Gather information on the Black Star Conspiracy's plans
Reward
25 tsg each
What Has Gone Before
Having tracked down a coven of hags on Westover, Bishop & Bower have found and combined two books of shadows. Aside from some concert spells, the ITN of a steganographic demon is revealed in the reconstituted grimoire. This, it turns out, is the key to a message concealed in a von Thurn und Taxis stamp of a plough upon a field of grain.The message of the stamp reads "Lord of the Dew".
Two other stamps remain:
Impression of 8-spoked wheels of bronze war cart - Weapons of Naram-Sin, Babylonian; Tiglath-Pileser, historic King of Assyria, New Terra. About Italian invasion of North Africa, they will be supported by Devils on Black Marble.
Hyades, orange-eyed bronze bull - Mithras, red eye is Aldebaran, Hastur resides beyond. To Annises in Westover, instruction to look for a dead Order, symbol Crescent Moon with Serpent wrapped around it, investigate Blood Rites, Force Creatures, Phantasms, Mind Flayers, Corner Dogs.
Important notes
On New Terra
Germany has "invaded" Sudetenland, then advanced column upon column of infantry and armour, positioning them for an obvious attack against Slovakia and Hungary. Britain has declared war, although Poland has not been attacked yet. A lightning strike against Belgium has left it conquered and demoralised, a staging post for an assault upon France.
Italy has landed troops in Libya, staging for an attack against the British holdings in Egypt, after oil.
On Reich
The Black Star conspiracy has a multi-millenia history. Its membership includes a few undying, possibly a few non-humans, but the greatest proportion of its membership (including its leadership) is mortal humanity. They have a burning desire to see the end of immortals, although their reasons are not clear.
Their sicherdienst arm is the Holy Vehm, many of whom have been exposed to one or more Ubermensch programs, and all are highly trained. And yes, some of them are sufficiently fanatical to be able to use Pureheart Charms.
The Nazi apparatus has been infiltrated, in partuclar der Bestellung des Eisenbahn Ritus by members of the Black Star.
On Westover
Hag covens have been very quiet of late.
Scribe Notes
Introductions
Frysday 12th - 18th Meadow
Meet up at Kerberoth, shopping, fraternising, training.
Decide to find someone (mortal) to decode the other stamps, a specialist in the British Museum, London, New Terra.
Frysday 19th - 30th Meadow
Abyss to New Terra
W'ansday 1st - 7th Heat
New Orleans, Lord of Masks, Beauty, Lord of Wands.
Train to New Mexico, Bishop's Air Ship to Gotham.
Gotham is a ruin except for Grand Central Station and the department store.
Attempted travel through Gotham station aborted after overwhelming numbers of aliens.
Stamps
W'ansday 8th - 9th Heat
Seeking an alternate path, the Lady of Veils transports us to Vanity in Paris, Victoria. We ask her about getting visas for London but she can no longer issue them. She and her agent Joan suggest we ask Vitri, he is an active stamp collector and may know mortals who could help.
Venice, Vitri directs us to Kruft in St Mark's Square who is able to give us the keys to the other stamps.
Stamp 2 is of the Weapons of Naram-Sin, war carts of Babylon. The key is T'glath Plaser, ancient King of Assyria. The message is about the Italian invasion of North Africa on New Terra. The attack will be supported by demonics.
Stamp 3 is Mithras, his eye is Aldebaran, beyond which lurks Hastur. The message is to Westover, instructing those there to seek an ancient order identified by a serpent wrapped around the crescent moon. Also to seek information about Blood Rites, Force Creatures, Phantasms, Corner Dogs, and Mind Flayers.
Bishop wanting to ensure the dead are not disturbed, we decide to head to Westover.
Frysday 10th - 21st Heat
Abyss to Westover, the house of Brass. IN the north-east of Westover by the (grey) Moonlit Sea.
W'ansday 22nd - 24th Heat
We head north to the mountains and the temples of Metis, Half Moon, Crescent Moon, and Full Moon. There the Celestial Aspected are able to engage with the temples and make offerings.
We learn of the ancient order the message referred to, 12 priests were able to join in ritual to create a mile-long dragon. Their tower was on a Mesa to the south-east.
Travelling there we find it is where Bishop and Bower encountered the hags.
The complex is abandoned now, we find the portal they used to leave in the lower levels, it links to a portal on New Terra. Using the ritual found in the book of Shadows, the immortals concert-cast to open the portal and we go through.
Emerging in occupied Libya, Martyr's Square in Tripoli. The square is floored in Black Marble and patrolled by Blue Devils. We quickly and discretely exit.
Yuko senses traces of a hag moving east, we requisition a supply truck and follow.
Khamsin
Description
Khamsin is a courser out of the Great Mare Sirroco and the Great Horse Grit. He is a dun buckskin, darkening along his spine, mane, tail and lower legs.
