Count Julian's Sceptre

 Present:

• Abellinut "Able" Ugwistan, 31, Moor Arian Fighter from Septum - Jeff
• Aulius "Owl" Lucius Decanter, 25, Polytheistic Fighter from Gades - Jamie
• Elia Ildaria, 24, Basque Pagan Barbarian from Gasteiz  - Richard
• Luigi Abundus Bertolini, 23, Roman Nicene Priest from Ravenna - Chris
• MARMALADE: Merkel, 24, Vandal Arian Temple-fighter from Gades - Kevin
• Vanker Polyester, 22, Vandal Pagan Rogue from Gades - Shane
• Velito Rosso, 24, Roman Nicene Barbarian from Venice - Darryl
• MARMALADE: Victor Koshenko, 24, Alan Arian Thief from Gades - Ian

By Andrew

Spine snake bite

The group had just returned to Gades from Geryon Sepulchre island on the church's boat Llaga Supurante. Owl and Vankar both had gleaming eyes, and Velito had the infected bite from the spine snakes. The wound was starting to go grey as the necrotizing fasciitis apparently set in.

Back Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, they went and saw Father Valerius. But he was still ill and barely aware of them as they circled his bed in mock concern. Acolyte Felix said that the delirium was getting worse, and then visions were becoming more disturbing.

"He claims you and Vanker are possessed by skeleton demons," said Felix to Owl with a snort.

"Owl and Vanker;" croaked Father Valerius, his eyes bloodshot and yellow. "Growing darkness in their souls. Purged they must be."

 

Aulius and Vanker looked awkwardly at each other.

"Something I should know?" asked Felix.

"No no... but look at poor Velito!" said Aulius, quickly changing the subject. "Can you fix his wound?"

"Puuuurged!" screamed Father Valerius.

Acolyte Felix shook his head slowly. "The only one here who could hope to pray strongly enough would be the ill Father. But not in his current state. Perhaps God will guide you to another church in Gades. Nicene, of course!" 

Nuestra Sagrada Virgen
de las Tetas Blasfemas

Sister Justina nodded solemnly. "I can help show you way, friends."

They considered going to Nuestra Sagrada Virgen de las Tetas Blasfemas, (Our Lady of the Blasphemous Boobs), but the good sister said she was not so sure of the rigor of that place. 

"There are uncomfortable rumours... strange goings-on ... secrets unsaid," she said with a blush. "Let us gave it a wide berth."

Next choice was the Capilla de Santa Maria, but that was only a chapel, and run by a mere Deacon.

"He has not the fervour," she mused sadly.

There was only one Nicene church left to try: Nuestra Sagrada Virgen de la Paz Eterna (Our Lady of Eternal Peace). 

"We will have to go to la Paz Eterna," said Sister Justina. "Despite their unusual foot-wear rules. They demand that you must enter the nave barefoot, like our Lord."

On the way there, townsfolk were gossiping in the streets of Gades. There was news from official runners from Cordoba: The new King Roderic had recently appointed a new Dux for the Duchy of Baetica: Dux Ramiro, (Roderic was the former Dux of the Baetica, so the position was made vacant when he became king). Ramiro's wife would now be Duchess Isabella. They had a son Alfonso and daughter Beatriz. They were based in Cordoba (two week's travel from Gades).

Velito, Able and Justina turned up at Our Lady of Eternal Peace, removed their shoes & boots, and sought the priest. They managed to cajole him enough to get him to perform the Neutralize Poison miracle. And praised be, Velito was cured!

Monoreme

On the way back to the party's church, there was some more even more exciting news!  A fleet of six monoreme galleys had arrived in the Gades harbour: twenty-five oars a side, brightly coloured sails and pennants, soldiers on the decks with gleaming shields, ladies-in-waiting dressed in their finest, and beautiful dancing girls in scandalous attire.

These galleys were from Septum, across from the other side of the (Gibraltar) straits. This was Count Julian, and his wife Florinda. And a contingent of 120 soldiers, servants and slaves. Apparently, the couple was headed to the royal capital Toletum, for Florinda to attend the recently-built palace university there. She had expressed interest in learning medicine, blood-letting and piety.

The Dux of Gades, Arvandus and his wife Livia welcomed them to Gades, in a small ceremony at the docks.

Back in the party's church at about the same time, an urchin boy rushed in looking for Able. He had an important message. The head of the Slavers' Guild, Lucius Brutus, wanted to speak to Able. "Right now". So, Able rushed off. Brutus was not someone you kept waiting.

Able went to the slave pits and was shown to Lucius Brutus, surrounded by his lieutenants and his usual coterie of slave girls. 

"I have a job for you, my good friend," said Lucius. "There is an heirloom I want. Go fetch-ah me it from one of the Count's boats. It is a golden rod; a sceptre. My spies tell-ah me it will be on-ah board the Star of Septum, Julian's fifth galley. Help-ah you-self to anything you find on-ah board, but you will give-ah me half."

