Responses to Chapter Ten:

From Emmanuelle LeClair (Nicky):

>zombies [snip] main intention is to harm and disfigure Emmanuelle.

These "moral crusaders" really don't know when to stop.
This distressing habit of maiming and murdering women who don't spend their entire lives in some kind of purdah is, admittedly, as old as the hills - witch trials, the Inquisition, certain Islamic nations' unsavoury habit of executing rape victims for "adultery" and many more - but Emmanuelle thinks it's about time someone put a stop to it.
She's particularly peeved that Magda is also being targeted when her loss of virginity could hardly be described as voluntary.
Anyone wishing to study the use of expletives in the French language really should have brought a tape recorder with them. Emmanuelle is in quite a vocabulary expanding mood just now....

> The rest of the day is spent finishing investigations at the Stankey house. More tests with skirts indicate that (a) there is no effect whatsoever when Qayrawun > wears female attire (except for more note-taking by Aveyard), and (b) when Magda or Emmanuelle wear the same clothing their skirts are slightly shortened.

Another moderately delicate enquiry - is Qayrawun ....er.... well.... unicorn qualified? Emmanuelle guesses from the amount of blushing he did about being called the Master Stud of the Celestial Heavens that he has a fairly... how shall we put this .... limited experience of the female of the species.

IW REPLIES: I think Qayrawun had best answer this one himself. I can’t recall an encounter, but that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been any.

What about Aveyard?

IW REPLIES: Nobody knows anything about Aveyard’s sex life. There’s probably a scenario in there somewhere.

If Qayrawun and Aveyard are both .... you know...., then perhaps a gentleman of more wide ranging tastes could be brought in to check whether the dress shortening only applies to females? Emmanuelle has a dear friend called James whose stage name is Cynthia, and who can best be described as uninhibited in his outlook on matters of romance, not to mention undiscriminatory concerning the minor issue of gender. He's currently appearing in a little show near Wood Green, not far away. She's sure he could be persuaded to model Qayrawun's dress for a while to check whether the hemline effects apply.
Okay, so the original dress bought by Maureen might have been the "Mantle of Faithful Wives".
Emmanuelle, still very annoyed, remarks that she bets no one ever got the Knights at King Arthur's court to try on a Mantle of Faithful Husbands. And, as a matter of fact, King Arthur himself was...

IW COMMENTS: The only knights who seemed to take chastity seriously were Perceval, Galahad, and Bors – who achieved the Grail.

At this point, noticing how red around the ears poor Qayrawun is getting, Emmanuelle decides to concentrate more on the case in hand. Somehow the effect of the mantle got transferred to all the other female clothing in the vicinity. How? And why is it happening here when presumably it didn't happen to Guinevere et al.

IW COMMENTS: Angherad points out in passing that Guenevere translates into modern English as white neck.

And presumably the Stankey family cat is male? Female cats, being something of a metaphor for ....goings on..., presumably wouldn't like the mantle.
But we do have more urgent matters to deal with - young Deborah mainly. Then that General chappie...

> Where do the Club look for the missing Deborah Stankey?

In a place where you'd expect to find unicorns, probably.
Perhaps the more mythologically inclined club members might offer some suggestions.
Or might Magda enquire of her friend the dryad?

From Maraud Qayrawun (Clive):

Please note that the original intention of my inquiry did not involve Qayrawan trying on the dress. The intention was to observe exactly what would happen to a female-purchased dress when taken into the Stankey house. Were there any discernable magics at work - similar to those of genie-kind (though obviously not the same). Dr Aveyard, your note book seems to be on fire (Jazz'reen, come here!)

IW COMMENTS: Ah, sorry about that. Misunderstood.

I feel that we need to apprehend the assailants of Miss Stankey, and a trip to a Scottish forest seems in order. After all, if one were to summon a large, undersea creature (Cthulic? - or of even more ancient origin - i.e. the Leviathan, or some legendary beast in olde lore), what better than to stake out the last female, virginal descendant of the holder of the Hallows? Are there trees on Tuddle's point?

IW COMMENTS: No. It is a bleak peninsula.

And can the Enemies of Mankind reach Tir na Nog? Or whatever the Isles of the Dead are? More questions, methinks, for Edith Chanterness. If Wayland the Smith created the four Hallows, then which one can we not account for, and might we look for it at one of the Horne sites, or ...

