The Campaign Builder's Guild

[ic=Viscerate and Protoplasmic]The rough-hewn tunnel here is choked with semi-coagulate filth, an oozing, viscous muck formed of mud, organic waste, and junk.  The tombs here are clearly blending with the city's sewer systems: the subterranean regions of Macellaria - generally known as the Catacombs - are in fact incoherent in the extreme, a confused jumble of crypts, storm drains, ruins, dungeons, and other underground chambers, some of them linked, others isolated.  A narrow ledge allows you to skirt the quasi-liquid foulness.  Ekwanesu drops down nimbly and points to the east.  "This way."

The sewer stinks horribly.  Mr. Carver, the stench down here is absolutely appalling.  You instinctively try to keep your tongue in your mouth at all times to avoid constantly tasting the omnipresent stink.

* Mr. Carver flicks his serpentine tongue and wrinkles his face in disgust.

* Koldobika drops down, his nose wrinkling in disgust. Very ew. He sizes up his companions, wondering if any would not be upset by him riding on them so he does not need to walk through the ooze. Somehow, he doubts it.

* Koldobika 's look of 'Ew' is simply universal enough to make a need for translation pointless.

* Kryzbytn jumps.

* Kryzbytn stumbles a bit as he lands, forgetting he has not wings.

* Tarim carefully descends the drop.

Tarim - Well, at least we don't have to wade through the filth.

Kaius Alexander - At least.

Kryzbytn - For now.

Mr. Carver - Wasn't looking forward to that, either.

Vetter - Onward, then.

* Kryzbytn clicks.

* Tarim carefully balances along the narrow walkway but slips on a slimy brick.

* Kryzbytn tries to catch the ghul, but his hand grasps only air.

Tarim, you fall into the disgusting muck.  The current isn't strong.

* Tarim swims back to the ledge and hoists himself up, but he is now coated in effluvia.

* Tarim curses profanities in Hellspeak as he climbs up from the sludge.

The party continues along the sewer-tunnel and reaches a fork in the path, one way heading north, the other south.  Fortunately the tunnel is wider here, and the ledge is a proper catwalk.

Kaius Alexander - Ekwanesu.

"South."

You follow the zerda and eventually reach a narrow bridge leading over the muck.  The current is stronger in this tunnel.  "We should cross here," the trader says.

Vetter - Shine the lantern, will you, Kaius? I'll go first.

* Kaius Alexander lifts the lantern out and up.

Kaius Alexander - What is your assessment of the stability of this span, Kryz?

* Kryzbytn examines the crossing.

Kryz, the metal bridge looks extremely rickety and rusty.  It's probably quite unsafe.

Kryzbytn '" Hmm,

* Vetter starts to cross gingerly.

The bridge groans a little as you cross but holds your weight fine, Vetter.

* Vetter crosses the rest of the way in a few quick steps.

Kryzbytn - This is not a good idea, ones. The bridge is extremely unsafe... it may not hold our weight.

Vetter - It's fine, just don't linger! Come on!

Koldobika (Flicker, to Vetter) - The span is weak. The zerda are light. The zerda will cross. The crossing will be first.

Tarim - Is there no other way across?

Ekwanesu looks at the map again.  "We could continue south, but it will delay as somewhat.

Kryzbytn - The current does not look all too inviting, either. The choice is not mine alone to make.

Tarim - A longer walk is preferable to such risk.

* Mr. Carver springs quickly across the bridge, though it squeaks in protest.

* Koldobika, seeing the bridge remains largely intact, scurries across, not believing Carver's antics are necessary for himself.

Kryzbytn - Perhaps we should tie my rope to each person who wishes to cross, and secure the other end so, should they fall, they are not swept away?

Mr. Carver - Or we could hold the rope and let them climb across. Throw your rope Kryz.

* Kryzbytn attempts to throw the rope to the others.

* Mr. Carver catches the rope.

Tarim - So long as we leave Kaius the last one to cross.

* Kaius Alexander raises his visor and stares with displeasure at the offending bridge.

* Vetter looks around on the far side for something to attach the rope to.

You don't find anything apart from a rusty wheel protruding from the wall.

* Vetter grabs the wheel and gives it a pull to see if it has any give.

It comes out of the wall.

* Vetter throws it into the sludge with a disgusted grunt.

* Kryzbytn clicks loudly.

* Mr. Carver looks for something to attach the rope to.

You locate a protruding pipe that looks quite sturdy.

* Mr. Carver, rope still in hand, ties it to the pipe with a few sturdy knots.

* Tarim unties his belt and makes a loop round the rope secured to his arm, then proceeds across the bridge.

The bridge buckles and begins to warp, but you make it across, Tarim.

Mr. Carver - It should hold. Mind you, I'm not an expert. If you want to be sure, get over here and the check the knots yourselves.

Kaius Alexander - In your millennia of experience, Pellucid, have you obtained any pearls of wisdom on situations such as this?

"I find the entire situation distasteful.  If my master were here he would utilize an appropriate hex, of course."

Mr. Carver - 'Transmute shit to bridges,' I'm sure.

Kaius Alexander - Your former master, you mean.

"Ah.  Yes.  A slip of the tongue."

Kryzbytn - I shall attempt to cross...

* Kryzbytn puts away his scythe.

* Kryzbytn grabs the rope and makes his way.

Kryzbytn is across, though one of the handrails fell off into the current as he crossed.

Tarim - Let us hope that the bridge can take the weight of Kaius' armour, lest we have to find out whether or not the rope can.

Mr. Carver (calling across the gap) - You can always throw the armour across Kaius, but I'm sure you rather take your chances with the bridge.

* Kaius Alexander wrinkles his brow with displeasure.

Kryzbytn - Mr Carver, understand that this is a very delicate piece of equipment he wears... I would not risk throwing it myself.

* Kryzbytn grabs the rope on the other side, prepared to pull Kaius in should he fall.

Kaius Alexander - The vulnerable systems are suitably protected from such forces.

Tarim - Would be rather difficult to fish it out if it fell into that current

* Koldobika thinks the risk isn't worth it. Especially if he misses and drops his shiny stuff into the shit-pool. That would be unfortunate. Funny, but unfortunate.

* Vetter crouches by the edge of the walkway to watch Kaius make the crossing.

Mr. Carver - Am I incorrect in considering it a armour, first and foremost? It would seem to me anything able to take the brunt of a Banehulk's fist should also be able to be thrown across a sewer channel.

Kryzbytn - I mean to say I would hate to see it washed away in the currents...

Kaius Alexander - I am loathe to part myself from my armour. I will risk the crossing. Pellucid, cross with this secondary length of rope, we will ensure redundancy.

* Kaius Alexander hands him a length of hempen rope.

Pellucid tosses one end of the rope to the other side.

* Kryzbytn clicks nervously.

Wispy - When one has amour for his armour, one may go to extreme lengths to preserve it.

* Wispy shrugs.

Kaius Alexander - I suggest you all hold the rope.

* Koldobika is wary of that idea, but hey, worst comes to worst, he can just drop it.

* Kryzbytn holds the rope.

Pellucid dances gracefully across, holding the rope nonchalantly: the bridge doesn't even squeak.

Vetter - Why not tie it as well? That way even if our strength fails us, you can only fall so far.

Kaius Alexander - If you can.

Kryzbytn - Funny that everywhere I go, the world seems hell bent on reminding me that I do not have wings

* Vetter takes the hemp rope and tries to attach it to the same pipe Carver tied the silken one to.

* Kaius ties the silk rope around himself.

Kaius Alexander - I will now attempt the crossing.

* Vetter takes hold of the hemp rope with both hands and spreads his legs, ready to try to heave Kaius in should he fall.

* Wispy squawks.

Wispy - Good luck!

* Tarim lends a hand too.

* Kaius attempts to cross with as much light-footedness as he can muster.

Kaius' attempt at "light-footedness" is not a success.  The bridge moans like a man being tortured and begins to give way.

* Mr. Carver runs to aid with the rope.

* Kaius Alexander makes a mighty leap.

The bridge collapses utterly and Kaius falls into the brown sludge below, his jump falling up short.

* Kaius Alexander frowns.

* Vetter is having difficulty gripping the rope what with his grafted claw.

* Koldobika appears to be forgetting that he is supposed to be a tiny, weak little fox-thing.

The party heaves mightily.  Kaius Alexander is submerged in the foul-smelling liquid.

* Wispy takes off into the air, clutching Oney below and goes to the other side of the bridge.

* Wispy alights behind the group doing the pulling.

Wispy - Do you fellows need help, or do you have it under control?

The party heaves again and pulls Kaius out of the feculent ooze and up onto the catwalk.

Mr. Carver - Aside from the hideous stench, this could have gone much worse.

* Kaius Alexander spits a stream of sludge out of his mouth.

Kaius Alexander - Unpleasant.

Kryzbytn (jokes) - Appetizing.

Mr. Carver - Is your armour still in working order?

* Kryzbytn examines and attempts to clean out any sludge gunking up the gears.

The clockwork in Kaius' armour is protesting a little, but the clockwork will be fine.  It needs to be cleaned, but it won't malfunction.

Kryzbytn - Looks fine, Kaius one, just needs a little cleaning.

Kaius Alexander - Redundancy and durability, Kryzbytn. I did not design this lightly.

You're now on the other side of the wide tunnel.  Another sewer tunnel is evident a short distance to the south.  "This way," Ekwanesu indicates.

* Kryzbytn takes out his scythe again.

* Kryzbytn also grabs his silk rope and stores it in his pack.

Kaius Alexander - I will not be taking any more shortcuts.

* Kaius Alexander wipes sludge off of his face.

* Vetter sets off stoically in the direction Ekwanesu pointed.

Mr. Carver - How far is it foxman?

"Some distance yet."

You enter a smaller tunnel; those taller amongst you need to hunch a bit to enter.  Fortunately it's not filled with more than a few inches of sewer-muck.

* Kaius Alexander grimaces.

Ekwanesu leads you through the pipes, ignoring a four-way crossroads in the path and continuing east.

Wispy - Kaius?

Kaius Alexander - Yes?

Wispy - If you did not enjoy the muck-bath, I wonder- why did you walk across the bridge? In the future, I might be able to carry you. The offer's there, friend '" although, I think you'll find that the muck is quite enjoyable.

Kaius Alexander - I did not anticipate such a catastrophic collapse.

* Kryz turns to Kol.

Kryzbytn - Koldobika one, I must admire your strength you displayed back at the crossing. For one so small, you are quite powerful.

* Kryzbytn does not expect to understand what Koldobika responds with, but is okay with that.

* Koldobika seems surprised by the compliment. He nods politely, then simply shrugs nonchalantly. He refrains from using Flicker, instead hoping a more obvious pantomime is suitable to convey his meaning.

Kaius Alexander - Yes, Kol, you have my gratitude for your efforts.

* Koldobika nods politely to the compliments of the Kaius, but he makes no other apparent comments. He seems unsure of how to respond in the situation. He did nothing special beyond what was necessary.

Up ahead is another grill or grate, blocking the tunnel.  Beyond, the tunnel slopes downwards at a steep angle.

You hear strange squishing sounds behind you in the gloom, and a vile, acrid stench wafts towards you from the passage you just came down.  A few rats scurry down the tunnel and ahead of you, through the grate.

Vetter - What was what? Let's get this grate out of the way.

* Kryzbytn looks behind himself.

It's beyond the limits of your Darkvision, Kryz.

* Tarim checks that his guns have not been wetted too badly.

Your brief dip in the muck has clogged your blunderbuss pistol, but your rifle is still operational.

* Kryzbytn raises his scythe warily.

* Kaius Alexander turns and shines his lantern in the direction of the sounds.

A sickly greenish plasm fills the entire tunnel behind you and moves towards the party with startling speed: a putrevore, one of the slimy, amoeboid scavengers usually found in the Slaughter-lands, grazing in the wake of Rotmist.  This one must survive on the decaying refuse that clots the Catacombs.  Bubble-like vacuoles and nuclei are suspended in its viscid, squelching innards, decomposing garbage and waste trapped within the ooze.  It will be upon you in moments.  The creature's miasmic... exudations precede it.

* Wispy throws up.

Wispy - It's magickal sickness... no mortal virus can harm me(!).  Dooom!

Vetter - Ooooohhhhhhhhh.....

Wispy, your store of knowledge furnishes you with some basic understanding of the creature.  Putrevores are resistant to most conventional weaponry due to their amorphousness.  They are highly attracted to decomposing matter and filth, and their acidic innards rapidly decompose almost anything they come across.

The putrevore is still some distance away but is closing fast.  There definitely isn't time to use Kaius' spider-bot.

Vetter - The grate!

* Koldobika fights the need to begin dry-heaving '" he is not, however, looking forward to the need to get closer to this thing to try to kill it.

Kryzbytn - Open the grate!!

* Vetter desperately grabs the grate and heaves at it, attempting to dislodge it.

* Mr. Carver helps Vetter with the grate.

* Tarim tries to assist Vetter.

There is little effect.  The grate is frustratingly secure.

Wispy - It's a putrevore- it's dangerous and more; it eats muck and slime and shit and gore! It boils and burns, and into muck the flesh it turns.

Mr. Carver - This might be good time to shoot some fire Kaius!

Wispy - These things are the banes of Jatayi muck baths! My uncle's best friend's cousin was eaten by such a beast.

* Kryzbytn curses.

Kryzbytn - My weapons will do little to this creature!

* Kryzbytn hastily puts away his scythe and tries to break down the grate.

* Kaius Alexander shoulders past the press and confronts the putrevore..

* Koldobika wonders how fleeing is going to help them escape from this thing.

Tarim, you manage to bend one of the bars a bit, but at this rate the creature will be upon you before you can escape.

* Tarim pulls with strength borne from desperation.

Mr. Carver - Stand back.

* Kaius Alexander stands to one side at Mr. Carver's warning.

* Mr. Carver produces his runic staff and shrinks the grate.

The grate diminishes when struck by Carver's hex.  It clatters to the tunnel-floor.

* Kryzbytn jumps back, startled.

* Kryzbytn nevertheless runs through.

Mr. Carver - Get in.

Tarim - Good thinking Carver!

* Mr. Carver tips his hat at Tarim.

* Tarim hurries in through the opening and down the slanting tunnel, stumbling once and bruising himself.

Mr. Carver - The point is distance.

The putrevore is now about forty feet away.

* Vetter dashes past the shrunken grate, retching horribly, trying to put as much distance as possible between himself and the putrevore

* Wispy slides down the tunnel, on Vetter's puke.

The tunnel slopes downwards here.  It is difficult to keep your balance while moving quickly.  It looks as if it levels out further on.

* Kaius Alexander brings up the rear, glancing back at the putrevore.

The amoeboid monstrosity seems to have caught your scent, Kaius.  It makes an awful, indescribable noise and quickens its pace as it nears you.

Mr. Carver - We could really use some oil and fire right now.

* Mr. Carver scampers nimbly down the tunnel.

* Kryzbytn slides down the tunnel, snatching up Vetter when he sees the zerda staggering.  When they get to the bottom he sets the foxfolk down.

Kryzbytn - Keep going, Vetter one!

 Ekwanesu stumbles down the sloping tunnel and yaps in pain.

* Kaius Alexander grabs Ekwanesu by the scruff of his neck as he passes and drags him along.

Pellucid effortlessly makes the descent down the passage, as if the whole situation were beneath its notice.  The putrevore makes another hideous sound.  It is now thirty five feet away and gaining.  As the protoplasmic monstrosity continues to slither towards you some fleeing rats are engulfed by its amorphous body.  The rats' squeals are silenced as the thing's caustic juices begin digesting them while still alive.

* Koldobika slides down the sloping tunnel with minimal effort, neatly landing at the bottom.

Up ahead, the passage suddenly divides.  To the right it takes a sharp turn a short distance ahead.  To the left it runs straight into the darkness.

Kaius Alexander - Ekwanesus, which way?

Ekwanesu blearily looks at the map, while the squelching abomination grows nearer and nearer with each passing moments.

Kryzbytn - Quickly now!

"Give me a moment, I've lost track of where we are..."

Kaius Alexander - We don't have a moment.

Kryzbytn - We do not have time!

The putrevore has reached the bottom of the tunnel and will be upon you in seconds.  The rats inside it are now no more than dissolving skeletons.

Vetter - No time! Just go!

* Vetter darts down the right hand fork.

* Tarim dashes into the short tunnel.

* Kryzbytn is momentarily torn on which way to go.

* Mr. Carver snatches the map from the dazed zerda and scans it quickly.  He determines that the right-hand path is correct.

* Kaius Alexander lowers his visor and half turns.

Mr. Carver - THE RIGHT!

* Mr. Carver runs down the right-hand passage.

* Wispy and Oney follow Carver.

* Kryzbytn dashes to the right.

* Koldobika gladly follows the directions of trying to quickly flee from a giant blob...

* Kaius Alexander hastily follows the group down the right hand passage.

The tunnel takes a sudden sharp turn straight downwards.  A ladder once would have facilitated a climb down, but the rungs have rusted away.

Kaius Alexander - Fantastic.

Mr. Carver - I wait for the less agile ones to jump down.

* Wispy flies down with Oney.

Wispy (shouting) - Anyone else need help?

* Vetter leaps into the void without hesitation.

* Vetter yelps with pain at his crunching landing.

* Koldobika likewise leaps into the shaft, braking his fall by clawing the wall.  The landing is rough, but nothing is broken.

* Kaius Alexander hands his length of rope to Kryz as he bars the oozes passage.

* Kryzbytn withdraws his silk rope.

* Tarim invokes his Lighten the Flesh tattoo and floats down perfectly safely.

* Tarim lands and looks at the two foxfolk.

Tarim - Did you break anything? Your fall seemed rough.

Vetter - No, I don't think anything's broken but damn me if it didn't hurt!

Mr. Carver - What are you going to do Kaius?

Kaius Alexander - Buy time.

* Kryzbytn takes the rope with Kaius.

Kaius Alexander - Take this fox with you.

* Kaius Alexander shoves Ekwanesu at Kryz.

* Kryzbytn nods at Kaius.

* Kryzbytn jumps with the rope in one hand and the zerda in the other and repels down the wall.

* Vetter scrambles to his feet and moves away from the landing zone.

Halfway along you slip and accidentally let go of the rope, falling the ground hard.  Ekwanesu brains himself and falls unconscious.

Tarim - Hells!

* Kryzbytn curses loudly.

* Kryzbytn gets to his feet with Ekwanesu and moves towards the others.

Kaius Alexander - Any experience with ooze, Pellucid?

"Not particularly.  Fire might slow it down."

Kaius Alexander - Let us hope.

Mr. Carver - Kaius! Get in the hole.

* Kaius Alexander raises his right arm and a gout of flame blossoms forth, shrieking towards the ooze.

The putrevore makes a horrible noise and squirms backwards, away from the flame.  Its flesh has been horribly seared and smells even more disgusting than before.  It quivers but does not retreat yet.

Kaius Alexander - Clear the shaft.

Kryzbytn - You're clear, Kaius one!

* Kaius Alexander clambers down surprisingly easily.

Kaius Alexander - Come, Pellucid.

Pellucid daintily follows you.

Vetter - Tarim, leave him! Just grab his bag!

* Kaius Alexander grabs Ekwanesu by the scruff of the neck and resumes dragging him.

* Mr. Carver climbs down after Kaius, his newly grafted claws digging into the tunnel wall.

Mr. Carver - Sorry, Kaius.

The tunnel continues for some distance, but is interrupted part way along its length by another vertical shaft of considerable diameter, descending into darkness.  A crumbling, narrow walkway around the edges of the shaft could be used to get to the other side, or one could attempt to leap over the pit.  The putrevore is evidently still recovering; no sign of it yet.

Mr. Carver - This should give it pause.

Tarim - Do we have any idea where we are now?

Kaius Alexander - What does the map say, Carver?

Kryzbytn - Any word of the map, Mr. Carver?

* Mr. Carver hastily checks the map.

You should continue on this tunnel, not go down the pit.

Mr. Carver '" Onwards down the tunnel. We need to get across the pit.

* Kryzbytn examines the crumbling walkway to see just how sturdy it can be, if at all.

It's extremely precarious, Kryz.

* Kryzbytn is made painfully aware of his lack of wings down here.

Kryzbytn - Unsurprisingly, this walkway might not be the best course of action...

* Kryzbytn looks down the pit.

Tarim - This seems like a very bad route to me.

Mr. Carver - Unfortunately, it is the route.

Tarim - I am not particularly trusting of my ability to balance it tonight...

* Kaius Alexander raises his visor and frowns at the walkway.

Mr. Carver - Kol, hold the map.

* Koldobika takes the map.

* Kaius Alexander kicks a small rock down the pit.

It takes several long seconds for the rock to hit the bottom.

Kryzbytn - That does not reassure me, Kaius one.

Kaius Alexander - No.

Vetter - shall we repeat the skit from the bridge? Small ones cross first with rope?

* Mr. Carver goes a bit down the corridor and with a running start he attempts to leap across.

You make the leap just fine, Carver.

Mr. Carver - Throw me a rope.

* Kryzbytn takes out his silk rope.

* Kryzbytn tosses it across.

* Mr. Carver catches the rope and looks for somewhere to tie it.

You find another pipe, though this one looks less sturdy than the previous one.  It belches waste into the tunnel.

* Mr. Carver ties the rope around it and braces the pipe with his own strength.

Tarim - We have precious little time. Let us all tied ourselves into the rope and cross together in a file. If one falls, the rest will hopefully be able to pull him up.

Mr. Carver - The best I can do. Make your move before the putrevore shows up.

The putrevore has recovered and is now squelching down the vertical shaft you all clambered or jumped down.

Mr. Carver - Speaking of the devil.

Kryzbytn - One wrong move could bring the entire walkway down...

* Kaius Alexander listens to the squelching unhappily

Kryzbytn - If one falls I suspect the whole thing might.

Mr. Carver - I can't hold all of you. I need some help.

Kryzbytn - Zerdas, being the lightest, should cross first.

Tarim - Do as you wish then, but I'm going to secure myself to the rope right now.

Mr. Carver - Surely some of you must be able to cross a gleetin' hole? Wispy, get over here! Help me with the rope!

* Wispy glides over and assists Mr. Carver.

Kryzbytn - We know of Koldobika's strength, he should be of help.

* Tarim ties the rope around himself.

The putrevore has reached the bottom of the shaft.  It is now about fifty feet away and making angry, liquescent noises.

Kryzbytn - I'll do my best... hold onto the rope Mr. Carver.

* Kryzbytn leaps across the pit and grabs the rope to help Carver,

* Tarim navigates the walkway, trying not to look down, and manages to get to the other side safely.

Kryzbytn - Hurry now!

* Tarim unties the rope from himself.

Kaius Alexander - Pellucid, take this fox across.

Pellucid nimbly jumps the gap with Ekweansu in its arms.

* Vetter turns and impotently faces down the approaching putrevore with Kaius as he waits for others to cross first.

* Kryzbytn clicks nervously.

Ekwanesu is beginning to recover consciousness.

Kaius Alexander - Go, Vetter,

Vetter - Kol! Come!

* Koldobika scurries along the walkway.

* Tarim hisses angrily at Ekwanesu.

Tarim - Look what a mess your great plan has gotten us into!

* Vetter grabs the rope and starts to cross.

Vetter, you're light enough to make it across without destroying the walkway.

Mr. Carver - I don't think it can cross the shaft.

Kryzbytn - That's what I am hoping.

* Kryzbytn tries to help Ekwanesu to wake up and get back on his feet.

Ekwanesu regains consciousness.  His ankle is sprained, but he's alright.

Kryzbytn - Stay with us, zerda one.

Mr. Carver - If nothing else, step out onto the ledge and hold on. It might give up on us.

* Kaius Alexander raises his right arm, and again a burst of flame flies towards the ooze.

The foul-smelling putrevore squeals again and retreats momentarily, shuddering viscously.

* Kaius Alexander attempts to leap the gap.

You hit the ground on the other side hard, having made a truly epic leap.

The putrevore, having recovered, surges forward, again making an awful, moist sound of mindless hunger.  It squirms over the pit, but its quivering bulk is swallowed by the shaft, miasmic vapours trailing after it into the gloom.

Mr. Carver '" Phew. Finally rid of that damn thing.

Tarim - Not very bright, that thing.

Kaius Alexander - It may be able to climb, let us not tarry long.

* Kryzbytn withdraws his healer's kit and attempts to mend the zerda's injured leg as best he can.

You've patched him up a bit but the he's still very bleary.

* Kaius Alexander looks over the edge.

No sign of the putrevore '" only stygian blackness.

Mr. Carver - It's slime, I would feel quite bad if it could outsmart me...[/ic]

[ic=Grief and Innocence]Tarim - What does the map tell us of our present location?

Vetter '" Yes, what does the map say now, Carver?

Mr. Carver - Maybe you should take a look Tarim?

* Mr. Carver hands the map to Tarim.

Tarim - Let me see then.

Kryzbytn - Perhaps you should return the map to the zerda one?

Ekwanesu is still rather bleary-eyed, and probably concussed.

* Tarim peruses the map.

Kryzbytn - This is the best I can do, Ekwanesu one... I'm afraid it will have to suffice

* Kryzbytn tends to the injured leg.

"Thank you for your assistance, mantid," the zerda croaks.

* Vetter rubs at and stretches his own legs... he has nothing broken, but they're still sore and jolted from the fall he took.

The map says that you should continue along this passage, take a left, and ascend a short access tunnel that intersects with the tombs.

Tarim - We should be able to get back into the tombs from here. Let us continue on.

Kaius Alexander - The reward had better be worth the risk, Ekwanesu.

Vetter - Damn right, Kaius. If this crypt isn't as rich as you've made out, I will have you, mate.

* Koldobika really hopes that damn map is accurate at this point. If only because it is likely to be hell getting out of here again anytime soon.

* Tarim proceeds along the passage.

* Kaius Alexander follows.

Following the map's instructions you reach the access tunnel, which has handholds carved into its sides, leading upwards.  Near the top, a rough-hewn excavation leads back to the tomb-complex and the Catacombs proper.

Tarim - The entrance to the crypts should be right there.

* Kaius Alexander starts climbing.

Mr. Carver - Well, I for one can't wait to see the last of these pungent rivers.

* Mr. Carver ascends.

* Vetter scrambles up.

* Kryzbytn ascends.

* Wispy follows.

* Tarim brings up the rear.

At the top of the shaft you find yourselves in a thoroughly looted tomb.  A vaulted tunnel leads away to the west. You should follow this tunnel into an antechamber and take the southern passage to the false tomb.  The true crypt is concealed behind it somehow.  The map neglects to mention how to enter it.

* Tarim examines the map again.

* Kryzbytn clicks and nods.

Mr. Carver - Did he tell us where this supposedly secret entrance was?

Tarim - The false tomb should be found after this tunnel.

Kryzbytn '" Hmm.

Tarim - Unfortunately, instructions to find the real tomb from ere are not on the map.

Vetter - Let's go, I've had enough of these tunnels. Let's just get this cursed job over.

* Kaius Alexander proceeds to the antechamber, the party following behind.

As you advance down the gloomy tunnel you hear voices echoing around the corner: the speakers sound as if they are some distance away, their voices reverberating through the labyrinth of brick, stone, and metal.

"Did you hear?  The Grey Twins were killed last night!"

"What?! How?"

* Kaius Alexander stops and raises his arm and makes a fist.

* Kryzbytn stops.

* Tarim listens intensely, staying right beside Kaius.

"The priesthood sent them out to send a witch and some northerner to the Crimson Halls.  They were pulling the old damsel-in-distress routine.  Apparently the militia found them dead in an alley.  Seryth had been shot, and Val's head had nearly been shorn off."

"Serves them right for trying to pull off such a stale trick.  So do the targets know we're after them?"

"Very unlikely.  They may have discovered the Twins' daggers, but what of it?  Only those in the Cult know their significance, and very few could translate the glyphs.  From the looks of it they killed the Twins pretty quickly, didn't have time for an interrogation.  For all they know the Twins were just common cutthroats."

"What are the high priests going to do?"

"Kharunn is furious - the Twins were favourites of his.  He's sending four Mortifiers after this pair.  He doesn't want any more mistakes."

"Which four?"

"Charnel, Severin, Gwendolyn, and Cholla."

* Mr. Carver tries to sneak closer.

You proceed into the anteroom.  You think the voices might be coming from somewhere down the passage to the north, the opposite direction from the crypts you're heading towards.

* With a sign of trouble ahead, Koldobika does his best to disappear into the shadows and avoid detection.

The voices continue: "Not the most subtle choices.  The time he sent Charnel on a job he burned down a city block.  And Severin killed a dozen bystanders on his last mission."

"Kharunn wants to send a message.  A little collateral damage will remind the city of what we can do."

"Hmm. Still seems like overkill to me, but I suppose that's the high priests' prerogative.  Let's get back to the shrine."

You hear footsteps growing fainter.

* Mr. Carver tries to follow them for awhile.

* Koldobika sees nothing wrong with trying to tail them.

You head north and come to a fork in the path.  It's impossible to say which passage they went down.

* Kaius Alexander exchanges a glance with Tarim.

Tarim (whispering to Kaius) '"Well, we have the names of the next hitmen. We might use that to our advantage.

* Vetter's sensitive zerda ears perk up and he glances questioningly at Tarim and Kaius as he eavesdrops on their conversation.

Kaius Alexander - We just might, Tarim.

* Koldobika searches the ground for any tracks.

You find a bootprint in the dust heading along the west passage.

* Mr. Carver skulks down the western passage.

* Koldobika follows after Carver.

* Kaius Alexander stands around in the antechamber, examining the brickwork.

* Vetter stays where he is, with Kaius and the others, wondering where Kol has got to.

* Kryzbytn follows curiously for a moment, but decides to turn back to Kaius, Tarim, Vetter, and Wispy.

Kaius Alexander - Remember, Tarim. We meet with Mr. Rasp tomorrow.

Tarim '" Yes.

* Kryzbytn examines the stonework of the antechamber.

The bricks are very old, but look structurally sound - no danger from collapse.

Vetter (very quietly, to Kaius and Tarim) - So, you two obviously know who those voices belonged to, or at least you've got an inkling... nothing that's gonna mess with our current little venture, I trust?

Kaius Alexander - Why would you think that, Vetter?

* Kaius Alexander says as he enters the false tomb.

Vetter - Because of Tarim's comments about, what was it, hit men? It's you the four they mentioned are after, ain't it?

Tarim - My words were not for your ears, Zerda.

* Vetter enters with Kaius.

* Wispy follows.

* Kryzbytn also enters, still scrutinizing the architecture.

You enter a thoroughly plundered crypt.  The ornate sarcophagus at the center has been rent open, the decorative fixtures have been vandalized, and the walls are covered in crudely etched graffiti.  The walls are caked with dust and mould.  The far wall is dominated by a large shrine to the Weeping Lady.  Her marble effigy looks down upon a mound of miniature human corpses and sheds stony tears.  In one hand she holds a sickle and in the other she holds an hourglass.  At the foot of the statue is a bowl-like depression, presumably for sacrifices or something similar.  Etched on the floor before the shrine are the words 'IF THINE GRIEF BE TRUE, POUR OUT THINE SORROWS' in Morbis.

Ekwanesu hobbles into the tomb.

"There must be a hidden lever, or knob of some sort," he mutters.  "Come, help me look."

* Tarim follows Ekwanesu into the tomb and looks around.

Kryz, you think that a section of the wall rotates somehow, but you don't know how to activate it.

* Kryzbytn looks at the inscription, but cannot decipher the script, being ignorant of the Carrion Tongue.

* Kaius Alexander ignores Vetter.

Vetter '" Fine! You don't need to tell me about your business, it's private, I get that. But it might be good to know whether it will affect us here, now? And who, and how dangerous, are those folks Kol and Carver have gone running after!

