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[[Category:Rosemary Mansfield]]
[[Category:Scribe Notes]]
[[Scribe_Notes#July_1994_AP|Scribe Notes]]<br>
== Summary ==
'''Adventure''': The name of the adventure<br>
'''GM''': [[Rosemary Mansfield|Rosemary]]<br>
'''Season''': [[Autumn]] 975 WK<br>
'''Night''': Someday<br>
'''Level''': [[Experience#Quest_Level | Level]]<br>
; Party
* [[Darien]] A male Celestial Mage, and a Ranger like myself. Darien and I fought together against Snakeman Slavers in April, it was good to work together again.
* [[Kit|Karyn]] I know she is a Mage, but I’m not sure which collage. Karyn is a very airy fairy sort of person, into fogs and vapours!.
* [[Kathleen|Kismet]] I male E&E. Does well despite interference from the love of his life, Karyn.
* [[Merryck]] A Fighter Merchant, a bit like myself, beholding to no collage. Merryck became Military Scientist as I was expected to be in the thick of it.
* [[Torensen]] A male Rune Mage. He is very experienced and has just come back from a sojourn in his home land in the cold wastes up North
;Time on adventure
:tbc 826 WK to tbc 826 WK
; Employer
: [[someone rich]]
; Mission
: Hired to do a job
; Pay
: Lots

==Scribe Notes==
Illusion, Delusion, and Dainty Danger
1
Or, The Strange Case of the Odd Guild Mission
By
Axy Geldrax
Scribe to the Seven Dainty Dudes
Mission Date: 1 July to 10 July 1994
Client: The Adventurer’s Guild
Contact: John McGreedy, Guild Tax Collector
Objective: To test out the Guild’s Training Methods
Area: North East of Seagate, on the Northern Road
The Party:
Axy Geldrax Male Ranger Merchant Scribe
Catherine Varden Female Mind Mage
Darien Male Celestial Mage
Karyn FemaleMage
Kismet Male E&E Mage
Merryck Male Fighter Merchant Military Scientist
Torensen Male Rune Mage Party Leader
NOTES: To test the Guild’s outside training.
Action took place to the North East of Seagate.
Lady Charlotte portrayed Princess Dainty
White Waters Manor, an old Manor that had been re-built by Duke
Trentor – fictional late Duke of White Waters Manor.
Teresa (the leader), Phillipe, and Suzanne – evil Guild adversaries who
interfered with the mission.
Brent – a Doppleganger who aided Teresa.
The MacDonald’s, a family farm 10 miles from White Waters Manor.
Sarauma (pronounced Swaremi?) – lizaerd men in the swampy area
around White Waters Manor – aided Teresa.
Introducing the Party:
Axy Geldrax I’m a fairly tall male Ranger. I don’t belong to a magician’s collage.
This is my fourth adventure. Like a fool I said I was Scribe on the last
adventure, and so was voted scribe on this!. I am an accomplished
Military Scientist.
Catherine Apparently an experienced Mind Mage. She appears to be too
Varden weighed down by morals, i.e. no sense of humour, but she did earn my
respect during the adventure.
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Darien A male Celestial Mage, and a Ranger like myself. Darien and I fought
together against Snakeman Slavers in April, it was good to work
together again.
Karyn I know sh is a Mage, but I’m not sure which collage. Karyn is a very
airy fairy sort of person, into fogs and vapours!.
Kismet I male E&E. Does well despite interference from the love of his life,
Karyn.
Merryck A Fighter Merchant, a bit like myself, beholding to no collage.
Merryck became Military Scientist as I was expected to be in the thick
of it.
Torensen A male Rune Mage. He is very experienced and has just come back
from a sojourn in his home land in the cold wastes up North.
Session 1: 17/3/95
30 June 1994
We introduce ourselves, I have already worked with Darien, on our last adventure, I
look forward to this one. It seems that even after a long absence from adventuring,
Torensen is still the most experienced and is therefore voted party leader. After
saying that I had been scribe on the last adventure, they make me scribe on this.
Merryck is made Military Scientist. Although he lacks the studies I’ve made, I’m
expected to be too busy fighting in the front line.
First off we meet John McGreedy, the Guild Tax Collector, and our mission is to audit
the Guild’s training. Renumeration as per the attached contract. He is particularly
interested in the following magic and skills training: Acting, Pole Weapons,
Entangling Weapons, Necromancing, Silent Language, Spy, Thief, Water Mage, and
Wicca. The Guild has set us a problem and then will keep an eye on us.
We are introduced to the brother? (Duke Avarice) of the Duke of Carzala, he wears
very fine clothes as befits a Duke, and is obviously fond of food and drink. He
requests that our party look for his fiancee (Princess Dainty), who is missing on route
from Bowcourt to their marriage in Seagate. She left Whereinthehell five weeks ago
with her lad in waiting (Lady Sarah), carriage, carts, and 12 men-at-arms. There is the
small matter of the dowry, 150,000 SP, part of which is magical. The money for the
dowry comes from Dainty’s father (Prince Caspian), and the magic item from her
mother (a de Beauvoir). Dainty’s elderly father is the benefactor of her cousin
(Gerald Fotheringhay).
Princess Dainty and her entourage were to visit various nobles on the way down. The
guild has contacted Elfinberg on the edge of the mountains and the party was reported
to have passed. We request letters of introduction for the friends and the Princess
herself. We will meet Duke Avarice’s Secretary who will fix things up for us.
