Session 39

• Sarge, Majest, and Inquisitor Randolpho face Candance Dreen in her bedroom.

• Hulda disarms Landric, sending the Black Blade clattering to the floor.

• Sarge cuts Candance in two and she collapses to the floor, from her corpse a horrifying horned demon emerges

• Landic fights off the obedience spell his has been subjected to,  it's eldritch magic causing him great harm in the process.

• The group fight the Demon pitted against it in blood combat. Eventually it is felled and the darkness it brought with it is banished.

• The group confront Master Dreen in his office.

• Questioning him they find that Dreen has become a prisoner in his own life. He has become despondent and quite broken. He is a shell of the former driven man he was. He refuses to see, and fails to understand what has happened to his daughter, he very rarely acknowledges anything is wrong. Alongside his hopeful-delusion he is has been repeatedly subject mind altering magic by the Demon and the  effect is sapping his already grieving minds fragile sanity. As such he often does not see logical connections that others would miss. The repeated exposure to the horrifying trait is not helping.

• It is Randolphos' opinion that The Dreen cult is not some vast conspiracy but some small cell caused by Candance’s possession, Dreen's stepping back from the Council is just a side effect of his control by his daughter. Though The Circle that she was a member of bears further investigation. Dreen is a victim rather than an perpetrator.

• The group agree a plan. The use anything flammable they can find to kindle a fire that will destroy the Dreen household and conceal the demon's presence from the general populace, a house fire is more easily dismissed than a Demonic cult.

• Searching Dreen's quarters Sarge and Mejest find a mysterious arrow made of an unknown black wood, it has crow or raven feathers for fligths and a crude but vicious looking flint arrow head. It puts Mejest in mind of the Black Blade.

• Mejet's eye for the unusual also identifies something perhaps enchanted about Dreen's  chair.

• The four survivors of the apprentice program are rescued.

• Randolpho will take the broken minded Dreen, learn what he can from him and then sequester him in some quiet monastery somewhere out of the way where he can live out he rest of his life  in some degree of clam.

• Sarge and Crow lug Dreen's chair out of the house much to Randolpho's chagrin.

• Over the coming weeks, the four noble boys of broken mind are anonymously returned to their families in return for rewards.

• Those in the right circles hear rumours that a group of shadowy figures was seen leaving the Dreen household before the fire, carrying something.

• The pair fence the goods they took from Master Dreen's house to contact in Ambrose Quick's organisation for good coin.

• Dreen position on the Council is vacant until a new person is appointed. As Council member's normally appoint their successors it may take some time for someone to replace him.

Session 38

Sarge, Majest, Landric, Hulda and Inquisitor Randolpho venture deeper into the Dreen town house.

• Crow remains behind in the Kitchen to watch the back entrance, though he does help out with once fight where he draws two guards into an ambush. 

• Beneath the house the find a concealed basement beyond the wine celler with young men from 16 to 20 dressed in rags and covered in claw and burn marks. All where once good look boys. Now there minds are broken. Randolpho intimidates one who begs not to be taken to the Mistress up stairs. The Inquisitor puts the boy out of misery with a swift short sword cut.

• As Sarge Mejest, Landric and Hulda advance  through the house the encounter tough looking mercenaries wearing the stained remains of Dreen's household livery. The guards are delt with swiftly but not all together quietly.

• The group moves through the house searching as they do so:

• Mejest finds some imported brandy worth a few coins.

• Sarge finds a savage looking set of mail with fur lined collar that lets him leave bloody footprints behind or not tracks at all.

• Mejest finds and ivory snuff box that when placed on a flat surface makes it translucent.

• They also discover other trinkets.

• Randolpho is not particularly impressed with Sarge's insistence he change armour half way through the house.

• As the advance to the top floor they encounter a well-dressed servant that Sarge chops in too with his axe.

• On the 2nd floor whilst checking a door to a guest bedroom a door no where near them swings open with an ominous creak.

• Inquisitor Randolpho casts persistent light on his staff hoping to reveal any hidden creatures of shadow.

• As they approach the door Sarge start to open a closer door but it is locked. He sets about chopping it down with his axe.

• Whilst he's doing that he hears Candances voice from beyond the already open door "you don't need to do that" "I'm here, everything is ready for you", she starts to hum a wordless tune.

