Responses to Chapter Eleven:

Genevieve will use her monthly step outside of magic ability for a round to (hopefully) negate Fauconberg’s hold on her. So can every one take him down in one round (please). She will continue to shield Emmanuelle from the unicorn.

IW RESPONDS: A number of the current Monster Hunters Club gained this ability after seeking out the Western Mystical Tradition.

"Strumpet"!!????
Is the Compte visible anywhere? If so, first choice would be to widow dear Genevieve as quickly as possible by use of some kind of missile weapon.

IW RESPONDS: The Compte is indeed visible, since he is around to command Genevieve. He has approached from roughly the same direction that Angherad’s staff detected the powerful undead.

If that doesn't appear to be possible just now then remind her that the Compte probably leaves his dirty socks rolled up in small smelly balls under the bed, abandons half-eaten bags of chips in armchairs and wouldn't recognise a vacuum cleaner if one hit him on the back of the head.
Suggest that instead of obeying her husband (a bit of the marriage sacrament that Emmanuelle has never really agreed with anyway...) she catch the unicorn.

IW COMMENTS: A minute or so’s concentrated attempt to break free will get a person out of the entanglement if they are strong enough, but Emmanuelle may find that the same techniques she uses to free herself from ropes will give her a better chance. As long as she stays in the area where the other Monster Hunters are she will have to use her dexterity every round to avoid being snagged again.

Climbing a tree would be good. A nice safe vantage point from which to point out to the unicorn that this is the 20th Century and that it's prejudices against non-virgins are positively medieval.

IW COMMENTS: This might be useful, but beware if the unicorn has other druidical abilities. Hiding from druids in trees is not a good option.

Failing that, some fairly serious dodging seems in order. If the opportunity arises, extract a hatpin and conduct a few emergency experiments to determine whether it's true that unicorns don't like iron.
Just as well that Emmanuelle has some spare stockings in her handbag – the ones she's wearing are probably laddered due to all this undergrowth.

A few drops of blood? but not enough to indicate that Deborah has been actually killed yet?

IW COMMENTS: This is correct.

Just on the off-chance that she's within earshot an unladylike shout would probably be in order. Something along the lines of "Deborah, can you hear me? We've come to rescue you. Can you get over here at all? You'll be safer with the unicorn than with that gentleman - he's not very nice."

When Emmanuelle finds out that Rupert has been arrested someone is going to be in BIG trouble. Add the Admiral to the list of senior military figures scheduled to find itching powder in their underwear in the near future.

IW COMMENTS: I’m not sure if Qayrawun would actually be able to get Locate Creature, since it’s a 3^rd Edition spell (as far as I know) and not one that he is familiar with. If it’s also 1^st or 2^nd Edition tell me and I’ll look again. However, on the second attempt Qayrawun gained Summon Swarm and Fog Cloud. He was unable to get Sepia Snake Sigil or Divination Enhancement.

Unless I hear differently I assume that Fauçonburg gets the Summon Swarm as soon as Qayrawun is in a position to cast.

 What is the Horseman's Word spell anyway? And can the genies obtain it in time to save Emmanuelle?

IW COMMENTS: I’m afraid it is more akin to a granted ability like a paladin’s Lay on Hands. It certainly annoyed Erounabus, Prince of Unicorns, at the time though.

 Angheard's staff "senses a powerful undead a mile or so off". Is this creature still in the vicinity? Is it close? Was it the controller of the zombies recently destroyed?

IW COMMENTS: Angherad has vanished just now, but Compte Ettiene Fauçonburg has just arrived from the direction the staff indicated the powerful undead came from. Fauçonburg has certainly used the mage spell Animate Dead before now. He has not previously detected as undead however.

If so, then the location of Miss Stankey cannot be far away. Can Angheard determine who (or what) the undead is? Is this, perhaps, where Angherad has rushed off to?

IW COMMENTS: Until she gets back we can only speculate.