Kaius Alexander - Hold your tongue, Fox. This is none of your business.

Vetter - It's my business if it's going to get me killed! This little tomb-robbery has hardly been a stroll so far, in case you haven't noticed, and if there's assassins down here after you two, I want to know about it so I can gleetin' DUCK when I have to!

Kaius Alexander - Then you had best keep an eye out, shouldn't you, Vetter?

Vetter (glaring at Kaius) - Yeah, sad about sums it up, don't it?!

Kryzbytn - It appears as though this statue can rotate... though, I do not know how to activate it.

* Kaius Alexander stares at the statue.

Tarim - "Pour out thine sorrows"... perhaps that is a hint?

Kaius Alexander - Perhaps, Tarim.

Kryzbytn - Is that what it says, Tarim one? Sounds like it might be related to tears.

Tarim - Tears poured by the statue would fall down. Into the sacrificial bowl.

Kryzbytn - Can a statue be made to cry, Tarim one?

Tarim - Not without some rather impressive witchcraft.

* Kryzbytn clicks.

Kryzbytn - Perhaps it calls for the tears of others? Perhaps something else entirely. Any of you feeling particularly sad in this instant?

* Kryzbytn jests.

Kaius Alexander - I suspect the statue demands the tears of a supplicant.

Kryzbytn - I wonder if the others are having better luck than us.

Meanwhile, Koldobika and Mr. Carver trail a pair of individuals they overheard earlier.

You hear a voice from up ahead, somewhere in the darkness: "What was that?  Did you hear something?"

* Koldobika freezes. He didn't think he made the noise, but he can't afford to be seen now. At the very least, at least they are going in the right direction.

"No... probably just rats or something.  You're getting paranoid."

"I'm sure I heard footsteps... but you're probably right."

The footsteps resume.

* Mr. Carver continues to skulk behind the speakers.

* Koldobika likewise resumes stealthily tailing them.

You've arrived at a spiral staircase heading downwards.  A light is dimly visible, fading in intensity as its bearer descends.

* Koldobika looks to Carver. He seems to be asking whether or not they should continue to pursue, or if they should return to the others.

Mr. Carver (whispering) '" This is not good.

* Koldobika looks imploringly at Carver. To continue, or to turn back?

Mr. Carver (whispering to Kol) - We've already come this far. Might as well go on. Can you remember the way back?

* Koldobika nods.

Mr. Carver - Then let's continue my small fur-covered friend.

You descend the staircase and come to a long corridor lined with alcoves, each containing a skeleton.  Thick cobwebs shroud the vaulted ceiling and crisscross the path.  Torchlight flickers at the end of the passage, then vanishes to the right as the torch-bearer turns down a side-tunnel at a fork in the path.  Apart from this intersection, two black doorways yawn to either side of the passage.

* As Koldobika goes, he makes trail markings to find his way back.

* Mr. Carver creeps silently down the corridor.

You hear what sounds like a child's whimper off to the left.

* Mr. Carver turns to the left, startled.

* Koldobika begins to sneak off to the left.

* Mr. Carver glances apprehensively at the left door and follows the right wall of the corridor towards the flickering red glow of the torch.

Mr. Carver - Psst!

* Koldobika looks over at Carver.

* Mr. Carver rubs his eyes in charade. Then waves his finger in the air, and moves it across his throat.

* Koldobika is... not entirely sure what Carver is getting at, but he thinks he at least knows the gist of it. And that they are probably considering the same source.

You hear some kind of mechanical sound off to the right.

* Mr. Carver suddenly turns to look down the right corridor.

Mr. Carver (whisper) - Thought I heard something.

* Koldobika nods yes. The other sound does not seem to be moving. He holds up one finger, then points to the right. He holds up two fingers. He points to the left. He then begins to move toward the right tunnel.

* Mr. Carver stares attentively into the darkness before pressing forward.

The corridor terminates in an ornate tomb.  Half a dozen lavishly carved sarcophagi fill the room's center, while macabre statues of armoured, skeletal figures glower from the walls.  There is no sign of the torch-bearer, and no discernable exits apart from the doorway you entered by.

* Koldobika grimaces in the darkness. The quarry escaped them-- for the time being, but at least they know where to pick up the trail from again. With a quick wave at Carver, Kol heads back to the source of the other sound.

* Mr. Carver sighs.

Mr. Carver - Lead the way then. I'll stay back, mind you.

You catch a glimpse of a thin human child, perhaps eight or nine, disappearing into an arched doorway.  The tunnel here extends for some direction past the doorway and into the gloom.

* Koldobika looks back to Carver as the thing runs off. To be fair, he expects as much from the average human, child or not. But he is not sure how Carver wishes to proceed at this juncture.

* Mr. Carver shrugs.

* Koldobika sees no reason not to continue, so he moves onward after whatever just went running off.
* Mr. Carver follows him cautiously.

You pass through an arched doorway.  A child, clad in ragged clothes, huddles in a dark corner, legs drawn up to the chin.  Dirty and androgynous, the child's eyes are wide and terrified.  The room here is long, with three sarcophagi in the middle and two other exits on either wall.

* Koldobika points out the creature huddled in the corner for Carver's benefit. Mostly because Kol cannot actually speak to do anything useful in this particular situation.

Mr. Carver - Check the sarcophagi. I don't want any surprises.

Kol, you hear a faint giggling sound coming from off to the left, through one of the arched doorways.

* Mr. Carver checks the sarcophagi while keeping an eye on the child.

You find nothing unusual about the sarcophagi, but there is something wrong about the child.  Its eyes flash momentarily red, and something seems to slip for a moment... you glimpse a horrible caricature of a human child, its head swollen and overlarge, its fingers claws, its teeth fangs.  A sinuous tail writhes and lashes behind it.  Then the image flickers back.

* Koldobika is beginning to get sufficiently creeped out by all of the sounds he is beginning to hear.

* Koldobika does however, go to check on the source of the new sound, despite what it may do to his sanity.

Through the doorway is a flight of steps leading down.  There is a strange, sour smell coming from down there.

* Mr. Carver looking at the child-thing.

Mr. Carver - Shit, what the fuck was that it did.

* Mr. Carver slowly walks back down the corridor, keeping his front and knife point towards the creature.

Mr. Carver - Kol! What are we gonna do here?

* Mr. Carver looks to Kol, but the zerda is investigating the arch.

Mr. Carver - Where the hell did you go Kol!

* Koldobika is wondering what the smell could possibly be from the bottom of the stairs at... wherever it is that he's suddenly found himself at.

* Koldobika decides the sour-smell is not a pleasant one, and so returns back to where Carver and the child-thing are. He walks back through the arch and looks to Carver, awaiting a word of advice or order.

Mr. Carver - This ... thing is bordering on the terrifying, I say we make a mad dash back to the others as soon as we are out of sight.

* Mr. Carver continues to back away.

Carver, as you back away from the child a strange change overcomes its features.  It hisses and its face is horribly distorted as some glamer is stripped away; its hands and feet become clawed, it sprouts a long, whipping tail, its eyes grow beady and dark, and its mouth gapes wide, filled with multiple rows of fangs!  As this grotesque metamorphosis occurs you hear a scrabbling sound from behind you, and dark shapes, child-high, begin to scuttle through the open doorways and into the chamber, moving as if to block off any chance of escape.

Mr. Carver - Gleetin' catacombs!

* Koldobika agrees with Carver. He draws his sword, but looks to see if the prerogative should be fighting or fleeing.

Mr. Carver - We can't deal with all these by ourselves! Run Kol! Damn, I should have bought those mantid legs when I had the chance![/ic]

[ic=Comedy of Errors]Tarim - The eyes of the quick can be irritated to shed tears, regardless of their emotional state.

* Vetter takes a deep breath and turns his attention to the task at hand.

Kryzbytn - I have seen those of different skins cry before, but we Mantids do not show our sorrows in such a way.

Vetter - Do we know it has to be tears? Could any similar fluid work?

Tarim - Depends on if it's a mechanism or hexed.

Kaius Alexander - I suppose it is left to me, then.

Kryzbytn - Can a human one bring about tears on command?

Kaius Alexander - With effort... and memory.

* Kaius Alexander walks slowly over to the depression and stares down at the bowl.

* Kryzbytn watches Kaius curiously.

* Vetter wanders to the exit leading to the route Kol and Carver took, and stares off into the darkness.

* Kaius Alexander blinks. A single tear slides down his face and drips into the bowl.

The statue and a section of the floor begins to slowly rotate.

* Kryzbytn watches the statue carefully as it spins.

There's a room beyond; Ekwanesu yaps in delight and scurries inside before the statue can rotate fully.

Kryzbytn - Careful, Ekwanesu one!

Tarim - Seems a bit too obvious. I suspect we will not be the first tomb robbers to have figured this out.

* Kaius Alexander slowly lowers his visor and steps inside.

* Kryzbytn looks into the room beyond with his Darkvision.

* Vetter follows the others into the crypt.

Past the secret door is a resplendent crypt, far larger and more ornate than the false tomb.  Gilt glistens on the walls, and silver statuettes stare down from alcoves.  The central sarcophagus bears a like-like effigy of a sombre, noble-looking man.  Carefully placed on shelves to either side of the crypt is a large ebony chest along with other grave goods: jewelled goblets and daggers, porcelain masks, and silver talismans bearing morbid icons.  There is a lever just inside the true crypt, presumably to make the statue rotate again without shedding more tears.

* Kaius Alexander holds his lantern up.

Kaius Alexander - It seems the study of Morbis is not so common among grave-robbers as you suspect, Tarim.

Kryzbytn - Perhaps they were all Mantids.

* Tarim raises a brow as he steps into the crypt.

* Kryzbytn clicks.

* Wispy makes shadow puppets in the light cast by the lantern; the puppets are of bats.

* Kryzbytn admires the craftsmanship of the room.

Vetter - Well, Ekwanesu. We've done you good enough, I'd say...

Ekwanesu rushes up to the chest.

Tarim - Careful. There may be traps here.

Ekwanesu, paying no heed to Tarim, opens the chest.  A piercing wail of lamentation fills the room instantly, and Ekwanesu staggers back.  The screeching sound of utter grief seems to drain away your will, filling you with despair and sapping your vitality.

* Vetter shudders and lets out a low moan, seeming to shrink in on himself slightly.

* Kaius Alexander draws his blade as the scream echoes through the chambers.

* Tarim shudders.

* Kryzbytn twitches and clicks in a quick and frantic shudder.

* Vetter drops to his knees with a long, agonised exhalation and screwed-closed eyes.

The chest continues its mournful shrieks.

* Kryzbytn rushes over to close the chest, slamming it shut and silencing the wail.

Kryz, you glimpsed a lot of coin in that chest before you shut it.

Tarim - How... unpleasant.

Kryzbytn - Everyone alright?

* Wispy throws up again.

Wispy '"   So what we need's in that chest?

Kryzbytn - Yes... And there's a lot in there... well worth the effort thus far.

Wispy - And it doesn't hurt anyone who just touches it.  Anyone brought a rope and a lever so we can pull it along?

* Kryzbytn looks at his hands, still on the chest.

Kryzbytn '" No, though I have a rope.

Tarim - Perhaps we could shrink the chest and take it?

Wispy - A sledge!

* Vetter regains his feet and stands there shakily, breathing heavily and surveying the crypt.

Kryzbytn - You alright, Vetter one? Seems the scream hit you hardest.

Vetter - Not... exactly.

"We must get at that coin," Ekwanesu mutters.

Kaius Alexander - Oh, must we?

Vetter - That... scream. What was that?

Kaius Alexander '" Do your witcheries grant you a solution to this... problem... Tarim?

Tarim - Afraid not. I think it wisest to take the chest from here whole and sealed, and worry about opening it later.

Wispy - Thank you Tarim. Heheh.

* Wispy titters.

* Tarim looks for small and lightweight items to loot.

* Vetter starts loading the smaller and more portable items into his backpack

* Kryzbytn gathers what he can comfortably hold.

Ekwanesu likewise starts stripping the tomb of everything that's not nailed down.

* Wispy flaps up high to see if anything is hidden up near the ceiling.

Wispy, you can pilfer the statuettes that stare down from niches around the ceiling.

* Wispy takes a few statuettes.

Kryzbytn - What'd you find, bird one?

Wispy '" Just the culture of a distant and dead society.

Kryzbytn - So nothing you couldn't find above ground, then? I see.

Tarim - We should reunite with the others and decide what to do. Where have they gone to, anyway?

Vetter - Makes more sense for them to reunite with us: they know where we are. Where's that map got to? We need to plan a route out now that we've got to the goods.

* Kaius Alexander examines the sarcophagus.

Tarim - Hm, I wonder if the coffin holds more than just the cadaver. He might have been buried still wearing rings or jewellery...

Vetter - You want to risk opening more things? After what came out of that first box?

Tarim - Admittedly, it seems a likely risk.

Kaius Alexander - As long as we are... robbing from the dead, we may as well be thorough.

* Kaius Alexander takes out his crowbar.

Vetter - Wait! Kaius! I'm gonna step out of the crypt before you open anything!

* Tarim casts Sense Witchery. His eye-gems flare alight with eldritch glow as his gaze scans the sacophagus for signs of hexcraft.

No witchcraft on the sarcophagus, but the chest (of course) lights up.

Tarim - The sarcophagus doesn't seem to be hexed. Ironic that they saw it fit to protect the treasure chest, but not the final resting vessel of the deceased one.

* Kaius Alexander sets to work prying the lid off.

* Wispy watches over his shoulder, offering advice.

* Vetter scurries out back into the false tomb.

Wispy - Just a little to the left, no right, up...down...down...lower...work that back!

* Vetter attempt to cover his ears.

You fail to dislodge the lid, Kaius, even with the crowbar.

Wispy - Good effort Kaius! It must have been made to resist giants.

* Kryzbytn offers his hand at opening it.

* Kaius Alexander ignores Wispy.

* Wispy gives it a try.

* Wispy falls flat while trying to bend the sarcophagus.

Wispy - Yep, I guess there's nothing else to do. Even with Kaius and Kryz loosening it for me, we couldn't get it out- unless you want a go Tarim? Alternately, we could just smash a hole in it.

* Wispy titters.

Tarim - I feel rather weakened by the ululations from the hexed chest. But perhaps we could all try together, combining our strength?

* Kaius Alexander sets to work on the sarcophagus again, applying his strength in a more measured and procedural approach.

* Kryzbytn motions to Kaius, diligently prying away at it.

* Tarim likewise assists.

* Wispy takes a hand.

Together you manage to dislodge the lid.  The corpse inside is no more than a skeleton.  It wears a silver circlet and has several golden rings on its bony fingers.

Tarim - If we're going to rob the place, might as well go all the way.

* Tarim grins.

Wispy - This will go well with my grave-spawn costume for the festival.

* Vetter waits a few minutes then peeks back into the crypt, hands still covering his ears.

* Vetter seeing the sarcophagus open and no one seemingly any the worse for wear, rejoins the others, uncovering his ears.

* Kaius Alexander takes the rings and circlet off of the skeleton.

* Kaius Alexander turns back to the chest and stares blankly at it.

Kaius Alexander - This chest inconveniences me. I am displeased.

* Kaius Alexander kicks at it idly.

* Tarim rolls open the map and places it on the lid of the sarcophagus, casually examining it.
* Vetter goes over to look over Tarim's shoulder at the map.

Vetter - Why didn't you tell me you had the map when I asked, Tarim?

Tarim - I was busy inspecting the sarcophagus.

Vetter - Well, alright, but how does it look? We gonna have to retrace our steps or what?

Tarim, with regards to the map, you can either retrace your steps or attempt a different route that will lead you into the crypts below the Sanguine Church.

Tarim - There appears to be another route here...

Meanwhile, a short distance away on a lower level of the Catacombs, Koldobika and Mr, Carver flee from a horde of child-like monsters.

Mr. Carver - Oh, this is really bad.

* Koldobika takes off like a shot as soon as Carver mentions running. Despite being small, the little fox-folk is quite fast, and it is clear that he is going to quickly and easily leave Carver behind.

The horrible child-things patter after you with alarming speed.

Mr. Carver - Any tricks up your sleeve Kol? I can throw a cestoid after them, but I'd rather not.

While Kol sprints ahead, the children begin to gain on Carver, giggling fiendishly.

Mr. Carver - Bad, bad, bad, bad, bad...

With an unholy squeal one of them leaps towards you, Carver!

* Mr. Carver slashes at the creature with the Agony Knife.

It leaps back, hissing horribly and thrashing in sudden pan from the Agony Knife's hexed wound.

* Koldobika hastens up the spiral staircase.

Carver, you're some distance behind, the pack of monstrous children in hot pursuit!

Mr. Carver (shouting up the stairs) - Warn the others Kol!

The horrors continue their pursuit as you ascend the stairs, scrambling over one another in their eagerness to reach you.  They continue to giggle, as if this is some kind of game.

* Koldobika takes off in the direction of the tomb and the heavily-armed occupants hopefully within, following the marks he made earlier.

Another of the "children" leaps at Carver, fangs bared!

* Mr Carver stabs another of the children, crippling it.

The others have to scuttle over their fallen fellow, buying you a few precious moments. You reach the top of the stairs.  Meanwhile, Kol arrives at the false tomb. There's nothing but a blank wall and a thoroughly looted sarcophagus.

* Koldobika arrives in the tomb to find.... nothing. Well. Damn.

* Mr. Carver bolts down the passage, following Kol's markings.

Carver, you run down the corridor, the child-things in hot pursuit.  You twist and turn and eventually enter an anteroom.  Down a corridor you can see Kol up ahead, investigating what seems to be an empty chamber '" and a dead end.

Mr. Carver - KOL! WHERE ARE THE OTHERS?!

Kol, you see Carver and a huge swarm of monstrous children approaching fast.

* Koldobika turns to see Carver approaching fast. He pantomimes a shrug.

Mr. Carver - We have a little nasty family gathering out here and we could use some help!

* Mr. Carver digs around in his pockets for the cestoid globule.

* Mr. Carver tries an awkward run-fire-staff-hold-globule action midstride, tossing the now enchanted globe in his wake.

You hit the globe with your staff's hex and it enlarges suddenly, bursting in shards of glass.  
The bewildered cestoid emerges from its stasis spell and is almost immediately swarmed by half a dozen clawed child-things.  You watch as they swarm over its segmented body and begin digging into its soft underbelly.

* Koldobika can hear the voices on the other side of the blank wall. With no obvious way to open it, he throws himself against it in hopes of causing enough of a clatter to be heard.

In the true crypt, Wispy hears a faint sound coming from the statue.

Wispy - Vetter! The statue is talking!

* Wispy readies his crossbow bolts.

* Wispy points them at the statue.

* Vetter whirls round to look at the statue in alarm.

Kryzbytn - Talking...?

* Tarim raises his head from the map, alert.

Kryzbytn - I heard nothing, bird one...

* Kryzbytn walks towards statue.

Wispy - Yes, I think I hear a weird whining like "eeeeee."

Kaius Alexander - Your brain is scrambled, Bird.

Wispy - Better that than my eggs!

Kryzbytn - Wouldn't hurt to give it a look, though.

* Kaius Alexander resumes glaring at the chest.

Vetter - Gleet your eggs, what did you ACTUALLY hear?

Tarim - Could be just air flowing through these tunnels

Kryzbytn - You certain you heard something, bird one?

Wispy - Yes, I did. Maybe it's connected to the opening of the sarcophagus.

* Wispy takes to the air.

* Wispy gets a little closer to the statue, bolts readied.

Tarim - I told you, there's no hex on the coffin

Vetter - But what of the statue?

Wispy - Maybe it's remotely triggered... It might set off something in the statue.

Kryzbytn - Let's just give it a look anyways

Vetter - It won't... scream, will it?

Kryzbytn - The statue?

Wispy - It might '" that's what I sort of hear.

* Vetter swiftly covers his ears once again.

Wispy - Don't worry though, screaming is a type of poetry.  The cadences of the pitch are sonorous to some.  To others, even mellifluous.

Tarim (sighing) - Well, why don't you take a look, then.

Kryzbytn - Well, cover your ears then, ones, I'm going to see if what you claim to have heard is really true...

* Kryzbytn draws scythe and pulls the lever to open the statue door thing.

Kryzbytn - I'm sure it's nothing...

Mr. Carver, you reach Kol in the false tomb. The children aren't far behind, but the cestoid is slowing them.

Mr. Carver (panting) - I have bought us a few seconds.

* Mr. Carver runs to the blank wall and beats at it with his clawed hand.

Mr. Carver - WE NEED HELP OUT HERE.

* Mr. Carver then turns and runs into the fray.

* Koldobika has little other choice but to prepare for a fight. He points at the blank wall behind him a few times for Carver's benefit before turning to watch the pack.

Wispy - It's screaming "helparearr." "Helpareear."

* Kaius Alexander sighs loudly.

Wispy - "Hellpeahrareear."

* Wispy tries to make it out.

Wispy - "Hell peer hear."  I think it's about Pellucid.

Kaius Alexander - BIRD. I am trying to think! Pellucid, do you have any suggestions as to how we could render the witcheries protecting this chest inert?

"We need a simple dispel hex.  We can procure one up above, I am certain."

Kol, the wall in the false tomb rotates and a statue appears, along with Kryzbytn.  Kryz, you see Kol looking very out-of-breath.

* Kryzbytn blinks twice, stunned.

 In the anteroom just beyond the tomb you can see what look like monstrous humanoid children devouring a cestoid.  Mr. Carver is running towards them with a blade in his hand.

* Kryzbytn raises his scythe and prepares to defend his companions.

As the door rotates, the rest of the party hears the sounds of the incipient battle outside.

* Tarim snaps to stand up, quickly pocketing the map and reaching for his rifle.

* Vetter heard nothing, as had his hands firmly over his ears.

* Kryzbytn yells loudly for help, hoping the others will hear again.

* Koldobika charges into the maelstrom of battle! Wait... shouldn't that be someone else's job?[/ic]

[ic=Changelings]Wispy, you hear more yelling and footsteps on the other side of the wall.

Wispy - Now I hear footsteps--whatever it is--it might be coming for Pellucid! He's a hell peer, right? Or maybe Oney- oh no, Oney! Be alert, boy!

Vetter - Gleet this, I'm going to see.

* Vetter goes over and yanks the lever, exiting the crypt.

Tarim - What is it with that bird and hearing things?

Wispy - Don't worry Pellucid, I'll see about this one who is seeking the Hell Peer.

* Kaius Alexander attempts to lift the chest to gauge its weight.

Tarim - I still say we ought to shrink that thing.

Kaius Alexander - Probably.

* Wispy exits the crypt as well.

The secret door rotates and closes behind you.  Vetter, Wispy, whatever you were expecting, it wasn't this.  Koldobika, Kryzbytn, and Mr. Carver are facing down a swarm of evil-looking tailed children, fanged and clawed.

 * Mr. Carver nimbly darts into the pack of monstrous child-horrors.  He stabs one on the back and it gurgles, vomiting some sort of foul black ichor as it dies.  He yanks his blade free, ducks beneath a leaping abomination, and thrusts his blade into the chest of a third.

Kryzbytn - Bird one! Help!

Kaius, you hear what sounds like a battle faintly through the door.

* Kaius Alexander stops trying to lift the chest and drops his hand to his blade immediately.

Tarim - Trouble?

Kaius Alexander - There is trouble. Pellucid, remain here and open the door when I knock. Tarim, come.

* Tarim grabs his rifle and invokes his Harden the Skin tattoo.

* Kaius Alexander waits for Tarim to be standing next to him and pulls the lever.

* Tarim goes through the rotating entrance with Kaius.

* Kaius Alexander draws his blade and looks around.

* Vetter sprints towards the horrific child-things, baring his teeth in a snarl.

Tarim, Kaius, you emerge out into the false tomb.  A swarm of pallid, horrifying child-like monsters are attacking Mr. Carver.  Kol and Vetter are sprinting towards the battle.

Three of the monstrous children rend at Carver with their claws, gouging his legs and torso.

* Kaius Alexander immediately breaks into a run and charges at the swarm.

Tarim - Oh, isn't that just what we needed now.

* Tarim runs after Kaius.

Wispy - See Kaius, I was not just hearing things. And um Kryz... I think falling back to a defensible position is the best way to help yourself... I'm just saying this here...

* Wispy floats, concerned, wings flapping.

The cestoid has been slain by the children, though it managed to kill one of them before it died itself.

* Kryzbytn charges into the swarm with scythe drawn, humming in the musty air of the crypt.

* Koldobika charges into the melee with a sure ease '" mostly because someone else is being attacked instead of him. Still, as Carver is being swarmed, Kol sprints towards him, then simply bounds over him, appearing and landing in the midst of the swarm, slashing as he moves, and running straight through.

You decapitate one of the children with your bone sword!  Its neck spurts a vile blackish fluid.

* Tarim slows from his run a fair distance from the melee. His raspy voice echoes through the catacombs as he invokes the complex phrases and gestures of a hex.

The party's speed is radically augmented by Tarim's hex.

* Mr. Carver stabs at the nearest monster but it darts aside, giggling, as if playing a game.

* Wispy points his finger at the monsters below and shouts "honeydew, honeyslick, honeysour, honeysick, fall and break your honeystick!"

Your honeyslick coats the floor of the catacomb.  Some of the creatures slip and fall, and begin sobbing as only hurt children can.

* Vetter savagely attacks the nearest child-thing with his claws.

You eviscerate one of the child-like monstrosities with your grafted claw.  It screams piteously and dies, viscera gushing onto the flagstone floor.

* Vetter barks fiercely with battle-joy as he kills the creature.

The monstrosities swarm round the party, continuing to savage them.  Mr. Carver sustains another wound, but the other party members manage to fend the creatures off.

* Kryzbytn wades in, whirling his scythe in deadly arcs, as if reaping a crop.

You immediately slash one of the creatures in two and continue to mow down more of the child-things.  The ground is soon slick with their blood as you slay five more, swinging your scythe in wide arcs and slashing them to ribbons.

* Kaius Alexander charges forward and body slams one of the creatures.

You slam into one but it scampers away, the little tyke!

Two more have just emerged from the stairwell.

* Mr. Carver slashes at another fiendish child.

It squeals in agony; on your second stab you impale it through the chest and it dies, vomiting black blood.

* Mr. Carver continues to stab and slash with the Agony Knife while attempting to avoid the creatures' attacks.

* Tarim takes a couple steps forward and chants ghastly, outstretching his clawed hands. Dark coils of puissant energy leap from his fingers at the nearest child-thing.

The hideous child explodes in a cloud of black gore and eldritch energy.

Wispy - Jatayi Bolt Activate!

* Wispy shoots bolts into the melee.

One of the child-things falls dead with a quarrel ticking from its head.

* Vetter claws another of the creatures apart.

Two of the monsters set upon Koldobika, rending the fox with their claws.  He howls soundlessly in pain.  The other creatures continue to leap and claw at the party, one scrabbling at Kryzbytn, others ravaging Carver and Kaius, though their claws cannot penetrate the armoured warrior's armour easily.

* Krybytn continues to slash with his scythe, killing two more creatures before slipping on Wispy's honeyslick and embedding his scythe in a pillar by accident.

Kryzbytn - Urk!

* Kryzbytn tries to free his weapon as best he can.

Kryzbytn - Damned honeyslick!

Mr. Carver - KILL THEM KAIUS!

* Kaius Alexander swiftly dispatches two of the creatures attacking him.

Ekwanesu, badly injured lingers in the false tomb while the party finishes off the pack of neonatal monsters.

* Koldobika brandishes his blade and nimbly slits the throat of the nearest monstrosity, spraying black blood everywhere.

* Tarim levels his rifle and releases a pair of shots at the monstrous children.

The first of Tarim's bullets passes through the head of one child-thing and hits a second, killing both instantly.  With his second shot Tarim slays a third monster.

* Kryzbytn tugs away at his scythe stuck in the pillar in frustration as the battle rages.

* Mr. Carver stabs one in the back and swipes at another, but the second dances away, giggling horribly.

Mr. Carver - Damn horrors!

* Vetter rends gleefully into the last child-creature with both claws.

You slash at the creature and injure it badly. It whines and cries, disturbingly like a human child.

Wispy - Wispy aims his crossbow bolts at the last changeling.

Wispy - I don't know if you've heard of me, strange little whiny thing, but I'm a story teller, and this is how your story goes. The story begins with a nasty birth; the middle is filled with brutish fighting, and it '" like all stories with a moral '" boasts a pointed ending.

* Wispy fires three times.

Wispy's three bolts silence the creature's squeals.

The floor is slick with the blackish blood of the slain; their dismembered corpses are heaped around you.  The scene is... extremely disturbing.  You hear vague giggling sounds echoing from down the passage to the north, as well as the pad of small feet.

* Mr. Carver wipes the blood of his face and steadies his hat.

Tarim - Fucking hells! What gleeting cesspit did these misshapen rugrats crawl out of?

Mr. Carver - I can only assume it was the crypt me and Kol wandered into. Although if these were the children I'd hate to see their mother.

Wispy - You dug them out of graves?

Kryzbytn - So this is the work of you two, Carver?

Tarim - Where had you wandered to? We found the hidden tomb.

Mr. Carver - Work and work, this wasn't the desired outcome.

* Vetter realises, as the adrenaline wears off, that he strained his injured legs leaping into combat.

Vetter - Ahhhh... grrrrrrrrrrrruttting gleet!

* Kryzbytn finally yanks his scythe free.

Kaius Alexander - We should make our way back to the surface quickly. Their numbers are indeterminate. Potentially dangerous.

* Koldobika is glad to see the battle over. The creatures were not terribly tough on their own, but there had been... many of them.

* Kaius Alexander sheathes his sword smoothly.

* Vetter sniffs at the changeling-ichor on his claws, considering having a taste.

Wispy - You know, Carver, if you need things grafted, we can afford a lot with this wealth - you don't have to go grave robbing.

Mr. Carver - We skulked off to make sure we wouldn't be ambushed on our way out by the men who were conveniently waiting here when we arrived.

Vetter - The men who, it seems, want Tarim and Kaius dead, by the way...

Mr. Carver - As far as grave robbing goes, we never seemed to get around to that part.

Wispy - Ah, so instead we were ambushed by monsters and then we'll be ambushed by Tarim and Kaius' enemies anyway- it's like an Obsidian Beak adventure story. Trying to solve one problem, you just create ten more problems that are worse!

Tarim - Interesting. But we must secure the treasure. Most of it is in a hexed chest.

Mr. Carver - Hmm, trapped I presume?

Tarim - The brainless zerda already opened it once. The result was far from pleasant.

Mr. Carver - Shall I take a look?

Tarim - If we can get it to the surface we can then take our time to remove the hexwork.

Kaius Alexander - I will retrieve the chest and our remaining companions from the tomb.

* Kryzbytn gives a curious chitter.

* Kaius Alexander heads back to the wall and knocks, signalling Pellucid to pull the lever.

Pellucid opens the door.

Kaius Alexander - Come Pellucid. We are leaving.

"At last."

* Kaius Alexander heads over to the chest and picks it up.

The chest is very heavy, but with your clockwork-augmented strength you can easily carry it.[/b]

Ekwanesu hobbles back towards the party.

* Kryzbytn can't help but feel some amount of pity for the zerda as he comes into view.

* Kaius Alexander looks at Oney.

Kaius Alexander - I suppose you do not deserve to be left down here, regardless of the crimes of your master. Come, beast.

* Kaius Alexander walks over to the lever.

Oney obediently follows, its suckered tongue lolling.

* Kaius Alexander pulls the lever again.

Vetter - Now, Tarim, you had mentioned an alternative route to the surface?

* Koldobika wonders if that is the same place as those men they ran into previously.