Able returned to the group. "We have a job..."

That night it was clear but there was no moon.

The group used the church row-boat Llaga Supurante again. It could seat 12. They rowed out to the fifth galley. 

As they approached the monoreme, first they met the stench of the sweat and filth from the rower slaves, then they could hear drunken singing coming from the deck.

The Sceptre

They pretended to be drunken fishermen, and had a firkin of wine. The drunken sots on board were only too happy for more, and helped the group and the barrel up on board.

Elia separated herself from the group and snuck into the the central cabin on the deck. There were some guards cavorting with some winsome slave girls in the cabin, but they were all pretty drunk and too busy to notice Elia. She managed to take three bags of coins from there and she found a gold sceptre in a trophy case. This, she took.

Elia hid one bag on her person, then snuck out of the cabin, onto the deck and made her way to the railings. Here, she handed the two bags of coins and the sceptre down to the Owl, standing in the Llaga.

Then all quietly rowed back to the shore, and went back to their church. 

In the safety of the narthex, under torchlight, they examined their spoils. Each bag had 60 silver coins [each worth $100 in today's money]. The sceptre was gold and beautifully made. No-one noticed that Elia had an extra bag.

Lucius Brutus

Able was getting antsy. "We better not linger. Lucius does not like to be kept waiting."

He took one bag of coins and the sceptre, and headed to the Slavers' Guild. Sure enough, Lucius Brutus was here. He was most pleased.

"You have-ah done well."

Next morning there was a big hue and cry. "Some evil thieves had stolen Count Julian's Sceptre of Office!" was the astounding news.

It didn't take long for Count Julian and Gades Dux Arvandus to proclaim a 200 silver coin reward for recovering the sceptre, and info on the thieves that stole it.

The Gades militia was tasked to search the town for the sceptre. 

Aulius, a former militia member himself, reported to his friendly Sergeant and volunteered to help. The militia was going door to door.

Later that day, Sister Justina, who was tending the sick Father Valerius, came and told the group.

"The good father says the missing sceptre is hidden in a bone hut in the Slavers' Guild!" she said. "I'm afraid his delirium is getting worse. Brother Felix is bleeding him now. The humours are strong."

She added, with a dubious tone: "And he says the demons inside Owl and Vanker are getting stronger."

 

Soldiers came and searched the church. Aulius was part of this squad, and he gave the group a cheery wink as he went through their personal items in their tents. Anything that could fit a sceptre-sized object was searched. Elia's pack was very thoroughly searched - multiple times - as they carefully examined her exotic Basque lingerie.

Florinda of Septum

There was new news around town. Count Julian was scheduled to leave for Hispalis today (one week's travel) and thence on to Toletum, but he needed his sceptre, so he had changed his plans and was now staying in Gades to help with organizing the search. 

However, Florinda, his wife, would still be leaving. Her entourage was all the ladies-in-waiting, a handful of slaves, and twenty soldiers.

When Velito heard the news that the sceptre was so important and so valuable, he thought that the party had been duped and this this matter ought to be remedied. So, he headed off to the Slavers' Guild to talk to Brutus. When Velito arrived, Lucius's guards stopped him.

"The Boss ain't here."

"Well, I wanna to see him," replied Velito. "It is-ah important."

"He's out on business. Now piss off."

"Well, tell-a him Velito want-sa to talk-ah to him. Contact at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour."

That evening, back at the church, six bully-boys arrived, and they beat the living snot out of Velito. Sister Justina was distraught at such violence, but the rest of the group stood idly by and watched.

"Think about your life choices," they hissed as they left him bruised and battered on the ground.

WELCOME TO MY DOMAIN

 Present:

• Abellinut "Able" Ugwistan, 31, Moor Arian Fighter from Septum - Jeff
• Aulius "Owl" Lucius Decanter, 25, Polytheistic Fighter from Gades - Jamie
• MARMALADE: Elia Ildaria, 24, Basque Pagan Barbarian from Gasteiz  - Richard
• Luigi Abundus Bertolini, 23, Roman Nicene Priest from Ravenna - Chris
• MARMALADE: Merkel, 24, Vandal Arian Temple-fighter from Gades - Kevin
• Vanker Polyester, 22, Vandal Pagan Rogue from Gades - Shane
• Velito Rosso, 24, Roman Nicene Barbarian from Venice - Darryl
• Victor Koshenko, 24, Alan Arian Thief from Gades - Ian

By Jeff

Dusk was fast approaching as Velito and Able peered down into the dark shaft that slipped into the depths below Geryon Sepulchre Island. They considered the option of scrambling down and hunting down the mysterious large creature that had been spotted twice now. The same creature which had thrown the huge spear at Merkel. Mysterious rattling noise occasionally echoed up from below.

