Chapter: The End of an Era

Cast: Aegir of the Enæidùn, Mandan Bansl, Gryff Galan, Percival O'Conner, Velimir Tito, Yolander van Zaar, and Toadface. Many NPC's also played a part.

The following takes place between 6 and 21 Undecium, YE 1022.

After the Pius Cabal returned from the Void, having killed Dr. Mörbius, they came to realize that unless the schemes of the Queen of Stars were stopped, all they had done would be for naught. No amount of lesser victories would stem the tide. Evil would triumph, and the fate of mankind would be sealed. But how do you go up against an ancient goddess?

Chapter: Moonwalk

Cast: The entire Pius Cabal. Also, as NPC's: Illandra of the Rubayan, Master Ludenius and Onkel Smit.

The following takes place between 10 and 14 Decanum, YE 1022.

After discussing the imminent assault on the OUT's moon-base, the war-council agrees that more intelligence is needed; Toadface promptly volunteers himself, Bansl and Dr. Drake for this job, Tito expands expands his maps, Aegir enters the slave-business, and Galan stares at the moon.

Chapter: Council of War

Cast: The entire Pius Cabal, as well as several important NPCs.


The following takes place between 7 Decanum and 10 Decanum, YE 1022.


Following the victorious Battle of the Blight, most of the cabal gathers in the Barony of Geistwald for some gardening, while Gryff heads North to be with his daughter and acquire some meese; thereafter the companions joyfully gather again, and several prominent personages are invited to attend a palaver in the Black Man's Mill.

Chapter summary: Into the Breach

This time I'll go for a slightly different approach, as 1) it's been a week and a half since we played, and 2) we did about 22 hours of gaming in two days. What follows is a not necessarily chronological, or even entirely accurate, account of the events.


Cast: The entire Pius Cabal, including the long lost Dr. Drake, a.k.a. Arkrash Mnarkl, a.k.a. Percival O'Conner.


The following takes place between 29 Novium and 7 Decanum, YE 1022.


After lengthy preparations, the cabal mounts an attack on the heart of the zombie plague; they face the OUT in personal, if highly magical, combat, they make new alliances, acquire new resources, are faced with problems of far reaching proportions, and Bansl wrecks a bakery.

the last chapter

Present for this chapter were Bansl, the bombman, Percival, the warlock, and for the last half, Galan, the captain.

Throughout this chapter, the good ship Pius lay in the harbour of Borgen on the island of Cora. After having decided to go to war (last last chapter), the magicians set out to prepare themselves for battle.

Master Bansl spent much of his time in his (by now explosion-proofed) workshop on board. Here he cooked up powerful explosives and constructed devastating grenades. He also found time for some communing with his deity, the ever helpful Geminon.

While the rest of the ship was busy with refurbishing and planning the coming campaign, Master Percival, a.k.a. Drake, a.k.a. Arkrash M'narkl, etc. went about looking for a suitable Umbral entity to summon and bind. At one point he considered attempting to call forth the ghost of captain Armand. After some deliberation, he decided against it.

Here I must confess that I was hoping he would go for it. I am a cruel GM.

I also have to add that while he was debating what to do he came up with a wonderfully hare-brained plan: he wanted to create dopplegangers for the cabal, to be sent in to situations where death was certain. For this he needed a few people who were completely innocent and had no affiliation to any other party. That, or he could use corpses. He has a Humanity of 3*.

When it was pointed out that this sounded awfully like virgin sacrifice, he suggested using slaves or something instead. Or corpses. This was not put into action.

He then turned to the Astral plane, and after some research ended up with the Corinthian, one of the Named Nightmares. The summoning circle was carved into the floor of his cabin, and the ritual was cast.

Percival's plan was to enslave... er... come to an agreement with a spirit so that he could have it kill whomever he wanted. After some negotiations with the Nightmare Demon, he ended up with asking it to provide the name of the king of the eastern barbarians. A price was not agreed on.

Master Galan ordered commander Spearhawk to see to all the practical issues, and called Tavi. The one-armed Hermetic Master shed some light on the Kengelian situation, and could also promise help. The help in question was to provide a corridor for the barbarian horde to pass through on its way to the open plains of Ruhani (that is the cabal's plan, at least so far). He could not send warcabals or aid in the war in any other way, save by providing councel.

Now the heroes went into action. Armed with the name of the king, Samil Raga, Master Galan wove a scrying spell. For a day they followed the warrior-king's moves, and when night fell the cabal moved.

Travelling through the Dreaming, they reached the Raga's tent. Here they called forth a nightmare and let it loose on the sleeping young king. Trapping him in sleep, they waited. After a time the woman sharing the bed of the barbarian stirred and put her arm around her lover. Not prepared to let their spells be interfered with, the magicians dragged her into the nightmare as well.

Now the Raga showed his quality. He fought his way through the horrible dream, and freed his woman. Upon waking, and seeing the king still in the clutches of the nightmare, she cried for help. Guards, shamans and witches quickly filled the tent, and the cabal withdrew.

On the second night, the same thing happened. The nightmare was summoned and set upon first him, then her. Again he freed her, and she summoned help.

This was repeated the third night, despite the primitive wards set up around the tent of the Raga. On the fourth night Master Galan brought the sleeper to a beautiful dream of the Ruhanian plains. Instead of embracing this new and alluring dream, Samil Raga called out a challenge to the demon who had been riding his dreams. Galan responded to this insolence by a terrible psychic assault that nearly split the king's head open, yet still he wouldn't yield.

On the fifth night, the magicians decided to show their might. Galan sought out three of the Raga's closest lieutenants and slew them in their sleep. Meanwhile, Percival made for the Raga's camp, intent on letting the Corinthian show the insolent barbarian the meaning of fear.

