What japes! Oh, it is you my dear. Have you re-thought my offer?'
He climbed into bed beside Arahel.

Fenrir then pounced, his black wings arched above his head, his arms raised. Bercy, a small and timid man feinted dead away.
'To be honest, I don't think it's him,' said Fenrir as they dumped his sleeping body in another room.

They decided to try the same ploy with Metrum and when he arrived he lay down and said,
'I don't think I can manage more than a cuddle my dear. It's very late and I'm spent!'
Fenrir revealed himself again and Metrum was so shocked he soiled himself and the bed.
'Why you! I should... gohhh!' he snarled as he left the room.

This part of the plan having failed they decided to talk to some of the staff and Arahel had a few words with Mavis, another serving girl. She put them onto a footman called Hertman who had had an 'understanding' with Nance.

He was helping looking after all the horses and coaches of the party guests and had not heard of her death. When they told him among other things he said,
'Oh, I did warn her not to get ideas. She said she was going to rob the place because she... well, she was not fond of her Ladyship. I should not say more though my Lord.'

They looked in Nance's room, which she shared with other girls, but found no clues. Just a girl of ten who was trying to sleep and didn't like the intrusion.

They talked to the cook in the servant's kitchen, but by now they were both sure. The murderer was Lady D herself. She was strong enough to have done it and she had long blonde hair.

At five in the morning they met her in a private room.
'Have you resolved the situation?' she asked.
When Fenrir said, 'It was you that did it.'
She snarled back, 'You dare make this accusation? Based on what evidence?'

Arahel tried to look at her nails, but Lady D hid them behind her back.

Lady D look haughty then said, 'Even if it were true. What are you going to do about it?'

'We are of the Watch,' said Fenrir with a sinister look. 'We are going to arrest you.'

She made to run for the door and Fenrir blew her foot off with an Eldritch Blast.
Needless to say her screams drew a crowd. Fenrir put a blessed bandage on her foot to stop her dying of blood loss.

Arahel stepped out the window, turned into a giant, reached in and then slung Lady D over her shoulder. Fenrir flew away up into the night. At the City gates they handed Dreggleblot over to the Watch.

An hour later they reported for duty.

'Well,' said Dressdelle. 'She'll be out in a few hours I expect. The Watch will back you and protect you, but we have less authority outside the walls. Besides, she can pay the Wergild to the family and that's the end of it. You should really have walked away and reported it all to the Marshall. She would probably have accepted the charge and paid the fine, end of story. If you blasted her foot off then you've made a strong enemy today.'

'Meh,' said Fenrir. He had plenty of enemies already!