Night Train to Lisbon

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Scribe Notes

Summary

Adventure: Night Train to Lisbon
GM: Jim Arona
Season: Winter 818 wk (game time), physically played in Spring (Sep-Dec 2018).
Night: Tuesday
Location: New Windsor
Level: Low to Medium

Party
  1. Tsayoi - Truncated Giant Magma Mage - Chris
  2. Rahne - (f) Human Spellblade - Stephen
  3. Mario - Human Lothario - Dean
  4. Aloysious - Human Air Mage - Nick
  5. Anooke - 'Human child' Ice sculptor - Michael H.
  6. Penni - (f) Exotic Governess (Elven Healer-Namer) - Lisa
  7. Raseri Human Dark Celestial - Ciaran
Employer
Henry the Toymaker
Henry the Toymaker

Henry, The Toy-Maker seeks a group of adventurers to travel to Prague on Reich to acquire a collection of qabalistic parchments. - from where it is being held in a private Library
Insertion will be into Varna, and then by train to Prag in Neue Sudetenland. Papers of quality will be provided, but morphously other adventurers are expected to bring their own methods of concealment, since accidentally turning into a bear, tree, raging fire etc on a train is likely to compromise the secrecy of the mission.
The documents should be delivered to Itzhak ben Abraham, owner of the Loja de Pergaminhos on Rua de Livreiros (Street of Booksellers) in the Alfama of Lisbon.

Care should be taken not to allow the documents fall into the hands of the Gestapo. Well, anyone really, but particularly not the Gestapo.

Scroll is written in Angel Blood in an Angelic language. Part of the Alchemical Marriage of Hermes, making of a Silver Golem associated with travel.
To be translated by a short Rune Mage of our acquaintance, an ally of the Widow Click.
Once it leaves the library in Prague, the scroll will be detectable by all interested in such things. Once translated it will become a bright un-missable beacon to them. On high holidays it will be more detectable. Once translated it is not to be taken to the house of any ally, suggested hiding places:
Payment
500 truesilver guineas per adventurer on top of any salvage.

Milestones

  1. Locate The Library of Alexandria to ascertain its use for hiding the item once deciphered.
  2. Travel to Prague to get the item
  3. Travel to Lisbon to get item deciphered
  4. Transport the item to a place of safety

Scribe Notes

N1 - Seagate to Cairo

We meet with Henry at the guild and discuss his needs and how we can help him.

  • The scroll to be deciphered contains a great work of Alchemy which is a rank 10 or 11 Masterwork. It is part of the alchemical marriage of Hermes and is the making of a Golem from Silver which is written in angels blood in angelic script. If made by the Knight of silver, the end product would allow transport across the abyss by large units (military and otherwise) which would be a significant boon there.

We agree and then head off to Blackshore and other locations for a couple of days to equip ourselves. We depart Blackshore into the Astral/Abyss on the 4th and start our travel across the unforgiving lands that are the abyss which we exit on the 14th on the plane of Reich at Varna.

  • One thing of note in the abyss was that the scar in the heavens there was larger and more crimson than before and we know from Full Metal Breastplate (see Stamps - W'ansday 8th-9th Heat) that "Mithras, his eye is Aldebaran, beyond which lurks Hastur" - This isn't a good thing.

We arrive at Varna and are met by the Widow Click, who is a Tolnedran Dark Elf (Moriquendi) and a follower of Aulë. She is an ally of sorts and we rest, talk and plan our next movements towards our goal. Raseri and her get on fabulously and spend the night going hard over all sorts of things.

Black Iron Grenado x 6

Rank 4 Alchemy
This grenado contains an alchemical incendiary device. It is usually thrown at a hex within range (15 hexes). The hex has no Defence, but the thrower's SC is reduced by 3 per hex beyond the first. Any Strike Check greater than 70 + MD means that the thrower dropped the grenado at their feet, or, if the roll is 99 or 100, has gone off prematurely (meaning that 3 Specific Grievous Injury are applied to the unfortunate holding it).

If the Strike Check result is high enough to indicate a miss but not high enough for a catastrophe, then a scatter D10 is rolled.

On a 1, it was thrown 1D10 feet beyond the target hex.
On a 2, it was hrown 1D10 feet beyond and to the right of the target hex.
On a 3, it was thrown 1D10 feet to the right of the target hex.
On a 4, it was thrown 1D10 feet short and to the right of the target hex.
On a 5, it was thrown 1D10 feet short of the target hex.
On a 6, it was thrown 1D10 feet short and to the left of the target hex.
On a 7, it was thrown 1D10 feet to the left of the target hex.
On an 8, it was thrown 1D10 feet beyond and to the left of the target hex.
On a 9, it was thown 2D10 feet beyond the the target hex.
On a 0, it was thrown 1D10 hexes short of the target hex.
On detonation, the grenado inflicts 2 Specific Grievous Injuries on anyone who it shares a hex with, while those in the surrounding hexes suffer 1. The grenado inflicts A, B or C Class injuries, so all results are applied.
Targets are allowed to Break 100 + 2 x AG + Rank in Sense Danger to avoid each wound.


Anooke's Rascal Disguise
Spanky
Spanky

This suit weighs 2 lbs and will fit someone of size 3.
The wearer will appear to be a boy in a sailor suit with a PB of 11 who has plans.
The Rank of the Disguise is 12.

We depart the next day by Zeppelin to Egypt via Athens and Cyprus.

We arrive in Cairo on Frysday the 18th where we stay at the Grand Hotel.

We have a drink at the bar where we find amongst the customers a German Archaeologist named Franz?, a Gestapo agent in his usual heavy leather uniform and a local woman/houri (DA'd as a Naga, College of Secrets) who seems to be hitting him up for information. Rahne talks to the archaeologist for information in her own way while we keep our heads down. It's decided that the agent has to die as he's an unpleasant woman abuser. Later that night when he's alone (once the houri had departed) he kills himself shaving and then gets robbed of all his possessions too!

Astrology - Where to find the entrance to The Library of Alexandria
Tall narrow structure (like a giant dark obelisk) in a white desert. - west of The Qattara Depression, about 350 miles across
Festering dark clouds to the north
Stairs on the south side
Beneath an orange star - 'later associated with Hastur.
NB Sir Andrew Witherspoon - has Great Horses (speak a language, have some magic): Coursers, War Horses, Heavy War Horses
NB in The Coils of Spring we learned that "Heinrich Himmler has retired to Egypt and resides there in a museum"
NB Admiral Albert Speer - He is in Egypt in charge of excavations there.

N2 - Cairo to Marsa Matruh and into the Qattara Depression

The morning sees us depart our hotel amidst rumors of a heinous self inflicted death last night of a German officer. Oh well!
We head down to the bus station and get on a bus heading Westwards towards Marsa Matruh on the coast. Both Penni and Aloysious are unwell and seem faint for the day. The bus is a decrepit old vehicle held together by prayers and assorted gums which hold together the various parts. The bus is full of the working class and even Taureg tribes-people who all smell like goats and worse. We all suffer through the hot day and arrive at Marsa Matruh just before nightfall. We quickly find some place to rest ( which would give low cheap class hotels a bad name) and have food before retiring for the night.


The next day we get up before dawn and walk southwards into the desert a bit before summoning a cloud and riding south into the desert heading for The Qattara Depression which is the likely location of the white sand area we seek. We fly for an hour or so and encounter the depression area and the temperature starts climbing into low 30's. We enter the depression area and search for our white sand patch. We find this another hour later and the area is judged to be some 300 miles W-E and 80 miles N-S and we're in the NE corner of it. We decide to bisect it using the fire chariot (I carry both Penni and Aloysious are unwell and seem faint for the day) and wildfire fire-running which is faster than flying. So we spend the day travelling W-SW along the hot desert sands in the heat of around 50 degrees.

Late afternoon we come across a ruins slightly raised from the desert and with a low wall nearby which is what alerted us to the site. We investigate and a pschometry and other magical investigations determine that this was the site of maze of glass (some 60ft high and 80 by 120ft in area) which was destroyed by some type of black fire beam (akin to an entropy blast) from above, leaving only the base of the structure. We think to camp here the night before Mario does an ESP and detects many minds below us which raises our alert level. We investigate through magical means, observe and plan our assault on the secret Nazi base we have found below us.

It appears that there are some 8 black iron 'powered' skeletons, 4 human guard types, a mad scientist (Dr xxx), an occultist summoner, a competent looking human male and a stern looking woman in green. They have a base built around a central room in which resides a primitive computer and other materials - and this is the main room. We plan to open an entrance in the ceiling and drop in to disturb their plans.

We enact the plans when I tunnel out the ceiling and we drop in with complete surprise. The fight goes well initially but the tough skeletons with nasty melee weapons and Iron bullet firing carbines prove 'difficult' along with the 2 summoned devils and the rest of the nasties. We take down the competent male and the green woman (who exudes gases) and is a super-soldier named Zyklon-B along with the summoner (who is destroyed thanks to Mario's magical touch of 7+7+7 damage) and the mad scientist. The fight gets messier with Torment (I really hate Rune Mages - well almost all of them - Tsayoi) and we dig deeper into our reserves of power. We make a break-through and an ice floor to topple the skeletons along with effective C-class weapon finish off the enemy. I'd suffered a wound to my abdomen from one of the Nazi Carbine's and a bullet is lodged inside me. We survey the scene...

Weird Science Test Tubes

Incineration Venom x 2
The contents of this test tube is orange.
If it enters the bloodstream, the victim must Resist versus Fire Special Knowledge magic or be reduced to a small pile of ashes after a searing burst of heat.

Chaos Potion
Whenever this potion is Divined, a new effect is revealed

Opalescent Tincture
Divination of this potions reveals this: The Flesh is the Flesh and the Spirit is the Spirit.

Phial of Chalcedony Sand x 12

This test tube contains sand made from chalcedony and weighs 5 oz.
If the contents are used up during the Casting of an Illusion spell, then the Cast Chance is increased by 10.
If the contents are used up during the Casting of an Energy Bolt or a Bolt of Starfire, it inflicts half damage against the undead.

Enhanced Amulet of Luck

This amulet is made from the tooth of a cockatrice. It provides 3 points of Defense and 2 points of Magic Resistance that will stack with 1 other Amulet of Luck, only. In addition, up to 3 rerolls may be stored in the amulet each season by spending 1,000 Experience at noon of the season end festival.

Scroll of Names

This scroll contains these Individual True Names:

Eris of Discord
Agares, the Duke of Changes
Draugluin the Ferocious
The Great Vixen of Qadmos

This is the Individual True Name of a unique entity. There are only 21 Ranks available. In other words, every Rank this Name is raised reduces someone else's Rank by the same amount amount.
However, if the Spell of Name Change is known, and their Rank in the Generic True Name 'Fox' is Ranked to 10 or higher, then they may assume the shape of a vixen the size of a dire wolf, standing 4'2" at the shoulder. Despite her size, the build is light, fur being long, soft and russet except at the tips of the ears, muzzle and brush, which are white, and the legs, which are dark brown.. She weighs 120 lbs.

PS: 22 MD: 24 AG: 18 MA: Adept's EN: 20 FT: Adept's
WP: Adept's PC: Adept's PB: 12 TMR: Special NA: Special

Weapons: The vixen can bite in Close or Melee Combat
BC: 60%,1 roll-up D10+5, B Class damage, excluding decapitation unless the DM rules otherwise
The Bite may be Ranked to 10 using the same Experience Point cost as Unarmed Combat
Every 4 Ranks in this Individual True Name increases PS, MD, AG, EN and PB by 1
Every 4 Ranks in this Generic True Name 'Fox' increases PS, MD, AG, and EN by 1
The Protection value of the fur is 4 (+1 per 4 Ranks in the Individual True Name)
The shape provides 1 point of Damage Reduction against all known forms of damage + 1 for every 10 Ranks in the Individual True Name
The shade of the fur may be subtly altered to improve Stealth by the Rank of the Individual True Name while in a natural terrain that is not arctic
The vixen has Racial magic Night Vision (as the Talent of the College of Dark Magic), Rank being equal to Rank in the Individual True Name
The vixen can hear a mouse cough 50 yards distant under three feet of snow
The vixen adds their Rank in the Individual True Name to the base chance of any attempt to track by scent
The vixen has the following movement properties:

  • run for 10 minutes covering 5 miles, which may not be used again for another hour and cannot be done more than 3 times a day, resetting at dusk.
  • land TMR of 9, a swimming TMR of 2 and a leap of 10 ft (+ 1 ft for every 4 Ranks in each Name)
  • the vixen has a movement rate of 450 yards per minute over land.