"Best wait for morning" suggested Velito nervously.
"Yeah, that'll be best" agreed Able, nodding wisely.

Victor joined them as they pulled back, and they all retreated to the temporary shelter erected over one of the old stone walled building ruins and joined the rest of the party. Owl had revived from his previous comatose state and was looking around in surprise.

"Are we on Geryon Sepulchre Island?" he asked.

Dark clouds overhead

Sister Justina had just finished her Control Weather supplication and was looking suspiciously up at the dark clouds overhead. 

"Demonic forces oppose us" she muttered.
"God must trust us to deal with this ourselves" she reluctantly concluded.

Luigi and Sister Justina set about supplicating for Cures on the injured, Owl and Vanka, while lots were cast as to who would stand watch for the night. Owl drew first watch and settled down near the entrance of the shelter once his Cure had been granted. Able and Victor drew the midnight watch, while Velito took the dawn watch.

A few hours later, with the soft sounds of sleep filling the shelter, Owl's sharp ears picked out a strange shuffling/slithering noise from over near Victor's bed. Not having heard anything like it before, Owl leapt up and rushed over towards Victor, his small flickering lantern held forward and his sword clutched tightly in his right hand.

"'Ware" Owl yelled, having spotted some form of snake like creature slithering down the stone wall towards Victor's head. Owl ferociously swung his sword at the thing, hitting it dead centre and shattering it into pieces. Pieces of hard white material exploded from out and rained down onto Victor.

"What the hell?" muttered Victor, startled awake by the yelling and falling pieces of debris.

The spine-snakes

It turned out to be made of bone. Some form of articulated snake-like bone creature with nasty evil looking spikes of teeth in a clearly discernible head. Slightly less than a meter long, it had a vaguely familiar look.

"Does that look like a human spine to you?" Luigi asked rhetorically.

At this point everyone had been awakened by the commotion, except ....

"Bzzzzzzzzz" snored Velito from the corner.
"How didn't he wake up?" wondered Owl.
"Sliiiish sliiiiish" sounded from the stone wall.

Two more of the spine-snakes were slithering down the walls towards Merkle and Vanker. Merkle was prone and sprawled on the ground, as though his soul was absent, and his body was unattended. Oh right, it was! A defenceless target for the cowardly spine-snake, shame.

Owl and Able stepped forward and intercepted the cowardly spine-snake, while Vanker attempted to Dodge his attacker, supported by Luigi who stepped forward to assist.

A ferocious battle eventuated with screaming, yelling, and wild sword swinging, which fortunately woke Velito just as a third additional spine-snake launched itself at him from above. Engaging his Dodge ability, Velito managed to avoid his attacker, while Able destroyed the cowardly spine-snake and Owl was bitten by the other one. The thing clamped its jaws down on Owl's arm and its two bone spikes penetrated into his flesh and locked on.  

"Arrggghhhh" screamed Owl.
"Arrggghhhh" echoed Velito.

Throbbing wounds

When the battle was over, both Owl and Velito were found to have received nasty bite wounds, with rapidly reddening pustules developing around the puncture marks.

"Urrggghhhh" moaned Owl, "It's throbbing horribly"
"Urrggghhhh" echoed Velito, "No, no, mine's throbbing more horribly"

Sister Justina whipped out her holy water and applied it liberally to Owl's wound, while Luigi whipped out his honey infused holy water and applied it to Velito's.

"Arrggghhhh" screamed Owl as the holy water bubbled and hissed across his flesh.
"Hmmm", mused Luigi to himself, "That's mighty strange"
"Thank you, Mary Holy Mama of God, thank you" chanted Velito as the throbbing slowly faded over the next hour as Owl and Sister Justina concluded their initial supplication.

Velito's wound was still looking red and sore though, so Owl spent another hour in prayerful supplication, which did the trick. And just like that, Velito went back to sleep! For a few hours anyway. Able woke him after the end of the second watch, and Velito took over until morning. The rest of the night passed peacefully.

Sometime during the night the dark clouds overhead let go, and a thunderous downpour drenched the area. Thunder and lightning crashed continuously overhead. Torrents of water sheeted off out temporary sail roof, and rivulets of water ran down the inside of the old stone walls and onto the ground. 

By morning, the weather had calmed, and the rain had stopped. The dark clouds were still present though, and they still swirled unnaturally, centred directly over the island.

Victor and Owl went looking for any tracks that the slithering spine-snakes might have made. Despite their different findings and disagreements, they concluded that the creatures had emerged from the shaft during the night, and their source was definitely below.

While Velito and Able organised some ropes off the boat and anchored them to the rocks near the descending shaft, Sister Justina and Luigi offered yet another round of prayerful supplication on behalf of Owl's wounds of the night before. In fact, they both exhausted all their supplication opportunities. 

