Date At Start Of Game: 05/25/206

[Author’s Note: This is the log for the 4th session. Note that the order of the events in this record may not be in the exact order that they occurred during play.]

Rock Ridge

The PC leave Shatter’s Peak hot on the trail of the mysterious Narduhl. The stick leads the PC into the Mountains Of Lament several days to the northeast. The Mountains Of Lament were formally called the Mountains Of Lamankar after a mountain guide who discovered a very important pass. During the Spirit War the pass was the site of many battles due to its strategic nature. At one particularly bloddy battle a spirit mage casted a spell that made the mountains swollow the opposing army. Although the spell worked the spirits in the region were angered by the cries of the dying soldiers and now wail through the desolate mountain range in protest.

The PC reach the base of the mountain pass at dusk. At the base is a tiny fort ringed by sharpened pine trees. While watching the fort the PC see several scouting parties returning. As the fort looks friendly the PC approach. The gatekeeper is a massive Bear Kin dressed in leather fringe called Marley. Marley heartily welcomes the PC and asks that they rest their gear with his returning scouting parties. After closing the gate he questions the PC. The PC learn that fort is known as Rock Ridge. The residents are locals trying to rebuild after the war. The PC are surprised when Marley recognizes Oren as being in the military and asks the party to leave at first light. Several of the PC respond with their quest to find a pale skinned figure in black that might have come through this way recently. Marley tells the PC to stay as his men report on their daily findings then to ask the entire group at the end.

As Marley prompts the men they begin to report their findings. Their reports center on movement of what they call “Bellies”. Bellies are local Lizard Kin that inhabit the region. These small creatures have tan scales with lighter underbellies. Typically these Bellies are not a problem as they are unorganized, unequiped, and not very bright. Recently things have changed. They are conducting organized raids, have strange armor made of beetles, and have some type of oil weapon that leaves serious burn holes. Two of the scouts report that two of their members have gone missing. The PC learn that a total of 6 men have gone missing over the last month. The two scouts found what appeared to be a battle where the others had been scouting but that they could not find them. Po then briefs the men on the object of their quest. He gives a detailed description, mentions that he has caused many deaths, and then asks the men to let them help as the Bellies might be aligned with the man that they are hunting. Finally he tells the scounts of Rock Ridge his name (aka Narduhl) and several of the men are shocked. Marley says that Narduhl is dead. The PC disagree and Marley says they must speak with their local shaman, Iocane, about the matter.

Iocane is a Mole Kin shaman who provides healing and guidance to the camp. He seems very wise and is not surprised when the PC say that Narduhl is the object of their journey into the Mountains Of Lament. Iocane says that Narduhl worked with him delivering messages between General Buck and himself. Narduhl was a very private man but seemed quite peaceful. After the war Narduhl returned to Rock Ridge wanting to help rebuild. The people of the community did not welcome Narduhl and associated him with the destruction of their land and homes. Their wounds were raw and deep. They stoned Narduhl and threw him out of the keep for dead. Iocane went to check the body the next day but could not find him. He has not told anyone that Narduhl’s body was not found. Iocane also says that Narduhl uses insect spells and can somehow travel undetected even through hostile terrain. Narduhl was a critical messenger during the war. With that the PC speak among themselves about the situation. Oren reasons out that Narduhl could have known about the acorn by reading General Buck’s journal before it was sealed away in the chest. Convinced that the PC are noble Iocane gives Po a healing potion that may help in their quest to find Narduhl.

Exploring The Mountains Of Lament

The next morning the PC venture into the mountains with two guides. They first want to check the battle site where two of the men were lost. They find a tipped over cart and two ashen gray humanoids who are pulling at a body that is trapped under the cart. The creatures are unliving creatures which Po describes as ghouls. Once destroyed by the PC the site is searched. The cart appears to be from a previous raid by Bellies. The body under the cart is that of a merchant. The ghouls are two of the men missing from Rock Ridge. Inside the corpse of the men Po finds a piece of black obsiden that looks like a rude bat or bird carving. Hanging from one side is a piece of leather and some raven feathers. Po takes the trinkets which he feels are part of the spell which was used to cage spirits inside the dead men. After examining the site the PC follow tracks of the Bellies and ghouls back up the mountain. Their guides return to Rock Ridge.