• Sarge opens the door to find a room that smells strongly of potpourri though it doesn't quite cover the smell of blood.

• The room the group enters has a hole in the north wall that leads to a girls luxurious bedroom chambers, with a four poster bed, the group cannot see the sides of the room from their vantage.

• There is a bureau stuffed with writing implements, pallet knives and actual knives, there are also many of these scattered around the paint pots and such near the canvas. Wall hangings scattered Jackson Pollock style with blood sprays and a large canvas propped against a wall with a great red swirl, on the easel; Candance may be painting with "red paint" there are stains on the wooden floor boards presumably from previous victims.

• Candance continues to sing her haunting melody.

• As Sarge takes in the room he is surprised as a glassy eyed Landric stabs him back.

Session 37

Sarge and Mejest agree to go with the Inquisitor to assault the Dreen house.

• Deciding they need some back up Sarge & Mejest manage to track down Landric the Hero and Hulda from Sarge's Roughnecks and convince them to join them. Hulda agrees to do the job for 4 Silver Shillings due to the short notice and the vague info about who there working for and what is inside the house. But eventually everyone is on the same page and in the rainy alley outside the Insalubrious Tavern Landric draws the Black blade and raises it to the sky to proclaim the start of the quest to slay the Demon.

• Mejest and Sarge round up Crow and meet the Inquisitor and his journeymen in an alley at the rear of the Dreen House shortly after midnight.

• A thunder storm rolls into crossing.

•  Sarge introduces the extra muscle to The Inquisitor and the Randolpho says that they may wish to cover their faces whilst they carry out the New Gods work but that they are fairly distinctive so he leaves the choice to them. Hulda, Majest and Sarge decide not to.

• The Roughnecks and The Inquisitors discuss tactics. It is agreed that the will get as far into the building as they can as quickly as they can. Randolpho wants to get to and deal with the Demon as directly as possible. Sarge and Mejest are more in favour of a sweep and clear approach, which becomes clear as they venture deeper into the building.

• After it is mentioned by Sarge Randolpho says that there is no way to exercise the Demon from Candence's body with what they have so slaying her will return her soul to the cycle and the Demon to hell but the Demon will do whatever it can to stay in this realm. Nothing in the house can be trusted anything might be the machinations of the Demon. 

• To prevent anyone fleeing the building if the alarm raised the two  journeymen members of the Inquisition circle round to the front of the building and watch the front entrance from rain drenched dark alleyway across the street from Dreen's house.

• At the rear of the building the group start their assault.

• Crow as Phineas distract the guards on the rear gate and Mejest and Sarge swiftly put them down. The rain and thunder covers the short brutal scuffle.

• The group enter the read courtyard and bar the read gate to prevent anyone else easily entering the yard from outside the Dreen household.

• Mejest comments that the stables and rear yard look rundown.

• One of the rear doors is blocked so listening at the remain door Crow hears the sound of three people.

• Crow enters through the door, into the Kitchen. He finds a fat cook chopping horse meat talking to a skinny wrinkled man with a clay pipe. There is also a strangely robotic young man who is washing the dishes, it is as if he isn't fully there perhaps his mind is broken in some way.

• Crow distracts the cook and smoker and Sarge, Mejest and Hulda put down the three, whilst Landric escorts the inquisitor into the room.

• The food in the kitchen smells bad and is off, Randolpho confirms to Majest that off food is often the sign of witchcraft or the presence of the Demon.

• The Inquisitor is troubled by the young man. There are suggestions of charm magic.

• From the kitchen the group move to the servants sleeping rooms where they find three bedraggled servants asleep in one of the rooms, the rooms are furnished with  bunk beds and simple lock boxes but look run down. Sarge & Mejest move swiftly to silence the sleeping servants, Hulda finishes the last with a precise cross bow bolt before they can wake.

• Crow as Phineas (and having some difficulty not talking about himself as Phineas) remains behind in the kitchen to raise the alarm if anyone else enters from the rear of the property or ventures into the kitchen. He is to make a lot of noise if the alarm is raised.

• Randolpho is keen to go directly to the demon to deal with it. Sarge prefers a more through approach leaving no one behind them.

• There are four possible routes to take, stairs up for the kitchen to the first floor, stars down from the corridor by the kitchen and two doors south, the most westerly one larger the eastly one smaller but both going south.