[The Divine Powers only tolerate a limited quantity of prayerful supplication in any particular time period, measured in-game by the Magic Points skill. When you have used all your magic points, you are unable to perform any more magic until your points are replenished. To replenish your points, you must undertake a period of peaceful rest, normally twelve hours, and you will recover D4 points. This process can be uncomfortably slow, so there is an accelerated method utilising the magic-user's "grape" or the priest's holy wafer (or similar), and a Transfer process where one Supplicant of the same Divine Power can Transfer points to another. 

In this current eighth century game, the predominant magic is divine, i.e. prayers granted by the Divine Powers, Gods if you will.

A person (NPC or PC) who prays to a Divine Power is called a "Supplicant".

CHOICE: The Supplicant must decide which Divine Power to worship. This is a conscious decision. Children default to their mother's choice (at birth). 

Choice can be made at any time after puberty, but it involves a one-hour dedication ceremony (put on by the local church/temple) which culminates in a three-step professing of their choice.

The available Divine Powers align with the beliefs of the time including the One God of the Christians (Nicene or Arian), the assorted Saints of the Christians, the One God of the Jews, and the pantheon of Gods of the Romans and other Pagans, and NONE.

NONE is a valid choice, but consciously choosing NONE results in the chooser becoming an Infernal (arcane magic-user). Children born to mothers who have chosen NONE are Imps.

The Supplicants exercise their divine magic ability through CONTACT with their God.

There are three states of Contact:

QUIESCENT - in this state, there is no communication to or from the Supplicant.
This is the default state.

OPEN - this opens the mind of the supplicant and allows the Divine Power to initiate communications. When this communication happens, there is a "Divine interruption" and the Supplicant's event-handler switches into CONTACT state.

CONTACT - this allows two-way communication between the Divine Power and the Supplicant. All conversation is done by intense conscious thought. It can be voiced out-loud (thickos do it this way), but the reply is not heard by anyone but the Supplicant. The Supplicant always has control and can terminate communications at any time and drop out into the QUIESCENT state.

It is during CONTACT that the Supplicant communicates their desired spell effect to the Divine Power, uses their Magic Divine skill to determine if successful, and if so, the Divine Power will grant the appropriate effect. This CONTACT takes one hour, with the success roll being made at the end of the hour.

During CONTACT, the Supplicant is in direct communication with their chosen Divine Power and thus in a somewhat euphoric state. Their body takes on a kind of euphoric holiness, manifested by a glimpse of Divinity within their eyes and observed by others as a "happy glow".]

With the ropes securely fixed to rocks above the shaft and running down into the darkness below, the party carefully descended into the depths. Able took the lead, with Owl, Vanker, Victor, Velito, Luigi, and Sister Justina following one after the other. Almost immediately, Able noticed that the surfaces of the shaft were covered in a wet, slimy liquid that made it all very slippery. The dim light from the flickering candle-lanterns suggested that the slimy liquid was probably red in colour.

"Ewwww" squealed Owl, "I hope this isn't blood"

"Sssshhhh" whispered Able, "What's that noise?"

A now familiar shuffling/slithering noise rattled from just ahead, and a spine-snake dropped off the ceiling of the shaft straight down towards Able, its jaw spread wide and it's two fangs heading for his face.

"Crunnnnch" echoed up the shaft as Able's sword swung dextrously into the snake and smashed it into pieces.

"Ummmm" warned Owl, "More ahead"

"Down" yelled Vanker from the middle of the group.

Able and Owl immediately ducked low as Vanker fired at the first of two more spine-snakes that were slithering along the walls of the shaft towards us. The arrow embedded itself into the snake's head and was immediately followed by Able's sword. The snake shattered and dropped off the wall, but the second one was then right on top of us. But both Able and Owl were able to strike it, and it too shattered and dropped off the wall to rattle down into the darkness below.

Pausing for a moment, but hearing nothing, we started back down.

After descending about ten meters the shaft opened up into a large rocky cave, steamy hot, covered in the red slime, and filled with the strong stench of brimstone. A deep rumble and faint red glow issued from far down a tunnel that run out from the far side of the cave, and two human skeletons lay on the floor of the cave off to the left. Neither had a spine.

The glow of fire ahead

"Nooo" moaned Luigi, "God preserve us. It's the second death. The lake of fire"

"Owwww" complained Owl, "these old bites are throbbing painfully again"

"Owwww" echoed Velito, "I'm sure mine are worse"

Suddenly, a sharp pain stabbed into everyone's head and a deep angry voice spoke.

"WHO DARES ENTER MY DOMAIN?
IDENTIFY YOURSELVES"

[In fact, only those who failed their saving throw against arcane magic heard that booming threatening message. Which was everyone, except for Owl and Vanker. They both heard a different message!
They both heard "WELCOME TO MY DOMAIN. COME FRIENDS"]

"I am Abellinut" stated Able boldly, "Who are you?"