Exploring The Bellies Cave Complex

After searching around the PC find two seams in the rocks which lead into a complex cave structure. The caves are the current home of the Bellies. At this point Bilby sneaks into the cave complex to look around. (Cillian also looks through the walls and sees several light sources and movement but does not inform the party.) There are guards at the entrances with clubs that have glowings red bags that seems to pulse red. They are dressed in cockraoch armor. Behind them is a huge natural cavern with houses raised on stilts. Bilby also finds what appears to be a chieftan in a back room. He has a large two sided club, a fuller set of armor, and a strange silver helm with a large feather that appears like something a knight would wear. In another room near the back of the caverns Bilby overheards a small group of Bellies that appear to be working on potions. Infrequently he hears voices speaking in Ape Man with directions. He guesses it might be Narduhl and Belly shamans. Bilby also finds a pen full of large insects that include beetles with red glowing abdomens. One room contains pit cells that have what appear to be one of the scounts from Rock Ridge that was taken earlier. After a full search Bilby emerges and reports everything to the group. He guesses that there around 15 males and roughly 10 to 15 females and children.

Now what!?!

Date At End Of Game: 06/01/206

[The events in the session may not have taken place in exactly the order that is presented in this log. For those that attended the session please note that I clarified some plot points in the last section. See the italicized text for the clarifications.]

The Head Of Morrigan

Ms. Beatrice Cayce

David Webster gathers the Chicago team telling them that there is an urgent issue in the London office that needs their attention. The London office is on assignment and needs their chapterhouse director needs help. He informs them that they should pack a bag immediately as a private jet is waiting at the airport and will be leaving as soon as they arrive. The London chapterhouse director is their contact. Her name is Beatrice Cayce. With that he leaves the room telling the PC that they should, ?tell the old bat he said hello.? Several PC have heard the name ?Cayce?. Vic knows of an Edgar Cayce that was a renowned psychic healer, clairvoyant, and Atlantis scholar.

After landing at Heathrow the plane taxis to a small private hanger. As the PC disembark they meet an older woman in a wheelchair. She has gray frazzled hair, John Lennon blacked out glasses, and a very old looking cotton dress. Vic notes that her feet are swelled as if she has not walked in a long time. She is also blind. Standing behind the woman is a large black man. He is wearing a black suit with a white unbuttoned shirt and a gold chain. The woman introduces herself as Beatrice case and her associate as Macimbe. After greeting the PC she ushers them into a waiting black Suburban. In a very business like manner she proceeds to describe the situation. The PC ask questions along the way.

She is currently funding a dig in northern England at the standing stones in Asbury. This dig is looking for an ancient druidical object known as the Head Of Morrigan. This artifact is said to, ?protect English green from harm.? Beatrice explains that her team is in Mongolia working on some frozen mummies that have started moving around so she asked David for assistance. The reason she has contacted the Chicago team with such urgency is that she ?sensed something nefarious? at the site. When asked to explain she says that she can sometimes sense when mystical ?events? will occur in the future. These ?visions? are vague and more colors and shapes. They happen when she is at rest or calm. On questioning from the PC she says that her late husband on his deathbed told her that she would have ?clarity in vision?. At that point she started having these visions but also became blind.

Beatrice explains that their contact is a Doctor Kennocha Douglas. She is an archaeologist and expert on the region. They should ask her details on the dig.

If I Knew You Were Coming?

After collecting some new gear and coming up with some cover stories the PC meeting Kennocha Douglas. She is a young woman with sharp features and a tomboy attitude. At first she is a bit annoyed that supposed ?experts? are being sent to the site she quickly warms up to the PC. Everything is loaded into a Range Rover and the PC head to the site. It is about 30 minutes out of a small village called St Albans in northing England. While travelling to the site Kennocha explains the dig and some history of the druids. The Head Of Morrigan is a druidical objects of great power and danger. Ancient writings tell stories of how early druids used the object to defend itself against Roman invaders. Supposedly using the object called a giant creature, The Morrigan (aka ?the destroyer?), from the cliffs of England. Nobody knows how much of this is myth. When prompted she explains that writing on a site near Kent have led them to Asbury Ring. The strange thing is that these writings are relatively new. They were dated to roughly the 1920’s. She also says that the dig recently uncovered the remains of five figures that has given them a lot of hope that they are getting close to finding the Head. When Vic starts prompting for details Kennocha tells him that he needs to speak with Doctor Kelemen who is the expert in that area.

