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Karma Kingdom Version 0.3 b149

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Miss Take - Chapter 10 (4489)

Chapter 10 (4489) 

As she sat on the train from Edinburgh, Kelly didn’t really know what she expected to find in Livingston, or what she would do when she got there. She’d check her phone multiple times, but the house was too far off the main road to be on Street View so the first look she got at it was when came up through the forest. She circled around to the rear of the house and around the chest height stone wall that enclosed the large garden and orchard. She could hear the sound of a radio coming from inside somewhere. There was a single car in the drive way so she presumed someone was home.

Was this wise? She wasn’t sure of anything anymore. Should she just go home and leave a message on Corum’s phone? And if so, as who? She was here now anyway, she reflected, and she was used to working alone. At the very least she could watch the place for a while, or even risk a peak through one of the windows.

She jumped soundlessly over the back wall of the garden, leapt over a few overgrown vegetable patches and hid in behind a half collapsed shed. She was close to the house now and although it needed a new coat of paint, it was in much better condition than the garden, which looked like it had been running wild for years. There were signs that a dog used this garden, so she checked the extensive inside pockets of her jacket for the dog treats she always kept there. Right, she thought, next stop, under the windowsill, but she paused before taking the first step of her run at it. Was this right? She asked herself again. She never did anything as unplanned as this. This was throwing caution to the wind, just like Button Grove, and look how that turned out. With all the fights and narrow escapes she’d had lately though, her former professionalism seemed to be rapidly leaving her. All she wanted now was to somehow deliver Clarence Price to police headquarters and hope against all probability that that would be the end of it. She didn’t want to get into another fight, the cut on her lip was only just beginning to heal over. She leaned back around the side of the shed. Not yet, she thought, controlling her breathing, wait a bit longer, there is no hurry.

After no more than ten minutes someone opened the back door and she heard the sound of a big dog bounding into the garden. She cursed under her breath and reached into her pocket. Within seconds a big, wild-eyed Husky was in about her, sniffing her crotch and slobbering on her leggings.

‘Here, here, take them all,’ she whispered as it guzzled the whole packet. She was good with dogs, it had seemed crucial to her when she had started her carrier as a burglar, and she had been a dog walker for a while at the beginning of her “career” until she felt she was confident enough with them. So far, she’d never been bitten by a guard dog.

This was a big one, with big teeth, but it was obviously a pushover for food. It was trying to jump up on her in its eagerness to find more, and she had to back off against the shed and push it back.

She was startled by shouting at the other end of the garden.

‘Get out of it, you stupid animal!’ yelled a male voice from behind and she turned to see Price looking at her down the barrel of a rifle. The dog whined and skulked back towards the house. Kelly raised her hands.

He was stood at a side gate in the wall, leaning one elbow on it to steady his aim. She risked a glance towards the wall she had come across to get into the garden. She’d need three steps to get to it, there was no escape that way.

‘What the hell are you doing in my garden?’ demanded Price.

‘Hey man, don’t shoot! I’m just saying hello to your dog.’

‘Don’t give me that,’ said Price dismissively. ‘Nobody just happens to stroll passed up here. This is private property. Who do you work for? Who sent you?’

‘Fuck off,’ replied Kelly, unable to think of anything better to say.

He fired the rifle, with a crack so loud she nearly jumped out of her skin. She looked down at her jacket expecting to see blood, but there was nothing. There was a hole in the side of the shed though.

‘Lots of farmland around here,’ said Price as he moved the bolt of the rifle to chamber the next round. ‘People just hear a bang and they think it’s the local lads shooting at rabbits. Disrespect me again boy and the next one won’t miss. I’ve killed plenty just like you.’

 ‘Yeah alright, ok,’ said Kelly, thinking quickly. ‘Ok. I’ve been sent here by the Vampires to check you out. They’re coming round tonight in a van to get you. They plan to hand you over to the Hamiltons. Better run old man, while you have the chance.’

He must have guessed at what sort answer he would get, but she could see that it still came as a surprise. There was panic in his eyes, that slowly turned into cold calculation.

‘How?’ he finally asked. ‘How did they find out?’

‘Does it matter? You’re done. You’re cooked. Hand yourself in to the police is my advice, before the Hamiltons get you.’

The rifle had lowered a little as he had been thinking, but he raised it again. ‘Thanks for the info.’

She had been expecting another shot though, and as the rifle moved upwards, she leapt behind the shed, the bullet missing her and going off into the woods. She ran for the wall, keeping the shed between her and Price, then leapt over it like a high-jumper. Price fired again and this time she felt the bullet graze the skin of her belly, it felt like being cut with a razor.

‘Shit!’ she heard him shout when he realised she had escaped. As she ran, she heard more curses and the sound of the gate opening and Price running over to the wall she had just jumped.

By the time he got to it she was long gone. She was not a fast runner, but fear leant her wings as she dove into the forest, running through the low branches towards a stream that she then jumped over. On the other bank she scrambled up to a path that she followed deeper into the woods. After that she ran for several minutes until she reached a larger path and started passing people, mainly dogwalkers and cyclists. Price hadn’t followed her; she’d been too nimble and had put a mile between her and the house pretty quickly. She sat on a bench and pulled up her jacket, then her hoodie and then very gingerly her vest. All her upper garments had been holed by the bullet. There was the lightest of grazes across her belly, and just a few drops of blood on her otherwise clean and white vest. She was lucky that underneath all her layers of baggy clothes she was stick thin. Price must have thought he’d got her right in the stomach, when in reality all he’d done was ruins a brand-new jacket. She pulled it all back down again to cover her body, then pulled up the hood and ducked her head.

Even though it was nothing more than a scratch, it was enough blood to terrify Kelly, who had never been shot at before, let alone shot. Waves of panic washed over her, but as the adrenalin left her system, she manged to slowly calm her breathing. The passing walkers probably thought she was a drug addict or something, but at that moment she didn’t care.