There is no portrait of the Princess, she is described as blond, blue eyes, and average
height (5ft 2) for a woman. Duke Avarice gives us a picture of her engagement ring
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so we can use magic to locate it. Princess Dainty enjoys embroidery, she is not
musical, and is of a delicate nature.
The Duke leaves, and Catherine reports that Duke Avarice is actually a lead actor
from the local theatre. So what is going on?, the party deliberate. Are we really to
look for Dainty, or is the real mission to uncover the fake Duke Avarice, either way
we go in for a bit of Astrology. If real, did Dainty have enemies?, who would want to
steal the dowry? (well really – some stupid question), did she run away?
After half hour, the Dukes secretary (Matthew) turns up, he is short and plump, noone
seems to recognise him as an actor.
The coat of arms of Dainty’s family is a flying silver swan on a blue circle (facing
left). We request a list of her stopovers, and letters of introduction. Dainty’s route
was planned to avoid Bowcourt itself because of the war. Matthew has not met
Dainty, the Duke met her five to six years ago. Marriage negotiations lasted a long
time, and she is now in her 20’s. Dainty spent her early life in the Power of Light
Monastery and then had the rough edges knocked off in the Court of Bowcourt. We
are given a broach so she will recognise us.
After Matthew leaves we buy maps of her intended route, and visit the Guild library.
We check out the symbols of and around Bowcourt, and find that de Beauvoir has a
swan swimming to the left in a circle. Avarice’s seal is of five coins (of the heads of
Carzala, Bowcourt, and Destiny).
Nobles mentioned as stopovers are Sir Richard Devonport east frontier of Bowcourt),
Sir Trentor of White Waters Manor, and Sir de Grantly in Carzala. Dainty’s
entourage were also scheduled to stop in villages, and also to do some camping. The
White Waters Manor is associated with various rumours, of Dragons through to Black
Death. This is the stuff of Guild adventures, but the rumours are somewhat dated.
Karen disguises herself and follows Matthew to the old part of Seagate. Karyn
seemed to change very quickly, is she another shapechanger?, if so, it is not the same
as I’ve come across before. Merryck and I go to the merchant’s guild to see if we can
get some information about merchant caravans seeing Dainty on route from the North,
we talk to a merchant called Albert, but don’t get anywhere. Darien, Kismet and
Catherine go to the Guild library. Elfinberg, Dainty’s last known location, is two days
away from the next stopover on the list. Due to the odd nature of this case I would
not be surprised if they searched the Librarians desk itself. Torensen waits, in the
guild bar.
Back at the Guild, a little urchin comes up to me and gives me a note from Albert, the
merchant Merryck and I saw before. The note said that there is an ore caravan at
Slippery Rock and they are about to return to the north-east soon.
We retire and arrange to meet the next day at 9 o’clock. During the night Torensen
and Karyn do astrology readings. Torensen will concentrate on where the princess is
located, whilst Karyn will dwell on reality of the whole situation.
Session 2: 24/3/95
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1 July 1994
Torensen’s astrology gave him an image of a window in a castle, Karyn recites a
poem of unrequited love. We reason that once we find Dainty, the astrology readings
will fall in place.
Kismet does a locate on Dainty’s engagement ring and cannot find it within range of
his spell, say 60 miles. Kismet and I go through a portal to Elfinberg, to see if it is
near there. Before I can get near the portal, Kismet comes straight back saying that he
could not detect it there either.
Darien, Catherine, Torensen and I go to a pub in old Seagate, waiting for the others to
visit Matthew. Catherine has a precognition, seeing Matthew visit John McGreedy
straight after talking to the others.
Merryck, Kismet and Karyn meet Matthew, apparently they have quite a chin wag.
Duke Avarice and Dainty are actually married but have yet to have the ceremony. It
is to be held in Seagate because it is safe from the war. Avarice will benefit from the
will if anything happens to Dainty. They all (Matthew as well) go to another pub, the
Sour Grape (in the Merchant’s quarters) to glean more information. The wedding
ceremony was supposed to have been last year but the negotiations broke down,
apparently due to the Duke. When Avarice travels, he travels in style by sea or
carriage. He does not know any of Dainty’s family or friends, and has not offended
any. Matthew was employed by the Duke when he came to Seagate. Avarice
communicates by courier, occasionally by magic, uses the Duke of Carazala’s,
because he does not have a mage in his employ.
Merryck goes for the jugular, and asks if he has noticed some irregularities in his
workings for John McGreedy. One is that Daint’s wedding is set for Micklemas of
this year (29 September), yet Avarice wants her here within the week. Secondly, that
Gerald Fotheringhay (Dainty’s cousin) changed sides in the war, he is now on the side
of Aquila, the same side as Bowcourt (and his benefactor, Prince Caspian – Dainty’s
father).
We decide that Kismet, and Darien go to Elfinberg and fly South, whilst the rest go to
Slippery Rock and travel north, meeting once Dainty’s ring is located. In the
afternoon Darien does shadow-wings on us all and off we go to Slippery Rock.
Surprise surprise, we find a pub, the Goblin’s Head (which looks like a Kobold). We
find the wagoners and have a chat with them. They saw a bunch of nobles near Jake’s
Field about three weeks ago (7-10 June), describing two veiled ladies and a dozen
armed guards, just the people we are after. Jake’s Field is approximately half way
between Bowcourt and Slippery Rock.
Darien and Kismet start to fly down after a short sharp meeting with the portal guard
in Elfinberg. They land before their wings give out. Kismet informs us that Darien
had landed, set up a large pillar of light ad then went to sleep, with the light still on!