If Qayrawan has obtained the dweomers listed in the last e-mail, then the slimy M. Fauçonburg is about to be the recipient of the Insect Swarm, and possible the Sepia Snake Sigil goes to Emmanuelle to protect her! As for the Fog Cloud - hmm. But the other requests will still be needed to find the girl, if Angherad and her lich-sensing staff are not about.

IW COMMENTS: Angherad’s Voodoo Starstone Staff has sensed the Lych before (and was all for Angherad joining him). It would undoubtedly have commented had it sensed Qualius unless it had fallen under the Lych’s command.

 Did the previous encounter with the unicorn-king suggest that he had druidic abilities - such as entangle?

IW COMMENTS: Yes, Erounobas is a unicorn archetype (i.e. the last word in being a unicorn) with some unique powers which make him immensely powerful. The Club know these to include immunity to most magic and immunity to any harm from non-virgins.

 Qayrawan feels that control of unicorn needs to be wrested from M. Fauçonburg - and the Horseman's Word seems just the ticket! Methinks this creature can understand spoken commands nonetheless, and that is my hope. It would take a while to reason with the creature (if such an option were available), so I favour the former President's approach. Send the three gen away for that spell, if you please (if they haven't already acted).

Unless anyone has any other suggestions ...

IW COMMENTS: Erounobas, a creature of immense good and a tendency to chaos, is well known for his dislike of humanity in general and the Monster Hunters in particular. Assuming this is Erounobas (and he fits the description) it is going to be an interesting encounter.

Oh, and about Pembroke - the age/condition of the bodies doesn't preclude them having been washed up from somewhere does it? If the Isles of the Dead are somewhere, then where might we look for them (yes, in the West, I know). In the old Prydein, or Gramayre, or whatever name we choose, doesn't Wales figure rather heavily in this? Is anyone available to go to Wales? Or to research this further?

IW COMMENTS: I am assuming that an operating team might pack themselves off there before Chapter Thirteen. Volunteers?

What items is Fauçonburg carrying? Has he a halter (of Cydno Eiddyn) on his person - or in his hands?

IW COMMENTS: He does not appear to be carrying anything.

Could the gens get it off him quickly anyway? We may have already seen the influence of the Gown of Padern, perhaps Bran's Horn (the barn?) and the Chariot. But if Arthur had gathered the Hallows when he was taken to Avalon (or the Isles of the Dead), then what are they doing here and now?

Clive

Once the charge is detailed Rupert's entitled to representation so better call London to sort things out pronto. Unless the Admiral has good evidence to hand he's looking at a rapid relieved of command and possibly hospitalised situation. If they want to try and court martial me I'd guess Fort George at Inverness is the nearest Army base with juristriction so they can take me there.

IW RESPONDS: As I recall, R-A and Revell visited Milton of Campsie briefly BEFORE Qayrawun’s vision of Deborah Stankey in a forest. Apart from a mild suspicion of oak trees I adjudged that the Club therefore had no reason to worry about large forests just north of the town. The key here was the bit that said "without much time or any major leads…" Once the Club started looking for woods they quickly made the association.

...With Radshaw's attack having a tree element, Walter Wode's attack having a strong tree theme and the old wood near the Stankey residence I think we would have noticed a large ancient forest. (I guess Revell and R-A must
have visited at roughly the same time as Fauconburg and Deborah arrived?)

R-A and Albrecht need to convince the marines to take them to Admiral Potter. He is either being mind controlled/substituted by an aboleth or has eaten something disagreeable. For the former a long conversation within 10 feet of R-A should earn him a new saving throw for the later a 'Slow Poison' from Albrecht - if he can cast the spell.

Nope, there's very little in the way of ancient woodland. It was all cut down during WW1 to make duckboards for trenches, etc., hence the Forestry Commission being set up to plant Pine trees everywhere so we'd have plenty of wood for the trenches of the next war. Almost all woodland in Scotland is primarily coniferous; a large ancient oak wood would be pretty noticeable. However, Rupert wouldn't have made the connection so I don't care!

