DAY 334 (7th Alturiak)(February) cont...
Fenrir returned to the island with this useful information - namely the location of the Magpie in Castle Dread. This led on to a late night discussion about all the things going on in Westgate in general.
Random told him that the city ran on graft and corruption, this was not new and hardly surprising. From the Croamarkh on down, everyone was on the take. However, recently, the last few years, an even more vile corruption had been infesting the city - vampirism.
'Now I tell you this in the strictest of confidence, young Fenrir,' said Random. 'Please don't go blabbing about all this next time you are in hot water. I knew that there were vampires in the city and that some of the noble houses had issues with it, but it wasn't until I talked to Cavu that I found out that it runs deeper than anyone knows. Not only are half the noble families riddled with vampirism, but also the Nightmasks. Indeed, the secretive new leader of the Nightmasks is a vampire. Well, I'm no friend to their sort, I've had trouble with them in the past. So when Cavu suggested I join his cause I could see that our interested were the same.
Now, this is top secret old chap, but Cavu, somehow, has learned that the Nightmasks plan to install one of their own as the ruler of the city. Don't worry about the details, but suffice to say that if they succeed in their ambition then Westgate will be turned into some kind of undead hellhole. That is the last thing this region needs, there are enough of them out east as it is.'
Random also relayed a few of his adventures to Fenrir, these can be read elsewhere in this journal.
DAY 335 (8th Alturiak)(February)
Fenrir reported for work in the Day Air Watch as usual. He took Veddic with him.
There was high winds, so flying was limited.
He asked Dressdelle if he could go down to Gulway (where Castle Dread was located) and she said that was fine as long as he went and talked to the Westgate marshall that was based there to make it look official.
After work they returned to Spectre Island.
DAY 336 (9th Alturiak)(February)
Today Fenrir and Veddic flew south-west to the Gulway valley. They both sat on the flying carpet as it was faster than Fenrir's dark wings.
It took them seven hours to get there. As they arrived at the first village in the valley an old lady on a broomstick flew up to them. It was Grannie Stormskuttle.
'Ah, if it isn't the watchmen from Westgate,' she said.
Fenrir recognised her as one of the witches that had been flying back and forth to the city recently and thumbing their noses at law and order.
Initially she was prickly and gave them a taste of their own medicine, asking questions and being obtuse.
Eventually though she said, 'Well the marshall lives on Cabbage Street in the village of Dog Castle. Their is an inn too. Enjoy your stay.'
They flew over a region of vineyards and dairy farms, this was a cheese and wine region. The fields were empty except a few fed up looking cows. They walked the last mile to the village and headed straight for the marshall's house.
His name was Rurik Strongaxe, a dwarf, and he was sat in his front garden taking the cool evening air as they arrived. He was distrustful at first, watchmen from the city usually meant trouble for him, but after a friendly chat they left him to it and went to the 'Cow and Cabbage' to get rooms and food.
There were only four other guests at the dinner table that night, two merchants, an adept and a female elven druid. All just passing through.
Grannie Stormskuttle came in later and talked to the innkeeper. She accepted a drink from Fenrir, although when she asked why they were in the valley, Fenrir was evasive.
In general chit-chat discussions with the people in the inn he learned the location of Castle Dread. It was three miles south of the village, in the hills.
DAY 337 (10th Alturiak)(February)
The lads had a slap up breakfast at the inn, then Fenrir went on an invisible aerial scouting mission. Castle Dread was mostly a ruin, and was made up of two parts, divided by a stone bridge over a deep ravine. There was a single entrance in the southern half. He saw a few people walking around in the courtyard of the northern half.
He flew back and reported this to Veddic. They then left the village for three hours, for reasons I'm still not clear on, but perhaps to maintain the pretence they were on some sort of sightseeing
tour of the region. It gave Fenrir some time to think though, and realise that they had come to Gulway somewhat unprepared. The village offered no magical items of any kind and the only shop sold food and a few simple supplies.
Fenrir suddenly hit on the notion of buying a compass and after asking random farmers for a while found an old retired sailor in the village and bought an old one off him for twenty gold coins.
They returned to the inn, had lunch, then together flew up to the castle. They edged closer and saw that their was no real watch being taken from the ruined ramparts of the castle. The people there seemed not to expect an attack. Veddic and his carpet hid behind a ruined hut in the shadow of the castle and Fenrir flew up over its walls to see what trouble he could cause.
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