We land before our wings give out and set up camp. Karyn wants to fog the place so
that enemies cannot see us – we point out that we also cannot see! Since acquiring a
set of plate (a souvenir) I have been practicing getting into and out of it as fast as I
can. Boy did I get some dirty looks when the rest of the party saw me doing it. I
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would have thought that black armour with a serpent’s head motif would be quite eye
catching. Karyn and Catherine didn’t seem to think so, Karyn casts at me to quieten
the noise I was making.
Session 3: 29/3/95
2 July 1994
Kismet wakes up first and notices someone about 10 foot away from Darien, just
looking at him. Kismet throws his voice to wake Darien up. The man goes by the
name of Alcom, and considers the valley to be his. The valley leads down to the road
and there is a town there, called Paulsgate. Alcom was attracted by the lights Darien
and Kismet made the night before, he thought it might be the work of a God. Darien
and Kismet head south and nearly fly into the Sea of Grass. Kismet’s locate finds
Dainty’s ring. They trace it to a Keep on a small river heading north-south, then make
their way to us.
Meanwhile, Torensen goes rabbit hunting, I practice putting my armour on, Merryck
prepares breakfast, the mages purify. Karyn prepares fog to alert Darien and Kismet
to our position. I show everyone how to skin a rabbit – well it was that or watch the
mages try and pluck it. I ask Torensen to make me a rune shield that he was talking
about. I can report that it is quite effective, I tested it by shield charging trees, and
hacking at it with my hand-alf sword. We are alerted, we may be under attack, we
ready our crossbows and bows, but it is only Darien and Kismet.
We plan to go to the Keep, but we need a substantive cover story. Darien is not keen
on doing more wings until he has eaten and rested. Kismet decides to scrie the Keep.
Things are looking up, the first time I saw someone scrie, it was Aqualina who got
blasted with flames.
I warn the party of the dangers of scrieing and like the last lot, they too scoffed.
Kismet gets ready to scrie, and the rest look over his shoulder. I take a more distant
position with a good view of the party when they get engulfed in flames – my healing
skills will shortly be in demand. After 10 seconds he is still scrieing!!. Kismet must
be good, Aqualina could only manage 10 seconds. After a few minutes and no
flames, I go and see what’s happening.
There is a square Keep inside a triangular Manor, with a shallow ditch on the outside.
Nearby is an old building and a very large lake. There is grass in the courtyard and
people going about their daily business. The Keep is guarded, there is one on the roof
and one or two at the gate. Inside, Kismet sees six armoured men-at-arms having
lunch. In the coutyard three are three women, one short, plump and blonde, the
second a tall brunette, and the third tall, slim, well curved and wearing black. The
smithy is being used on some battered armour. The flag on the keep is at half mast.
In the late afternoon, Karyn does one of her changes and makes herself look like
Baron Blitzkrieg, whom I’ve seen at the Guild once or twice. Darien gives us all
wings and we go to the village 10 miles away from the Manor, Darien and Kismet
saw it on their way down. We are to find out all we can about the Manor and its
owners.
Session 4: 7/4/95
We all land safely and wait for the wings to disappear so they don’t scare the locals. I
don my armour and we move to the nearby buildings, made from stone blocks with a
wooden upper story and a slate roof. We greet the locals, Adam and June McDonald
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and family. We ask about the Manor, it is White Waters Manor, surrounded by
swamps, and owned by the Trentors who were married recently. The old Baron’s
bride is evil, and they don’t like youngsters. It is said that the girl Carter vanished a
couple of months ago. Kismet negotiates lodgings, we get a house (at one end of a
barn), and are invited to dinner. Blitzkrieg was impressive, but the snakes on my
armour and sword drew the kids. During the dinner we meet Bernard de Ventitor
AKA Bern the Bard. We ask about people passing through, Chris the Tinker, three
youngsters, layabouts heading for the was (supposedly), two minstrals, and someone
ill heading north to see the healer Jessie or Janet or something. There was also a party
of a dozen men with ladies (one named Suzie). Apparently two of the kids sneak out
at night to spy on travelers, you know what kids are like.
I cannot help but notice that there are 10 adults and 10-15 kids, but no men aged
between 10-30. Bern has been there a few days, to let his lame horse get better.
Despite being in lodgings, we organise a watch, Kismet, Catherine, me, Darien,
Karyn, Torensen, then Merryck.
3 July 1994
During his watch, Kismet talks to Bern’s horse. Catherine and Kismet go to the top of
the barnand meet a kid who’s late for work, apparently one of the kids that sneak out
at night to spy on passing people. She went with Colin when she saw the soldiers, she
remembers seeing shields with ducks in a circle. There was a lady with them. This
was in spring after shearing, and before the men took the sheep up country, about a
moon ago. To get to White Waters Manor (Devil’s Manor as she calls it), we have to
go down the road and over a ford.
We talk to Bern, who is from the baronies, we are the largest “troop” movement he
has seen. Darien detected Bern’s collage as Bardic, which is said to date from preperjuty
times when dragons argued. Kismet sees an invisible wizards ear, with
wytchsight I see a wizards eye.
As we leave, the weather is windy with some clouds. We notice we are being stalked
by one of the brats. Karyn gets the kid to go home, scaring the living daylights out of
him is a more apt description.
So, we plan to scout White Waters. Karyn walks with Bern talking Troubadour, but
she can’t play the lute and walk at the same time. Bern knows Dainty’s uncle Count
de Beauvoir. Bern describes Dainty as blonde and well endowed, she has been
widowed by a de Beauvoir.