Rik knows quite a lot about the Asbury Ring. In fact he has a journal from his father that describes a trip he took to the standing stone circle. According to Rik’s father’s journal the site is a convergence of several ley lines. They lines make the site a magically potent place for the right types of magic. Rik’s father also mentions meeting druids at the site in the 1920’s when he visited. Surprisingly the journal does not describes the head or bodies of any type. This seems strange to Rik who has found his father to be quite detailed in his notes.

While travelling from St Alban’s to the site a tree explodes in front and behind the Range Rover! With a crash the Range Rover plows into the lead tree. From the sides of the car several young thugs armed with baseball bats and knives are approaching. Rik jumps out of the car with his katana flashing! He immediately cuts into two of the thugs who decide running is a safer alternative to trying to fight this guy. Jas starts disarming the men as they approach the car. Vic tries to fend off two of the men but has some trouble. Merritt stays in the car but uses his mental powers to brain fry one thug and mind control another. After mind controlling one thug he starts telepathy. Apparently the thugs have been hired to scare Kennocha and kidnap her if possible. The thug has a vision of a dark haired man with a small scar on his face that hired them and gave them dynamite for the trees. With that the PC take the thug so that he can be turned over to the authorities.

Go To The Head Of The Dig

With that the PC arrive at the dig site. They are met by the dig director, Doctor Davin Rydge. Rydge is a kindly older gentlemen in his mid 50’s with a wide smile and portly stature. He shows the PC the dig site and introduces them to the crew of about 10 men. Leading the men in their current efforts is Doctor Cecil Kelemen. Kelemen is a short blond haired man with a determined attitude. When he meets the PC he openly tells Rydge that he is not happy having people traipse all over the site. Vic speaks with Rydge about the site while the other look around. Rik uses his father’s notes to examine the site. The place Is flooded with powerful ley line. Jas seems strangely at peace in the place. When she nears where the men are currently digging she feels a strong sense of calm?almost to the point of being a sedative. Vic finds the remains of the bodies and examines them closely with Doctor Kelemen. There are two women, two men, and what appears to be a child skeleton. On closer examination Vic finds that several of the child bones are wrong. The skull is slight extended, the fingers are longer, and the legs are slights too long. Vic feels that these are the bones of mystical creature, guessing a fey of some type, based on the location. Rik confirms that the bones are magic. He does not tell this to Doctor Kelemen but the two discuss the child bones and the differences. It is apparent that Doctor Kelemen is quite intelligent and an excellent forensic specialist.

Turning Up The Heat

After some discussion on the situation the PC decide it best to head back to St Albans to look for the man with the scar and to get something to eat and drink. Doctor Rydge asks to join them. The PC head to the only pub in the small village called the Ploughman’s Peril. During dinner Doctor Rydge has to go to the bathroom. On the way back the bartender stops his and hands him a note. The Doctor reads the note and seems quite agitated. He approaches the PC and tells them that he immediately needs to go to a small bookshop in town called the Oaken Attic. With that the PC they leave the restaurant with Doctor Rydge. He pulls out the note to start describing the situation when Vic notices that he is sweating profusely?too much to be from anxiety. With that the doctor stumbles and starts to fall forward! Jas and Vic edge him to the ground as Vic grabs his medical bag. Vic immediately recognize signs that the man has been poisoned! Rik also immediately notes that the slip of paper is actually radiating magic! With that Jas shakes Doctor Rydge’s hand to release the note. Rik uses a wind spell to carefully lift the note. It says, ?You’ve found the head. We must talk. Caitlin.? Rik senses that the note is some type of enhancement magic that is accelerating the effects of the poison. Vic stabilizes Doctor Rydge with his pseudo-magic medicine then Merritt decides to go back into the bar to ?speak? with the bartender. Vic also discovers that the poison is a highly scientific type that is pretty sophisticated. This is not a natural poison that might be found in nature.