Talents, Skills, and Magic
Khamsin speaks the Common tongue at Rank 8 and the language of equines, fantastical or otherwise. When he is literate in a language at Rank 8 or higher he may learn any General Knowledge spell as if it were a Special Knowledge magic and walk upon sand, whether it be quicksand or sand borne by wind or storm. Once a week, he may call a sand storm from the west.
Movement Rates
Running: 600
PS:
90
MD:
15
AG:
20
MA:
10
EN:
45
FT:
60
WP:
20
PC:
15
PB:
13
TMR:
12
NA:
Hide reduces Damage by 2
Weapons
Bite BC 25%, [D + 8], Melee & Close, Rank 0. This attack requires but a Free Act
Kick BC 45%, [D + 7], Melee Rear, Rank 0. This attack may be delivered as a Reflex Action to a rear hex but in that case no other Kick attack is allowed.
Trample BC 25%, [D + 8], Close, Rank 0. This attack is delivered automatically whenever Khamsin first enters Close with an opponent.
Reapsday 25th Heat
We catch up with the hag late in the afternoon, she is riding in the side car of a motorcycle. At the next town we subdue her and Yuko takes her as an agent.
Annie Slash
Description
Annie is a chaos hag, hideous, bandy and about 5 ft tall.
Talents, Skills, and Magic
Annie may dual-wield daggers or throw three in a single Pulse without attracting any penalties. She may only be harmed by magic or silvered weapons. She may increase her Defense by 58 by surrendering one of her dagger attacks a Pulse. She is Rank 12 in dagger and her throwing range is 12 hexes. All of her Adventuring Skills are Rank 6
She wears a hooded robe that provides 5 points of Protection, 7 points of Spell Armour and improves Steatlh by 15
She may use the Disguise Illusion as a Talent to make herself appear as a young and attractive woman (PB 18), but the illusion has no Rank and is easily dispelled.
Anyone who gazes upon Annie must Break 100 -> WP or lose half their PS. This does not require any Action on Annie's part.
Any male who gazes upon Annie must Break 100 -> EN or become impotent for 4 weeks. This awards Annie a Virility point. She may spend Virility points when she Purifies to increase her Magic Resistance by twice her Rank with the Ritual. She can also use a Virility point to double the damage of her daggers or heal 1 roll up D10 damage. Only 1 Virility point may be spent in a Pulse at a time. She may hold no more than 3 Virility in her heart.
Movement Rates
Running: 350
PS:
25
MD:
30
AG:
23
MA:
5
EN:
25
FT:
35
WP:
28
PC:
24
PB:
0
TMR:
7
NA:
Skin reduces Damage by 3
Weapons
Annie's base Strike Chance with daggers is 80% (+ dagger base chance & Enchantment) and her base damage is D10 +6
Spells per day
Keen Edge - increases Penetration by 3 of a sword or dagger, increases it's damage type to include B Class wounds and the wielder subtracts 5 from their Strike Checks. Lasts 20 minutes
Blur - increases Annie's Defense and Stealth by 10. In addition, she may modify her D% roll by 10 to avoid harm. Lasts 1 hour
Word of Chaos - Roll 1 rollup D10 which Annie takes as damage directly to EN. If the result is 3 or less, halve the FT & EN of any entity within 40 yards that does not love Chaos. An entity that loves Order loses all of their EN & FT and is bleeding to death. There is no Magic Resistance against this ability unless a special ability or item allows one.
She was sent as a diversion to lure and kill any who followed. She was not privy to the plans but overheard some of them. They are taking the mummies by Air Ship, getting Canopic Jars from the pyramids at Giza then probably heading to Megiddo.
We travel through the night by carriage to Giza and to the archaeological camp. Sneaking in we disable guards at their store house, search around and find that the canopic jars were removed about 2 days ago. Going with Mr Morden's plan of pretending to be senior Nazi's and bullying the locals into telling us where they took the jars, we end up fighting a couple of Ubermen. The Alchemist (a mad scientist) and a fusion of 5 strong young men.
Sunday 26th - 27th Heat
We charter an Air Ship from Cairo to Meggido.
There we find they are still half a day ahead of us, racing to the museum we speak to the curator who reveals they came for a Statue of Pessago, a god of Storms and Winds. We also purchase two enchanted wheels that resemble those of the stamp.
Following east through a pass in the north-south mountain range, we see a familiar peak to the south-east, Mt Seir. Scrying it from range we spot vast doors leading to a grand castle.
We also spot that we have just flown over two gate pylons concealed in the shadows of the mountains, Yuko senses Hags there.
Turning south we get dropped in the shadow of the mountains and discuss plans for assault and start preparing ourselves.
After dusk we are attacked by the hags, the Airship is destroyed and crew killed in the explosion.
They attack from a fold of night, observing us via a night of a thousand eyes. We target the fold as much as we can and engage the Green Hags and Sea Hags as they emerge. Many curses and gazes later the battle turns our way.
The Night Hag dislikes the rough treatment from Bishop, she rides off and then returns with Seir for help, Seir starts to talk so Bishop opens his coat. Seir's avatar and the Nightmare are ashed, the hag's undamaged corpse hits the ground.