Session 36

Sarge, Mejest and Crow return their home in the early hours of the morning.

• In the morning there is a loud knocking on the door and a thin man with a pencil moustache accompanied by a Iron clockwork and two large muscular men are at the door. Mejest takes up a position with a bow by the upstairs window. Sarge grabs his axe from beside the door before opening it. Crow is still asleep in the basement.

• The leader of the men outside asks Sarge and Mejest to come and see Ambrose quick. Sarge puts one down with an axe, the clock work shuts down and the last thug is put down by arrow from Mejest. Afterwards Sarge agrees to go with Marlow aka Mr Pencil to see Mr Quick.

• At the Gilded Purse the pair are introduced to Ambrose Quick. He offers to clear the 10GC dept they owe him for breaking into his treasury last night  if they do a job, an interview of sorts, to recover 10GC from a merchant in coins called Jeroff Getzmon a merchant who has been living the high life at the purse and now owes Ambrose a tidy sum of 10 GC, get the money through any means necessary (or goods, or his apparently beautiful daughter).

• Sarge and Mejest don't want to work for free, and they don't see that what they successfully stole from the treasure belongs to Quick anymore, Quick doesn’t see it that way and unable to agree on a price for the 'interview' job and despite promise of more jobs down the road the pair leave without coming to an agreement. Quick mentions that he hopes that they won't cross paths as enemies in the future. Sarge shakes his hand before leaving which Quick accepts heartily.

• The pair take a circuitous route to Father Gregory's shrine hoping to meet up with Alyse.

• Once there they find a young novice sent by Father Cornelious, who Sarge suspects has sent the novice on the orders of Father Paulus. He is tending to and praying for Father Gregory. This puts Paulus in Sarge's good books.

• Alyse is also at the shrine, having come to check on Father Gregory as part of her daily routine. Sarge and Mejest tell her everything they know about Ambrose Quick, outing him as the leader of a Thieves Guild and a trafficker in sex slaves. Alyse says she will take the information to the Captain.

• Sarge and Alyse banter about her relationship for Captain Crawley, Alyse denies this, they also briefly about their work for the inquisition but don't give her any details agree that is best. Sarge and Alyse hug after there is some tension and worry from Alyse they may end up on opposite sides  if they go and work for Ambrose. Alyse seems to think battle lines are being drawn and sides must be taken if parts of the council are working against the interests of crossings.

• Sarge and Mejest head to the Inquisition's building in redemption but take another circuitous route. Sarge realises they are being followed, it turns out by a young female thief called. Lind, they corner her, ascertain that she is working for Ambrose Quick and Sarge intimidates her in to going back and saying they spent time at pie shops (this did) and casing the house of Jeroff Getzmon (this didn't). Sarge also encourages her to get a bigger weapon than her long dagger.

• At sun down Sarge and Mejest got to the inquisition they tell Randolfo about Quick and his den of thieves, Randolpho is concerned it may be connected to the cult but Sarge and Mejest convince him otherwise.

• They says that Father Paulus is just immoral. But he may be being blackmailed by Ambrose Quick.

• They say Ezikia is entirely innocent.

• Lastly they discuss Master Dreen. They tell him as if they have conducted an investigation about recovering Candance form the Island and that she is possessed or replaced with a Demon.

• Randolpho confirms what he has learned from the now deceased Phineas Phrent. Phrent was devoted to his "Mistress", presumably Candance and it was hard to get much sensible information from him with his hollering and screaming about his Mistress but he did learn that Phineas was a member of a group calling it's self The Circle  (Of Shadows) that was made up of young children of rich members of crossing elite, they partied, indulged in drugs, sex and other activities and carried out dark rituals some of this was classic taboo braking behaviour some had a darker purpose. Candance was brought into this Cult by Phineas and, presumably just before she was kidnapped had participated in a rite.

• The rite as overseen by a masked figure unknown to Phineas who had a red orb an "Eye of Madness" that the figure used to conduct a ritual on Candance a "Dark Blessing" that was almost certainly a demon summoning.

• Randolpho suspects the Circle is a patsy cell of the Brotherhood of Shadows, perhaps the Demon summoner with the "Eye of Madness" was part of the cult under Catandramues house. Perhaps not.