After a while she had herself under control enough to think about what to do next. If Price had taken her advice then he’d have left the house by now. If not, he was probably sat in his kitchen with his gun on his knees waiting for the Hamiltons to arrive. He must surely consider the possibility that he’d get a knock on the door from the police if he thought there was a dead or dying boy out there in the woods somewhere. Whatever he was doing, she still couldn’t think of anything better to do than going back and watching the house from a safer distance. With a deep breath she stood up and headed back.

When she eventually got there, she circled around to the front to check if his car was still there. It was, which meant he was probably inside. She went back into the woods to try and find a good vantage point to watch the house from. As she was considering climbing a tree to get a better look, she heard Price’s rifle firing again and ran back towards the house to see who he was shooting at this time.

***

Corum had wanted to shut his eyes as Price pulled the trigger, but somehow he couldn’t, so he saw everything that happened next. Just as the shot was fired the small, dark-clad figure of Kelly Kane came charging in and with a high leap kicked Price right in the head. Price went flying, tumbling down the slope of the path into the bushes.   

The next thing Corum saw was Kelly leaning over him, looking at him with concern.

‘Are you ok?’ she asked.

For a moment, randomly, he thought how pretty she was up close, those big sensuous brown eyes and fine features. If she wasn’t such… he snapped out of it.

‘Forget about me, I’m fine, go get Price!’

Kelly turned and ran after Price who had pulled himself out of the bushes and stumbled about thirty paces up the path. He heard her coming for him and broke into a full-speed run. Corum watched as one after the other they disappeared around a bend and were lost from site in the trees. In less than a minute she was back again.

‘He got away, sorry.’

‘I thought you were some sort of killer ninja, you let him get away?’

‘I’ve very short legs.’

Corum groaned and then let out a long sigh.

‘So, it’s you. Kelly Kane. Gavin Newgate. Or perhaps Miss Take?’ he said bitterly.

‘Whoever I am, I just saved your life,’ came the tart reply.

‘True,’ he admitted.

Kelly turned and looked over her shoulder.

‘People are coming up the path now. I’d better go.’

‘We’re not done,’ Corum called weakly after her. ‘I’ll call you later.’

She turned around long enough to nod her head once at him, then bouncing around on her heels, took off back down the hill to the main path.

***

Corum put down the newspaper he was reading and looked at his watch. He had a room to himself, but he could hear a TV burbling away somewhere and just outside his door the uniformed policeman that was meant to be guarding him was chatting to a nurse.

She was late, any later and she’d miss visiting hours. He checked his phone for messages, but there were none. He lay back and shut his eyes, but then opened them again as the door opened.

‘In you go, miss,’ said his guard, nodding to Corum with a knowing smile. Kelly Kane walked in, dressed in black leggings, a denim jacket with a leopard print collar and red high-heeled shoes. She was carrying a gold purse that looked like a knock-off and had her hair done up in a large bun. Her make-up too, while not expertly applied was certainly plentiful. He found it very hard to match what he saw in front of him with the “boy” he’d picked up on the Cowgate, or the flying shadow that had seen off Clarence Price. Perhaps that was the reason she’d gotten away with it for so long.

He pulled himself up a little on the hospital bed and arranged his covers.

‘Come as Kelly,’ she snipped at him, holding up her phone. ‘Pretend I’m your Girlfriend? Really?’

‘Seemed the easiest way,’ he snapped back. ‘Besides, why are you mad at me? I should be mad at you.’

‘This is why you wanted to see me? Are we breaking up?’ she asked sarcastically.

‘Smart arse,’ he growled. ‘I had Yoyo’s husband in here an hour ago to talk to me. I could do without a comedy routine after that.’

‘Sorry,’ said Kelly with what sounded like genuine sympathy. ‘I’m sorry about your partner.’

Corum pointed to a stack of newspapers.

‘Read much? It’s on the front page of every newspaper. It’s a nationwide man hunt now. The bloody British press love this sort of stuff. The Sun has six pages dedicated to a killer that they know nothing about and barely mention Yoyo at all.’

‘She seemed like a nice lady.’

‘She was the nicest person I’ve ever met,’ said Corum flatly.

After a pause, Kelly asked, ‘how’s your leg?’

‘They operated as soon as I got here and dug the slug out,’ said Corum as he gently patted the top of his right thigh. ‘Flesh and muscle damage mainly, although it chipped the bone a bit. Will take a while to heal, but I can discharge myself after the weekend. I might be on a crutch for a bit, but they think that after a year I probably won’t even have a limp.’

‘Sore?’

‘Nah, its fine. That was a mean trick you played on me at Ocean Terminal that day.’

‘Yes…’ mumbled Kelly.

Corum folded his arms and looked at her.

‘What do you want?’ she asked. ‘I’m not sorry. I was trying to save my life. I still am! These last couple of days I’ve been terrified about even getting out of bed. Yesterday my body just sort of crashed and I got an attack of the jitters on the bus on the way here. Just too much adrenaline in my system, probably. I can’t go on like this.’

‘Well, ok, I’m sorry about that, but I suppose all the dates after you broke into my flat were so you could keep an eye on the investigation and not because of my dazzling charm?’

Kelly was sat at the bedside now and looking down at her hands she gave a hunched shrug.

Corum was having a hard time trying to stay calm. ‘Well that’s all over. Obviously.’

Kelly sniffed and rubbed her eyes. ‘OK, fine. I’m sorry, ok? But what next? You’ve not turned me in yet. I’ve been shitting myself for the last two days, waiting for the door to be knocked down.’

‘If they did, they’d never catch you, would they? You’d be up and out like a scalded cat,’ he observed.

‘Maybe,’ she admitted. ‘Come one though, Corum. I’m scared ok? Up until a month ago I’d never been shot at, never been in a proper fight, never had any dealings with organised crime at all.’

‘You surprise me,’ snapped Corum, but then in a change of tone he went on, ‘look, what’s done is done. I very nearly did grass you up to the HBU, but well, when I got to thinking about it, I think you might be more use to me, and more use to the effort to catching Price, as an informant.’

‘Right,’ said Kelly cautiously.

‘Don’t get me wrong, there are other units after you, and eventually someone else will make all the connections and depending on the circumstances I won’t be able to help you much.’