Asteroid
The 2 surviving Green Hags swear to the service of Yuko. We loot bodies and then head towards their camp by the portal.
Lily Fen
Description
Lily is a green hag, hideous, clammy and about 5' 11" tall.
Talents, Skills, and Magic
Lily may wield a trident and net, and her Rank with these weapons is cumulative. She may only be harmed by magic or silvered weapons. For the purposes of fighting in water, she is considered an aquatic. All of her Adventuring Skills are Rank 6
She wears a hooded robe that provides 5 points of Protection, 7 points of Spell Armour and improves Steatlh by 15
She may shape change to middle age (PB 9), or to a 12 year old (PB14). This may not be dispelled at all and may be ended with a Free Act.
Anyone who gazes upon Lily must Break 100 -> WP or lose half their PS. This does not require any Action on Annie's part.
Any male who gazes upon Lily must Break 100 -> EN or become impotent for 4 weeks. This awards Lily a Virility point. She may spend Virility points when she Purifies to increase her Magic Resistance by twice her Rank with the Ritual. She can also use a Virility point to double the damage of her weapons or heal 1 roll up D10 damage. Only 1 Virility point may be spent in a Pulse at a time. She may hold no more than 5 Virility in her heart.
Movement Rates
Running: 300, Swimming: 350
PS:
35
MD:
18
AG:
20
MA:
17
EN:
35
FT:
45
WP:
28
PC:
24
PB:
0
TMR:
6/7
NA:
Skin reduces Damage by 5
Weapons
Lily's base Strike Chance with trident is 58% (+ trident base chance & Enchantment) and her base damage is D10 +10
Spells per day
Pass Without Trace x 3 - Target leaves no tracks and can pass through overgrown areas without restriction, even Walls of Thorns or similar. Lasts until next dusk or dawn.
Bark Skin - increases Lily's Protection by 3 and Defense by 10. Lasts 1 hour
Water Breathing x 3
Unless otherwise mentioned, all of Lily's magic is known at Rank 12
Slicker
Description
Slicker is a green hag, hideous, clammy and about 5' 2" tall.
Talents, Skills, and Magic
Slicker may wield a garotte or cosh, and her Rank with these weapons is cumulative. She may only be harmed by magic or silvered weapons. For the purposes of fighting in water, she is considered an aquatic. All of her Adventuring Skills are Rank 6. She practices the Assassin profession at Rank 6
She wears a hooded robe that provides 5 points of Protection, 7 points of Spell Armour and improves Steatlh by 15
She may shape change to middle age (PB 13), or to a 12 year old (PB17). This may not be dispelled at all and may be ended with a Free Act.
Anyone who gazes upon Slicker must Break 100 -> WP or lose half their PS. This does not require any Action on Sllicker's part.
Any male who gazes upon Slicker must Break 100 -> EN or become impotent for 4 weeks. This awards Slicker a Virility point. She may spend Virility points when she Purifies to increase her Magic Resistance by twice her Rank with the Ritual. She can also use a Virility point to double the damage of her weapons or heal 1 roll up D10 damage. Only 1 Virility point may be spent in a Pulse at a time. She may hold no more than 5 Virility in her heart.
Movement Rates
Running: 300, Swimming: 350
PS:
35
MD:
22
AG:
20
MA:
17
EN:
35
FT:
45
WP:
28
PC:
24
PB:
0
TMR:
6/7
NA:
Skin reduces Damage by 5
Weapons
Slicker's base Strike Chance with trident is 42% (+ weapon base chance & Enchantment) and her base damage is D10 + 8)
Spells per day
Enchant Plants - Lasts until dawn on the next Sunday or Tuesday.
Pass Without Trace x 3 - Target leaves no tracks and can pass through overgrown areas without restriction, even Walls of Thorns or similar. Lasts until next dusk or dawn.
Blending
Unless otherwise mentioned, all of Slicker's magic is known at Rank 15
Agate Amulet x 5
This amulet of agate weighs 4 oz and must be worn openly around the neck to be effective.
This amulet will cure the bearer of any non-magical diseases as if they were being treated by a Rank 7 Healer. The necklace always tries to cure diseases in the order in which they were acquired. It has three charges. In the event that the amulet succeeds in its Cure Disease check, no charge is used. If the roll fails, a charge is used and the bearer is cured anyway.
Charges
3
2
1
Once all of the charges are used, the amulet fades to a greenish dust.
Sardonyx Moor Hound
This figurine of a moor hound is made from sardonyx and weighs 2 lbs 11oz. Once the name "Khaine" has been uttered, it will transform into a powerful moor hound for up to 6 hours.
KhaineKhaine
Description
Khaine is trained in combat, and hunting, stands 3 feet high at the shoulder and weighs 90 pounds. He is an enormous brindle moor hound.
