The Seventh Sword
Session Thirty-Nine of the Notoriety of Kings Campaign

Vítday, 15 Kindlesmoke 204 [continued]

Nicos and Brack head into the Coral Palace. Nicos is certain that the pair of them will find out much more information than any one else because they are "the smart party." The Coral Palace is a massive structure. By far the biggest temple in Sorgar, it is even larger than the Grand Conflagration in Uris. The palace is built as an enormous hemisphere that straddles three islands, each several hundred yards apart. One large archway on each island allows entry to the Water temple. Inside, a raised platform a hundred yards wide circles a pool three hundred yards across. The temple is built upon a living coral reef that has been cultivated by clerics of the church of water. When the palace meets the water the coral is supeceded by stone and brickwork which has a strange synthesis of cresting waves and traditional Sorgar architecture. Set into the hemispherical church are a dozen towers rising up in to the sky.

The presence of all this water greatly unsettles Brack. His kind take to water a little less well than a rock does. Nicos tells the dwarf that today is the last night of the dark of Sharrash. Every night of the dark of the moon, clerics of the church of water perform a ceremony at dusk. Nicos can't remember what the ceremony is, but then he never was one for paying attention in his studies.

Many of the faithful are all ready gathering for the evening service, still a couple of hours away. Nicos scans the area to catch the eye of a Water Cleric. He spots a likely rotund lass who hurries over. "Hi there," says Nicos. "We'd like to see Hester Marris." Nicos explains that he and Brack are investigating the recent murders. "I'm Nicos, and he's Brack. We're the Chosen of Narramac." The cleric eyes them suspiciously for a moment. "The Chosen of Narramac? But they're in Uris." – "Nope, we're here." – "But what are the Chosen of Narramac getting involved in Sorgar for? Aren't you supposed to be off saving the world some where?" Nicos gives her a cheeky grin. "We go where we're needed," he says, and launches into an empassioned speech about injustice, and the need for heroes to step in and save the day when no one else will.

This speech obviously has some serious effect on the cleric. She sighs deeply and steps closer to Brack and Nicos. "You really are the Chosen? Tell me, can I ask… that is, can I see your swords?" Nicos shrugs, "Why not," he says as he and Brack's enchanted weapons scream into life before the bustling clerics and leity. The woman claps her hands together rapidly and squeals with delight. She quickly introduces herself as Ellwyn Bymiro, and is quick to mention that she is the Chosen's biggets fan. She follows all their adventures, and knows all the songs the bards sing about them off by heart! "Is it true, what they're saying?" she asks all a-quiver. "They're saying that you can't be killed. They say you don't even bleed. They say that Arvan came back from the dead! How did that happen? What do the Watchers think about it?" She hasn't drawn breath once.

"It's all true," says Nicos. "I've been killed several times myself." Brack gives him a look and Nicos grudgingly continues that none of them have ever actually been dead. Even Arvan was only transported to another plane of existance. Although it was a jolly nasty plane by all accounts. Ellwyn continues to fire questions at the pair, from what their favourite colour is to whether Brack misses being around other dwarves. She is impressed that they are after the Vampire of Sorgar, and says that if they manage to find this creature they will be even more famous than they are all ready! Eventually Nicos manages to steer her back to the topic of Hester Marris. Ellwyn nods and asks the pair if they would like a drink and something to eat. They agree and she shows them to a small chamber that is currently unoccupied. There she leaves them to fetch Hester Marris.

Nicos and Brack feel exhausted just listening to the woman. She seemed to know more about them than they could remember. Soon they here voices coming down the corridor. "As I live and breathe Mistress Marris, the Chosen of Narramac! Well, two fo them." – "Ellwyn Bymiro if I've caught you in another one of your flights of fancy you'll be out on sewer-cleaning detail so fast your feet won't touch the ground." – "But it's not a flight of fantasy, Mistress Marris. Nicos Alumiere! Brack Ogrebane!!" – "We will see."

