Barrett's Raiders
The investigations at Fort Lee continue, starting with Lt. Cody, who decided to follow-up his previous digging by paying a visit to the base's Logistics Office. There, he attempted to make an appointment to see the officer in charge, Captain Reginald Tolen. Tolen was unavailable. Cody approached his assistant, Lt. Nolan Bennett, who set up an appointment for later that day. Bennett seemed concerned that Cody was part of "that liaison group that's been sniffing around" and that he might be looking for someone to blame for the loss of supplies. Bennett assured Cody that Tolen was "straight – probably too straight" and he was doing the best he could in a bad situation. Cody assured he wasn't here to railroad anyone; he just wanted some answers.
Later, Lt. Col. Orlowski and Sgt. McLeod were keeping an eye on their unit's vehicles, to be sure no one came by to look too closely at them. Throughout their time, they noticed that several MPs passed by and took a look in their direction, but were otherwise disinterested. On the other hand, they did notice that a younger officer (a lieutenant) wearing a Logistics insignia passed by several times in the course of a couple of hours. He was clearly watching them, but was doing a poor attempt to hide it. Later, conferring with Cody, they concluded the officer in question was Nolan Bennett.
While at the medical tent in the DCAZ with Vadim, Michael observed Elijah poking his head inside. He caught Michael's eye and asked, "Is Dutch here?" Michael told him no, but said he'd let him know that Elijah was looking for him. Eventually, Dutch goes to see him and Michael follows at a distance to determine if anything else is going on. Elijah worries that Dutch might think he's with New America; he assures him he's not. "You don't build the New Jerusalem out of bones and lies," he adds. He encourages Dutch to keep digging and says if he hears anything he'll pass it along. He also spots Michael, despite his efforts to hide. He approaches him, extends his hand, and introduces himself as Calvin Traynor "but folks round here started calling me Elijah and I didn't have the heart to disagree."
Cody's appointment with Captain Tolen revealed several avenues for investigation. Both water and gasoline are tight. Other supplies are better. The problem, he claims is twofold. One, security at the supply depot is lax. Tolen blamed the MPs and insinuated that Col. Kearns was hoping to manufacture problems as justification for a crackdown. Two, the convoys in and out of Fort Lee are chronically short – missing crate here, missing drum there. He wonders whether the problem originates in the base or outside it. Tolen then supplies Cody with records to help his investigation but admits that many are in poor order, since people had been used to doing a lot with computers before the war and they're struggling to go back to the old ways. Cody thanks him and heads out.
Dolmenwood
The characters continue to explore the chambers beneath the Shadholme Lodge. It soon becomes clear that Lord Gryphius Malbleat is planning to do something related to his long-dead ancestor, Wrygott Gnarlgruff, in whose honor the annual Hlerribuck festival is held. Previously, they had assumed that Gnarlgruff was somehow still alive, as their investigations in Faerie revealed what appeared to be correspondence between Gnarlgruff and Prince Mallowheart, a powerful fairy lord. Now, they're starting to think that the "Gnarlgruff" of that corrrespondence was Malbleat acting under a pseudonym – though there were other possibilities, as they soon learned.
During their explorations, they freed an old human man by the name of Farnham Ribblemead. Ribblemead explained that he had been kidnapped by Malbleat's servants to translate an ancient ritual from The Book of Foul Wonders. The ritual was a form of necromancy intended to raise Gnarlgruff from the dead under the command of Malbleat, who hoped to use his ancestor's sorcery for his own evil ends. However, to accomplish this, the ritual demanded, among other things, that it be accompanied by a song "sung by the most beautiful voice in the High Wold." That voice belonged to a young woman, also kidnapped by Malbleat, but whose current whereabouts Ribblemead did not know. "Most likely," he explained, "she's held somewhere at Redwraith Manor," but he couldn't be sure.