He held up a finger. ‘But.’

‘But what?’

‘I am only interested about going after the bastard that killed Yoyo and if you can help me do that, then perhaps I can help you.’

‘Help how exactly?’

‘We’ll see.’

‘You want me to break into houses on your behalf, is that it? I mean, that’s my skill set.’

‘No!’ exclaimed Lavius raising his hands. ‘That would be very naughty indeed. Burglaries to order? It’s a lovely idea, but I’d get a proper doing from the DCC for that.’

Corum wasn’t examining his motives too strongly, he knew he now had a serious soft spot for Kelly, she had saved his life after all, but he was telling himself that it wasn’t so unusual for him to offer her the chance to turn informer, after all he had snitches in all of the big gangs in Edinburgh. He knew Kelly was a whole other level from the typical petty thief or minor enforcer he usually dealt with and perhaps he would have no choice but to hand her over once Price was caught. He’d rather not, but she had a pretty long and serious criminal past if all the Squirrel break-ins were hers, and they likely were.

‘Look at the little wheels working in your head,’ she said flatly. ‘How close am I to being caught then?’

‘Why would I tell you that?’ asked Lavius. ‘Listen, you saved my life. I owe you for that and as my informant you’re safe from me arresting you. To be honest, it’s not the cops you need to be worried about. Both the Vampires and the Hamiltons will want your blood.’

‘I can handle them.’

‘Seriously Kelly. Neither bunch are as stupid as you think. Watch your back, they’ll be looking for you. I’d count on them making the connection between Kelly and Gavin before the HBU does.’

Kelly seemed to almost shrink into her seat. ‘How? How could they do that?’

‘I don’t know and I’m pleased to say that’s your problem and not mine. Just a word of warning, that’s all. They are not stupid, watch yourself.’

Just then a nurse popped her head around the door, raised an eyebrow and pointed at her wrist.

Kelly got to her feet.

‘I’ve something you might want to look at anyway, I’ll bring it tomorrow.’

‘OK, thanks,’ said Corum, giving her a small wave as she left. ‘Don’t leave town.’

Kelly spent the rest of the evening hiding in her flat, jumping at every noise that came from outside. After a very restless night she decided to face Saturday head on and in the morning she more or less pulled herself together and went to the gym. She skipped the climbing wall and instead went a ten-mile run on the treat mill. There was a big screen in front of her for putting on films so she watched a series of virtual jogs around pleasant forests and sunny beaches. She was not a fast runner, but she had plenty of stamina and she found the gentle pace soothing. Whatever inner peace it gave her though, evaporated on her walk back, when a car door being slammed made her jump out of her skin. By the time she got home she was a nervous wreck again. She had showered at the gym, but decided to have a bath, which she then fell asleep in. She sat up with a jolt, waking from a dream of being hunted through the forest by Price.

‘Jesus,’ she gasped, then wrenched herself out of the water and wrapped herself in a towel. She spent the rest of the day until visiting hours watching the news, flicking constantly between the news channels for the latest on the man hunt for Price. There were no facts, just endless speculation. There were moving pieces about DC Mabel Yoyuwevuto, which made Kelly sad. She wondered if Price would have been quite so quick to gun her down if she, Kelly, had not already alarmed him earlier in the day. She pushed such thoughts aside though, she could spend as much time as she liked feeling guilty once this was all over, right now it would just be an indulgence, or so she told herself.

Eventually she got dressed up to go to the hospital again.

‘OK, don’t arrest me nice Mr Policeman. I’ve got something for you,’ she said when she was at Corum’s bedside once more.

Corum switched off the TV as she entered and caught the packet that she tossed at him. Before he opened it, he passed her a local newspaper, folded at one of the middle pages.

‘Lenny Hamilton in hospital. Car crash at the bottom of Leith Walk. Something to do with you?’

Kelly glanced at the newspaper then held up her hands. ‘No comment.’

‘I’ll bet,’ he said with a wry smile. ‘Forget about my warning yesterday. Now that you’ve creamed two of the biggest gangs in Edinburgh your more likely to get job offers than death threats.’

‘Not my scene,’ she mumbled as she sat down.

Seeing he wasn’t going to get a rise out of her, he opened the brown envelope. ‘What has she brought me I wonder?’

She had given him the photos she had found in Wraithston the night Mack the Knife was murdered.

‘What are these?’ he asked as he scanned through them.

‘It’s these that lead me to Price. Her name is Elaine Nostrum aka Bogomila Todorova. She was murdered two years ago. I found them in Mack the Knife’s library desk.’

‘I remember this,’ said Lavius with gathering interest. ‘I remember the case.’

‘Jackie told me the man in the photos was in the KOSB. You can only see his arm. But I checked the KOSB website. That’s where I saw Price. I mean, I saw Price that night too, then recognised him on the website. From there I found his house.’

‘Good detective work,’ murmured Corum, looking up with a crooked smile.

‘Oh well,’ said Kelly, feeling rather annoyed at herself for enjoying the flattery. ‘I had some help. From a waitress that must always be the first pick for pub quiz teams.’

‘Well, these are useful thanks. I’ll be out of here tomorrow and back on duty on Monday. I’ll take a look at the old Nostrum case. See who the suspects were. From what I remember though her killer was never found.’

‘I bet it was Price.’

‘Me too. But why? What connects Price to Elaine Nostrum? There is a whole floor of cops looking into everything Price ever did now and there is nothing to suggest he had any reason to kill a prostitute.’

‘Maybe he’s a hit man?’ ventured Kelly.

‘That’s one avenue of investigation. As a dishonourably discharged ex-soldier he fits the profile.’

‘So, what are the other avenues of investigation?’ ask Kelly eagerly.

‘Hey, hey, hey!’ said Lavius, ‘Steady on. You are my informant Kelly. You give me information. I don’t give it to you.’

When she looked crestfallen, he said, ‘what? What did I say?’

Kelly knew she was being an idiot, but she felt under so much stress, after weeks of violence and mental torture she was at her absolute limit. She burst into tears.