A battleform may also be assumed where the Adept returns to their original form except that their head remains fox-like and a spectral brush emerging from the base of the spine. Changing between the Great Vixen and the battleform requires a Pass Action. It provides

  • 1 point of Damage Reduction (+1 for every 10 Ranks in the Individual True Name) against all known forms of damage.
  • a Protection value of 1 per 4 Ranks in the Individual True Name additional to the Adept's other armour.
  • a Bite attack, as listed above. This may be delivered as part of a Dual Weapon attack without penalty.
  • a pool of movement equal to 1 hex for every Rank in the Individual True Name, but can spend no more than ⅓rd (rounding down) in a Pulse. The movement is additional to their TMR but is not considered TMR movement. The additional movement can be in any direction, so long as it passes through an unobscured hex. Thus, movement is allowed up, down, sideways, backwards etc. Using the extra movement does not attract the penalties that using TMR can. For example, the Adept could specifically choose not to use their TMR, instead spending up to 5 hexes of additional movement to deliver a melee attack with a non-pole weapon and not attract a penalty.
Blackmetal Tulwar x 8

This tulwar weighs 16 lbs and requires a PS value of 35 to wield. The base Strike Chance is 61% and inflicts B Class damage. 4 is added to the result of a D10 roll according the following schedule:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
2 3 5 7 11 13 17 19 23 29

Although the metal is very hard and heavy, it is also extremely brittle. On a disarm result with any melee weapon that is not a lariat, net, whip (or similar) under the effect of a Diamond Weapon spell, or on any Fumble result, the blade is shattered and no saving throw is entertained.
It will only accept enhancements from the Creating Dark Sword spell.

Nazi Carbine x 8

This carbine weighs 9 lbs and fires iron bullets. The magazine holds 10 rounds, however after 10 bullets have been fired, the barrel will have been ruined and the weapon will no longer be useful. The weapon may be fired using any crossbow Skill, with the following considerations:

  • the base Strike Chance is 50%
  • any miss that is less than 70 + MD is a hit that inflicts 1 rollup D10 damage directly to EN + 1 Specific Grievous injury, if the roll falls into the range of a Possible Specific Grievous injury, then two are rolled + 1 rollup D10 damage directly to EN. Only Damage Reduction and Ballistic Armour protects against this, Protection and Endurance Armour being entirely ignored.

If the D10 result is a 5, then the iron bullet has passed entirely through the target's body, any other result indicating that the bullet has lodged within. The target may only make use of Racial Magic until the bullet has been removed. Healing magic has no effect on the target, and any use of the Healer Skill has the FT cost increased by 5, suffering a penalty of 20 to the Base Chance.

Potato Masher Hand Grenade x 4

Rank 8 Alchemy This grenado contains an alchemical incendiary device. It is usually thrown at a hex within range (15 hexes). The hex has no Defence, but the thrower's SC is reduced by 3 per hex beyond the first. Any Strike Check greater than 70 + MD means that the thrower dropped the grenado at their feet, or, if the roll is 99 or 100, has gone off prematurely.
If the Strike Check result is high enough to indicate a miss but not high enough for a catastrophe, then a scatter D10 is rolled.
On a 1, it was thrown 1D10 feet beyond the target hex.
On a 2, it was hrown 1D10 feet beyond and to the right of the target hex.
On a 3, it was thrown 1D10 feet to the right of the target hex.
On a 4, it was thrown 1D10 feet short and to the right of the target hex.
On a 5, it was thrown 1D10 feet short of the target hex.
On a 6, it was thrown 1D10 feet short and to the left of the target hex.
On a 7, it was thrown 1D10 feet to the left of the target hex.
On an 8, it was thrown 1D10 feet beyond and to the left of the target hex.
On a 9, it was thown 2D10 feet beyond the the target hex.
On a 0, it was thrown 1D10 <bold>hexes</bold> short of the target hex.
On detonation, the grenado inflicts 3 Specific Grievous Injuries on anyone up to 3 hexes away. Targets who are between 4 and 6 hexes away suffer 2 Specific Grievous Injuries, while those between 7 and 9 only suffer one. The grenado inflicts A, B or C Class injuries, so all results are applied.
Targets are allowed to Break 100 + 2 x AG + Rank in Sense Danger to avoid each wound.

Jet Figurine

This figurine is six inches long and made of jet and carnelian and weighs 13 oz.
When it is dashed to the ground at the user's feet, destroying it, a Rank 12 Windstorm will be called, centered on that point.

Sliding Dog Collar x 3

This sliding dog collar will fit around the neck of a quadruped as small as a spaniel or as large as a wolf. The buckle is a spell container for a Rank 1 Spell of Animal Growth, which has a Cast Chance 28%

Yellow Potion of Health x 9

This potion weighs 4 oz and need not be Prepared before it can be used if it is attached to a convenient belt or strap. The potion will break if the DM decides that the owner may have unsuccessfully avoided a powerful blow, and a percentile roll to avoid destruction exceeds 70.
This potion can only be used once in a 5 second period of time, cures 2 rollup D10 points of damage, does not require a Pass Action, and in fact can only be taken during the Military Scientist Time Out phase. If there is no Military Scientist to provide a Time Out, the potion does nothing.

Potion of Greater Healing x 3

This green potion is contained in a fragile phial and takes a Pass Action to prepare and a Pass Action to drink. It weighs 4oz. It will cure one Specific Grievous Injury that is not an amputation and heal 4 rollup D10 + 8 damage, curing EN loss before FT deficit. It will not cure spell-casting or tiredness FT loss.

Robe of the Desert x 2

This linen cloth robe is the colour of sand and has a size factor of 1. It provides 10 points of Spell armour and 7 points of Protection. When it is worn in a desert environment, it increases the wearer's Stealth by 11 and reduces damage by 3. It may be cut down but not resized for someone larger than human.

Desert Boots x 2

These boots are sized to fit a human, and a pair weighs 2lbs 7 oz. When they are worn:

  • the gauge for the wearer is reduced by 2
  • the wearer ignores the first 2 points of TMR penalty as a function of desert terrain
  • their Stealth increases by 13.
Phylactery of Rouse

This scroll has had the power word Rouse inscribed upon it in ink made from the liquor of a Great Emerald. The language it is written in bears a striking similarity to Volksprach. It has been itemised and remembles an iridescently green pin, weighing 4oz. Whoever wears it openly above their heart knows this Power Word.

  1. Break 100 + 3 x WP - target's WP. The target is wakened, recovers from Stun or both.
  2. Break 100 + 2 x WP - target's WP. The target is wakened, recovers from Stun or both.
  3. Break 100 + 1 x WP - target's WP. The target is wakened, recovers from Stun or both.
Blackmoon Blade

This blackened bronze sword weighs 6 lbs. The base Strike Chance is 71 and the Damage is 2 rollup D10 + 2. It is treated as a hand and a half and it may not be broken as a result of over-strengthing. .
The wielder must be human for the following benefits to apply:

  • they are considered Lunar Aspected while bearing it
  • The three dark jewels on the hilt of the blade may be attuned when the wielder sacrifices 1 EN to each of them. An attuned dark gem may be charged with a Lunar aspect bonus that lasts four Pulses by exposing it at midnight on three nights of the dark of the moon. This requires a Free Act.

Only one dark gem may be charged per dark of the moon.

Grond's Shadow

This black weapon is made out of the darkness found in the shadow of a much greater crushing weapon. It weighs 10 lbs, requires PS 32 or higher to wield and has a base Strike Chance of 57%. It inflicts 2 rollup D10 + 9, and it is a cumulative weapon, being treated as a mace and sap.
It inflicts C Class damage, but any Possible Specific Grievous injury that is greater than 20 (aside from 37-40 or 51-52) is accepted. No amputations are possible, and slashes or cuts are interpreted as crushing or bashing injuries.
It may only be wielded by a dwarf, orc or human.

Light Eating Armour

This armour is made from layered, quilted canvas, boiled in kraken sepia. Once upon a time, the fabric was the colour of a ship's sail, but now it is so black that any attempt to Detect the wearer's Aura costs 1 FT. It has a weight factor of 2, does not penalise AG and is sized for a human. It reduces damage by 3, provides 7 Protection and 6 Spell Armour. It provides a bonus of 10 to Stealth when the light level is 80% darkness or more. This stacks with bonuses from spells or Skills, but not those arising from other itemry.

Black Dragon Spaulder

This spaulder is 8 inches long, 5 inches wide, weighs 11 oz and has been made from the scale of a black dragon. This will be at once obvious to another dragon, who will automatically know who it come from if they shared a relationship by blood.
It fits over the left shoulder, reduces the Specific Grievous element of a Specific Grievous injury to the left shoulder by 1, and in any case a decapitation result arising from such a wound is ignored.
It does not work when the darkness level falls below 80% and cannot be resized.

Blackmetal Triangle

This triangle is made from sections of charcoal grey metal flecked with crimson, weighs 7 lbs and has a merchant valuation of 20,000 sp.
A single charge of the Ritual of Warding with Runes may be Invested in the triangle by Casting the ritual and burning special perfumes and oils to a value of Rank (minimum 1) x 100 silver pennies. The charge may be Triggered requiring a Cast Action, and the ward will slowly form over the area of the triangle (about a hex) over the period of its Cast Time. Once used, the triangle will reset after the season end festival.

The Mirror of the Corinthian
The Corinthian
The Corinthian

This mirror is made of silver and is about the size of a postcard. It weighs 5 oz.
If a target within 20 feet can be convinced to look into the mirror, they must Break 100 => WP or have their eyes sucked from their sockets. The bearer of the mirror will be able to look out from the now bleeding ruin where the eyes once were, while blood and aqueous humour drizzle down the mirror's face. Once this coagulates, taking about a minute, the mirror will be unusable.
The mirror may not be used again until the bearer Purifies with it on a Wednesday at the crack of dawn while polishing it back to its original reflective state.
The victim's injuries may only be restored by a Healer who can regenerate neural tissue or similar.

Chalcedony Ape

When Anooke initiates his shape change, his ape form now has scales the colour of the finest chalcedony. In this form, if he succumbs to Hibernation, Petit Mort, Century Long Sleep or similar magic, then he will become a small figurine made of chalcedony about 3 inches tall and weighing 9 oz. Exposure to sunlight ends the effect.

  • + 3 Magic Resistance from an undead source.
  • +1 Spell Armour vs fire (magical or otherwise) or light (including Starfire, Solar Flare, or similar) damage only.
  • +3 PB while an ape and Merchants who specialise in gems may also appraise him.
  • +1 Protection arising from the natural armour value of the scales

1 point of damage per Pulse inflicted as the result of a successful Strike Check from an undead source may be stored in a special Chalcedony pool. The size of the pool is 3 and may be increased once on a season Anooke has adventured. This costs 1 EN.
To date, Anooke knows how to draw Chalcedony points from the pool (maximum 3) to increase the damage of a successful blow on a point for point basis versus the corporeal undead. Using the pool in this way is a Free Act.

N3 - Secret Base to Alexandria

We ensure we're the only ones left alive in the bunker and undertake some much needed healing. We use divination on a number of items and finish looting the bunker of what we can carry away safely. We find a few more bits and pieces and in the nearby dig site we find ruins they have been excavating looking for more relics and antiques from ages gone by. A chance look finds us an alabaster figurine of the type the German archaeologist in Cairo was looking for - that of a woman holding a scroll.

We divine it and find its a living entity inside the stone who had been burned by the library burning around her. We break her out, heal her wounds and illuminate her about the 1200 years she's been stoned for. Her name is Hypatia and she was a librarian at the black library in Alexandria until it was burning down when she was about to be fried to death but she was instead 'statued' somehow and that saved her life. She is a Thaumaturge of some sort and also a woman of high birth (Greater Noble - daughter of a duke or somesuch)

We decide to stay for the day resting more and examining our loot and plan to head to Alexandria once night has fallen. The days passes.

Once night falls we take our loot and by way of carriage and fire running we make our way to Alexandria, arriving there in the early morning where we while away the time walking the quiet and empty streets.

In the morning before the streets get busy we find ourselves before a very modern looking building made of glass and a stylish exterior with the name of Cosmopolitan Shipping outside of it. Hypatia leads us to a pillar, casts a spell and a door is opened into the library through which we enter.

