Vardian Log #22: A Masterful Ending --- "I challenge you to Certamen" --Demoror [to a dragon] "The Lord will cut off the man that doeth this, the Master" --Malachi 2:12 --- Season: Spring, 1204 Dramatis Personae: Achilles Diabolist Acutus of Ex. Misc. Magus (DougO) Antonio Wanderer (Chris) Bolo Warrior (Dave) Calculus Rock (Shannon) Calios of Bonisagus Magus (Scott) Cerberus Diabolist Christophano Grog Circe Ghost Crassus Diabolist Demoror of Quaesitor Magus (Billy) Eris Diabolist Flamma of Flambeau Maga (Eric) Foder Archaeologist Julius Diabolist Lamneth Healer (DougO) Luigi Grog Captain Lupa Diabolist Maria Diabolist Marcus Diabolist the Master Diabolist Media Diabolist Mercury Diabolist Midas Diabolist Rupes of Bjornaer Magus (Shannon) Recanto Grog Sabina Diabolist Samo Grog ** ** From Rupes' Book Sometimes, life in this Tomb is quite strange, and much too active. In the middle of Spring, in the year 1204, trouble came to our Covenant again, as it often does. While eating dinner one evening, I heard that Foder, an archaeologist who acquires objects in the Caverns for us, had disappeared. Acutus and Antonio were talking of going off to find him, and I had no desire to go help them, not thinking it worth my time to go save a mundane. I now wish I had, for I might have been able to prevent all of the troubles that follows. Several days later, a Council meeting was called, and Antonio reported that Acutus had been taken by a huge dragon. Thus, we were forced to form an expedition to deal with this problem. I volunteered to go, since by that time, I needed Luigi's mirror to open before my plan could progress. Along with me went Flamma and Demoror, as well as a new magus named Calios of Bonisagus. For warriors, we took Bolo, Luigi, Recanto and Samo. Realizing that dragons were fierce beasts, we decided to take Lamneth, the Covenant Chiurgen along as well. Antonio came with us to lead the way. Before we ventured too far along the path that Acutus and Antonio had earlier taken, Flamma cast Wards against Heat and Flame upon all of us. We would not approach this dragon unprepared. As we came upon the area where Acutus had been taken, a sense of uneasiness set upon us, and we soon realized that the infernal powers controlled that place. A bit more timidly, we moved on. As we rounded a corner in the caves, a figure came into view. It was Foder, the archaeologist who Acutus and Antonio had originally been looking for. He told us that we should go back, and then turned to flee. Demoror sewed up Foder's pants, tripping him, while Recanto charged past him, having heard sounds from beyond our archaeologist. Suddenly, Recanto was cowering behind Foder. He had seen the dragon that we had been warned of in the cavern beyond, and he had no desire to face it. The rest of us, however, moved in, encouraged by the large amount of vis that the dragon promised to contain. The next minutes, were chaos. While the warriors hacked at the beast, and Demoror angered it, it wildly breathed fire. Demoror was targeted once, but saved by his false image. Luigi was hit twice but, of course, was not affected. Then, the beast turned on Recanto, and the next thing I knew, there was a scared warrior running straight into me. As we fell, Bolo ran past us, into the fight. He dragged the new magus, Calios, who had apparently been unable to avoid Bolo's huge bulk. As Recanto and I stood back up, the grog tried to flee again. I made the result of that action quite clear, and he wisely decided he would rather face the dragon than me. Thus, Bolo, Recanto, Luigi and I all charged into the room, with Calios reluctantly being pushed forward by us. As I dodged past the dragon, to look for Acutus, it nearly bit Calios in half. It seems that the Bonisagus' fears were justified. Suddenly, the room was filled by an awful stench. Nearly all of the warriors doubled over, as did Lamneth, who had moved in to drag Calios out, and Samo, who had also advanced into the cavern. As I continued searching for Acutus, I saw the dragon eat Samo's tower shield, and the warriors retreating out of the room. By this time, Flamma had moved forward. She offered to trade me for information, knowing that my heart beast would be unhurt by even such a huge beast. Shortly, she had learned that Acutus had showed up, and been captured by the dragon, and that the dragon had given him to what seemed to be a demon. According to the dragon, Acutus was now in Rome, being held by The Master, who had controlled the band of diabolists that we had confronted shortly after my arrival at The Tomb. Satisfied, Flamma left, and I reverted to my rock form. The dragon bashed me painfully against the walls for a bit, and then tossed me out of his cavern. I rejoined my comrades, and we made plans to return and kill the dragon, but by the time we came back to his cavern, he had fled. So, we ascended to Rome to find Acutus. After a brief meal at the Inn of the Holy Statue, we