When the warlock approached the camp, he found that the wards had been vastly improved - a ring of watchfires blocked his way, and the skulls of countless oxen, drenched in human blood after a day of sacrifice, stared into the Umbra from tall poles. His familiar, the fox-spirit Valdvix, warned that the barbarians' gods were abroad in the night. The Master of Spirit tried to breach the wards, in vain. He did not return to the Pius.**

Despite the efforts of the Masters, the barbarians still remain outside their control.

* In the Book of Worlds, Humanity is used for all human characters. It functions both as the Humanity from the WoD book, and as a sort of sanity-score.

** Percy's player will not be back for a while, and the fate of the warlock will have to remain undecided until then.

[Picture source: The Permech Lounge]

The Journal of Captain Gryff Galan

Source: The Earl of Northampton's Regiment of Foot

We returned to Rederhafen. Bansl, still high on his Mastery, was eager to put out the fire, and took matters into his own hands, so to speak. Had he not been stopped he would have gone on to put the entire fire out himself.

To avoid chaos breaking out in the city, Verasius, Adeptus of the Ordo Hermetica, was given the task of taking control the remaining flames. Which he did.

The Tradesmaster was sent down to the Prince. His quarters thick with gloom when our man Drake came in with The Light of Life in his hand, giving air to the room and aid to the Prince.

Meanwhile, on deck was El Rey Mistario. A joyful sight, indeed. Though he was not as joyful himself. ”So, it has begun”, he said, staring into the flames. We greeted him, all except Yolander, who had been sent away by the emerging M’Narcl. ”You are back amongst us, at last!” ”It has been a long journey”, Mistario whispered. He is still frail.

Yolander, clear-sighted as he is, pointed out the significance of the death of Captain Armand of the Kraken. The Exarch does not produce strategically gifted brains. We took out his Number One.

I located Rowar II 7 miles south of Stafford, at Sander Bridge. And after Arkan (Arcrash getting his names confused), a tad impatient, had walked out, the rest of us quickly agreed on the course of action. I found the Royal Crown of Pendrell, Bansl apparated it out, and we travelled to the soon to be King by portal.

I was pleased to find someone trying to hinder our arrival. And even more pleased to learn that it was, as I suspected, the Argonauts, who had flocked around Rowar, the New Hope of Pendrell. There was Commander Sir Geoffrey Colomb, and 32 others. We also learned that all the Navicrons have fallen into enemy hands.

At The Crowning, The Prince Exalted spoke to The King. He has a truly fantastic presence, and speaks both sense and wisdom. ”A Crown can not be given”, he said. ”It must be taken”. He has really found his footing now, since he killed The White Stag. He will unite Man.

32 000 men on our side. 12 000 men, better equipped, are positioned to hold Sander Bridge. ”Where you cannot cross, you go around”. Not only will we cross, we will empower the Argonauts in doing so, by making them a part of The Crossing.

In The Ambush at Sander Bridge we lost 1700 men, and killed four times as many. Three thousand were captured, and three thousand fled. 8000 Repeating Rifles were won.

Valdvix, the Blue Fox, was so named by his Master.

And the King has Awakened. He was given a book I found in the library of the Blackfriars, The Mind of Man, as a parting gift.

What a day! We have crowned an Awakened King in Pendrell. The Parliament is surrounded. When it rains, it really pours.

---

Storyteller's note: This is The Captain's first post. He has been suckered agreed to do the write-ups of the weekly sessions. These posts reflect his views and experiences, and hopefully the other guys will speak up if their opinnions differ radically. I may add pictures, but apart from this note, I will only add my observations as comments.

The last chapter

In the previous chapter, not written, the Pius Cabal built a temple to Arkon outside Rederhafen. The reason was that by so doing, the Older God could work a miracle; the Host of Man, encircled on the Dark Continent, marched home through Arkon's Gate.


This chapter started with Banzel's Masterpiece. It involved building a grand machine, combining the ship's Navichron and the Dragonheart. The new contraption, Banzel's Apparatus, would then allow the Cabal to teleport the Pius, with all her crew.


As Banzel, Galan and van Zaar were hacking out the spesifics of the Masterpiece, Drake and the Prince went to visit the Host. Drake had decided that he needed a seal-breaker (some artifact designed to break metaphysical seals), and that the Draccian Wolf Lords of the Host would possess such an item.


Thus he came before Lord Vargas, the leader of the Wolf Lords, presenting his request, which was promptly denied. Lord Vargas quoted the previous handywork of the Worlock, and said that he did not deem it wise to aid in furthering that craft.


The Prince asked for Grey Knights to serve as weapons-masters in the martial college he was planning to build on his newly gazetted land. He had more luck than his compannion.


Afterwards the prince went to the newly constructed temple, Arkonshov, and found it quite busy.


Not only the Pendrellians of the Host, who knew the god as St Marcus, and had seen his might when the Gateposts were erected on Cora, but countless others as well, had come to worship. The Prince spent the remainder of the day at the temple, speaking to the masses about the divinity of man, and the futility of worship. He was treated like a saint come amongst mortals.


Drake, sickened by the spectacle, and feeling insulted by Lord Vargas, left the Host and walked back to the city. On his way there, he came to a bridge, and there he found a steady trickle of rats coming the other way. He snatched one up and spoke with it. At first the rat seemed reluctant, but after being duly threatened it revealed that all the rats were leaving Rederhafen due to something dark coming up from below. So adviced, the Warlock hurried back to the ship and informed the Cabal.


Van Zaar, the Adeptus of Time, looked into the future and saw pestilence, fire and death. He also saw demons walking the streets, and at the root of it all, he saw the Kraken, leaving the port three nights earlier. And then the Cabal despared. It took them a while to disbelieve the whole thing, and in the meantime Banzel completed his work; Banzel's Apparatus was finished, and Mandan Banzel could style himself Master of the Arcana of Matter.