Abilities
Khaine speaks Common at Rank 6, has good stamina and has +10 resistance to cold and inclement weather. He knows the Ranger Skill at Rank 0, specialising in moors. He gains +20 to any check that involves Perception. He has the same vision as a dwarf, Enhanced Vision and never forgets a scent.
Comments
Khaine is loyal unless mistreated, and as smart as a slightly dim human. He is sentient
Movement Rates
Running: 400
PS:
16
MD:
20
AG:
20
MA:
8
EN:
18
FT:
25
WP:
16
PC:
24
PB:
14
TMR:
8
NA:
Fur reduces damage by 2
Weapons
Khaine may bite for [D + 5] in Close.
Bite: BC 65%, [D + 2], Melee & Close, Rank 0
Ranks in Ranger, Enhanced Vision and Bite may be advanced 1 Rank per adventure or season, whichever is least at the standard Experience cost. This takes no time although Ranger may not be advanced beyond 7 and Bite may not be advanced beyond 6.
At the end of the next dusk or dawn, or if Khaine has been slain, he will return to his figurine form and may not be reused until moonrise on the next Monday. Monday nights of the new moon do not count.
Horseshoes of Blood & Iron
When these horseshoes are attached to a horse, an equestrian whose Horsemanship is Rank 0 may drift down from any height at a rate of 30 hexes a Pulse and ride their mount an inch above the ground. The maximum height above ground increases according to the following schedule:
Rank
Height
Rank
Height
1
1 foot
2
1 yard
3
2 yards 1 foot
4
5 yards
5
10 yards 1 foot
6
21 yards
7
42 yards 1 foot
8
85 yards
9
170 yards 1 foot
10
341 yards
This is measured as the distance from the ground not structures upon the ground nor from sea level so while tall structures may have to be circumnavigated, mountainous terrain features may be ascended, depending on the angle of ascent.
At heights above the ground of 15 yards or more, the mount's movement rate increases by 2 miles per hour per Rank.
In addition, the mount's Kick attack may be advanced as Cesti, with a base Strike Chance of 45% and base Damage of [1 rollup D10 + 8]. Blows directly affecting EN may be inflicted on 20% of the modified Strike Check, and Possible Specific Grievous Injuries on 10%.
Duesday 28th - 29th Heat
Approaching pre-dawn we find their camp (of bound earth, water and fire) empty. Yuko senses the Black Annises are in a proximate dimension.
The (rk 28) portal has a couple more days work to activate, it is linked to hell - outside the City of Seven Gates, black marble is already spreading (requires the portal to exist but does not need to be complete or active).
We retreat and setup above the camp, waiting for the Annises to return and resume their work.
They don't. Then we see a large ship approaching, getting larger until we realise it must be an asteroid ship.
A dozen mind-flayers descend from the ship and investigate the camp. After a while most of them return to the ship which departs. We observe for a while, the 3 mind flayers appear to be on guard here long term.
We attack at dawn, sniping from our higher ground but their defences are too strong. They take cover and we approach, then they come to meet us. We're invisible and mind-shielded, limiting their attack options, they get within range of TK Sense of Touch, Yuko burns their fingers and puts one on the back-burner, we exchange ranged attacks, Rahne is transformed into a Frog but manages to sleep one and pull another to Anooke's waiting weapons. We take out 2, the last one flees but we bring it down.
We loot the flayers and drain the pylons and some (96 of approx 300) of the black marble of its power.
Then we hear the sounds of footsteps from beyond the horizon and decide to leave before the Lord of Dark Earth arrives, travelling by Word of Recall to the outskirts Tripoli.
There we hear that the Mile-long Dragon has manifested and done significant damage, it is resting at the Giza Pyramids. We guess the raised mummies of the order are within the Pyramids.
Giza Dragon
We travel through the night by carriage and other means to Cairo.
30th Heat - 1st Breeze
Time spent gathering info on the Pyramids and pumping sources.
Then the dragon departs to the west.
We immediately head towards the pyramids which reveal nothing unusual but the Sun Temple shows signs of recent rituals.
Col. Ishi, the Biolurgan, the Lord of Similarities, participated in a ritual to create 14 new 'monks' with the ability to raise the dragon. Sims left from there, the others headed west into the desert. One canopic jar was accidentally left behind.
That night we follow by carriage, arriving at the Siwa Oasis about 3am. This is where they came but they have already left.
Beneath the mosque in the oasis is a secret temple to Amon Ra. The Evil Dr Mesmer was waiting for them and had sacrificed 24 people, an astral gate was opened, they all departed.
A phoenix palm in the oasis has a middle-march at the top, within is Savannah, a Simurgh, guardian of the Fire People (looks like a giant winged dog).
It can track people extremely well, we convince it to come into the astral with us to track Dr Mesmer who killed some descendants of the Fire People.
Opening an astral gate we follow Savannah to a house we identify as belonging to T.E.D. Mesmer, he was not part of the group that later departed to the Abyss. Looking down we see Abyssal demons scattered over the area and signs of the Chaos Wind having passed through.