‘Are you so horrible to all your informants? That’s all I am to you?’

Not that she had meant to play him like that, but it was obvious DS Lavius was a sucker for a damsel in distress. He gently patted her shoulder, then gave it a squeeze.

‘Sorry, ok?’ he said softly. ‘The truth is, while I’m lying here, I’m out of the loop. And it’s gone right to the top now. A national manhunt. When I get back on duty, I’ll just be another cog in the machine. Right now I don’t know any more than what you can already read in the newspapers.’

‘What can I do to help?’ said Kelly, who then took a tissue from the bedside cabinet and wiped her eyes and nose.

‘I think you’ve helped a lot already… well I say that. I suppose if you haven’t nicked those photos then I would have found them when we searched the house, and might have found Price a lot quicker than we did. Sorry, just speculating, the outcome might have been the same anyway. Let’s stick to the facts as we know them then. That night the alarms were off and the annex door was open. Big Mack was meeting with someone he expected, perhaps even knew. Mack was in possession of these pictures. Price entered the house and killed him. What does that suggest to you?’

‘Blackmail attempt gone wrong?’ asked Kelly.

‘Yes. It seems likely Mack was blackmailing Price,’ said Lavius as he looked through the photos. ‘But then who is the fat-armed mystery man in these pictures? There is no way that’s Price, the hair on this arm is fair for a start. Perhaps then Price was working for this fat, blonde man.’

‘And left-handed, right?’ said Kelly with enthusiasm. ‘Look at his watch.’

‘Maybe,’ mused Corum. ‘I used to wear my watch on my right wrist though, back in the days when people used to wear watches.’

Corum continued to squint at the photos. ‘It looks expensive though, like those types that you put in a watch winder box.’

Kelly looked at him in confusion, but then decided to not ask what a watch winder box was.

Corum looked up at the ceiling. ‘But anyway, this man and Price are old army buddies. Fat-man’s prostitute is murdered. She is one of Mack’s girls and he blackmails Price and Fat-man. So far, so plausible.’

‘But who is the fat man?’ pondered Kelly.

‘Right, maybe that was the man Mack thought he was going to meet that night. Maybe he thought he was getting paid.’

The sat in silence for a few moments then Kelly said, ‘whoever it is must be watching the news and shitting themselves.’

‘Hmm,’ muttered Lavius. ‘Someone knew who he was. Mack the Knife knew him. Can we assume that? Maybe? Probably. The Hamiltons must know something, but they’ve closed ranks. Only talking to the police through their lawyers. It’s always the same with gangland killings, one of the reasons why Price wanted to pin it on the Vampires probably. I have an informer in the ranks of the Hamiltons, but he’s been avoiding me. No surprise there, but I think that would be our way in. I’m not suggesting anything, exactly… well, he’s not talking to cops, but you on the other hand…’

‘Who?’

‘Right then,’ sighed Corum as he tried to figure out how many rules about running informants he was currently breaking. ‘He’s one of their enforcers, a guy called Baxter Campbell.’

Kelly held a finger to her lips for a moment or two, evidently trying to connect some thoughts. Lavius left her too it, until finally she groaned. ‘His nickname isn’t Two Soups is it?’

‘That’s the fellow,’ said Corum happily.  ‘You know him?’

Kelly sighed. ‘Yes. We’ve met.’

(G412 23/05/2020 via Roll20 - AP(GM), JF) LR19

(G412 23/05/2020 via Roll20 - AP(GM), JF) LR19

[At much the same time as Fenrir was getting ready to go to Chult I was having my own Adventures in Neverwinter.]

DAY 474 (19th Kythorn)(June)

So, we had taken the Anubus, tied up the captain and robbed the other pirates.

There were six prisoners in the hold, but they were all just random street people from Waterdeep and not very interesting, so we decided to give then 10 gold each and drop them at Neverwinter later. They had all been caught in the classic 'follow a wench into a dark alley' trap.

Well after midnight, we were still sorting things out and Corum went to check the pirates we had caught and put in a cabin. Three had snuck down a hatch and were swimming away, while one was still in the cabin.

I wasn't in the mood for silliness, so I summoned some sharks and that was the last of those guys. I then went back to talk to the Captain.

He was a halfling named Tinker "Blackdeath" Snuggleton. Apparently he had been bullied at school due to his name.

He wasn't desperately forthcoming though. He had a crystal ball that he received instructions from and he was always given orders and paid through middlemen.
It all sounded like lies, but despite various threats and a kick in the nuts from Sylvia he stuck to his story. We tried to land 'Charm' spells on him, but nothing could get a grip on his mind!

I also talked to Forest and his friend. They told us that when the Lost Refuge was raided and all my friends were killed there had been two other ships, the Reaper and the Black Mirror. They had been given explicit instructions to take 'the child' - as in Molly.

We organised watches and in the morning sailed the Anubus back to Neverwinter and anchored some way out. I kicked the last prisoner over the side and made him swim home. The prisoners, Forest and his friend we sent off to town on a boat.

After lunch we finally got a Charm spell on the Captain (I think!) but he was still pretty sly. He told us he met his 'contact' in a pub in Neverwinter (The Wibbly Wagon) and various other not-very-helpful things.
I asked why I (and Molly) had been targeted. He told me that the people he worked for had a 'personal vendetta' against me!

Well, we talked to him some more and I learned that he didn't seem to know about what was going on with the island - he just delivered people there. Delivering Molly to the cave would have earned him a lot of gold.
He had been told to deliberately spread the Blue Phage in the Vast Swamp - to keep the Clerics of Mystra busy.

The most interesting thing was this - that his 'boss' was not just using the island as a convenient source of nastiness - his 'boss' was responsible for it in some way or at the very least knew it was coming as they had been preparing for a long time prior to its arrival.

I went back on deck to think things over. The Captain was sort of trying to be helpful but everyone could tell there was something else he wasn't telling us and Steven was really snarly around him.