• It is unclear to Randolpho what the plan of the Cult under  Katandramuses house was, perhaps it was to bring about the Gibbering fever and with that stopped the cult is now in disarray, but perhaps not.

• Either way it is clear that a Demonic presence invades the Dreen household and the Inquisitor will act this night, he will gather what back up he can and go to the Dreen Household, will Sarge and Mejest go with him?

Session 35

 Whilst Sarge and Crow (still disguised as Phineas) go in throw the front door Mejest goes in throw the concealed side door. 

• Mejest sneaks around the kitchen checking out three food store rooms at one end, he sees a man negotiating for a silver plate he has gotten from somewhere (he is paid a silver shilling) The man he trades it too (later identified as Jurgen takes it through a locked door and Mejest sneaks open to the door, unpicks it and follows him down the stairs on the other side.

• At the bottom of the stairs is a tunnel that must go under the street in front of the purse and likely under the building on the other side. Beyond the cells is rubble blocking any other way out. In the cells are a collection of objects and money that Mejest believes belong to a thieves guild. The man he followed throws the plate into one of the cells. He then turns to go back up the corridor past Mejest. Unfortunately he notices Mejests and is surprised by the golden gem encrusted clockwork, Mejest puts him down.

• Mejest finds 9GC of small valuables that he can stuff into his pockets and carry with him out the Glided purse. He also finds a chameleon sword that changes to mimic the colours of whatever it is placed upon.

• The man who traded in the plate comes to investigate the noise leaving his 4 companions playing cards. He calls out for Jurgen but without an answer he enters the corridor and is killed by Mejest. Mejest hides both bodies in the treasury

• Upstairs Sarge undercover as "General Sarge " and Phineas partake of the hospitality. Crow particularly enjoys the beautiful company  the wine and the food. Sarge puts in a order for more meat that has suffered (downstairs in the kitchen Mejest sees a plate of rabbits and birds with decorative tortured expressions taken up on a silver tray.

• General Sarge talks to the orc bartender Crush in Dark Speech and find him polite and deferent. He recommends a good whisky.

• Lady Dalliance, wrapped in a gold fabric toga with a long trail and sporting long curled golden locks comes to meet her new customers. Sarge suggests he has dark appetites to fulfil. Lady Dalliance does not even flinch. She suggests Sarge join her upstairs and begins leading him by the hand.

• Mejest sneaks out of the corridor to the stash and heads into the next door room. He find cells holding drugged and desperate people. He releases Felix a Grievings man who has agreed to being held by Quick for some unknown purpose in return for the his wife and daughters safety and the clearing of his debt. Mejest also releases a 14 and 15 year old boy and girl.

• Mejest and Felix try to sneak out with the children but are spotted by the large cleaver wilding cook. Mejest uses his warm key to snuff out all the lights in  a 10 yards radius this happens in a sphere and the lights upstairs also go out. But the blackness creates confusion and Felix, the children and Mejest are able to escape into the alley. 

• Upstairs Sarge is about to be led into a plushily appointed red velvet guest chamber on the 1st floor, but as he is about to enter all the lights go out of flicker and he realises Mejest is in Trouble with a shot to Crow he runs for the front door, crow close on his heals.

• As Sarge and Crow leave they see Mejest emerging from the alley to the side of the Gilded Purse his escape blocked by two thugs. Sarge and Crow go to help but Mejest puts them down with lethal rapier strikes. The Grievings girl he rescued gives him an encouraging shout as Quick's men crumple.

• As they run off into the alley way's of Greiving the crew shout to each other about what they found out. Mejest says there is no demon cult, Crow thinks lady dalliance might be a Changeling or worker of illusion magic. 

Session 34

Sarge talks to Ezekia whilst Mejest is away

• Majest Returns to Ezekia’s soup kitchen.

• Ezekia suggests that Sarge fells the call of Farhter Death and that perhaps he may be following the wrong gods.

• Sarge thinks Ezekia is not being completely truthful when he asks if she special allies on the council and she says she doesn't

• She doesn’t seem impressed with Father Ezekia who she says votes oddly/inconsistently, doesn't look out for the poor and looks at her with a weird look. He also doesn't seem to like Ambrose Quick at all and the two are often opposed at Council sessions.

• It's established that council sessions are held behind closed doors.

• Sarge helps out cutting vegetables.