Inside the library the floor in front of us is coated with 1 inch of the Dust of Ages which is likely a trap by/from Apophis to stop the use of this Black Library by anyone. We work out a way to deal with the dust through gentle and slow collection (so as to not disturb the dust and 'infect' us) and it's collected in a number of ceramic amphorae through various means such as snow etc. Once cleared we all learn things (dependent on our EN as each 'learning' costs 10EN) and most learn up to 2 things and I learn 3.

Pennlucien

As a consequence of studying in the Black Library of Alexandria, Pennlucien has learnt an arcane technique that has empowered her Ritual of Divination. Whenever she burns a candle infused with rose of attar (8 gs) while performing an Ancient Divination, the Cast Time is one hour.

Resist Pain

Experience Multiple: 300
Effects:The Adept is somewhat resistant to pain. They may add 1 for every 2 Ranks they have in this Talent to the amount of damage needed to stun them. They cannot easily be tortured or stunned by physical means. In addition, if there is a chance that their concentration has been broken, 5 + 1 per Rank is always added to their chance to make the Concentration Check. No matter what the circumstances the Adept will always have a chance of maintaining concentration.
Like all magic, this talent is affected by cold iron. However, for a weapon to affect the talent, the weapon must be made of cold iron, must have done endurance damage, and must remain in contact with the body. If cold iron is used in the torture of a mind mage, the Adept adds their concentration bonus to the base chance of resisting the torture attempt.

Spell of Name Change

Range: Self
Duration: Conc. Max 30 minutes + 30 minutes per Rank
Experience Multiple: 275
Base Chance: 1 %
Resist: None
Storage: Potion
Target: Sentient Entity
Effects: The Adept assumes the form or seeming of something whose Name they have Ranked.
If they wish to assume a physical form, then they must have at least Rank 10 in its GTN. When they transform they acquire the lowest value of the creature's physical stats: PS, MD, AG, PB and EN. They retain their own MA, WP, FT and PC. For every 4 full Ranks in the GTN they may add 1 to the form's physical stats.The Adept may not transform into a fantastical or sentient creature, nor one that weighs less than a few ounces (about the size of a mouse) nor more than 1000lbs (up to a large bull, but not a fully grown ox).
The cost to transform themselves is 12 FT - 1 per 2 Ranks in the spell.
They may assume the seeming of anything whose GTN they know. This will engage all of the usual senses. The size of the seeming can be no more than 1 hex per 3 or fraction Ranks in the Name. It is much harder to make a seeming that is smaller, however. If the Adept has Rank 10 in a Name, they can take the seeming of something half their size, one quarter their size at Rank 20. The limits on a seeming are much less constrained than for a transformation.However, the appearance of a particular entity can be assumed only if their Individual True Name is known. In addition, the spell can only be sustained for either 30 minutes + 30 minutes per Rank of the spell or 10 minutes + 10 minutes per Rank of the ITN, whichever is lowest.
Each time an observer has reason to question the seeming, then they are allowed a Magic Resistance versus Namer Special Knowlege magic. The roll is penalised by the Rank of the Name used, but the observers gain a bonus to MR of their PC. If they resist, they are undeceived. Seemings never inflict any damage. Indeed, physical contact sharp enough to require a Strike Check will cause the seeming to dissipate.
The cost to change their appearance is 6 FT - 1 per 4 Ranks in the spell.
This spell is not teachable to others.

Aloysius

As a consequence of studying in the Black Library of Alexandria, Aloysius has improved his Detect Fumes Talent. The Base Chance becomes PC + 5 per Rank - 1 per foot distant from him after the first 10 feet. In addition to its usual uses, he may use the Talent to interrogate a scent or gas as if he were Detecting its Aura. However, True Names are not revealed and neither is Aura strength.

Mist - Mists of Revelation
Effects: The Adept summons a transparent but faintly blue mist that reveals any entity inside the volume that is Walking Unseen, or any object or entity whose Blending or Invisibility is not greater in Rank than this spell. The mist imposes a penalty of 5 to ranged Strike Chances against those inside the volume.
Cost: 250 Experience.
Constraints: Unracks the spell, Adept uses up 1 oz of daisies (1 gs) during the Cast Action.

Mist - Mists of Qirhaka
Effects: The Adept conjures 1000 cubic feet of mist (+ 500 / additional Rank) of any shape entirely within the Adept's range. The mist must be at least 1 foot in any dimension and may have detail no finer than 1 foot in size. The visibility in this mist is normally 30 feet (6 hexes). If the wind is stronger than a light breeze, the Adept must actively concentrate to maintain the mist.
If the volume of the mist is struck by lightning, the mist instantly volatalises, scalding any object or entity within. This will inflict D10 + 5 (+ 1 per 3 or fraction Rank) of the Mist or the Lightning spell, whichever is least. The damage is not considered lightning damage but any that do not Resist will be Stunned.
Cost: 1250 Experience.
Constraints: Unracks the spell, reduces FT value by 2.

Anooke

As a consequence of studying in the Black Library of Alexandria, Anooke's Racial Infravision Talent has increased its discriminatory quality so that he can also make out things that do not generate heat, e.g. terrain features or objects, even through obscurements like mist, fog, darkness (including Rank 20 Darkness) and light (including Rank 20 Light). This special discriminatory sense will not provide any benefit in spaces that are above 70°C, e.g. smoke, a house fire, etc. The range of this special sense is PC feet, PC fathoms when immersed.

Snowball
Range: Self
Duration:1 minute + 1 minute / Rank
Experience Multiple: 200
Base Chance: 20%
Resist: None
Storage: Investment, Ward, Magical Trap
Target: Adept
Effects: This spell causes the Adept to be orbited by 1 (+1 / 4 full Ranks) snowballs. These may be Fired at a target within 10 feet (+10 feet / Rank), requiring a Free Act and a Break 100 + target's Agility, adding 2 x Rank + MA . If the snowball hits, it "damages" their Initiative value by the Rank of the spell. This may not be Resisted unless the target takes a Pass Action to shake off the snow, in which case all of these penalties are automatically removed.
A target whose Initiative is reduced to 0 or less can take no Actions although they can move, and in any case the effects will pass in Rank Pulses.

Ice Pack
Range: Self
Duration:1 hour
Experience Multiple: 150
Base Chance: 15%
Resist: None
Storage: Investment, Potion
Target: Adept
Effects: The Adept may store 1 Ice Pack (+1 per 5 Ra Ranks). The Adept may direct an Ice Pack to an entity within 10 feet (+ 5 feet per Rank), requiring a Free Act and 1 point of Strain. It will

  • immediately halt any damage being taken due to shock or blood loss
  • provide a bonus of Rank% to the target's chance of recovering from stun or unconsciousness (if applicable).
  • restore a living entity on negative Endurance to zero, although any further damage will start the process of shock and bleeding as usual.
  • allow the target an extra Resistance Check versus any Fear or similar emotional effect, adding the Rank of the spell as a bonus.
  • heal 1 rollup [D10 -9 +1 per 2 Ranks] (minimum 1) damage arising from fire, heat or fever.
Mario

As a consequence of studying in the Black Library of Alexandria, Mario's Telekinesis spell is moved to his General Knowledge magic. Experience previously spent on advancing this spell is refunded for base MA in excess of 15 as it currently stands.

Resist Temperature
Effects:The Adept is immune to climatic extremes of temperature from arctic cold to desert heat whether generated naturally or by magic. They therefore do not suffer from exposure, frostbite, wind- chill, heat stress, hypothermia or hyperthermia, and their fatigue loss is unaffected by temperature. If the Adept is attacked by fire, heat or cold (whether magical or not), a magical aura protects them so that the first Rank points are reduced per Pulse.

Force Shield - Enhanced Pentagon Shield

This incantation of the Force Shield spell creates 11 unseeable pentagonal planes of protection that float around the Adept on all sides. This increases their Defence by 2(+3 for every 2 Ranks) against all attacks at any range or from any direction. In addition, the spell reduces physical damage at a rate of 1 DP per Rank, minimum 1, per pulse. This only applies to physical damage and has no effect on magic etc, although it can be applied to damage from spells like Diamond Javelins, Ice Bolt or Ice Projectiles. It does, however protect versus strikes directly to EN or Specific Grievous Injuries.
Cost: 3,500 Experience.
Constraints: Unracks the spell, reduces FT value by 2.

Raseri

As a consequence of studying in the Black Library of Alexandria, Raseri has learnt how to apply the Damage Reduction effect of his Armour of Darkness to damage from silver weapons. Conjuring Darkness Elemental
Range: 20 Feet
Duration:Immediate
Experience Multiple: 225
Base Chance: 25%
Resist: None
Storage: Investment, Ward
Target: Darkness Elemental
Effects: If the cast is successful, a Darkness Elemental with a combined Fatigue and Endurance of 15 (+ 6 / Rank) appears within 20 feet of the Adept who may immediately cast a Spell of Controlling Darkness Elemental to see if they control the Elemental. The Control spell is a separate spell and requires additional fatigue to cast, but does not require any preparation and is cast in conjunction with this spell.

Controlling Darkness Elemental
Range: 20 Feet
Duration: Concentration: no maximum
Experience Multiple: 225
Base Chance: 20%
Resist: None
Storage: Investment
Target: Darkness Elemental
Effects:The Adept may attempt to control an Elemental they have just summoned. The Elemental does not get to resist. If successful in establishing control over the Elemental, the Adept maintains control until their concentration is broken or they banish the Elemental with a counterspell. If they fail to gain control of the Elemental or gain control, but have their concentration broken, the Elemental will immediately attack them. The Adept cannot banish an Elemental they do not control.

Darkness Elemental
Natural Habitat: Other Planes
Frequency: Very Rare
Description
Darkness elementals appear as completely black humanoids, featureless except in profile. They will be as tall, in feet, as their Endurance.
Abilities: All darkness elementals have a Rank, usually that of their summoner's Rank in the summoning spell.

  • No darkness elemental can enter or remain in a volume where the light level is greater than their equivalent Rank in darkness
  • They may treat a volume with a darkness level greater than 80% as solid footing, and even climb into the air through or on it.
  • Any entity within 1 hex of the elemental must Resist versus Celestial Magic or roll on the Fear Table.

Movement Rates: Running: 300

PS: 20 (+3/Rk) MD: 21 (+1 / 5 Ranks) AG: 22(+1 / 5 Ranks) MA: None EN: 5-50 FT: 10-85
WP: 13 (+1 / 5 Ranks) PC: 15 (+1 / 5 Ranks) PB: 7 TMR: 6 NA: 5 DP(+1 / 5 Ranks)

Weapons: Darkness elementals can strike with both fists without penalty.
Fist: BC 50 (+2 / Rank), Special, C Class damage, Melee & Close.
Each Dark Elemental Fist inflicts 1 rollup D10 (+1 per 10 Ranks) + 1 / 2 Ranks.

Dark Half
Range: Self
Duration:1 minute (+1 minute per Rank)
Experience Multiple: 200
Base Chance: 20%
Resist: None
Storage: Ward, Potion
Target: Sentient Entity
Effects: The Darkness Adept creates a clone of themselves out of darkness. A viewer will not be deceived if the Adept is not wrapped in darkness (Shadowform, Armour of Darkness or similar effects count). Unless they are able to penetrate this deception, the viewer is 50% likely to attack the Dark Half instead of the Adept. The clone can absorb 20 (+ 5 per 3 full Ranks) damage before being dissipated. This forces a Dark Half check (Magic Resistance versus backfire) success indicating that the Adept has managed to withdraw the Dark Half into their heart. On a subsequent Pulse, and so long as duration remains, the Adept may take a Pass Action and draw forth a new Dark Half. Each such check after the first attracts a cumulative 10 point penalty.

Tsayoi

As a consequence of studying in the Black Library of Alexandria, Tsayoi has learnt this spell:


Create & Manipulate Smoke (replaces Smoke Creation (G-8))
Range: 10 feet + 10 / Rank
Duration: 30 minutes + 30 / Rank
Experience Multiple: 75
Base Chance: 25%
Resist: None
Storage: Investment, Ward
Target: Volume
Effects: The Adept may create a volume of smoke equal to 1000 cubic feet (+ 500 / Rank), or they may manipulate a similar volume of smoke. This volume must be closed and contiguous, and has a minimum thickness of 5 feet. It may be moved at a rate of 1 hex per Pulse. The density of the smoke may be reduced or increased by a factor of 2 for every 5 Rank and this will reduce visual perception by 1 multiplier per 5 full ranks (but may not reduce it to less than once times perception). At Rank 20, the density may be reduced to completely transparent or increased to completely opaque. The Adept may choose the density of the smoke when casting. The effective Rank of the spell will be decreased by 1 Rank per 10 miles/hour of wind (minimum Rank 0) in the target volume. Below rank 10 the smoke created by this spell is completely transparent to infravision.