The alternate route leads through the crypts beneath the Sanguine Church.

Tarim - Ah, yes. There is a way out that takes us through these crypts here.

* Tarim rolls open the map and points at it.

Wispy - It's why we jatayi always say; although when cooking near Dour Erg you may take the egg out of the frying pan, in will soon be surrounded by the Red Rain's fire.[/ic]

[ic=Desecration]You emerge back into the false tomb with Oney, Pellucid, and Ekwanesu, Kaius.

Kaius Alexander - I have the chest. Let us go, we can defeat its sorcelations once we have returned to the surface.

Tarim - Unless you can come up with a good way for us to cross the collapsed bridge with the loot, it seems that we have little in the way of alternatives.

Kaius Alexander - If that is our only route, we have no choice but to take it. Let us not linger.

Kryzbytn '" Agreed.

Vetter - I agree, the new route sounds best.

Mr. Carver - Lead the way Tarim.

Kryzbytn - I grow weary of this place.

Tarim - Very well. This way...

Wispy - That way is not as good as this way; each way to his way; her way is my way; on the by-way, I'll fly way- way up high, hey. They looted their way; I looted my way.

* Wispy sings a traditional jatayi thieves' song.

Following the map, you head down the passage and turn left.

 You can hear the tittering of more 'children' off to the right, but none appear... yet.

Vetter - Gleeeeeet.... this place is fairly infested...

* Kryzbytn gives a soft hiss in their direction, lifting his scythe in case any approach.

* Kaius Alexander strides ahead purposefully, ignoring the noises.

The passage leads to another anteroom; the map instructs you to turn right and ascend a staircase.  A heavy stone door blocks the path, however.

* Tarim eyes the shadowed corners nervously.

Mr. Carver - Kaius, guard our rear. We can't have any more surprises.

* Kaius Alexander half turns to keep the entrance they came through in his peripheral vision.

Kaius Alexander - Kryzbytyn. What is your assessment of this edifice?

Kryzbytn - Hmm...

* Kryzbytn examines the door.

Kryzbytn - It seems quite sturdy, Kaius one... and locked.

Tarim - Hm, there must be some way to open the door. It is a door, after all.

Vetter - Shrink it, like we did the grate earlier?

Kaius Alexander - Perhaps there is a mechanism to open it.

Wispy - I'll knock.

* Wispy knocks on the door.

No response.

Wispy - Maybe they're deaf.

* Wispy notes to the group.

Wispy - Koldobika, can you sign to the door? Maybe that'll get their attention.

* Koldobika waits patiently. As part of the reason for the whole... killer baby-pack before, he is opting to stay closer to those with the heavy armour and stabby weapons.

* Kaius Alexander looks at Ekwanesu.

Kaius Alexander - A dangerous situation you have gotten us into, Fox.

The little zerda is still groggy from being concussed. "You knew what you were signng up for, human," the creature says, slurring its words slightly.

Kaius Alexander - Perhaps.

Kryzbytn - But did you, zerda one? You seem unfit for this place, even now.

* Mr. Carver moves to check the second of the two other doors.

The second door is unlocked, Carver.

* Mr. Carver opens it carefully.

There's a passage beyond that opens into another tomb.

* Kaius Alexander stands casually, chest on one shoulder.

* Kryzbytn peers with his Darkvision.

* Tarim examines the map to see what is marked on it regardign the other doors.

Tarim, the other doors have passages leading to more crypts: two crypts on the far wall (where Carver is looking) and three to the left.

Tarim - Looks like more crypts. But I don't see a way around this door.

Vetter - Psst! Carver! Where you runnin' off to now?

Mr. Carver - Checking to see if there is anything useful in the adjoining rooms. Or other things we should take heed of '" say, monsters.

* Vetter goes to check the door beyond the one Carver opened.

* Vetter freezes as Carver speaks

Vetter - Might be more loot though?

* Wispy looks for more loot.

Tarim - Might be more traps also.

Wispy - Quick, Kol, sign to it. It didn't answer to my speech.

Vetter (Whisper) - Shut up, bird!

* Kryzbytn narrows his eyes.

* Kaius Alexander silently draws his sword.

Mr. Carver, you hear faint moist sounds in the darkness '" wet, organic, slurping sounds...

Mr. Carver - Some kind of... slurping sound.

Kaius Alexander - Then I suggest you leave the strange sounds alone.

Kryzbytn - ...It's not the ooze beast again... is it?

* Wispy shrieks at mention of the ooze beast.

Kaius Alexander - Bird! Silence yourself.

* Wispy covers his mouth with a wing.

Mr. Carver - No, it is not that.

Tarim - Better let Carver check it out. Quietly.

* Koldobika will wait back this time...

* Mr. Carver sneaks down the dark passageway.

You enter a small tomb; a scene of horror assails you.  A bizarre being like a disembodied, decaying head floats above a human corpse, its mouth fastened to the cadaver's in a grotesque, extended kiss.  Tentacles like entrails dangle from the grave-spawn's severed neck, and more extrude from its distended jaw and through the lips of the dead man.  The man is garbed in what look to be ecclesiastical garments.  There's a brass key on his belt.  You are being as stealthy as possible '" it doesn't seem to have noticed you.

Tarim, Wispy, Kol, you hear more giggling sounds from behind you, growing louder...

* Wispy instructs Oney to be alert.

* Tarim slowly turns around, gripping his rifle.

* Mr. Carver makes his way slowly back to the group.

Mr. Carver - I found a face-eating monster, a dead Sanguinist and a brass key.  Did you perhaps see a keyhole on that door?  Because then I suggest we get the key.

There is a keyhole...

Kryzbytn (quietly) - What is it Tarim?

Tarim - Better hurry. More midgets may be coming this way.

* Koldobika sighs inwardly. Lovely. More of those things.

Vetter - What's the beastie, Carver?

Mr. Carver - Flying head draped in tentacles, attached to the priests head. Shock-and-awe or should I try to get it from under its nose? Tarim? Does it match anything from your mental bestiary?

Tarim - If we could get through the door quickly and close it....

Vetter - Sneaky might end up being quicker, if we're, ah, pressed for time, as it were.

Mr. Carver - I'll try. Just kill it before it eats my face, yes?

Kryzbytn - I'm not one for subtlety, but take it away, by all means.

Kaius Alexander - I will remain here to maintain the security of this chamber in the event of the arrival of more... 'children'. I suggest you retrieve the key.

* Mr. Carver sneaks back towards the horror. And the key.

* Vetter stands by the door ready to rush in if he hears... screams or anything, from Carver.

* Kaius Alexander places the chest on the ground near to the door and again takes up his shield

You sneak into the room.  The head seems engrossed in its meal and does no notice you - yet.  Getting close will be extremely difficult.  You can use some of the sarcophagi for cover.

* Tarim crouches, the barrel of his gun leveled at the dark tunnel whence the giggling noises are echoing.

* Mr. Carver sneaks forwards into the room, crouching behind a sarcophagus.  He nimbly filches the brass key from the corpse of the Sanguinist while attempting to evade the notice of the feeding monstrosity.

Evidently it is engrossed in its meal, as you manage to snatch the key without alerting it to your presence.

* Mr. Carver retreats back into the shadows and down the corridor.

* Mr. Carver hurries to the door when he is safely away from the head.

Vetter - You get it alright, then?

Kryzbytn - Nicely done. Commendable, Carver.

Mr. Carver - Depends on what is behind the door. Let's see.

* Kaius Alexander says as he slowly backs towards the door.

You see eyes glowing in the gloom, and hear footsteps approaching!

Vetter - Let's get this bloody door open then!

* Mr. Carver turns the key.

Childish laughter, hideously distorted, rings out as a dozen of the childish monsters appear at the end of the corridor, scampering towards you!

* Mr. Carver opens the door hastily.

Mr. Carver - Oh, if I only had another cestoid on hand.

Kryzbytn - Get behind the door!

* Mr. Carver runs through.

* Tarim retreats through the doorway as fast as he can, never taking his eyes off the figures in the distance.

* Koldobika scurries through the open portal.

The door leads to a stairway leading upwards.

* Kryzbytn follows with Kaius behind the last few to go in.

* Kaius Alexander picks up the chest again, and tries to get through the door before the arrival of the children.

* Vetter stands until Kol is through, then runs through himself and starts scampering up the stairs.

Mr. Carver - let's hope these children can't climb stairs, eh?

Kaius Alexander - I do not know that I will be able to outpace them.

Tarim - Close the door if you can!

* Wispy and Oney go through the door, just before Kaius.

Pellucid and Ekwanesu hurry through.

Kaius, four of the creatures burst into the room as you make your retreat.

* Mr. Carver closes the door if when everyone is through and hastily locks the door.

One of the monsters leaps towards you as Carver slams it shut and turns the key in the lock.  You can hear its claws scrabbling against the stone.[/b

Mr. Carver - Hm, that should hold.

* Kaius Alexander turns to look at Carver.

Kaius Alexander - Unpleasant creatures.

* Mr. Carver raises an eyebrow.

Mr. Carver - Quite so, and there are a lot of them, much like human children.

You hear a weird shrieking sound, muffled by the stone, on the other side of the door.

Tarim - Must have alerted the creature.

Mr. Carver - Oh, the head is loose.

Vetter - Haha, that'll learn the little gleetbags.

* Tarim examines the map again.

The map does not show all of the Catacombs beneath the church itself, Tarim.

Kaius Alexander - And we are beneath... the Sanguine church?

Past this stairway is what looks like a reliquary.  Beyond the reliquary are two tombs, each of them sealed; there's also a stairway leading upwards, to the upper level of the crypts below the Sanguine Church.

Tarim - Only one way for us to go, if we don't want to return to face what we just escaped.

Mr. Carver - Well, no one ever died from fighting their way through a horde of rabid Striga cultists.

Tarim - We'll pass through a reliquary. Might be an opportunity to loot some sacred items.

* Tarim grins.

* Mr. Carver looks through whatever is kept in the reliquary.

The reliquary contains the bones of various saints and the like, kept in ornate chests.  You also find four gold statuettes of Striga's vampiric angels with ruby eyes.

Mr. Carver - Oh, I would so love to open that door and unleash hive-minded hell on these bastards.

Kaius Alexander - And on ourselves? Unadvisable.

* Wispy gathers bones for Oney.

Mr. Carver - Gold is gold no?

* Mr. Carver puts the statues in a sack.

Mr. Carver - Wispy, that fingerbone over there looks good.

Wispy - Now Oney, these are holy bones, so they should be extra tasty.

The Hellhound feasts on the holy bones.

* Kryzbytn looks around, scythe always at the ready.

* Wispy totally destroys all the saints' bodies and bones, scattering and smashing those that he does not take, and tipping everything onto the floor.

* Wispy giggles maniacally.

* Kryzbytn languidly tips his head towards Wispy.

Kryzbytn - Bird one... what are you doing?

Mr. Carver - Defiling and blaspheming. It is his way in life.

Wispy - Carver; I've always been a believer in denying enemies comfort and use of their weapons '" and to clerics, what greater weapon than their saint's reliquaries!

Mr. Carver - Their faith? But I guess we are well on our way to ruining that too. At least we have made a contribution to the downfall of Striga. A good day's work all in all. The thrice-damned fools.

Kaius Alexander - At the least.

Vetter - Damn their faith, let's just get out of here. These blood-freaks give me the creeps.

* Wispy has Vicebite carve some graffiti in hextongue questioning the humans' parentage.

Vetter - Come on my beautiful boys, fun as this is, shouldn't we be heading onward and upward?

Tarim - No point staying longer than it takes to loot the place.

* Kaius Alexander proceeds up the stairs.

* Vetter follows closely behind Kaius.

This seems to be a preparation room.  There is a central slab and a table with an array of tools and fluids in large jars.  Opposite the entrance is an adjoining chamber from which a soft glow emanates.  To the right is another stone door.

* Mr. Carver scouts a little bit ahead, close to the group.

* Kaius Alexander raises his visor.

* Tarim peers into the chamber from which the glowing light emanates.

A large basin full of glowing water is evident against one wall here, large enough to immerse a humanoid being.  There are also a number of glass phials and ceramic ewers on a solid stone table to one side.

Tarim - Some kind of ritual bath perhaps?

Vetter - Piss in the baisin, Wispy?

Kryzbytn - Hmm

Wispy - Naw.

* Wispy replies.

Wispy - We could smash the basin though.

Kryzbytn - Anyone make anything of this?

Mr. Carver - Acid to melt the flesh off the holy bones? Wouldn't put it past them. Let's leave that alone, shall we?

Kaius Alexander - Best leave alone what we do not understand.

Mr. Carver - That seems like an unhealthy attitude Kaius '" or a dull one.

Wispy, you recognize this as holy water, infused with sunlight.  It will burn grave-spawn flesh and is also harmful to demons...

Wispy - Actually, Kaius, I know exactly what this does. Tarim, you might want to get away from the water... and let's not smash it. It burns grave-spawn flesh.

* Koldobika thinks it may be useful to collect some holy water before it is befouled...

Tarim - Thanks for the warning, bird one.

* Koldobika collects ten phials of holy water.

Tarim - We better go try that door then.

* Vetter goes back and listens at the door.

You hear, very faintly, the sound of a bell tolling the hour of three.

* Wispy frowns at watching Kol fill up the phials.

Wispy '" Grave-spawn like Tarim are our great allies.

Tarim - So long as they do not go throwing them at me, I don't particularly mind.

* Koldobika glances at the bird. He turns to Vetter.

Koldobika (Flicker) - The Profit is the Profit.

Vetter - Kol is in favour of the money he would get for selling the stuff... now shall we go?

Kaius Alexander - Yes.

Wispy - I suppose that's okay.

* Wispy shrugs.

Wispy - Making profit from their prophets...

Mr. Carver - Let's just get out of here!

* Mr. Carver skulks off.

* Vetter gingerly tries the door.

The door is locked, but the brass key fits.

* Mr. Carver turns the key in the lock.

Through the door is a long hall lined with alcoves bearing dozens of skulls marked with numerals.  There are five doors: two on either side of the hall, one on the opposite end.

Mr. Carver - Tarim, any idea where we are in relation to the street?

Tarim - I'm afraid the map doesn't cover these cult chambers, but I'd imagine that we'll eventually get out if we keep going upwards.

Kryzbytn - Perhaps we should try the doors?

Mr. Carver - Let's try the lonely door; the others look more like antechambers.

* Kaius Alexander rolls his eyes.

* Mr. Carver moves to the door at the other end of the room.

Tarim - I'd advice listening by the door before opening it. You might hear if there's noise from the other side.

* Mr. Carver waves his hand dismissively.

* Mr. Carver listens at the door, then opens when he hears nothing.

Through the door there is a spiral staircase lit with torches.

Kaius Alexander - Let us be out of these chambers, then.

* Kaius Alexander starts to ascend the staircase.

Vetter - Why are we mucking about here? Onwards, up the stairs, right lads? Right?

At the top of the staircase is a wooden door, slightly ajar.

* Kryzbytn peeks through the door.

Through the door you can see the main sanctum of the Church.  You are on one side of the central dais.  Braziers smoulder before the altar, with Striga's imposing statue above it.  Stained glass windows depicting vicious, white-winged warriors admits pale moonlight.

* Kaius Alexander pushes the door open.

* Mr. Carver goes to Kaius.

Kaius Alexander - ....Hm.

* Koldobika hopes there is not supposed to be a service soon.

Tarim - Looks like we're on the surface, at least.

Vetter - Then let's get out of here...

Kaius Alexander - Quickly and quietly.

Various shrines to saints and the like are evident to either side of this central room.  There's another wooden door on the other side of the dais, and a pair of large double doors at the other end of the hall - likely the front entrance.

* Vetter makes his way cautiously out into the room.

Tarim - The front door must be guarded, even at night

Kryzbytn '" Certainly. An exterior window then. They are often convenient.

* Vetter goes over to examine one of the shrines.

You find a man in prostrate prayer before a row of candles and a small statuette.  He seems engrossed in his meditations and does not notice your approach.

* Vetter stealthily approaches the man to dispatch him as quickly as possible.

Despite your efforts the man hears your footsteps and gasps in alarm.  He begins to scramble to his feet as you bear down on him.

* Mr. Carver runs to silence him before this mess gets out of hand.

* Wispy stays out of the way.

* Vetter strikes swiftly.

Your claws rake the man's body and he cries out in pain.  He staggers back and overturns the shrine. The candles have now set a rug on fire... and the worshipper.

* Kaius Alexander turns his head quickly towards the noise.

Tarim - What the gleet?
Kaius Alexander - Fuck.

Mr. Carver '" Uh-oh

Vetter - Oh gleet. Sorry, boys!

Kryzbytn - Vetter one... you just inadvertently set the Sanguine church aflame...

Kaius Alexander - No time. Front doors.

Tarim - Agreed. We fight our way out if we must.

* Mr. Carver strides up to Zerda and slaps him.

Mr. Carver - You gleeting idiot! We almost got out of here!

Vetter - Carver! How bloody dare you! It's not my fault this gleetbag jumped up out of gleeting nowhere, is it!?

Kaius Alexander - Vetter. Shut up. We need to get out of here.

Mr. Carver - Hmm, now would be a good time to hide discerning features.

Kaius Alexander - We are fairly distinctive, if you had not noticed.

The bleeding, burning man runs into the main room and collapses, rolling madly in an attempt to put out the spreading flames.

 * Wispy flips around his sorrow mask.

* Kaius Alexander strides towards the front doors.

Wispy - Hey, I'll shoot out a couple of windows as a distraction!

* Tarim walks beside Kaius.

Wispy - Does that sound good to you guys, or not needed?

* Vetter starts to say something to Kaius, then thinks better of it.

* Mr. Carver changes direction and scuttles across the walls using his claws until he is above the door to the Church.

Kryzbytn - We need to move fast!

The front doors burst open as you walk towards them and a pair of armed guards clad in the robes of the Church enter, bearing halberds.

Kryzbytn - Not fast enough...

Wispy - Oi, too late.

"What is going on in here?!" one of the guards demands.

Wispy - Weekly Cleansing of the church!

Tarim - Your death. Is what is going one here.

Vetter - Help us! This man has polymorphed us all into inhuman abominations!

* Kaius Alexander draws his blade fluidly as he strides towards the guards.

* Mr Carver leaps down, knife flashing.

The guard spins round as you descend and blocks our attack with his halberd, shoving you aside.  You hit the door and are stunned.

Kaius Alexander - Pellucid. Destroy these pests.

"Gladly."

* Tarim dashes for the nearest spot of cover and weaves a spell, unleashing a crackling bolt of strength-sapping puissance upon one of the guards.

The guard's limbs wither.  He drops his halberd in horror, looking at his shaking hands.

* Koldobika dashes forward, staying low to the ground and hopefully without much notice. As he gets nearer the guards, he scurries directly at them before tipping his shoulder forward, tumbling between the one's legs and slashing out in an attempt to hamstring the guard.

You slash at the guard's legs and he cries out, turning around and hacking at you ineffectually.

Wispy - 1. Oney! Go attack. 2. Vicebite, start breaking windows.

* Wispy heads to the other door and sets it on fire with his Netherflame, scars lowing crimson briefly.

The Hellhound snarls and bounds forward, jumping atop the withered guard, while Vicebte smashes stained glass windows, mutilating an angelic figure.

* Kryzbytn strikes with his scythe at the remaining armed guard.

The man parries and disarms you.  Your scythe clatters down the Church steps.  The guard retreats, limping from the injury Kol gave him.

* Koldobika strikes again, delivering a second wound.

Pellucid snarls and a bolt of blackish energy flies from its clawed fingers.  The fleeing guard explodes, viscera and random limbs splattering the church steps.

Oney has taken care of the second.

* Kryzbytn feels a little better.

You can hear shouts of alarm coming from beyond the door Wispy set fire to.

* Kryzbytn grabs his scythe from the steps, furious .

Vetter - I take no responsibility for this. The man set himself on fire!

* Koldobika thinks that it is time to be gong now.

* Mr. Carver slaps Vetters head again, but otherwise says nothing.

Vetter - Carver! Pack it in, or do you want hitting back? My slap is sharper than yours!

Mr. Carver - Just stop ruining our clever plans of escape and we'll call it even fox.

Kaius Alexander - The militia will no doubt arrive soon. We must split up. We will meet tomorrow at the Blood of Saints.

* Tarim quickly heads for the main entrance.

* Kryzbytn looks around hastily.

You're in the middle of Pulsetown.  Streets raidate out in all directions: to the Hollow Skull Theatre, the Fighting Pits, to Velveteen Circus, to Slimesquallor.

Vetter - Look, mistakes will be made, Carver! But if you bloody lay hands on me again I will not be responsible...

* Koldobika agrees to the plan and hurriedly takes off, trusting more to his own skills at evasion and hiding than the others.

Mr. Carver - It is not a too common haunt of ours?

Kaius Alexander - They will not know it was us if we leave quickly.

Mr. Carver - Then let's leave.

* Kaius Alexander heads down the steps and proceeds to his spire.

* Mr. Carver runs into the street.

* Tarim makes for the shadowed alleys.

* Vetter dashes after the others, still fuming.

Kryzbytn - Wispy one, it may be best to retreat to your place again - if you don't mind the weight

Wispy - You'll have to run along for a while though, Kryz... I can't carry both you and Oney. In fact, I think a new place is in order.

Kryzbytn - Ah yes, Oney one

Wispy - I know just the place.

Kryzbytn - You do?

Kryzbytn - Lead on, bird one!

Wispy - To the sewers!

* Kryzbytn hesitates.

Kryzbytn - Wispy one, you go.  I'll make my way on my own.

Kaius, Carver, you're heading down the street when you see a militia contingent approaching from up ahead, bows at the ready.

Ekwanesu follows Vetter.

* Mr. Carver  runs down the first and best alleyway he can find.

* Kaius Alexander casually sidesteps, following Carver.

* Kryzbytn darts into a dark alley.

* Kryzbytn wanders through back alleys... so much as to make himself a little lost.

The guards rush past, but one in the rear spots you, Kaius, and approaches.

* Mr. Carver swears under his breath.

Mr. Carver - I'll distract them.

"You there citizen!  What are you doing out so late?  What do you have there?"

Mr. Carver - We are merely carrying some important goods to our master. Needlefingers, of the Empire of Metamorphoses. Dangerous stuff, it has to be kept cool in this chest.

"Put that chest down now and put your weapons down on the ground, slowly.  You too, patchy."

* Mr. Carver palms the Agony Knife.

* Kaius Alexander places his blade and the chest on the ground.

Mr. Carver - Look, our goods are of no concern to such an upstanding member of the city guard. I'm sure we could find some way to compensate you for your troubles, and we can just report to a guard of less importance later.

"Hmm... I'm listening.  We do have something of a situation going on."

Mr. Carver - Say, two hundred bones. Then you have the financial security to pursue the more important cases.

* Mr. Carver starts counting out the bones.

Kaius Alexander - A humble token of our appreciation of the unsung efforts of the militia.

"Generous of you, citizens.  Very well.  So long as you report in later."  He grins.

Mr. Carver - Of course of course! Anything else would be reprehensible. Good luck with your investigation officer.

"Evening, citizens."  He heads off to catch up with his squad.

* Mr. Carver shakes the guard's hand, exchanging the bones with the same gesture.[/ic]

[ooc]Way behind on these, but getting there...slowly.  This one's fairly self-contained.[/ooc] [ic=The Gibbous Prince]* Kaius Alexander, having deposited Pellucid and the recently obtained chest at his residence, goes in search of the gland that he seeks to create a drug-injection system for his armour.

You find a graft peddler in the Court-of-Flesh, a man with unsettling crimson eyeballs.  He offers to sell you a gland of the type you seek for two hundred obeloi.

* Kaius Alexander thinks.

* Kaius Alexander nods his agreement and hands over the obeloi.

"Pleasure doing business with you."

Kaius Alexander - And you.

*Tarim, meanwhile, seeks out someone to tend to his newly acquired tortoise.

You contract a beast-master, a man named Shebb Greyghast, to tend to your tortoise.  He will charge a hundred and fifty bones to bring the beast back to health, which he says will take a week and a half.

Tarim - The price is fair enough.

* Kaius returns to his home.

Kaius, as you ascend the spiral staircase of the Tower of Moans something strange attracts your attention in the study.  On the antique writing desk where you found Orlando's notes and magisterial shackles, a strange book is evident '" a slim, battered volume bound in pale leather jaundiced with age.  You don't remember seeing this volume before, though it looks much like many of the other texts the former owner possessed, albeit in somewhat better condition.
.
* Kaius Alexander stops and looks around.

There's no sign anyone's been here.

* Kaius Alexander steps over to his desk and picks up the book.

* Kaius Alexander opens it to the first page.

Inside is the inscrutable title 'The Gibbous Prince,' followed by a curious sigil or device; no author is given.  The pages are old, but aren't disintegrating.

Kaius Alexander - Curious.

* Kaius Alexander calls out loudly.

Kaius Alexander - Pellucid.

Momentarily, the demon enters the room.

"Yes, master?"

Kaius Alexander - You did not admit anyone to the spire in my absence, did you, Pellucid?

"No.  Certainly not."

Kaius Alexander - I have found this text, placed upon my desk. Unfamiliar. 'The Gibbous Prince', what do you make of it?

"Hmm.  Most strange.  Perhaps you merely did not notice it before?  I am not familiar with the title."

Kaius Alexander - Possible.

"It could be one of my former master's books..."

Kaius Alexander - That would make sense. Remain in my company for the moment, Pellucid, perhaps you will be able to provide additional insight.

"Of course."

* Kaius Alexander starts to read the book.

As you turn the pages you realize that the book is a play in five Acts.

The story concerns a group of decadent nobles in a land called the Chiaroscuro Kingdom, which seems to have extremely odd sumptuary laws -wearing colours is forbidden on pain of death unless one is of noble blood, for example.  The various characters are all extravagantly named, with titles like Lord Doubleface, the Mismatched Maiden, the Pallid Queen, Duke Sullen, and the fool Grimjaw Scribblepate.  The titular Gibbous Prince is oft alluded to does not appear until late in the play: he seems to have been kept incarcerated in a tower of the 'Fleshly Fortress' since birth, due to some monstrous deformity.  He never sees another mortal soul - he is so grotesque that merely looking upon him causes madness - but he receives food and water through a slot in the door of his cell, as well as books.  His voice is heard through the slot, and he beguiles the young servant girl (the Mismatched Maiden) into setting him free at the end of the fourth Act.  Liberated, he stalks the halls driving everyone mad and summoning dreadful spirits using spells he gleaned from the books he was given.  Only the fool is able to eventually defeat the Gibbous Prince, tricking him into looking into a mirror.

Kaius Alexander - Most unusual. It is a play. Your former master was not interested in the dramatic arts, was he?

"He dabbled in many areas.  It is quite possible he owned the play '" or even wrote it himself.  That said, I do not recall him as being overly theatrically inclined..."

Kaius Alexander - Yes. Hm. While the unexpected presence of this text concerns me, it seems innocuous in and of itself.

"It does not seem overtly hexed or warded, certainly..."

Kaius Alexander - Yes. I will keep it for now. I do not see the harm. Redouble your vigilance though, Pellucid. I will do likewise.

"I shall, of course.  Perhaps someone in the city would be interested in purchasing the play?"

Kaius Alexander - Perhaps. Mr. Defoin might be take interest in it. One more thing, Pellucid.

"Yes?"

Kaius Alexander - I had forgot to commend you for your performance this day. I am suitably impressed. Is there anything, material or otherwise, that you would wish as reward for this service?

"It was nothing more than my contract required.  Unless you wish to commute my length of service there is nothing especially I desire."

Kaius Alexander - No, I do not think that is possible. My offer stands if there is anything else you desire in future.

"I will keep that in mind."

Kaius Alexander - Goodnight, Pellucid.

"Goodnight, Mr. Alexander."

* Kaius Alexander ascends to his bedchamber.[/ic]

[ic=Commerce]At Tarim's residence in Worm-Hive, the ghul witch and Kaius Alexander attempt to dispel the wards on the chest they found before meeting their comrades at The Blood of Saints.

* Kaius Alexander enters Tarm's work-room, chest in tow.

Tarim - Good to see that you weren't caught by the militia.

Kaius Alexander - It was a close call.

* Tarim nods.

Kaius Alexander - That fox, Vetter, he is not subtle. He does not think. I am displeased with his performance.

Tarim - As for this troublesome chest, I can now attempt to nullify the hex upon it

Kaius Alexander - Good.

Tarim - However, this will only suppress the sounds for a moment. Therefore we should be ready to topple the whole chest and empty its contents quickly.

Kaius Alexander - I am prepared.

* Tarim chants eldritch syllables, attempting to dispel the witcheries attached to the chest.

Tarim - Now!

* Kaius Alexander opens the lid and topples the contents onto the floor.

Coins topple out of the chest into a huge heap on the floor.

* Tarim helps empty the chest.

* Kaius Alexander quickly closes it once it is empty.

You close it just in time.

Tarim - Quite the hoard.

Kaius Alexander - Yes. Quite.

* Tarim begins to collect his share of the treasures into a sack.

Kaius Alexander - You may keep the chest if you wish, Tarim. I have no use for such a thing.

Tarim - I might keep it as a surprise for any would-be burglars

* Tarim grins.

Kaius Alexander - Hah.

* Kaius Alexander begins to deposit the remaining piled obeloi equally into seven identical canvas sacks.

Kaius Alexander - Tarim, I must retrieve a certain text from my home before we meet at the Blood of Saints.

Tarim '" Alright.

Kaius Alexander - You may accompany me if you wish, or proceed directly there.

Tarim - I bid you farewell till then.

* Kaius Alexander nods.

* Meawhile, Kryzbytn leaves the Blue Orchid Inn (where he was staying) and decides to pay Kaius Alexander a visit, having pieced together that he is the new occupant of the Tower of Moans...

* Kryzbytn knocks at the door.

Pellucid opens it.  "Yes?" the demon asks.

Kryzbytn - Hello, err, Pellucid one, is it?

"Correct.  You are the insectoid known as Krybytn."

Kryzbytn '" I seek Kaius one.  Is he home?

"No, not at the moment."

Kryzbytn - Ah...

* Kryzbytn looks around.

A sparsely decorated anteroom is evident beyond the door, with a  spiral staircase in the center leading both up and down.

Kryzbytn - Do you know where he has gone?

"He has gone to deal with the chest you found, I believe."

Kryzbytn - Ah... and where might he be dealing with said chest?

"I am not certain.  It would be impertinant of me to interrogate him."

Kryzbytn - Fair enough.

* Kryzbytn looks around awkwardly.

Kryzbytn - Is it too much for me to come inside?

"You may wait here, but I must ask you not to venture to other levels of the tower."

Kryzbytn - Of course, the gesture is appreciated.

* Kryzbytn gives a stiff bow.

* Kryzbytn steps inside and admires the building.

* Wispy, having found a safe sewer-tunnel to kip in for the night, searches for a fence for stolen goods...

Deep below, you are unbothered by the Watchdogs' nightly howls.

Wispy - Oney, I think the dealer is that way... Hmm...

You don't know anyone except some second-rate fences whose offers would be insultingly low '" at least not that you can find at the moment.

Wispy - Damn Gar-Anmon must be back in the Gladiatorial pits again. Good thing he's great at fighting his way out of the messes he gets himself into. Well Oney, good work tracking that human mole-thing hybrid back to his mucousy lair in the Stinkvoid sewerscape; it's a pity that the slimes got him and ate up all of his merchandise.

* Kaius Alexander retrns to the Tower of Moans to find Kryzbytn in his front parlor.

Kaius Alexander - Kryzbytn. I see you have found my home. I will reiterate that you are welcome to stay, if you should find yourself without residence.