Star of Westover
Sunday 2nd - 13th Breeze
I locate the group we're tracking and keep watch while others drop pets and followers to local allies to reduce our numbers and Savannah returns home.
Descending the cliff, Anooke spots a small cleft that leads to a larger chamber behind a pressure door.
We stay focused and continue our descent.
Moving carefully with unseen we avoid most demons while following the trace, it leads toward one of the Known Realms.
We lose the trace after several days but we're fairly sure we've followed correctly when we come to Westover and find portal pylons in the Astral.
Frysday 14th - 15th Breeze
Re-opening and discretely entering the portal we find an asteroid ship docked within the star of Westover. We exit, moving as fast as we can away until we're outside of the range of the Elder Brain before our mind protections are pierced.
In our flight we find a shaft with ethereal scaffolding heading up into the star where there is something very hot, this all dates back to a long time ago, potentially the builders of these structures in the star.
We head up to investigate but after a day we realise our sense of scale is way-off, a Dilemma Trump indicates this is not helpful to stopping the evil plan and potentially fatal. We descend again.
Sunday 16th Breeze
Preparing to sneak back closer to the ship to try and grab some outliers to question or just observe, we feel the star shudder.
Scrying ahead we see they have launched the mile-long dragon towards Westover where it will fall through an open shaft to Assyria, emerging at speed to impact the rings of Feralie.
We name Lords of Rings and Machines to hopefully warn them of what's coming but have no idea if the message is received.
Gathering our courage we race towards the asteroid ship to find and kill the monks to dissipate the dragon before it impacts.
Breaking In
Swinging, jumping and sliding, we make our way onto the asteroid and then run up the spine of it towards the protruding bits above where the mummies are about half way up the ship.
The first entrance we try has small creatures that swarm out at us but we manage to dispose of them quickly. Within, below a grill are frozen aliens and no obvious sign of a door to further in.
We try another entrance, using Bower's door within the existing door then descending down a 40' vertical 8' tunnel.
Nobody on this level so we use Bower's door in the floor and descend to an empty corridor.
Descend the same way again we enter a large room occupied by Mind Flayers and Pale Dwarves, we immediately engage and take them down as fast as we can.
Descending again we are in a room with crystal coffins set into the floor containing the mummies, guarded by ice creatures and more mind flayers.
Bishop opens with a 2D Grenado which is not as effective as hoped, we follow up with more conventional attacks.
Apart from Bower getting too close to a Mind Flayer and losing his face, we're doing well then a portal opens and 6 aliens flood through.
Yuko messes with the portal, blocking further waves while we deal with the current one and start opening coffins to destroy mummies.
Cinnabar Brooch
This blank brass oval has a velvet bed the colour of cinnabar and weighs 7 oz. It must be worn on the chest near the point of the right shoulder for its magic to be effective. A second standard amulet may be pinned to the cinnabar bed so that the wearer may benefit from, say, 2 amulets of luck. This will not work for all amulets.
Pale Ring
This ring of dull, pale grey metal weighs 2 oz and must be worn on the small finger of the left hand for its magic to be effective. It will only fit a human, dwarf or orc.
The bearer uses their EN value instead of AG to avoid being knocked prone
Potion of Melancholia
This phial weighs 4 oz and contains potion that tastes of ashes and grief. The phial is robust and must be Prepared before it can be taken. Whoever drinks it reduces their TMR by 3 and their movement rate by 150 yards per minute for 1 minute. During that time, they are somewhat unaffected by things that affect the physical world, be they magical or mundane. Things that affect the mind, spirit or personality, be they magical or mundane, are enhanced.
Things that heal or inflict damage are halved in effectiveness.
Things that cause fear, confusion, pain or attack consciousness inflict 1 rollup D10 (+1 rollup D10 for every 10 Ranks)
Charming, befriending or otherwise increasing happiness level causes the effects of the potion to terminate early.
Interment Unguent
This robust pot weighs 6 oz and must be Prepared before it can be used. There is only enough unguent to apply to a dead person of size 4 or less. However, once applied, they will sink into the ground and rise at the crack of dawn if their Resurrection Check is successful. The Rank of the Unguent is equal to the number of hours the dead person was interred
Barbed Ring
This ring weighs 1 oz and may only be worn on a finger or similar protuberance that does not contain a bone.
On the bearer's Initiative, but requiring no Action, the bearer may increase the protuberance to 24 inches in length and tipped with a vicious barb. This may be used to deliver an Unarmed Combat attack with the usual Strike Chance, but the base Damage increases to 1 rollup D10 + 3. If used to parry successfully or if successfully parried, the bearer must Break 100 + 2 x MD to avoid having the protuberance amputated.
Potion of Relief
This robust phial weighs 7 oz and must be Prepared before it can be used. It contains a potion the colour of headaches and tastes like an overcast morning. Once it has been drunk, an amputated, boneless finger or protuberance will be regrown in a minute
Ring of Angles
This ring is made from a matte black inert substance vaguely similar to fulminite and encumbers as if it weighed 4 oz. The outside of the ring is smooth, the inside shaped like a regular polygon with 36 sides.