Nicos and Brack hear the door open, and a the clerics enter. The cleric with Ellwyn is much taller than her companion, and has a more severe face, althought they are probably of the same age. Hester Marris dismisses Ellwyn (much to her annoyance) and sits down opposite Brack and Nicos. The pair decide to get down to business and ask her questions of the night she found Yinmé Delabel. Hester says that the militia did not ask for a full report, which she felt was unusual. What was also unusual was the fact that no-one in the temple saw or heard the death. Jenkin's Wharf is just a few hundred yards from the Coral Palace, and the temple is usually more active in night than in the day. The horrible and violent nature of the killing must have made tremendous noise, yet no-one heard anything. The entire wharf was soaked in blood when Hester found the body, and that was more than an hour after the event. Hester does not suspect the Vampire of Sorgar. "Even if the creature does exist, why suddenly begin this random carnage? No, this is a creature new to the town."

Brack and Nicos thank Hester for her time and head out to have a proper look around the Coral Palace. They notice that a tunnel runs through opposite walls of the temples allowing ingress for small boats into the temple. The domed ceiling looks as though it has been worth smooth by the movement of water, although how the priests have managed that is beyond Nicos. Ellwyn Bymiro soon finds them, and shows them around the palace for an hour, although she asks far more questions than she answers.

Meanwhile, in a rowing boat, crossing the bay Arvan and Raza are immersed in a deep and complicated discussion as always. Raza is becoming increasingly more abrasive as the day goes on. He is antagonistic and down-right rude to almost everyone he meets. Arvan considers stabbing him, but then dismisses the idea. He has been away for ten seasons, yet even Arvan can see that Raza has changed. The monk is utterly gripped with galloping paranoia. So gripped, in actual fact that he is trying to instill Arvan with a healthy dose of the same. "You shouldn't trust anyone," Raza says. He then begins to babble with more of his conspiracy theories over the origins of the world, Karatath, the Great Pact, the Malificents and how the other members of the party could be involved at any level. He also thinks that it's very suspicious that Alessandre has chosen this time to return to them. Arvan sighs deeply and raises a weary eyebrow. It is possible, however unlikely, that there is a kernel of truth buried somewhere in Raza's tirade. It is possible that the monk has solved all the mysteries of the world in his musings and investigations. Sadly, no-one would ever be able to tell.

Raza says that no-one except Arvan seems to be taking the threat of Karatath seriously – especially Nicos and Elias. If he could, he would replace them both. Elias just wants to free Tibrai, and look after his new interests in Umbria. Nicos only joined the group to find Rio, now that he's found her, he doesn't care about anything else. Ravenna has the interest Nicos is lacking, but not the enthusiasm, and Brack is only here to kill things. Raza surprises Arvan by saying for the first time that he is seriously considering speaking to the gods. It could be the only way to defeat Karatath, although it may not please the elves. He wouldn't think about talking to the gods without knowing all the consequences, that's why he desperately wants to speak to Zookie. But it looks less and less likely that the gnome will arrive in Sorgar before they leave for the Hadradan Empire. This bothers Raza more than anything else. They are going to Hadras. When they come back everything will have changed. The king will probably be dead, and Raza knows that he is powerless to do anything about it.

The oarsman, Samuel, has turned a deaf ear to Raza, showing a wisdom that Arvan would not have credited him with. The druid allows his gaze to drift away from the boat and out into the bay. Although it is unlikely they will make it back to the fountain by dark, Arvan and Raza have agreed to venture to the Isle of the Dead and speak to the Watchers. No-one knows more about the undead than they do, and an opportunity to see the remains of the vampire's victims would be most welcome.

From this distance the Isle of the dead can be seen in some detail. It is slightly more than half a mile long and covered in neatly tended gardens and ordered forests. The large, square edifice of the Watcher's temple rises ominously from the coast. There are five other islands nearby, much smaller than this one, all owned by the Watchers. It is common knowledge that the original Isle of the Dead is full, and that the church has built great mausoleums and crypts on two of the other islands to expand in to. As the boat nears Arvan can see a number of black-robed figures tending to the gardens. He has never thought of the Watchers as gardeners before.