"GERYON" boomed the response. 

"Oh no" groaned Luigi, "Geryon, the three-bodied Giant, the strongest of all men, the spear thrower, the cattle herder. We are doomed"
"Not me" exclaimed Velito, "I'll stay back here. You deal with him"

"But wait .... Heracles killed him!" exclaimed Luigi, "It must be a trick"

Despite various grumblings and much nervousness, we all moved forward into the wide tunnel ahead, Vanker and Owl striding boldly at the fore. The tunnel went on for some hundreds of meters ahead, the strong stench of brimstone increasing with each step. The heat was also increasing, and it was becoming more difficult to breathe with every step. Owl and Velito particularly were wheezing and gasping, their old wounds aching painfully.

At the front, Vanker and Owl could see a figure silhouetted by the red glow at the end of the tunnel. It was tall, much taller than a man, and carried a long spear in each hand. More spears were silhouetted above its head, probably strapped to its back. Vanker and Owl both hear a load soothing voice booming "STEP FORWARD FRIEND, INTO THE EMBRACE OF GERYON"

"I'll take care of this" states Owl, and strides forward towards the figure, Vanker right beside him.
The rest hesitantly move slowly forward also. The figure could be seen striding forward towards us. The gap was closing rapidly, and Velito began muttering to himself.

"No, no, this is wrong" he moaned quietly. "Mama preserve us. It's a time to retreat"

Geryon revealed

Then the dim light from Owl's lantern illuminated the figure. Tall indeed, and perhaps still a man, although dubious that it was "alive". It stood twice the height of Able, half skeletal with flesh hanging from it like slabs of cut meat and dripping red-stained pus from every piece. Each arm held a giant spear, and another eight were indeed strapped across its back.

"WELCOME FRIENDS, BRING FORTH THE SACRIFICES" heard Vanker and Owl.

"It says it's OK to proceed" translated Vanker.

Velito grabbed Luigi, turned, and dragged him back down the tunnel towards the larger cave. Victor and Sister Justina rapidly followed them, both muttering and moaning quietly to themselves.

Vanker, Owl, and Able were the only ones left in front of the creature, Able clutching his sword nervously in his sweaty grip and looking up at the giant in front of them.

"FETCH YOUR OTHER FRIENDS" Geryon's voice boomed.
"Um, they have gone" noted Vanker.
"I WILL SHOW THEM" 

Geryon drew back an arm and hurled one of his spears down the tunnel. It shot over Ables head like a thunderbolt, sped down the tunnel in a low arc, and shattered the tunnel wall beside Victor's head. Victor squealed, ducked and sprinted off into the cave, ducking around the corner and cowering on the floor.

Velito and Sister Justina, hauling Luigi along, hurried after Velito, their heads low and extremely fearful of a spear in the back. Fortunately, the second spear also missed, chipping rock of the tunnel wall just beside Sister Justina, and thudding across the floor of the cave ahead. Victor leapt over the spear as it skidded across the floor and raced up the exit tunnel, leaving Sister Justina, Velito, and Luigi crouching in the cave away from the tunnel.

"What do you want demon?" yelled Velito from around the corner.

There was no reply from Geryon, he was busy talking to Able.

"FRIEND, YOU ARE WELCOME TO JOIN YOUR OTHER TWO FRIENDS" Geryon invited.
"Who are you though" asked Able.

"I AM GOD HERE IN MY DOMAIN"

Geryon paused and hurled another spear down the tunnel. Velito had pulled a net from his backpack and laced it up over the tunnel entrance. Then he, Sister Justina, and Luigi had made a break for the entrance shaft. The net was only partially successful though. The spear ripped through the net, deflected away from Velito, and thudded into Luigi's back. The net had slowed the spear somewhat, and although Luigi was injured, he was also propelled into the shaft, and he scrambled away up towards the surface.

"THEY ARE GONE NOW" Geryon told Able, Owl, and Vanker.

"GO, DESTROY THE BOAT, BRING THEM BACK"

"Yes, yes" replied Vanker, "Can you gift us with some power to help us in this mission?"

"MY POWER IS OVER THE STORMS BUT TAKE THIS" he boomed.

Sparks burst from Vanker's fingers

Reaching forward, Geryon laid his hands on Vanker's head and with a crackling of power, pulses of light travelled down the giant's arms and into Vanker. Vanker's arms rose to the horizontal, sparks bursting off his fingers, his eyes rolled up and pinpricks of light flashed across the whites of his eyes.

"YOU MAY NOW CALL LIGHTNING" Geryon noted, "ONCE A DAY."
"Did you want our companions in particular?" asked Vanker, grateful for the bestowal of power.
"THE MORE THE MERRIER" Geryon replied.