When it is worn on the middle finger of the left hand for 7 days, Thursday to Thursday, the bearer is considered to be void of any curves, and the hex they are standing in contains no angle more acute than 170°.
On the occasion of the next full moon, the bearer must Break 100 -> 1 x WP or dream of damp, soft things who press up against their back while they sleep, whispering. Once the dreaming starts, the Break 100 target climbs by 1 each day until the bearer fails, whereupon they will will feel that something cold and pitiless is watching them from the shadows. becoming more and more estranged from reality and, from time to time, experiencing blackouts where they cannot account for their movements. They may even become distrustful of friends and companions, and obsessed with the idea of destroying their enemies (who they think are “all aroundâ€). The bearer will eventually become unhinged and may plot to destroy their friends in the belief that they are “out to get them†or perhaps provide a critique of transparent opera-singing flamingos or, indeed, any other bizarre behaviour the DM deems appropriate.
The bearer's sanity may not be restored until the ring is removed. However, removing it while barking mad will halve the bearer's WP value, which will return at 1 point every 3 days. Hypnotism will not help with this, although therapy may.
If the bearer goes mad on adventure, the DM receives 4,000 Experience. If the madness is permanent, they get a round of applause at the Guild Meeting.
Minor 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. The bearer subtracts 5 from the die roll whenever they attempt to resist magic, making it more likely that they will succeed. It does not increase Magic Resistance. In addition, the bearer's Defense is increased by 5.
In addition, it surrounds the bearer with a pale blue aura. This will protect the wearer so that the first 7 magical damage points the wearer takes per pulse are ignored. This does not work vs any kind of physical damage, even those created by spells like Diamond Javelins, Ice Bolt or Ice Projectiles. Nor does it protect against spells that directly target the body like Putrid Wound, Necrosis, or Disruption.
If the wearer has some similar means of protection, then the greatest protection will apply.
Enhanced Amulet of Aquilegious
This violet 5-pointed flower has been crystallised in a clear topacious stone and bound to a brooch. It weighs 2 oz and must be worn openly over the heart in the left lapel for its magic to be effective. Whenever the wearer rolls versus fear, they subtract 10 from the result, and 10 from any Fright Table result, if there is one.
White Harpoon
The haft of this harpoon is made from the ivory tooth of a narwhal magically hardened, and the curved blade is made from a white metal of mysterious origin. At temperatures below 0 degrees C, it is as hard as steel. It weighs 4 ½ lbs and is sized for a human child. A slender rope braided from the black hair of a mother extends 30 foot, allowing the harpoon to be drawn back once it has been thrown. With sufficient practice (cumulative Rank 7), the harpoon may be drawn back to the wielder's hand as a Free Act, otherwise it requires a Pass Action. It may be wielded as a lariat 12 hexes long or a spear, but in the hands of someone smaller than size 5, these Ranks are cumulative. The base Strike Chance is 53% and the base Damage is 2 rollup D10. It may inflict A & B Class injuries. A Specific Grievous injury is inflicted on 10% of the modified Strike Chance, and a blow directly to Endurance is scored on 20%. It may not be used to Entangle, but an attempt may be made to Trip if the result is a blow directly to Endurance or better. In addition, 4 is subtracted from the die roll result of the Strike Check.
Things, including the ground, in an area 65 feet in diameter centred on the wielder, are always 6 degrees C colder than the air. This makes it possible to see terrain features even with racial infravision.
Three times a day, resetting at dawn, the wielder may use a Free Act to travel down the rope to the harpoon, and this does not count against their movement or TMR.
A fetish made from the brush of a snow fox is attached to the harpoon , and is a spell rack. It contains these incantations:
Ice Creation - Frictionless Floor Range: 20 feet + 10 / Rank Duration: 15 seconds + 5 / Rank Resist: None Target: Area Effects: Up to 10 (+ 5 / Rank) square feet of contiguous surface is covered in nearly frictionless wet ice. Footing becomes treacherous, and handholds non-existent.
Any entity attempting to move on the surface must make a 1 x AG check each Pulse or fall prone. If they fall, a successful AG check is required to regain their feet; and while prone, they will continue in the direction of their last movement until they clear the icy surface.
This spell may be cast underneath entities. Cost: 750 Experience. Constraints: Unracks the spell, reduces FT by 1
This incantation may not be taught.
Ice Armour - Shield of Frost and Snow Range: Self Duration: 1 hour + 1/2 hour / Rank Resist: None Target: Entity Effects: The magic will cover the Adept's body or armour with frost and snow, adding 2% (+ 3 per two full Ranks) to their defence and Rank / 4 points to their Protection value . The armour will absorb Rank fire damage per Pulse, resetting at the beginning of each Pulse. This is counted after all appropriate damage reductions are applied. If the Rank is greater than 10 but less than 20, any Grievous Blow will dissipate the frost and snow but, in that case, the Specific Grievous injury will not be applied to the Adept. If the Rank is 20 or higher, it will take two Specific Grievous injuries to dissipate the frost and snow but, similarly, neither of them will be applied to the Adept. Cost: 500 Experience. Constraints: Unracks the spell, reduces FT by 1
This incantation may not be taught.