Only when the Prince returned, well after dark, did the Cabal spring into action. First Drake went to the site where the temple of Gilgul, Gulathing, was under construction. He called for the Lord of Justice, and he appeared. After having heard the plea, Gilgul warned him of the cost of releasing the Hosts of Nightmare on Rederhafen, and the Cabal saw the wisdom in that, and turned to other sollutions.


They decided to go after Armand, and the Prince sent his men to warn the Marshal of the Host about the danger.


Galan scryed for the Kraken, and found her in the Straits of Ahriman, sailing a storm, in plain view with her flag flying. The Cabal took the Pius out to sea, and using Banzel's Apparatus, teleported right behind the Black Ship.


The Prince charged the aft-deck of the immense ship, wielding the sword Deicide, and attacked Armand. As this happened, the Kraken let her anchors drop and unfurled her sails, thus capsizing the ship. On the deck, Armand called forth shadowy tentacles and grappled the Enæïd, while throwing himself overboard. As the Kraken sank, her crew threw grappling hooks over at the Pius, hoping to drag her under with them.


This is when van Zaar cast a mighty spell, undoing all events and offering the Cabal one more try.


Following the same strategy, only now focusing on destroying the anchors, and controlling the Gauntlet, the Cabal attacked the Kraken. This time the Prince managed to gravely wound the captain of the Black Ship, and as he threw himself overboard, the Prince jumped after, driving the sword through the heart of Armand.


As the dark mariner died, all the power bound in his flesh discharged with eldritch lightning and bursts of fire that blew in the side of the Kraken. Thus Captain Armand died.

The last chapter

We picked up where the last left off, at the gates of the Hermetic city of Septimus.


The heroes were let through both the Outer Gate and the Middle Gate without any problems. At the Inner Gate they were challenged by the Hermetic Adeptus Severa Septima Arachnidus. Before they were allowed entrance to the Inner Circle they were made to swear not to bring enmity or maliciousness to the tower. As it happened, Severa was a rather attractive woman, something the good Percival O'Conner noticed quite well. More on that later.


After the formalities were dealt with the Cabal was brought before the Master of the Tower, Lucius Septimus Arachnidus. They had a long conversation over a light meal with the Master, and many questions were asked and answered.


Afterwards they were lodged in a guest house and Adeptus Severa was assigned as their liaison. Banzel hung out with the smiths, and since the master smith was an Enæïd they were also joined by the Prince. The latter, believing his band to be the last if his people, also visited the smithy, as well as as many of the Enæïdùn he could. He had some issues with his people being ruled by anyone but him, and he also brought his concerns before Master Lucius Arachnidus.


Drake/M'narcel, or, since the Hermetics knew his Truename, Percival, got the lovely Severa to show him around in the gardens, under the pretext of learning more about the Arcana of Life. In reality he was trying his level best to disrobe the Adeptus, and he didn't take no for an answer. In fact, he pleaded with her til she gave in. And so it was that Percival came to be Severa's boy-toy.


The Prince, wishing nothing more than to set his people free, went into the Wild to brood. Not only had the Enæïdùn become servants of "lesser people", they had also taken to worship of gods, Arkon to be precise. Sitting alone in the wilderness his thoughts was suddenly interrupted by the appearance of a great white stag. Being a rather straight forward kind of guy, he killed the animal, thanked the Huntsman, and brought the kill back to the city.


Since the White Stag is closely connected with Arkon, and since the Prince was the last of the Royal line, this caused quite an uproar. The Enæïdùn of Septimus decided that this called for a blot, and shortly after the heroes found themselves eating the sacred flesh of the stag, drinking Aetlingamjöd, and bloting. The Prince got up and held an epic speech about the inheritance of Arkon, then the captain followed up with a just as epic song.


The blot lasted for three full days, and the participants all felt like they were sitting in Arkon's hall. Percy, by now drunk on love... er... sex, was seen dancing in a field of flowers he had created himself. Banzel also made a discovery, he found that by drinking Geminon's toast in Waymar Water he could remain sober. This of course led to there being no Water left when the blot was over.


Storyteller's note: The Cabal has called for a Grand Convocation of mages and supernaturalists. They have also recently dealt a few hard blows to several Enemies of Creation. The problem is that they cannot stay in one location long, because they are far too popular with those who want to kill them. They also have a few longer plays planned, plays that demands that they stay close.


Players, I suggest that you decide what to focus on next. If you want to prepare for the Convocation, and if you want to make the Pius airborne, staying with the Hermetics for a while isn't a bad idea. The city of Septimus is as good a place as any, better than a few even, to lay low for a few weeks.


Alternately, you can return to the war, and deal with what comes up.


On the Situation, a month or so will not lose you the war if you come back stronger and more prepared. The forces in motion are huge, and thus somewhat slow.


The question is: Do you want to fight now, or do you want time to complete a few longer projects? One doesn't neccesarily negate the other, but the question bears answering.

Last chapter

The Cabal had returned to Wezell after having unleashed doom on Pendrell. Upon returning they were received as heroes, lauded, rewarded and knighted, and they were set up in a quite decent and well guarded mansion on the outskirts of Rederhafen.

After A few days of doing Important Stuff (both Ylvana, Galan's wife, and Octavian, the Hermetic, left for their respective homes; both had Important Stuff to do) the Cabal decided it was time to get back in the game again. The old spy, turned magician, van Zaar had a Plan. As his Masterpiece involves travelling back in time, and having studied the works and ramblings of Franko da Cola for more than a decade, he proposed that the Cabal reach out to the Bodhisattva of Time. Da Cola had met this figure, under the name Grå Bekk in his travels -- van Zaar felt that speaking to the wise man on the mountain was crucial to the success of his plans. There was also the added possibility that the people of the East would join in the Great War.

And so the Cabal gathered on a eastward-facing terrace on their mansion, and as the sun came over the horizon they called for Grå Bekk. Galan, being the Master of Ceremony in most Space or Mind rituals rapidly got contact. However, since the old man on the mountain didn't feel like shouting to someone a world away they had to come to him, he was nice enough to show Galan the true path though.