The boat nudges its way to rest against a wooden jetty just down from the temple. Arvan and Raza climb out on to the dock. "Do you want me to wait?" the oarsman asks. Arvan says that they do, although they could be some time. The oarsman wants an extra shilling danger money if they keep him out after dark. Arvan agrees, and he and Raza wander up to church, leaving Caius in the boat.

The Watcher's temple is an exact copy of the House of Passing in the Village of the Eighteen Churches, although on a smaller scale. There are no crypts, no antechambers or other rooms simply one large space with a crackling black flame at the centre, surrounded by pews. Arvan approaches one of the Watchers and informs him that they are investigating the recent deaths in town and would like to speak to the archnecrotain, Belsan Uneer. The necros bids them wait, but soon returns to conduct them to the high priest. They are taken out of the temple, across a small patio and up a flight of stone steps bordered by two impressive mausoleums. At the end of the path is a square stone hut that looks as though it could originally have been intended as a mausoleum itself. The stone door is propped open, and the pair are shown in.

Belsan Uneer is a small man, standing about five feet in height. He is completely bald and very heavily muscled. He is also not the most interesting think about this one room structure. Various skulls, paintings, tapestries and other bizarre trappings of the occult and the macarbe line the walls. Raza's attention is particularly drawn to a large glass bell-jar where a human boy of about eight seasons is perfectly preserved in solution. Belsan cranes over a badly worn wooden desk and looks at them. "I didn't expect to see any of you here. I'm a very busy man. Ask your questions and make them quick."

Raza asks about vampires. How can this creature move through running water? What powers does a vampire have, and how can it be killed. "As a rule vampires can't cross water," says Belsan, "But there are always exceptions. If the vampire was a being of water in life, he holds no fear of the element in death. If he was one of the ocean dwelling races, such as a merman or sea devil." – "Or a cleric of water?" Raza asks. Belsan nods in agreement. The archnecrotain goes on to say that vampires can be destroyed by sunlight or by being kept from their resting place. Garlic can keep them at bay, as can a holy symbol as long as that symbol held some meaning for the vampire in life. They cannot enter a private dwelling unless invited. A stake through the heart immobilises a vampire, although it will restore itself instantly if the stake is removed. The best way to kill them is to stake them, remove their heads and then bless the body. Magical weapons and spells can harm vampires and destroy their material forms, but they then turn into a mist that retreats back to their resting place that must be either their native soil or its equivalent. If they can be prevented form returning to this place they will die. If they reach it then they will completely reform in an hour – much less if they are powerful. Vampires are filled with the energy of death. If they kill with such energy then they can raise a spawn, less than they are, and their obedient servant. If they drain their victim's blood utterly them they raise a full vampire, that is equally under the sway of its master.

Belsan also says that he is convinced that the Vampire of Sorgar is just a myth. If such a creature existed, the Watchers would have found it and destroyed it long ago. This vampire is new to Sorgar. The Watchers will find it and track it down. "You haven't had much success so far," says Raza is his best diploamtic voice. Belsan is a man to be easily riled, and shoots an angry glance at Raza. "We would like to look at the bodies," says Arvan quickly. Belsan says that he doesn't see what they can discover that the Watchers did not all ready know, but he will allow it. "I had not expected the militia to send anyone here after the count's command," he says. "What do you think of Iltilmus?" Raza asks. The question takes Belsan by surprise. "I would not expect such a question from members of the city watch," the archnecrotain says.

"We are not members of the Watch," says Arvan. "Then who are you?" Belsan demands, very angry now. "I am Arvan and this is Raza, we have been asked by Iltilmus to look into this matter." Belsan furrows his brow, turning their names over and over in his mind. "You are a third of the Chosen of Narramac?" Arvan nods in response. Suddenly, Belsan's face turns crimson and his voice shows how much trouble he is having in keeping his temper. "I am a man of my word," he says through gritted teeth, "and therefore I will honour my promise that you can see the bodies. However, I will accept no offer of help from those who associate themselves with a cleric of fire. I will have a cleric take you to the slabs and then you will get out. You will get off this island and you will not come back."