The weather is getting bad, clouds moving quickly above. Bern’s horse (Figaro) talks
with a Drackenberg accent. Karyn gets the urge to plait the horses main – but settles
for a sleeping Torensen, who I remember was quite surprised when he eventually
found out.
We are following a winding road and enter a swamp, we backtrack a little to find a
suitable campsite for the night.
Session 5: 13/4/95
Kismet does his crystals of vision late at night. He looks at the Manor and the mill
which is about a mile away. He sees five houses, but no carriage. The oval shaped
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lake is two miles long. There are some “real” trees off to one side of the river
indicating some high land above the general low lying swamp. Whilst looking at the
Manor Kismet notices a cross of rubys, indicative of the powers of light. Merryck
reckons it is worth 4-5,000. There is a bracelet with animal charms – lots of furry
woodland creatures. The mill is stone with a thatched roof.
4 July 1994
I go hunting but don’t find anything. For our breakfast Darien summons some
rabbits, we get ready to pounce once they realise Darien has ulterior motives. I ready
my bow, I suspect someone is bound to let one get loose, then I can practice on a
moving target. Catherine mind controls the rabbits so we can just scoop them up.
Karyn starts a philosophical argument over the relative merits of using magic versus
weapons and cold steel, guile and cunning.
We travel all day through the swamp and see a few lizard men (Sarauma). I want to
get the bastards, they must be related to the snakemen darien and I saw off on our last
adventure. We protect ourselves and despite my urges to follow and kill I behave
responibly, well I am a Military Scientist now. We eventually ford the river with
walls of darkness between us and the Saraumas. After painful brushes with walls of
starlight I try out the wall of darkness and find they don’t bother me.
Rain and lots of wind. We stay on a hillock for the night.
5 July 1994
At four o’clock in the morning we get wings and fly to the mill. Kismet and Karyn
look around the place and find it is empty, although there are the remains of a fire in
the fireplace, and some straw in a corner of the mill storage area. I go back outside
and start to cover our tracks, as much as is possible after a team of adventurers has
flown in. Because of the signs of life Kismet and Karyn go to the Manor as peasants
while we hide in the tower and keep quiet.
They meet a guard who wonders why they were not attacked by the denizens of the
swamp whilst on their way there. They are sent to the cookhouse where they ask to
buy some provisions. They get some good information on the Manor’s layout in the
guise of gawking at the impressive buildings. They work for the food and get to chat
with all and sundry. There is talk of swamp monsters. They are told that a nice lady
has been staying there for several weeks. When the Baron passed away two months
ago she stayed on to help the widow. The lady (Dainty) comes down and talks to
Kismet and Karyn. Dainty eats from a wooden box whilst she works. There seems to
be something between Dainty and the head of guards (who we later find out is Brent).
The pale wimpy character (found to be Phillipe) likes the lady in black.
Session 6: 21/4/95
Kismet and Karyn come back mid afternoon. Karyn disappears, we suspect she is
disguised as a rock, probably an illusion (could she be an illusionist?). Darien and I
stay on watch, within an hour, I hear something, after making sure that the coast is
clear I go down to investigate. I suspect Karyn, so call out for her (whispering) but
there is no answer. There’s no one else from the party around so I decide to test out
the “rock” and my hand goes through it. So I go in and move my foot about. I feel
the satisfaction of kicking something soft – I find Karyn, the sharp tap on my shin
tells me that she has just found me. I try to explain that being down here is
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dangerous. I offer to heal her sore ribs but she gets very defensive, I get disappointed.
Later on we notice that there is a lot more straw downstairs than there was before, I
wonder why but we suspect Karyn, she admits it is magic and we try to explain that
changing the appearance of the Mill may call attention to ourselves. I knew I should
have kicked her harder!.
On Torensen’s watch, he sees something move near the manor, I check it out and see
that a party is leaving the Manor on horseback. Kismet does locate on Dainty’s ring,
she is in the group and it is heading for the ford. Kismet does crystals of vision, two
women and four men out falconing, the four men include the sergeant and Phillipe.
The party argues/discusses what to do now. Torensen and I want to go straight up to
the Manor, the others feel that Dainty is being coerced and therefore want to get her
out in the open. Torensen decides to go with thw majority. Karyn disguises my
armour to be pretty though I feel it does not do me justice. Karyn, Catherine and
Merryck hide in bushes whilst the rest intercept the falconing party. They are a bit
surprised to find us there. With introductions over, Dainty says that it is her and that
she has already sent messages to Carzala with no reply, and that the marriage is not
due until Mickelmas anyway. We get invited back to the Manor, escorted by Tony.
Boy! Is he surprised when Karyn and Catherine call after us. Loosing his cool he
gallops after the others who are cheesed off with us. We are now escorted by three
and the rest gallop back to the Manor.
Brent Smith is the sergeant at arms and looks after us. When we enter the Manor, a
middle aged woman comes out (Suzanne Chatelaine) and talks to Brent about where
to put us. We end up in the laundry. We also get fed in the main hall. On the main
table left to right is Dainty, short, plump, fair hair and wearing elaborate clothes.
Next to her is a voluptuous, tall, dark haired woman. Next to her, Phillipe, the weedy
guy who loves Teresa. Next to him is another woman. There are two empty places.
Suzanne comes over and asks us to appoint someone to speak to Dainty, Catherine is
volunteered. Janie is Dainty’s hand maiden. Janie gets writing equipment for Dainty
to write a letter for us to take back to Duke Avarice. Kismet uses wizards eye to keep
an eye on Catherine.