Thus the Cabal stepped through the portal and came to the Mountain of Time, where, true to form they had to endure a long and hard climb up the winding steps to the summit. The bodhisattva, an old man with Fu-Manchu mustaches, sat in a pagoda in the middle of a lush garden, looking like he'd been sitting there for a long time.

They asked him many questions, and got some answers. He showed them the Empire in the Middle of Time and many wonderous sights. Drake managed to offend the old man somehow, and so they decided not to push their welcome further.

At the foot of the mountain there was a short debate about whether or nit they should wander East, into Cathay and devote themselves to bringing that empire into the war, or West, back to Rederhafen. They chose West.

Back in their own paradigm again the Cabal found that eleven days had passed while they sat with Grå Bekk. Undeterred, they set out again to gather allies in the fight against the Deep. This time they sought out the Ordo Hermetica, or more to the point, a Master Lucius Septimus Arachnidus. Galan had been given instructions of how to reach Master Septimus.

Following old paths Galan took the Cabal to the northernmost city in the Hermetic State, the city of Septimus.

Chapter end.

The last chapter

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The Cabal returned safely back to the Pius from Fornost, the Realm of the Frost Elves, after having rescued those who remained of the Seven Seekers.



The Seven Seekers, and their status:
Princess Ylvana Eclipseborn, alive and well. She never doubted that her dear Gryff would come and get them.


Tomas Parlay, alive, but suffering from chest rot, a form of consumption.


Brother Augustus of the Black Friars, alive and well.


Reigald Galdgrimson of the Enæìdūn, very much alive.


Thorgrim of the Enæìdūn, also alive.


Doctor Misterio, rescued earlier from captivity at the hands of the Ministerium. Lost in madness.


A servant boy, dead.


Aboard the ship, both parties wanted to hear of the adventures of the others, and so great tales were told. Princess Ylvana told of the adventures of the Seekers's, familiar to, but not neccesarily similar to Parlay's account. They had found the portal, and Misterio had calculated that the Moon of Emmeroch would indeed shine upon the plateu only a few days after their arrival. The servant boy had snuck away from the camp one night, and they never saw him again.


When the gate opened, the Seekers had followed the same path taken by the Cabal, and they had indeed come into the forest. There they had been captured by the Elves. On the escape of Dr Misterio, neither the princess or any of her compannions could shed any light. He had vanished from their prison one night, and they were suprised to hear that he was alive and on the ship.


The Great Matter of the chapter was the option presented by Huron the White. Burn the Five Forts, and thus break the seal that kept the elves from crossing into the lands of Man. Drake and Van Zaar wanted to summon the Dragon [Storyteller's note: Three times they may call for the Dragon] and put terror in the hearts of the Presbyterians, they did not however want to break the seal -- burn one fort perhaps, but they didn't want to let the Great Hunt loose on Pendrell. Captain Galan wanted to go all the way. Here he found support in Brother Augustus, "Let him who wants to avoid his enemy walk softly; he who walks to battle shall go forth boldly, with fanfare and bared steel." The debate surged back and forth for a long time.


Brother Augustus also pulled the captain aside and informed him that as a priest he had the authority to perform a wedding. He also spoke warmly of why he felt that the marriage was a Good Thing. Ylvana agreed.


The rest of the Cabal now wanted to call upon Octavian. [Storyteller's note: The relationship between Gryff and Octavian has been a matter of some controversy. There are those who are convinced that the two have a bond deeper than friendship. While this has been confirmed once by the player (and that candedness may be blamed on Single Malt), it has been denied more often.] So, as so often before, Gryff Galan sat in the light of the Elfstone and sang Octavian's name. He found him, deep in the Underdark, beneath Mount Guthûrgoth, in a dark, dead end. His retinue, numbering three Deciples, five Apprentices and three times seven Proxima when they set out, now numbered only one Deciple and two Proxima. Octavian himself lay mortally wounded on the hard stone, wrapped in his cape. It was a very moving scene when Gryff came to him in his mind.

Octavian told Gryff that they had indeed found what they were seeking, but in the battle that followed many had lost their life, and more still had perished in the aftermath -- something old and sinister had been stalking them. Even now, all the Hermetics could do was to keep the darkness at bay. And their light was faltering.


Of course, our heroes could not sit idly by while the brave Hermetics faced a nameless terror in the bowels of this mountain of madness. So it was that the Pius Cabal mounted an epic rescue operation, preparing a great portal-spell and calling upon no fewer than two gods to aid their efforts. [Storyteller's note: two rhymes were written, one for the spell, and one for calling on Geminon]


When the door opened into the dark subterranean chamber and light shone on the survivors the darkness reacted. Drake was unable to hold it back at first, and it was like a great, primordial hatered had become aware of their presence. Arkon's Gateposts guarded the portal, and as the light seemed to go out, Geminon, in the guise of a great Corinthian swordsmaster strode into the cavern, and drawing his sword he walked to face the Dark. Drake mustered his strength and wove a powerful ward. Enæìds now ran to the exhausted Hermetics and pulled them to safety. The portal was closed, and the connection severed. Octavian was safe.


Safe, but not out of danger yet. Drake has been studying the Arcana of Life for a while, though at this point he was still only an Apprentice. He has also been dabbling in Mythos matters (amongst other things, he stood face to face with Shaitan, the Drowned Man, in the dark storm) and when he examined Octavian's wound he found it poisoned. Something dark was deep in the wound, and it meant to kill him. Having consulted both Banzel and the ship's surgeon, dr Toombs, he believed himself capable of saving Octavian's life, although his left arm and shoulder had to be cut off.