Arvan looks at the priest coldly, but nods once more. He and Raza leave the archnecrotain's presence. Soon a cleric arrives and leads them out across a graveyard knee-deep in red flowers, down some rough steps in a copse of trees and to another low stone building. Inside the temperature is much freezing and Raza can see his breath before him. The pair approach the forms stretched out before them on several stone slabs. Raza gasps at the sight, although Arvan has seen much worse than this in his travels. Eight bodies lie here. All the vampire's kills save one. The head has been neartly severed from each corpse and rests on its stump a foot from the shoulders of the body. The neck writhes with a strange black energy that the cleric tells them is holy darkness of Mortis. "Of course, the firestarters weren't very keen with us hanging on to that one," he gestures to Samantha Bold, "but they all belong to Mortis now."

Arvan examines the bodies carefully. From the puncture wounds in various parts of the bodies he believes that a vampire caused this – or another man-sized being with abnormally sharp and long canines. However, these deaths were not the product of a sophisticated seduction. Each has been literally ripped apart. They have been bitten repeatedly, clawed, rended and had more than their blood sucked from them. This creature is an animal with little finesse or any real plan. Arvan also notices that the forefinger on the right hand of Joro Klar is missing. He makes a mental note of that.

The cleric hurries on their investigation and soon they are on their way back to the jetty. By this time night has fallen. The oarsman is still waiting however, and he conducts the pair back across the water. Raza looks warily at the water. A vampire made from one of the ocean dwelling races, Belsan said. A creature that could travel around the city even during daylight if he swam deep enough. However, as it is, they get back to the shore safely. Arvan apologises for keeping the oarsman out after dark and asks if he would like them to accompany him to his home. The man thinks for a moment, and then says that he would like that. They set off in the boat along a narrow canal.

Turning the clock back an hour, Alessandre and Elias are the first to arrive at the Astornis Fountain. This is the place where the eighth body was discovered. They have a quick root around the clear stone back and the carved statues but do not find anything. It was almost a fortnight ago, after all. Soon Brack and Nicos arrive and they quickly compare notes. Elias gives Nicos the finger and the slime that Alessandre found on the steeple of St. Mathers. Nicos uses it to scry for Joro Klar, but to no avail. As it begins to get dark, the streets empty of people and the group becomes concerned about Arvan, Raza and Ravenna who have still not returned. Nicos uses his magic mirror to try to locate them.

He finds Raza and Arvan in the kitchen of the oarsman, Samuel. The oarsman had brought his boat up to a landing and taken the pair through his house. There they met his wife and three children. There is a fish chowder cooking on the stove, although Nicos cannot tell that from his vantage point. Raza makes a boorish joke about vampires and pretends to bite Arvan on the neck. They are thrown out of the house, Arvan apologsing to the oarsman. Within a few minutes they are at the fountain. Nicos takes great pleasure in watching them move through the streets with his mirror until Arvan is standing over him and he can see the back of his own head. Arvan retells their adventure on the island and that with Belsan Uneer as archnecrotain they can expect little help from the Watchers. Elias wonders if Belsan really is a Watcher. If there is a vampire in Sorgar then the Watchers should have caught it by now, unless they were members of the Church of the Unbeating Heart. A sobering thought.

After a further scrying attempt, Ravenna returns with Captain Holstein. She is evidently annoyed. Holstein greets the rest of the party and then excuses himself. He says that he can be reached at the estate should they require his aid. "That damn harbour master!" Ravenna snaps. "If it wasn't for the captain I don't think I would have got any information out of him. He had this annoyingly superior attitude, he get jumping in and saying things before you got a chance to say them, and he always thought he was right. He was so arrogant! I hate people like that!" Nicos and Elias look at one another wryly, but decided not to say anything. "Did you find anything out?" Raza asks. "Of course I did," says Ravenna, "Probably a lot more than you did. But let's not talk about it here. Captain Holstein said that the count has booked us rooms at The Willow. We can talk over dinner."

The Willow turns out to be an extremely pleasant hostelry. Ravenna asks the innkeeper for a private room for dinner and the Chosen adjourn. That is, all of them except Raza who tries to buy the inn out of garlic. "Ah, garlic," says the innkeeper. "That will be tuppence a bulb." Raza is amazed at the price of garlic, but reasons that there's probably a shortage. He buys a wreath of garlic for himself and a box full of garlic also for himself. Suffice to say that he is a might whiffy when he sits down at the table.