IW COMMENTS: Wayland didn’t create any of the traditional Celtic Hallows, except possibly the Sword of Falias in some later interpretations. The other Hallows were the Spear of Destiny (or of Lugh), the Stone of Kingship, and the Cauldron or Grail of Plenty.

We still haven't had a look at Temple Fortune (too late now, unless anyone has any other ideas), but I still think there's something tied into that. Any lay-line readers available? Angerhad (!) - get thee to Temple Hill.

I'm up for a trip to Scotland, and the forest around the Edrachillis naval base - just where are the Horne estates, again?

IW COMMENTS: In Scotland they were at Milton of Campsie.

Any other suggestions to get there? And does anyone fancy a side trip to Temple Hill?

Are there any forest of that description in/around the Wales site? Or Ireland?

Any points I wish to raise? Why is Ross still one of the Friends? How did England manage to beat the Aussies in the one-day series match? And where is the tweed-clad man - who do we think he is?

An agent of the old ones (i.e. Titan, etc), or a major player himself. So far we've been a step behind. We need to think ahead to his next move - so what is it? Where will he strike next? We need to work on the Lud clue, I fink, and find out more about this Wayland-created item. What was in the last Horne tomb at Chalfort Didbury? Did we get a look in?

IW COMMENTS: So far nobody has opened the tomb at Chafont Didbury (as far as the MHC knows)

Yours, the grave robber.

Clive

 

From Patrick Revell (Tony):

All,
My additions by the edited version of Clive's text.
Tony

> I feel that we need to apprehend the assailants of Miss Stankey, and a trip to a Scottish forest seems in order. After all, if one were to summon a large, undersea creature (Cthulic? – or of even more ancient origin - i.e. the Leviathan, or some legendary beast in olde lore), what better than to stake out the last female, virginal descendant of the holder of the Hallows? Are there trees on Tuddle's point?

[Janes, Antony] The other likely place for the forest will be near Milton of Campsie.
I had thought of the best as some bio-mechanic Balor/Fomorian/Chthulu cross breed or maybe a Stoorworm. (I think Wayland the Smith is a Saxon or Viking import and not of Celtic origins)
> And can the Enemies of Mankind reach Tir na Nog? Or whatever the Isles of the Dead are? More questions, methinks, for Edith Chanterness. If Wayland the Smith created the four Hallows, then which one can we not account for, and might we look for it at one of the Horne sites, or ...
[Janes, Antony] Perhaps our rescued Welsh prof can investigate Hallow
type objects made by Wayland.
Now that we have more of our female members free I think that King
Lud's clue should be discussed with the Nymph and Dame Edith.

 

From Redvers-Ainderbury (AJ):

Immediate questions for clarification:
Where were the spent bullets recovered from exactly? Did they appear to have fallen on the ground where the shadowy figure was seen or where they elsewhere? If elsewhere, were they further along the line of fire or had they been carried off it?

IW COMMENTS: One was found roughly where the figure was, and that one had some impact signs. The other was discovered a long way away and didn’t seem to have hit anything.
As a player I'm assuming that the bullets dropped out of whatever they had hit when it dematerialised, but Rupert is baffled.
Has Sergeant Blanchard heard any reason for the decline in relations between base and locals? Are any of the base personnel aware of a reason or reasons?

IW COMMENTS: We will examine this in Chapter 11, but the base personnel seem baffled by the change in attitude.
I presume Albrecht Arnheim has got a pass for the base, or did Rupert get
him in using his pass? I want to know if I'm responsible for his behaviour
or not!

IW COMMENTS: You are responsible for him.
What did Zany say in the telegram then? You don't seem to have given us that one....

IW COMMENTS: What an oversight.
Rupert will continue his vigilance.
Cheers.
AJ

From Revell (Tony):

Ian,
Just three questions in addition to my reply tacked onto Clive's e-mail.
Was Lud talking to anyone (e.g Genevieve) in particular when he said "yon indwelling spirit"?

IW COMMENTS: The Monster Hunters got the sense that Lud was referring to the entity that summoned the Pit Fiend.
Is drizzle sufficiently close to running water to be harmful to vampires?

IW COMMENTS: I think we have to assume that even pelting rainstorms don’t count, given the amount of storm-summoning that vampires get up to. I don’t think they even get wet from them.
Who was Tuddle of Tuddle's point?