• Ezekia says she will make offerings to the Earth Mother in the hope of helping farther Gregory but that she is not skilled enough in matters of healing to heal his mind.

• Mejest returns and Sarge, Mejest and Crow still in Phinnease’s form return home.

• That night they discuss the plan for the next day. Crow declines to go into the Dreen house (with a demon in it!) without some sort of backup. But he does want to go to the brothel. They agree to take him to the gilded purse and he aggress to do carry out a plan tbd to investigate the Dreen house which won't just be sending him in alone after wards.

• The following day Sarge gets measured up for fancy clothes so he looks the part at the Gilded Purse

• Before heading to the Gilded Purse Sarge and Mejest check in on Father Gregory only to find him being administered to by Father Paulus.

• Sarge traps Paulus in the chapel and tryies to tell him about the Demon Cult.

• Paulus seems anxious to be elsewhere and dismissive of matters concerning the cults. He suggests they talk to the Inquisition but he also shares that he dislikes the Inquisition and won't deal with them for fear of "Staining his soul" He is eventually able to leave after agreeing to get novate to tend to farther Gregory daily and offering an introduction to the Inquisition, or at least a letter with seal. He won't go himself.

• Once he leaves he is followed by Mejest. The anxious priest heads directly to the Gilded Purse and enters, still wearing his habit, through the front door.

Session 33

As the day draws on Sarge & Mejest head across town in the Crossings Drizzle, after leaving the Cathedral they head into Grievings to check on Crow.

• The arrive at a soup kitchen, set up in a burned out building, open on three sides with one solid stone back wall, in which is set a large black iron cauldron, surprisingly cheerful locals chop donated vegetables and are keeping the cauldron warm making and serving a thin broth and what little bread they have.

• Serge and Mejest spy Crow, still disguised as Phineas working to cut vegetables near the cauldron (careful of he steel and iron Crow)

• They also she a young woman, in her late teens or early twenties, she has She wears a homespun black dress, a pointed cap, and heavy boots. She’s pretty, with pale skin, red hair, and bright green eyes.

• Sarge also notices man in a leather hauberk and leather cap clearly staking out the kitchen from a alcove in an ally across the street.

• There is an air of calm about the soup kitchen that Sarge is immediately suspicious of as some kind of magic.

• Sarge notes a slightly glowing golden orb earing the gives Ezekia a radiant glow. But she only wears one ear ring.

• Sarge and Mejest talk to Ezekia.

• Sarge gets Ezekia to shake is metal gauntleted hand. She doesn't suddenly become a Changling.

• Sarge points out the look out across the street to Ezekia. She says she will go talk to him, indicating that he might need help and that she intends to help him. She doesn’t seem concerned for her own safety.

• Sarge points him out and the look out slinks off in to the ally his cover blown.

• Mejest follows the look out Sarge stays behind.

• Mejest trails him all the way to surprisingly clean side alley the abuts the wall next to Redemption. The White Fronter Building has painted gold edges, and red silk fabric hanging in the upper windows, it is build in a roman-esque style with Pillars by the large main door which has steps leading up to it. It puts Mejest in mind of temple but it is on the wrong side of the wall.

• The Look out goes around the side of the building and in through a white painted door that is almost concealed on the side of the building.

• Mejest notices 4 burley looking men doing various mundane tasks on the street, in actuality they all seem to be watching the white building. He surmises they are guards.

• The street has not vagrants or animals, and seems to have been swept it is clear of rubbish. Awnings on the top of the white building stretch out over the street and keep off much of the rain. Mejest decides to give find out what the places is but decides to get a safe distance away.

• At the end of the alley, to turn right here is to go into Redemption, he seems a man in sackcloth with a ratty dog with white curled fir stained with soot and dirt. The fellow is chatty after Mejest gives him a copper penny. The man calls him "My Lord". Mejest asks him about he building he says it's the Gilded Purse a fancy upper class brothel of some sort that he has never seen inside but where all pleasures can be sated. It is run by someone called Lady Dalliance. The vagrant relates a story of having been moved on by the guards in the alley after they kicked him in the 'nuts', but they don't seem to care about him now he's moved across the street. The vagrant offers to watch the place for Majest but he doesn't take him up on the offer.

• Mejest decides to head back to the soup Kitchen to check on Sarge.