I decide to repeat what I did on my last adventure and fabricate a second set of scribe
notes detailing our journey from Carzala. Catherine leaves Dainty whilst she writes,
and is taken to see Lady Teresa, where she is asked to play the harp.
6 July 1994
Catherine thinks she may have been charmed. We find Catherine has been hypnotised
by someone from the mind collage. She goes into a trance to see if she could
remember what happened. The party discuss the mission, which is to find Dainty and
take her back within one week. I tell Darien that the real mission was to test guild
training, but he wasn’t too keen on hearing that, even when shown the contract.
Weather report – wispy clouds. At breakfast no-one is at the high table, but wenches
do take food upstairs. Brent and Suzanne eat in passing the high table. Darien does a
detect aura on Brent and finds that he is not a short lived sentient being – he has a
magical aura.
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We all go for a walk outside the Manor to discuss this. After, Catherine strikes up a
conversation with Brent. He says Dainty only had a couple of guards, and they had to
be escorted through the swamp, Brent begins to get engrossed with Catherine. Karyn
tries a dispel illusion. Torensen rescues Catherine from Brent. I go and clean my
weapons and armour. The ladies come down, Teresa has a book and eventually works
a loom. Dainty embroiders whilst eating out of her chockolate box, we begin to
suspect the chockolates have some sort of hold over Dainty. Catherine plays for
them. Morning passes.
Session 7: 28/4/95
Lunch is arranged outside and some of the party give a hand shifting benches. We are
offered some of Dainty’s chocolates and notice that the box is Oak with relief
carvings and is padded inside. After lunch we split up. I chat with the guards, as I am
keen to get some fighting practice in, funny though, I cannot find Brent for his
permission. Meryck goes off with one of the serving wenches!!. As I am talking to
the guards a shout goes out – there is a riderless horse a few miles away. Kismet and
two guards tell me Kismet actually said “there was a Bard with it”. Kismet does a
locate on Bern whilst I go and get my fighting stuff ready. I get back and everyone is
milling about, Bern is apparently still alive and moving North. Dainty recognises
Figaro and apparently knows Bern. The rest of the party get their gear. Torensen has
sprained his ankle and is unable to come, however he does give me, Catherine and
Karyn rune shields, Catherine and I get sensible shields, Karyn asks for a wall shield.
From looking at Figaro and the blood on him, it appears that they were ambushed
after crossing the ford.
At the ford Bern is located due north, up stream. Catherine does not locate any other
minds. We set off on the high ground to the west of the river. This was bad
guesswork on my part as the trail started to lead due east, ie across the river. We
backtrack to the ford. The party start mucking about again. I start looking for tracks
to follow but there is a lot of mess and a lot of blood. I set off (actions speak louder
than words) and the rest follow. Despite being in a swampy area we gallop across a
firm grass paddock until we start getting into swamp land. Here we dismount and
leave the horses behind under strict orders (by Kismet) not to move until it gets dark.
We get closer and closer to Bern’s location. Karyn rears her ugly head and lets them
know we are near. She creates a big boulder in the air which lands in the water with a
great splash. Catherine detects several minds in the area, and Karyn shows she does
have her uses she sends out an image of herself out front as a decoy, one Sarauma
leaps out at it. If you could read expressions on a Sarauma’s face I think surprise
would head the list on this one. We engage with a fire fight, i.e. we pick them off
with bows and crossbows, lucky Darien gets into close with one. Then a big magic
spell is let off. The mages called it tekayrage which is an odd way of saying a bloody
big wind. It not only knocks most of us flying but the Sarauma as well.
Unfortunately Bern’s body that had been propped on the shore was blown into the
river where he drowned as we battled with the Sarauma. Having killed one with an
arrow I finally got close with one and was immediately joined by half the rest of the
party. Karyn holds the Sarauma mage inside a wall of bones, this was apparently too
much for it as when the wall ended, the Sarauma mage is asleep. We have two
Sarauma prisoners. I want to kill them but Karyn wants to keep them prisoner.
Without anything to tie them up I want them dead, the last time I was in a party that
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held an unrestrained prisoner he ran off. I notice that the Sarauma are wearing
weapon belts and suggest we can use them to bind them, although I still prefer killing
any reptilian.
Session 8: 5/4/95
The party talk, did the tekayrage come from an invested item or was it a mind mage?
If invested then it would be useful to find the Sarauma mage that can do them, or if it
was a mind mage that we captured then it would be very valuable to the Guild. I
agree the magic using Sarauma should be kept, but feel that the injured one should be
killed. This time Catherine sides with Karyn to keep them alive, in fact Catherine
Catherine kept one alive with magic first aid! I tie the injured lizard up and open a
few wounds at the same time, instead of bleeding to death, Catherine heals it again.
Merryck and I go to the wall of bones as it is supposed to disappear sometime and we
don’t want the captured Sarauma to escape. The others bicker amongst themselves
over what to do. Most want to take the tekayrage Sarauma back with us, Karyn
questions the plan’s morality, ie it is a sentient being and should be allowed its
freedom. She does not seem to take into account that it and its friends took, were
responsible for Bern’s death, and then attacked us. So far I have not met a single
sentient reptile that hasn’t tried to kill me!. Everyone comes over as the wall of bones
goes down, the Sarauma is asleep. Catherine mind controls it and I tie it up just in
case. I argue with the fate of the wounded Sarauma, I don’t want to leave it alive and
Karyn wants to set the slimy creep free. I pick it up and throw it into the water, Karyn
is pleased as we leave it alive. I’m pleased because I handled it roughly and expect to
have opened some of its wounds again, it should die soon after we leave. I have the
dubious pleasure of carrying Bern’s body back to the horses, which by some miracle
obeyed Kismet and were not far from where we left them.