Kryzbytn - Kaius one, greetings.

* Kaius Alexander proceeds up the spiral staircase to retrieve Orlando Petrifax's Tome of Fleshcraft, and, on further consideration, The Gibbous Prince.

* Kaius Alexander grunts down the staircase

Kryzbytn - The Pellucid one seems to have informed me of your endeavors to, I assume, open the chest.  How did they go?

* Kaius Alexander calls down as he descends

Kaius Alexander - As expected. We have retrieved the contents.

* Kryzbytn calls back

Kryzbytn - Excellent!

Kaius Alexander - Two thousand obeloi.

* Kaius Alexander tosses Kryz one of the sacks as he enters the parlor.

Kaius Alexander - Your share.

* Kryzbytn barely catches it, unexpected.

* Kryzbytn looks quizzically at it

Kaius Alexander - Pellucid, you will accompany me today. I may have use of your services.

"Very well, master."

Kaius Alexander - Come, Kryz. The Blood of Saints.

Their errands complete, the party meets at the Blood of Saints, a ghul-bar in the witch's district of Hexwarren.  Hexwarren is an odd place, even by the demented standards of Macellaria and the rest of this forsaken world: here are the glyph parlours with their selections of arcane tattoos, the tissue shops with their inventory of preserved flesh ready for grafting.  Where the buskers of Resurrection Row, Pulsetown, and the Curio Bazaars tend to be acrobats and street musicians those here are gutter-seers, soul-tinkers, and vagabond mystics who perform strange tricks, reanimating the corpses of rats and birds to make them dance like puppets, or summoning enthralling phantasms to entertain pedestrians.  Servitors, the sigil-scrawled thralls of the city's fleshcrafters, trudge uncomplaining through the streets carrying reagents and books and other esoteric supplies, followed by trails of flies and the reek of preservatives.

The main street here is Chrysalis Street, a winding thoroughfare that runs from the Skin Markets to the Witch's Gate, the western entrance to the city whose road leads to Moroi.  Lining the street are various grafting establishments, as well as alchemists, bookshops, apothecaries, and fortune-tellers.  The air is strangely charged with some weird, intangible resonance, and smells of old parchment, ink, chemicals, and sulphur, in addition to the usual stench of must, sweat, and carrion that permeates the rest of the city like macabre perfume.  To either side of Chrysalis Street Hexwarren's other landmarks are evident: the grim outline of the Fane of Dust, where ghilan and other grave-spawn worship certain inscrutable Star-Gods; the coiled library tower known as the Vellum Citadel; the cluster of towers that comprises the Academy of Witchcraft; the haphazard, crazed headquarters of the Splicing Consortium.  Also of note is Tatterdemalion Court, a gloomy quadrangle near the Fane where the graft-pedlars hawk their wares, and Murrain Square, where poison-sellers congregate.

The Blood of Saints, an establishment not far from the Splicing Consortium Guildhall, looks more like some kind of exotic shrine than a bar: dozens of gargoyles in the semblance of winged and many-headed monsters perch atop its roof, and its windows are of glittering, tinted glass.  The interior is even more opulent, its furniture of finely carven ebony and Screamwood oak as white as grave-spawn flesh, its floor of black marble, its walls covered in mirrors.  Lamps and decorations are all gilded, and the booths here have red curtains for privacy and sumptuous velvet cushions.  Reanimated corpses dressed in fine clothes serve as the waiters, while the bartender is a female demon, white-skinned and voluptuous with long, black fangs and the lower body of a scaled satyr.  She is fettered by the ankle to the bar, which is covered in glyphs, and serves patrons everything from wine to fresh blood.  Occasionally she attaches a prolix clockwork pump to one of her bare breasts: the device extracts liquid, which she stirs directly into some of the drinks she mixes.

The customers here are a well-heeled lot.  Needlefingers, an effete human fleshcrafter in a sallow suit of manskin, sits at the bar and chats amiably with a hairless woman tattooed from head to foot with what look like eldritch formulae.  Off to one side a pair of scavenger Guildsmen - members of the Iridescent Angles - talk over a map, their conversation warded so that no one else can hear them.  One witch turns the pages of a grimoire with one set of hands while sipping her drink with another, smaller pair grafted to her lower jaw, like a pair of insect's mandibles; a long-haired ghul in the robes of a sacerdos plays a game with hexagonal cards with a shade in the delicately embalmed body of a mummified monkey; a man with eyes blazing with the golden light of nectar sits in a corner and chain-smokes.

Ekwanesu hobbles into the bar and seats himself.

* Kryzbytn looks about rapidly to take in all the splendor of the place.

* Kaius Alexander sits patiently in a booth with Pellucid and Kryzbytyn.

* Wispy and Oney enter the bar.

As Oney enters the barthe bartender shoots you a dark glare.

"That beast must wait outside," the demoness states.

Wispy - Why?

"It may cause a mess, and in any case we do not permit pets."

Wispy - My Oneiroi isn't a pet. He's a partner. Like Pellucid here.

* Wispy points at Pellucid.

"I'm a demon, fuckwit, I know a Hellhound when I see one."

Wispy - He's still not a pet... but I can leave him outside if I must.

* Wispy sighs.

Wispy - Oney, you bark if anything happens, and kill anyone who attacks you.

"Calling it oneiroi won't make it so... not that we'd let one of the Suppuration's progeny in here anyway."

Wispy - I never said he was AN onerori, just that that's his name.

The demoness smirks.

* Tarim arrives to the Blood of Saints, wearing a new robe on him. He frowns briefly as he glances at the group of Iridescent Angles, but regains his composure and proceeds to the bar where Ekwanesu awaits.

"So gentlemen," Ekwanesu says.  "Shall we divide the spoils?  I believe Vetter agreed on fifty-fifty - half for me, half for the rest of the group."

* Kryzbytn looks at his share, then at the zerda.

Kaius Alexander - I do not recall any of the rest of us agreeing to such an arrangement, and Vetter is not here. You will recieve one eighth, the same as the rest of us.

"Proposterous!  Without my map and guidance, we would not have secured the treasure!  We had an agreement!"

Tarim - I already have my share from the warded chest. Fat chance I will part with any of it now.

Kaius Alexander - We bore the risk. Your map was instrumental, certainly. But no more so than the part of anyone else.

Wispy - Even if it was 50/50, what were you expecting, 1000 bones; 4000 bones? You're just as fine off with one 1/8 of 2000 as you would be with 50% of 500. And you had no idea what it would be to start with.

Kaius Alexander - In any case, I recall your guidance was unnecessary for a large sequence of our journey.

"My debts are... sizeable.  Two hundred and fifty bones will not be sufficient to keep the enforcers at bay!"

Wispy - Unnecessarily poor.

Kaius Alexander - The grave goods have yet to be sold, you will recieve an equal share of those as well. Perhaps it will be enough, and if not, count yourself lucky you still have your life.

Tarim - You should be thankful you have as much as this. And your wretched life. You would have neither without us saving you down there.
   
* Kryzbytn observes the conversation.

* Kaius Alexander slides a bag of obeloi over to both Ekwanesu and Wispy.

The foxfolk wrings his paws.  "Hmph.  I hope the grave goods fetch a decent price, or I will soon be mutilated or enslaved."

Kryzbytn - Hope for the latter, I suppose? Though, the former may be more favorable depending on the circumstances...

Wispy - By whom, pray tell? Anyone we know?

"My debt-collectors.  Certain men whom I borrowed coin from.  Not to mention the casinos of the Court-of-Bone."

* Kaius Alexander orders a glass of water from the bartender.

* Kryzbytn orders a glass of wine, having never tasted it before.

"Four obeloi, please.  Add a touch of Hellcream to that?"

Kryzbytn '" Certainly.

* Kryzbytn pretends he knows what he's talking about.

She adds a drop of the liquid she secretes to the drink.

* Kryzbytn takes a sip.

A strange burning sensation coats your throat and mouth.  There is a slight aftertaste of brimstone.

* Kryzbytn flicks his head back and forth rapidly at the strange taste, then preens his mandibles with his scythe arms.

* Fangs flirts shamelessly with the bartender.

* Tarim gets a glass of premium-brand wine, for double the price, without the Hellcream.

* Wispy gets water for himself and Oney.

Kaius Alexander - Shall we negotiate the sale of our goods at Detritus, as per usual?

Tarim - No need to delay this matter. I have personal shopping to do on the side, anyway.

Kaius Alexander - When you are ready, then. Do you know of a location where we would recieve a better valuation for our goods, Ekwanesu? A matter of some concern to you, I am sure.

* Kaius Alexander raises an eyebrow.

"I know a few merchants who might be interested in some of the statuettes.  If you have other tasks, why not leave me the bulk of the goods to see if I can get a good price?  Your presence might be unhelpful - you have a somewhat dour manner, not especially helpful in negotations."

Wispy - That seems like a poor idea, Kaius.

Kaius Alexander - It does.

"Very well!  Accompany me if you must."

Kaius Alexander - Then let us be off.

* Tarim finishes his drink and pays the bartender.

* Kryzbytn finishes his wine

Tarim - Time to go, Fangs. You've entertained her long enough.

* Fangs protests but reluctantly flaps out with you.

You make your way down the colourful length of Chrysalis Street and through the seething, gruesome courts of the Skin Markets to the Curio Bazaars.  The Guildhalls of many of the Robber Guilds rise above the Bazaars - gloomy, palatial structures brooding over the crowded streets.  In between these structures are various shops and masses of stalls and street-sellers.  A ghul with a jackal's muzzle, ears, and face - doubtless grafted before he turned grave-spawn -stands on a corner with an embalmed human foetus possessed by a shade on his shoulder, its umbilical cord wrapped round his arm: the two sell various talismans, rings, broaches, and other bric-a-brac.  Opposite this unlikely pair a broad-shouldered man in a curious leather mask sells a wide variety of axes of every shape and size.  Further along a hagman sells various fetishes, totems, shrunken heads, dolls, and other vodun gris-gris, while a woman grafted with curling ram's horns hawks parts from some ancient machine unearthed from the Shatters.  A pair of human girls wander the market with a cart of fresh blood oranges, while buskers and beggars, mostly leechkin and humans, beg for spare coins (or blood).  Rickshaws, wagons, and carriages rattle by recklessly.

Larger shops nearby include Cog & Bullet (a gunsmith's shop), the pawn shop called Detritus!, a provisioner's shop called The Quintessence of Adventure, and an armourer whose sign proclaims it "Ironbound."

Ekwanesu proceeds to several stalls and haggles with various merchants in an attempt to sell the grave-goods you obtained. He is not exceedinly skillful, however. He seems to have something of a poor reputation, and many of the sellers seem suspicious.

* Kryzbytn frowns upon his methods.

* Kryzbytn looks at Wispy

* Tarim shakes his head disappointedly as he observes the foxfolk's efforts.

Kryzbytn - Bird one, you have a way with words. Perhaps you might do better?

Kaius Alexander - You seem to be having poor luck, fox.

"I assure you, I have experience in these matters," the zerda insists.

Kaius Alexander - Right.

Kryzbytn - That is why, I fear, you are doing so poorly, zerda one.

Wispy (loudly while Ekwaneseu is trying to negotiate with someone so the retailers can oversee) '" And for this we pay you a commission to find the best price? Us poor out of towners; who come to sell our unique goods, to make a new life in the city; have entrusted our luck to a bargainer who's shitty?

* Wispy tries to negotiate with whoever Ekwaneseu just screwed up with.

* Kaius Alexander blinks slowly; he considers the group's distinctive and memorable appearance, and doubts this plan will work

Wispy, you susbtantially improve the price through sheer élan.  The junk-dealer here will buy half of the grave-goods you acquired for a total of seven hundred add fifty bones '" a handsome price for some dusty bric-a-brac.

Wispy - I suppose we can part with this for that, we do need cash, as a fact; and that price appears rather fair; good sir, do take care.

"Good doing business with you.  The fox has better friends than he deserves."

Tarim - You bargain well, Wispy.

Wispy - I appreciate the compliment, Tarim, I only hope that I can live up to it more often than not.

Kaius Alexander - Shall we attempt the sale of the remainder at Detritus, then?

* Kaius Alexander proceeds towards the shop

* Kryzbytn follows

"Very well, we shall try it your way," Ekwanesu relents.  "Though the ghul who runs it is a miser."

* Kaius Alexander enters.

Kaius Alexander - Lorgiss. We seek the sale of certain goods.

The massive muscled grave-spawn shopkeeper greets you warmly.

"Indeed?  Let me have a look."

* Kryzbytn runs to look at the strange machines that clutter parts of the shop.

A variety of oddments are evident: a pair of mechanical boots; some kind of arcane pistol; an eldritch powerpack of some sort; a pair of goggles with many lenses; and an artiuclated gauntlet augmented with clockwork.

* Kaius Alexander splays out the various pieces of jewellery and statuary and sundry other items.

Lorgiss looks over the items, putting on a pair of small spectacles.

* Kryzbytn carefully removes the pistol from the shelf and curiously examines it.

"Carefull with that," Lorgiss cautions.  "A cryopistol.  It's hexed with a rime-charm of some kind.  Freezes you where you stand."

Kryzbytn - Fascinating...

* Kryzbytn removes his Perforator from his person.

* Kryzbytn looks at the two firearms side by side.

Lorgiss turns back to the goods

"Some nice pieces here, but I do need to turn a profit.  I'll give you four hundred for the lot."

* Kaius Alexander turns to the others.

Ekwanesu looks as if he's going to protest but thinks better of it.

Wispy - He's your friend, isn't he Kaius? Accept it if it's good, or maybe we could do a deal in kind?

Tarim - Surely there is some room to raise the price a bit.

* Kryzbytn decides to put down the pistol and picks up the powerpack.

"Hazefield generator," Lorgiss informs Kryz.  "Emmits a chameleonic glamer when activated.  Twenty-five hundred bones, mantid."

Kaius Alexander - It is a price, certainly. Though perhaps we expected somewhat better, as you say, they are nice pieces.

Lorgiss merely smiles at Kaius. "Running a business here."

Kaius Alexander - I suppose we have no choice, it approaches fairness, though it was not what I sought.

"I'd be willing to do a trade..."

Kaius Alexander - We find ourselves more in need of bones than goods, I think.

"Very well. Four hundred it is."

Kaius Alexander - Four hundred obeloi.

He counts out the coins.

Tarim - I suppose that will have to do.

Kryzbytn - There seems to be some issue with the refractal device, here. Looks a little jittery, if I say so myself.

"Hmm.  You mantids have eyes for that kind of thing, I must admit.  Perhaps a little discount is in order.  Twenty two hundred, but that's my final offer."

Kaius Alexander - Vetter is absent with a significant portion of our goods. We will divide these proceeds by seven.

* Kaius Alexander divides the obeloi.

Kaius Alexander - Satisfied, Ekwanesu?

"Hmm.  I had hoped for more, but it will have to do.  I will give the maps I promised you to Vetter as promised once I have paid off my debts - or at least kept the enforcers at bay for awhile."

Kaius Alexander - These maps do not concern me. Cities we have no intentions of visiting.

* Kryzbytn picks up the lenses and asks what they do.

"A number of lenses there; you can select which you want to use a a given time.  Some let you see in the dark others, will allow you to perceive minute details.  Still others let yo detect eldritch auras."

* Kryzbytn puts aside the goggles and inquires about the boots.

"The boots are part of a larger suit of armour, techno-eldritch in nature.  Not sure where the otehr components are.  The runes seem to have protective hexes woven in."

Kryzbytn - And this gauntlet?

"A lightning-gauntlet: it will deliver a shock to those it strikes."

Kryzbytn - Back to the boots... what sort of protective hexes are we speaking of?

"Elmental resistances.  Protection from flames and the like."

Kryzbytn - Thank you for your time... Lorgriss one, was it? I hope to return in the near future with suitable funds to make some purchases.

"Excellent," Lorgiss says.

Kaius Alexander - Tarim. The appointed hour of our meeting with Mr. Rasp draws near.

Tarim - Yes. But first, I need to acquire a few items from the bazaar here.

* Kaius Alexander nods.

Kaius Alexander - Very well.

Tarim - This will not take long.

* Tarim exits the shop to prowl through the market for various goods, including more Hellfire bombs, a healer's kit, and food for his giant tortoise, amongst other items.

* Wispy likewise purchases some supplies, including caltrops and certain alchemical crystals.[/ic]

[ic=Whispers]* Kaius Alexander leads the party to the Guildhall of the Crimson Shadows.

* Tarim checks his turban is properly tied, adjusts his belt, then enters the Guildhall.

You enter the central hall, where various guild dealers and clerks do business.  Maps are evident on the walls.

"Here to see Rasp, right?" Yagg adresses Kaius.

Kaius Alexander - Yes. It is the appointed time.

Tarim - I look forward to this meeting.

"Take the lift downstairs."  The scarred man jerks his thumb at the elevator.

Kaius Alexander (to Wispy and Kryzbytn) - I would ask you both to remain without. This business is personal.
 
Kryzbytn - So be it, Kaius one.

Wispy - Well enough.

* Kaius Alexander inclines his head.

* Kaius Alexander proceeds towards the elevator.

* Tarim steps inside the lift.

The lift squeaks and rattles as you descend into the earth.  When it halts a pair of burly guards stop you as you get off.  One is a ghul at least seven feet tall, his ashen flesh criss-crossed with many scars; he carries a huge halberd.  The other, a human woman, hefts a heavy pistol.

"Where you going, tough guys?" She demands.

Tarim - We have arrived for an appointed meeting with Mr. Rasp.

"Ah, very well then.  Down the hall, past the training room." She gestures.

* Tarim walks along.

* Kaius Alexander nods to the guards and proceeds as directed.

You find the leechkin Guildmaster in a vaulted brick chamber.  Clad as always in an immaculate suit, the slimy-fleshed creature hovers over a table to which a wildly thrashing man has been chained.  The man is gagged, and struggles madly against his shackles.

"Ah, excuse me Tarim, Mr. Alexander," he says.  "I'd forgotten our appointment.  I'm afraid you've caught me at my luncheon.  What is it I can do for you today?"

Kaius Alexander - Our apologies, Mr. Rasp. We did not intend to interrupt your... meal.

Tarim - We can certainly wait, if that is needed.

"Quite alright.  Do you mind if I eat while you talk?"

Kaius Alexander - Not at all. Carry on.

Tarim '" Expedient.

Mr. Rasp calmly observes the flailing man with his yellow eyes, then carefully lowers his palm-mouths onto the human's chest.  The thrashing man's screams are muted by the gag.  He is drained in a matter of moments, his skin becoming white and loose, while Mr. Rasp's darkens and bloats.

Kaius Alexander - We have come for the discussion of several matters, and I hope to not unduly consume your time.

* Kaius Alexander looks around.

Kaius Alexander - I will admit, I had hoped for the presence of Chaa-Ibl.

"She is currently in the training room.  You may speak with her afterwards."

Kaius Alexander - Ah.

Kaius Alexander - In any case, the first matter I wish to discuss relates to our mutual enmity of one Servius Izar.

"It was an unfortunate business with Gorethirst; an opportunity was lost.  Servius has been in recovery, for Gorethirst wounded him badly before he was slain.  I expect he will soon become a pest once again."

Kaius Alexander - I am sure you are aware he continues to breathe: this displeases me, for the Gorethirst was a valued companion, and we wish to do right by it.

"Of course.  Were you hoping for my assistance in some capacity?"

Kaius Alexander - No. That was not my intent. I merely wanted to ascertain that I was handling the matter properly. To be sure you did not have... alternate plans for the man. If you have assistance or information to offer, though, it would not be amiss.

Tarim - No need to risk messing things up by conflicting plans.

"You are extremely gracious.  With Gorethirst dead I have no imminent plans for dealing with him; although I was conidering sending an assassin.  However, I will leave him to you: I do not wish to deprive you of vengeance."

* Kaius Alexander inclines his head to Mr. Rasp

Kaius Alexander - He will not live much longer, though I have yet to determine in what manner I will dispatch him.

Tarim - Of course, we would be grateful for any piece of knowledge that could aid us reach this goal.

"As to that, the matter is difficult.  If you wish to attack by stealth you will be hard pressed, as he is recuperating in the Guildhall of the House of Untainted Flesh.  If you planned on a public duel, that is a different matter."

Kaius Alexander - I suspected as much. To challenge the man, and defeat him where all could see, appealing.

"That was, of course, my original plan."

Tarim - It is also more likely to backfire.

"Of course you are correct, Tarim, as Gorethirst proved."

Kaius Alexander - Yes. It is most unfortunate that it did not come to fruition.  I am confident in my ability to eliminate Servius Izar in single combat. His muscles are no match for mechanization.

Tarim - Perhaps though, he could be weakened before the fight?

Kaius Alexander - A possibility. A surreptitious application of witchery, perhaps.

"Poison would also be effective, of course; or you could infect him with something."

Kaius Alexander - Yes... much to consider. It must be done right this time.

Tarim - Such methods are not without their own risks, but they could ensure his death in the arena.

Kaius Alexander - Yes. In any case, as for the second matter I wished to discuss...

* Kaius Alexander produces the Tome of Fleshcraft.

Kaius Alexander - Mr. Rasp, it is my understanding that you are a dealer in all sorts of valuable items. I have recently come into possession of this text...

"A book?"

Kaius Alexander - Ah, but not any book.

Tarim - A remarkable tome indeed

Kaius Alexander - An archive of fleshcrafting techniques, penned in the hand of the Magister Orlando Petrifax. Valuable, clearly. But I am at a loss of what to do with it. You are a knowledgeable salesman, perhaps you know of someone who would have an interest, or are interested yourself.

Mr. Rasp leafs through the text.  "I am not an aficionado of fleshcraft," he admits.  "But such a volume would be valuable.  You would have better luck selling the text to the librarians at the Vellum Citadel, in Hexwarren: they have funding from the Academy of Witchcraft, and will doubtless be interested in such a tome.  If their price is too low, you might approach the Iridescent Angles or the Splicing Consortium instead.  However, I recommend you try the library first.  They have entire sections dedicated to occult lore, and Iâ,¬,,¢m sure such a historic manuscript would fetch a high price."

Kaius Alexander - Ah. Your advice is welcome.

"I am glad."

Kaius Alexander - I will thank you for your time, and wish you success in the future.

"To you as well.  I wish you better luck than my sibling had."

Kaius Alexander - Yes.

* Kaius Alexander again inclines his head, and departs the chamber.

Tarim - It was a pleasure to meet you again, Mr. Rasp. I bid you farewell.

* Tarim also departs.

Tarim - Now, Chaa-Ibl?

Kaius Alexander - Yes.

* Kaius Alexander enters the training room.

Chaa-Ibl spars with a heavy-set man in a chalk circle.  The swordsman wields one of the cruel sickle-swords common in Erebh, while the masked, pale woman fights with one of the slightly curved, single-edged swords similarto those often wielded in Skein that shimmers with a vivid crimson damascene.  The two appear quite evenly matched, skilfully parrying one another's blows, but eventually Chaa-Ibl manages to best her opponent with a swift feint.  Her glistening red sword rests against the man's neck, and the two separate and bow.

* Kaius Alexander considers their technique, and nods to himself at Chaa-Ibl's eventual success.

Kaius Alexander - Well fought, to the both of you.

The man nods grimly.  Chaa-Ibl says nothing.

Presently Chaa-Ibl says, "May I help you, gentlemen?"

Kaius Alexander - Chaa-Ibl. My comrade and I find ourselves in a certain predicament, and have come to seek information you may possess.

"Indeed.  Go on."

Tarim - Not long ago, we were attacked by two assassins.

Kaius Alexander - A contract has been placed upon our heads, to be carried out by your former associates.

"The heretics who call themselves the Cult of the Bloodletter?"

Kaius Alexander - Yes. These two, the Grey Twins, we dispatched them. But...

Tarim - The contract still stands.

Kaius Alexander - We have become aware that they intend to continue the pursuit of our murder.

She nods. "The Cult will doubtless send more agents to dispatch you, however, especially if the price on your heads is high.  Do you have any suspicions as to who might want you killed?"

* Kaius Alexander looks to Tarim.

Kaius Alexander - We suspect the Splicing Consortium.

"I see.  You have many powerful enemies, it seems."

Kaius Alexander - It seems. We know that next they will send four 'Mortifiers' to end us.

"Higher ranking assassins: second only to the Elders."

Kaius Alexander - I am at a loss as to how to proceed. I was trained to defeat assassin's seeking the deaths of my Lords and Ladies, not my own.

"I can tell you what I know of the Cult, if you think it will help you, but I have no influence there anymore.  How did you discover that they plan to send Mortifiers?"

Kaius Alexander - A conversation, overheard by chance in the depths beneath the city. Sounds carry strangely, down there.

"Fortunate.  Did you hear anything more?"

Kaius Alexander - We know the names of the four they send. Charnel, Severin, Gwendolyn, Cholla.

Tarim - Apparently, Charnel is quite enthusiatic about his job.

"I can tell you something of the first two; the latter names are unfamiliar to me."

* Kaius Alexander inclines his head

Kaius Alexander - Any knowledge you possess.

"Charnel is a madman from Moroi, horribly burned in some arcane accident during one of his own experiments.  The experience unhinged him; the fire seemed to get inside him, to burn up his soul... now he's a devotee of the Bloodletter, delighting in chaos and wanton slaughter.  In some ways he's purer than the rest of the Cult: he's not in it for the money, but for the thrill of the kill.  He longs to see the flames dance in the eyes of his victims before he incinerates them.  He feels almost no pain, as his nerves were badly damaged during the accident."

Kaius Alexander - Hm.

"Severin is little better.  No one knows where he hails from, but he fights with a hexed sword and wears vampire plate - a form of symbiotic armour fused to his skin.  He is a fierce warrior, but greatly lacks in subtlety."

Tarim - Interesting.

Kaius Alexander - These two. Their capabilities in combat, exceptional?

"Indeed. As for the other two, I left the Cult before they joined."

Kaius Alexander - I see. I thank you for the gift of this information. It is helpful.

Tarim - We are grateful

"What do you plan to do?  Even if you defeat these four, the Cult will not relent."

Kaius Alexander - Are there any circumstances under which the cult would terminate a contract?

"It is extremely rare.  If you killed enough of their assassins, they might cease their attacks.  If the patron withdrew the contract, they would likewise relent.  Both are unlikely."

Tarim - It seems that it would be easier to influence the Splicing Consortium.

Kaius Alexander - Yes. It would seem that is the course we must pursue. Until such time as we force the Consortium's hand, these assassins, we will eliminate them.

"The only alternative is to confront the Cult directly: but that plan is nigh suicidal."

Kaius Alexander - How many does the cult number in total? And do they operate solely from the sewers?

"I do not know the current count.  In my day we were two hundred in number.  At any given time at least thirty intiates would be present at the shrine.  The shrine is indeed in the Catacombs, in a secret location: that is there only centralized base of operations."

Tarim - Too numerous, and doubtless too spread out, to take on directly

"It would be extremely challenging - though if the Elders were killed the Cult might fall apart fom lack of leadership, or dissolve into bickering amongst themselves to fill the power vaccuum."

Tarim - As long as a good number of them survivies, they might seek vengeance out of pride.

Kaius Alexander - Any course we take will be difficult. I suspect you are right though, Tarim.

"Possible.  You would have to leave no witnesses; again, a daunting prospect."

Kaius Alexander - Challenging them directly at this juncture would be foolish, not without extensive resources that we do not possess.

"A prudent assessment."

Kaius Alexander '" Chaa-Ibl, this conversation has been enlightening.

Tarim - It appears that we have learned what we can here. We need not take more of your time, Chaa-Ibl.

* Kaius Alexander nods to her.

Kaius Alexander - Until we meet again.

* Tarim bows and leaves the training room and gets into the elevator.

"If you need any additional information, let me know."

* Kaius Alexander also exits.

Meanwhile, Wispy and Kryzbytn wait for Kaius and Tarim in the main hall.

Wispy (to Yagg) - So, shadow-man, I bet you have some great stories to tell, and I bet you're more than willing to tell them to pass the time, right?

"I have work to do, bird; I'm not here to chat with every vagrant who staggers in off the streets."

Wispy (whispers to Kryz) - Ok... I lost the bet... good thing I didn't bet obeloi.

Wispy (to Yagg) - Or I could regale you with some of mine if you don't want to chat? How about that?

Yagg rolls his eyes.  "You stink, jatayi.  You smell like you've just come from the godsdamn sewers."

Wispy - Actually, any smell I have is from a mud bath; perhaps you are smelling my Mantid friend '" I have no idea where he slept last night and it may very well have been in the sewers. I however am a bird of flight; I would never alight and descend to fend for myself in the depths; until my body eternally rests.

"Hmph.  Look, unless you have business here, keep quiet and stay out of the way while you wait for your friends, bird."

* Kryzbytn shoots Wispy a look.

Kryzbytn - I rested in a well-to-do inn, bird one. I can assure I smell just fine.

Wispy - Well I don't smell anything anyway; I merely hypothesize as to what made the shadow-man those words say.

* Kryzbytn turns to Wispy.

Kryzbytn - How does one join one of these Houses, as they're called?

Wispy - There are different ways to join, depending on the House. But why would one join an organization when one could freelance? It's just as dangerous and you're guaranteed to have to pay the guild a certain percent of what you find!

Kryzbytn - I used to perform such work under a strange man, bird one. Something about it harkens to me. I imagine the work done here would be different than the duties I was forced to perform, though

Wispy - Really Kryz, tell me more.

Kryzbytn - Do you recall me mentioning my watching my comrades kill themselves in the Red Rains?

Wispy '" Yes, certainly.

Kryzbytn - I was sent to Dour Erg under a being I know only as "the Man-in-Armor." He found me in the streets of Lophius when my wings were eaten off my back.

Wispy - Ah, like Kaius.

Kryzbytn - Not quite, bird one; I see Kaius, I know what he looks like, he is human to the eye. This Man-in-Armor... he is nothing I have ever seen before. He stays in a strangely modified suit of armor, the steel bent in ways that should constrict his body or hinder his growth, and he has strange appendages affixed to his armor on a rountinly basis.

Wispy - Ah, like Carver

Kryzbytn - His face I do not see: no skin, should he have any, is visible to my eyes.

Wispy - Hm. He does sound quite curious.

Kryzbytn - I fear what monster grows beneath those iron plates... what mutates. He seemed to be suffering from something... perhaps a disease... perhaps a curse... I am not sure. Aall I know is that he sent me and his hirelings to deal with some folks in Dour Erg. The orders constantly changed, we lost many as the days turned to months, and months turned to years. I lost something out there.

Wispy - And you enjoyed that?

Kryzbytn - Not in the slightest, bird one. I lost something immaterial; something of myself. As if I were just as hollow as the failed toys I once attempted to make...

Wispy - Then why would you seek so soon to join another society where you will be ordered from here to there... by operating alone, you can build new wings, and fly and be free! By operating under others, you will lose coin and be bound to the others and the ground.

Kryzbytn - Because, bird one, I have the choice to do so. I am not sure why. As much as I despised it, it became a part of me to wander under order, to heedlessly obey. I am... hollow feeling without such.  My contract with the Man-in-Armor is still technically active...

Wispy - Maybe a visit to a hypnowitch could straighten out that feeling.

* Kryzbytn stares beyond Wispy for a moment.

Kryzbytn - A what...?

Wispy - Just how long does that contract last.

Kryzbytn - Well, contract is what he called it... I would look more upon it as servitude. It is, as far as I know, indefinite until I find the subjects he seeks. I have lost contact with him for a while now... for all I know he thinks me dead. Kryzbytn - You think a hypnowitch could help?