Since Ribblemead desperately wanted to leave the chambers where he was imprisoned, the characters did not linger much longer. However, they did spend some time poking around other rooms beneath the Lodge, as well as those above. With the exception of one room (the wine cellar) inhabited by a frightful spider-woman with human hands at the ends of its eight legs, they found little of immediate interest. The spider-woman caused them such fright and disgust that they fled the scene almost immediately and decided that discretion was indeed the better part of valor. They returned to Sir Clement's pavilion and prepared their next actions.
There is one more day until the one when they believe Lord Malbleat will attempt the ritual Ribblemead described and there remains much to do in order to prevent him from succeeding.
House of Worms
After Eselné's speech in the Hall Unfurled Banners and Dhich'uné's response, all of Béy Sü is in turmoil. The great clans, the temples, and anyone else of any power or influence is hastily attempting to determine whom to support and how best to do so. While there are a few zealots among the various contending factions, most simply want to escape the unfolding chaos with their heads intact. It is now obvious that, one way or another, a reckoning is about to come upon Tsolyánu's capital city – and quite likely the Empire itself.
As the characters pondered their own place within these events, Nebússa was met by Múresh hiQolyélmu, a member of his own Golden Bough clan, as well as the local chief of the Omnipotent Azure Legion. Nebússa, of course, already knew him, but his desire to talk was nevertheless notable. Múresh explained that Eselné's actions had disrupted their own plans for the upcoming Kólumejàlim. "Balances were already in place," he said, "The path was already clearing." Nebússa took this to mean that the OAL intended to fix the Choosing so that the "right" candidate – probably Táksuru – emerged victorious, though Múresh did not say this directly. Múresh also told Nebússa to be alert. If necessary, he should be prepared to make "a single cut, quiet and clean, before the whole loom comes down around us."
Grujúng received his orders from General Kéttukal, giving him command of the cohort of the First Legion that will attack the Temple of Belkhánu just before the next dawn. Kéttukal asked that Grujúng and anyone else who planned to join him make their way to the Palace of War as soon as possible so that they could be briefed on the ins and outs of the attack. Kirktá intended to join the attack, disguised as an ordinary soldier. His intention is to use the chaos of battle as an opportunity to loot the temple of anything he deems potentially valuable to current events. For that reason, he chose not to accompany Grujúng, lest his presence be detected too soon. After all, Kéttukal already made it clear that Kirktá would not be permitted anywhere near the temple.
Kirktá had other matters to attend to. He was informed that a delegation from the Temple of Dlamélish had come to see him. Initially, this made no sense, as he had no dealings with that temple whatsoever. However, others more versed in the intrigues of Tsolyáni politics understood that the delegation was, in fact, a cover for a visit from Princess Ma'ín, who'd recently thrown in her lot with Eselné. Ma'ín was her usual playful self, employing subtlety and innuendo rather than coming right to the point. In short order, though, it became clear what she really wanted to know was if Kirktá and his comrades were "plotting something clever – something dangerous." When Kirktá assured her he was not and that he was wholly behind Eselné's cause. "How disappointing," she declared. "You really are what you appear to be: a boring scholar."
She then left. Nebússa was very pleased. Kirktá had played his part well.
Great post. Also I love the print you used as cover for the post; the whole series is digitized in rijksmuseum. Great inspiration for renaissance and early modern campaigns
ReplyDeleteI know how it goes with a campaign running its life cycle, but I have to say, it feels (from the outside) that House of Worms has much more left to explore.
ReplyDeleteHave you considered just taking a sabbatical? Maybe even retiring the current characters and picking-up in the same timeline?
It's funny you should say that, because the thought has occasionally crossed my mind recently. The last few months have been very fun and everyone's been enjoying themselves. But I do think that, once the imperial succession crisis is dealt with, it'll feel like The End and everyone will be keen for something different.
DeleteIt really feels like the Tekumel campaign has gone into the next gear. Now there's so much going on in these reports. I'm happy to hear though that the end seem to be filled with energy, and not fizzle out. That's the best way to go.
ReplyDelete