Resist Pain

Experience Multiple: 300
Effects:The Adept is somewhat resistant to pain. They may add 1 for every 2 Ranks they have in this Talent to the amount of damage needed to stun them. They cannot easily be tortured or stunned by physical means. In addition, if there is a chance that their concentration has been broken, 5 + 1 per Rank is always added to their chance to make the Concentration Check. No matter what the circumstances the Adept will always have a chance of maintaining concentration.
Like all magic, this talent is affected by cold iron. However, for a weapon to affect the talent, the weapon must be made of cold iron, must have done endurance damage, and must remain in contact with the body. If cold iron is used in the torture of a mind mage, the Adept adds their concentration bonus to the base chance of resisting the torture attempt.

Immolation Talent
Tsayoi's Immolation spell is now a Talent. It costs no FT to Cast and does not need to be Prepared.
Talents can only be advanced a number of Ranks per week of adventure, although they require no training time.

Rahne

As a consequence of studying in the Black Library of Alexandria, Rahne has learnt how to Locate the place with the highest potential for True Love. Unfortunately, if the potential is less than 30%, the ability will fail, and even if it is higher, there is no guarantee that a blossoming will occur.

Sense Danger v 1.1

Range: Self
Experience Multiple: 300
Storage: Potion
Effects: The Adept may sense the presence of a hazard to the Adept's life or well-being. Generally this may be interpreted as a 'bad feeling' about a person or an object, or a sense of foreboding about a situation.
This talent operates continuously and unconsciously. The Adept may also add 2 + 2 / Rank to the chance of detecting an ambush (see Ranger) and to the chance of detecting a trap (see Spy/Thief).
In combat, the Adept has the ability to see a moment or two into the future and may modify their actions so as to avoid harm. This can only be attempted once per pulse. Usually, the harm must emanate from a source that is adjacent to the Adept so the workings of this Talent are rarely helpful against ranged attacks, although the DM may rule otherwise on a case-by-case basis. The Adept must 'Break 100' by rolling percentiles and adding 5 (+1 per Rank) to the result. If that number is equal to or greater than 100, they avoid the harm.
Enchantments, bonuses to base chance and subtractions from die rolls do not apply to attempts to Break 100.
In addition, they may add their Rank in this Talent to their Agility for the purposes of avoiding tramples and attacks of a similar nature that the DM deems appropriate.

Enchanted Armour Enhancement
Instead of increasing the Protection value of the armour she wears, Rahne's Enchanted Armour spell reduces damage by the same value. This only applies to armour that she has sacrificed 1 EN to.

We exit the entrance (after establishing a way to return) and find the area dark (very dusky) and the ground covered in snakes in front of us and some Hell Hounds mounting flamethrowers advancing on us. It seems Apophis kept watch for the return of the librarians all this time. We gird our loins and throw a couple of powerful Primal grenadoes to little effect. Combat ensues!

N4 - Alexandria to Lisbon

Noxious vapours, snakes that turn out to be the tentacles of a Void Kraken, charging Hellhounds, and an Evil mage sniping from above - all looks a bit grim. Application of ranged magic, up close violence and a gate-closing Tulwar quickly tip the balance in our favour. The minions are defeated and the mage flees.

  • 8 Hellhounds with shoulder mounted particle accelerators - killed and looted.
  • 1 void Kraken attacking through inter-planar darkness portal - killed and looted.
  • Gestapo Greater Summoner / Necro - not identified, escaped.

We clean up, banish most of the remnants and then Dream portal to Marsa Matruh, leaving the sounds of approaching sirens behind.

Raseri

As a consequence of being poisoned by a void kraken, Raseri's PS is reduced to 12 and his AG has been increased to 20. His PS may be raised to 22 and his AG may be raised to 25.

Kraken Armour Padding x 6

This armour padding fits beneath mail or plate armour and increases the weight factor of the armour by half. It requires the arts of a Rank 6 Armourer who has the Leather Armour proficiency and takes 5 days to make if they have the cured material.
It provides a special form of protection that lasts for 4 consecutive Wednesdays. If the value of the damage (before any subtractions or mitigations are applied) is even, then the damage is halved. If the value of the damage is a prime number (before any subtractions or mitigations are applied), then it is doubled.
It is made from the outer tegument of a void kraken that has been cured in angel's urine for nine weeks.

From MM, we catch the afternoon train to Tunis. Arriving in the evening and settling into a hotel by the docks.

W'ansday 23rd Frost

Catch a very comfortable Airship to Marseille and then on to Paris arriving in time for a fine late dinner. Some revelry...

Th'rsday 24th Frost

The Airship to Lisbon is smaller, older and the Pilot is somewhere between drunk and hung-over. The only other passengers are 3 Reich Super Soldiers, we keep a low profile.

  1. Apparatchik - an automaton, can emulate other machines.
  2. Baron Frieten Brute - an agile hunter, Bane-like abilities.
  3. Panzar IV - Tracker, resilient, heals.

Just after we fly over the border into Spain, we sense leakage from another plane to the south and spot some sort of ritual being performed around a fire on a mountain top.

Reapsday 25th Frost

Landing mid-morning in Lisbon, we pretend to tourist and blend in, assuming we're being watched. On the way in, Aloysious was drawn to a building on a hill above the town, we later learn it is a famous College for Navigators. From range, we track the SS to the local Gestapo base - a solid looking 4-level building with many poles and vanes for communications. Quieter night at a local inn.

Sunday 26th Frost

Still assuming we're being watched we visit most shops on the street of booksellers and purchase the original conductor's score for The Magic Flute. Then we make contact with Itzhak and find out that the Americans are invading, by sea (and Airship Carriers), landing on the Portuguese coast within a couple of days. Itzhak can only do the deciphering here (which will take about 12 hours) and needs to wait for his new orders which are due tomorrow, then he's keen to leave before the invasion starts.

While Itzhak provides us with rk 14 Greater Heart Runes (10 EN); we make plans and after discarding several, we make a phone call to Widow Click to arrange a plane to fly us to Prague this afternoon. We plan to:

  1. Dream portal to Varna via Tunis and Marsa Matruh (3 hrs) to then fly to Prague (3 hrs).
  2. Arriving about 6pm, we need to find the librarian, enter the Library at night, get the scroll, Dream Portal to Varna, Tunis, Lisbon.
  3. Get the scroll translated, visit Navigators, blow up Gestapo base.
  4. Dream Portal to Tunis, Alexandria and deposit the scroll in the Library.
Generic True Name - Moonlight

This name may be Uttered when Casting the Spell of Compelling Obedience to create a minor glamour. It may move in response to the environment, for example, reeds swaying in a breeze, etc, but colours and sounds are muted, scent is fainter and there is no haptic component at all, neither does the glamour have any behaviour. Anyone observing it will automatically know that it is not real.
If a Moonbeam is spent when the spell is Cast, the glamour is realistic, having vivid colour and credible sound properties, but it will still not have a haptic component or any behaviour. To penetrate the illusion, an observer must Resist versus Special Knowledge magic of the College of Naming Incantations and subtract their PC value from the die roll result making it easier, but add the Rank of the GTN Moonlight, making it more difficult. A successful Enhanced Vision check will also work, obviously.

Generic True Name - Qadmos

This is the GTN of a state of being.
When the form of the Vixen of Qadmos is taken, the Adept ignores the first Rank (in Qadmos) damage per Pulse, resetting at the beginning of the next Pulse. This is an aura, so it applies after saving throws and Resistance checks are made, but before any other damage mitigation. .

Iridescent Crescent Brooch - Alpha

This brooch is made from an iridescent form of mother of pearl chased in silver. It is 2 inches high, 1 inch wide and weighs 2 oz. It must be worn over the heart to be effective but may be worn beneath armour or outer wear. It holds up to 13 Moonbeams (currently 5) .
A moonbeam may be spent to:

  1. trigger an aspect bonus if the wearer is Lunar aspected, requiring a Free Act and lasting for 4 Pulses
  2. trigger a lycanthropic shape change, requiring a Pass Action and 1 Strain
  3. transfer 1 moonbeam to an Iridescent Crescent Brooch - Beta, requiring 5 minutes and 5 Strain

If the wearer receives any of these Specific Grievous injuries:

Result Injury
11 Your aorta is severed and you are quite dead. Rest assured your companions will do their best to console your widow(er).
14-18 Tsk, tsk. A wound of the solid viscera. Usually fatal. Take 3 Damage Points to Endurance immediately and 1 per pulse thereafter until the bleeding is stopped by a Healer of Rank 2 or above or you die. Add 30 to the chance of infection
20-25 A chest wound. Take 2 Damage Points to Endurance immediately and reduce your TMR by 1 until recovered (about 2 months). Look on the bright side, though. Your attacker's weapon is caught in your rib cage and has been wrenched from their grasp.
75-80 A massive chest wound accompanied by broken ribs and crushed tissues. Very ugly, this. Take 5 Damage Points immediately from Endurance. Reduce your MD and AG by 3 each until this wound heals (which should take about 4 months). Increase your chance of infection by 10.

then they must roll 50% or less or the brooch is destroyed. If the brooch is worn beneath armour, then they may subtract the Protection value from the die roll.
A moonbeam may be collected on a clear night of the Full Moon but only one moonbeam may be collected in any given month.
A night of the Full Moon is clear

Season % of the time
Spring 60%
Summer 80%
Autumn 40%
Winter 30%

The DM may increase or decrease these values as they see fit to reflect climate changes.
No training may be undertaken on a day given over to collecting moonbeams.

Iridescent Crescent Brooch - Beta x 2

This brooch is made from an iridescent form of mother of pearl chased in silver. It is 2 inches high, 1 inch wide and weighs 2 oz. It must be worn over the heart to be effective but may be worn beneath armour or outer wear. It holds up to 4 Moonbeams (currently 2).
A moonbeam may be spent to:

  1. trigger an aspect bonus if the wearer is Lunar aspected, requiring a Free Act and lasting for 4 Pulses
  2. trigger a lycanthropic shape change, requiring a Pass Action and 1 Strain

If the wearer receives any of these Specific Grievous injuries:

Result Injury
11 Your aorta is severed and you are quite dead. Rest assured your companions will do their best to console your widow(er).
14-18 Tsk, tsk. A wound of the solid viscera. Usually fatal. Take 3 Damage Points to Endurance immediately and 1 per pulse thereafter until the bleeding is stopped by a Healer of Rank 2 or above or you die. Add 30 to the chance of infection
20-25 A chest wound. Take 2 Damage Points to Endurance immediately and reduce your TMR by 1 until recovered (about 2 months). Look on the bright side, though. Your attacker's weapon is caught in your rib cage and has been wrenched from their grasp.
75-80 A massive chest wound accompanied by broken ribs and crushed tissues. Very ugly, this. Take 5 Damage Points immediately from Endurance. Reduce your MD and AG by 3 each until this wound heals (which should take about 4 months). Increase your chance of infection by 10.

then they must roll 50% or less or the brooch is destroyed. If the brooch is worn beneath armour, then they may subtract the Protection value from the die roll.

Ostraka of Toth

This thick ceramic potsherd weighs 1 lb and is as hard as stone. Once, this was a clay tablet of the Book of Toth, but now all that remains is part of a verse. The ostraka gives the bearer these abilties depending on their gender:

Woman increase their Resistance versus Incubi by 10 and may move their TMR three dimensionally for 3 Pulses, resetting at dawn
Man increase their Resistance versus Succubi by 10 for 3 Pulses and the fruit of their next "passionate encounter" will quicken, regardless of species. This ability resets at the season end festival.

When thrown as a rock at an incubus or succubus, the order of the D10s of the Strike Check is read in the bearer's favour, damage is 2 rollup D10 and range penalties are ignored. If a touch is successfully scored, the incubus or succubus must Resist versus Backfire or be Banished to their most proximate plane of origin.
No denizen from the Seventh Plane will touch the ostraka, or even enter the same hex as it.