Ravenna, who has been waiting for him before starting her narrative, coughs with annoyance and begins her narrative. "I checked out the ships that arrived on or just before the first murder. If a vampire arrived by sea then chances are it would arrive hungry and kill soon. The captain, Master Gulchen and I went through the old records. About forty ships docked in those days. We could probably investigate them all if we had to, but four stood out as being particularly interesting."

"The first one is really odd. A ship named The Cross of Vítaeous on the morning of 11th Midsummer. It was crewed entirely by paladins of the Order of the Shining Fist – that's Minsc's old order. Gulchen remembers them particularly as their presence was so unusual. No paladins did not left the vessel while they were docked, although they received visitors the following morning. Justicians from St. Mathers and clergy from the Church of Life arrived came in two separate groups and stayed for several hours. And listen to this: each group left with large crate about eight feet long and three feet high. Coffin-sized, you might say. No one would say what was in it. The ship sailed on the 13th Midsummer."

"Lord Sorgar's cruiser, The Glory, arrived in port on 12th Midsummer accompanying the pirate vessel Estava. The pirates, led by their mercilous and badly-dressed captain, Sorn were led away in chains to the prisons. They attempted a break out later the same day. Only one actually managed to escape. The rest of the pirates have been put to death. The pirate in question is a man called Dulgeeth, although that is all we know about him."

"The Leaper, a fishing vessel, limped into port on 9th Midsummer. Of a crew of twelve only two survived, the skipper Crennish, and his son Hadrien. They spoke of a monster that got caught in their fishing nets two days earlier. It was a massive, humanoid creature, that appeared to be part man and part shark. It savaged the crew. Crennish drove the think off with fire, badly burning himself and nearly destroying the boat. Crennish later died of his wounds." – "That's the one!" says Nicos happily. He tries to scry for this Hadrien, but can't get any reception.

"The fourth vessel," Ravenna concludes, "was The Adatha. It's a Calclafique trading vessel was impounded by port authorities on 11th Midsummer. The captain, Talamides, was charged with smuggling. On opening the hold it was discovered he was carrying thirty Genbassi – refugees from the war with Salmaynak. Talamides and his crew have been imprisoned and the Genbassi were impounded. A message was been sent to the Salmayan ambassador, Earl Sabannion. He is yet to reply and, if nothing is heard from him by the end of the month the Genbassi will be killed.

Ravenna seems particularly smug with herself. The information she has discovered certainly opens up some avenues of investigation. Elias is particularly intrigued by what was in the boxes taken by the Vitaean and Terranan clergies. Raza suspects that the vampire is a Malificent and that the paladins, justicians and life clerics are all working for The Enemy. Everyone ignores him. The question is, however, what to do next. Nicos suggests they should wonder around the part of town all the attacks have been happening and wait to be jobbed. That way they draw the vampire out into the open. Everyone things that this is a cretinous idea (particularly Ravenna), however no-one can think of a better plan (not even Ravenna) and so after dinner they bundle out into the night.

Before they leave, Raza asks Nicos to scry for Zookie. They find the gnome sitting in an inn with his feet up in front of the fire. Raza yells at the monk and tries to get his attention. When nothing happens he tells Nicos that his mirror is rubbish, that he is rubbish and couldn't invent anything useful if his life depended on it.

As they head out into the darkness, Alessandre drops back and approaches Raza. "You stay away from me!" the monk cries. "I don't want to be cheered up!" Alessandre smirks slightly. "What's the matter Raza? Why are you trying to rub everyone up the wrong way?" Raza turns on the bard angrily. "What do you care? You're only hear because you're in love with him," he gestures to Elias. "Well, he's married now! He doesn't want you, so just wake up!" Elias turns bright red and pretends he hasn't heard. Alessandre is stunned by Raza's words. She hangs behind the rest of the party as they patrol the area between St. Mathers, the Astornis Fountain, the Coral Palace and Jenkins Wharf. It's almost an hour before she says anything at all. Part of Elias wants to go and comfort her, but what Raza said, however unkindly, was the truth. The sooner Alessandre realises it, the better.

