The Diary of Skullweed Moonflower

Purple Elf and Selene Moonlord: part 16

In which we battle undead and demons – well, a demon - again…

Freezeday, Truthweek, Seaseason, 613 TA – afternoon

The ucuinhoth are in formation, two tylycnaiv (skeletons) flanking the two gyrth (zombies) with two more tylycnaiv in front and behind the line. I’m on the far left side of our column, within sword reach of the left-most tulucnáv and slightly ahead of Dan and Harlequin, facing the leading tulucnáv.

As I size up my tulucnáv, I hear glass breaking over on the far side. Looking round, I see a cloud of dark grey gas boiling into the air some sixty yards away – what vileness is this? Are we to be gassed as we fight? No matter, I’m confident we can deal with these ucuinhoth (undead) without magics.

Spotting that the rear-most tulucnáv is looking my way, Ithiltê flutters overhead and Disrupts its arm, causing it to drop one of its spears, but it still retains another. Close up, I notice that the ucuinhoth bear rudimentary weapons, the gyrth have crude clubs and the tylycnaiv wield spears with points of wood hardened in fire. They should be little trouble to despatch but can we do so before the gas reaches us?

I easily parry my tulucnáv’s thrust with my new shortsword, timing my riposte to aim for its head but, annoyingly, the thing parries. Then the second tulucnáv arrives and I’m fighting two. Mmm! Perhaps I need magics after all.

Meanwhile, Dan parries the leading tulucnáv. Harlequin relies on his armour for defence as he lashes out at the leading tulucnáv and the male gorth, which he hits in the foot. The male gorth hits his armour, the female misses Dan. Dan’s own blow takes off the female’s arm. Roxie moves to engage the remaining tulucnáv on the far right, having received a spell from Sydney.

Out the corner of my eye, I see the swirling grey gas coalesce and darken to become a foul faithidraug (insect-rune demon). The hideous thing has black chitinous hide that looks very tough to this Elf and it has three heads – one with stabbing mouthparts, another with viciously hooked mandibles and a third covered in frost – yes, I definitely need magics!

I cast Shimmer on myself while Ithiltê casts Bladesharp on my blade. I comfortably parry one tulucnáv but miss my second parry with the shortsword, receiving a wound in my leg. I wish I’d gone for magic earlier.

But then a miracle! The skull of the one-armed tulucnáv simply explodes! (I later learn Dan’s ally spirit had Disrupted it.) I’m facing just the one again.

Meanwhile, Harlequin is hit by some sort of breath weapon from the faithidraug, frosting his armour and numbing his leg. Harlequin hits the male gorth in the guts. It hits him back but again his armour saves him. Then a second breath from the faithidraug frosts his arm. Dan puts down the female gorth and Harlequin destroys the male gorth’s arm. Roxie duels her tulucnáv, retreating away from the faithidraug.

Monty’s not done much so far (I think he was casting spells, which makes him wiser than me) but now he moves forward, past Roxie and her tulucnáv, to engage the faithidraug before it can hit our flank. Ithiltê casts Befuddle at the faithidraug and I later learn Harlequin (or possibly his ally spirit) casts Demoralise, backed by massive Pow, but the thing seems immune.

Sydney has engaged Dan’s tulucnáv, which Dan leaves to him, looping around to join Monty against the faithidraug, casting spells as he goes. Roxie deftly parries her tulucnáv before smashing through its parry to destroy its chest.

I duck my own tulucnáv’s thrust, parrying with my blade (it feels good to hold my silver megil again). I don’t know if my parry had anything to do with it but somehow it loses its grip on the spear, which spins back into its body, demolishing its chest! Suddenly I’m free – I leave the callon (skull) to bite empty air and start moving toward the demon, readying a tausc (discus).

At about this time, Harlequin befuddles the male gorth with Turn Undead and Dan tries to Demoralise the faithidraug but again to no effect. Sydney duels the last tulucnáv, smashing its pelvis.

Monty parries one bite from the faithidraug with his rapier and then another from a second head with his dagger but he has no parries left for the third head, which sucks Power from his soul! (I do hope it’s not permanent.)

Dan and Harlequin join Monty facing the faithidraug and Roxie loops round the back – Monty is no longer alone. As I move to join them, I pace my approach, seeking to use my tuisc (discii). The demon is large but squat and hulking so there’s a danger of hitting my friends, but to my mind the faithidraug is a fearful threat – I am highly skilled and I deem it worth the risk. Out the corner of my eye, I see Sydney battling the last tulucnáv, raining blows from above.

As I approach, I see Monty slice a leg off the faithidraug – but it’s got a lot of legs – then I have to admire his dagger parry of one of the heads. I throw my first tausc with Ithiltê’s Speedart, hitting a leg, but it doesn’t even come off – damn this thing’s armoured hide!