Dagger Bola

This pair of enameled bronze daggers is connected by a plaited cord made from the tendons of a bear. It is a cumulative weapon, or more precisely a pair of cumulative weapons. In Melee or at Range, it is both a dagger and a bola, in Close, it is both a garotte and a dagger. The usual bonuses from Ranks with both weapons are applied to Initiative Value, Strike Chance, Parry Calculation, Evasion Defence (where applicable) and Damage bonus.
The weapon weighs 24 oz, base Strike Chance is 40%, inflicts 1 rollup D10 A Class damage and the range is 10 hexes. There is no penalty to Strike Chance when making a dual attack with the weapon in Melee, and if the weapon is thrown, then the target is Entangled if the strike check is successful and a 1 or a 2 was rolled on either D10.

N5 - Library Withdrawal

We Dream portal to Varna (Central Railway Station - the Mens toilet cubicle #4) via Tunis (3 hrs), meet up with Widow Click and her handsome pilot Raphael, then fly our Fokker Friendship to Prague (3 hrs).

NB In Dream approaching Tunis, we see the memory of the Moloch, a 30ft tall, bull headed statue with a furnace to sacrifice children to Baal Hammon (the city god of Carthage).

We plan to return sometime to end Moloch.

Playing the part of wealthy socialites with our fake papers, we pass through the officials at the airport and head to meet Rabbi Leyra.

Who looks exactly like a priest (Haseatic jewish) of this banned and persecuted religion but has a magic disguise that fools everyone. 80+ years old.

He leads us down to the sewers which are a lot nicer than we expected, and through to a secret door into the Library (formerly a temple/synagogue) and leaves us there as he knows he needs to distance himself from the item and he's a slow walker! Beforehand we get infected by his Kabalistic mind (with effects to be determined later).

Entering carefully, we need to suppress a couple of wards that detect communists, following instructions we find the scroll where it is hidden in the walls, also take the scrolls of the Book of Giants, Ostrica Piece and some displayed relics. The synagogue is in its own middlemarch.

Exiting the way we came in, we sense danger just before the 3 enlarged werewolves leap on us from beneath the water. Raseri's head is ripped off but it turns out he was faking it, we barely save Penni from the same, claw damage is taken. Then we explosively freeze the water around them (also taking damage), Mario knocks out two and Rahne sleeps the third. Heads and hearts need to be removed before they finally die. Quick looting then back into the Library as there are lots of Gestapo coming down the sewers. Tsayoi gets infected by Lycanthropy.

Defenestration: Throwing ourselves out a window in Prague, we sneak down the street away from the trucks full of soldiers out front.

Alerted to something dangerous approaching by the sounds of cobblestones being ripped up, we enter the nearest building and hide. Rabbi Loew's Golem continues past, attacks and destroys the soldiers and their trucks, then heads for the Gestapo who are promptly torn apart. Putting together what we can remember and DA, we guess it was activated by the death of Rabbi Leyra at the hands of the Gestapo, now it has killed them it will continue to rampage until it has destroyed the city or more. From range we apply an alchemical substance and reduce it to ash, which we collect.

Dream Portal back to Varna, Tunis, then Lisbon and make our way to the bookshop.

Moonday 27th Frost

Transforming the ancient copper scroll to Ice, Anooke unfurls it and allows it to revert. We ask Itchak to give us half an hour before he starts translating to establish some distractions, he makes his preparations and we head to the local Gestapo building. We start a fire down at the docks by the fuel tanks as a distraction.

From range, Dust of Ages is added to the ventilation intake of the Gestapo building and Siege Genadoes are applied to the communications tower, their destruction is certain.

Heading back to Itchak, we spot a lamppost that wasn't outside his shop before - Apparat. He has an unfortunate accident involving a pool of magma and his communication aerial falling off just when he needed it.

We head inside and alternate resting with watches. Aloysious summons a storm. We don't have long before we spot a Throne and 7 Fire Angels descending through a gap in the clouds and heading our way. We have one minute before they arrive, so we make plans and position ourselves for the onslaught.

N6 - an Interesting night in Lisbon and then flee to Alexandria

We complete our preparations and receive the onslaught of the 7 fire angels and the Throne. Clever planning helped remove the threat of the Throne who was injured at range and kept busy healing itself away from the party. The Fire angels swept in and attempted to deal death to the party but some were skewered on blades while other to our potent magics. In the end 4 fire angels fell dead and the throne mortally wounded called the rest to flee. Further damage took down the throne and the other 3 fire angels fled away to safety. We looted and waited for further assaults.

The local SA and other troops attempted to assault us but the vehicles were stopped in their tracks and their occupants fled, except for a brave unit ably led by an NCO who soon thereafter fled too along with his men.

The allied invasion started around 4am and the town was in a state by then. We hunkered down and continued our close protection role to enable the decryption.

Around noon Itzhak finishes his decryption and hands us the final product. He then says goodbye as he desires to be elsewhere at this time - he remarks about going to Cologne to see about the ancient King Barbarossa who they seek to revive to save Europe from the depredations of the Fuhrer and his regime. We bid adieu and start our walk towards Tunis.

At Tunis we again lament the fate of the children in such a land and vow to return for Moloch before continuing with our pressing 2 hours walk towards Alexandria.

We arrive in Alexandria in the early evening and we emerge from our closet in room 305 of the Grand Hotel (Alexandria) to a thankfully empty room. We're aware of the likelihood of ambush by an enemy who knows where we need to go but we're also cognisant of the important scroll we need safely in the Library - so we proceed with alacrity.

As we proceed along thronging streets we become aware of localised danger and ...

Throne's Eye x 12
Throne's Eyes are about 10 cms long and perhaps 5 cms high. They have no appreciable depth, but encumber as if they weighed 4 oz.
2 Eyes can be attached to a breastplate, large round shield (or larger) or a cloak. Only one can be attached to smaller articles of clothing/armour.
When four are worn obviously, then they provide 1 point of Damage Reduction to a maximum of 12. In other words, they will add 1 to the wearer's current Damage Reduction so long as it never advances it to 13 or higher.
Once attached, the Eyes are bound to the article of clothing or armour, and if less than 4 are worn at once, they provide no benefit at all.
Wachtmeister Gonade

This silver chased potato masher hand grenade weighs 1lb 5oz.
It is a long-living sentient whose GTN is "grenado", and who has been a senior non-commissioned officer in the 1st East Prussian Grenadiers since 1895. He is proud of his heritage although something of a Holocaust denier since he cannot believe in the genocide of Jews and gypsies in concentration camps. Not, mind you, that he does not hold racist views about these and many other non-Aryan people, but the idea of industrialising ethnic cleansing is something he would find unconscionable.

  • He is Rank 4 in Grenado, so adds 4 to his wielder's Rank in this weapon to a maximum of 12.
  • He is Rank 2 in Demolitions, so adds 2 to his wielder's Rank in that Profession.
  • He is Rank 4 in Swearing, so adds 4 to his wielder's Rank in this Artisan Skill to a maximum of 8.

If he should be convinced of the Holocaust, then he will explode and inflict 6 Possible Specific Grievous injuries over a diameter of 15 feet, 5 Possible Specific Grievous injuries from 15 to 25 feet, 4 Possible Specific Grievous injuries from 25 to 35 feet, 3 Possible Specific Grievous injuries from 35 to 45 feet, 2 Possible Specific Grievous injuries from 45 to 55 feet and 1 Possible Specific Grievous injury from 55 to 65 feet.
This will destroy him.

Painting of the Haunted Theatre
The Haunted Theatre
The Haunted Theatre

This painting is about 1400 x 70 cms and weighs 2 lb. It may be rolled along its shortest dimension without due harm.
To activate this painting's special function, 1 point of EN must be sacrificed to it (which may be bought back in the usual way). From then on, once per season, the Adept can Purify while gazing upon the painting to store:

  • A number of General Knowledge spells of the College of Illusion equal to their Rank in the counterspell
  • A number of Special Knowledge spells of the College of Illusion equal to their Rank in the counterspell
  • A number of General Knowledge spells of the College of Necromantic Conjurations equal to their Rank in the counterspell

The Rank of the spell is the same as the appropriate Counterspell.
Once each spell is successfully Cast, it is lost and may not be recovered until the Adept Purifies while contemplating the painting after the next Equinox or Solstice. Duplications are allowed.

Symbols

A symbol must be drawn upon a surface requiring a Pass Action, but not n a Pulse that they will make a Magical Fire Action. It will either go off at that time or when a specific condition has been met. The writer's player defines the condition without advice from the DM, and the DM interprets it without asking for clarification. The DM's interpretation is always right. If the condition is too complicated for the DM to easily understand, it either doesn't work or works in the way that is most dangerous for the writer.
The character must expend Experience in learning the symbol equal to its Experience Factor x the Rank they wish to be able to use it at, maximum Rank being 20. If the symbol has not been drawn before the season end festival, the binder recovers 20% of the Experience spent. This keeps happening unless they invoke it or until they recover 80% of their initial expenditure, whichever comes first.

Agony
Range: 30 feet (+15 feet per Rank)
Duration:10 seconds (+10 seconds per Rank)
Experience Factor: 350
Resist: Passive
Target: Area
Effects:This symbol causes all entities in the affected area, except the Adept, to suffer extreme agony. Entities who fail to resist may only take Pass actions for the duration of the sybol, or until such time as they leave the area of effect. Entities who successfully resist reduce all Strike Chances by 30, and take twice as long to perform any action. Note that Mind Mages gain a bonus to resist this spell equal to 2 x Rank with their Talent of Resisting Pain.

Sleep
Range: 15 feet (+15 feet per Rank)
Duration: 1 minute (+1 minute per Rank)
Experience Factor: 250
Resist: Passive
Target: Area
Effects: This symbol causes all entities in the affected area that sleep normally to fall into a deep sleep which will last for the duration unless woken by another.

Bolt of Energy - Doom Missile
Effects: The Adept conjures a bolt of energy that will attack the target once a Pulse for every 3 or fraction Ranks. Each attack must be saved against separately, and the missile can cover its entire range in one Pulse.
Once assigned, the Adept cannot choose a different target.
Cost: 2,500 Experience.
Constraints: Unracks the spell, reduces FT value by 2.

Bolt of Energy - Razor Orb
Effects: This incantation creates an orb of spinning, curved blades about the size of a tennis ball. It inflicts D10 + Rank damage on the first object or entity that it impacts upon. Although the spell does not double or triple damage, a roll of 20% of the modified Cast Chance will inflict damage directly to EN and a roll of 10% entitles the Adept to roll on the Specific Grievous Injury table, applying any A or B Class wound.
Protection, Endurance Armour or Damage Reduction applies against this damage, but not Spell Armour. If the target Resists, they take half damage.
Cost: 2,500 Experience.
Constraints: Unracks the spell, reduces FT value by 2.

Sachet of Poison Dust x 7

The Rank of this Poison Dust is 20.

N7 - It's Dangerous walking the roads of Alexandria

We proceed along the roads and have only 4 major intersections to pass through to get to the Library. We're all invisible and moving with pace, but lots of care.

  • Intersection #1

We are about to pass across this when we note an Invisible creature running down the road to the north towards us. It's an invisible Tyrannosaurus Rex (some 30ft tall, 60ft long and nasty looking) and we're sure its coming for us. We quickly cross the intersection and then run up an alleyway just as the T-Rex gets to the mouth of the Alley. Penni gets up close and sleep dusts it and it drops down and lays still. We pass over the creature and continue towards Intersection #2. Behind us we hear car crashes as drivers smash into an unseen invisible creature and cause chaos down there.


  • Intersection #2

We get close, hearing squeaky mechanical sounds and then we see three panzer tanks. We make plans.

    • Tank 1 (T1): Due to an unfortunate incident of Mind Control (by Mario) a gunner in the tank pulls the pins on several hand grenade's inside the tank and all die.

We cross the intersection and dart into an alley. We see 2 more tanks (T2 and T3) and a large troop truck speeding towards us. T2 stops at the end of the alley and makes to fire upon us in the confined area.

    • Tank 2 (T2): Again (A Mario special) - Due to an unfortunate incident of Mind Control (by Mario) a gunner in the tank pulls the pins on several hand grenade's inside the tank and all die. The commanders last words were "franz, vhat are you doing with zee grenade? Nein Nein, oh Scheisse!"
    • Troop truck: A hole was made in the fuel tank by a bolt of fire but this didn't ignite it. A pyrogenisis however did with a bang. The vehicle caught fire, lost most of its wheels and it's driver dived out the door with the truck continuing along at 40mph with a large lycan creature (super werewolf?) in the back - hopefully to its death.
    • Tank 3 (T3): Decided that with the loss of two tanks it should perhaps follow the truck - just to be on the safe side.