This was Drake's Deciple-test. Assisted by the surgeon he cut deep into the flesh, so deep that they saw things no man is meant to see in any living human. Van Zaar, having offered to love Octavian on behalf of the captain, never left the patient while they cut. The captain sat in his quarters, praying to Arkon with Ylvana. At length Drake closed the wound and proclaimed the operation over. He had saved Octavian's life, and become a Deciple of the Arcana of Life. He then went on to promptly cure Parlay of his chestrot.


In the elated state of mind that followed, the Cabal decided to go to Five Fort Vale and call upon the Dragon, and leave it to the Dragon to decide what the Dragon would do. The marriage between the captain and the princess should also be performed there. Thus the Cabal again left the Pius by means of great magic.


The Vale lay peaceful in the hour before a bright winter dawn. The five forts, arrayed with some great and unknown design along key points looked peaceful and serene. The captain had scryed the valley earlier, and discovered that the forts lay upon ancient Hallows, and that apart from the structures themselves, there were no other apparent defenses.


There, on a hill overlooking the valley, by a caern built by Galan when he went hiking in the Vale three years earlier, Brother Augustus bound Gryff and Ylvana in wedlock. Then the Prince called the Dragon's name. Once. Twice. Three times. And then it came.


Coming out of the sun rising behind the mountains the Dragon flew over the Vale and landed infront of the Cabal. "You called," it said. The magicians now found it difficult to answer. Some tried flattering the Great Wyrm, others tried appearing powerful, most bowed their heads and felt insufficient. The Dragon looked at them like an enormous cat who is deciding whether or not to play with them. In the end the Prince had to speak. [Storyteller's note: His player wasn't at the table this evening, and so in effect they pawned the responsibility off on an NPC. Tsk-tsk.] He said: Break the Seal.


The Dragon took flight and circled higher and higher over the peaceful valley. Lazy as a bird of prey deciding which of these fat sheep it would devour first it soared in great circles, high in the air. Then it dived out of the sky. Like a star falling to the earth, a great comet, trailing bright fire it struck the first fort. Stones were shattered, and flames rose high in the air. Then it took flight again, only to gain altitude before again throwing itself on another fort. Now bells started ringing in the valley, and leaving the second conflagration the Wyrm flew low over the farms and villages, spreading death, fire and fear beneath its enormous wings.


The third and forth fort fell. Screams and bells ringing frantically rose to where the Cabal stood aghast. Some of them cried out to make it stop, and some might have wept. From the forest on the oher side of the River Manshield sounds could be heard, as if the forest itself was awakening. Landing infront of the last of the Five Forts, the valley burning around it, the Dragon seemed to have gotten warmed up. Spreading its wings, it seemed to draw in air, then it breathed a vast cone of fire. Fanning it with its wings it continued to breathe, whipping the flames to such a great heat that even the stones melted.


Then, as a horn could be heard from the forest, calling the Hunt, the Dragon took flight for the last time. It passed over the Cabal, standing in shock and awe on the hill, and flew off into the rising sun.


After this, the Cabal returned to the Pius, and then to Rederhafen, where they were dubbed Knights Arcane of the Order of the Golden Dawn.


Storyteller's note: Dragons kick ass! I've always loved them. And when my players leave it to an NPC to input the launch-data... Well, if my memory serves me, the Prince confessed some sympathy with the Elven Prince…


I must confess it felt extremely liberating to unleash such destructive power on my world. I want to go again ;)

The last chapters

After having concluded their business at the University of Ghoerwald the Cabal returned to Zaarbrügge where the Pius were anchored. On their way there they were caught in an ambush, and once again Galan was the first target. Shot through the chest he fell from his horse. While the magicians established a perimeter, Aegir managed to find where the shot had come from, only to narrowly escape the blast of bomb the assassin had left behind.



The rest of the jurney went without further complications, except for fact that the captain had be put in a carriage.


Back on the ship, they became certain that the assassin had more in store for them. The Prince soon found that another bomb had been placed below the water, on the keel of the Pius. Banzel, now having reached Adept in the Arcana of Matter quickly dealt with the bomb, unmaking it entirely.


While this happened the Prince led his Enæìd ashore, and with the help of Galan's scrying and Drake's command of the Spirit Arcana, the enemy, a Hellghast, was taken captive.


Aboard the ship again, the Cabal were debating what to do with the prisoner until van Zaar settled the matter by shooting him through the head.


Chapter end/start;


Banzel had been told by his god, Geminon, that to find the Dragonheart he had to find Margareta of Borg. Thus it came to pass that on the afternoon of Nightfall, the last day of the year, the Pius sailed into the harbour of Borg, north in the West Fold.


Again, Galan's scrying helped the Cabal, and shortly after having arrived a shore party consisting of Galan, Banzel, van Zaar and the eight surviving veteran marines rode inland.


The night was cold, dark and forboding, and when the party reached their destination, the mining village of Hammershaven in the foothills of the Goblinwall Mountains, a great storm was raging above them.


Above the village lay an old watchtower, and beside it twelve men were using the Dragonheart to tunnel into the mountain. Galan also discovered that one of the mines had a resonance of Mana. Without further ado they moved into the village and up the path to the mines and the tower.


In the village they briefly encountered a mad crone who babbled about something called Bolgen, and the awakening of that something. Not easily distracted, the magicians proceeded to the Mana-mine and plundered it for Tass and vìs.


Once they had taken what they could, Galan opened a gate for himself and Banzel into the pit where the Dragonheart was used to power a tunelling machine. While the captain held the crew at gunpoint, the Bombman lifted the red hot furnace off its bearings, and then they left. The return to the Pius was made quick and easy -- again the captain resorted to magic, and the entire party was teleported home.


Storyteller's note: This chapter was clearly different from the others, and the main difference was not that I only had three players, but that the players relied heavily on magic every step of the way. For the first time the Pius Cabal showed that a coordinated cabal is a truly formidable opponent, and they did so without killing a single soul (that may actually have been the greates difference, come to think of it).