decided to start our search by going to the houses of some of the diabolists who had before fled us. After that failed, we chose another tact. Demoror cast an Inexorable Search, and we narrowed Acutus' location down to a neighborhood. After that, it was reasonably easy to determine what house he was in. After stationing Flamma and Luigi at the rear of the house, we went in the front, led by Bolo, who went straight through the door. Our spells had shown that Acutus was upstairs, and thus Christophono and I charged upwards. On the stairs, we passed a woman, and most of the others stayed to deal with her. As Christophono and I advanced down a corridor on the second floor, another woman appeared. Christophono seemed to think her a danger, and cut her down. As we moved past a door, we spied Acutus inside. He moved towards us menacingly, as if possessed, and Christophono leaped at him. He held Acutus valiantly, while I cast a spell. I destroyed Acutus' armor, hoping that this would allow Christophono to take him out without hurting him. Fortunately, he did not have to do that, for Demoror had finally caught up with us by this time. With a quick spell, he knocked Acutus out. We soon learned that all of our problems had been caused by Marcus, a diabolist who had escaped us before. He had the power to control others, and that was why Acutus had fought us. Even as that fight occured, Marcus had tried to escape. Thanks to our foresight, Luigi and Flamma made short work of him. However, the conflict was not quite over, for Bolo had, by that time joined us, and he was enraged by the fact that Christophono had cut down a woman. Before we could stop him, he laid Christophono's whole arm open. I am not sure if that wound will ever heal. Since Christophono uses a huge pole axe, he seems to now be a deficit to us all. However, before Bolo was able to slay the maimed grog, the other magi brought him to his senses. With Acutus recovered, and the house secured, we retrieved Flamma and Luigi, and were pleased to find that they had dealt with one of our diabolists. Demoror called up Marcus' ghost, and we began to question him. According to Marcus, The Master had brought together another coven of thirteen diabolists. Fortunately, he was also able to tell us of The Master. It seems that the Master's real name was Lucentio and that he was the owner of The White Lamb, a pilgram's hostel. Pleased with this information, we decided to put an end to our diabolist trouble once and for all, by striking at the heart of the problem. Luigi and I guarded the rear of the White Lamb, while Calios and the grogs stood at the front of the building. As we waited, Bolo, Demoror and Flamma went inside. Unfortunately, they dealt with the problem in their typical manner. The entire hostel was soon burning, but Flamma assured us that the Master was indeed dead, for she had burned him with her own hands. Demoror also brought vis which had been contained within a demonic cat that had served The Master. A profitable evening, indeed. By this time, our task was mostly accomplished, for Foder and Acutus had been recovered, and the man who had caused all of the problems had been slain. However, we knew where two more diabolists, named Eris and Cerberus lived, so we decided to slay them before we returned to the Tomb, hoping that they too might have demonic pets, full of vis. Eris was easily slain. She was an old woman and, unlike the other diabolists, she seemed to have no infernal powers. At the least, if she did have any, we did not give her time to use them. Cerberus, unfortunately, proved to be more of a problem. Marcus had warned us that Cerberus could animate dead bodies with the spirits of others, but still we were not prepared. When we approached his house, we set fire to it, hoping to flush him out. Unfortunately, he seemed to be knowledgable of our plan, for instead of fleeing the burning building, he sent three zombies running out before him. One of these zombies was possessed by the spirit of Circe, a diabolist who we had killed three years ago. Because she was able to change others into beasts, there were several minutes of distraction. Finally, we were able to defeat the three dead ones, but in that time, Cerberus managed to flee. With Cerberus gone, we had no more leads to other diabolists, beyond their name, and they are simply mythical names, such as Achilles and Mercury, which gave us little real information. However, we were not too distraught about that, for we are quite sure that we have crushed their spirits, between our two forays against them, and our killing of their leader. Thus, we returned Covenant, happily counting the vis that we had acquired. I must admit that it was a pleasant distraction, clearing my mind from the heavy thoughts of late. I still wish that we might have gotten that dragon, however, for it was doubtless filled from head to tail with vis. Perhaps we shall have to track it down some day.