IW COMMENTS: Angherad’s researches indicate it was named after a semi-historical figure called Tudwal.
Revell and co get ready to load torpedoes and blow whatever it is away from the inside.
Regards,
Tony

From Emmanuelle (Nicky):

> Please note that the original intention of my inquiry did not involve Qayrawan trying on the dress.

Emmanuelle reassures him that it did suit him. James/Cynthia didn't carry the look off nearly so well - purple really isn't his colour...

I feel that we need to apprehend the assailants of Miss Stankey, and a
trip to a Scottish forest seems in order
.

Well, as soon as we've got a destination figured out Emmanuelle is ready to go. Her overnight bag is packed. In view of the oceanic nature of the latest clues she's bringing some new experimental waterproof mascara with her. So convenient that low heeled boots are "in" this season.
It could be a little inconvenient traipsing through a forest in ordinary shoes. Emmanuelle hates to pass up the opportunity to trip up decoratively into somebody's arms, but this IS an emergency...
Nicky

From Qayrawun (Clive):

More details, good sir, of the actions to be taken on arriving at a possible location for the forest wherein Miss Stankey may be held captive. I feel that Tony could have the right of it, with Milton of Campsie, but what are forestation conditions like around the naval base?

IW REPLIES: The base isn’t near any heavy forestation. It’s on a relatively bleak but starkly beautiful coastal plain.

Qayrawan will try to arrive as soon as possible, but magical means of travel lie beyond his power. Also, I should like the gens to have a rest before we set off into the forest. Qayrawan makes the most of a decent set of tweeds, or some such protective clothing, against insect bites and the like (specifically so, in fact, as I feel I do not wish to be the target of an Insect Plague or similar, knowing the midges of the west of Scotland).

If Dunyazade could please seek out the 4th level Mage spell Locate Creature (she has a special bonus to finding divination magics, I believe), whilst an aerial search is conducted by Ghunayya. Jazz'reen should be away looking for a Divination Enhancement (an Evocation spell - his area of bonus, I think) to boost the range of the first spell. I would also like to send them for a Sepia Snake Sigil (for use on the girl) and/or a Fog Cloud spell, but the first two take priority. On location of the girl, Ghunayya should also depart (if he's not too tired), to search for a Summon Swarm spell (Mage, 2nd level): the others will to be back for some time, I suspect, and will be too tired to act, I suspect, when they return.

Any active summoners will get the Summon Swarm around them, when we try to rescue the girl. The Fog Cloud is to cover our escape, and the Sepia Snake Sigil to put the girl out of harm's way (and in stasis).

I can't think of anywhere else we should be looking for the girl, but I think we will need to have a trip to Ireland - I have a feeling that, if the Isles of the Dead are anywhere, they're off the coast of the old country - somewhere near wherever the Horne properties are.

 

From Crannog (Chris L):

Ian,

Sorry, but time constraints mean I will have to withdraw from the online game (not that I have noticably active in it so far...). Please keep me on the mailing list, as I do enjoy "watching", but I currently don't have time to make more than the occasional comment. Also (as always) feel free to use Crannog as an NPC if he is required.

IW COMMENTS: Just contribute when you can.

From Emmanuelle (Nicky):

> The only knights who seemed to take chastity seriously were Perceval, Galahad, and Bors

Emmanuelle remarks sarcastically that she is impressed that as many as three of them managed it...

> do not wish to be the target of an Insect Plague or similar, knowing the midges of the west of Scotland

Tragically, this means Emmanuelle will have to plan for an outfit with a high collar.
Oh, and the smell of midge repellent is well... repellent. She packs an extra bottle of perfume for use as soon as we're clear of midges.

> Now that we have more of our female members free I think that King Lud's clue should be discussed with the Nymph and Dame Edith.

Emmanuelle would be intrigued to meet the nymph. She sounds like a perfectly lovely girl.

 

From Albrecht (Chris M):

Ok, we'll start with King Lud.

I apologise for my lack of deep mythical knowledge but:
What were the treasures crafted by Wayland

IW COMMENTS: That’s a hard question to answer. Very little of Wayland’s legend has come down to us. He is variously ascribed as forging lots of magic weapons (Excalibur by some accounts) and cunning devices. He is the Northern counterpart to Hephaestus, and like him was lame. King Nidud lamed Weyland (apparently a common thing to do to iron age smiths, who were valuable assets and couldn’t be allowed to run off to the opponent) and enslaved him to labour only in the King’s cause. Weyland thereafter lured Nidud’s son into his furnace (terminally, of course), raped Nidud’s daughter, and escaped.