Chapter end/start;


Storyteller's note: Coming to the table this evening I had absolutely no plans for the players. Rather, I was prepared to let them spend some time doing all the things they never have time for, like studying, building things, talking to random NPCs...


In stead they decided to go on an adventure. A long time ago (about three months game-time) the Cabal sent out a secondary party to look into a lead on an elven treasure. Since then one of the unfortunate adventurers turned up dead, an unfinished account of the adventure turned up in a half-penny weekly in the possession of a captured sailor, and Dr Mysterio was freed from the clutches of the Ministerium. Now the Cabal set out to find their lost NPCs.


The ship was anchored in a Shaderealm south in the West Fold, and the Cabal teleported to the last known location of the lost party, as described by Tomas Parlay.


The portal was easy enough to find, but harder to open. Drake, now an Adept of Spirit, tried twice, and failed both times, until the following dawn, when the entire Cabal worked in concert, weaving a powerful ritual. The two ancient trees that formed the portal was struck by lightning, bursting the gate open and revealing the path that lay beyond.


The path, a ley line, according to the two Prime Deciples, Galan and Banzel, took them accross primordial mountains deep within the Umbra. After a long walk they came to a small plateu overlooking a vast and forboding winterbare forest. Drake guided them all safely down the cliffside and into the trees.


Here they quickly realized that they were not at all welcome. The trees seemed to shift and move, and on the wind hateful whispers could be heard. Banzel, carrying with him both blades and firepowder was snared by roots and tangled in branches, until Drake managed to calm the trees enough that they could travel deeper. Still, they soon realized that they were being led; forward only where they were allowed, and behind them the path seemed to vanish.


Finally, while Drake was ahead trying to find the path again, the others, three magicians and seventeen Enæìd, were captured. Van Zaar looked up to find that his entire world was dominated by an arrow, its steel the colour of moonshine, pointed between his eyes. Banzel fared no better, and even the Enæìd were caught, blades and arrows wielded by pale elves were trained on each and every one of them.


Drake, scrambling up a gravelly slope, came face to face with the Prince of the elves. Here he found that the fate of them all depended on his next words, and that the Elf Prince bore a deep hatered for all humans.


After some halting negotiations the entire Cabal was allowed to talk, and they were led to a clearing in the woods. Here the Elf told them that to fight the Deep, all things touched by it had to be burned; that if the Five Forts were burned the elves would return to Pendrell; that the elves would burn the world of Man; and finally, that in this fire they (the Cabal) would find the salvation of their race.


Deaming the meeting over, the elves vanished into the forest, and the raining five of the missing party were set free.

The missing chapters

Storyteller's note: I have been dealing with a case of writer's block, and there are a couple of chapters missing. So, to get back on track, I need to fill in the blanks. Here we go.


At breakfast in the van Zaar mansion, Geminon approached Banzel and told him that to find what he was missing he had to look for Margreta af Borg. Geminon also pointed out that since he was in fact a god, Banzel wouldn't be hurt by showing some faith.


After the failed attempt on Dr. Murdoch, the Cabal set out in strength to slay the Witch Finder General. In a border-town between Wezell and Corillia they set themselves up in an inn, hoping to draw their quarry to them. Instead they were poisoned (only Galan succumbed to the toxin) and encircled by a company of dragoons supported by a three pounder cannon. In the ensuing battle the inn was demolished and set alight. Banzel and Drake managed to conjure an antidote and the Captain was able to teleport them all safely out.


In Zaarbrügge they were attacked again. Banzel left the van Zaar mansion to check up on some work he was having done. In the busy streets he was waylaid by the same assassin that had slipped the poison in their wine in the inn. Luckily, Galan was using his magics to keep tabs on him, and so they Cabal was able to react swiftly and save the Bombman from a less than desirable fate. The assassin, a young woman, escaped.


On their third attempt they first bought all the poisenous snakes and insects they could find in Räderhafen, then travelled by stealth to the outskirts of Grasse arriving in the dead of night. Here Banzel's two ravens flew eight of the poisenous critters to the fortress of the good doctor. Through mind-controll the tiny killers were guided through the corridors of the fortress towards the bed chambers of Murdoch.


Simultaneously, Drake controlled the remaining critters, hid them in his clothing, and made his way into the town of Grasse alone. Here he was apprehended by a patrol of soldiers which he then had killed by the obedient little assassins that fell out o his robes on command. However, he stirred up quite a fuzz and was overpowered by another patrol and taken to the dungeons of the Palace of Reason.


At this point one of the critters flown in by the ravens had reached the bed chambers and had managed to deliver its poison, thus killing the leading man of the Magisterium in Corillia.


Now the cabal had to stage a rescue of their captured compannion, something they managed to accomplish before the noose closed around him.


Chapter end/start.


Back in Zaarbrügge the magicians set out to decipher one of the formulae in the Saragossa Manuscript, the Elder Sign, and to make it suited for distribution amongst the Correspondents. This consumed a lot of time and resources, and took a massive concerted effort to accomplish. Van Zaar also wrote a Letter.


Once this had been done, the Cabal set out to find the Committees so that they could send out their messages to the Enlightened of Eria. Jaap van Zaar, Yolander's uncle, and also one of the Onkels, sent them to the University of Ghoerwald. Before they departed, the Onkel told them that this day, the 19th Dodecium of the year 1021, the Wezelliche Syndikaat no longer forbade the practice of magic by law.


In Ghoerwald the Elder Sign, van Zaar's Third Letter, and the announcement of Wezell's acceptance of magic was put to print and sent out to the Committees for further distribution.


Once this had been done, the Cabal set up court at the brothel 'the Firbidden Book' in Ghoerwald and declared a Party. By weaving heavy magics into the patterns they explored several paths and constants. They also spread the word of magic.


Banzel given a Livonian book by one of the students he talke to. In this book, an edition of the Deus Machina, he found a print of the Dragon Machina and the Dragonheart (the forge he built to power the dragon).