Breaking Out
A large dark eye with a vertical pupil appears in the room and starts throwing Celestial magic at us.
Bishop haunts the controls and messes with the ship.
Mind-Flayer reinforcements get in, we eventually destroy the last Mummy and start our exit.
Word of Recall is blocked by the ship's shields. We start back the way we came in, leaving as much devastation behind us as we can to slow the Mind-Flayers.
Eventually getting to the exit tube we see an army of aliens and Mind-Flayers awaiting our exit.
Killing the Mind-Flayers below so there are no direct witnesses, we send a shadowy-distraction out sideways, create a hidden zone to exit to, step out beyond the shielding then recall to our camp within the asteroid about 1 mile from the ship.
Falling
Patching up the worst damage we descend through the floors to the outermost level of the star. Along the way we see the armaments on the asteroid are being changed to large crystal lances and a guarded 8' sphere of annihilation. We also find the components of an enormous ward placed thousands of years ago to exclude Corner Dogs.
Scouting 40 miles away from the ship then around at that distance for half a day, we find no sign of any other exits from the star.
Ascending to about 1/3rd of the way up the ship we protect ourselves then sneak up to the ship and jump off the edge.
Free-falling we pass the guards before they can react and make it out. Unfortunately we are falling into the hole through the moon, Bower and Bishop who are falling as rain are unable to change their course.
Into the hole and down, for a long time... about 1,000 miles down on the Westover side then 1,000 miles up on the Assyria side, gradually slowing.
We pass the wreckage of a great device at one point, it was an elevator for traversing the tunnel.
We calculate the point when we will be slowest and create ice for the rain to fall on then leap for the sides of the tunnel.
Sitting on the side about 800 miles below the void of Assyria's surface we contemplate options.
Yuko considers the history of inscribed runes and sees it was once created as a weapon to lase a light and dark dragon then then fire the result at Feralie.
Then we detect the asteroid ship entering the Westover end of the tunnel and Devils start winking in (each missing an eye) to attack - Seir.
Setting up temporary defences, Bower opens a portal to Westover, we all make it through.
The owner (Brass) of a conveniently nearby house is not in residence and his staff refuse us entrance to use the astral gate.
So we make for the temples of the moon, a while later we see a huge explosion (probably pentavalent nitrogen) back where our portal emerged.
Sneaking up to the nearest temple we make our way in and down to a basement level where there is a shrine.
Approaching the shrine with magic in effect triggers the creation of a portal to the temple of the new moon on Sparlainth.
The most powerful magic in effect at the time was on Anooke, placed there by a trickster god whose attention some of us drew.
As we go through a large dark serpent goes through the portal in the opposite direction.
I manage to charm it and try to talk it back but its binding to complete a mission is too strong.
Roses
Outside the temple we are in a field of boulders a long way from anywhere we need to be.
We create a hearth, Yuko blesses it then enters the astral to head to the City of Roses. Once there she opens a portal to bring us through.
A local Tower Corp branch gets us to Feralie where we report all to Judecca and spend a week recovering.
He mentions Serpent's house under the world span mountains and that Seir is part of a cabal with 4 other fallen angels to bring on the coming certainty.
While there we received word that the Lord Serpents was laying siege to the Lord of Dragons on Westover, presumably intending to devour him to regain control of Dragons.
Sunday 23rd Breeze
Through the astral to the Abyss we scatter roses from the Lord of Rings to attract the attention of Lady Faversham.
She soon arrives in her carriage, we tell her of the asteroid ship traversing the Abyss, the chaos wind and demon remnants in its wake, the siege on Westover and we ask to meet with her guest, the Lord of Patterns. She acquiesces and invites us aboard her carriage (which is significantly larger on the inside) to travel to her home.
There we brief Serafin, point out this means that Serpents is no longer in London and as expected he invites us to assist him in re-taking his home.
The gracious lady sends her carriage to take us all to the chaos mill near the Prince of Demon's house.
There Serafin creates a pattern to take us to London, Victoria.
We arrive in the Limehouse district, Serafin departs to make contact with Intrigue's agents, we catch a hansom cab to the rope-makers yard at docks.
There while finding and approaching the entrance to the Warrens, we are attacked by the Dark Hunt. We drive him into retreat and then burn him out of the mists, capturing his foul heart.
A Zoo Trip
Entering the Warrens, we take a room at an Inn where Yuko sends a cat familiar to seek out Scratch, the Lord of Cats.
It returns with a message, setting a meeting time in the morning.
We rest, eat, acquire fish and prepare a meal.