Harlequin parries a second head but the third breathes frost on his arm – which seems strangely unaffected. Then I let fling my second (silver) tausc, casting my own Speedart – this one slices deep into the faithidraug’s belly, vanishing inside the chitin of its hide – that hurt, and will hurt more with time. Dan hits the faithidraug’s thorax and Harlequin the frosty head but the thing’s armour is tough.

As I slip between Monty and Dan, I can tell by its movement that the faithidraug can feel my tausc in its guts. Close up, the thing radiates a horrible field of coldness that chills the sap in my phloem. I thrust with my megil, hitting a leg, but I’m not sure I got through the chitinous hide.

Dan parries but the bite forces its way past his axe and into his guts! A nasty wound! Then I parry a second bite, which notches my blade. The faithidraug breathes frost on Monty’s arm as he hits another leg and Harlequin a head. Dan’s axe bites deep into the thorax, and Roxie does the same, but the raughoth don’t feel pain as we do and it keeps going.

Behind us, Sydney is still duelling his tulucnáv. Finally, he weaves a blow past its parry and smashes its callon. That just leaves the faithidraug. I hit the abdomen and I think either that thrust or my tausc finally takes it out as the thing’s belly starts dragging on the ground. Harlequin and Monty both parry bites and it breathes in Monty’s face, frosting his head!

Monty falls to the ground! Is this the death of a hero?

Harlequin misses his blow and Roxie’s is defeated by the faithidraug’s hide. But then Dan destroys its thorax with a mighty slash from his axe and the thing dissolves into putrescent slime!

We’ve won! But at what cost? Is Monty slain? But then he coughs weakly and Sydney confirms he will live. Thank the Lady!

As Sydney tends to Monty, and Dan, who both took nasty wounds, I retrieve my tuisc and clean them as I Heal my own leg. Then I set to despatching the two cellyn (skulls) and the Befuddled gorth.

Turning from Monty and Dan, Sydney offers to heal Harlequin who demures, claiming he must rely on potions of Corpse Healing! What? He lets Sydney examine him, discovering Harlequin’s right arm is úcuin! Apparently this is the result of some curse. But Harlequin is always going on about how he’s favoured by Humakt, the deity most known for hating the undead! Sydney confirms the arm is úcuin, right into the shoulder. Simple surgery would not cure the problem. Sydney thinks it needs powerful runemagic or even Divine Intervention! At least it’s not spreading. Harlequin claims he gave his arm to save the World, but Sydney thinks it was a poor bargain.

Examining the bones and the now inert zombies, it looks like these last were two of the missing militia. Úcuin and raughoth – this feels like Hohoho all over again! Dan observes that it’s odd the two militia were stripped of weapons and armour before being raised as undead. They would have been more effective with armour and better weapons.

Searching the area, we find no more bodies, just the tracks of the cart, which we follow in a wide loop back to Hilltown. We find the cart abandoned just a few hundred yards from the town. We take it back to the clearing to fetch the remains, since we were tasked with finding the militiamen, and we have at least two.

It’s dusk by the time we get back to Hilltown. It would be nice to clean ourselves of the sewer muck and stench of rot but we really need to alert officialdom. We cover the contents of the cart with branches and Monty’s august appearance and reputation see us through the gate without suspicion.

We go straight to Governor Boban’s residence. At first some flunkies think we’re bringing game and direct us to the trade entrance round the back by the kitchens, but we persuade them otherwise and we’re directed to one side.

Governor Boban and Peter Thirlwood join us a few minutes later. I show them the bodies and tell them they were undead and that there was also something demonic – I believe these were the same perpetrators involved in the Hohoho incident. Governor Boban nods, mentioning having read Babic’s notes (made from my own transcript). Governor Boban doesn’t understand why this should have happened in Hilltown.

Sydney wonders what might have happened to the other two bodies and all their equipment – this is a very good point. It means the case is less than half resolved and something even worse may be developing out there, somewhere!

I make the point that whoever forced ingress via the sewers did so specifically to hunt these militiamen. Harlequin disagrees but Sydney and Dan are with me on this. Dan points out that if they just wanted bodies, why choose the militia, and Governor Boban agrees – they could have kidnapped some drunks who were about on the night.

That the cart wound up back at Hilltown suggests the other bodies and equipment may still be in the town. Sydney thinks the vacant properties in Three Tree Place might be a good place to hide them.

Somehow, about now someone raises the issue of Harlequin’s arm. Sydney confirms he has ‘an unfortunate medical condition’. Governor Boban accuses Sydney of giving a ‘political’ answer – well the Governor should know – and Sydney admits Harlequin’s arm is undead.

Harlequin claims to be ‘favoured’ by Humakt – how can Humakt countenance such a thing?