"What about me?" queried Owl eagerly, "I'll need something to help our efforts too"

Reaching forward, Geryon laid his hands on Owl's head and with a crackling of power, pulses of light travelled down the giant's arms and into Owl. Owl's muscles twitched as pulses of light flashed down his limbs, lingering at his fingertips.

"YOU MAY NOW REMOVE SPINAL COLUMNS AND FORM MINIONS" Geryon noted,
"ONCE A DAY, WHEN SUCESSFULLY ATTACKING."

Able wisely didn't say anything, and then we all hurried off out of the tunnel to "go get the others"

After climbing to the top of the entrance shaft, we hurried over to where the rest of the party were loading everything onto the boat and preparing to depart.

Vanker pondered on the wisdom of destroying the boat with his new lightning power, to appease Geryon. As he pondered the thought, he heard "YES, JUST DO IT" echo inside his head.

"Oh crap" he muttered.

Sister Justina saw us coming and intercepted us with her cross held out in front of her.
"Your eyes are glowing!" she exclaimed fearfully, "Did you deal with the demon?"

Owl's and Vanker's eyes were glowing!
Not as in projecting a beam of light glowing, more of a happy excited euphoric glowing. 
In fact, just like a priest in CONTACT with their Divine Power!

A hasty departure from the island

"Um" stuttered Owl, "hardly a deal. More of a discussion, to allow us to escape!"

"Let's get out of here" exclaimed Vanker, "He might come up again!"

That was enough motivation, and everyone clambered onto the boat. Velito pushed us off and we rowed madly back towards town.

Something is stirring on the Island

Present:

• Abellinut "Able" Ugwistan, 31, Moor Arian Fighter from Septum - Jeff
• MARMALADE: Aulius "Owl" Lucius Decanter, 25, Polytheistic Fighter from Gades - Jamie
• Elia Ildaria, 24, Basque Pagan Barbarian from Gasteiz  - Richard
• Luigi Abundus Bertolini, 23, Roman Nicene Priest from Ravenna - Chris
• Merkel, 24, Vandal Arian Temple-fighter from Gades - Kevin
• Vanker Polyester, 22, Vandal Pagan Rogue from Gades - Shane
• Velito Rosso, 24, Roman Nicene Barbarian from Venice - Darryl
• Victor Koshenko, 24, Alan Arian Thief from Gades - Ian

By Jeff

Having sent the strange pagan priestess and her surviving "guards" packing, we put out their sacrificial fire, cleaned up the shrine, buried the bodies of her dead guards, and spiked their heads. Outside the consecrated ground of the shrine of course!

"Well" stated Victor, "She was a bit of al'right"
"Let's hope we do meet her again" he chuckled suggestively.

We met Velito on the road

Starting back down the causeway towards Gades, we encountered a burly longhaired fellow heading towards us. Draped in tatty leather armour the colour of mud and sporting a set of body tattoos easily spotted through his armour, he gave a wave and rushed towards us.

Merkel dropped a hand to his sword, and Vanker notched an arrow.

"It's a OK" yelled Luigi, "Don't a shoot, he is friend"

And that was how we met Velito, an old friend of Luigi's. 
Velito Rosso was a Roman from Venice, a Barbarian, but a faithful follower of the Nicene creed.
He and Luigi went way back, having attended the same parish for some years.

As he rushed forward, he spotted Elia, turned towards her, and came to a halt right in front of her.
Sweeping up her hand, he raised it towards his lips, paused briefly for any reaction, and kissed the back of her hand.

"What a beauty" he cried, "Luigi, where have you been hiding this wonderful creature?"

After making Velito's acquaintance, we continued back to Gades where we reported in at the church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour and heard some potentially disturbing news.

Roderick, the new King

King Witiza of Hispania had died, and his two sons had been driven from Toledo where Roderick, the old dux (duke) of Baetica had been appointed the new king. The disturbing part of these latest events was that now Baetica (this local region) needed a new dux, and political intrigue was sure to abound! Roderick was Arian, and the local churches were all going to be vying to get one of theirs appointed as the new dux.

"What is Arian?" Victor foolishly asked.

Luigi immediately whipped out his massive copy of the Testaments and spent the next half hour pontificating about the nature of God, the Trinity, and the mistaken beliefs of the Arian followers. Every point backed up with scriptural references, "Straight from the Disciples themselves" he repeatedly thundered. 

The rest of the party nodded wisely, or rolled their eyes, depending on their own beliefs.

Acolyte Felix invited us to stay for the evening meal, while waiting for Father Valerius to return from a meeting.

We divided up the items and coin "recovered" from the pagan priestess's guards; some leather armour, a few short swords, and five copper pieces each. Then we went to dinner in the church dining room where Father Valerius, Sister Justina, and Acolyte Felix joined us.