The party discuses on the way back. Kismet comes up with a good excuse to lure
Dainty back to Carzala. We have to get Bern back to Carzala quickly to revive him,
and having her friendly face there would make that much more easier. Karyn
suggests that we all go out for a ride with Dainty, knock out the guards and take
Dainty back to Carzala – I point out that she is a bit inconsistent in her terms of
kidnapping, as she did not want to “kidnap” a Sarauma but is quite happy to do the
same to a Princess.
We get Bern to the Manor and before we can put Kismet’s plan into action, Bern gets
taken to Phillipe’s room where he is brought back to life. Karyn, Kismet and Merryck
hang around Bern’s room. Dainty is there and talks fondly of Bern when he was at
Bowcourt. The others feel that Dainty has forgiven Bern for something. She is
talking of quite a while ago, ie beyond 4-5 years ago. Bern is alive requiring two days
recuperation, Dainty is much happier.
Meanwhile I check that the Sarauma is properly manacled. We used Torensen’s
manacles of cold iron specially designed to curb Mages (I approve – perhaps we can
use them on Karyn!). I stay behind to check the prisoner. Whilst down there I’m sure
I felt magic impact but nothing happened. Later I tell Darien, but he wasn’t too
concerned – you’ll read why later.
Dainty stays with Bern, and the party fetch his stuff from Figaro. Kismet manages to
get a message to Bern that we will see him later. It is some time before tea, I go and
check the Sarauma, no change. Catherine and Merryck lie down for a rest (not
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11
together). Karyn gets up to her stupid tricks again. She raids Pierre’s herb garden and
attempts to heal Torensen’s swollen ankle. Torensen says his ankle is getting better
but he really itches, but I cannot see anything. At dinner Karyn seems very fidgety,
especially her hands. Kismet whispers to Darien “what’s the duration of the wall?”,
I’m requested to note this amazing statement down by the party. I think that if we
ever find out why Kismet said that I think the world might be a better place. At
dinner a festival in Bern’s honour is announced for tomorrow, there will be no work
and we will all celebrate.
After dinner I go and play with the guards as it is their training time. After training I
look at Torensen’s itch as it is getting worse, my healer skills tell me that Torensen
has a stinging nettle rash that I still cannot see. I go outside to look for some Dock
leaves but it is too dark and I don’t find any.
Kismet, Karyn and Merryck go see Bern, he is told Figaro is fine. The three of them
find out that Duke Avarice was a count.
7 July 1994
During the night Catherine is on watch when she heard a splash. I go outside for a
look around and see that Brent is back. How? We didn’t hear the gates open, could it
have been shadowwalk?, or an underground passage (in the swamp?).
Torensen leaves some lavender and dock leaves by Karyn’s pillow, who makes
something for her hair with them. She thanks Kismet for the flowers who is gracious
in accepting the praise. Later Torensen asks if Karyn appreciated the flowers, this
leads to Kismet and Karyn having a bit of a tiff.
After breakfast, I go and check on the Sarauma in the cellar – it has gone and the
manacles are mangled. I go straight up to the party, and then to Brent. He goes off to
talk to the night watch. Torensen and I go outside to look for Sarauma tracks, we
don’t find any.
Session 9: 12/5/95
I suggest a wizzards eye down the well to check out the splash Catherine heard last
night. Kismet finds that the water level is 20-25 feet below ground and is 15 feet
deep. The welll is 15 ft from the kitchen, and 25 ft from the cellar. Kismet sees
nothing, and then goes on a flying visit around the keep, and the herbalist’s
(Phillipes’s) room, seeing lots of bottles with odd runic inscriptions.
Catherine, Karyn, Merryck and Torensen discuss laying on a play for tonight’s
celebrations, Darien hangs around the fringe having a little sideline in magic, I don’t
know what for – you’ll read why later.
I go back down the cellar and have a look around for secret passages etc. At the time
I notice that it is dry down here, very dry, in fact so dry that you wouldn’t expect it to
be so dry, especially when the area around is a swamp. Why dry?, neutralise water?,
binder?, illusionary terrain? Does this suggest that the Sarauma are not involved
because they would prefer it wet!!
Through his locate Kismet says Brent is back, through the wizards eye Kismet finds
Brent flirting with the wenches. If he came back through a portal, it has to be in the
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12
keep, with respect to the time it takes to find him with the wizzards eye. It could be
that someone else is disguised as Brent and Kismet only oicks it up when the disguise
is magically applied. Kismet talks to Torensen about runic inscriptions.
Dainty, Bern, Suzanne and two others go out for a gentle ride.
Darien, Catherine, Karyn and Merryck go outside to practice the play, they then come
back and check out the hall.
Torensen and I go back down to the cellar, he lights up the walls from behind to look
for secret doorways. Although we don’t find any, I notice that the manacles have
been well smashed by an object, not as if the Sarauma had ripped them off.
In the afternoon, everyone comes out and practices their dance steps, servants, guards,
everyone. Phillipe does not seem to know the basic steps and I refuse point blank, we
still have to get to the bottom of this mystery. Catherine “persuades” me to practice
some dance steps, I give it a go and find I really like it.
The Banquet
Everyone is seated at a horseshoe shaped bench arrangement, with lots of food and
wine. After the first course, Bern announces a dance, a galliard, this is fun and I get
up straight away and find someone to dance with. Karyn and Kismet dance as well.