Walking around in circles through dark and deserted streets is not the most thrilling occupation. The only activity in the area at all is inside the temples, and very few of the clerics are straying out of doors. Eventually they here a stern voice from the darkness. "Halt and identify yourselves. It is late for walking." Turning the party see a group of six Watchers crossing the square toward them. Nicos, who has been wearing plain robes that couldn't possibly identify as a fire cleric. All the Watchers are male, one is very old and carrying a scythe – evidently a Watcher of the old school. Their leader, the man who spoke, steps forward.

"You are the Chosen of Narramac," he says authoritatively. "They are," says Nicos, "I'm just a friend of theirs." The Watcher smiles slightly. "I am Tobin M'Kesh of the Shadow of Mortis. I am pleased to meet your acquaintance." He shakes hands with Elias and nods to the others. "Why are you here?" Elias explains that they are searching for Vampire of Sorgar. He quickly shares all their discoveries and their theories with M'Kesh. The Watcher nods thoughtfully, saying that he had come to much the same conclusions as the party. The vampire is not The Vampire of Sorgar, but it is a creature of ultimate evil that must be destroyed.

"Hey," says Nicos. "I've heard of you, you're supposed to be all right." – "I am many things. One of them is to the point. The archnecrotain of my church has let it be known that no Watcher is permitted to work with the Chosen of Narramac because of their association with the Church of Fire. I do not agree with him, and have every intention of accepting help where-ever I can find it to destroy this creature." Two of the clerics behind him give each other surprised looks, but the old man and others do not flinch.

M'Kesh fixes his gaze at Nicos. "Nicos Allumière," he begins. "How did you know?" asks Nicos, but he is ignored. "I have no hatred of the Church of Fire. We are all one church under the Moons. The Enclave has reached its decision and all must abide by that, as we all must abide by the Covenant." Raza steps in at this point, and does his best to antagonise M'Kesh, but he is shouted down by the rest of the party. "I have no hatred for the Watchers," says Nicos, "I've just never met a nice one before." Nicos decides that M'Kesh is someone he can respect and work with. M'Kesh says that because they were so honest with them, he will be honest with them. Elias is relieved that it seems he was right to trust this man.

M'Kesh is very interested in their attempts to scry the wearabouts of the seventh victim, Jessica Elann. The stone that Nicos describes makes him think of the new crypts and mausoleums that have been constructed on the two small islands close to the Isle of the Dead. They must be investigated; preferably in daylight. There are very few Watchers in Sorgar. There are only eighteen Shadows of Mortis in the city. M'Kesh wants the party's help. Even though Belsan Uneer has forbidden it, he will see if he can get the Chosen and Alessandre onto the islands tomorrow for a proper investigation. Hopefully they will find Jessica Elann.

M'Kesh and the other Watchers bid the party a good night. At least now they have a solid lead they can follow. A lead that superceded everything else they have discovered. The group continues to walk the streets for the rest of the evening, but there is no sign of a vampire. They return to The Willow at dawn and collapse into bed.

Terday, 16 Kindlesmoke 204

After a night of investigation the Chosen sleep in the this morning. Breakfast takes place at lunchtime where they receive a note from Tobin M'Kesh. Ravenna reads it aloud: "We will meet you at Jenkin's Wharf one hour after high sun." All seven agree to meet M'Kesh in what is little over an hour, and spend the hour searching the isles of the dead for vampires.

Elias catches the attention of the innkeeper and buys a supply of wooden stakes. He gives three to each member of the party. Brack buys twenty of his own surreptitiously, but fails to conceal them about his person, looking very much like a battle-hardened hedgehog. Elias also obtains a pair of bellows. He explains that once the vampire has assumed its gaseous form, he will be able to suck it up in a pair of bellows and trap it indefinitely. "That'll never work," says Nicos. Elias sniffs and mutters something that sounds like, "We'll see."