Leaving all that aside, Governor Boban says we should all meet up later tonight to raid the empty houses in Three Tree Place. Harlequin suggests simply casting Detect Undead should confirm whether they are there. I get the feeling Governor Boban is a little disappointed, from his comments to Monty and Thirlwood, he’s nostalgic for his adventuring days. Either way, Governor Boban urges us to meet him at the Militia House in three hours.

Back at the Knight’s Rest, we clean up and eat our evening meal. Tonight’s accommodation sees another eight shillings go from our expenses, leaving 32s/4d.

Feeling refreshed, we’re at the Militia House at the appointed time, though I wish this was happening on a night with any Moon. Governor Boban and Peter Thirlwood are waiting, both in disguise – Governor Boban wearing an outlandish wide-brimmed hat that makes him look like an Ishtari and Peter Thirlwood has a false beard, of all things! Both are in militia surcoats. I get the feeling Governor Boban is looking forward to this.

We make a full patrol all along the route but encounter nothing of interest. In Three Tree Place we make considerable noise at Governor Boban’s suggestion (to provoke potential enemies) but detect neither undead nor enemies. (The latter surprises me, as I’d have thought quite a few locals would be throwing up windows to shout ‘we’re trying to sleep’, but there you go.)

Possibly disappointed at the lack of action, Governor Boban reports that the bodies were identified as Pearl Moonlight and Darren Crescent. He will ensure they receive proper burial. He urges us to return to Freetown to report to Babic but asks us to warn the Selenite militias on the way, in case any other militia have gone missing.

We go back to the Knight’s Rest where, with no Moon in the sky, I experience the novelty of a night in bed.

Waterday, Truthweek, Seaseason, 613 TA

We have an uneventful ride to Heave-Ho, where we warn Invigilator Inslor Meradoc of events in Hilltown. He reports no one has gone missing in Heave Ho but he’ll send word out to raise general awareness. Accommodation comes to twelve shillings, leaving 20s/4d.

Clayday, Truthweek, Seaseason, 613 TA

The lift down the cliffs is 6s and we reach Hoebottom mid-afternoon, where accommodation comes to another twelve shillings, leaving 2s/4d.

We alert the Selenite militia but again no one has gone missing. However, the news is the Ayatollah is back from Sartac so Sydney visits him to tell him about the ‘Hujjap Al-Azrael’ affair and confirm that Isaac and Malachai will receive appropriate spiritual guidance. Sydney reports that the Ayatollah agrees that the two men were wilfully misled.

Windsday, Truthweek, Seaseason, 613 TA

We reach Freetown early afternoon and find Sivic Babic in the temple with Mara Luna. Monty relates our findings regarding undead and demons in Hilltown, then I relate how Daniel Lewis was hired by Belehue Selen to impersonate an Azraelite demagogue.

Babic will recall Belehue Selen being implicated in the Hohoho incident. The demons and undead in Hilltown must be sourced by the same person or persons responsible for Hohoho and the bizarre ‘Hujjap Al-Azrael’ affair is therefore also linked. But we only recovered two of the missing militia and our encounter in Hilltown, while hairy, was much smaller in scope than Hohoho, which means we have almost certainly not got to the bottom of all this.

As Sydney puts it, there’s a demonist and a necromancer still out there, still not apprehended.

Babic seems to think he must mull over things but he asks us to check in with him on a daily basis. He seems to indicate that we are dismissed but he’s overlooked our pay. Handing him the balance of our ‘expenses’, 2s/4d, I ask after our pay and bonuses. To be fair, once I bring up the matter, he’s reasonably forthcoming. Nine days at 6s/day comes to 54s each (including Roxie) and the bonus for dealing with Hujjap so discretely comes to 20s each (I don’t think I’ll be retiring just yet). I ask about the bonus for the militia issue but Babic says that will come once the issue is fully resolved.

So having dealt with a demon and undead not to mention a demagogue, all with discretion, we now have to wait on Babic, without a retainer, until he’s ready to send us to face further horrors.

But that evening Harlequin sends word that he might have found us gainful employment while we’re waiting on Babic. We meet him in the casino.

He’s heard through ‘certain underworld contacts’ as a casino (part) owner that one of his customers has been targeted for assassination, a Mercer by the name Albert Arkwright. Some unspecified ‘interested party’ will pay us handsomely to ensure the assassins make their move and fail. The action will happen tomorrow night in the Kameria Theatre. That word ‘discretion’ is mentioned again – apparently no one can know we’re involved, including Mr Arkwright, to avoid compromising his underworld source and so we don’t frighten off the assassin.

It sounds a little odd to me – obviously I’m not mad enough yet – but the pay sounds much more like it – 20s each just for being present, and if the action unfolds with Arkwright safe and sound and at least one assassin to face interrogation, it’ll be 60s each for just one night’s work with no demons or undead at all. I don’t think any of us can turn down that cash.

I’ve got three Disguise spells to help with discretion but I think it will need more than that to hide Monty – on the other hand he can probably just hire a box and be himself without raising any suspicion.