A toast to the Duke precedes the second course. I get up straight away for the next
dance, a paran. This is a great banquet!, so much dancing!.
A different set of servers bring out the third course. This is followed by Dainty, Jill,
Suzanne and one other singing 3 songs, Dainty has a good voice, but Jill is hopeless.
After the fourth course the Troubadours in the party perform an opera loosely based
on what we believe is really happening. Catherine (Princess Valerie) sings of her true
love (Prince Gowron) gone off on a quest. Darien is the messenger with bad news,
Prince Gowron has been killed. Torensen a tall noble man sings of how he loves her
and wants to court her, with asides to the audience, ie “love her forever” equals “I’ll
kill her on the honeymoon”. This draws lots of boos and hisses. Valerie and (the
male) Karyn do a romantic duet. For the wdding scene, Darien plays the priest.
Merryck plays the fiddler who reveals himself (as Prince Gowron) professing love for
the princess. Karyn cannot stand between the princess and true love. Torensen swaps
goblets. When the goblets are drunk, Torensen dies and screams I’ve been betrayed
uurggghhhhh – the audience is raucous – Torensen dies. Karyn reveals his evil self
and goes for Gowron. The swordplay is not bad for the stage, although I could teach
them a thing or two. Gowron stage kills Karyn, proposes to Princess Valerie, and the
play closes with the couple at the alter to audience applause.
After the fifth course, Bern comes over to give advise on the performance. I suggest
more dancing could have been included, I would have joined in.
Session 10: 19/5/95
After some more excellent dancing Lady teresa proposes a toast to the late Lord
Gilbert. Dessert is served and people started getting drowsy. This Catherine found
odd since she, Karyn, and Kismet were not drinking as copiously as everybody else,
Illusion, Delusion, and Dainty Danger
13
in fact she had cautioned the rest of the party not to drink either. The party managed
to get back to the laundry ans were packing up when magic started impacting. At this
point we find out that Darien was a doppleganger, he most certainly wasn’t before –
I’ll vouch for that!. At this stage the rousing chorus of “Adventurers, we are
leaving!”, and some hypnotisms got everyone moving in the vague direction of the
courtyard, outside, and safety. The real Darien is located to the North West.
This exciting tactical move probably explains why Catherine is not Military Scientist
as waiting for us was a spell casting Phillipe and a glaive wielding maniac
masquerading as Suzanne (or was it the other way round?). With a cry of “get them”
Catherine launched the fighters at the evil duo. Their being slowed came as a bit of a
shock and the enemy mind mage was out of sight, spending spell energy like water.
This was getting on Catherine’s nerves. Catherine to the rescue, she drops the two in
the courtyard, but got cursed herself and dropped by the gates. Despite desperate
confusion we stuck with the plan, leaving under cover of fog with the horses Torensen
boldy acquired.
Escapes are fun (especially when successful), exciting things which stimulate the
body. We stopped for the night by some rocks. The mages all fell over and we were
watched over by Merryck the hypnotised also Torensen and I who I think Catherine
are suggestible without magic.
8 July 1994
Dawn came with threats and curses by dozing magi, Catherine released Merryck from
the hypnotism, apologised and then put him somewhere comfortable. During
breakfast we came up with a plan to negotiate back Dainty, Darien, and possibly Bern
on a buy two get one free sort of deal. We ride back into range of Torensen’s
visitation spell and checked the place out with crystal balls and spells. Everyone is
still unconscious and only the bad guys are up and about. Catherine feels that a
moment of screaming, inane, terror provides a nice relief from the daily routine of
being an adventurer.
Session 11: 26/5/95
What do we do?, we feel Teresa is a mind mage, but not sure which of Phillipe and
Suzanne are the Wicca or Illusionist. Torensen is to use his visitation to go in the
righteous indignation and barter for Dainty, the real Darien, and of course Bern. At
the ford we are in range of Torensen’s magic. Kismet’s locate shows Brent is
spinning, and Bern, Teresa and Jill are in the keep. Catherine does some precognition
and sees a ghostly figure walking through fog, phantasms? I could have sworn I
heard Karen say “we should fog the place as they are afraid of the frog”.
Torensen appears into a fog in the main hall, people are still asleep. No-one answers
Torensen’s shouts for a talk. He hears a groan nearby, he tries to shout them awake,
the fog thickens. Due to the nature of the Visitation spell, the rest of the party don’t
know what’s going on. The fog gets thicker – it is actually from a fire. Someone
wakes up but the ghostly Torensen scares them and they scream. After a while
Torensen returns to the party and lets us know what is going on, he points out that the
keep is on fire.
FIRE!!!!!!!!!!
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14
We’re off, we mount up and ride to the Manor. The gete is locked from the inside.
Catherine moves the bar with her mind as Karyn, Torensen and I push open the gates.
Kismet’s horse bucks which for some reason really frightens Kismet. We locate
Dainty and her maid collapsed near a window seat in the solar. Merryck traies to
climb to the solar but falls, stout fellow that he is, he has a second go. Catherine and I
go for the rope and the rest of our things. Torensen hacks the way through a thorn
bush covering the door and outside steps. Darien and Merryck rescue Dainty and the
maid. As Dainty gets near the bottom the rope unravels and she falls to the ground.
Kismet shoutd “get the chocolate box” and when it cannot be seen, we hear “the bitch
has stolen it”, are doppleganger’s female?
