The Journal of Father Solomon

Part 41

In which we leave a horrible Wraithe complex, only to journey to another…

Clayday to Fireday, Stasisweek, Darkseason, 614 TA – mid-morning

We move all our collected loot to a point just inside the magically trapped door. George discovers one flask from the alchemical table is magical in some way. We know this door afflicted Victoria and I in some way, but we don’t know the details. We could shuffle everything out and trust to luck that no one else is affected but George suggests he could cast his Shield spell on each of us individually. Since he can do this every twelve hours, it will take several days to get all of us out safely. We have water and can ration our food so we take this option.

While we’re waiting with little to do, I try to cure Victoria’s affliction with my new-found shamanic ability of laying-on hands, unfortunately with little success. However, reasoning that Nathan is suffering from some sort of Brain Fever, I find laying-on hands causes a significant improvement. He blinks rapidly before uttering “Thank you!”

Ariella, George and I gently question him regarding his background: he’s a gypsy from south of Moonguard who was abandoned by his family. He fell in with Pierre’s bandits and for a while ‘life was good’. But Pierre had always been ‘distant’ from his men and when the ‘cowled man’ and his Troll arrived, Pierre selected six bandits to go with the Troll and his master into the tunnels beneath the barn to ‘help with his research’. Nathan is sure the Troll was alive at that time.

Of course, once below ground, Nathan and his fellow bandits experienced the horrors we’ve only glimpsed. Nathan was used as a source of food and drink for the cowled man but his fellows were placed on the table in the torture chamber, the two women were used to rejuvenate the necromancer and Nathan refuses to say what he saw on that slab.

But the strangest thing was that sometimes the cowled man would place himself on the slab and receive the same tortures…!

George asks if he saw a woman in a yellow dress at any time during his life as a bandit? Nathan replies, ‘no’, but another bandit named Gregg said he did. Gregg went with Pierre as a bodyguard when he met a posh carriage. Pierre entered the carriage and talked to a woman who Gregg thought wore yellow. Nathan is obviously curious so George tells him about the ‘Mistress’ and her dealings with Broo…

Suddenly, it occurs to me that this apparent alliance between the Mistress and the Cowled Man is very odd. We know the Mistress is connected with Broo and the witch-cult of Klute and possibly Engariel and Uriah, all of which are infamous Chaos cults. But Wraithe is famed for originating as a Chaos-Riever. An alliance between the two seems very peculiar to me.

Nathan swears he will never indulge in banditry again.

Fireday, Stasisweek, Darkseason, 614 TA – noon

We’re out! And I hope never to see that evil complex again!

George directs us toward the bandits’ loot stored in the barn. There’s a small collection of woodworking tools, which George thinks is worth around 120 shillings; there’s a small bolt of silk, worth 350 shillings; and three barrels of wine, one of them very nice wine, together worth another 120 shillings.

We load up a wagon with all this and set out for Thornbury, arriving before dusk. We stay a last night in the Laughing Ploughboy. Victoria sleeps in the stables.

Moonday, Stasisweek, Darkseason, 614 TA

We say goodbye to Nathan, who presumably will travel north. We transfer the goods to George’s wagon and set out for Silverseam, because George thinks that’s the best place to sell the tools and alchemical gear. We stop at a wayside inn in the middle of rolling hills.

Godsday, Stasisweek, Darkseason, 614 TA

We continue our progress south. George suggests we should go back to Borke’s Drift because the magical tablets should be able to open the door marked with Wraithe runes in the Broo lair. I shudder at facing more Wraithe atrocities but he’s undoubtedly right – we may have to burn more books.

That evening, we’re in another inn, the Harvest Moon. It’s been a tiring day so we’re relaxing with our beers before turning in. (No whisky, unfortunately.) Then we all notice a very distinctive figure enter the inn… he’s dressed in blue robes and for a second I think he’s a monk (several orders wear blue) but then I take in the quarterstaff and the pointy hat (the real giveaway) and realise he’s a wizard! He’s even followed by a cat!

George says, “Ah-ah,” winks at Victoria and I, and approaches the figure before he can give his order at the bar. He offers the wizard a drink and invites him to sit with us to discuss something to do with magic.