  • Intersection #3

We get close and see three robed figures closing in front of us. Deciding to stay with the low key approach we don't open up on them but close with then. They are magic users with nasty grenadoes (with goldfish inside!), whirlwind vortex and more. At around 120ft they throw the grenade's and 2 x 8ft tall beholders emerge along with a Djinn. Penni captures a beholder in A's gilded cage (Aloysious's idea), leaving only one more, along with the Djinn and 2 enemy mages.

Combat ensues and ...

The Phantasmal Blade

This enormous bronze scimitar is 13 feet long, weighs 29lbs when it is not wielded, and is considered a Giant Weapon. The minimum PS requirement to wield it is 37, and the minimum MD is 17. The base Strike Chance is 61% and inflicts 1 rollup D10 + 7 B Class damage. Although Specific Grievous results greater than 70 are applied, the weapon is considered not to do C Class damage for the purpose of determining special immunities. When the blade is wielded, it does not contribute to Encumbrance.
If the wielder is less than 17 feet tall, the scimitar can only be wielded as a Two-handed Sword, those taller than this may wield it as a one- or two-handed weapon and add their cumulative Ranks in Scimitar.
If the wielder is a multi-hex humanoid, then the opponent's hexes (minimum 1) are subtracted from the wielder's, and applied as extra rollup D10. In addition, Defence arising from a shield is ignored unless the hex difference is less than 3.
There is a bonding cost of 1,000 Experience blade. It owes much of its magical nature to irreality, and this inflicts a toll on the bearer of 2 FT every two hours that it is borne, and reduces Magic Resistance against the College of Illusion Magic by 13. More concerning, however, is that if the blade is put in a portable hole, bag of holding or similar contrivance, then local laws of reality collapse around it, destroying the containment and spreading out %ile feet radius at a rate of 2 feet per day. Anything caught in this volume will be sent to a place without curves and the site, itself, will serve as a means of entry for the Hounds of Tyndalos.

N8 - finishing crossing the intersection and we get to the noxious square

The fight goes on for a bit while we wear down the last beholder, incapacitate one of the three mages, convince the arithmetician to flee (by starting the Justice Charm) and keep the Djinn at Bay. Finally the Beholder dies and drops to the ground, almost crushing some of us. Raseri has been instrumental in the destruction of the beholder through his slicing and dicing of the entity. The Djinn gets dealt with in short order and we loot what we can and move onwards towards the square we need to get to.

We near the square and see a roiling obscured area of noxious mists which we find hard to see into. We utilise some of our itemry and can see a whole lot of pain in the area, we note there is;

  1. The Priest of Apothis (PoA) in a heavy shroud (he's an ancient lich)
  2. The Priest of Aman-hadad (PoAH) (the arithmetician who managed to flee the previous encounter
  3. 3 Succubi
  4. A huge 150ft long earth elemental 'Rockworm' under the area
  5. a pit beside the priest of Apophis that is a gateway to another realm that hold the locusts of destruction aka The Locusts from the Bottomless Pit, which are prophesied to help bring about the end of days as prophecied by the revelations of St John (Revelation 9:1 - Fifth Trumpet:The Locusts from the Bottomless Pit). The locusts can't exit the pit but await a word from the priest of Apophis to allow them to be released into the world.
  6. more that I'm sure we just can't see yet.

Behind us another Panzer tank rumbles near and then unfortunately suffers the same malfunction of an internal explosion (aka a Mario release plan) which allows us to concentrate on the forward area. Note: Perhaps the panzar model needs to be recalled due to german engineering defects!


So we make a hasty plan which involves;

  1. stopping that word being uttered to effect
  2. taking out the priests
  3. use of the Iron bullets to impede the nasties
  4. dealing with the lich by Penni's hammer
  5. keeping the locusts caged and away from here
  6. getting into the library
  7. surviving the 75ft passage across the square to the entry point

We make our way into the square with Tsayoi covering the 75ft in rapid time - putting himself between the Priest of Apophis and the pit of nastiness, the Steed of Fire has cleared a safe path for some distance, Penni rides upon Rahne who is moving quickly alongside Mario on their manticles while Raseri, Aloysious and Anooke follow closely behind all setting off various magics to deal with the threats.

When they realise we're here the enemy react. PoA says his word to release the Locusts but it's intercepted by Tsayoi and stored in his amulet. Penni closes and hits the PoA with her hammer which puts it to sleep (her astrology reading had helped here) and Tsayoi kicks the sleeping PoA into the pit (and expected nasty death) which causes the PoAH to blanche and he quickly realises our intent and throws a sacrificial bejeweled breastplate towards our intended destination to offer it rather than he as a reward. Meanwhile the Rockworm shakes the very earth of the square, but we are unmoved. We think....


The Hoshen of Amon-Ha'adad
Hoshen of Amon-Ha'adad
Hoshen of Amon-Ha'adad

This is a bronze breastplate that will fit someone of size 4 - 6. It is set with four three-wide rows of semi-precious gems. It provides 1 point of Protection (to a maximum of 10) and weighs 2lbs. It is a spell rack.
It has these functions:

  1. The Adept may make a second Cast Check for an incantation if not satisfied with the first, choosing whichever result they prefer. This ability resets at dawn.
  2. The Adept does not need to make gestures and so can Cast an incantation when bound or in Close combat or any other circumstance that prevents the use of their hands. This ability resets on Thursday at dawn.
  3. The Adept may Cast an Incantation without having spent a Prepare Action. This ability resets on the the third night of the dark of the moon.
  4. The wearer gains 1 MA for every 4 Ranks in the Purification Ritual and 1 point of Spell Armour at Ranks 10, 15 & 20.
  5. The wearer may control the element of air by using the Windspeak Ritual. The Adept may bind 1000 cubic feet of air (+ 500 / Rank). They may do anything with the element including form an air sprite. This ritual may not be used over an area occupied by an air elemental and cannot be used in any way to control one.

It contains these incantations:

Gaseous Form - Mist Step

Range: Self
Duration:30 minutes + 30 minutes / Rank
Resist: None
Target: Entity
Effects: In combat, the Adept has the ability to dissolve a part of their body into mist, thus avoiding harm. This can only be attempted once per Pulse but does not require an Action of any kind. The Adept must 'Break 100' by rolling percentiles and adding 5 (+1 per Rank) to the result. If that number is equal to or greater than 100, the part of their body that might have been affected turns to mist, thus avoiding the blow.
Enchantments, bonuses to base chance and subtractions from die rolls do not apply to attempts to Break 100.

Cost: 1500
Constraints: Unracks the incantation, reduces FT value by 2.
This incantation is not teachable.

Lightning Strike - Shocking Grasp

Range: Self
Duration:30 minutes + 30 minutes / Rank
Resist: None
Target: Entity
Effects: Should the Adept make a successful strike, then the opponent must make a magic resistance against backfires. If the opponent fails to resist, they suffers [D + 1] (+ 1 / Rank) lightning damage and are Stunned. If they Resist, they are not Stunned and take half damage. At Rank 20, the target is thrown back a number of feet equal to half the damage they take, which may incur further damage unless they Break 100 => AG. The Adept may choose to lay hands on an entity who has died within the last 10 seconds and attempt to shock them back to life. The victim takes no damage, and it entitled to Break 100 > EN + Rank of this incantation. Should this roll succeed, the patient will have no FT or EN, but be stable unless their wounds are so great that they begin to die again. The death period increases to 15 seconds at Rank 10 and 20 seconds at Rank 20.
Once a successful strike has been made the incantation ceases to be in effect unless the incantation is ritually cast when the target may make 1 (+ Rank / 5) successful strikes before the incantation ceases to be in effect.
The spell must be focused through a hematite brooch (valuation 300sp+) in the shape of a lightning bolt on a shield and be worn high on the right breast, where it will reflect light with blue iridescence. Cost: 1500
Constraints: Unracks the incantation, requires a hematite brooch.
This incantation is not teachable.

Summon Avian - Conjure a Locust of the Bottomless Pit

Range: 20 feet
Duration: Immediate
Resist: None
Target: Locust of the Bottomless Pit
Effects: If the cast is successful, a Locust of the Bottomless Pit appears within 20 feet. The Adept may automatically cast a Spell of Controlling Avians to see if they control this abysmal force. This requires a separate Cast check and additional FT to cast, but does not require any Preparation, being cast in conjunction with this one.
The Locust appears as a winged insectoid the size of a horse and caparisoned for war in bronze. On its head it wears a golden crown and its face is like the face of a man. It has hair like a women's hair and teeth like a lion. Its breastplate is made of hematite, the sound of its wings are like the wheels of a chariot over cobble stones running into battle and it has the tail of a scorpion. It may fly at a movement rate of 500 yards (+50 yards per Rank) per minute

PS: 40(+Rk) MD: 21 (+1 / 5 Ranks) AG: 22(+1 / 5 Ranks) MA: None EN: 30 (+3 / 2 Ranks) FT: 30 (+2 Rk)
WP: 13 (+1 / 5 Ranks) PC: 15 (+1 / 5 Ranks) PB: 7 TMR: 8 / 10 (+1 / 2 Ranks) NA: 5 DP(+1 / 4 Ranks)
Weapons
The Locust has claws, mandibles and a sting which may attack in the same way as a manticore's. It may deliever a claw/claw/sting routine in melee or close without penalty.
Claw
BC: 60% (+4 / 3 Ranks),1 roll-up D10+5 (+1 / 3 Ranks), B Class damage, Melee or Close, Rank is equal to the spell's / 3
Sting
BC: 60% (+4 / 5 Ranks),1 roll-up D10+5 (+1 / 2 Ranks),90 hexes, Ranged, Melee or Close, A Class damage, Rank is equal to the spell's / 5
The tail contains six spines, which it may fire without penalty, as long as the targets are within 6 feet of each other. If a spine does any damage, the target must Break 100 => EN or suffer a reduction of 1 EN value per Pulse for D10 Pulses. This may not be cured until an antidote to Manticore venom has been employed, or the poison has been Neutralised.
If both Claws connect, the target is drawn into Close, where the Locust may freely attack with mandibles as well
Mandibles
BC: 60% (+4 / 2 Ranks),1 roll-up D10+8 (+1 / 2 Ranks), A and B Class damage, Close, Rank is equal to the spell's / 2
All fractions are truncated.

Controlling Avians
Range: 20 feet
Duration: Concentration, 10 minutes + 10 minutes / Ranks
Base Chance: 0%
Resist: None
Target: Flying Entity
Effects: The Adept may attempt to control the Locust of the Bottomless Pit they have just summoned who does not get to Resist. If successful in establishing control over this abysmal force, the Adept maintains control until their concentration is broken or they banish the locust with a General Knowledge counterspell of the College of Air Magics. If they fail to gain control of the locust or gain control but have their concentration broken, the locust will immediately attack them. The Adept cannot banish it if they do not control it.
An ounce of brimstone costing 250sp or more is consumed during the Casting of this incantation, causing a distinctive "aroma. This must be bought from a Rank 3+ Alchemist without haggling. Cost: 3000 Experience.
Constraints: Unracks the spell, uses alchemical brimstone, reduces FT by 1.

Barrier of Wind - Wall of Wind

Range: 20 feet + 10 feet / Rank
Duration: 10 minutes + 10 minutes / Ranks
Resist: None
Target: Volume
Effects: A wall of wind may be cast over one hex per Rank of the spell. Each hex must be contiguous with all others. The barrier is about 10 feet high.
Any missile or thrown weapon which passes over a hex where a barrier has been placed will be knocked from the sky. Knockout Gas, Noxious Vapours and most non-illusory mist spells have a chance equal to 50% + 3 per Rank in Barrier of Wind - 3 per Rank of the attacking spell of being dispelled if they are cast across the barrier.
If a breath weapon of poison gas or fire passes through the barrier, those protected are entitled to a MR check. If they succeed, they take no damage, and in any case can reduce damage by the Rank of this spell.
If Dragonflames or Fireball is cast so that the area of effect will cross the the barrier, then the damage is immediately halved for any targets on the other side. In any case, the damage is reduced by the Rank of the spell.
Cost: 1000 Experience.
Constraints: Unracks the spell, reduces FT by 2.