Karyn starts rescuing people in the hall and is soon joined by Catherine. Torensen
and I hack our way nearer the door. The smoke gets thicker, the air gets hotter. In the
urgency of the rescue people are being thrown out of the windows. There are two
fires, one at the stairs and one upstairs, the ceiling is also alight. I eventually kick the
door open. I pull them out two at a time, and Torensen gets one each go. Merryck
gets confused in the smoke, eventually we call him over to the door and we all get out
before the roof collapses. A quick medical check finds 8 dead, one with a broken
neck. Teresa and Suzanne are not dead, we find out that Teresa is actually an illusion.
We wake Bern and Kiamet dishes out choclates.
Still early morning, sparks from the blaze are setting fire to the stables. Kismet and
Karyn fool around and we loose the battle against the sparks. Karyn does a mist to
dampen down the sparks. There is a frightened cow and calf in the barn which we
actually rescue. Kismet and I go out to collect the wandering horses. We quizz
Darien, he was held in a wet damp place reached under water and through the well.
The others sleep, especially Darien and Merryck. Torensen sets up a rune ward to
stop magic coming in.
Session 12: 2/6/95
I put a lid on the well, Karyn makes it invisible and I arrange pots and pans around the
top to warn if anything comes up the well. Kismet and I are on guard. Karyn does
soup for lunch whilst Torensen and I check out the well, no change.
After lunch we move 200 yards away from the smoke. We are careful with Dainty
(sprained ankle) and someone with broken ribs. Those awake discuss what to do. We
feel that Dainty should be flown to Carzala, but we also have a responsibility to stay
and look after the others, not to mention get the dead to the Guild. Karyn wants to tie
up loose ends, ie talk to the dopplegangers. I also want to tie up loose ends, ie “talk”
to the dopplegangers who I see as being in cahoots with the Sarauma, who I also want
to talk to.
By mid-afternoon Bern stops snoring but doesn’t wake up. Karyn blows in his ear
and he wakes up. She asks about the dopplegangers and what else was odd there.
Bern says the chocklate box is Dainty’s family heirloom. He has not met any of the
others before. Dainty was introduced by someone she trusted ie a guardian, and has
only known Teresa a short while. Bern and Karyn play word games – has Karyn met
her match? Duke Avarice was standing in for Dainty’s family. Ever alert I check on
the still sleeping people, I recon two are wakable but I let them sleep on. Bern last
met Dainty over 4 years ago.
Illusion, Delusion, and Dainty Danger
15
Bern, Darien (carrying Dainty) and Torensen go to Seagate. Torensen gives me a
rune shield before he goes, I expect a little action later.
Bern didn’t quite make it, he sprained his ankle taking off. He moans about it being
broken, Karyn and I go along with his acting, bind the sprain and splint it for looks.
Merryck sleeps all day.
I wake up the two people I felt were OK. They are frightened, thinking that we have
gone out of control and are responsible for burning the Manor down. Peter Cooperson
had helped rebuild the Manor and Keep earlier this year. He has a Carzalan accent,
and is a general handyman from Governors Hope. He is apprenticed to his uncle in
the Cooperage. Peter tells us that the Manor’s renovations were paid for by the Guild,
and it was not supposed to get burned down. Phillipe is a mage, Teresa is the boss, a
mind mage, and is immune to fire. Brent is ahired fighter, a bit strange though. The
group was told that there were hordes and hordes of Sarauma in the swamp, but the
Manor was not bothered with them, in fact they only ever saw one, the one we
captured. Peter'’ uncle arranged to do the work for the guild in the hope of
encouraging preferred business from the Guild later. Bern turned up dead and was not
expected. In the scenario, Dainty was to be sacrificed and the party was to rescue her.
Peter and the others were briefed by McGreedy.
Miss Deborah says that the sacrifice was to have been the day we arrived. Teresa
knew we had arrived when we were at the mill. The Manor had been operating since
spring. She has no knowledge of any dopplegangers in the Manor. Suzanne came in
with Dainty’s group.
We are still unsure about what happened, perhaps dopplegangers took over, unaware
of the plot. Still we set off for the MacDonalds.
9 July 1994
Darien and Torensen come back, but Kismet remains at the guild. Darien was guided
to us by our campfire.

=== 10 July 1994===

Before getting to the MacDonalds, Karyn changes into Blitzkrieg so as not to alerm
the MacDonalds, and we arrive in the evening.
Back at the Guild we debrief. Princess Dainty is actually Lady Charlotte de Beauvoir.
The Guild was surprised that Bern turned up, he is from the Troubadour’s Guild at
Bowcourt, interested in ties with our own Guild.
Teresa is evil and was under a Geas not to hurt the guild, obviously the Geas has been
broken. She is known to have a Wiccan friend, and Phillipe and Suzanne are old
associates. It is not known if any are dopplegangers. It is possible that there was only
one doppleganger, and it came into the scenario through Brent.
Bern insists on talking to Lady Charlotte before alowing the Guild to debrief him. On
being debriefed, he releases a post hypnotic suggestion to say “Happy Birthday
Harkum” (the Guild Chairman).
Illusion, Delusion, and Dainty Danger
16
I submit to a divination and find I was not hypnotised and therefore I did not release
the captured Sarauma.
The Guild do some astrology readings. If the Guild does not bother Teresa, she will
not bother the Guild.
The End
Despite Karyn’s antics, I enjoyed this adventure. We succeeded in testing out the
Guild’s training despite the interference of Teresa and her cronies. Despite loosing
the Manor to fire, we did save nine lives and got eight other Guild employees to the
Guild in time to be resurrected, thus preserving the Guild’s reputation in Cazala.