In the Monster Hunters campaign Weyland showed up a while back and was revealed as the father of Monster Hunters Dawn and Aurora D’Aosta (former Monster Hunter Viviane D’Aosta was the mother) – the lineage which qualifies them to jointly fulfil the "maiden" role in the trinity currently sustaining the damaged Many-Coloured Land (Faeirie). Weyland died in the events leading up to #2000.

Where/what is Greymere (at a guess a reference for the plane)

IW COMMENTS: Gramyre is an old name of Britain, like Albion. It has Arthurian connotations.

Why do I feel proving worthiness to seek the Hallows will be painful?

IWCOMMENTS: Long experience.

There are numerous references to the Isle of the Dead in fiction/myth. Much is Arthurian in period and tend to deal with either the South or West coasts. Maybe Angerad's staff can point us in the correct direction.

IW COMMENTS: West is the key direction here, where the sun sets/dies.

At the house of dubious behaviour.
I am a little concerned at the recurrance of Arthurian legend.
The traditional raining of the dead is a little unusual. It may suggest that the London Necropolis Company has been called in.
Alternatively it may just be another bout of activity from our mysterious teleporting druid, cleric etc.
On a positive note they may be trying to summon a unicorn - on a negative they may be summoning something far less pleasant.
Alternatively they may be summoning the first as part of a summoning for the second. If, for a moment, we presume it is a unicorn summoning where does Crannog (or anyone else) believe
they may currently be.

IW COMMENTS: The Club have only ever really met two unicorns. The first was a rather shy, beautiful animal they rescued from a hunter circa 1886, which they never saw up close. The second was Erunobas, Prince of Unicorns, a very powerful beast whom the Club have clashed with more often then they have got on with him. Erunobas has little patience or love for polluting, corrupted humanity. He was last seen seething because former Monster Hunters president Greyhame Whittacker had temporarily dominated him with the Horseman’s Word.

Unicorns are much-prized by spellcasters because their bodies contain so many useful material components.

At the base:
The guard report still sounds like our amazing vanishing man.
Did we manage to examine the bullets recovered from hitting the figure and what did a range of detects show?

IW COMMENTS: The bullets do not have any dweomer upon them.

Serious concern that Susan Slade is losing her touch. Sending advice re Plantagenet via Radshaw is likely to be as useful as sending it via the South Pole, for addressee to collect!

Attitude of the villagers to the base seems to be in line with Albrecht's experience (believe me when I say that the village will NOT be getting a positive restraunt comment)

And comments on Albrecht's experience:
I am highly worried by the bout of evil.
It does again sound like the effect of the Saiiti Manefestation on the previous townsfolk but on a much larger (and worse) scale.
As the stew and drink resist Purify I must conclude that they are either cursed or in some way magic resistant (or worse sentient)!

IW COMMENTS: The stew no longer detected as evil after Purify Food and Drink. It just tasted odd.


I am not certain about the nature of the effect. I wonder if it could be linked to the dreaded Starksborough Effect? Luckily a driving desire to throw oneself into the water should not overly
affect Albrecht - although the evil nature of the goo and the eaten dog don't look good.

I'm glad Albrecht knows what the opponent is as I'm certainly unsure. Options would tend to point to mind flayers, based on the previous glowing lights scenario (although they have been killed off forever again haven't they!).

 

IW COMMENTS: As far as the Monster Hunters are aware there are no longer any Mind Flayers on the Prime Material Plane.
--
Albrecht (Christopher Mortimer)

 

From Madga Maledicta (Jo):

Sorry been horribly busy lately am moving to Cumbria!!!!
I will try and respond
Cheers
Jo

 

From Redvers-Ainderbury (AJ):

Hi Ian.
Only just seen the responses.
If Rupert is responsible for Albrect he will be watching him like a hawk......
Cheers.
AJ

 

 

Back to Main Title Page

Refer to The Case of the Hallowed Man – Previous Chapters

Look up The Monster Hunters Cast List

Look up The Rogues Gallery

Consult the Current Subplots

Refer to the Rules of Engagement