The wizard introduces himself as Rudolf. To my ear he sounds of Stormy origin, but his accent is different to Ariella’s. He doesn’t give a surname but presumably he should be known as ‘Rudolf the Blue’. He introduces his cat as ‘Bluey’.

Rudolf asks what he can do for us so Victoria tells him the pertinent details of our visit to a Wraithe complex, where she and I received some sort of curse, though we don’t know the details, only that we’ve been afflicted.

Rudolf’s demeanour changes when she mentions the effect being blocked by Countermagic I but that Dispell Magic failed to lift it. He becomes serious, more interested and… calculating…

Oh dear! I think this is going to be expensive.

“That’s intriguing!” He exclaims, “I may be able to identify the problem for ten shillings but curing it may take runemagic, which will cost more.” We agree to the diagnosis and pass him the ten shillings.

He asks a few more questions before stating that he believes the curse door probably predates the rest of the complex because the magic that afflicted us did not originate from Ishtar – the alternative being that it’s of demonic origin! He reminds us that the old Wraithe Empire of Singidun was riddled with demon cults. He believes Ishtar, recognising the demonic origin of the magic, made sure that George’s Countermagic blanked the demonic curse. But the curse is too strong to be removed by a weak Dispell.

The good news is that Rudolf doesn’t think it’s getting worse but, while in place, it is impairing our Power for defensive purposes. He also thinks a strong enough Dispell would work…

“How much?” Interjects Victoria – “More than six,” replies Rudolf. He needs to Analyse the magic to be sure so he offers to cure us for 200 shillings each. We accept. It will take a week to do the analysis so we can relax for Mobilityweek…

Godsday, Mobilityweek, Darkseason, 614 TA

Rudolf does his stuff and declares us cured – George confirms this with his Detect Magic. We happily hand over the fee, Rudolf has earned his money.

Freezeday, Truthweek, Darkseason, 614 TA

The road turns westward for the last day and we reach Silverseam before dusk. I’ve only been to Silverseam once before – my father took me to a meeting about Trollmarch defences, eight or nine years ago – but it’s pretty unforgettable.

The initial impression comes from the walls – Dwarf-built, of course, and peppered with Dwarven artillery (large versions of their arquebuses). Then, once inside, as well as the distinctive Dwarven architecture (and even the buildings not built by Dwarves still imitate their design principals), Dwarves outnumber humans by as much as two-to-one, many of them of the soldier guild, but all other guilds are present, even some Delvers. But, of course, the vast majority of Dwarves live underground, never seen by humans.

We find lodgings in an inn in the centre of town.

Waterday to Fireday, Truthweek, Darkseason, 614 TA

It takes George several days to make contact with certain Dwarven families, via the Carpenter’s Guild, who are willing to pay to get their tools back – apparently it’s a point of honour for Dwarves. Ariella takes the opportunity to buy herself some iron armour.

Then it’s time to return to Moonguard. Victoria takes her leave at this point; she intends to either return to the Trolllands (a loan Troll passing through the Trollmarch defences?) or perhaps cross the Hegemony to Freetown (though I wouldn’t think Trolls would be any more popular there). I would suggest she returns to Moonguard with us and apply for certification through her embassy, but frankly I’m relieved to see her go.

Moonday, Truthweek, Darkseason, 614 TA

We take the Dwarven train back to Moonguard, the first part of which is entirely underground but once it leaves the hills we have nice views over the wintery landscape south of Moonguard.

Godsday, Truthweek, Darkseason to Godsday, Disorderweek, Stormseason, 614 TA

Once in Moonguard, I report to Fr Saul, first thing, regarding the Wraithe complex and the necromancer who escaped as a ghost. He makes a note of this and says he will keep an ear open for any news of necromantic atrocities.

Then I take advantage of Henry Masterson’s offer of spell teaching and spend a week learning Foxtroll – it will be very useful if we encounter any more of them. I think Ariella is also learning a spell at her temple outside the city but George has already departed to Hillsgreen Crossing because he has some business there regarding a ploughshare. He will meet us in Borke’s Drift. We’re happy to see the Beaver, Rufus Roughcut, again.

Freezeday to Clayday, Harmonyweek, Stormseason, 614 TA

We ride for Borke’s Drive, meeting George.