"Wow" whispered Victor, "She's a bit of al'right too"

Sister Justina

Sister Justina served us a wonderful hot meal of roasted meats, boiled vegetables, and salad, and Father Valerius offered us lodgings for the night in the visitors' tents. He was very happy that we had stopped the diabolical pagan ritual being performed in the old Arian church but noted that we should have brought the "witch" back for a cleansing.

After the meal, we settled ourselves into the visitors' tents (outside the main buildings but within the church wall) and Luigi wandered off to check out the church's beehives (that was one of his great passions) and later returned to cast a series of Cures.

[Divine spells here take at least an hour to cast and require consecrated ground. Conversely, Arcane spells are considered diabolical and would likely result in immediate incarceration, inquisition, and almost certainly death. "Noone" practiced Arcane magic in Hispania!]

Being ever vigilant, we set watches for the night, but everything was peaceful.
Until the morning!

Shortly after Prime (the 6am daily prayers), Sister Justina rushed up to the tents.

"Brother Luigi" she gasped, "You must come, Father Valerius has taken violently ill"
"Of course my dear", replied Luigi, "Just let me grab my honey treatments".

Luigi gathered up his bag of honey based treatments, his book of the Testaments, and hurried off after Sister Justina.

"Check the area" he called back as he rushed out the door.

Luigi found Father Valerius is a nasty way. His room was dark with the curtains and shutters closed. A foul smell of human waste was overpowering in the room. The father was tangled in his sheets, tossing fitfully and moaning. His face was grey and sweaty, his breathing shallow and rapid.

Throwing open the windows, Luigi sent Sister Justina for boiling water, asked Acolyte Felix to join him in the room, and then unwrapped the priest from his bedclothes.

"Phew" he thought to himself, "the stench of poison"

As soon as the blankets were removed, the priest started to convulse and thrash violently. Luigi stepped back, opened his honey pot and began to cast a Detect Evil spell. The convulsions continued for about fifteen minutes, then settled down. The spell took another forty-five minutes to complete, at which point Luigi revealed ...

"No evil on him, but back that way about fifty meters" Luigi stated, pointing off towards the north side of the church. Vanker, Able, and Victor hurried off to investigate. While they were out, Luigi dribbled some sweet honey mead into the father's mouth and muttered to himself "This'll do the job for sure"

Such was Luigi's faith that the father immediately sat up, complained of the smell, and spoke about his strange and horrible dream.

"The island" he stammered, "Something is stirring on the island"

He was referring to Geryon Sepulche island, about two kilometres off the southern coast of Gades, and it seemed that we were soon to be off to investigate just what was stirring there.

The church well

Vanker, Able, and Victor returned to report that there was nothing obviously evil out to the north, although the church well was located out that way. The water was put off limits while some tests were carried out, which is to say that a local dog was given water from the well and observed for some hours (he was fine). 

Since nothing was found that could have caused Father Valerius's sudden turn, we left him in the capable hands of acolyte Felix, obtained some provisions, went to harbour and used the church's small boat "Llaga Supurante" (seats 12), and set out for the island. 

Sister Justina was to accompany us, and before we left acolyte Felix reverently handed over a carved wooden chest.

"This is our sacred relic" he explained, "Father Valerius says you must carry the Finger of Solomon with you to the island. It will protect you he says"

We placed it carefully into the boat, loaded up the rest of our overnight supplies, and set off towards the island. It was early afternoon, the sun was shining, and a very light onshore breeze was wafting towards us. The clear waters of the gulf sparkled in the sun. Velito took charge and gave everyone their orders.

"You lot, one oar each. Able, set the pace. I'll take the tiller" Velito confidently commanded.

Turns out Velito was a sailor, temporarily without a vessel, and saving up for a new ship.
Off we went. And it was all perfect till about halfway to the island. Then the easterly began to blow up, dark clouds gathered on the eastern horizon, and like a thundering army they raced towards us.

Velito spent the next hour nervously glancing between the rapidly approaching clouds to the east, and the slowly approaching island to the south.

"Ve go leeward" Velito finally called, "And Able, pick up the pace!"

Old ruins dotted the small island

Velito guided the boat swiftly around the western side of the island, and we pulled up into a gravelly bay. The island was roundish, small (probably less than 350m across), low (maybe only 10m at its highest), and scattered with old roman ruins. There was little vegetation, some small tufts of grass and scrub clinging precariously to the stoney ground and the old stone ruins. The remnants of a few stone walled buildings dotted the higher portion of the island, but nothing looked like it had any kind of roof. 

"Take the sails and make a shelter in one of those buildings" instructed Velito.
"And take a quick look around for signs of life" suggested Luigi.

We found no tracks. And managed to string the sails up over one of the old building structures to form a temporary shelter from the expected deluge.