The Cabal also contacted Octavian, and found him East in the Fallen Star Mountains on the Dark Continent. He had taken his War Cabal to find and anihilate a group of Outsiders searching for something in the mountains.

A quote

"I haven't used three Humanity points for nothing!"

-Rune, aka. Percival O'Connor, aka. Arcrash M'narchel, aka. Tradesmaster Drake

Storyteller's note: This is the most cynical approach to Humanity I've ever come across. However, the statement does explain a few things about the spookiest member of the Pius Cabal, doesn't it?

The last two chapters

Storyteller's note: Due to time, computer-SNAFU, and the actions of the last two chapters, I will combine these. Most of the last these were spent in in-character discussions, something that, while it is most interesting when it happens, doesn't necessarily make for a great narrative.



Lying off the coast of Corillia, the Company was faced with a difficult decision, that of where to go, and what to do. After some consideration, three alternatives had been defined, Wezell, Waymar, and Kithay. The pros and cons of each were thoroughly examined, and in the end, Wezell was chosen.


The main problem here was that they would have to sail through waters heavily patrolled by the Pendrellian navy, but here Galan had a solution. He created a magical displacement of the Pius' visual presence, in effect making the ship invisible, while simultaneously creating a red herring any would-be pursuers could follow.


Thus it was that the good ship Pius and her crew arrived in Zaarbrügge, van Zaar's hometown. To expand on the subterfuge the name of the ship was painted over, and the Saviour anchored in port. Further, new names were invented for both Galan and Banzel. Van Zaar, being an old spy, drew upon one of his old aliases, while Aegir limited his cover to a hooded cloak.


They were received with open arms by Jolander's mother, and her brother, Jaap, the head of the house, and one of the Onkels, was summoned. The following days were used to refit the ship, relax, and do various preparations for future adventures. Jolander spent most of his time at home with his mother, drinking fortified wine and telling her all about his life and the state of the world as he sees it. She listened attentively, though most of it was lost on her, while sewing, until her son fell asleep. Then she'd see him carried to bed by two of the servants.


When Onkel Jaap van Zaar arrived three days after the Company came to Wezell; they had a proper sit-down. The fate of Argos, and that of Man, was what was discussed. Jolander believed that in a matter of weeks, the Old One, the giant sea-monster that almost sank the Pius, would attack Eria. This would, he insisted, cause panic, disaster, and the destruction of the Worlds of Man.


The Host of Man was another item of concern. The Elendrine Prophecies say that, "[Caracalla] will defeat the Host." Jaap here raised the question of how to avoid this, and this on turn lead to the Company volunteering to kill him.


Several other issues were also discussed, but as the hour had grown late, the men agreed to continue the talks at the next day's breaking of the fast.


Storyteller's note: Here the chapter ends, and another begins. Jolander's player was not present.


That night, after Jolander had been tucked in, Galan sat in the library, studying, when a servant announced a visitor for him. This proved to be a certain Commander Sir Jasper Colomb, of His Majesty's Royal Guild of Argonauts.


He was at first interested in Galan's role in the Scutino Incident and in the recent murder of captain Ardyke. Galan swore that neither himself, nor any of his companions, had anything to do with the former (being an Adeptus of Mind, he has reorganised his memories of the incident somewhat). By now, Tradesmaster Drake and Prince Aegir had joined the two, while Banzel monitored the exchange from the roof where he'd been watching the stars.


On the matter of the killing of Ardyke, Galan claimed that he had given strict orders not to harm him, and that none of his companions had been involved. In fact, he went as far as to give his word on it.


The visitor then went in to tell of an imminent war between Wezell and Pendrell. This would probably start in Corllia, he said. He then claimed that the Pendrellian king had been isolated and that all power in Pendrell now lay with the Parliament and the Ministerium. The true nature of his visit, he said, was to enlist the help of the Company. The nature of the help was somewhat delicate, and the status of the gentlemen was ideally suited; he asked that they kill a certain Dr Ebeneezer Murdoch.


Dr Murdoch was to be found in a Corillian city right across the border, no more than a dozen miles from their current location. Sir Jasper provided maps of the city, Grasse, and the Palace of Reason, a fortress on a small island in the harbour, where Dr Murdoch resided. The doctor was the most prominent member of the Ministerium in Corillia, and he was the head of the duchy's Tribunal of Pure Thought. Gryff Galan accepted.


Once the Argonaut had left, and armed with the maps, Galan started scrying the location, something that proved to be somewhat difficult. There was a certain resonance about the location that directly opposed the magic. Nevertheless, the good captain managed not only to penetrate the fortress, but also the private quarters of Dr Murdoch. Having made it thus far, Galan was contemplating teleporting into the chambers and killing the sleeping man. As it happened, h contemplated long enough to allow his mark to wake up. Sitting up, he cried, "Witchcraft!" and Galan, sitting bent over the maps, was thrown backwards by a white blast, ending up sprawling on the floor. The map was destroyed, something Banzel (having entered somewhat ungraciously through the closed window a little earlier) fixed through magic.


After the failed assassination, the Company decided to call it a day, and to resume after breakfast.

The last chapter

Startig with the Pius returning to the surface, the Blockade in its wake.

The Company decided on their course -- that of the Plague Ship. They also knew how to proceed -- the Captain would transport them there. Then they would take up possition outside the Erian Gap, thus making them able to intercept the Naglfār before it could enter the Inner Ocean. Then they determined on the matter of how to take the Plague Ship out -- they would call upon the dragon.

Storyteller's note: Seriously, I can't remember the last time any group of players had a plan this good, this early in the session. Neat thing here of course was that while their plan covered everything they had set out to do, it didn't take anything else into account.