I had been thinking about what 'K' and the other lizard folk would want. It was very clear to me though as we had talked about it once.
Captain Snuggleton had slain the tribe - there was only one punishment for that, he had to be beaten to a pulp, flayed alive and then eaten (alive if possible). It was  the Sharptooth way and they were proud of their traditions.

If he was watching me now, then that was what 'K' would expect me to do. Normally I would show fellows like Snuggleton mercy - but he had killed dozens - so was it not better to honour their memory? Was it not better that the Sharptooth tribe - wherever they were - knew that they had been revenged? That honour had been satisfied?

'Bugger it then,' I muttered and patted the rail. 'Irritator? Can you do me a favour..?'

As Irritator had been killed in that attack (and brought back to life by me) he was only too glad to carry out the punishment.
'Just kill him though, old chap, I'll do the flaying and ten we'll think about how best to eat him after that. I'm sure the Sharptooths will realise we are honouring the spirit  of their tradition if not every article of it.'

Irritator went into the cabin with a sharp knife and a gleam in his eye, but came out again a moment later saying, 'you'd better come see this.'

On death Snuggleton had revealed his true form - he was not Snuggleton at all, but a Doppelganger! Where a tough little halfling had once lain there was now a long thin grey skinned corpse.
'Huh!' I thought. 'That's interesting.'
After that we skinned him. I'm not sure what to make from Doppelganger skin but I'll think of something. We then nibbled a bit of him (disgusting, not even Stephen would  touch it) and threw the rest over the side.

While me and Irritator were doing all that the others were in Neverwinter getting a crew together. We only needed six (at a guess anyway) so we got four gnomish sailors, a half-orc and an elf.

We tried to figure out how the Anubus 'worked'. There are runes in the captain's cabin but they need command words to activate them and to know those words - we need the Identify spell. It was decided it was best to get Irritator to copy the spell into his spellbook. We can organise that later, I'm off to sleep now. Stomach a bit upset after eating Doppelganger flesh, but I feel good that I did the right thing by the Sharptooths.


DAY 475 (20th Kythorn)(June)

Today we spent some of our town on the boat, some of our time in the house and most of our time in the pub.

The gossip is all about the Blue Phage and how a 'lockdown' is expected, whatever that means exactly. Its spreading up and down the Sword Coast and people are worried about open ports and open borders.

I have been wondering who would be annoyed enough at me to send three boat load of gits to come and kill me and my friends and take away Molly. The only people I could think off were the followers of Shar and Cyric who you would expect to be pretty miffed at me after we foiled their plans in the Plane of Shadows.

I asked about, in disguise, talked to bards and the like, spent gold like water, but turned up nothing at all.


DAY 476 (21th Kythorn)(June)

Today Irritator learned the Identify spell.

Everyone else loafed around in the house or the pub over the road.

DAY 477 (22th Kythorn)(June)

Today we figured out how the Anubus worked. There are two runes in the cabin, each with  their own command word. One is for 'Greater Invisibility' and the other is for 'Silence'.

DAY 478 (23th Kythorn)(June)

We've mainly been relaxing in the pub. I have tried to tell them to try and keep a low profile, but no one listens to me. It's like they are on bloody holiday!

Jiggles as been around town asking about, but so far nothing.

DAY 479 (24th Kythorn)(June)

Jiggles set up a meeting with the Thieves' Guild today.

It cost a lot of gold, but they did set us in the right direction. I learned that it has nothing to do with Shar or Cyric.
The man I talked to said;
'There have been disappearances. People have been acting oddly. It looks like incursions by shapeshifters.'

Ah! Now, if you remember my journal entries in regard to my brother Corum's adventures you will know of the group of shapeshifters that inhabit Waterdeep - known as the 'Unseen'.
That explained why they killed Gharlie as well - possibly.

But what do they have against me, as I've never done anything to them? Just because I'm kin to Corum?

The thief told me that Doppelganger usually worked alone, so someone would be directing them. I had a feeling I knew that from somewhere.

I asked if he knew anything about them being linked to, or preparing for Midway Island and the Blue Phage. He said he didn't, but thanked me for the information when I explained what I had learned.

Considering how much he was charging me for his information I should have asked for fifty gold for what I told him!

(G411 16/05/2020 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM)) WA65

(G411 16/05/2020 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM)) WA65

[Back to what was happening with Fenrir and Veddic. My 'day numbering' sequence is a little out dear reader, as I restarted the numbering for Corum. But basically you add 180 on. In any event I started my 'official' adventures when I stepped off the side of a ship in Sasserine. That was my 'Day 1'. 180 days later Corum's adventures began and that was his 'Day 1' and the start of my current numbering scheme.]

You may remember, dear reader, that right at the beginning, my friend Rah'Siel the young Barbarian was with me. He died at the hands of a Red Cap at the docks of Ishau in Chult. There he was buried. We also left his favourite prostitute there, a young woman called Fatima. She was pregnant and by my reckoning the baby will be nine months old now, assuming that they have both survived.

Well, at the time, I had no idea this was going on, but it seemed that Gertrude the Wise, the very powerful cleric and oracle had resurrected him. This was done about six months ago.

Gertrude was in Skullport, so that was where he arrived back in the land of the living. For the next few months he worked for Gertrude, going off on adventures and the like, retrieving treasures and tweaking the course of history for her - generally by hitting people with his axe. (I later learned that he was mainly working with a group of Vampire Slayers)

Her design was this - Rah'siel is from the Hordelands. Or at least his mother is. His father ended up there for reasons that are currently murky to me, but he took up with a Hordelander lady, got her pregnant and then died in an accident.

The baby was Raz of course, and as unlikely as it seems his father was Lord Argaunt Thalavar.  He was the son of Lady Nettel Thalavar the famous matriarch of what remained of the unseated  Westgate royal family.

Lady Nettel Thalavar married three times, so Raz and Lady Thistle Thalavar have different paternal grandfathers, but the same grandmother. I think that makes then half-cousins?

Well anyway, bastard as he is, he has a small claim to the Thalavar lineage and if he was to marry Thistle Thalavar then between the two of them they would make a solid base for a return to royal rule of Westgate and the overthrow of the mercantile Croamarkh system.