As the Chosen prepare to leave, they are stopped in the door by Captain Holstein who demands a moment of their time. The captain says he will be brief and that he does not have good news. Back at the table he pulls seven scrolls from his bag that he hands out to Alessandre and the others. "The Count has instructed the militia to have nothing more to do with this case," Holstein says reluctantly. "He is of the opinion that with the Chosen of Narramac on the case, there is little need for the city watch. All members of the militia have been instructed not to help you in any way during your investigation. I am sorry, that I will no longer be able to give you any assistance. I have all ready been assigned to other duties."

Nicos opens his scroll. It is an endorsement signed by Iltilmus that grants him all the powers of a member of the watch while investigating the vampire killings. Nicos mutters at the lengths Iltilmus will go to in order to get them killed. Raza asks Holstein to disobey Iltilmus and help them anyway, but the captain pretends he has not heard such treason. He leaves, wishing the Chosen every success in their investigation.

By the time the group arrives at Jenkin's Whard, the Shadow of Mortis have all ready arrived, their black cloaks looking a little out of place in the Kindlesmoke sunshine. Ellwyn Bymiro from the Coral Palace catches sight of them as they walk past and rushes out to say hello. She has a thousand questions for them. "What? What questions? Why do you want to know?" Raza demands sharply, and succeeds in being uncouth, abrasive and down right rude enough to send Ellwyn scurrying away, near to tears. "Why did you do that?" Nicos yells, feeling a little protective of the sisters of the temple of water. Raza doesn't reply, but marches off to Jenkin's Wharf, his bad mood following him like a black cloud.

Tobin M'Kesh introduces the rest of his team as Nolan, Terrence, Pasha, Verrin and Wendar. Wendar is the old watcher, leaning heavily upon his scythe. Nicos remembers Pasha and Verrin as the two from the previous evening who were most unhappy about going against the wishes of Belsan Uneer. However, they have swallowed any misgivings, and all seem ready to pile in the boat waiting moored to the end of the wharf.

"Two of the smaller isles of the dead have recently had mausoleums built upon them," Tobin explains, once the boat is moving. "There are very few bodies currently interred there, it is mostly a warren of empty stone passages. I am convinced that the room we saw in Nicos's mirror is somewhere in the complex. We will land on the far side of the larger of these two islands where we cannot be observed from the temple. I regret this duplicity, but I am sure everyone will agree that the ends justify the means?"

Nicos agrees, but he doesn't like it. Even at noon, the isles of the dead have a sinister quality, that the presence of a vampire does nothing to mitigate. However, he likes M'Kesh. The watcher's presence is comforting, he seems to be a man who knows what he is doing. "And now for the part you will hate," M'Kesh continues. "There are thirteen of us, but many miles of catacombs to search. In order to search them all before dark we will have to search alone." Nicos reverses his opinion. M'Kesh is mad. Made more mad by the fact that it is the dark of Mortis, and all these priests are virtually powerless in the daylight.

They arrive on the first island unseen from the Watchers' temple. The island is lush and well-wooded, although many large tracts of foliage have been removed to make way for the building of more than thirty mausoleums. If the structures were arranged to a plan it is not detectable from the ground. Each is a utilitarian structure made up of two tiers of white stone a thousand feet long, and a hundred feet wide. The top tier is half that of the bottom, and it is through the top tier that ingress is gained. As the Chosen sigh and come to terms with the fact that they have to scurry around in the dark through these tombs, M'Kesh explains the layout of the buildings. He tells them that each tier sports one large central corridor off which are side corridors leading to four rooms. The standard pattern may not always hold true, however, as some of the rooms may have been knocked together, or other passageways formed. He is not an architect.

M'Kesh asks Elias if Hedwig could be used to summon everyone if there was trouble. They will have no way to communicate while in the tombs, although Nicos will be able to see anyone who carries a torch through his magic mirror. Raza asks M'Kesh how he feels about taking fire into the tombs, and points out that without fire he would be unable to see in the darkness. M'Kesh agrees and says that all six elements, embodied in the moons, are part of one faith. However, Raza carries on as if M'Kesh had not spoke and attacks him for all the short-sightedness of his church, that the man himself does not agree with. It is left to Nicos and Elias to actually defend M'Kesh, which sends the monk muttering off to one of the near-by tombs.