Wispy - A hypnowich is someone to whom you tell your troubles and who places you in a state of autopsychosis so that you revert to a childlike state; then your childlike state is invaded by demonic creatures who tear and destroy the negative memories, leaving a gaping hole where the worries once where. With luck, you can fill that hole with new memories. So basically this would make you hollowness even more hollow- but it would pump out the negative emotions. It usually takes a series of sessions, sadly, but it seems to be effective '" at least hypnowitches are always around.

Kryzbytn - That sounds wonderful, bird one! Dour Erg has left me with memories I'd love to have torn out. Do you know where we may find a hypnowitch?

Wispy '" I know of one in Hexwarren you might seek out.

* Kryzbytn ponders Wispy's knowledge.

* Wispy, growing bored with waiting, decides to go make mischief in the nearby marketplaces.

* Tarim and Kaius Alexander emerge from the mechanical lift.

* Kaius Alexander stands with Kryzbytyn in the Guildhall lobby.

* Tarim gets out of the elevator after it stops on the ground floor, and heads to Cräen's workroom.

Kryzbytn - Hello Kaius one. How did the meeting go?

Kaius Alexander - Well enough. Tarim and I are now suitably armed with the knowledge we sought.

Kryzbytn '" Excellent. Have you ever heard of a hypnowitch?

* Kaius Alexander blinks.

Kaius Alexander - I have not.

Kryzbytn - Nor have I.

Kaius Alexander - Then it seems we are equals in this matter.

Kryzbytn - Wispy one claims they exist.

Kaius Alexander - Does he?

* Kryzbytn nods.

Kryzbytn - I plan to see one, should he speak the truth.

Kaius Alexander - That bird claims many things. I would educate yourself further on this matter before following any advice he might give.

* Kryzbytn nods and looks down.

* Kaius Alexander attempts to catch up on his sleep while waiting for Tarim.

Tarim, Cräen is in her workroom, writing something in a grimoire.

"Ah, Tarim.  I'm glad you stopped by."

Tarim '" Greetings. Regrettably, I haven't found the time to pay you a visit for so long. Have been quite busy.

"So I've gathered.  No word of Eareg?"

Tarim - Not since we returned from our journey in the Slaughter-lands. But he is one who likes to come and go. And well capable of taking care of himself, from what I gather.

"Yes, he's always been quite capable."

Tarim - Anyway, I have made some forays in my studies since our last meeting. I expect we have much to learn from each other.

"Indeed!  Is there something in particular you wished to learn, or shall we merely exchange our most recent researches?"

Tarim - It is a good starting point at least, to get a clear picture of what each has to offer

* Tarim digs into his pack and takes out some scrolls, which he rolls open on the desk.

Tarim - Let us get on with the business at hand, shall we.

Comparing notes with Cräen, you copy two new hexes into your grimoire: 'Wall of Gloom' and 'Wither Limb.'

"I look forward to our next meeting," Cräen says. "Your work is fascinating."

* Tarim wraps his notes and scrolls, depositing them carefully.

Tarim - This was a most fruitful endeavor. I shall pay you another visit sometime in the future.

* Tarim leaves the workroom.

* Kaius Alexander eyes snap open at the sound of Tarim's approach

Kaius Alexander - Tarim.

* Kryzbytn is thinking to himself.

Tarim - I hope I didn't keep you waiting for long. It's hard to judge time when engaged in studies of witchcraft.

Kaius Alexander - No, it is not a problem.

* Kryzbytn snaps out of his spell.

Kryzbytn - Oh... Tarim, no, not at all

Kaius Alexander - As it happens, I do not believe we have anymore business to conduct on this day.

Tarim - That would be so, far as I am aware.

* Kryzbytn nods.

Kaius Alexander - Then I suppose we part company. We should meet again to prepare for our expedition. Soon.

Kryzbytn - Kaius one... might I stay at your place, tonight? I don't have a home to go to.

Kaius Alexander - Kryzbytyn. My invitation does stand. You may.

Kryzbytn '" Thank you.

* Kryzbytn bows.

Tarim - I will not be able to depart for at least a week and a half, so that you know.

Kaius Alexander - My new systems will not be ready for a similar amount of time. Convenient.

Kryzbytn - This will give me time to search for a hypnowitch.

Tarim - In the mean time, keep your eyes open and your sword close. Though you surely need not be so advised.

Kryzbytn - My swords are permanently close, Tarim one.

* Kryzbytn clicks his scythe arms together.

Kaius Alexander - I will. If you are in danger, bring yourself to my spire. It is defensible.

Tarim - I appreciate the offer.

* Kaius Alexander nods to Tarim as they part company.

* Kaius Alexander leads Kryzbytn to the Tower of Moans.

* Kryzbytn looks at Kaius

Kaius Alexander - Where do you wish to sleep, Kryzbytyn? The tower is spacious.

Kryzbytn - Wherever is most convenient

"There is room down below, in the workroom," Pellucid suggests.

Kryzbytn - Down below works well. If it is acceptable, I'll sleep there.

Kaius Alexander - Very well. I am in the process of working on several designs that may interest you. You may examine the plans.
                   
* Kryzbytn clicks his mandibles in excitement.

"I will show our guest to his chambers," Pellucid states, and gestures for Kryz to follow him.

* Kryzbytn follows.

* Kaius Alexander nods to Pellucid and ascends the stairs; at the library he puts down his Tome of Fleshcraft and the Gibbous Prince, before continuing up to his chambers.

As you enter the third floor of the Tower of Moans you find a familiar woman with close-cropped brown hair, seated in one of your leather armchairs - the Whisper Bernadette.  She flashes you a glinting white grin just as you feel the cold touch of steel against your temple - your helmet is tucked under one arm, leaving your bare head vulnerable, and someone has just put a gun to it.  Bernadette is garbed in black leather armour sewn with glyph-graven metal discs.

A voice behind you whispers.  "The slightest twitch and I'll put a bullet through your skull, and Lady Genevieve's abominable progeny will be gone forever."

Bernadette - one of the order of spies and saboteurs sent by the Lords and Ladies of Somnambulon on important missions too dangerous to risk Revenant un-lives on, yet too subtle for zombic servants to accomplish - deserted Lady Genevieve before she arrived in Macellaria.

Kaius Alexander - Unanticipated.

"Hello there Kaius," Bernadette says.  "It's been awhile."

Kaius Alexander '" I had hoped it would be longer.

"He looks a bit pale, wouldn't you say Bernadette?"  The speaker behind you chuckles.  "A mite peaky."

"Perhaps something is preying on his mind, Emery.  Is that it, Kaius?"

* Kaius Alexander glares.

"We have come to convey you back to Somnambulon as soon as possible to... extract... the abomination you harbour in that lump of grey-matter you call a brain.  It cannot be suffered to live bound to you."

Kaius Alexander - I will not allow you to bring harm to my person. I carry the wishes of my Lady Mother with me still.

"If you wish it to live, you will come with us.  It must be purged of its impurities," Emery explains.  "Expunged of the taint of Genevieve's rebellion.  Then, if it is deemed cleansed of corrupt proclivities, a more fitting host can be selected and it will be bound to the Hive."

* Kaius Alexander grits his teeth.

"As for you, dear Kaius," Bernadette says.  "If you come with us willingly you may just have a chance of receiving a pardon '" or at the very least an honourable execution, and internment in the Halls of Rest."

Kaius Alexander - It seems you present me with no choice then.

That is correct.  Astute as always," Berandette says mockingly. "Now, put your hands behind your back.  One false move and Emery will blow your brains out, and the zehrer inside it as well.  Don't think we won't destroy it - we've been given full license to do whatever we must."

Kaius Alexander - You will not succeed in this. That I promise.

* Kaius Alexander places his hands behind his back.

Emery ties your hands securely with steel cord.  As soon as you are subdued he takes a syringe from his belt and taps it for air bubbles.

Kaius Alexander - The Lords and Ladies will learn the error of their ways. If they think to dismiss me so easily, that is a mistake.

Bernadette pouts.  "Don't be sullen, Kaius dear.  It won't help your case."

"Let's see if this still works on you, then," Emery says, smiling wryly.  He pokes the needle into your neck and you suddenly feel intensely drowsy. "Unsleeping indeed," he chuckles as you begin to sway.

Your mind begins to cloud.  The helmet tumbles from your fingers.

"Hmm, his metabolism must already be changing," Emery says.  "I gave him a dose that would put an ox under... come on, let's get him to the carriage quickly and get out of this city.  There's something especially foul in the air, and it's not just the carrion in the Markets."

* Kaius Alexander exhales slowly

In a stupor you are half dragged, half carried down the steps and out the front door to a waiting carriage, into which Bernadette and Emery stuff you.  Bernadette remains inside with you while Emery climbs into the front seat to whip the horses.  Soon you are under way, and then you fade into a state of unconsciousness deeper than any you have experienced.

Kryzbytn, after Pellucid shows you te rooms downstairs, you return to the first level of the Tower of Moans to find Kaius Alexander gone without a trace, the front door slightly ajar...

Kryzbytn - Kaius one?

* Krybzytn looks about.
Kryzbytyn '"...Kaius one?!

* Kryzbytn listens to his own echo.

Kryzbytn - You, Pellucid one, did Kaius have some business I was unaware of?

"None that he informed me of."

Kryzbytn - He's left the door open, whatever it may be...

"Neverheless, I will keep the Tower in his absence.  Should we mount a search, do you think?"  The demon may or may not be sarcastically teasing the mantid.

* Kryzbytn closes the door.

Kryzbytn - It is strange that he vanish without telling anyone, especially you. What about his room? Am I allowed on the upper levels?

"I will see if there is any sign of him upstairs." Pellucid climbs the stairs.

* Kryzbytn waits patiently.

After several minutes Pellucid returns carrying Kaius' helmet.  The demon now looks a trifle more concerned.

"I have searched all of his chambers.  His helm was on the floor.  Apart from that I found no trace of him '" though I did find a brief note that gives me instructions in case of Mr. Alexander's absence.  Perhaps he expected to leave suddenly.  You are free to enter teh first three levels, as well as the basement."

Kryzbytn '" Interesting. This is unexpected.

* Kryzbytn paces and chitters.

Kryzbytn - I will go look for him. If I do not find him soon, I will return.

"Very well.  I will remain here, in case he returns himself."

Kryzbytn - A good idea.[/ic]

[ic=Slumber]You have been bundled into a carriage.  What follows is blurred and indeterminate.  You are awake only for brief, semi-lucid moments before Bernadette or Emery administer more of the soporific drug and you pass once again into darkness.  You have a sense of time passing - perhaps days, perhaps even longer.  You dream only rarely, just before your fleeting periods of wakefulness, and the dreams are nightmarish and hazy, an amorphous mass of images: of churning gears and hissing pistons, of Immanuel Starborn dying on the end of your blade, of the gelatinous horror and the voracious child-things in the Catacombs beneath Macellaria, of Gorethirst's brains dashed out on the arena sands.

You have little sense of where you are.

After what seems an age of this torpor you open your eyes and find yourself chained up and inside a cramped cell with walls of dark wood.  The room rocks back and forth gently, and you can hear running water - you are inside in a boat or ship of some kind.  There is a closed door opposite you.  Instead of your armour you wear only a pair of black pants.  There is a small grate in the ceiling  which admits some pale reddish sunlight.

 * Kaius Alexander groans and shakes his head.

You hear footsteps coming towards you beyond the door.

 * Kaius Alexander strains against the chains, testing them

They're very strong and in good repair - no rust.  You feel weak, unlike yourself.

The door opens and a decaying zombie shuffles into the room, followed by Bernadette and a tall, slender man with deathly pale skin, long white-blonde hair tied back into a ponytail, and ghostly pale eyes that seem to strip away your flesh and peer upon your soul itself.  You recognize this man as Lord Vladmir, one of the Lords Revenant and Lady Genevieve's elder brother.  He is garbed in luxurious black garments trimmed with furs, and bears a Cereblade, a zehrer weapon attuned to the mind of its wielder via the psychic aura of their symbiont.

 * Kaius Alexander grits his teeth.

"The traitor and abomination known as Kaius Alexander, my lord," Bernadette says obsequiously.

 "Well done, Bernadette," he responds, looking you up and down.

 As you meet Lord Vladmir's gaze you feel something spasm and move in your head, and his cruel voice suddenly reverberates in your mind.

Greetings, kindred, the voice says, scraping against the inside of your skull.  Do not be alarmed.  We will have you out of this unfit vessel before too long.  I am sure that currently that prospect sounds distasteful, but one day you will thank us for removing you from this inadequate host.

* Kaius Alexander exhales in a hiss and closes his eyes.

"He was working as a common mercenary and adventurer," Bernadette continues.  "Petty jobs for the Macellarians.  He'd fallen in with a ragged little band of freelancers; they'd already earned the ire of some of the city's factions for their... exploits."

Lord Vladmir tsks chidingly. "Naughty naughty," he says aloud. "Your new friends have been leading you into all sorts of mischief, Kaius.  But I'm sure some time with your family will soon correct that."

Kaius Alexander - I will not allow you to disrupt the unity of my being, Vladmir. You think to cow me with your words, not so.

I do not blame you for this cretin's misconduct, he says telepathically.  As a newborn you cannot be held accountable for your host's actions.  We will show you the correct behavior for a zehrer once you have been extracted.

 "You will require behavioural readjustment, I see," he continues orally.

It seems that when Lord Vladmir speaks with his mouth he is addressing Kaius, but when he speaks telepathically he addresses the zehrer: an odd distinction, as for all intents and purposes you are one being, one mind, not two.  The effect, however, is dizzying.  Your brain throbs painfully.

Kaius Alexander - You refer to me as if I am of two parts, Vladmir. This is a false dichotomy. I am whole.

"For the time being, the illusion that you are one being persists.  Soon we shall dispel that illusion."

Kaius Alexander - You may try.

"An extraction has not been carried out for many aeons '" but these are extraordinary circumstances; it is possible that your fleshly body may even survive the process. Your mind... well, that is less likely, but not beyond the realm of possibility. If you submit willingly, things will go easier for you."

 * Kaius Alexander narrows his eyes

Kaius Alexander - I will not submit to you, Vladmir. Nor to any of the other Lords and Ladies.

"One way or another you will submit, even if we have to break your mind... Did you really think you could evade our notice?"

* Kaius Alexander remains silent.

"We sensed Genevieve's death, of course.  When the progeny bonded with you it sent a ripple through the aether - a pebble in the oneiric pond, as it were.  This allowed us to determine your location."

 "Soon we will return to the Sleepwalkers' City.  You will be dealt with there.  For the time being, you will have plenty of time to ponder your situation.  We suggest you adopt a more pliant disposition.  Many of our brothers and sisters do not share in our... compassionate nature."

Kaius Alexander - I know well the... compassion of the Lords and Ladies.

 * Kaius Alexander spits on the deck.

 "Then you know it is foolish to resist them."

Kaius Alexander - It is the only course open to me. I cannot allow you to succeed, for in this, as in so many things, you are wrong.

"We are finished here, I think.  We will not see you again until we arrive in Somnambulon." He turns to leave; Bernadette and the zombie follow.

The door closes and you are left alone. Time passes and the haze that has clouded your mind for days begins to clear. Presently, as darkness gathers, a zombie servant opens the door and shuffles into your cell, carrying a bowl and spoon and a waterskin.  It approaches you, presumably to attempt to feed you.
The zombie begins spooning nourishing gruel into your mouth. Its dull eyes are milky and clouded.

 * Kaius Alexander co-operates grudgingly

It gives you a drink, then turns and leaves. More time passes and twilight deepens.  Suddenly you hear a shout from up above, and the boat rocks as something collides with it.  Sounds of battle - blades striking blades and shields, gunshots, the twang of arrows, the screams of dying men and the dull groan of felled zombies - emanate from above.  The battle is over quickly, but shortly after you hear Lord Vladmir's voice through the grate in the ceiling, addressing someone:

"Brigands.  Or, possibly, Awakeners... more likely just common bandits.  How is the vessel?"

"Badly damaged," you hear Emery say.  "Our speed will be greatly reduced, and we lost several of the crew."

"Nachtheim is not far from here.  We will dock there and resupply, then continue by land to Somnambulon."

"Very good, my Lord."

You have heard of Nachtheim, though you were never stationed there.  It is one of the Nurseries - the fortress-farms where children are bred and raised like livestock in pens.  If memory serves, Nachtheim Nursery lies on the Sinew River, at the southernmost tip of the Revenants' territory. Several more hours pass, though time is hard to measure in your cell save by the waning light from up above. Bernadette and Emery appear and unshackle you, making to tie your hands behind your back; Bernadette keeps a pistol trained on you at all times.

Kaius Alexander - Are you so worried, Bernadette?

* Kaius Alexander smirks slightly

 "Just a little hiccup in the plan, sweet Kaius.  All will soon be aright."

Kaius Alexander - We shall see.

You are led out through a storage chamber and up a flight of wooden steps to the ship's deck, where zombie sailors shamble about tending to various duties.  The galley is docked before a grim, grey structure which looms ominously above you, a fortified installation of concrete and crenellated stone perched on the riverbank.  A gangplank leads from the ship to the dock and a small portcullis  at the base of the structure.  To either side of the river gloomy woodland of warped, unwholesome-looking oaks can be seen.  The sky is dark - night has almost fallen.  Distantly you can hear the rumble of thunder.

You are prodded across the gangplank.  A pair of Insomnolent Guardsmen with revolvers and longswords flank the portcullis gate, which is raised as you approach.  Their visors are down: you cannot see their features.

It's quite large, perhaps five levels.  The portcullis gate probably leads directly into the dungeon level, while the front entrance would be a level above. Typically a detachment of about thirty to fifty Insomnolent Guards plus necromechanoids and Grey Matrons would comprise the staff, along with zombie workers.

The facility is stark and cold.  As the Whispers conduct you down the concrete halls you catch a glimpse of overcrowded pens full of feral children - snarling little bodies packed next to one another, fighting over food.  The Grey Matrons preside over these enormous cells: grave-spawn thralls with the appearance of crones with long white hair and sunken, milky eyes that see all.  Created by the Revenants as caretakers, the Matrons can paralyze escaping children with their very gaze, and carry nets to ensnare those who avoid their stare.

You are brought into the lowest level of the complex, a dungeon where Insomnolent Guards stand still as statues at choke-points - if you did not know better you would think them empty suits of armour.
 
* Kaius Alexander observes it all in silence.

"Any escape attempts would be very ill-advised, Kaius," Bernadette says.  "You know what your brothers-in-arms are capable of.  They will be given license to kill you before letting you escape.  If you truly wish to honour Lady Genevieve's legacy, do not provoke them."

Kaius Alexander - I will keep that in mind.

You are led into a dank, windowless cell with a barred door.  Emery undoes your bonds while Bernadette keeps a pistol trained on you.

"Don't get too comfortable down here, Kaius dear," she says.  "We'll be leaving shortly." The door clanks shut.

* Kaius Alexander examines his cell.

It is extremely bare, with a chamber pot for a toilet and a rough pallet for sleeping. The door is heavily barred and reinforced. You can hear Bernadette and Emery's footsteps receding.

A few minutes later an Insomnolent Guardsman walks past the door, ignoring you completely.

The Guard has a keyring tied to his belt. He also has a holster at his waist, of course, and his sword. The lights down here are electric.

* Kaius Alexander delicately applies his burgeoning telekinetic abilities, granted by his zehrer symbiont, to the retrieval of the keyring.

With a subtle twist it silently separates itself from the Guardsman's belt and floats over to you, passing between the bars of your cell. You have the keyring right in front of you now.  The Guard did not notice you and has passed by; his footsteps recede slowly.

* Kaius Alexander works his way through the multitude of keys attempting to find the right one.  

You unlock the door. Beyond is a corridor lined with cells like your own.  To the right is a heavy iron door at the end of the hall; to the left, the corridor branches in either direction.

* Kaius Alexander moves over to the iron door, cautiously.

As you recall, through the iron door is another corridor with a stairway leading up to a higher level, and some other doors. The door is locked.

* Kaius Alexander again works his way through the ring of keys.

You find a heavy iron key which opens the door. Stepping through, you find yourself in a broad corridor.  You recall having come from the right, but there were Insomnolent Guards along the way; to the right is a turn in the corridor that leads to the guarded stair. To the left the hall terminates in another door, and there is a third door directly across from you.

* Kaius Alexander tries for the door directly opposite him

This one is also locked, but a brass key from your belt fits in the lock. You hear two things simultaneously. One, footsteps approaching from the right; two, a steady humming sound through the door.

* Kaius Alexander proceeds through.

This room houses the generator and electrical switchboard for the Nursery.  There are no other exits.
There is ventilation, but it's too small for you to enter.

* Kaius Alexander examines the electrical switchboard.

There are six rows of switches. They are all currently in the 'up' position.

* Kaius Alexander depresses each switch in turn into the 'down' position.

As you flick the switches down the lights turn off. It's pitch black down here. You can feel your way, however.

* Kaius Alexander exits the room and takes a right, proceeding towards the door he saw earlier.

You fumble through the darkness down the corridor towards the door.  You can hear quick footsteps up above you, and more from the cell block. You hear the cell block door open.  You are currently at the door at the end of the corridor, left of the cell block.

You find the right key - the iron one - and open the door. You cannot tell what is inside, since it's totally black down here now.  You hear the Guard suddenly curse down the corridor.

"My keys! I must have dropped them somewhere... the Warden will have my head for this."

You think you can hear the Guard fumbling around on his hands and knees. Presumably he is trying to find the keys he 'dropped.' Since it was totally black when he came down the corridor, he hasn't seen that you're gone from your cell...

* Kaius Alexander returns back through the door he just opened, and stealthily approaches the guard.

You sneak up to the guard; as it's totally black there's no chance of him seeing you, and you tread softly enough not to alert him by sound.

* Kaius Alexander listens, attempting to locate the Guardsman's exact position by ear. Quietly he reaches out towards the Guard; he seizes hold of the Guardsman's head with both hands and twists quickly and deftly.

You hear a sickening crunch and the Guard falls limp.

* Kaius Alexander heaves the corpse onto his shoulder, armour and all.

The Guard is extremely heavy, but you shoulder his corpse. Back through the door you opened earlier, you dump the corpse in the darkness.

* Kaius Alexander equips himself with the armour and weapons of the slain Guardsman

After a few minutes of fumbling you equip yourself. You stand in the darkness in a room or passage of unknown dimensions, above the corpse you just stripped of gear.

* Kaius Alexander heads back towards the junction.

You head down the hall. As you walk you hear voices from up ahead:

"Damn storm probably shorted the power."  It's Emery.  "Nothing to worry about.  He's locked in, no way he can get out."

"I know Kaius," Bernadette responds in the darkness.  "If he's going to make an escape attempt it'll be now.  You go check the generator, I'll check on Kaius."

You hear the cell block door open followed shortly by the sound of keys rattling; clearly Emery trying to open the generator room door. Bernadette's booted footsteps recede slowly down the cell block corridor.

* Kaius Alexander softens his footfalls as best he can.

You stealthily creep up towards Emery. He has just unlocked the door.

* Kaius Alexander darts forward, his blade poised before him, and stabs the Whisper in the back.

The blade slides cleanly through his heart. He gives a choked gasp and dies almost instantly. As you stand over him, his blood begins to pool on the floor.

* Kaius Alexander wipes the blade of his stolen sword on Emery's clothing. Sheathing it, he heads for the stairs.

You head down the corridor and make a turn up the stairs.  Dim natural light is evident above. There were two Guards at the top of this stair, with their backs to your current position, when you were brought down here.

* Kaius Alexander adopts the purposeful and efficient stride of an Insomnolent Guardsman and proceeds up the stairway.

"What's the situation with the generator?" One of the stationed guards asks as you pass by.

Kaius Alexander - Unclear. The Whispers are investigating.

"Bloody Whispers.  Just swagger in here like they run the show..."

* Kaius Alexander grunts in response.

"The prisoner is secure?"

Kaius Alexander - Yes.

"I heard he was a former Insomnolent himself.  But how could that be?  How could one of the Unsleeping betray the Lords so?"

Kaius Alexander - It is said his Lady corrupted his mind with rebellious sentiment.

"Hmm, perhaps.  Never met the traitorous bitch myself."

* Kaius Alexander remains silent for a moment, and then speaks

Kaius Alexander - I must continue. Guardsmen.

* Kaius Alexander walks off

There are two possible routes - to the left and to the right. Each terminates in a door. You were brought in from the right.

* Kaius Alexander proceeds to the door on the left

A narrow arrow slit provides meager illumination here. You arrive at a heavy iron door, locked. Trying your keys you unlock the door.

A flash of lightning illuminates the room, which has several narrow windows.  This is one of the Breeding Rooms.  Rows of pregnant women lie sleeping (doubtless drugged) on slab-like beds lining the hall; they will have been artificially inseminated.  One of the Grey Matrons prowls about here, scrutinizing each of the women in turn.  It lays its clawed fingers on their swollen bellies and stares at them with its horrible eyes, as if it could somehow see into the wombs of the women and glimpse the unborn children within.  A dozen columns support the ceiling. There are two other doors here, one opposite the entrance, the other on the right-hand wall.

* Kaius Alexander proceeds to the door opposite the entrance

The Grey Matron hisses at you. "Insomnolent.  Why are you here?  You are not permitted in this section." She speaks in Morbis, in a voice that sounds leathery and disused.

Kaius Alexander - The prisoner has escaped. I have been commanded to assist in the search.

"I see. Proceed."

* Kaius Alexander nods and continues.

You pass through the door and into another corridor.  On the right-hand wall is another door.  The corridor turns a corner up ahead.

* Kaius Alexander stops to listen at the door set into the wall.

You hear nothing.

* Kaius Alexander unlocks the door and heads inside.

You enter a standard Insomnolent Guard barracks.  As the Guard requires almost virtually no sleep there are no beds, only a few niches for preterslumber, generally entered while standing up.  There are a few basic pieces of furniture, including a number of chests for those few personal belongings the Insomnolent are permitted apart from their weapons - typically nothing more than a spare uniform, a whetstone, extra ammunition, and a few tactical manuals. It is currently empty. There are no other exits.

* Kaius Alexander steps back into the hallway and proceeds around the corner.

A stairway leads up to another floor.

* Kaius Alexander ascends.

You stand at the top of a long passage with a doorway halfway along its length and a door at the end.  Lightning flashes again.

* Kaius Alexander stops to listen at the doorway.

"Has there been any Awakener activity recently?" You hear Lord Vladmir say."We were attacked on our way here; our assailants were likely nothing more than simple thieves, and yet something about them wasn't right.  The attack was too well coordinated, too precise.  And now this power outage..."

"Little of note, my Lord" another Matron croaks, her voice dry and rasping, as if used very infrequently.  "A few inconsequential raids on outgoing caravans."

"I see.  We must endeavor to restore power as soon as possible."

"Of course, my Lord."

You can also distantly hear what sounds like sobbing children.

* Kaius Alexander resumes his passage down the hallway, this time attempting greater stealth.

Lord Vladmir's voice cuts through the gloom.

"Insomnolent, stop there a moment."

* Kaius Alexander halts.

The Lord Revenant steps towards you from a room beyond the doorway.

"What is the status of the power? Did the Whispers find anything out?"

* Kaius Alexander attempts to disguise his voice, hoping his helmet will assist in distorting the sound.

Kaius Alexander - The Whispers are investigating, My Lord. They have not reported anything as of yet.

"Go down and find out what's going on, then report back to us."

Kaius Alexander - Yes, My Lord.

"Dismissed."

He turns and walks down the corridor in the other direction, opening the door at the end with a wave of his hand he steps through.

* Kaius Alexander enters the doorway in front of him.

A catwalk here overlooks a recessed pit where a huge group of children variously fight, cry, eat, drink, play, and sleep.  Bars and spiked deter anyone from climbing out of the pit. A Grey Matron patrols the periphery of the room. There are three other exits, one for each wall, all doorways.

* Kaius Alexander makes for the closest one.

You enter another concrete corridor that extends in either direction.  A stairway is evident to the right, while to the left is an iron door. At this moment the lights turn back on.

* Kaius Alexander tries the iron door.

It is locked, but one of your keys does fit.

* Kaius Alexander again pauses and listens.

You hear nothing.

* Kaius Alexander opens the door.

Inside the armoury suits of standard-issue armour, shields, blades, polearms, pistols, and ammunition are stacked neatly on racks, as well as several heavy rifles and a scattergun with several boxes of shells. Your armour hangs on the far wall. There is a heavy chest below it.  As you enter the Armoury, an alarm suddenly blares loudly throughout the facility.

* Kaius Alexander closes the door and begins to remove his adopted armour in order to equip his own.

You don your own armour as hastily as possible, retaining only the helmet of the Insomnolent Guard you killed. Opening the chest you find that it contains the rest of your equipment you brought with you.

* Kaius Alexander gathers his possessions, and grabs the scattergun and some shells as he leaves the room

You can hear hoarse breathing in the corridor outside.

* Kaius Alexander halts and waits for the breathing to stop before exiting the room.

The hoarse breathing eventually ceases. You enter the corridor again. The alarm continues to blare

* Kaius Alexander ascends the stairs.

 As you turn to go up the stairs The Grey Matron at the top turns and scrutinizes you with her horrible eyes.

"Insomnolent!  You are not permitted here!  Reveal your visage!"

She drifts closer towards you.

Kaius Alexander - The prisoner has escaped, Matron. I was commanded to ensure the safety of his possessions.

"Do as I command!  Reveal yourself!"

* Kaius Alexander raises his visor.

She hisses hideously as she sees your features and fixes you with her wicked stare.

* Kaius Alexander steps forward and attacks the Matron.

As you hack savagely at the creature you feel her try to dominate you psychically, but shrug off her influence.

You slash again, but she darts backwards and speaks a word of fell power.

A bolt of dark energy from her outstretched finger connects with you, chilling your body and sending shooting pain through your limbs!

* Kaius Alexander grits his teeth to avoid crying out as the bolt strikes him, then counterattacks!

Your sword descends again, you hack off one of the grave-spawn's hands at the wrist.  She shrieks hideously and floats away!

You press the attack, wounding her yet again.

Desperately she unleashes another bolt of darkness.

You are momentarily stunned as the second blast suffuses your limbs with agony.

The Matron floats down the corridor and round a corner. You recover.

* Kaius Alexander pursues her.

You round the corner.  The Matron has opened a door that appears to lead to a battlement outside. She is about thirty feet away. There is also a door to the right.

* Kaius Alexander raises his revolver and fires at the Matron as she passes through the doorway.

The bullet whines off the doorway and the Matron floats through.

* Kaius Alexander curses under his breath and continues after her.

You are standing atop a battlement looking down on the river below.  Two Insomnolent Guardsmen are evident further along. The battlement leads to a squat tower. A gun emplacement manned by another Guardsman sits atop the tower facing out over the river. To one side the main bulk of the Nursery rises up several more stories. The Matron is floating along the battlement towards the guards.

* Kaius Alexander stands in the doorway, he takes aim at the Matron and fires another shot.

The guards yell as you shoot. They reach for their guns as you close the door, and you hear bullets whine off the door as you slam it shut.

* Kaius Alexander darts through the other nearby door.

Racks of small glass tubes fill the shelves that line this chamber's walls. There is an exit at the far wall.

* Kaius Alexander grabs a tube as he hurries through the room.

You hear the door to the battlement open as you pass through the door. You're in yet another concrete corridor.  Arrow slits look down on the battlement down below. There's a door at the far end of the hall.

* Kaius Alexander races towards it.

The door is unlocked.  It leads into a spiral staircase leading both up and down. Footsteps behind you, heavily booted, and more coming from up above. The alarm blares constantly.

* Kaius Alexander rushes heavily down the stairs.

A bullet pings off the door as you begin your descent. One floor down there is a landing with a door.  The staircase continues downwards as well. Continuing your descent you arrive at the bottom of the stairs.  You can hear footsteps rushing down behind you. There's another door here.