Well Gertrude plays her games. Raz was to join Fenrir and Veddic in retrieving the sword of  the kings of Westgate commonly known as 'The Piecemaker'.

Fenrir knew nothing of Raz of course, as far as he was concerned, it was just another of Gertrude's pawns.

Got all that, dearest of readers? Then to continue...


DAY 470 (15th Kythorn)(June)

As far as I can tell, this is the day that Raz arrived in Westgate. Teleported in by Thjodhild.

Here Cavu introduced him to Fenrir, Veddic and everyone else who was at hand.

Cavu did all the talking after that. He informed them that the magical sword we needed was in a place called the 'Shrine of Tamoachan'. Now this meant nothing to any of them, but I remember that name from Chult.

When on the Sea Wyvern, just a day or so after Raz had died we visited a place called the 'Ruins of Tamoshan'. Are these related? At this moment, I must confess I don't know, but this I do know - they were not the same place. Perhaps part of the same lost civilisation though?

I'd love to get down there and take another look.

Anyway, they needed more people for the adventure and over the next few days they found who they needed. These were:

Dorette - the dark elf rogue from Pedestal
Barendd - An evil dark dwarf fighter currently under Giselle's influence
Weyney the Worrisome - the human cleric from Ferbone, who was persuaded to come along too.


DAY 471 (16th Kythorn)(June)

Fenrir was at work today.

In the evening he took Raz out into society, a brief glimpse of what he might expect if he were ever to become king of Westgate.

Raz is still just as ill-mannered and barbaric as when I knew him, but I'm lead to believe it wasn't a total disaster.

DAY 472 (17th Kythorn)(June)

Raz was taken out again tonight and apparently the review was 'uncouth but amusing'.


DAY 473  (18th Kythorn)(June)

Today Fenrir bumped into Harvel.

They chatted over 'old times'. Harvel had decided on giving up the adventuring life for a while. He had managed to get his foot regrown somehow.

He seemed to be a very good source of gossip and Fenrir ear-marked him as  'council member' in the future of what he imagined the reign of 'Raz the first' would look like.

DAY 474 (19th Kythorn)(June)

Another evening for Raz to refine his social skills. He came across as ignorant but not stupid.

DAY 475 (20th Kythorn)(June)

Yet another night out in society for Raz who by now thought he had it all figured out. Basically - talk a load of nonsense in a loud voice and wave your arms around a lot going 'Fwah-fwah-fwah!'

In truth he was more or less right! But luckily for him he always had Fenrir on hand to cover up the many faux pas he made.

DAY 476 (21th Kythorn)(June)

Tonight was the night of a grand annual summer ball in Westgate and Fenrir took Raz along to that. Thistle Thavlar was there and Fenrir managed to introduce her to Raz (her future husband if Gertrude has her way!).
Cavu had said not to mention anything about what they were up to of course so she is unaware that Raz is a sort of half-cousin.


DAY 477  (22th Kythorn)(June)

Gelly informed Fenrir that the house was being spied on again. Fenrir was not surprised, but she did say, 'these are not Nightmasks. They are out of towners.'

He had bigger things to worry about though. Today Thjodhild took the brave adventurers to the Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan.

It was deep in the jungles of Chult, and where in relation to the ruins that I had once visited I have no idea.

The party consisted of:

- Fenrir
- Veddic
- Raz
- Weyney
- Dorette
- Barendd

The teleported in beside a majestic waterfall and then walked about a mile towards a large ziggurat that loomed above the jungle canopy ahead of them.

They had been told to look for a tunnel entrance, and it was easily located. This lead down into an ancient stone carved room.

The room contained dioramas, one of which had a small shepherd's crook in it. Without touching anything else they took the crook and used it as a key to open the door before them.

The followed the corridors, through other craved stone scenes and reached another chamber.

It was constructed of large stone blocks, buttressed in the corners. The walls were wet  and slimy, and mud covered most of the floor. A large polished boulder sat in the centre of the chamber amid a pile of smaller rounded rocks. The boulder was as tall as a human  and brown with black streaks and spots. A discoloured bamboo staff leaning against it. In the wall opposite stairs descended out of sight. Stone doors were set within alcoves in the wall  to the left and right.

As they entered the stones moved and turned out to be Kalka-Kylla, the spirit of some sort of giant crab, and a Crayfish Guardian. At first they were aggressive, but after some sweet talking they allowed the adventurers to pass and they moved on to the next set of corridors.

Soon the found doors with an inscription in Olman hieroglyphs that read:
"Here lies Tloques-Popolocas, thrall of Zotzilaha, master of tombs and the night"

Inside was indeed a vampire, and a nasty one too, but he was soon dealt with by Veddic who turned him and then Fenrir who blasted him into bits.

Even with all the progress they were making, these chambers were full of poison gas that was slowly getting into their system and hurting them. As they explored more chambers and passageways they were taking damage, and it was just as well there were two clerics on hand to provide healing.

The next chamber of note they came to was that of Tecuziztecatl, Lord of Snails. He was boastful and challenged them to fight. He was a giant snail, and talked throughout the combat, each time they landed a blow he would say something like 'Aha! You fall right into my trap!'
But they were too strong for him and when he new he was defeated he begged for mercy and skulked back into his pool.

They left him to it and moved on.

(G410 09/05/2020 via Roll20 - AP(GM), JF) LR18

(G410 09/05/2020 via Roll20 - AP(GM), JF) LR18


[And almost at exactly the same time, back on the Sword Coast, me and my friends are doing our best to figure out what is going on with the Blue Phage and the crew of the Anubus]

DAY 473 (18th Kythorn)(June) cont ...

We returned to the city and arranged the sale of the treasure we had found and split the proceeds between those involved.

While myself, Corum, Sylvia and Jiggles are much more experienced at this sort of thing it was considered only fair that Molly and Rolanda get some gold too as they had been involved.

Irritator had managed to get the 'Charm' spell into his book, which would form part of my plan for the Anubus.