It looked like there were six old building ruins surrounding a central altar. We created our shelter in the westernmost, closest to where we had drawn up the boat. The western wall had crumbled away, but the other three walls were relatively solid. 

A long rumble of thunder echoed from the dark clouds overhead.

"Um, I feel a strange tingling sensation" reported Elia.
"Me too" yelled Able from outside the shelter.
"This weather just isn't natural" noted Sister Justina, "I shall consecrate this ground"
"That will take an hour" mused Luigi, "You lot better stand guard in case something is actually stirring"

Sister Justina started her spell below the sail, within the walls of the shelter.

Merkel, Victor, and Luigi stayed with Sister Justina in the shelter, while Able, Elia, Vanker, and Velito slipped out into the weather and kept watch across the top of the island towards the east.

Victor figured that the wooden chest containing the holy relic of Soloman would no doubt be useful against any attack and unwrapped it from its canvas covering. Taking a quick peek inside, he saw that there was indeed a finger bone resting on a felt cloth at the bottom of the chest. 

Victor plays with the relic

"Looks pretty sturdy" Victor thought and plucked it up for a closer inspection.

"I wonder how this works" he wondered, waving it around a bit.
"If I hold my thumb bent back like this ..." Victor mused.
"Look" cried Victor, "My thumb has decayed"

He wiggled it back and forth and laughed.

Just then a recurring low metallic whopping sound rumbled across the island, accompanied by a vibration in the ground. 

"What's that?" yelled Elia, spotting a very tall shadowy figure darting behind the far building ruin. 
"Eeek. Where? What?" screamed Velito, drawing his sword.

Vanker drew back an arrow, his bowstring quivering under the strain, and he and Elia stepped into the gap between two buildings so they could see the area where the creature had been spotted, but still somewhat shielded. Able and Velito stepped into the gap on the other side of the same central building, swords drawn, and eyes peeled. The ground vibrations died away, and the strange sound subsided.

Directly above, the unnaturally dark clouds were swirling around in a circle, apparently centred above the ruins of the old altar. The low rumble of thunder was almost continuous now, and the strange tingling sensations had strengthened. Our hairs were standing on end. But we were ready for anything.

Nothing happened though, so after about ten minutes the guards pulled back into a tighter defensive formation around our temporary shelter. Some ten minutes after that, Sister Justina completed her Consecration spell and looked around.

"Eeeeeeeeek" she squealed, "What are you thinking? Put that back immediately. "

She had spotted Victor playing with the holy Finger of Soloman and was not impressed.
Victor slipped it back into the chest and closed the lid.
Sister Justina grabbed the chest off him and thrust it at Luigi.

"Guard this with your life" she stammered, "Don't let this cretin touch it again"

"Hey" Victor replied defensively, "It's just some old bone"
"Some old bone!", Sister Justina yelled, "This is the church's holy relic. The finger bone of King Soloman himself. This is probably the only thing that will save us in this ungodly place"

A loud crack of thunder from overhead interrupted her tirade.

"The Lord preserve us" she cried, "That's definitely unnatural"
"Can you like, ask God to help us with that" Able asked.
"Good idea" agreed Sister Justina, "I shall beseech my Lord for calmer weather"

It was two hours before night, but the unnatural clouds had caused a gloomy dimness to fall over the island. But just over the island! Definitely unnatural Sister Justina started into her hour-long spell, and our four guards moved out into the dimness to stand watch against whatever it was that was coming.
And something was definitely coming!

"What's that?" yelled Elia, spotting the tall shadowy figure crouched down behind the far building ruin. 
"Eeek. Where? What?" screamed Velito, drawing his sword again.

The giant spear knocked Vanker backwards

But this time we all saw the creature. It was twice as tall as a human, with dark clothing or skin, and carrying a giant black spear. It leapt to its feet (it had legs and feet!) and threw the spear. We all jumped back, but Vanker was struck in the chest and staggered backwards.

"I'm fine" he yelled, "But that really hurt"

Velito loosed an arrow which lodged momentarily in the creature's shoulder, before dropping to the ground. The creature ducked back behind the building, and we also all ducked behind cover.

As we were watching to see if it would appear again, Victor slipped cautiously out from our temporary shelter and stealthily crept around the island rocky shore to come back up to the top behind where it was sheltering. Sometime later we heard a shout from the distance.

"Hey" yelled Victor, "Get over here and check this out"

The creature had disappeared, but Victor had found some sort of shaft sloping down into the ground below the island. It was located on the eastern side of the island, close behind the old, ruined building where we had twice spotted the creature. Able and Velito went forward for a look, leaving Vanker and Elia back near our temporary shelter.

Surrounded by loose rock with a scree covered slope dipping down into a three-metre square shaft, a dark opening loomed in front of us. Strange rattling noises could be heard from below.

Velito looked across at Able.

"Ropes?" he asked.