IW RESPONDS: Ah well, here we come upon the limits of DM omniscience. I recall driving through lots of big forests on my way to various Scottish venues so I assumed that was common. I don’t think I can do much to fix this inaccuracy now.

As for Rupert's more immediate problems, I need more information about his whereabouts at the time of his attempted arrest to decide on a course of action. If I'm on base I'll pretty much have to go along with them, but otherwise an attempt to run for it and drive to the nearest army base to report in and seek support seems in order. There's obviously something fishy going on! (pun intended, I'm afraid...) If that doesn't seem feasible then he'll try to retain his weaponry while seeming to co-operate "while we find out what's going on" (Unless there's a superior officer there or they're prepared to be suicidally insistent that should work. The average solder mentality should be to pass the problem up the command line rather than taking an unnecessary risk). Basically Rupert trusts to his gut feelings (tm) about how risky it is and tries to get away if the chances look good.

He'll take Albrecht with him unless leaving him is the only way to escape; perhaps Albrecht could create a distraction to help out if necessary?
Rupert won't initiate violence and will only respond with the same level of force used against him if necessary. As these marines are acting illegally he will fight back if they attack him, but he'll try to charm / use his leadership ability on them to persuade them not to initiate violence. Rupert has got a Sten gun which could make chutney of them in fairly short order so their self preservation instincts should act against them attacking him. While he doesn't intend to actually fire it unless he has to, Rupert is not averse to using the Sten to intimidate his would-be arrestors. If Rupert gets a bad feeling about the situation he may become more co-operative, but he'll try and push it as far as he can.
Cheers.
AJ

Emmanuelle is grateful for Qayrawan and Genevieve's defence.
Since it appears that she has no way of protecting herself from the unicorn she will concentrate on arranging the widowhood of Mme Fauçonburg and will then try to escape from the entangle as soon as is convenient.

What a gallant gentleman Revell is...

Actually Emmanuelle isn't an adulteress either, since she's never been married.
To her knowledge (and she's quite good at investigations) none of her admirers have been married either - she prefers to have a gentleman's undivided attention. Anyone who had to go home to his wife at weekends would be at a severe disadvantage in attracting her favours. But anyway, as far as I can recall, in 1951 she wouldn't count as an adulteress even if she had been involved with a married man - the old Roman law definition still applied [see my forthcoming article on marriage law through the ages if you really want the details...]

IW REPLIES: I imagine that the unicorn is probably using the same source I do for older definitions, the 1910 edition of Chambers 20^th Century Dictionary, which concedes your point that technically adultery involves marriage but adds that in scripture the term is used to refer to any kind of unchastity.

Both Magda and Emmanuelle are neither virgins nor loyal matrons. The Gown has no facility to make moral judgments as to whether the loss of virginity was voluntary or not. Neither, incidentally, does the Church, or society as a whole at this time (it's not until about 1980 that victims of childhood abuse finally start to be acknowledged as victims, and, I have to point out, that some women's groups are still campaigning, even in the 21st Century, to get the police to stop locking under-age prostitutes up and treating them as criminals).
Virginity as a physical state is how "virtue" is measured. Once it's gone, it's gone, and you're a "fallen woman" even if you didn't choose to lose it, and even if you never even look at another man for the next sixty years. It is - as Revell has spotted - NOT B***** FAIR!!!!

IW COMMENTS: I am not sure the DM can fix this one either. More research is clearly in order…

Emmanuelle is grateful for the postcard. She keeps it in her handbag, and she will tell dear Rupert how thoughtful it was of him to send it next time they meet. She may well send him a formal invitation to tea (printed on creamy card with nice gold letters) in response, but somehow sending postcards herself just isn't her style. She's reluctant to write on anything that isn't then safely sealed in an envelope.

Clive