Although it was late in the afternoon now, on the off-chance I sent Jiggles out to look for a crewman. We others went back to the house we had rented in town, a nice quiet place that was close to the city wall with four bedrooms and - vital if we were going to be kidnapping sailors - a basement!

Jiggles asked and snooped about and her luck was in - she asked at the Chandlers and the same crewman had just been in. Cleverly she went to the North Gate and looked for him there and saw him out on the main road beyond the town.

There were a few people on the road, but it was not hard for her to sneak up on him. She  decided just to approach him and offer him a bribe for information. Her luck was in again though as he was having a crisis of conscious and had had enough of what the captain of his ship was up to. He even agreed to come back and talk to the rest of us.

Myself, Sylvia and Corum met him in town. We were disguised as paladins. His name was Faravol Forest and he was an elf or half-elf. We talked for a long while and this is a summary of the information he gave:

- He and the others usually just adventurers for hire
- They had lost some of their crew recently, who had been replaced with unsavoury types
- their current mission was sold to them as a 'way to help people'
- He knows that's not true but doesn't know what is actually going on 'we were just do what were told by the captain'
- They were told they are relocating people for their own good. He said 'I don't know. the things I'v seen of this Blue Phage, I can't believe the cities are not locked down yet'
- This is all linked, because the island is the worst I've ever seen
- If it wasn't for the sigil we'd be goners. How did the captain know they would work?
- He regrets his situation. The group he is beholden to, know where is family lives
- From the original crew there is just one other left - a half-orc called Effu the Mighty
- He doesn't know any details about the Blue Phage
- The Captain takes orders from a mystery person, via a crystal ball
- He doesn't know about why specific people are being kidnapped
- The 'mystery person' has a massive amount of money to spend
- There are six prisoners on board the Anubus
- They are sailing tomorrow, back to the island with the new 'relocate-ees'
- He didn't know why they were being put in the cave
- He knew little about the Captain's cabin, only that the crystal ball was kept in there
- The total crew was seven, plus the Captain, 'a nasty little halfling'

He also drew us a map of the interior of the ship.

We let him go on his way after that. It seemed clear that we should attack tonight. I had expected there to be more of them.

We made our preparations, and when it was dark we snuck up the coast to the Anubus.  We had bought levitation potions with us, and I carried Jiggles on my back as an owl.

While Molly, Rolanda and Steven watched the two guards on the beach we others flew up and landed on the deck of the ship. There were two dwarves there, but they didn't put up much of a fight. Jiggles and three of my summoned crocodiles chased them below decks while we others went to the Captain's cabin.

It was a clumsy close quarters fight where Corum dropped his sword, but managed to pick it up again and then finish the Captain off. Sylvia kept him alive though.

Meanwhile I'd gone below decks to help Jiggles who had found the rest of the crew. I managed to persuade them all to surrender. Being surrounded by loads of angry looking crocodiles can be very persuasive!

Faravol had been one of the guards on the beach and seeing us attack and killed the other man by the fire. Faravol and Effu we did not lock up.

We locked them all up in the forward cabin and went to have a word with the Captain.

(G409 02/05/2020 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM)) WA64

(G409 02/05/2020 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM)) WA64

[Very sorry dear reader! At the same time as I was having all my business on the Sword Coast Fenrir and Veddic were still in Westgate and the 'FAMP'. Here are some of my notes on what I have learned of their adventures.]

DAY 464 (9th Kythorn)(June) cont...

What exactly happened in the flooded dungeon next I am not all together sure, but I do know that Fenrir, Veddic and the Lady of the Mountain made it back to their base camp safe and sound with some more shards and some treasure.

I suspect Fenrir was losing interest in the FAMP though, as he next declared 'Mission  Accomplished' and headed all the way back through the Plane of Shadows to see Random on Spectre Island.

He was correct, I suppose, the Lady and the Druids were starting to bring things back. They were recovering a small part of that world, something, perhaps that could grow to be something bigger.

It was late when he got to the island, but Random was eager to tell Fenrir what he had been up to. He had managed to get rid of Hammersong, sending him on a quest, and told Fenrir that becoming the leader of the City Watch was 'as good as in the bag'.

All Fenrir had to do now was go to a ceremony in a few days and be officially anointed by the Croamarkh.
'It will be at his house, old chap, and while you are there take a look around at how
secure the place is.'
'Why?' asked Fenrir, although he could guess.
'Well, we may have to bump the old fellow off,' admitted Random. 'We'll see how it goes!'

One other thing that came up was this;
'I've managed to make good progress with that elf girl of yours. I've not, well, you know, done the business. I wouldn't do that to you, old chap, but lets just say she's primed and ready to go.'

Somewhat bemused, Fenrir said his farewells and along with Veddic he headed back to Westgate.


DAY 465 (10th Kythorn)(June)

Fenrir went to work today. As far as his secretary, Mia the Magical, was concerned he'd never been away of course, as Random, in disguise, had been filling in for him.

His new job, as head of the Magical part of the City Watch was not overly taxing.

In the evening he met his girlfriend, Werren. He took her out for a meal at a new restaurant, lavishing a hundred gold on the occasion.
He decided not to 'despoil' her though, in the end, knowing how much the idea of female virtue was valued in Westgate.


DAY 466 (11th Kythorn)(June)

At work today Fenrir was visited by Captain Horang Croster  and his two daughters  - Merange and Nettle. He was the merchant that Fenrir had rescued from pirates some time back and the Captain happily rewarded Fenrir with a chest full of 1000 gold coins.
He also said his ship 'The Lucky Aubergine' was sailing soon and he could offer his young benefactor some cargo space. Instead Fenrir sold him all the wine he had bought back from Grappa Valley at a reasonable price.

Also the invite for tomorrow night at the Croamarkh's mansion arrived.  It was the next night and he was to bring a guest.


DAY 467 (12th Kythorn)(June)

Tonight was the night. Fenrir and Werren spend a decent enough evening at the Croamarkh's house.

He counted the guards, as Random had told him to do. Four men at the door, ten retainers inside and at least three more guards inside. The front door was heavy and strong. The windows were secure looking.