* Kaius Alexander throws it open.

A necromechanoid stands in the center of a large hall here - a spidery juggernaut formed out of dead flesh and twisted machinery.  Where the servitors of Macellaria are generally haphazardly whipstitched things thrown together out of disparate parts by the city's fleshcrafters, this being is elegantly constructed, formed out of perhaps half a dozen corpses neatly joined together.  Eight human arms support its necrotic bulk, and a rotating, many-barrelled gun dangles from its 'thorax.'  Its head is human, but a naptha-thrower bursts from its preserved lips like some obscene, murderous tongue, and its eyes have been replaced with glass lenses.  Half a dozen columns support the ceiling, and there is a large set of double doors to the left, and a smaller set to the right.

The necromechanoid levels its cannon at you. But you leap aside instinctively as a hail of bullets bursts from the thing's weapon. You're behind one of the columns now; you can hear the Insomnolent Guards making their descent.

* Kaius Alexander throws himself into motion, desperately trying to escape the heavily armed construct

You rush towards the double doors, past the necromechanoid.  You push them open and emerge into the open air. You stand on a road just outside the facility. Behind you the towers of the Nachtheim loom dark against the lightning-lit sky. Searchlights have been lit and gun emplacements bristle up above.

You roll to one side as more bullets from the necromechanoid's gun whistle towards you.

The road leads into a twisted wood.
 
* Kaius Alexander sprints for the cover of the nearby forest.

The necromechanoid and half a dozen Insomnolent Guards close behind you, you make a break for the wood.

The searchlights fail to pinpoint you as you make your escape: you dart into the blackness, rain pattering against your armour, Nactheim behind you and a dark, twisted forest before you.[/ic]

[ic=Awakening]You are running through the black, gnarled woodlands outside of Nachtheim, one of the insidious Nurseries of the Lords and Ladies Revenant. Lightning flashes, briefly filling the woods with white-blue light. Somewhere behind you, a necromechanoid juggernaut and a squad of Insomnolent Guards are in pursuit. Thick rain falls in sheets, dripping from the branches above you and turning the ground to mud.

* Kaius Alexander keeps running, his boots splashing through the mud.

You hear the hiss of the necromechanoid and the groan of the double doors as they open fully.  Booted footsteps - Insomnolent Guards - crunch through the undergrowth behind you. There are no paths in the woods. However, as you run you spot some sort of small building up ahead and to the left.

* Kaius Alexander heads straight for it.

Lantern-light flashes through the dark woods behind you - roving beams doubtless carried by more Insomnolent Guardsmen. A small shack or cabin, abandoned and overgrown, rots gently in the midst of the forest here.

* Kaius Alexander struggles through the undergrowth, moving to take cover in the cabin

There's a single door, ajar. The cabin appears to have two rooms. The one you're in one contains some decomposing furniture covered in moss and creepers; the other looks to be a bedroom. There are two windows.

* Kaius Alexander peeks out one of the windows while loading two shells into the break of his scattergun

The roving lights flicker back and forth. You catch a glimpse of a Grey Matron flying above the treetops, scrutinizing the canopy with her baleful eyes. Lightning flashes again, and you glimpse another shape drifting some distance away - likely another Matron. At least some of the lights are headed in roughly your direction.

* Kaius Alexander hunkers down and controls his breathing. Taking advantage of the lull, he focuses his willpower and enters a meditative state to better ignore the residual pain from the Grey Matron's sorcerous attack.

You recuperate in the cabin, scattergun in your hands. The sound of the storm masks the approach of an Insomnolent Guard till he is nearly at the cabin door. You can hear his footsteps growing close; a light flickers through the window.

* Kaius Alexander puts a hand on the hilt of his sword and stills himself.

The door creaks open. A booted foot enters the room; a revolver gleams in the darkness...

* Kaius Alexander launches himself from his position as soon as the guard steps through, he draws his blade and transitions the movement into a low attack

You hack at the guard with your blade and he grunts in dull surprise. Resilient, he staggers backwards and draws his own blade while firing a shot; it goes wide, breaking one of the windows.

* Kaius Alexander continues his attack on the guardsman, and brings his sword back up for another slash

This time the guard's armour protects him from the brunt of your attack. He counterattacks and strikes out at you, but your own armour protects you from serious harm.

* Kaius Alexander presses the advance, and brings his sword down with all his power and skill.

You deliver a vicious blow and the Guard staggers backwards, bleeding badly. He attempts to retreat through the door.

* Kaius Alexander suddenly flings himself forward, blade poised, he attempts to prevent the Guardsman's escape.

You nearly cut the man down but he darts away just in time and limps into the forest, shouting grimly for assistance.

* Kaius Alexander brings his scattergun up, carefully taking sight down the length of the barrel, he fires at the retreating guardsman.

Your blast hits the Guard and he slumps against a tree, unconscious and likely dying. Somewhere off to your right there is a flare of red flame, and you briefly see the silhouette of the spidery necromechanoid. It seems to be using its naptha-thrower to defoliate the forest in its immediate vicinity. It is closing fast, though it doesn't seem to have pinpointed you yet.

* Kaius Alexander exhales in frustration at the sight of the necromechanoid, and hurries over to the defeated guardsman. Shouldering the man's body, he makes his way back to the cabin as swiftly as he can.

You arrive back at the cabin. There's blood on the ground from the Guard's injuries, and your own...

* Kaius Alexander puts the corpse down in the bedroom, and slides a new slug into the break of his scattergun.

As you put the corpse down in the bedroom you spot a trapdoor beneath a decaying rug.  Through the window you can make out the spidery thing in the gloom, closing fast; its head swivels this way and that.

* Kaius Alexander throws open the trapdoor. Shoving the guard down first, he follows right after.

As you jump down you hear the roar of the necromechanoid's weapon, and a hail of bullets shatters the remaining window. You find yourself in a cellar with brick walls.

* Kaius Alexander reaches up and closes the trapdoor, sealing himself in.

It's nearly pitch black down here.

* Kaius Alexander scrabbles for his flint and steel, finding them, he lights his bullseye lantern.

The lantern kindles to life. Upstairs you can hear thudding sounds as bullets rip through the wood. A number of kegs are evident in one corner, probably of wine long turned to vinegar. There is a hissing noise and a roaring sound; through a crack in the trapdoor you see a flicker of reddish light.

* Kaius Alexander conducts a search of the room.

You don't find anything unusual except some scuff marks on the floor around the kegs.

* Kaius Alexander heaves the kegs out of the way.

There is a stout wooden door behind the kegs. It is padlocked.

* Kaius Alexander places his lantern on the ground, seemingly unperturbed by the increasing heat, he takes out his lockpicks and sets to work.

You fumble with the lock but it is stubborn. You can hear debris falling up top. The room is getting quite warm.

* Kaius Alexander again exhales in frustration and places his scattergun directly up against the lock and pulls the trigger.

The lock blows open.  Splinters of wood fly everywhere. Fortunately your helmet protects you.

* Kaius Alexander picks up his lantern and hurries through the door.

Beyond the door is a rough-hewn passage.  Up ahead is a fork where the passage divides.

* Kaius Alexander holds his lantern out down each corridor in turn, trying to discern anything by the beam's light

The left seems to terminate in a collapse.  The right has a glimmer of natural-looking light at the end.

* Kaius Alexander proceeds cautiously down the right passage.

The passage ends halfway along a vertical shaft - what appears to be an old well shaft.  A ladder is propped up against the side of the shaft.

* Kaius Alexander peers out over the edge, shining his lantern down at the bottom of the well

The ladder sticks up out of a puddle of stagnant water.

* Kaius Alexander begins to climb.

You ascend the ladder and emerge back into the rain. Distantly you can see the flames of the burning cabin. It looks like the fire has drawn most of your pursuers.

* Kaius Alexander hurries deeper into the woods.

You press on through the woods, putting distance between yourself and the Insomnolent Guards that pursue you and the Grey Matrons floating above. Presently you come to a rough clearing amidst the trees. Lightning flashes, making Nactheim's outline visible in the distance.  You have almost reached the other side of the clearing when you hear someone behind you.

* Kaius Alexander whirls, drawing his blade in one smooth motion.

Lord Vladmir stands in the midst of the clearing, his eyes glowing in the darkness."Ah, Kaius," he says, his voice sounding weary. "This is becoming very, very tiresome."

Lord Vladmir unsheathes his Cereblade. The hilt and handle of the sword has a pinkish-white, organic appearance and texture, and the long, straight blade itself is white tinged slightly yellow, like a shard of bone. Though no glyphs or runes radiate along its length the blade throbs softly with a flushed reddish glow.

* Kaius Alexander glares at Lord Vladmir

"Did you really think you could escape? You're no Whisper, Kaius. It is a pity we must destroy such a capable servant. We ask you, for the sake of our sister, throw down your sword. You cannot best us. If you force us to, we will destroy you."

He fixes you with his pallid, unnerving eyes, and his voice echoes in your skull: We're sorry it had to come to this.

Kaius Alexander - Do not speak of my Lady Mother. I cannot submit to you, Vladmir. I will not.

"Then you will be forced."

His eyes lock with yours.  You feel his indomitable will begin to crush your mind. Come back with me, progeny, his voice echoes. Every fiber of your being cries out against this request.

* Kaius Alexander limply drops his blade and brings his hand to his head. Gritting his teeth, he attempts to fight Vladmir's domination.

With a supreme effort of will you break the Revenant's control. He stumbles back, snarling.

* Kaius Alexander gasps as the link is broken; matted with sweat, he again takes up his sword.

"Die, then, fool!" He growls.

He strides forward with preternatural grace and speed and lashes out with the Cereblade. You parry the blow and the Cereblade falls from his grasp.

Kaius Alexander - It seems it is you who will not best me, Vladmir.

* Kaius Alexander strikes as he speaks; his blade stabs into Vladmir's stomach.

Lord Vladmir gasps in pain as you deliver a vicious wound.  Though the injury almost instantly begins to heal, it is quite deep. He pulls his Cereblade back into his grasp psychically. He slashes at you with unnerving speed and gives you a wound in return.

* Kaius Alexander, caught off balance, makes a desperate counterattack; his blade comes in high.

He parries you effortlessly. Lord Vladmir feints deftly and you move to block, but his Cereblade darts around and stabs you again. He smiles mockingly.

* Kaius Alexander stares coldly back at Vladmir as they continue their struggle.

Out of the corner of your eye you half-glimpse someone moving in the dark undergrowth to one side of the clearing - perhaps Insomnolent Guards?

* Kaius Alexander backs off slowly from Vladmir's vicious advance, adopting a defensive posture. He slashes carefully, using all his skill to properly control his blade.

You give the Revenant a second wound, but he ignores it contemptuously. As he prepares to deliver another attack, a dozen dark shapes appear out of the depths of the forest - humans in leather armour, wielding flintlock pistols, crude rifles, crossbows, and swords. All wear simple masks. Immediately they begin firing on Lord Vladmir.

"For the Awakening!" one of the men shouts. Lord Vladmir grunts in pain as a bullet passes through his torso. He takes to the air.

* Kaius Alexander strikes again at Vladmir as he lifts into the air, but his attack misses.

Lord Vladmir, now hovering ten feet above the ground, spews a great gout of flame at the Awakeners. Half a dozen are almost instantly reduced to charred corpses. Two manage manage to escape the worst of the blast and continue the barrage.

* Kaius Alexander sheathes his sword and quickly brings up his scattergun; taking aim, he fires at Vladmir.

The blast from your weapon makes the Revenant hiss. He gestures, and the blackened corpses rise from the dead, shambling towards you to cut off your escape.

*Kaius Alexander, realizing that this is his only chance for escape, dashes towards the woods, trying to keep out of reach of the zombies.

You dodge around the flaming zombies.  The Awakeners continue their assault. Though their individual bullets have little effect on the Lord Revenant their constant barrage is beginning to wear on him. His fine clothing is ragged with bullet-holes, and a look of fury contorts his otherwise handsome features.

The zombies shuffle after you, slow and stupid, burnt flesh smoking.

* Kaius Alexander sprints at full speed into the cover of the surrounding forest

You hear the Revenant curse behind you.  The Awakeners seem to be retreating, firing as they go. Looking behind you, you can see that Lord Vladmir has withdrawn to the skies.

This is not over, you hear him say in your mind.

One of the masked men - the sharpshooter who managed to wound Vladmir on the first barrage - runs towards you.

"I don't know who you are, but you seem to be an enemy of the Revenants, and a capable one at that. We've got a haven not far from here; if you value your life, I advise you to join us. That Revenant will heal up in a few minutes, and the sounds of battle will draw its pets. We'd best move quickly."

* Kaius Alexander silently nods to the man.

The man turns to the zombies and takes a shot: the bullet passes cleanly through the head of one of his former comrades, destroying the brain.

Kaius Alexander - Awakeners, then. I had never expected to be saying this to you... but you have my thanks. You and your friends fought bravely.

"As did you. You were actually holding your own against that monster."

Kaius Alexander - It may have seemed that way, but I would not have lasted much longer. I owe you my life.

You run through the undergrowth alongside the Awakeners. Behind you, you can vaguely hear the approaching Insomnolent Guards and the occasional crackle of the necromechanoid's naptha-thrower.

"Any enemy of the Revenants is surely a friend of ours.  Now, there's an abandoned mine not far from here, in the foothills of the Slouching-devil Mountains. We've been using it as a hideout; the Revenants seem to have forgotten about it. We'll make for that."

* Kaius Alexander nods again.

Kaius Alexander - As you say.

Ahead, the terrain begins to slope upwards steeply and becomes progressively rockier.

"This way," the Awakener directs.

Looking up, you spot A Grey Matron bearing down on your position!

Kaius Alexander - Matron! Down!

The Awakener flattens himself against a tree. His fellows likewise leap into the brush.

Your armour gives you away. The hag descends out of the sky. The Awakener, realizing your cover is blown, takes a shot, but it goes wide.

* Kaius Alexander draws his blade and moves to confront the creature.

She hovers a few inches above the ground and fixes you with her hideous stare.

* Kaius Alexander  shrugs off her witchery and slashes savagely at the Matron.

The Matron shrieks horribly and retreats, waiting for reinforcements.

* Kaius Alexander immediately follows his first strike with a second, attempting to catch the Matron before she retreats.

You give her a second wound as she withdraws.

Kaius Alexander - We must flee. She'll draw more of them, and we will be overwhelmed.

"Right.  Let's make haste."

He leads you up into the foothills, along with the remnants of the Awakener war-band. "We're getting close. If the gods are kind then we can slip into the tunnels and the Unsleeping will lose our trail."

Kaius Alexander - Let us hope.

The Awakeners continue to scramble up the slope. You notice some rusted tracks and other oddments that might be the remnants of a rail. One of the rebels running ahead of you moves some loose brush that looked as if it were growing against a cliff face, revealing a black hole in the rock supported by wooden beams. "In here," the Awakener advises.

* Kaius Alexander follows them through, stealing a quick look back over the hills as he enters the opening.

Light-beams rove and Matrons float over the forest, but they are still fairly distant.  You can hear the necromechanoid's weapon but it is a faint patter.

Within the tunnel the air is musty and stale. The Awakeners hasten into the passages and conceal the entrance again before making their way deeper into the complex, leaving a pair of guards near the entrance.

The mines seem to be quite extensive. The Awakeners lead you through a twisted labyrinth of tunnels, deep into the bowels of the earth. Eventually you arrive in a rough camp with bedrolls and crates of provisions; several other Awakeners are already in the camp, some of them with bandaged wounds. The camp is set up in a large cavern at which five tunnels converge.

"So," the Awakener leader says. "Belated introductions would seem to be in order. Name's Mikhail. We don't share surnames in the Awakening." He takes off his mask, revealing fine features marred by a jagged scar running from temple to jaw.

Kaius Alexander - I am glad to meet you, Mikhail. I share no such compunctions. I am Kaius Alexander.

* Kaius Alexander raises his visor.

Mikhail extends his hand.

* Kaius Alexander grasps it and shakes firmly.

"We've been camped here for about a month now, ambushing caravans packed with older children headed to Somnambulon to become zombies," Mikhail explains. "The mine links up with a network of older tunnels under the Slouching-devil Mountains themselves; we've been funneling those we rescue through these tunnels to the other side of the Mountains, up into the Baronies, fostering as many as we can with peasant families.

"They have trouble adapting, of course, but not as much as you'd expect. Everyone thinks they're feral, but they're not - there's a kind of culture forms in the Nurseries. Either the Matrons don't notice or they don't care, but they've got a pecking order and a rudimentary language."

Kaius Alexander - Yes, I have heard of such things.

"So, Kaius - why are the Revenants after you?"

* Kaius Alexander pauses momentarily.

Kaius Alexander - I am a former servant of one of the Ladies of Somnambulon. The Revenants do not wish me to have my freedom, and so they make themselves my foes.

"I'd noticed your armour; that makes sense.  Why'd you choose to leave their service?  As I understand it, the servants of the Revenants are pretty thoroughly indoctrinated."

Kaius Alexander - My Lady.. she was not as so many of the others are. She quarreled with them, and so was cast out from the Sleepwalker's City. Her death left me alone, and so I now seek my own path. Do not think me a weak-willed servant. I have no desire to return to my former life.

"I see.  How'd you end up at Nactheim?  You must be a pretty serious threat if they're willing to actually track you down..."

Kaius Alexander - My Lady left me with... a certain gift. Of knowledge, you might say. A threat the Lords and Ladies wish expunged at all costs.

"Ah.  I can see why they'd want to reclaim an important secret.  Is it anything that might assist the Awakening?"

Kaius Alexander - In time... perhaps. But at this juncture I do not fully understand it myself, and so, I think, it would be of little use to you. The Revenants seek to keep me from this understanding.

"I can tell you'd rather keep the knowledge to yourself, whatever it is: I can understand why.  In any event, I'm glad we were able to assist you."

Kaius Alexander - I too am glad. You all have my thanks for your assistance.

"Now; do your wounds need tending to?"

Kaius Alexander - Yes, I would appreciate that.

* Kaius Alexander begins removing the pieces of his armour that restrict access to his wounds.

One of the Awakeners approaches with bandages and other first aid materials.[/ic]

[ic=Out of the Frying Pan...]You're in the Awakener camp, your wounds being tended.

* Kaius Alexander examines his surroundings.

You are at an intersection of five passages.  Awakeners, perhaps a dozen in number, occupy the camp. There are bedrolls, a few crates of ammunition, a cooking pot with a low flame, and some other supplies. The roof is supported by stout wooden beams. They look like they've been recently replaced.

* Kaius Alexander puts his armour back on when the Awakener medic is done tending his wounds.

You rest, rejuvenating yourself as best you can.  After a time, one of the Awakener guards Mikhail left at the mine entrance comes running into the camp, clutching a wound at his shoulder.

"They've found us," he pants.  "Ivan's dead.  I think the Matrons smelt us out - they don't usually like to leave the Nursery, but this fellow's got them riled up, whoever he is."

"How many?"  Mikhail asks.

"A dozen guards and twice as many zombies, plus a juggernaut and at least two Matrons, not to mention the Revenant himself."

* Kaius Alexander stands and puts his hand on the hilt of his sword; he then turns to look at Mikhail.

"Gods preserve us," Mikhail mutters.  He raises his voice and addresses the rest of the Awakeners: "We're evacuating the camp.  Take the supplies we'll need to reach the other side and all the ammunition, but leave everything else; in a few minutes they'll be here.  We'll split up, take different routes.  Samuel, you take the northeast tunnel; Stephen, you take the north. I'll take the  northwest tunnel. Now let's move!"

He turns to you.

"Kaius; you're welcome to come with us if you so desire.  If not... well, there's a possibility you might be able to slip past them while they're pursuing us.  It's up to you."

Kaius Alexander - I will follow you Mikhail. I owe you enough to see that your band escapes safely.

"Very well.  We will make for the tunnels under the mountains."

The Awakeners proceed to break camp.

* Kaius Alexander nods and grabs some supplies that are nearby.

Soon everyone is ready to leave.  Mikhail and another Awakener make for the northwest passage.  "You with us, Kaius?"

Kaius Alexander '" Yes.

Mikhail's oil lamp provides meagre illumination as you proceed into the depths of the mine.  The passages twist and turn, and Mikhail mutters to himself as he navigates the crazed warren.

You distantly hear the patter of the necromechanoid's gun somewhere behind you, the screams of dying men...

Kaius Alexander - Have these depths been mapped, Mikhail? We would not want to lose our way down here.

"We don't have a complete map, but we know our way well enough.  They're certainly a warren - hopefully our pursuers will get lost down here."

Kaius Alexander -  Ah.

You head further into the mine, following Mikhail and another Awakener.  He leads you right, then left, then right again, and you arrive at what looks to be a mechanical lift leading down into the earth.

"This will take us to the lower level," he says.  "We'll cut the ropes when we get down.  Won't stop them but it will slow them down."

You hear heavy footsteps approaching from the passage you came down.

Kaius Alexander - Footsteps, behind us. We are found.

Mikhail readies his rifle while the other Awakener begins winding the wheel to lower the lift.

Kaius Alexander - They are close, start the lift, quickly.

* Kaius Alexander feeds a slug into the break in his scattergun

The lift rumbles as it makes its descent, rusted gears protesting.  Part way down, you hear gunshots and see muzzles flashing from up above as enemies begin firing down the shaft.

The Awakener manning the lift takes a bullet. He's still on his feet, but bleeding badly.

* Kaius Alexander moves him out of the way and mans the wheel.

More bullets whine off the shaft.

The Insomnolent Guardsmen above you pepper you with shots. The lift grinds to a halt in the darkness. You have reached the bottom. A passage yawns before you.

 * Kaius Alexander grunts as the bullets hit him, but helps the wounded Awakener out of the lift.

Mikhail saws at the ropes, disabling the lift. The other Awakener takes out a flintlock pistol. Mikhail continues to lead you through the mines.

After some time you arrive at a larger chamber.  A huge chasm gapes before you - a wound in the earth, its bottom lost in darkness.  Only a rickety bridge allows passage over this rift, a rough construction supported by tall stilts which descend into the gloom below.  The bridge zigzags several times and is quite long, as the chasm is considerably wide.

"A bit past here the mines intersect with some older tunnels," Mikhail says.

* Kaius Alexander grimaces at the bridge, reminded of another horrible situation.

Mikhail starts to make his way across.

You very faintly think you might have heard a voice echoing from behind you somewhere.

* Kaius Alexander looks back over his shoulder, but gently steps out onto the span.

As you cross the bridge it groans beneath your weight.  A rotten piece of wood snaps off under your footfall!

* Kaius Alexander steps carefully and calls back to the other Awakener

Kaius Alexander - Step with care, there is a missing plank.

The Awakener nods and moves slowly. You are halfway across the long, zigzagging bridge when you hear a hissing sound behind you, and a Grey Matron, accompanied by three Insomnolent Guardsmen, appear at the entrance to the chamber!  While the Guardsmen begin to make their way across the bridge the Matron floats overhead.  The Guardsmen squeeze off shots as they pursue you.

You note that The Matron is one-handed'¦

Kaius Alexander - Mikhail! They're here!

Mikhail stops and brings his rifle to bear. His bullet whines through the darkness.

* Kaius Alexander brings his scattergun up. He carefully tracks the Matron as he slowly works his way along the bridge, hunching over to present a smaller target to the Guardsmen.

The Guardsmen fire, but hit only the bridge.

The Awakener takes a shot with his flintlock. It pings off a Guardsman's helm.

The Matrons swoops low, finger extended!

* Kaius Alexander pulls the trigger on his scattergun.

You blast the Matron in the face. Somehow she survives. She hisses a word of fell power.

Her eldritch bolt hits the bridge. One of the stilts snaps off and the bridge begins to tremble.

 * Kaius Alexander works the break on his scattergun. A spent slug casing pops out and flies off into the darkness. Cursing under his breath he quickens his pace.

Mikhail shoots again, then sprints to the end of the bridge.

The Awakener behind you takes a bullet to the head and falls into the pit.

Kaius Alexander - No!

* Kaius Alexander grimaces and again raises his scattergun.

The Matron swerves aside, avoiding your shot. She fixes you with here gaze.

* Kaius Alexander puts his right hand on his revolver, preparing to draw it

You shrug off her influence.

One of the Insomnolent Guards trips over the hole where the plank was disturbed! One of his fellows nearly falls off the bridge, but maintains his balance.

Mikhail takes another shot, but in the darkness, he misses.

* Kaius Alexander smoothly draws his revolver and points it at the Matron, firing off a shot.

The Matron again swerves, cackling evilly.

As you beat a retreat the Matron sends another bolt of energy towards you, but again merely hits the bridge, punching a hole in it.  The guards, recovering, continue across.

Mikhail hits one in the torso, spalling his armour.

Kaius Alexander - Die, hag.

* Kaius Alexander again fires on the Matron.

The crone is about to shriek another word of dark power, but your bullet hits her withered heart.  She plummets from the air and smashes into the bridge; it shakes again.

Mikhail starts making his way down the far passage.

* Kaius Alexander turns and hurries after Mikhail.

You take a bullet through a gap in your armour. It passes cleanly through your body.

* Kaius Alexander grunts and stumbles for a second, but regains his footing.

There is a sound of splintering wood behind you as the bridge collapses beneath the weight of the three Guardsmen. One of them manages to leap to safety, but the others fall into the abyss.

Up ahead the mines seem to end, giving way to another set of passages.

* Kaius Alexander whirls at the sound of the collapsing bridge, seeing that only one Guardsmen remains, he draws his sword and begins advancing on the man.

Kaius Alexander - Mikhail! Only one remains, I will take him.

The Guardsman draws his own blade.

He adopts a defensive posture, waiting for you to attack.

* Kaius Alexander swings his blade.

The Insomnolent parries your initial strike, but you parry his riposte in turn and counterattack, bringing your blade down against his shoulder and severing an arm.

He stumbles back, bleeding everywhere, and nearly falls into the pit.

He feebly swings his blade with his remaining hand.

* Kaius Alexander smirks as he brings his blade down from high guard. It slides cleanly through the gap between the Guard's gorget and helm. The man topples backwards, his head separating from his body as he plummets into the pit. Kaius flicks the gore from his blade and sheathes it.

Mikhail grunts appreciatively.

"Impressive fighting."

Kaius Alexander - I do what I must. Come, let us continue.

The guard's severed arm still twitches in a pool of blood, clutching the gun that wounded you.

Mikhail leads you out of the mines and into a new set of passages. Where the mines were rough-hewn, ceilings and walls propped up with mouldering wood, these corridors are elegantly constructed, with walls of finished stone; they are also much larger, echoing and cavernous, in contrast with the twisting, claustrophobic warren of the mine. There are even small openings near the ceiling for ventilation - you can feel air moving through them. Though the dust and cobwebs are still thick, the air is at least somewhat less musty, though you catch whiff of a curious, sour smell. When you walk, your footfalls echo through the complex.

"Strange things lurk beneath the mountains," Mikhail says quietly.  "We've heard some odd sounds down here, and smelt some odder smells."

Kaius Alexander - I will be wary, then. Tell me'¦ who built this place?

"No one knows.  Some say that they were a race of giants; others claim that they were sentient machines.  Whatever the case, they're long dead.  It's rumoured the ur-bones are their remains, but that's just a guess.  Other creatures live here now.  I've heard it claimed some are the former servants of the builders."

Kaius Alexander - Hm. So deep in the mountains... one wonders why.

You come to a branch in the hall.  Mikhail gestures that you take the left-hand passage.

* Kaius Alexander proceeds down it.

Some scattered bones are strewn about in the middle of the hall here.  They are human, but have been gnawed and splintered by some beast.

* Kaius Alexander glances over them idly, more concerned by what might still be alive.

Mikhail continues to lead you through the complex, seemingly confident in his path. He begins whistling softly, perhaps out of nervous habit...

Something stirs in the blackness behind you - you hear the scrabbling of nails on stone.

* Kaius Alexander whirls, drawing his blade.

Mikhail half-turns when he hears you draw your sword.

Kaius Alexander - Mikhail, light!

He directs his lamp into the darkness.  You catch a very brief glimpse of a shadowy, vaguely humanoid creature as it scampers up a wall and into one of the ventilation shafts, tucking its narrow body and long, many-jointed limbs into the cramped tunnel without difficulty.  You didn't get a good look, but you got a sense of leathery skin and an emaciated, bony body, gnarled with osseous protrusions.

"What in the Hells..."

* Kaius Alexander exhales in a hiss.

Kaius Alexander - ...Let us not linger.

* Kaius Alexander takes a moment to light his own lantern.
   
"I agree.  Whatever those things are, they never showed themselves before.  Perhaps we were travelling in too large a group."

Mikhail continues to lead you through the underground tunnels; eventually you arrive at the mouth of a large chamber.

At its center is some kind of immense, ancient machine of inscrutable purpose.  It takes the form of a column, with many cables and wires emerging from the ceiling plugging into its top; there are marking on panels along its base, in a tongue you do not recognize. It is partially of clockwork, but not a design you recognize. You are not sure what it does, your best guess is that it was some sort of generator.

"Scavengers sometimes pick at these things," Mikhail notes, shining his light on the column."Not that they ever bring back anything worthwhile.  Just scrap metal now."

Kaius Alexander - I cannot deduce its purpose. But you are right. Individual components would likely be near worthless.

He leads you down another corridor.

You can hear something moving in the walls, the scrape of claws.

* Kaius Alexander speaks quietly.

Kaius Alexander -  They are in the walls... how much further must we go?

"It's a ways yet, I'm afraid. Perhaps another two hours of this, at a brisk pace..."

Kaius Alexander - Let us hope these things do not confront us directly then.

* Kaius Alexander keeps a firm grip on his blade.

"Indeed."

Your lantern-beam catches a glimmer of movement up ahead.

Kaius Alexander - Something up ahead.

You move the light to fix on the source but see only a brief flash of purplish flesh and pallid bone before the thing scampers away.

Mikhail grimaces and draws a revolver.

Kaius Alexander - Stalk us then! When you come for me it will be your grave you find waiting for you!

Another ancient machine is sprawled ruinously across the passage up ahead.  Bits and pieces of it spill out in a rusted morass.

Examining the clockwork viscera of the device you intuit that this particular engine was definitely a power source, probably to provide both light and heat.

While you examine the device, you hear Mikhail shout.

* Kaius Alexander looks up.

His revolver goes off.  Mikhail is currently contending with one of the ghoulish monstrosities you glimpsed earlier, which has approached with stealth.  It seems to be trying to embrace him.

* Kaius Alexander rushes forward to throw the creature off of Mikhail.

Mikhail fires again and hits the creature; it squeals horribly. You move forward.  Grabbing the monstrosity by the throat you hurl it off of Mikhail. It squeals again and emits a foul odour.

* Kaius Alexander spits as he feels bile rising in his throat.

Mikhail fires again and the creature's brains are blown out the back of its head.

* Kaius Alexander casts about with his lantern, looking for more of the creatures.

You catch another brief glimpse of three more of the things retreating into the ducts.

Mikhail examines the corpse.

Kaius Alexander - Disgusting creatures.

The creature is a troglodytic humanoid whose narrow head lack visible eyes but sports a massive mouth lined with many rows of long fangs.  Its limbs are many-jointed and clawed, and it sports a pair of huge, recurved horns jutting fiendishly from its scalp.  Its flesh is a queasy purplish-black, the colour of gloom.  Its body emits a vile stench that reminds you somehow of insects, a bilious pheromone reek.

Kaius Alexander - What are these things..?

"No idea."

Kaius Alexander - No matter, with luck we will soon be free of this place.

"Hopefully."

Mikhail keeps his pistol ready as he leads you through the tunnels. A voice suddenly echoes somewhere from behind you.