Bear with me while I lay out a few factors that will come to affect the Erian adventures of the Pius Cabal. The Erian Gap, the narrow straits that separates the Inner Ocean from the Outer Sea, is very heavily trafficed by ships of all Erian kingdoms. Not the least of these being Pendrell. Now, remembering an earlier chapter, the Pendrellian Parliament wants to see the gentlemen of the Company tried for the Scutino Incident, and they want their ship back (this session was the last before I started posting them here). And then there's M'narcel/Drake's Black Mark to worry about.

Well pleased with themselves, the magicians set about their business. Banzel had decided that he would make the Pius fly again, and so he turned to his plans and experiments. Van Zaar and Drake resolved to study the Saragossa Manuscript, in hope that they would learn how to destroy a Black Ship. Galan set out to device magical procedure grand enough to transport the ship and its crew several thousands of miles.

Long story quite short; the following sunrise saw the Pius in Erian waters. At this point van Zaar reasoned that since everything was proceeding smoothely they might afford to change the plan somewhat. He proposed to seek another way of destroying the Naglfār besides the dragon, thus keeping the proverbial cat well inside the bag for now.

Just as the debate over how to slay their prey started to become interesting, a midshipman reported that a Pendrellian corvette was coming up on them.

The corvette, the Suprise, signalled the Pius to stand down and be boarded. Despite some objections from the Company, captain Galan decided to follow the command. So it was that when the boarding skiff approached the side of the Pius, the Suprise lay in command of the wind, broadside threatening the stern of the ship of our heroes.

The spiffy young leutennant who commanded the boarding party, introducing himself as Thorne, presented Galan with his orders. Gryff Galan was, with imediate effect, stripped of rank and removed from command, and arrested. Further, Jolander van Zaar, the Wezellian spy, as well as Mandan Banzel, was to be arrested. Finally, Pius was to be surrendered into the command of Mr Thorne and returned to a Pendrellian port.

Drake was not mentioned.

Mr Thorne was pleasant enough to give the Company half an hour to get their affairs in order. It should be noted that according to Galan's memory, the lieutennant's father is Ebenezer Thorne, an influential Presbyterian member of Parliament.

The magicians did not agree on much in the events that were to follow. In fact, they did disagree on more issues than not. Drake, being quite pleased by not being mentioned in the order, had no wish to surrender himself to captivity. Van Zaar on the other hand, felt warmly about everybody going. Banzel wanted to blow up the Suprize and get on with the task at hand. Galan was too shocked and apalled by the entire debacle to get a proper grip on it. So, when Mr Thorne came to take the arrestees into custody the Company was still arguing. Drake stayed behind when the three prisoners were rowed over to the Suprize.

On the Suprize, things went from bad to worse. Captain Ardyke, an old seadog, expressed his regrets about chain of events. Regardless, despite loud objections from both van Zaar and Galan, the heroes were stripped of their personal belongings and shackled, before they were taken to the brig.

The Company still kept contact with eachother through the hive-mind established by Galan, and with three of them imprissoned and a price-crew abuot to set off with the Pius, an argument broke out between Galan and Drake. This ended with Drake severing the connection, thus cutting off any contact between the two parties.

Drake set about to retake the Pius, and so he summoned a nightmare spirit to put the marines from the Suprize to sleep.

On the Suprize, Banzel, never passing up on an opportunity for magic, decided to break the shackles, instead he managed to set of a Paradox effect that transmuted his boots to iron. Still bickering, the prisoners fumbled on for a bit until Banzel broke van Zaar's chains. Of course, the two guards outside their cell summoned a sergeant.

When the door to the brig was opened, van Zaar, manipulating time itself, attacked the guards and managed to severly wound the sargeant and injure one of the guards. The last one fought fought desperately while the alarm was sounded on the ship.

On the Pius, the enemy marines was now tipping over as the nightmare, a tall cloaked figure with smoke coming from within its cape, collected their dreams. Mr Thorne tried to sound the alarm when his men fell to witchcraft, but he was quickly and effectively dispatched by the Prince. To avoid being fired upon by the watchfull gunners of the Suprize, Drake asked the nightmare to skinride the body of the dead lieutennant.

Back on the Suprize the prisoners were still fighting the guard when Galan opened a portal back to his quarters.

Now escaped, the matter of surviving took precedence. Banzel magically hardened the hull of the Pius, while Galan wove a cunning spell to protect the masts. These measures proved sufficient to see them through the Suprize's broadside, and the light load of the Pius allowed them to leave the enemy in their wake.

It is at this point Banzel, van Zaar and the Prince get into a bet of sorts. Banzel wants to shoot one of the men on the Suprize, and van Zaar mentions the marksmanship of the Enæìd. Captain Ardyke is not to be harmed, someone says, before the Prince's man let's his arrow fly. It strikes the man next to the captain, and he falls over. Then Banzel shoots captain Ardyke in the heart.

The Suprize breaks off.

That evening, Galan believes his scrying has revealed their target, and the course is set.

That night van Zaar and Drake sit down again to finish their study of the Saragossa Manuscript. To make sure they have enough time, van Zaar again manipulates the flow of time.

In the morning they come upon their enemy, and the Saragossa Manuscripts proved to contain a spell that could banish Naglfār. The drawbacks was that it was beyond the capacity of any of the magicians, and that while the spell could be read directly from the manuscript, this would result in it being lost permanently.

Opting to preserve the dragon, the Pius Cabal took up possition on deck while Drake read out the Abyssian words of the spell. As the ancient magic formed, the words that summoned it decayed from the cracked vellum. The mist that hid the target dissipated, and then sounds of cracking timber came from the enemy. Reality seemed to become even more solid, and then the plague ship Naglfār collapsed in on itself, leaving nothing.

End of chapter.

Storyteller's note: Even if I received a lot of objections this night, I was quite amused. Mostly by the bickering and chaos that evolved as it became apparent that the Suprize did in fact mean to arrest and detain the Pius and her crew.

The affairs of the Erian kingdoms are complex, and quite important in the big picture, and I'm looking forward to seeing what the heroes decide to do next.