Skulking around, when he got the chance, with Detect Magic active he saw that the front door had a magical trap on it, all the windows were magically alarmed and the large dog that wandered about freely had a magical collar.

He saw three skulls on pedestals which were magical. He assumed they were the ones that could be used as spying devices.

One of the retainers was tall and dressed in black and positively glowed with magic.

The evening was rather dull Fenrir thought, with it all centring around everyone telling the Croamarkh how wonderful he was and what a marvelous job he was doing of running the city.

As he took his carriage home in the small hours of the morning he contemplated what the future held for him and how long it would take to all go horribly wrong.


DAY 468 (13th Kythorn)(June)

This morning Fenrir walked to work, knowing that if he relied on his ability to magically fly around Westgate he would start putting on weight again.

He was approached by a 'simple washerwoman' who then turned out to be Cavu. Cavu, of course I am sure you remember, was the main go-between for Gertrude the White, who was a very powerful diviner and how Fenrir had once met when she had resurrected him.

It was Cavu who had set everything up in Westgate and funded Random in all his dodgy dealings. Now that things were 'heating up' in the city he was back.

You may also remember that Cavu had been a half-elf bard called Banjax in another life - but that's another story.

They went to a nearby inn to talk.

'I think it's safe here,' said Cavu once they were in a private room. 'I've decided to send Random to the FAMP. He can take over there for a bit. For you though, I think its time for you to know more of what is going on.'

What was going on was this:

Westgate was a very corrupt city. From the lowliest gate guard to the Croamarkh himself everyone was corrupt. The noble houses, the merchants, the temples, all of them were crooked in some way. There was no other way to get by in Westgate.

The thieves guild, known as the Night Masks, were incredibly powerful and even the greatest and most powerful in Westgate feared them. Things had recently got even worse though, as the Night Masks had been infiltrated by a coven of vampires lead by an ancient and terrible being known as Orlak II.

Now Orlak wanted to step out of the shadows. He wanted to, in short, rule Westgate from sat atop a Throne of Blood. But like all vampires he preferred to do this in a sneaky and underhand fashion.

His plan was to first marry into high society and his target was Thistle Thalavar, whose lineage provided the last remaining link to Westgate's Eorn/Lorndessar  Dynasty.

A vampire ruling Westgate would be terrible and Gertrude the White had foreseen this awufl event and was determined to stop it.

Now that Fenrir had a seat at the table with the Rulers of Westgate he could achieve many things.

Cavu knew of at least two other people that they could marry to Thistle Thalavar. Young men who also had the blood of Westgate royalty in their veins and if married to Thistle, and with the right nudge or push in the right place could become king.

The first was a young fellow from Cormyr who Barry and his gang were watching and the second is someone that I (Rollo) know! And I assure you, you will be as surprised as I was when you find out who it was.

So, explained Cavu, there were three steps to this plan.
1. Find a sword called 'the Piecemaker' that had once been the sword wielded by the kings of Westgate.
2. Assassinate the Croamarkh, who was in the thrall of the vampires
3. Marry one of the young men to Thistle Thalavar and proclaim him king! (Cavu also suggested that Fenrir could marry her himself, something that he thought  about for a moment or two then decided against)
4. Destroy Orlak and all the other vampires.


'So,' said Cavu. 'All great fun. The bad news is, it's just me and you Fenrir, to do all of this. The good news is that we have virtually unlimited resources. Enough to hire an army if we want to.'

When he got home Fenrir started writing up a shopping list. He also arranged with Gelly to buy some expensive poison.

In the evening he went around to visit his friend, the venerable and ancient  Lady Gwendeth Thalavar for tea with her and all her old lady friends. He hinted that he was interested in meeting Thistle again, but Lady Gwendeth deemed that to be highly inappropriate as she was currently attached to one Tystran Dauntinghorn. 'Thistle certainly won't court more than one gentleman at a time!' exclaimed Gwendeth.

Fenrir learned that Dauntinghorn was the captain of a ship called 'The False Gorget' which set alarm bells ringing in his head. It sounded just the sort of name a smug vampire twat would give a ship!

Later that night, in disguise, he went down to the port authority and found that the ship was currently out at sea and due back in three days. He also found out Dauntinghorn's address and favourite inns.


DAY 469 (14th Kythorn)(June)

Today Fenrir was presented with his seal of office and chain.

He found it dull, and was glad when it was over, but did make it official. Crazy as it seemed to me and others that knew him, he was now Commander of the Westgate watch!

In the afternoon he discussed with Gelly the idea of hiring two bards to start scandalous rumours  about Dauntinghorn and making sure Lady Gwendeth Thalavar found out about it.

The rumour was to be he was shagging clap ridden serving wenches, getting them pregnant and then getting them abortions. Throw in some elements of demon worship as well, he noted to Gelly.

One hundred gold was handed over for getting them stated. Gelly said she knew just the fellows.

In the evening there was a formal dinner at house of the Croamarkh. Lots of food and drink and a terrible amount of fawning praise for the corpulent Croamarkh. Disgusting as it was Fenrir joined in. He knew what side his bread was buttered on. He also met the great and good of the city, the nobles and the guildmasters, merchants and  scholars. He'd never seen such a shower of bastards he reflected, Waterdeep really was the City of Splendours compared to the wanton corruption of Westgate.

In the carriage on the way home Werren squeezed his arm and said, 'I do so love you,  Fenrir! We are really going places!'

He just looked out the window and smiled.


DAY 470 (15th Kythorn)(June)

Fenrir went to work today. He was taking his job seriously, but not rocking the boat or introducing any reforms. He was happy to take up from where Hammersong had left off.

Once home from work Gelly gave him the deadly poison he had sent her to get.

In the evening Cavu came to visit him. They talked over their plans and it was decided it was time to go get the sword - 'The Piecemaker' as it was commonly known.

Cavu had located it, hidden in an isolated temple in Chult. He had arranged teleportation, all Fenrir had to do was put together a party of stout heroes to go get it.

Whoever he decided to take with him, he would be taking one other, as supplied by Cavu and it was here that the tale took a very strange twist indeed.