"Thought you could get away, did you Kaius?"  It is Lord Vladmir, his voice, carried by the weird acoustics of the corridor.  "Destroying the bridge may have stopped the Unsleeping, but not us.  We know you're here somewhere; we can sense you.  Aren't you growing tired of this little game?"

*Kaius Alexander exhales in a quiet hiss.

"Who's that?" Mikhail whispers.

* Kaius Alexander speaks quietly.

Kaius Alexander - The Revenant, Lord Vladmir.

"Gods preserve us..."

You reach another divergence in the corridor.

Kaius Alexander - I cannot defeat him, he is too powerful. We must hope to lose him down here...

A sour smell emanates from the left-hand path.

Vladmir's voice seems to come from the right-hand passage: "We'll catch you eventually.  You're just prolonging the inevitable.  It's not too late for you to surrender.  We can forget this ever happened!"

He laughs cruelly.

* Kaius Alexander bristles and grits his teeth.

"I don't like the smell down there," Mikhail says.  "But it is our path, nonetheless..."

* Kaius Alexander nods and follows Mikhail.

Two more of the creatures you encountered earlier prowl about here, alternately standing on two feet, then four, horned heads turning this way and that.  When your lamplight hits them they hiss and crawl away, into the vents.

You hear a scrabbling sound behind you.

* Kaius Alexander turns and points his lantern beam down the corridor.

One of the creatures scuttles away.  As you turn, you hear a muffled grunt and the sound of breaking glass. When you turn back, you find that Mikhail is being dragged into one of the ventilation shafts!

*Kaius Alexander shouts and rushes over to Mikhail, grabbing hold of his leg he tries to pull him away from the beast.

You wrest Mikhail back.

You feel a sudden sharp pain in your leg. One of the horrors has slashed you with its long claws. Another scrabbles ineffectively against your armour.

* Kaius Alexander lurches to one side and slashes wildly at the creatures.

Your swing decapitates one of them.

Mikhail fires another shot, then gives a muffled yell as the creature from up above makes a second grab. Again, he is being drawn up and into the shafts.

*Kaius Alexander darts back from one of the creatures and grabs Mikhail by the legs, he pulls mightily.

Once again you tug Mikhail back from the creature's grasp.

Kaius Alexander - Stay down, Mikhail! I will deal with these creatures!

The horror snaps at you again but your armour deflects its wicked teeth.

Mikhail backs away the ventilation shaft and fires his pistol; he gives a flesh wound to the second creature.

You slash at another, but the creature ducks under your blade and head-butts you, stunning you briefly as you bang into the wall behind you. The beast from up above jumps down.

* Kaius Alexander shakes his head and tries to recover his senses.

Mikhail contends with the second creature while the third claws ineffectively at you.

* Kaius Alexander, recovering, again steps forward. He jabs at the creature with his blade.

You skewer the abomination. It growls and emmits more of the revolting musk.  This time you overcome your nausea, but Mikhail gives a retching cough.  The creature you injured scampers back up towards the duct!

* Kaius Alexander hacks viciously at the beast as it turns its back to him.

Your attack unseams the humanoid from neck to navel.  Mikhail hits the remaining beast again, but it is only a glancing wound. It makes a final lunge at him and scratches at his chest before scampering away into the darkness.

* Kaius Alexander wipes the blackish blood from his blade but keeps it in hand

"Damn thing kept trying to snatch me.  Quick thinking on your part.  Let's hurry!"

Kaius Alexander - Mikhail, are you able to continue?

"I'm fine. Flesh wound only."

He hastens down the corridor, then turns left. You are faced with an enormous cave-in.

"Fuck. This tunnel was stable when we last came through..."

* Kaius Alexander frowns and steps forward with his lantern, examining the cave-in.

It looks like the columns supporting the ceiling gave way.

"We'll have to find another way around."

Kaius Alexander - Do you know of such a way?

"Very roughly, but not in-depth.  We haven't mapped this area completely. Still, you seem more than a match for those... whatever they are."

Kaius Alexander - We have no choice. We must continue.

Behind you, the passage stretches ahead; a doorway yawns to the left, as well. The way you came was from the right.

Kaius Alexander - Through here.

* Kaius Alexander signals to the door.

"Let's try it."

* Kaius Alexander steps through.

This long, cyclopean hall contains heaps and heaps of sticky, glossy eggs clustered in sacs of black mucus. There are two exits: one to the left, one straight ahead.

* Kaius Alexander 's eyes widen at the sight.

"Must be where the damn things breed..."

Kaius Alexander - Then we should not stay here.

"Agreed."

Kaius Alexander - Straight? No, or again to the left. This passage is parallel to our other course.

* Kaius Alexander shines his light on the leftward way.

"It might connect up with the passage that caved in."

There is a stairway leading upwards a short distance along.

* Kaius Alexander ascends.

You can hear them, whatever they are, scurrying in the walls again.

As you climb the stairs, Vladmir's voice cuts through the gloom again, disturbingly close: "It seems we've found some of your handiwork.  You can be such a brute; we trained you well.  The marrowgaunts really had no chance."

* Kaius Alexander hunches his shoulders and quickens his pace.

At the top, you stand in a hexagonal chamber containing another derelict machine.  Passages brachiate in three directions.  One has a stair leading down, similar to the oneyou just ascended; the other continues straight.

Kaius Alexander - Which course do we take?

"Maybe the other stairway down... should lead us to the same level as the cave-in."

Kaius Alexander - Vladmir is close, I cannot face him again... As you say, then.

You descend.

"You know, you actually did us something of a favour," Vladmir taunts.  "The Matrons inform us that they'd been looking for the Awakeners' hideout for weeks.  Really, we should be thanking you for leading us straight to them"

* Kaius Alexander grits his teeth tries to ignore Vladmir's continued taunting.

At the foot of the stairs is a corridor with a doorway to the left; you can turn left through it, or continue straight. Judging from the way the stairway down was angled, a left should lead you roughly back to the cave-in.

*Kaius Alexander proceeds to the left.

You arrive at the other side of the cave-in.

"That was relatively painless. Not much further."

Kaius Alexander - I will be glad to see the end of this place.

Mikhail continues down the passage, having readied his rifle.

* Kaius Alexander shines his own lantern ahead of Mikhail

Very faintly, you think you hear the vaguest echo of laughter - and not in Lord Vladmirs mocking tones. It's coming from up ahead...

* Kaius Alexander exhales quietly.

Kaius Alexander - U p ahead'¦ did you hear anything?

Mikhail pauses to listen. The laughter is audible again.

"I think I hear laughter..."

* Kaius Alexander shakes his head.

Kaius Alexander - Vladmir? No'¦

"They tell stories of the Deep Laughter that haunts the Slouching-devil Moutnains, but I thought it was just that, a story. You ever heard of cacklegeists?"

Kaius Alexander - Yes. I have fought their kind in the past. Gibbergeists.

"They say the Deep Laughter is their parent... that any who listen too long starts to turn.  All we need."

Kaius Alexander - Perhaps just a tale... perhaps not. Pay no mind to the laughter, do not dwell upon it. Let us move quickly.

"A good idea. Let's go."[/ic]

[ic=...and Into the Fire]Somewhere beneath the Slouching-devil Mountains, you and the Awakener rebel Mikhail are making your way towards the Northern Baronies.  Marrowgaunts  - grotesque, eyeless horrors with hypertrophied limbs and mean dispositions - lurk in the very walls of these ancient, semi-ruinous tunnels; behind you, somewhere, the Lord Revenant Vladmir stalks you; ahead, a weird laughter echoes. Mikhail notes a mark scrawled on the wall - an Awakener sigil.

"We're going the right way," the masked rifleman notes.

The laughter grows somewhat louder, more manic, as you press on into the tunnels, though it is still fairly distant.  Mikhail twitches slightly but seems to shrug off any ill effect of the laughter...

* Kaius Alexander feels a strange compulsion to giggle, but suppresses it.

Mikhail leads you round a corner. Sprawled across the passage floor are a dozen corpses.  Half of them belong to marrowgaunts, the foul creatures that seem to infest these tunnels.  The other half are human, though monstrously warped, with bulging eyes and gaping mouths frozen in horrible open-mouthed grins, features distorted and crinkled as if with manic glee.

Kaius Alexander - It seems they are not just stories, then.

"Indeed..."

"Where are you Kaius?" Lord Vladmir's voice echoes from somewhere behind you.

* Kaius Alexander looks up suddenly, instinctively scanning his surroundings.

"Stop hiding, sweet Kaius, and let your uncle Vladmir take you home."

Mikhail fixes you with an odd look.

Kaius Alexander - No time to consider... this'¦ we must continue, regardless of what is ahead.

"...uncle?"

Kaius Alexander - I am not as many of the Guard are, sons and daughters of the Barons.

"You're... you're one of their ilk?"

Kaius Alexander - I was born a Childe of House Varkolak, the same as Vladmir. They deemed me... unfit.  Thus I bear the name 'Alexander,' which would have been my middle name; only Lords and Ladies have the right to use the House name.

"I see."

Kaius Alexander - And so, I was inducted into the Guard. Vladmir seeks to agitate, pay it no mind.

"Well, I will not hold your blood against you.  Let's make haste, before your kinsman catches up with us."

Kaius Alexander - Agreed.

You press on into a large hall. Some sort of construct, hulking and murderous-looking, lies slumped against a column here.  It looks to be built of the same arcane clockwork as the generators you saw earlier.  One of its arms is a huge steel fist, the other a conglomeration of cables and curious extrusions - perhaps some sort of weapon.

 "Bit of a giant, isn't he?" Mikhail says.  "As far as we could tell it's more or less intact, just inactive."

* Kaius Alexander hesitates, but stops to examine the construct.

Kaius Alexander - Curious.

You think if you had a minute or two you might be able to get this thing working again!

Kaius Alexander - Mikhail. Keep the light steady.

* Kaius Alexander hands his lantern to Mikhail

"What are you doing?" he asks, taking the lantern.

Kaius Alexander - I may be able to reactivate it.

* Kaius Alexander crouches down and begins to fiddle with the wiring

"Do we have time?  Do we even know what it will do?"

Kaius Alexander - Vladmir is close. He will catch us either way. This may be our only chance.

You reconnect a few components and wind the huge construct up.  It groans and stirs, limbs clanking, gears whirring.

Kaius Alexander - Construct. Status.

It stands still for a moment, then rotates its small, wedge-shaped head towards you.

"ORDERS?" It asks in the demoniac tongue.

Kaius Alexander - A man, Zehrer in truth, is in pursuit of myself and my companion. Delay him. You are authorized to destroy him if necessary.

"Kaius..." Mikhail says worriedly.

* Kaius Alexander turns.

His lantern shines on a number of shambling corpses - the cadavers you passed earlier. They have been reanimated.

Kaius Alexander - Construct! Destroy these grave-spawn!

Walking just behind them comes Lord Vladmir, Cereblade shimmering pallidly in the gloom.

"ACKNOWLEDGED" The construct says.

* Kaius Alexander reaches out with his mind, tendrils of thought twist towards the leading grave-spawn.

You wrest the leading zombie free of Lord Vladmir's command.

* Kaius Alexander sets it upon its companions.

It lurches towards them and they dumbly stagger as it flails at them.

Lord Vladmir snarls and struts forward, Cereblade in hand.

Kaius Alexander - Construct, designate leading grave-spawn friendly! Switch priority to enemy blade wielding humanoid, designate grave-spawn secondary targets!

"ACKNOWLEDGED."

Vladmir slashes the leading zombie in two. Its torso continues to hamper the other grave-spawn.  The other zombies shuffle forwards, ignoring the grave-spawn you command.

Mikhail takes a shot with his rifle. His bullet hits one of the zombies.  The construct, meanwhile, raises its arm.  The weapon begins to glow and crackle.

* Kaius Alexander draws his pistol and fires

Lord Vladmir dodges the bullet with preternatural speed.

* Kaius Alexander curses under his breath and starts withdrawing.

Kaius Alexander - Mikhail! We must fall back!

Vladmir takes to the air and flies forward, closing on you and the construct.

The zombies continue to trudge.

Mikhail nods and hastens backwards, taking a shot at Vladmir. He misses.

The construct makes a strange noise and a bolt of arcane puissance bursts from its weapon-arm!  Vladmir snarls as the bolt hits him. He falls to the ground, twitching and singed.

You're at the far end of the hall. There's a large door behind you and two smaller doorways to either side.

* Kaius Alexander raises his pistol again, zeroing in on Vladmir.

Your bullet pings harmlessly off the construct.

Kaius Alexander - Construct! Engage all hostiles until none remain. If you are successful in your mission, fall back to my position!

You duck through the side door.

There is a roaring sound behind you, followed by sudden heat and light - Vladmir's flamespew.  You hear Mikhail cry out, and briefly see him hurled through the main doorway.

Kaius Alexander - Mikhail!

* Kaius Alexander rushes over to him
 
The construct slams at Vlad with its fist.  Vladmir grunts as the thing pummels him.  The zombies leap on the construct, pursued by the crawling torso...

At the same time, you enter the main doorway. You are in a large chamber with several doorways. Mikhail is badly burnt but alive. Four marrowgaunts approach from one of the corridors.

* Kaius Alexander exhales in frustration.

* Kaius Alexander picks gently picks Mikhail up off the ground.

The warrior groans. His rifle is on the ground.

* Kaius Alexander puts Mikhail's rifle in his hand.

Kaius Alexander - We must fight on. It is our only chance, now.

Mikhail coughs. "I'm alright.  I can fight.  I'll take care of these 'gaunts..."

* Kaius Alexander nods to him.

Kaius Alexander - Retreat towards my position if they threaten to overwhelm you.

"Will do..."

Vladmir curses in Morbis and carves at the construct, severing its weapon-arm.  Its fist flies towards him. Vladmir is thrown across the room by the force of the blow, smashing into a pillar.

Mikhail fires at one of approaching 'gaunts, scoring a hit; the thing squeals in pain but lopes forwards.

* Kaius Alexander hesitates as he observes the construct battling Vladmir and the marrowgaunts closing in on Mikhail. He nods to himself and draws his sword. Turning, he advances on the gaunts.

There is another explosion as the construct is hit by Vladmir's flames. The zombies still clinging to it are all incinerated instantly.

Mikhail drops the gaunt he hit before with a well placed shot.  One of the others leaps towards you; you slash with your blade, impaling it.  The remaining gaunts leap atop you and scrabble at your armour.  One manages to scratch at a weak point.

The construct clanks forward, towards Vladmir.

* Kaius Alexander lunges forwards with his sword.

You slay a second 'gaunt.  The remaining horror retreats.

* Kaius Alexander steps forward quickly, slashing at a fleeing 'gaunt as it turns.

You slash at it but fail to kill the creature.  It slinks away, bleeding badly.  Mikhail shoots in the back of the head.

Again, Vladmir pelts the construct with flame. It is beginning to make some unusual sounds. The pillars that support the room creak and groan, having been weakened by the repeated explosive blasts. Small chunks of stone fall to the ground.

The zombie torso you command claws towards Vlad.

Kaius Alexander '" Mikhail. The construct has done severe damage to Vladmir. I will move to assist it, remain here and provide ranged support.

"Aye."

The construct closes the gap and grabs Vladmir like a doll, smashing him repeatedly against the wall.  Vladmir groans as the thing pummels him.  There is a sound of bones snapping.

* Kaius Alexander grips his blade tightly and hustles towards the construct's position.

You hurry into the hall. The construct is gripping Vlad by the waist, squeezing mercilessly. With a bloodcurdling shriek, the Lord Revenant raises his Cereblade and brings it down, severing the thing's hand at the wrist. He leaps into the air and with a second stroke of tremendous force slices the automaton nearly in two.  The construct staggers back and collapses, gears tumbling from its insides like rusty viscera.

Mikhail sends a bullet towards Vlad but misses.  Vladmir had been severely wounded: shards of broken bone protrude from his ragged clothing, his visible flesh is blackened with bruises, and his face is a ruin of blood.

* Kaius Alexander strides towards him

Kaius Alexander - Vladmir. Your pursuit of me was folly. I will now end it. It didn't have to be this way.

For once, Vladmir has nothing to say.

Already the wounds on his face are beginning to heal. His bruises yellow and start to disappear.  His broken bones start to knit...

* Kaius Alexander raises his blade and springs towards Vladmir.

You charge forwards and stab the Revenant through his blackened heart, catching him off guard!  Still somehow alive, he snarls and raises his own blade for a final strike.  Using both hands he stabs you viciously in the chest; the Cereblade embeds itself in your body, pulsing with agonizing psychic energy.

* Kaius Alexander gasps as the blade pierces his flesh.

The Lord Revenant coughs blood.

 "The others will find you," he croaks feebly.  He gasps for breath. Blood pours from his chest, his mouth.  He has let go of his sword and stepped back.

Kaius Alexander '" Then they are fools, as you were. I will teach them the severity of their error.

* Kaius Alexander groans as he pulls the Cereblade from his body. He grasps it with both hands and stands poised over Vladmir. His own blood dripping from the blade, he thrusts downwards - the blade descends, cutting through Vladmir's skull. The zehrer within pierces the aether with a horrible pyschic wail, its final thoughts winging off towards Somnambulon. Vladmir lies still.

The Cereblade pulses in your hands. You feel its presence merge with your own, synchronizing with a new wielder.

* Kaius Alexander exhales slowly and shakes his head.

The hall groans; the pillars begin to splinter.

* Kaius Alexander glances upwards. He throws himself into motion, racing for the doorway.

One of them snaps, sending dust and debris flying as it collapses.

* Kaius Alexander dodges a huge chunk of falling masonry.

You race to the doorway; the ceiling behind you collapses completely.  Mikhail, just beyond, catches his breath and winces.

Kaius Alexander - He is dead. We are done with this place, I think. Come, Mikhail.

* Kaius Alexander strides off into the darkness.

"After you, Kaius."

Deeper in the tunnels, the laughter sounds again.  You're not out yet...

"We're off the beaten path," Mikhail says, wincing.  He looks like some grave-spawn thing, all singed flesh and scorched, tattered clothing.  "That cave-in blocked off the passage I would have taken; we'll have to find another way out of here."

You are in a hexagonal anteroom with a high vaulted ceiling and three other exits: a stairway leading down, a second leading up, and a third running straight.  Marrowgaunt corpses litter the ground where you cut them down; the room stinks of their foul ichor.

Kaius Alexander '" We are in no shape to face any significant number of these 'gaunts. Do you have any recollection of the elevation of your intended passage?

"It should be roughly level with these passages here, eventually leading upwards.

Kaius Alexander - Hm. We will chance the upward passage, then. Perhaps there is a way through.

"Back there," Mikhail says as he limps up the stairs.  "I saw what you did to that zombie.  It turned on the others."  He frowns.  "And I've never heard of anyone but a Revenant wielding a Cereblade.  Look, Kaius, we're alone down here, and I don't stand a chance without you - if the 'gaunts don't get me the Laughter will.  I know the value of secrecy.  What is it the Revenants want with you, really?"

* Kaius Alexander sighs.

Kaius Alexander - It is true that I have not been entirely honest with you, Mikhail. I owe you better. I am the progeny of the Lady Genevieve. The Others seek to divide me. I cannot allow this.

 "Progeny?  You mean a Childe?  What do you mean, divide you?"

* Kaius Alexander raises his visor, revealing his increasingly ashen face.

Kaius Alexander - I am, as you would say, a Revenant. I ask only that you judge me by my deeds, and not my heritage.

* Kaius Alexander inclines his head.

"I see."  He grunts.  "I've heard of others turning renenade before.  So long as you don't start turning innocent folk into zombies, I have no grudge with you - though others in the Awakening would doubtless attempt to kill you on sight."

Kaius Alexander - I would not truly describe myself as a renegade. The fate of my race concerns me, and so I seek to one day reveal to them their folly... But this is no place for such discussions. We must concentrate on our escape.

The stairway leads into a chamber where piles of bones are heaped.  Four small marrowgaunts - juveniles? females? - eat the corpse of a geist, its features still contorted as if in laughter.  There are two other exits: one at the far wall, and one to the left. The 'gaunts ignore you both.

"You're right.  These creatures don't seem interested in us.  Which way?"

Kaius Alexander - We will go forwards.

* Kaius Alexander raises his lantern to illuminate their passage.

 Another egg-chamber opens before you, sticky piles of marrowgaunt-spawn glistening around columns and against the walls.  There are three other exits - straight ahead, left, and right.  The left hand path seems to be a stairway leading down; the far doorway is again larger than the others. The right doorway seems to open into a small chamber.

You can hear 'gaunts skittering in the walls.

* Kaius Alexander exhales in a short hiss.

Kaius Alexander - More of them.

"Place is infested."

* Kaius Alexander cautiously continues forwards.

A vast shape squats in the middle of another enormous chamber here.  At first you do not realize what it is, so huge is it, but then horrific realization dawns on you: it is an immense marrowgaunt, bigger than one of the Watchdogs of Macellaria.  Massively obese, the gigantic creature's swollen bulk is studded with hundreds of bulbous teats at which dozens of marrowgaunt young suckle contentedly.

* Kaius Alexander grips the Cereblade tightly in his right hand.

Mikhail staggers back, gasping. You are unfazed by the monstrosity.

* Kaius Alexander grabs Mikhail by the collar and pulls him back into the other room.

As you do so, half a dozen marrowgaunts clamber out of ducts in the ceiling of the 'queen's' chamber and begin climbing down the walls, headfirst.

Kaius Alexander - Quickly. To the stairway!

Mikhail nods, and hurries after you as fast as he can.  An angry chittering sound is audible behind you.  As you flee towards the stairway, four more of the creatures, running on all fours, enter via the doorway you originally came in by.

At the bottom of the stairs is a long hall.  Another construct stands in the middle, though it is quite unlike the previous machine you encountered, being roughly man-sized and shaped.  It has two pairs of arms, one pair terminating in drills, the other two in delicately articulated hands.  Its head is a narrow ovoid with a single lens at its center.  There is only one other path - straight ahead.

You can hear the marrowgaunts' nails on the stone, their hissing.

* Kaius Alexander hesitates, but stops by the construct. He grips its head in his left hand and pulls.

You tug at the head but it refuses to come off.

Mikhail trains his weapon on the stairway. He fires a shot at the first marrowgaunt to descend, but misses.

* Kaius Alexander frowns.  Stubbornly, he continues his efforts to separate the construct's head from its body.

With a mighty wrench you rip the construct's head off.  Mikhail fires again, but the bullet whines off the stonework.

* Kaius Alexander stuffs the head into the netting on the side of his pack. He takes up his shield and turns to face the charging 'gaunts. Steeling himself, he waits for them to come within striking distance.

The loping, long-limbed things begin to close the distance.  Mikhail continues to ineffectively shoot at the charging monsters.  The first 'gaunt approaches.

* Kaius Alexander brings his blade up.

You impale the gaunt; it squeals horribly and thrashes its limbs, alive but bleeding profusely.  Your armour protects you as it claws at your head, while its fellow circles you, ready to pounce.  Mikhail puts a bullet through the brain of the 'gaunt you stabbed.

* Kaius Alexander wrenches his blade from its belly and hacks viciously a second  horror, inflicting a nasty wound.  With a second overhead chop he incapacitates it, leaving it a mangled bundle of twitching limbs.

The two remaining marrowgaunts warily linger back, perhaps awaiting reinforcements.

Kaius Alexander - Come, Mikhail. Before they regroup.

Mikhail fires a final shot and follows you.

* Kaius Alexander flicks the blood from the Cereblade, but keeps it in hand

As you hasten through the chamber you hear sounds all around you - many, many marrowgaunts, scrabbling through the walls and hallways.

* Kaius Alexander sprints for the door.

One of the enormous generators you saw earlier dominates the room beyond the door.  Unlike the other two you encountered, this one seems to be partially active; glyphs on its control panel are glowing with a dull greenish light.  There is only one exit.

* Kaius Alexander eyes the machine, examining it swiftly.

You think you can turn it on with a little guesswork.  After it's powered up, a scattergun shot to the main conduit might precipitate something explosive... though you can't be entirely sure.

* Kaius Alexander fiddles with the controls, attempting to power up the generator.

You tap sigils and quickly figure out the basic controls.  The generator begins to hum.  The conduit begins to glow with increasing luminosity.

Kaius Alexander - Go Mikhail! I will be right behind you!

"This is a dead end," Mikhail says despairingly, peering through the doorway.  "Just a round chamber!"

Kaius Alexander - What!

"There's some kind of panel, a bunch of glyphs..."

* Kaius Alexander hisses through his gritted teeth.

The generator hums.  It will take some time for it to completely power up.

Kaius Alexander - Stay near the door. Cover me.

* Kaius Alexander nods to himself and quickly strides over to Mikhail.

Kaius Alexander - I will examine the controls. Watch for them...

This small, round chamber has a control panel with half a dozen sigils.  The second to bottommost is faintly glowing.

Kaius Alexander - I think it is some kind of lift. The generator must be active for it to operate. We must hope it activates in time.

"Hmm.  How long will that take?"

Kaius Alexander '" Not long. A few moments...

Six marrowgaunts are approaching quickly.  Mikhail hits one with his rifle, but it staggers and continues onwards.

* Kaius Alexander stands in the doorway, his shield raised.

Mikhail fires again but misses.  Badly injured and still rattled at the sight of the marrowgaunt queen, his marksmanship is less than exemplary.

* Kaius Alexander slashes at the first 'gaunt to attack.

The leading marrowgaunt is eviscerated as it leaps at you. Its fellows scramble over the remains.  Fortunately, your position means that they can't all attack at once.  One lowers its head and prepares to charge you.  With a horrific shriek it barrels forward, smashing into you and gnashing with its long teeth.

* Kaius Alexander grunts as blood wells from the bite.

Mikhail, gritting his teeth, fires another shot and wounds a second 'gaunt.  Hastily he begins reloading.

* Kaius Alexander pushes off the beast and lunges at another 'gaunt.  His Cereblade thrusts into its brain; Kaius focuses his will, and a psychic pulse causes the monstrosity's skull to explode, showering its ilk with fragments of bone and brain.  Turning, he slashes at a second marrowgaunt.

The creature ducks beneath your swipe and leaps at you, clawing viciously at your neck and arms and bearing you to the ground.  Mikhail shouts in alarm and levels his gun at the thing; his shot blows its backwards into its fellows.

One of the marrowgaunts in the rear seems to be tampering with the controls of the generator.  How it can even see them, you have no idea, but its fingers are moving delicately across the controls.

Kaius Alexander - Mikhail! Bring down the gaunt at the controls!

Mikhail grunts and takes aim.

* Kaius Alexander gets to his feet and slashes contemptuously at a wounded 'gaunt, dispatching it easily.

Two circle round you; the third remaining gaunt is at the controls.  Another pack of them are visible distantly, approaching the room.

* Kaius Alexander attacks one of the remaining creatures.

You hack another 'gaunt down and it falls, spurting malodorous ichor and dying.  Its fellow lowers its horns and charges, winding you.  The gaunt at the controls takes a bullet from Mikhail and hisses, drawing back.

* Kaius Alexander reels on his feet, but brings his blade to bear against the 'gaunt.

The creature scampers aside and the Cereblade strikes only air.  Overbalanced, you stumble.

* Kaius Alexander cries out and goes to one knee.

The marrowgaunt has leapt atop you and claws at you while gnashing its teeth.  Its eyeless, horned visage is directly in front of your face.  It drives its claws deep into your abdomen, tearing at your insides.

Mikhail takes aim and puts a bullet through its torso; it hisses and scrambles backwards.

* Kaius Alexander gets to his feet unsteadily, and lashes out viciously with the Cereblade, but he is too woozy, and the attack misses.

The creature flails, but you block with your shield.  Its teeth snap.

Mikhail drops the second 'gaunt, which was fiddling with the controls again.

* Kaius Alexander turns to face the gaunt again, almost losing his footing.

* Kaius Alexander bellows. His blade is poised before him. He throws himself atop the gaunt, bearing it down to the ground. His sword pierces its torso as he falls, slicing through its heart. Blood pumps from the wound, and they both lay still.

Eight more gaunts burst into the room.  Mikhail hits one, a glancing blow.  The generator appears to be fully powered.

* Kaius Alexander staggers back into the lift and throws himself on the controls, smearing them with blood.  He desperately hits an alien pictogram two above the one currently glowing.

Mikhail's rifle roars again and one 'gaunt goes down.  The rest are in the room, running towards you on all fours.  A stone door grinds closed just in time, and marrowgaunts slam into it.  You hear their angry hissing outside.

* Kaius Alexander slumps on to the floor, breathing heavily, holding onto consciousness through sheer force of will.

There is a rumbling sound, the grind of unfathomably ancient machinery.  Moments later the sigil you hit lights up and the stone door slides open, revealing a long hall.  Meagre greyish light - probably natural - shines through the doorway at the far end.  Other doorways permit access to different chambers.

* Kaius Alexander stands again, grunting.  While his wounds are terrible, his body is beginning to alter, the symbiont fused to him making him more resilient.  Though most men would be dead, Kaius is no longer fully human'¦

Kaius Alexander - We are nearly out.

"Thank the gods."

* Kaius Alexander proceeds towards the exit.

As you leave the lift, the door closes behind you.  Something else must have summoned it, for you hear it moving in its shaft.

Kaius Alexander - They must be trying to follow us. Let us leave, and quickly.

"Hopefully it'll take them awhile to figure out which level we went to."

A short passage leads out to the surface here.  You emerge from an impressive doorway carved into the semblance of a monstrous face, its mouth gaping open.  Before you is a pass through the Slouching-devil Mountains; at its end you can glimpse bleak, forested country.  Pallid dawn light is evident to the east.

"The Baronies," Mikhail says, hefting his weapon.  "We made it.  With any luck the other Awakeners are somewhere nearby."

Kaius Alexander - We can hope... Mikhail. I could not have made it through without you. You have my gratitude.

* Kaius Alexander inclines his head, sheathing his Cereblade and stowing it out of sight.

"The same to you, Kaius.  Look, your condition wouldn't go over well with the other Awakeners, but if you didn't tell anyone else... well, you'd be a formidable ally.  If you fail to convince the Revenants to change their ways, there's a place for you with us."

* Kaius Alexander nods slowly.

Kaius Alexander - I suspect I will return to you someday, Mikhail, but I have unfinished business in the South.  Other promises that I have made.  Justice here, in the north'¦ it must wait, for a time.

* Kaius Alexander extends his hand to Mikhail.

Mikhail shakes your hand grimly.  "In that case you'll want to make for the coast, to the Sea of Whispers, or else try and find a dirigible headed back over the Mountains."

Kaius Alexander - Yes. I will do so.

Mikhail slowly starts down the mountain, stoically gritting his teeth.

* Kaius Alexander claps him on the back.

He coughs raggedly and manages a smile.

Kaius Alexander - It is good to be free of that place.

He removes his mask - which, somehow, remained in place throughout.  His face is not as badly burnt as the rest of him.

"Wouldn't do to be recognized as an Awakener out here."

Kaius Alexander - I would think not.

* Kaius Alexander follows Mikhail down towards the Baronies.

You have put a good deal of distance between yourself and the entrance to the tunnels.  When you look back, you see movement at the entrance.  Squinting, you think to make out the scuttling blackish bodies of 'gaunts, massed at the carven mouth.  The sun is now overhead; they seem reluctant to exit the subterranean passages.  After a moment, they return to the depths.

* Kaius Alexander sighs in relief.[/ic]

[ic=Disappearance]Back in Macellaria in the Tower of Moans, on the night of Kaius' kidnapping, Kryzbytn searches for any clues pertaining to his comrade's sudden disappearance.  Apart from his helm, however, the only unusual objects he finds are a grimoire of eldritch lore and a strange leatherbound book, "The Gibbous Prince."