When Merritt enters the bar he does not see the bartender. Instead he notices a worried waitress who appears to be looking for the bartender. After going into a back room she comes out white. She picks up a phone and looks distraught. Merritt runs over to the room and finds the bartender face down in a pool of a blood. A knife wound is in his back. Quickly Merritt mentally called for Vic who rushes in to stabilize the bartender. Vic notices that the knife wound is quite strange. It is a square shaped blade, akin to a rotisserie skewer, with four other lesser stab wounds in a pattern around the main wound. Vic thinks it looks like a hand with the index finger being longer.

With that the group heads to the Oaken Attic to speak with Caitlin. After knocking on the door it is answered by a young red haired woman with freckles. She is wearing a sweater and jeans. After confirming that she is Caitlin she says that she did not send a note to Doctor Rydge. After questioning her for a bit a man appears behind her who also has red hair. They look like they could be twins. The man is Caitlin’s brother, Connor. Eventually the pair decide to trust the PC and let them enter the shop. The two claim to know Doctor Rydge and Caitlin blurts out that they did not want them digging at the site but they would not stoop to hurting anyone. Connor says that the head is dangerous and that the digging must stop. After looking in the journal of his father and asking the pair a question, Rik discovers that his father met a relative of the twins who his father guessed was a druid. With that Rik bluntly asks the two if they are druids. They admit that they are druids and take the PC to a secret room in their house that has old documents about the site. The documents show a hand drawn picture of a skull floating in the air with beams of what appear to be light coming out of the eyes. On the center of the head is a druidical symbol of the letter ?M?.

After a bit of conversation with the twins Rik and Vic smell smoke! When Rik looks at the main room he sees magical flames licking up the window and door! The building is one fire! Quickly the twins and Jas gather up the documents. Rik dispels the flames in one area then on the fly converts his flame spell into an ice spell and dowses the flames. As soon as they die down the group climbs out of the window to safety. Once outside Rik examines the source of the fire which appears to be gasoline that has been magically accelerated. Quickly Merritt does a mental scan and finds the man with the scar nearby. The group heads over to find the man in a truck parked nearby. The PC interrogate the men asking them about the poison, fire, and attack on the road. The men say that they were hired to find some people to rough up a woman who would be in a car going down the dirt road to the site. They were given money and dynamite for the trees. With that Merritt probes his mind. In the youth’s mind he replays the meeting with the person who hired him. The scene reveals that Doctor Kelemen is the one who paid them.

With that the PC return to the bar where they find that the bartender has awakened. When asked about the note he says that he does not know what the PC are talking about. He remembers a man with blond hair coming into the bar and asking him if there was somewhere private that they could talk. After taking the man into the back room he stabs him in the back! With that news the PC head back towards the dig site with the twins in tow. On the way they discuss the situation. At this point they know Kelemen is bad but they are not sure about Kennocha.