Lightning - Thunderbolt

Range: 20 feet + 20 feet / Rank
Resist: Passive, ½ damage
Target: Volume
Effects:The Adept calls lightning to strike a volume 10 feet high with a diameter of 5' at Ranks 0 - 5, 15' at Ranks 6 - 12, 25' at Ranks 13 - 19, and 35' at Rank 20. Everything in the area of effect must Resist versus Special Knowledge magic of the College of Air Magics or suffer standard Lightning damage and be Stunned. Those who Resist are not Stunned and only take ½ damage.
In the moments directly after Casting the Thunderbolt incantation, the Adept may immediately Cast Thunderclap over the same volume or smaller. The spell does not need to be Prepared, but the FT cost must be paid.
Cost: 2500 Experience.
Constraints: Unracks the spell, reduces FT by 1.

Rod of Preparation

This light mace weighs 3 lbs, requires PS 13 to wield, and inflicts 1 rollup D10 +5 C Class damage. It may be wielded in Ranged, Melee or Close combat.
When it has been attuned, costing 1 EN point (which may be bought back in the usual way), the wielder may Prepare a Spell as a Free Act, costing a charge.
A charge may be restored if the wielder Purifies at noon on a Wednesday, rolling a D10 and adding their Rank in Mace to the result. If the number is 10 or higher, a charge is restored. The rod may only hold three charges at a time.

N9 - Make a Deposit, depart and engage a Balrog powered Zeppelin with disastrous results

We enter the Library and close the portal quickly behind us.

We meet with the librarian and deposit our book. We also eye making a withdrawal to take with us and promising to return it but fail to follow through on this so we depart quickly after arrival to avoid the enemy creating more defences against our exit. So barely 2 hours after entering we exit the library to find continuing devastation close up with lots of enemy about, obviously regrouping and a huge armoured Zeppelin lurking above us. . We go with plan D (D for discretion) and we dart around the corner into the building running from the now pursuing enemy troops, we get to the basement and use an invested bubble of force which we can travel in to move away from the scene.

So six hours later we are some 60 miles east of Alexandria and at the coast where we transfer into an iceberg and start out to sea but still eastwards. We expect to have eluded the Zeppelin and our pursuers but we find it right there above us as it seems some of the nastiness we have picked up recently (Raseri and Mario's dripping elf blood feet) gives them the ability to track us. Darn!!

We head out and decide we need to do something to get rid of the Zeppelin which has a Balrog on board that causes us some discombobulation. Many thoughts reduce to insinuating a ninja on board the zeppelin to plant frozen elfs blood (to enrage the balrog once unfrozen) and kill the crew if possible thus reducing its effectiveness. So the ninja is deployed and gets on board, plants the blood around the Zeppelin and then starts with easy solo assassination targets before moving onto the officers.

The Ninja slips past the officers and gets close enabling him to kill them all due to their complete lack of situational awareness and probably overconfidence. The Zeppelin explodes soon thereafter as the Balrog gets out, goes mad and everybody dies up there.

Now the issue to the Balrog being free impacts us and he reverse gravities our vessel and then starts attacking us. We fight from a distance while he breaks through the hill of our iceberg and then melee is joined. We get in some great blows and the distance damage inflicted by the iron bullets is telling in stopping its regeneration of limbs which reduces its effectiveness. We get in the last blows and the Balrog dies exploding into bits dropping its whip, sword and other itemry into the Mediterranean Sea.

We proceed to recover what's possible.

N10 - Post Zeppelin disaster and onto ...

We loot what we can and head along the coast to Marsa Matruh where we pass through quickly heading for the secret nazi base in the desert as we need to deal with the Beholder in the cage before we can dream walk.

We make preparations and kill the beholder with no deaths, but a lot of items used in the process.

Beholder Wands

Once these eye stalks have been petrified, they become grim reminders of the aberration from which they were taken the colour of greyish-purple stone. The listed Cast Chance is modified by the wielder's MA bonus (or penalty) and each is a legal target for a season long Ritual of Enchantment at a cost of 300sp per point of bonus.
There are ten charges and the spells are Rank 12.

Wand of Charming

Cast Chance: 51%
General Knowledge E&E spell

Wand of Paralysis

Range: 240 feet
Duration: Special Resist: Passive Target: Living entity
Cast Chance: 56%
Effects: The target must Resist versus Backfire or may take no Action until they have spent 4 Pass Actions. If they Resist, they may take no Action until they have spent 1 Pass Action.
Uncolleged

Wand of Fear

Cast Chance: 56%
General Knowledge Necro spell

Wand of Sacrifice

Cast Chance: 37%
Special Knowledge Rune spell

Wand of Putrid Wound

Cast Chance: 56%
General Knowledge Necro spell

Wand of Telekinesis

Cast Chance: 56%
General Knowledge E&E spell

Wand of Wall of Stone

Cast Chance: 46%
Special Knowledge Druidic Earth spell

Wand of Petrifaction

Cast Chance: 37%
Special Knowledge Binder spell

Wand of Enchanted Sleep

Cast Chance: 56%
Effects: This spell is the same as the E&E General Knowledge spell except that the sleep is light and a target can easily be roused from it.

Wand of Disintegration

Cast Chance: 56% Special Knowledge Binder spell

The Chattering Arghul
Arghul
Arghul

This single-reeded double-piped woodwind is 20 inches long and weighs 8 oz. A Troubadour who has spent two Ranks on woodwind instruments and plays the Song of the Desert may call forth 1 song sprite (+ 1 for every Rank in the Skill). These are always in the shape of choughs, a red-beaked blackbird-like creature with a wingspan of just under a metre. The sprites may not be called again until after lunch on a Sunday.

Description
Choughs weigh 13 oz, are 16 inches in length with shiny black plumage and bright red beaks.
Talents, Skills, and Magic
Choughs possess no special skills and are not tool or magic users but they do possess the talent of listening to chatter and remembering it.
Movement Rates
Flying: 900
Red Beaked Chough
Red Beaked Chough
PS: 4 MD: 19 AG: 20 MA: 1 EN: 5 FT: 9
WP: 9 PC: 21 PB: 11 TMR: 18 NA: Feathers absorb 1 DP
Weapons
Choughs can attack only in Close Combat with their beak (BC 50%, D10-5 damage).
Comments
When in combat choughs tend to go for the eyes, so their opponent's Protection should be decreased by 4 points, where that makes sense.

The sprites may be called upon to defend the Troubadour but their abilities are best employed in gathering information by listening to conversation, rumour and gossip in an area the size of a village, until the Troubadour is Rank 7, a small town until Rank 8, a town until Rank 9 and a market or border town until Rank 10. Beyond Rank 9, the sprites can gather information over the area of a small city or a quarter of a large city.
In this matter, they are regarded as having the Information ability of a Spy of the same Rank.

We rest and set booby traps for the base and then move in in the morning by dream points to Lisbon.

In Lisbon we meet with Vice Admiral Roland and share the information we have. He does say he fears for his agent Lundqvist who is the dwarf like rune mage that was heading for Cologne. We commit to warning him before he enters Germany proper and so we depart with alacrity. We dream portal to Paris, the city of love where coincidentally mario has a dream point. We get there and locate Lundqvist and get him a message to return. He gets off a train just short of the german border and will return to a safe house in Paris before exfil somewhere safer.

We now get worried about the Widow Click and try to contact her without luck. We worry more and travel hastily to Varna where we emerge at the site of an explosion and ruination upon the train station. We locate widow clicks remains and see the results of a balrog exploding from its train. Another one is nearby. We seek to rez the widow click and hide in an undetectable area while doing so. The Balrog closes and ....

N11 - Exit Stage North

We stay hidden in our secret area so the Nazi's turn up with sacrificial Elf to lure Balrog close to us and no doubt hopefully take us out. We think and then cleverly rescue the elf through a great application of liquid by Rahne which shrinks the elf, who then slips out of her bonds and hopefully escapes.

The Balrog turns up seeking us and now the missing elf but fails to finds us, we set the Balrog on Gestapo Nazis who get massacred (oops!). Then some Nazi Ritualists turn up in bus and fail to control Balrog but they succeed in keeping it at bay with a loss or two while the rest then flee the scene and call in the next control measure.

The Balrog scents the rescued Elf, tears building apart looking for her, eats well-dressed Station Controller. Then things go quiet, Balrog seems to sleep(?), Nazi's unload plutonium onto it which we expect is their 'final solution' in this case. It's a nuclear fog spreads towards us so we abandon Dream Walking and flee by force cube (6 hours) and head south out of Varna. Some 60 miles south we emerge, find out that Varna is essentially destroyed and then head further south by iceberg then Dream Portals to Lisbon (9 hours).

Scroll of Enchanted Sleep Rank 8

Base Chance: 44% (+reader's MA bonus)

Scroll of Hypnotism Rank 12

Base Chance: 61% (+reader's MA bonus)

Wand of Animal Growth Rank 6 - 21 charges

Base Chance: 33%(+ reader's MA bonus)
Effects: A mammal of the Adept's choice is doubled in size. This will double its PS, EN and Natural Armour. Sum PS and EN. For every 10 points, penalise MD and AG by 1. Creatures with MD or AG less than 1 are unable to take Actions.

Incantation Scroll: Telekinesis - Levitation

Effects: This incantation of telekinesis is treated as Levitation of the same Rank.
Cost: 500
Constraints: Unracks the incantation, reduces FT value by 1.
This incantation is not teachable.

A Small Box of Turkish Figs

This box is 30 cms long, 20 cms wide and 8 cms deep. It is made from a pale-pinkish wood and weighs 7 oz.
It contains 12 dried figs in two rows of 6.
Each fig is 16 times larger than a normal fig. Eating one will restore 8 FT, including that lost from draining attacks. In addition, it will satisfy all of a person's food and water requirements for a day.
A fig will only last for sixty Pulses once it is out of the box.

A Physiker's Box of Venom Poultices

This box is 30 cms long, 20 cms wide and 8 cms deep. It is made from a fine-grained wood which has had soot worked into it and weighs 7 oz.
It contains 8 prepared bandages, each one annointed with a poultice that will delay the the working of an injected poison or blade venom by twenty minutes.
It takes four Actions to apply the Venom Poultice for anyone who is not a Physiker, a Physiker needing but one.
A Venom Poultice will only last for twenty minutes once it is out of the box.

A Small Cask of Smoky Redspice

This tiny barrel is 20 cms high and 12 cms across at the middle. It weighs 5lbs and contains 30 "applications".
It is an edible spice that combines well with pork, beef or venison. When cooked with the meat, one application is sufficient for the entire dish. If an application is used to dress the food, then one application will only serve that person's meal.
However applied, smoky redspice improves the enjoyment of the meal so that diners will be attuned to their senses and gain a bonus to PC (only) checks of 7 until their next meal or dawn, whichever comes first.
Smoky Redspice will only last for three hours once it is taken out of the cask.

A Small Box of Glass Rods

This box is 30 cms long, 20 cms wide and 8 cms deep. It is made from a blond wood which has had myrrh gum worked into the grain and weighs 7 oz.
It contains 8 solid glass rods an eighth of a centimeter across and 25 centimeters long.

Bolt of Cloth

This bolt of royal blue satin is large enough to make 12 sizes of clothing, or six sizes of clothing if it includes a train.
Sprays of black seed pearls have been sewn into the fabric on fine threads of ithildin.

An Amphora of Rock Crystal

This amphora was found amidst rubble, and once cleaned, reveals itself to be an amphora of rock crystal containing Midsummer Wine. It is 1 metre high, 25 centimetres across at the base and top and 50 centimetres across halfway up.
Drinking a cup of the wine every day at none for a year adds Solar aspect when the imbiber takes the final draught at noon on Midsummer.
Outside of the amphora, the wine will only last for fourteen days.
The amphora contains sufficient wine for two attempts.

Ring of Protection

This plain ring weighs about 2oz. Its magic will only be effective if it is worn on the ring finger of the left hand.
It creates an unseeable pentagonal plane of protection that floats around the bearer. It will protect them so that the first 7 damage points the wearer takes per Pulse are ignored. This does not protect against blows directly to Endurance or to Possible Specific Grievous injuries.
If the wearer has another Ring of Protection, this one will stack.

Once in Lisbon we file a report for Admiral Roland and then head to the Navigators College of Henry the Navigator where we spend 2 days. We are continuing to heal Widow Click all the time.