* Kryzbytn looks curiously at the tome.

* Kryzbytn picks up Kaius' helmet and cleans it off, putting it carefully in his pack.

* Kryzbytn reads "The Gibbous Prince."

* Kryzbytn finds the tale very strange.

* Kryzbytn returns to his room downstairs and attempts to sleep,

Even beneath the earth, the sound of the Watchdogs' baying torments you '" as it does the other party-members, as well.  Come morning you are fatigued, your sleep having been fitful and disturbed.

* Kryzbytn groggily makes his way to The Blood of Saints to meet the rest of the party.

The bar is quieter today.

* Kryzbytn arrives with haste and seats himself.

* Tarim is already sitting at the bar, sipping at a goblet of bloodwine.

* Vetter enters with a shambolic gait and casts bloodshot eyes about the place.

* Vetter approaches the others and mumbles something indecipherable by way of greeting.

* Koldobika arrives in as low-key a manner as he is capable of enacting. Given the events of the past day or so, evading attention seems to be at the forefront of his mind.

* Wispy wanders in with a batch of Jatayi playing sticks held in a claw.

Kryzbytn, Kol, you both feel somewhat under the weather.  Perhaps it is just the Watchdogs' howling.

Tarim - Damn dogs just won't shut up it seems. I should get some earplugs, lest I lose more sleep over their incessant howling.

Kryzbytn '" I have grave news, ones.

* Kryzbytn places Kaius' helmet upon the table.

Kryzbytn '" Kaius one.... is missing.

Vetter (Flicker, to Kol) - The Kodobika Nthanda looks terrible. The Vetter feels terrible.

Koldobika (Flicker) - The Koldobika Nthanda is ill. The illness is passing.

Kryzbytn '" Do you see, ones??

* Kryzbytn louder now.

Wispy - Missing? Maybe you just lost him. He could come around any time now.

Kryzbytn - But he has left his helmet.

* Tarim raises his head and looks at Kryz.

Wispy - Good thing you brought his helmet with you. More likely that he'll return for it.

Kryzbytn - He said nothing, not even to Pellucid

* Kryzbytn looks around hopelessly.

Vetter - How surprising...

Kryzbytn - I... is this more common of him than I had suspected...?

Tarim - He might have some business to tend to. I know he has secrets he isn't willing to disclose, even to those who fight by his side.

Vetter - Ha!

Wispy - Ah... That's more likely a potential issue; but I have no doubt he'll return; no need to worry and blow into a tissue, so to speak.

* Koldobika is gravely trying to figure out why this seems so important. He has not been missing for very long, if Kol is following the conversation appropriately.

Kryzbytn - I thought he would've at least informed Pellucid... but I suppose he did not seem so surprised either...

* Kryzbytn withdraws into himself, somewhat embarrassed.

Koldobika (Flicker) - The Kaius is not missing for much time. The time is short.

Vetter - Kol says he think Kaius will be fine. It's not been long, eh?

Kryzbytn - He left yesterday evening...

Vetter - So, nothing strange about goin' out for a night, is there? Even for one such as him.

* Kryzbytn suddenly remembering...

Kryzbytn - His door! He left it ajar. We had just gotten back to the tower when Pellucid took me to my place of staying... when we emerged again, he had vanished. I thought he might at least return later in the evening, but he did not.

Vetter - Well, seeing as he is soooo fond of sharing information, I can't think why he would have just upped and gone without saying nothin' to you!

Kryzbytn - ... the circumstances just seem strange to me.

Tarim - Strange that he would forget to shut the door to his home.

* Koldobika wonders if maybe Kaius went to yell at some kids to get off of his front lawn, only to fall victim to a flaming paper bag, wherein he set off on a maddened quest for vengeance against some street urchins.

Kryzbytn - If this does not seem unusual of him... perhaps I am overreacting. I cannot shake the feeling of concern, though.

Tarim - In any case, there isn't much to do but wait for his return, no?

Koldobika (Flicker) - The Kaius is a capable warrior. The Kaius may not be facing danger. There is no proof of danger.

Vetter - Kol says, Kaius is surely big and ugly enough to look after himself, and he might not even be in trouble. We have no way of knowing.

Wispy - Though it might be madness that Kaius disappeared, yet there must be a method in 't. Kaius is a careful one.

Kryzbytn - He is very capable...

* Kryzbytn looks at the helmet.

Kryzbytn - I would never forget my helmet...

* Kryzbytn feels around his head for a helmet... he doesn't have one.

Tarim - Your mute friend signs wisely

Wispy - Does it have blood in it? Is it dented any more than necessary?

Kryzbytn - Not as I can see, Bird one.

Wispy - Then no worries here it be; he likely removed it so he could see.

* Kryzbytn gives a second examination.

There are no dents or blood-stains marring the helmet.

Tarim - Perhaps he has acquired a new, better helmet? He seems very driven to improve his equipment.

Kryzbytn - It is possible... but what could take him so long, I wonder.

Tarim - Long? He hasn't been gone for that long has he?

Kryzbytn - Well, he's been gone all night, Tarim one. One must sleep, I would think.

Tarim - That doesn't sound very long to me. And Kaius doesn't sleep nearly as long as most quick do.

Wispy - Kaius sleeps?

Vetter - Not with liberal internal application of certain substances... though I doubt our iron-sided friend would indulge.

* Kryzbytn finally puts the helmet away.

Kryzbytn - Alright, so be it. If you see no cause for alarm then let us move on.

* Kryzbytn orders some wine.

The demoniac bartender serves you.

* Kryzbytn thanks her kindly.

* Tarim gulps down more wine.

* Vetter orders a glass of something harsh and then gazes bitterly at it without drinking it for a while.

Kryz, the wine does little to help quell a mounting sensation of nausea.

"Troubles, hun?" the demoness asks quietly.

Kryzbytn - Yes, I am afraid so. Perhaps it's just the dogs that make me so worried... The wine does wonders, though.

* Kryzbytn clicks.

* Koldobika is not very much a fan of the drink. Being desert-born, that may not that much of a surprise.

* Vetter suddenly pounces and knocks his drink back in one.

Vetter - Gah!

The bartender smiles at Vetter.  "Looks like you needed that."

* Vetter gazes vacantly at the demoness.

Vetter - ...need. Yes. Need... mmm.

"You take it easy there."

Wispy - Hey Vetter, have you seen Ekwaneseu around?

* Wispy gestures with the playing sticks.

Wispy - I hear he's a gambler; thought he might like a game.

Vetter - Nope. Not at all.

Wispy - Ah, then blast.

* Wispy pockets the sticks.

Wispy - Good work though, drinking fast.

* Koldobika turns a questioning gaze to Vetter's behavior.

* Kryzbytn shares a look of confusion with Kol.

* Vetter meets Kol's gaze and shrugs, as if to say "whaaaaat?"

Vetter - Thanks. I feel I really achieved something with it.

* Koldobika shrugs, making do with a simpler drink '" water, or whatever near-version of it he is likely to be able to get in a bar this opulent.

Wispy - Actually, that would be the 5th quickest downing of a succession of drinks that I have seen, so yes, congratulations.

Kryzbytn - So, business...

* Kryzbytn looks around awkwardly.

Kryzbytn - How is everyone feeling today?

Tarim - Worse than the morning when I woke up to my death. Thank you for asking.

Vetter - Rough as a septuagenarian harlot's thighs. Why do you ask?

Kryzbytn (to Wispy) '"I have plans to seek out a hypnowitch, if you'd be interested in joining, bird one.  And of course, we must sell the remaining grave goods.

Wispy - Sounds like it could be interesting.

Kryzbytn - So, things to sell and hypnowitches. Perhaps we will catch Kaius during the day.

* Kryzbytn would love to have everyone join, if they wish.

Kryzbytn '" Tarim one? Any business of your own?

Tarim '" A few spells I wish to hunt down.

* Wispy attempts to recall the location both of a reputable hypnowitch and a merchant who can sell him certain rare, eldritch quarrels...

Wispy, you think you know where a hypnowitch can be found, and you have a contact who can sell you the bolts - a certain crazed individual, half-mad, who runs a strange back-alley shop in Hexwarren, full of birdcages and strange curios.  The hypnowitch isn't far - a bit off Chrysalsis Street, near Pulsetown and Velveteen Circus.

Vetter (Flicker, to Kol) - The curiosity is strong. The Koldobika Nthanda tells the story. The story is complete.

* Kryzbytn leaves, Wispy in tow.

* Tarim tags along out of a mixture of curiosity and boredom.[/ic]

[ic=Fantasmagorie]You find a place in Hexwarren called "Fantasmagorie" in a shadowy side-street south of the Witch's Gate.  The small, somewhat run-down shop advertises hypnowitch and soul-tinker services within, one hundred bones per consultation.

* Kryzbytn steps inside.

A skinny man with close-cropped hair, thick-rimmed spectacles, and a tattoo of a staring, violet eye on his forehead tends this shop, a cramped, dim space with a few red leather couches and walls covered in charts, mostly anatomical drawings of the human head in various stages of vivisection, or else arcane glyphs and notations.  Several pickled brains from various species occupy a shelf on one wall; there is also a large box covered in curious carvings, strange arabesques and esoteric, geometric designs.  "Fantasmagorie" is lit with slender tapers; the wooden floor has a central summoning circle with sigils carved into the floorboards.

"Can I help you?" The scrawny man asks.

* Koldobika is keenly aware that hs curiosity is most likely to be the end of him.

Kryzbytn - I seek the service of a hypnowitch.

* Kryzbytn looks cautiously at Wispy

Wispy - We're in the right place.

"You've come to the right place.  What are you looking for exactly?  Memory excision?  Mood numbing?  Behavioural readjustment?"

Kryzbytn - I, uhh...

* Kryzbytn thinks to himself for a moment.

Kryzbytn - Behavioral Readjustment.

Wispy - Good choice; memory excision involves snipping in your brain--friend once did it, neverafter was he the same.

* Vetter finds something to interest himself on the walls.

"Indeed.  What negative behavior do you wish to get rid of?  Or do you seek to emphasize a positive trait?"

Kryzbytn - I, uhh... hmm...

* Kryzbytn thinks again carefully.

Kryzbytn - I... want to emphasize a positive trait... something... more brave. I have a need to take orders: to follow. I seek to lead

* Tarim examines the pickled brains on the shelves.

The brains are of everything from humans to hagmen to leechkin, Tarim.  There are also several ghul-brains, which are strangely swollen in certain areas...

Kryzbytn - Yes, to lead. To not feel empty

* Koldobika looks around, but keeps a keen ear on the discussion at hand. It is... surprisingly interesting.

* Vetter starts at Kryz's mention of emptiness and suddenly starts to pay attention.

* Kryzbytn stares wistfully past the man for a moment.

"You wish to enhance your courage, your leadership qualities.  Well, conventional therapy may assist you somewhat, but you will have to undergo repeat visits to sustain your self-esteem and confidence.  Alternatively, perhaps an appropriate spirit, bound to your consciounsess, might work better?  Such a creature would enter into a symbiotic relationship with you, feeding off negative thought-patterns and so leaving you more courageous."

* Kryzbytn clicks nervously.

Kryzbytn - What sort of spirit would this be?

* Vetter seems about to say something to Kryz, but then decides to let him continue his conversation with the man.

Kryzbytn - I do not think I have the time to be visiting for as long as I wish...

"I possess a number of entities gathered from this plane of existence and beyond.  I believe I could supply the requisite symbiont."

Kryzbytn - May I... see it? If possible?

Vetter - Do you mean demons?

* Kryzbytn looks at Vetter.

Kryzbytn - ...Demons?

"The word 'demon' is rather mis-used, but some might classify them as such.  And yes, I can show you the vessel I keep the spirit in question bound in."

The witch now opens the carven box and takes out a talisman of some kind, marked with a Hellspeak sigil.

* Koldobika suddenly has a flash of having something like Pellucid stuffed into one's mind. The resulting mental image is quite... traumatic.

Wispy - So Tarim, fellow witch, how goes it with your researches? I hear you have been researching greatly.

* Tarim mutters something about curious-looking cerebral features, then snaps and raises his gaze from the preserved brains to regard Wispy.

Tarim - Ah, yes. I have been acquiring quite a bit of new insights on hexcraft.

Wispy - I myself recently researched an amazing new spell, but I always love to hear others' tales.

Tarim - Do tell me about this spell, feathered one. Self-learned witchery is always a most interesting subject.

Wispy - It is called "Compelling Wisecrack"! It is a joke so compelling that it causes one to keel over, incessantly laughing, until one DIES! Quite literally, it "knocks one dead" with delight.

Tarim - A more fatal version of the hideous laughter curse, then? Should be good for causing some ironic deaths, I wager.

Wispy - Ah, you have correctly identified its genesis! And yourself, what is your newest discovery?

* Vetter raises his grafted claw to his mouth and licks at it idly.

* Kryzbytn is noticeably nervous now.

Kryzbytn - And this will give me courage? Take away my emptiness?

Vetter - Will it be... like a rider on a horse, that helps guide it? Or will it become a part of the horse, making a centaur?

"It will consume your negative thoughts as your brain secretes them.  Thus, it feeds, while you are freed of the negativity which hampers you."

* Kryzbytn looks at Vetter, then back at the man.

Kryzbytn (after a long pause) - I would like to try it.

"Very well.  This particular spirit will cost you three thousand obeloi.  However, if you wish I can provide you with a taste of its abilities, then exorcise the spirit before you leave."

Kryzbytn - Oh... that is a lot of obeloi... I would like to take a taste, as you say

"Very well."

He lights a pair of incense sticks.  "Listen to my voice.  Focus on its sound, its resonance, but not on the words themselves."  He begins to chant slowly in Hextongue, reciting some form of incantation.

* Kryzbytn does as he says as best he can.

He places the amulet around your neck.

* Vetter looks on wide-eyed, still licking compulsively, and very slowly, at his claw.

A strange sensation fills your body and mind as you feel an alien presence suddenly squirm within your brain.  The Hellspeak sigil on the talisman glows and becomes warm. Suddenly your anxiety is stripped away completely and you feel incredibly calm and tranquil.

* Kryzbytn clicks and twitches a bit.

Every time a negative thought enters your head it seems to dissolve into nothingness almost immediately.

Kryzbytn - Yes....

Tarim - How curious. I have never before witnessed such witchcraft as this "hypnowitch" practices.

Kryzbytn - I can feel them... going. This is wonderful

* Kryzbytn reaches back and feels his wing-scars, chittering happily.

Kryzbytn (mumbling) - It's as if I never had them...

Vetter - No! It shouldn't take away! It should add!

* Vetter seems to suddenly realises he said that aloud and clamps his mouth shut..

Kryzbytn - Huh? Vetter, I feel great!

* Tarim now stares at the ongoing operation fascinatedly.

The hypnowitch smiles and speaks another word.  Abruptly the sensation of calm is veritiginously wrenched from your mind.  The talisman flickers again and grows cold.

"I trust that was satisfactory?"

* Kryzbytn clicks and twitches.

* Kryzbytn shakes his head back and forth quickly for a moment.

Small anxieties already begin to gnaw at you.

Kryzbytn - Yes... they are back now.

"Of course!  The spirit is no longer suckling them from your mind."

Kryzbytn '" Three thousand obeloi, you say?

"Yes, three thousand bones... the spirit was difficult to procure."

* Kryzbytn adopts his slightly hunched, twitchy appearance yet again.

Koldobika (Flicker, at Vetter) - The Vetter is worse feeling than the Koldobika looks.

Vetter (Flicker, at Kol, with a slightly forced laugh -) The Vetter is fragile. The Vetter became intrigued. The fascination was intense.

Kryzbytn - You must hold it for me. I do not yet have the obeloi... alas

"Hmm.  For how long?  When will you possess the requisite funds?"

* Kryzbytn looks at Tarim.

Kryzbytn - How long until we depart, Tarim one?

Tarim - A week and a half '" as far as I am concerned, anyway. The others may have business to keep them here longer.

Kryzbytn '" Hmm. How long would you be willing?

"I can hold it as long as you please, but for each week I must add a surcharge of twenty-five bones."

Tarim - You should keep in mind that the journey itself is likely to be long and arduous.

Kryzbytn - Hold it for one week, sir. I will see what I can do...

"Very well."

Wispy - So, Kryz, what did he offer you for it?

Kryzbytn '" Three thousand obeloi, sadly. Far more than this one can muster.

* Kryzbytn wonders how he can make lots of money... and fast.

The witch looks Wispy up and down, resetling his spectacles.  "The scars on your skin," he says.  "They are glyphs of binding... you have a spirit bound within you, do you not?"  He looks over at Oney.  "And a Hellhound to boot."

Wispy - I have my friend Onerori, yes!

"And the scars on your skin?"

Wispy - We all have spirits within, or so I'm told. Without an immortal soul, what purpose are the gods?

* Wispy titters.

Kryzbytn - Not all ones, Bird one, not yet.

"Yes, but you have a particularly potent one.  It slumbers in your flesh, growing drowsy and torpid.  I could awaken the spirit further, and potentially bring you greater power - if your will is strong enough to keep the spirit in check.  Alternatively, I could exorcise the entity altogether; if you are interested, I would like to purchase it."

* Vetter looks at Wispy afresh.

* Kryzbytn stares at Wispy.

Wispy - Oh, my will isn't very strong at all, so I don't think that it'd be a great idea to wake it up. Ta-ta. But how much would you like to buy it for, my friend?

* Wispy flashes mercenary teeth.

"Hmm."  A sly look enters his eyes.  "Perhaps for five hundred bones.  Additionally I would be ridding you of a parasite at no cost to yourself."

Kryzbytn - Parasite?

* Koldobika idly wonders what makes the difference between a parasite and a ... boon. At least as far as spirits are concerned. On one hand, it can make Wispy more powerful. On the other, it is being called a parasite. Which is it?

"He has an alien presence bound within him.  Not his own spirit at all."

Vetter - Wispy... what is it? Don't be too fast to sell it. The strongest part of me has always been the part that isn't... me.

* Kryzbytn looks at Vetter now.

Wispy - parasite? Is a foetus a parasite? Is whatever you're giving Kryz a parasite? Is Pellucid a parasite? They all asked for them. Tee-hee.

"Did you ask for yours?"

Wispy - And what's the price for the foolish awakening? And strengthening?

Tarim - The extraction of a flesh-bound spirit would be a most interesting operation to see. I do hope that you will strike a bargain here.

"Hmm.  Perhaps fifteen hundred bones.  It would be a risky procedure for myself and would require a ritual involving certain rare materials."

Wispy - And what would that accomplish?

"It would enhance the powers of the spirit greatly.  Right now the spirit is, as I said, essentially a parasite: it may grant you some paltry scrap of power, but it is capable of much more."

Wispy - You keep saying it's a parasite, but I don't feel any draining.

"Hmm.  Perhaps it does not yet drain you greatly.  It may well simply have attached itself to your soul like a barnacle to a rock.  The rock is little affected."

Koldobika (Flicker, to anyone listening) - The bird's intelligence and manners are restrained.

Wispy - The offer is intriguing, the cost '" while not appropriate '" is not thieving, and about this I am believing '" I will consider this, but not with haste; whether to my soul to waste; or whether my body to baste. So another day, good hypnowitch.

"As you wish.  My door is always open."

* Kryzbytn keeps thinking of how he can make some more money.

Vetter '" Let's be off, fellas, I want to shift my loot.

Wispy - So Vetter, what augmentation do you possess?  It seems it has made you feel blessed.

* Vetter holds up his claw to Wispy by way of an answer

Wispy - Ah, but weren't you licking it a while ago; It seemed to trouble you so?

Kryzbytn - ...I think I may try the pits

Wispy - The pits! Have you lost your wits? Why would you do that?

Kryzbytn - I require that... thing. It seems the best way to get what I need.

Wispy - Oh, that... why don't you just embark on a criminal spree... you, them and me? If we lose, we end up in the pits anyway. If we succeed, we have what you need.

* Koldobika is glad to see Kryz getting into the adventurer mindset. When you want something, kill lots of other somethings until you can possess it.

Tarim - The pits? Do you possess any experience in that business, Kryzbytn?

Kryzbytn - I once fought before many men to appease the Man-in-Armor. It is where I learned my whirling slash.

Tarim '" Ah.

Kryzbytn - I can certainly fight... I know now what I can and cannot do...

* Kryzbytn looks at his toy-smelted scale mail.

Tarim - If you do choose to try your mettle in the arena, I wish you luck. I might even place a wager on your victory.

The party arrives at the bustle of the Curio Bazaars.

* Vetter gazes around to see who might be best to sell his trinkets to.

Vetter, you find a lazy-eyed ghul scrap-dealer who will buy the lot for seventy bones.

Vetter - Do you think I have gleet for brains, mate? What do you take me for?

"Take it or leave it, mate."

* Vetter leaves it.

* Koldobika looks for someone to sell the blessed water to.

You find an adventurer looking to loot a ruin reputed to be haunted by swarms of geists.  You can sell him the holy water for twenty-five obeloi a phial.

* Koldobika buys eight new empty glass phials.

* Tarim looks around for any sellers of potent hexes.

Tarim, you locate a curse-seller, a shadowy woman dressed all in black, her lips tattooed black as well.

Tarim - Greetings, madame

The woman does not speak, but gestures to various scrolls containing arcane formulae.  She has the following spells for sale: Bestow Curse, Rotting Curse, Contagion, Enervation, Red Fester, and Curse of the Putrid Husk.

Tarim - These hexes interest me.

* Tarim point at Enervation and the Curse of the Putrid Husk.

"I see," she says at last, her voice full of weird echoes.  "The former I will sell for two hundred bones; the latter for one hundred and fifty."

Tarim - Your prices are fair. I shall purchase both.

"Very good."

* Tarim scribbles copies of the symbolic hexwork to his grimoire, then departs with a bow.[/ic]

[ic=Reaper!]The party heads to Pulsetown, following Kryzbytn to the Fighting Pits.  The district is in something of an uproar: the Sanguine Church has been desecrated and the Sanguinists are howling for blood.

* Wispy drops a line stopping by the Ribcage to note for Ekwaneseu that Kryzbytn is going to the pits, and that he should jump on board if he wants to make a heap of bones.

* Kryzbytn stays low in the midst of the fuss.

* Koldobika is sure to avoid the Striga worshippers...

* Tarim eyes the fanatics warily, but pretends to ignore them.

* Wispy asks around the community to see what the news is.

There are lots of rumours, but mostly wild talk.  One individual claims demons are responsible; others are taking the Church's defilement as an omen of impending apocalypse, along with the sickness plaguing Resurrection Row and the howling of the Watchdogs.  Others point to the House of Crimson Shadows, or even the Cult of the Bloodletter.  One individual does claim to have seen a monstrous figure emerging from the Church late at night: possibly a description of Mr. Carver, possibly pure fabrication.

Wispy - Hey, guys, did you hear- the Cult of the Bloodletter totally knocked over the Church of Stirga! Can you believe it!

You spread misinformation with practiced ease.

* Kryzbytn chitters quietly.

* Koldobika would laugh if he was capable of doing so.

The Pits are near the center of the district, not far from the Hollow Skull Playhouse.  Ekwanesu appears out of the crowd, looking haggard.  He heads to the betting office.

Tarim - Oh look, there's our misfortunate former employer.

Kryzbytn - Greetings, Ekwanesu one.

Wispy - Hey, Ekwanesu, did you get my message?

"I did indeed... having seen the mantid warrior firsthand I expect to make enough on this fight to pay off the rest of my debts."

Kryzbytn - I'm in some way honored...

Wispy - That's great. Oh, and be sure to bet enough on the fight so that you have enough left over to have some fun with. And speaking about fun, have you ever heard of Jatayi playing sticks?

"I have not.  A game of fortune?"

Tarim - I'm sure he'll gladly teach you all about them.

* Tarim smiles wryly.

Wispy - A game of fortune and misfortune; of skill and of chance; of getting ahead and falling behind; of picking up and dropping down.

"Sounds intriguing.  I wish to learn this game."

Wispy - I would be glad to teach you; and then perhaps, if the game makes sense to you, you can surprise many a Jatayi with your skill. The only thing I would ask in return is that we play for a certain amount of bones (to make things interesting) at least once after you are satisfied you have learned the game or after I have taught you all I know about the game; would that make sense?

Ekwanesu looks at Wispy suspiciously.  "I suppose..."

Wispy - Good, good.

* Kryzbytn heads to the office.

The attendant greets you.

Kryzbytn - Well met... I, I would like to enter myself into the pits

The attendant looks you up and down.  "You sure?  You look a bit... well, under the weather, mate."

Kryzbytn - Tarim one, do you know of any spell to remedy my fatigue? I had forgotten how tired I was...

Tarim '" There is no such spell in my book.

Kryzbytn '" In that case I think I will delay somewhat, see if I can't get a good night's sleep.

You schedule a match for the following day.  Your opponent will be an anthropophagus savage from the Mewling Moors.

* Wispy asks around to see what he can find out about this warrior.

He's never lost a match, but he's only been here a few months.  He is known as the Devourer and fights with a pair of battleaxes.  He's said to fly into a psychotic rage during combat.

* Kryzbytn repairs to the Blue Orchid, a salubrious establishment nearby, which offers sound-proofed rooms.

You are still feeling somewhat unwell the following day, though you are mercifully spared the Watchdogs' baying.

The party gathers at the Pits, placing their bets.

* Kryzbytn places a bet of sixteen hundred and sixty one obeloi on himself.

Wispy - Kol, Vetter, Tarim, I've got some good news and bad news for you. Good news: I know about Kryz's opponent. Bad news: He's a mean one. At least this can inform our betting, if nothing else.

Tarim - No easy fight to be had on the arena, I guess.

* Koldobika wonders how bad this is to be, then.

Wispy - This being said, I think I will still risk about four hundred and fourteen obeloi on my friend.

* Wispy also bets one obelus on the Devourer.

Tarim - Would be a shame if our mantid acquaintance should lose. He is quite likeable.

* Tarim places a bet of one hundred bones on the triumphant victory of Kryzbytn.

* Koldobika bets seven hundred obeloi on Kryzbytn.

* Kryzbytn takes a moment to focus himself before combat. He remembers his past and all his hardships and tries to bring that into his weapon.

You enter the arena, Kryz.  Columns bearing statues of esoteric battle-gods rise up from its bone-strewn sands. The Rotten King, shade champion of the Pits, watches the proceedings from a black awning that protects its host body from the sun.

* Kryzbytn walks out, scythe in hand, staring about.

* Koldobika cannot, much to his chagrin, cheer on the toy-loving mantid.

A voice booms out, magnified in some manner:

"LADIES, GENTLEMEN, and OTHERS SUNDRY: we present, for your viewing pleasure, a duel between the MANTID DUELLIST KRYZBYTN and the SAVAGE WARRIOR known only as THE DEVOURER, an ANTHROPOPHAGUS from the dread MEWLING MOORS!"

* Kryzbytn 's spirits sink slightly at the realization of the length of his foe's title.

A slavering monstrosity, its belly gaping with a massive fanged maw, its eyes bulging protuberant and bloodshot from its chest, steps onto the arena sands.  It carries a pair of crude battleaxes made from some polished volcanic glass or stone.

* Kryzbytn raises his scythe above his head, his two scythe-arms out in front of him, trying to look more formidable.

Wispy (from the stands) - Aim for the eyes!

* Kryzbytn backs up slowly, adopting a defensive posture, scythe ready to block or counterattack.

Wispy - Hey, Ekwaneseu, how much did you place on this match?

"Four hundred bones.  The bug better come through.

* Kryzbytn hopes his companions are watching.

* Koldobika is watching with bated breath-- he does have a lot riding on this...

The Devourer moves forward, axes held in both hands.  Its enormous mouth splits into a grin before it utters a bloodcurdling shriek!

* Kryzbytn shrugs off its terrible battle-cry, unintimidated.

It seems to be gathering itself for the attack.  Slaver drips from its fangs; it is beginning to froth at the mouth.

* Kryzbytn continues to warily watch the Devourer, still locked in a defensive stance.

The savage continues to gather itself for what seems some all-out attack.  The crowd begin to hiss and boo, bored by the slow beginning.

* Kryzbytn cautiously steps forward, still wary.

The crowd continues to heckle.

The Devourer seethes and gnashes its teeth a moment longer, then suddenly leaps fowards, snarling, froth spilling from its maw!

* Kryzbytn steels himself for the attack!

The second axe hits you hard in the torso, crunching through your armour.  The creature flails madly at you, unleashing a frenzied series of blows.

* Kryzbytn parries those he can and dodges aside.
* Kryzbytn counterattacks, slashing swiftly with his enormous curved blade.

The Devourer parries two of your blows almost lazily, but the third bypasses its defenses.  It grunts as your weapon slices just above its eye, on its upper chest, before viciously attacking again, delivering a second blow!

* Tarim watches the fight's progress nervously

* Kryzbytn continues his assault, grimacing stoically.

You lash out with your scythe, and the Devourer staggers back, bleeding from three deep cuts!

* Kryzbytn hisses.

* Tarim cheers as he sees the mantid tear into the flesh of the anthropophagus.

The wounds seem only to enrage it further!

* Wispy turns to those around him.

Wispy '" Did you know we know him- if you want an autograph from him; we can hook you up- two bones apiece.

* Kryzbytn does his best to hide his wounds, limping slightly in pain as he circles his foe.

The anthropophagus darts back, then suddenly lunges forwards.  Itsaxes hammer at your armour and rend your flesh.  The Devourer snarls with horrible glee; the gladiator's eyes roll into the back of its... chest cavity.

The crowd roars appreciatively, enjoying the wanton bloodshed.

* Kryzbytn slices low with his scythe, cutting at his opponent's legs.

The Devourer stumbles as you slash at his legs.  He falls prone.  The crowd cheers in approval.

* Kryzbytn lays his two mantis-arms into the creature and continues to attack.

You maul the Devourer repeatedly.  It is now badly injured, thrashing wildly.  Blood mixes with the froth spilling from its lips.

* Kryzbytn is very weak, but attempts to soldier on!

The berzerker's blood, and your own, spatters the sand.  The cretaure staggers to its feet clumsily and makes a single swipe against you.

* Kryzbytn parries it with ease, then brutally slashes downwards as the gladiator staggers to its feet, wounding the fighter yet again.

* Kryzbytn hisses madly as he strikes.

The Devourer's battle-lust, its frenzied rage, seems to be ebbing; the look of maddened fury in its eyes is fading, being replaced by a vacuous glare of fear.  Each parry it makes is slower than the last, when it manages to parry at all.

The audience shouts down suggestions from the stands.

* Kryzbytn launches an all-out attack with his scythe and his insect arms, slashing mercilessly at the gladiator's flesh.

The anthropophagus is severely debilitated, bleeding all over the sands, but through some miracle he remains standing.

* Kryzbytn barely steels himself for the next attacks...

The weakened fighter is attempting to fight defensively, but he slashes out abruptly with both axes!

* Kryzbytn barely avoids them!

* Koldobika does the mute cheer.

* Kryzbytn brings his scythe downwards for a killing blow, splitting the Devourer in two!

The creature's two halves blink once, not realizing they have been separated.  Then the shorn remnants collapse.

* Kryzbytn hacks madly at his foe, running him to the ground and standing atop its corpse.

 The crowd explodes in approval!  Even the Rotten King applauds!

* Kryzbytn after a moment of looking around, somewhat bewildered, he raises his hands to the air.

* Kryzbytn he is extremely weak, but does his best not to show it.

"REAPER!" Someone begins shouting.  "REAPER!  REAPER!"

* Kryzbytn raises his scythe up and down to the words

* Tarim echoes the 'Reaper.'

* Kryzbytn moves back to reunite with his companions.

* Wispy begins hawking autographs.[/ic]