Power Play

As the PC approach the dig site in the Range Rover the clouds are swirling in a supernatural fashion. When they reach the site they see Doctor Kelemen standing bare-chested in the center of the ring of standing stone. His skin glistens as if it is metallic and mystical energy jumps off of his body. In his hands he is holding the Head Of Morrigan. The head is arcing lightning bolts across the standing stones. The Head Of Morrigan is a crystal skull roughly the size of a basketball. Off to one side is Kennocha who is apparently taking in the scene. Kelemen appears to be casting a spell on the artifact that is increasing it’s power! Rik immediately recognizes it as the same spell that was cast on the poison and the gasoline. Jas jams on the gas in an attempt to run over Kelemen with the Land Rover! As the car approaches Vic takes a shot at the skull but is surprised when a blast of magic meets the bullet midair slowing it down. Kelemen seems outraged at the act of damaging the priceless artifact. From the skull bolts of lightning arc out striking the car causing it to smoke and slip! Merritt reaches out with his mind to attack Kelemen. To his surprise he finds that there are SIX minds inside Kelemen’s head. He guesses it must be some kind of magical mental protection spell and attacks one of the minds. Rik casts his fly spell and leaves the car to confront Kennocha. Kennocha casts a spell that summons strange elemental beings made of earth and grass to form in front of the car. They are huge hulking figures with trees or sharpened roots for arms! After casting the spell she yells to the PC to stop trying disrupt Kelemen for they do not understand what he is doing. Two earth creatures bash the car into bits sending it into a crash on its side! Merritt decides to use his mind scan to figure out which one of the minds belongs to the active Kelemen. Vic gets out and disarms the Head Of Morrigan from Kelemen who has jumped behind a standing stone to avoid the Range Rover. Rik takes down Kennocha with some quick work from his katana. When Kennocha falls the earth creatures seem enraged! Rik then entangles Kelemen. Kelemen forms his index finger into a spike like that that stabbed the bartender and attempts to cut his way out. He does not make it out of the entangle. Vic then picks up the skull and with a heroic effort impales the head on the spiked finger of Doctor Kelemen! The artifact then surges with energy as if it is going to explode! Rik warns the PC that they better get out of the way. Jas leaps out of the car near one of the earth creatures. Strangely the creature goes down on one knee and bows its head! Jas order it to run the dashes over to Vic and tackles him behind one of the standing stones. A huge magical explosion rings! In the blinding release of energy Kelemen screams at the PC, ?Damn you Darkwalkers!? His skin peals back then his bones and finally nothing. Rik sees the magical energy from the skull dart into the ground where it was destroyed.

When things cool down Jas asks the earth defenders to cover the entire dig site so that it can be restored to its initial state. The creatures nod in reverence then move to their work. Vic watches the earth creatures but secretly grabs a piece of the small skeleton for later experimentation. When Kennocha awakens she seems groggy. On her chest Rik finds a necklace with a hierarchy symbol and removes it. This seems to mentally clear her up. Kennocha explains that Doctor Kelemen said he was from an organization known as the Hierarchy that defends the world from evil. Kelemen then explained to her that he needs to get the Head Of Morrigan to defend England from an opposing force of evildoers known as the Darkwalkers. When Kennocha went to pick up the PC Kelemen warned her that they could be Darkwalkers. The PC explain the situation to Kennocha and tell her that they are Dalkwalkers but that they are not evil and that Kelemen lied to her. The PC decide to leave the site in the protection of Kennocha and the twins.

Finally Rik searches Doctor Kelemen’s belongings. In his things Rik finds a journal full of notes. Some of these notes are written in arcane. The rest of the notes are in German. They detail an enchantment spell that fuels the effects of objects and a spell that will allow Kelemen to disguise himself for short durations by painfully altering his skin. In his journal Kelemen also references mystical work by his great grandfather Heinrich Himmler! At the back of the journal is a Nazi iron cross medal that Rik detects as magic. Rik pockets the journal and medal then disposes of the rest.

The PC then return to the London chapterhouse where they debrief with Ms Cayce. She listens intently and asks questions along the way. She tells the PC she is pleased. Vic offers to look into her paralysis as he has mystical abilities in the area. Beatrice agrees that he can evaluate her condition. After a day of rest the PC return to Chicago.

Date At Start Of Game: 05/24/206

[Author’s Note: This session log is for the 3rd session. Note that the order of the events in this record may not be in the exact order that they occurred.]

Investigating The Forest Keep (Continued)

After some discussion the PC decide that their primary goal is to rescue Perry. To this end they decide to wait until dark then have Oren tunnel under the keep wall directly into the cellar where Perry was deposited. At the clearing tree line Kanga and Bishop are waiting. The other PC are following Oren into the mouth of the tunnel. When Oren breaks into the room he hears the sound of rushing water which is essentially muffling the sound of his digging. He quickly grabs Perry and returns to Po. Po saves the young Raccoon Kin from bleeding to death with a couple of quick healing spells.

Once Perry wakes up he is questioned by the party. After a stern lecture from Oren he admits to being hired by the bandits to steal the map from Kai, the Squirrel Kin mapmaker. According to Perry he was promised 75 sp for the job. When he delivered the map he saw a strange man with the bandits. This man was wearing a black hooded cloak, had pale white skin, and black eyes without pupils. Perry does not know what type of kin he was but he sure looked strange. The pale stranger and Frazz, the Vulture Kin bandit leader, went into the stone cellar. Several minutes later they emerged. The stranger looked happy and paid Frazz with a bag full of silver! The stranger then left?and the bandits promptly decided not to pay Perry. They then tied him up and dropped him into the cellar.