Moonday 24th Breeze
At the meeting we present Scratch with Yuko's sashimi, tell him of Serpents current movements and ask if he can help us seek the Great Panther.
He tells us that The Panther is on Perfidious Albion and suggests if we were to approach we could end up being a snack.
We discuss plans, he suggests it would be better to take it to Feralie as its fate is to devour Set when he is the World Serpent.
Scratch volunteers to seek the Panther and bring it through the Serpentine on P. Albion to Hyde park, we'll need to be waiting to keep the basilisks off it while in transit to the Warrens.
From there we can take it to Assyria then through to Feralie.
He'll need about 2 weeks.
Snow Leopard Transformation
Anooke has received a transformation from the Lord of Cats into a Snow Leopard once a day as a Pass Action.
Snow Leopard
Natural Habitat
Highlands, Jungle, High Plains, Waste, Mountains
Description
This snow leopard has white and palest brown fur with dark brown spots which, on its flanks, have grown into large rosettes. He weighs 165 lbs pounds, his body is 1.5 metres long and his tail is an additional metre. They show no preference to hunting by day or night.
Comments
The depth of his coat is 4 or 5 inches long and is worth 1,000sp to 3,000sp depending on the season. It improves the gauge for the leopard by 2. His base Stealth is 96%.
Abilities
He has the ability to climb trees, rocky outcrops, rough terrain and mountains with ease. Once a day, resetting at 3 in the afternoon if it lazes in the sun from noon, as a Free Act, he may change his composition to snow. In this form he weighs 33 lbs and falls no faster than 30 hexes per Pulse. This cost 1 FT, doubling each hour.
Movement Rates
Running: 400; Climbing: 200
PS:
24
MD:
26
AG:
24
MA:
Anooke's
EN:
20
FT:
20
WP:
Anooke's
PC:
Anooke's
PB:
12
TMR:
8/4
NA:
Fur absorbs 3 DP
Weapons
Snow leopards may use one bite or two fore claws in Melee Combat, or one bite and four claws in Close Combat. If the bite and at least one fore claw is successful (even if no damage is done) in Close Combat, then instead of two hind claw attacks, a Rake may be attempted. Snow leopards will attempt to Close.
Bite: BC 50%, [D + 3], Melee & Close, Rank 0 - 5.
Claws: BC 60%, [D + 2], Melee & Close, Rank 1-6.
Rake: BC 60%, [2 rollup D10 + 6], Close, Rank is the same as Claws.
We return to London and make our way to Baker Street where we discretely enter the Lord of Patterns run-down house.
He is happy with the plan so we wait with him for two weeks while he repairs his Orrery.
Moonday 7th Fruit (Autumn)
Using astrology and foresight we determine when the Panther is due to arrive and begin our assault on Serpent's Astral gate a couple of hours prior.
We search the Serpentine in Hyde Park but find no sign. Astrology indicates it is in Regent's Park, in the Reptile House of the Zoo.
Quickly and unremarkably walking over we take our child to the Zoo and break into the keeps entrance to the reptile house.
Making our way through the sheds and pens we enter the 'Anaconda Exhibit' where the resident a giant serpent construct attacks, we realise its maw is the astral gate.
A tough fight, eventually won then 10 minutes of carefully deconstructing the snake and destroying the gate.
The we exit back the way we came.
session 11 (7th Mar)
engagement in Albion Street. Battle with Basilisk and companion
Falling
Experience Multiple: 50
Rahne has learnt Falling, which is a Discipline. It may only be raised once per Season, requiring no training time, but there is no maximum Rank. If Rahne successfully Breaks 100 => 2 x AG, then she reduces the distance she has fallen by 20 feet (+1 foot per Rank).
Session 12 (14th Mar)
continued engagement in Albion Street, inc Lord of Clocks (dead - exploded), beating off the Medeanite sorceress (and attendant spirits or frog, hawk and weasel?) , feathered serpent down. Fun with Machine Gun. The Panther arrives and starts down oxford st with a hydra rising from the serpentine and following via gutters.
Can advance appreciation of beauty to 30 due to appreciating Beauty: Tsayoi, Rahne, ?
Deck Items
Tsayoi: Ring of Fire resistance; Spear +1
Rahne: Candle +2 ranks to all magic, 12 hours; Scimitar +10% +2 (60% D+5)
Deck Wishes x 4 for all.
Tsayoi: Healing (done), Fire Gate (done), a second ranger speciality, dissipation (done)
Rahne: Katana +1 rank; Self Healing; Always appear dressed in appropriate style; Ench Armour on self, CS attacks 1/3rks
Deck Gems
Rahne: 2 x Deep Blue Sapphires 25k each (one now contains 5 power from Chaos Wind), Star Sapphire 5k, Red Diamond 3,250, Moon Stone 2,500, Green Crysoberyl 1,000 (+ 1 power from Chaos Wind), Deep Green Jade Scale 1,000, Dazzling Star Rose Quartz 500, Deep Blue Spinnel 500.
