The Raggedy Man's Revenge

Extracts from a report by Cameron (St John’s military alter-ego)

 

Tuesday 8th August

Whereas best intelligence suggested that the Squidgicum-Squee could not be expected to arrive at Silbury Hill earlier than the 9th, we received explicit orders that the site was to be prepared for its arrival twenty-four hours earlier. My team consisted of Agents Grace Darling, Sphinx and Ice Maiden. Also present was the civilian EH1, the main English Heritage liaison. She was already been deeply involved with the hunt for the creature, so the additional security risk in allowing her to be present was comparatively minor. Her authority over English Heritage security personnel meant that she would be useful in keeping other civilians out of the way.

 

We arrived at Silbury at dusk, and immediately set about extracting the sealing plate. On getting the plate to the summit, I inspected the plate and found it to have a Voorish sign on it. This needed immediate reporting to H.Q. The orders from H.Q. were that the plate was to be returned to its place. By this stage a strange pattern of mist had appeared on the slope of Waden Hill. [Waden Hill is a gentle hill about 800m NE of Silbury Hill with a summit a few metres higher than Silbury Hill. The Kennet flows between the two.]

 

The mist was starting to fill the Kennet valley, and did not seem to be a natural phenomenon. I took Agents Phoenix and Ice Maiden to reconnoitre the valley. On arrival we found that the mist was a few metres deep. There was also a loud buzzing noise. I moved in on the source of sound, and sighted a Mi-go, which we engaged and destroyed. I regret that I cannot give any further details of the engagement, as during the course of it I was wounded and rendered unconscious.

 

Wednesday 9th August

Fortunately my injuries were not sufficiently serious to prevent my returning to Silbury Hill. I had requested military support, and Gallowsman was due to arrive later. Prior to this we decided to reconnoitre Waden Hill. By a mixture of ground inspection and dowsing, we successfully located the Fungi from Yuggoth in two cisterns on the top of Waden Hill, and an artefact of their technology nearby. We left everything as it was to avoid disturbing them. I established an observation point on the top of Silbury Hill, until the arrival of Gallowsman. No activity was observed on Waden Hill.

 

Once Gallowsman arrived with the armaments, we proceeded to Waden Hill and engaged the Mi-Go. Gallowsman and Sphinx dropped improvised bombs into the cisterns while the rest of the team stood by with small arms to engage any of the enemy that survived the bombs. The attack on the first cistern was entirely successful. Only one of the Mi-Go survived to emerge and it was successfully taken down without our suffering any damage. However the attack on the second cistern lacked the complete surprise off the first. Two Mi-Go emerged from the second cistern before the bomb had detonated and counter-attacked. One was a magician, who cast "Wrack" spells (or a spell of very similar effect) on Ice Queen and myself. Grace Darling suffered severe bruising to her right arm in hand-to-claw fighting with the other Mi-Go. Nevertheless after a brief fire-fight both Mi-Go were taken down. The enemy had been destroyed without any injury requiring hospitalisation.

 

The lesson that needs to be learnt from this is that better munitions would have allowed this to be done with far less risk. Had Gallowsman been allowed more effective munitions (hand grenades would probably have been adequate, although I would recommend phosphorus grenades) and the means of securing the cistern lids to prevent the Mi-Go's escape, the operation could have been executed with minimal risk.

 

Fortunately the gun-fire did not seem to have attracted any undue attention. We collected the artefact found earlier and left to prepare for arrival of the Squidgicum-Squee. At this point, Gallowsman returned to base.

 

As with on the 8th, Ice Maiden went down the shaft to attach the rope for the removal of the sealing plate. This was successful, but it seems to have taken an undue toll on Ice Maiden, probably as it was compounding the effects of the Wrack spell. When the creature was spotted we retreated to the far-side of the hill just out of sight of the summit, so that the plate's warding would not disturb the creature's progress. As soon as the creature entered the summit hut, we advanced and prepared to replace the plate. At this point it became clear that contrary to my original plan, Ice Maiden was in no fit state to descend again. I decided I had to go myself. I had the plate lowered with all haste, and followed it as quickly as I could. On reaching the bottom and I having untied the plate, when the creature tried to emerge from the hole. I immediately struck the creature with the plate, warding side down and forced it back. Leaving the plate in place, I returned to the surface.

 

 

Summary:

A significant nest of Mi-Go have been destroyed. Some Mi-Go artefacts have been recovered. The Squidgicum-Squee has been successfully returned to under Silbury Hill.

 

The operation has cost a modest expenditure in expended ammunition. All members of the team have suffered minor injury and very serious stress. I recommend that all team members should be allowed at least a few week rest from active operations.