This prompts the PC to return to the cellar to give it a better look. This time Oren leads the way for Bilby, Cillian, and Po. Kanga and Bishop decide to stay at the tree line with Perry. When he breaks into the room this time Oren puts a blanket over the well portal while Cillian lights a torch. The PC find the room wet and decayed. Po spies tracks in one area so Cillian searches the area carefully. After a thorough search he does not find anything. Guessing there is something in the area Oren digs through the floor which is only packed earth and finds a gap on the other side. He widens the hole enough that Bilby can squeeze into the chamber. That allows Cillian to see a latch for the door. It opens a low portal into a natural cavern.

The PC enter this secret area and close the door. In the small chamber they see a vein of black rock that looks unusual and a loud rushing underground creek. Several of the PC take some samples of the rock. On the other side of the creek Po finds a small open chest. Inside the box is greased and two oak leaves, which are bright green, are protruding. He takes the box to Oren to carry it out. On the way out the PC hear people in the secret room. Someone has discovered their tunnel. Kanga, Bishop, and Perry see the bandits around the tunnel mouth and decide to run as they are vastly outnumbered.

After waiting a while in the secret room Cillian ?hears? Frazz and his Bear Kin aide approaching the secret door. Quickly the PC fan out to jump them. They let the two bandits enter the room then Bilby closes the secret door and Oren clubs Frazz. Frazz drops with one good slam to the stomach! Po casts his curse on the Bear Kin rolling the max effect. At the same time Cillian jumps out behind him, holds his sword to his back, and tell him to give up or he will kill him. The weary Bear Kin drops his mace and the PC tie them up.

With that the PC leave the forest keep with Frazz in tow. In the wood later that night they question the bandit leader. After some initial hesitation Oren cows the Vulture Kin into telling them about the stranger. Frazz says that the stranger, whose name is Narduhl, approached the keep to speak with them. They tried to attack him but gave up when he used a spell to call forth a giant worm that killed three of his men. Narduhl examined the keep carefully but found nothing. Earlier that week one of Frazz’s men found a map to the keep under a floorboard. He told this to Narduhl. Narduhl asked Frazz to acquire the map for him. Frazz hired Perry to steal the map. When Perry returned with the map Narduhl was excited. He found the secret door and the chest. He pocketed something then left with Frazz. He paid them handsomely for their troubles. Frazz does not know where the man was headed.

On Frazz the PC find 75 sp plus a burnt wooden tiki idol of a strange worm. Bishop detects that the idol is a summoning spell that call a shadow worm. During the process he also detects the Cillian radiates with spiritual energy! When Bishop mentions that Cillian is a mage he denies it. Finally Bishop checks the black rock found in the cave. The rock absorbs his detection entirely. Bishop runs a quick experiment with the idol and discovers that it blocks spiritual magic. Cillian then decided to check the chest more carefully. Inside he finds a hidden compartment with a journal. The journal has a burned mark in the shape of deer antlers over a crescent moon. Oren knows this as the mark of General Cornelius Buck. Buck was a very famous Spirit War leader. The journal is filled mostly with military figures but during the end if the following entry:

Year Of The Horned Owl, New Moon

My current spymaster has brought me a package from the druids. The package is an acorn from the once great tree, Great Oak. As Great Oak is now deceased its safety is critical. It is of such importance that I must handle its protection myself. I have received a report that the Azure Woods keep commander has found a strange natural cave that absorbs spiritual energy. It should be able to shield the acorn from magical detection until the war is over. After the war I will recover the acorn personally.

At this point the PC deliver Frazz and Perry to Lomas in Shatter’s Peak. Oren confronts Perry about his father. He tells the young Raccoon Kin that he must buck up and work off his debts with Lomas. Perry would not have to return home if he works it out with Lomas. With that Po uses the branch and detects a strong current from the northeast. It is moving quickly towards the mountains?The Mountains Of Lament?

Date At End Of Game: 05/25/206