We beg a plane to Iceland (as we realise that if we stay here for till the next full moon the Lycanthropy curses become permanent - so haste is called for) where we jump out and then Cloud & Ice Phoenix to the Svalbard Islands via Norway - taking 3 days. We do fly-by observations of Bear Island.

Once in Svalbard we locate our Pyramid in the Ice. We gain entry and then gate to Astral, travel the Abyss (11 days) and reach House Kerberoth where we undertake Curse removal and trading before heading back to Alusia.

N12 - xxx

Buffs & Mil Sci

Long Term (assumed always on)

Magic (caster) Rk Effects Duration Al An Rs Ma Pe Ra Ts
Strength of Stone (Ts) 15 +15 to PS or EN 15/25 hrs EN EN EN EN EN EN EN
Greater Ench. (Ra) 20 +21% to Res, Mag, Com, and S&S. 3 days Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
Witchsight (Ra) 10 5.5/11.5 hrs Y
Ench Armour (Ra) 14 +30% Def +1 AP 8 DR vs Phnt/Nmare. 7.5/13 hrs Y Y N Y N N
Fire Armour (Ts) 11 48pts ablative armour vs Fire 12 hours Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
Resist Cold (An) 12 +4 Gauges, -4 Cold Dmg 13 hours Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
Heroic Aura (Ma) 14 Mario:+15SC,+2Dmg,+15vsFear; Allies:+4SC,+1Dmg,+7vsFear;Both +4Def,+1DR 450 mins
Self Only  
Mind Shield +10+2/rk% vs M.Att. 1+2/rk hrs 8 7
Sense Danger 61% 56%

Enhance Enchantment (Ra) rank 11: 70 seconds

Short Term

Magic (caster) Rk Effects Dur Al An Rs Ma Pe Ra Ts
Enchant Weapon (Ra) 11 +12 BC%, +4 Dam. +4 vs Phn/Nm 16 min
Weapon of Flames (Ts) 14 +15% SC and +8DM (+15DM vs undead) 19 min
Strength of Darkness (Rs) 11 +7 PS 2 Hrs

Watch Order

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Aloysious Penni Raseri Aloysious
Tsayoi Anooke Mario
Rahne

Marching Order

Skirmish Formations (Front)
Default

Mario Rahne
Penni Raseri Aloysious
Anooke Tsayoi

Double File

Mario Rahne
Penni Tsayoi
Raseri Aloysious
Anooke

Single File

Mario
Rahne
Penni
Tsayoi
Raseri
Aloysious
Anooke

Spell Racks

Standard contents of spell racks:

Mario
Mind Shield - Chaos Ward (rack and cast as buff)
Force Shield - Shield of Law (rack and cast as buff)
Control Person - Dominate Will (racked, -2FT)
Mental Attack - Multi Target (racked, -3FT)
Hypnotism - Forget (racked, -2FT)
Rahne
TK - Triple Strength (-1 FT)
TK - Sense of Touch (-2 FT)
TK - Unseen Servant

Astrology

Lucky Numbers (Rahne)
Aloysious Anooke Raseri Mario Penni Rahne Tsayoi
77 63 89 62 04, 42 88 87
Astrology (Rahne)
Aloysious 761: Moon, Horse, Spirit 644: Metal, Dragon, Chaos 575: Wood, Sheep, Light
Anooke 915: Sun, Rodent, Light 153: Air, Snake, Order 052: Mana, Snake, Body
Raseri 067: Mana, Horse, Life 543: Wood, Dragon, Order 913: Sun, Rodent, Order
Mario 264: Earth, Horse, Chaos 400: Water, Boar, Mundane 915: Sun, Rodent, Light
Penni 964: Sun, Horse, Chaos 983: Sun, Monkey, Order 690: Metal, Wolf, Mundane
Rahne 634: Metal, Tiger, Chaos 075: Mana, Sheep, Light 601: Metal, Boar, Spirit
Tsayoi 012: Mana, Rodent, Body 502: Wood, Boar, Body 971: Sun, Sheep, Spirit

Consequences and Stuff

Supplies

Purchased items/goods
Guild Healing Potions - 21 x 10pt potions - 10,500sp
Restoratives - Tsayoi has sourced 36 of these +24FT/-12EN - 27,000sp
Waters of Strength
Waters of Healing
Restore Reason - Tsayoi has sourced 6 of these - 39,000sp
Human Perfume - Created to disguise the elf scent on Penni and her possessions. Also liberally sprayed over others to disguise their associations too! Additional preserved herbs to make more during the adventure.
Black Lotus
Peaceful Herbs
Additional herbs to assist healing and sleep (also preserved)
7 female cow skin changes (in case of hags)
14 x Rank 10 Invested Shadow Wings from lord of bats
3 x Plover Stones (Henry)
4 x Pentecost Potions (Henry) - Used on Mario, Tsayoi, Penni and Raseri.
6 x Black Faberge Eggs (from Widow Click)
Tsayoi is carrying an extensive number of pouches containing various Herbs, Spices and such like as part of his disguise.

Treasure

  1. Night # 1 - From Varna / W. Click
    • Anooke's Rascal Disguise
  2. Night # 1 - Gestapo agent in Cairo
    • Papers (inc orders - to watch the Archaeologist), cash
    • Desert Eagle - (.50cal pistol)
    • Uniform (inc hat, jackboots, spectacles and leather trench-coat)
  3. Night # 2 - Purchased in Cairo
    • 2 x Bolts of Indigo Cloth, 20 lbs. 30 sp.
  4. Night # 2 - From the secret nazi base. Computer core, research notes, a vat of ?,
    • Weird Alchemy: Incineration Venom x 2
    • Weird Alchemy: Chaos Potion
    • Weird Alchemy: Opalescent Tincture
    • Weird Alchemy: Phial of Chalcedony Sand x 12
    • Enhanced Amulet of Luck (incl 2 of 3 rerolls)
    • Scroll of Names Eris of Discord
    • Scroll of Names Agares, the Duke of Changes
    • Scroll of Names Draugluin the Ferocious
    • Scroll of Names The Great Vixen of Qadmos)
    • 8 x Galvinism Packs (capacity 20)
    • 8 x Heavy Swords (Black Metal Tulwar)
    • 8 x Nazi Carbines
    • Blackmoon Blade
    • Light Eating Armour
    • Light Eating Left Pauldron
    • Mace (Black cloak)
    • Pistol (Black cloak)
    • Stick Grenades (Black cloak)
    • 2 x Pink Gas (Zyklon B)
    • 2 x Green Gas (Zyklon B)
    • Pistol (Zyklon B)
    • Mirror (Zyklon B)
    • Green Robes 7 Spell Armour Clothes (Zyklon B)
    • 4 x Soldiers Gear
    • 2 x Devil's Gear
    • Triangle Staves - protective triangle, store a Ward (Occultist)
  5. Night # 3 - From the secret nazi base
    • Vehicle mounted Machine Gun (MG xx)and several belts of ammo
    • Key components of the refrigeration device and drawings of the engine etc.
    • Jet Figurine or an animal (wolf/donkey) with Carnelian eyes
    • Large Sack full of the shattered shards of the glass - perhaps useful for portal type magic
    • Dust of Ages in Amphorae and Sacks
  6. Night # 4
    • Void Kraken Barbed Hooks x 6
    • Void Kraken Beak
    • Void Kraken Calamari 20 lbs
    • Void Kraken Void Sepia
    • Void Kraken Hearts x 5
    • Hellhound Particle Accelerators x 8 (6r dmg)
    • Lisbon: Original Composers Score of The Magic Flute, 11,500sp - When performed with a full 4-part choir, will summon the Queen of the Night.
  7. Night # 5
    • Book of Giants
    • Copper Scroll - translated, delivered to Library.
    • Scrolls of Names (Moonlight, Qadmos)
    • Ostraka of Toth (PME: Rebuke)
    • Other Ostraka pieces
    • 3 x Crescent Brooches
    • 6 x Rk20 Trollskin
    • 9 x yellow healing potions
    • 6 x Water of str Rk17 - used
    • 3 tension collars with animal growth trigger on it
    • 3 moonstones (2 expendable and 1 rechargable)
    • 1 Wolfs blood potion - used
    • 3 werewolf hearts and other blood heavy organs
    • Golem Dust (10 Alchemy)
  8. Night # 6
    • 28 Fire Angel Eyes (3000 gs each)
    • 4 Fire Angel Hearts (24 fire each)
    • 4 Fire Angel Wings
    • Angelsblood taken (as much as we could)
    • Spellrack with Doom missile and Razor Orb
    • Throne into Aloyisious's cage then buried in Lisbon.
    • 12 throne eyes
    • Throne Heart (64 throne)
    • Invested rk20 necrosis (diabolical origin)
    • Potato-Masher Grenade (Wachtmeister Gonade)
    • 2 yellow healing potions
    • 1 greater healing potion (3r+14)
    • Agony rune and Sleep rune from shop (Symbols)
    • Painting of the Haunted Theatre from Shop
    • scroll of rk20 ophans blessing (7 tgts) - Used
  9. Night # 8
    • Djinn sword (12 ft long)
    • Beholder Eye Stalks:
      • Charm Monster
      • Paralysis
      • Fear
      • Finger of Death
      • Cause Wounds
      • Telekinesis (325 lbs)
      • Wall of Stone
      • Petrify
      • Sleep
      • Disintegrate
    • Beholder Heart (?? pts)
    • Beholder Main Eye Lens (Crystal?)
    • Beholder Teeth
    • 2 x Desert Robes 10 Prot 7 spell armour 3 DR.
    • 2 x Boots - Sandwalking
    • Prepared Rod - holds up to 3 Spell prepare actions, recharge 1/week.
    • Djinn Invested Gems - Invisibility, ..
    • Phylactery of Rouse (Power Word)
    • Breastplate with 9 gems on it (from priest of ahdad, in return for us not pushing him in the pit - at that time!)
  10. Night # 9
    • Balrog Whip
    • Balrog Sword
    • Balrog Bits
    • Zeppelin Wreckage
    • Zeppelin Weaponry - MG ammo chain x 2, one with 12 and another with 8.
    • Phlogiston canisters
    • Crew Itemry upon bodies
    • Chest with bullion and local currency
    • Other powerful items ;-)
  11. Night # 10
    • 3 x Curse Waters
    • Trading in House Kerberoth

Awards

Individual Awards: Aloysious, Anooke, Raseri, Mario, Penni, Rahne, Tsayoi.

Calendar

Winter: Frost 818 (7)
Moonday Duesday W'ansday Th'rsday Frysday Reapsday Sunday
Samhain 1 Guild Meeting Seagate, Blackshore 2 Blackshore 3 Blackshore 4 Astral, Abyss..
7 ..Abyss to Varna, Reich..
14 ..Astral, Varna 15 Varna 16 Airship to Athens 17 .. Cyprus.. 18 .. Cairo (X-Gestapo) 19 Bus to Marsa Matruh 20 White Desert, Nazi lab
21 Lab, Alexandria by Egg-Carriage 22 Alexandria, Library, DP to Marsa Matruh, Train.. 23 .. to Tunis. Airship to Marseilles .. 24 .. to Paris. Airship .. 25 .. to Lisbon. 26 Lisbon 27
28 29 30 1 2 3 4
Winter: Snow 818 (8)
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 Solstice 16 17 18
19 Days of Chaos 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30 Twelfth Night 1 2
Winter: Ice 818 (9)
3 4 5 6 First Plough 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Spring: Thaw 818 (10)
Moonday Duesday W'ansday Th'rsday Frysday Reapsday Sunday
Candlemansa 1 Guild Meeting 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30 1 2 3 4
Spring: Seedtime 818 (11)
5 6 7 8 Rites of Thunor 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 Equinox 16 17 Eostre 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30 1 2
Spring: Blossom 818 (12)
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 Floralia 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Walpurgisnacht

Abyss & Reich Information

  1. Angels; These are forces of order and not necessarily good, in fact they can be downright nasty if you don't adhere to their version of 'order'
  2. Demons of the Abyss; These are not necessarily evil but they are chaotic, in fact they can be downright nasty if you don't adhere to their version of 'chaos'.

Thoughts

We know the need for rapid evacuation from the location we translate the item and have identified places which may be safer (which will hide the item) post translation. These include the Crystal Caves in England (legendary place where a king will return from in need), the Great Library of Alexandria et al.

  • We will be setting up transport points to enable rapid movement from place to place to locations of possible succour.
  • we will investigate locations in advance to set up reverse travel loops

Dream Points