And thus the thirteen split up and make their search. Brack decides to leave Shredder outside the mausoleum, in case he meets a vampire and Shredder is dominated by the creature. The orc-hound follows him in however, and sticks to Brack like glue in the darkness. The dwarf immediately recognises the stone work on the walls from the view in Nicos's mirror as he picks his way from room to room. Using his darkvision, Brack has little fear about disturbing the undead. In fact he wishes for it. It has been a long time since his axe cleft anything that could fight back.

Elias and Hedwig head into the darkness of a separate tomb. Elias is extremely disconcerted by this place. It reminds him too much of the barrowmoors – and he died last time he was there. There is a skittering in the darkness and Hedwig flies off toward the sound. She returns, moments later, with a rat clasped between her talons, and lands on Elias's head to devour it. Elias can sense a certain displeasure in Hedwig as a part of the rat's smaller intenstine slides down his face. "What is it?" Elias asks grumpily. Hedwig doesn't say anything, but Elias can sense exactly what the familiar is upset about. "I did not choose the wrong girl!" he yells. The owl humphs loudly. "I prefer Drasha!" The owl humphs again. Elias shakes his head, realising that he is, in fact, having a conversation with himself. Then it dawns on him that he has wandered past three turnings and retraces his steps to better investigate them.

Arvan approaches the tombs with systematic alacrity. He and Caius storm from room to room flinging open what small tombs there may be, and then storming off when no vampire becomes apparent. He is not one to waste time on these matters. Raza to strides through the darkness like a man possessed. He comes up a tomb marked up for the noble family, Seston, but it is empty and he continues onward.

Nicos, on the other hand, is absolutely terrified. He doesn't think it fair that Elias, Ravenna, Brack and Arvan get to go with an animal companion and all he gets to go with is a magic mirror that will show his friends being picked off one by one. He shudders at a draft, and the darkness starts to play funny tricks on his senses. He begins to hear noises that he hopes aren't there, and is generally approaching the end of his rapdily diminishing tether. Then is comes upon a room with a large sarcophagus sitting on a plinth before him. The lid has been removed. Steeling himself, bravely, Nicos walks up and peers into the coffin. It is empty, but Nicos realises that it has not been empty for very long. The silks and brocaded padding inside within hold the impression of body that has only recently been removed. Or walked away. Nicos spins around, waving his torch about him, expecting to see the evil face of a vampire bearing down upon him. He doesn't see such a face, but he looses his cool anyway and runs as fast as he can back to the sunlight. He tells himself that he is not going in without help.

M'Kesh and the other Shadows find Nicos lying in the sun about an hour later. The rest of the party are still making their search. Nicos tells Tobin what he saw, and the Watcher takes him very seriously indeed. Nicos and the watchers head back into the tomb, and Nicos finds his way back to the stone coffin in question. This time the lid is closed. Nicos shudders. M'Kesh gestures to his companions, and as he moves forward to open the lid, the rest of them pull out their holy symbols of Mortis, and aim them at him. Nicos steps back, ready to call upon the power of Calafax at a moment's notice. M'Kesh pries off the lif and it falls with a crash to the floor. It is still empty. This does little to mollify M'Kesh and he organises a comprehensive search of the entire mausoleum. Whatever creature Nicos stumbled across cannot be found, and they return to the daylight to speak with the rest of the Chosen.

Again the thirteen split up and take a different mausoleum, and again, and some for a fourth time until every inch of catacomb has been searched by them. No one catches the faintest whiff of a vampire, and they meet in the clearing despondently. "There are still three hours of daylight left to us," says M'Kesh, "and only eleven mausoleums on the other island. We should make the best use of this time."

Everyone agrees, and they make off for the second island in the late afternoon sun. Once there, Ravenna pairs up with Alessandre, and Nicos teams up with Elias as they plough onwards into the darkness. The mausoleums on this island are incomplete, and more building work has yet to be done to them. Also, Arvan discovers as Wendar crosses his path in the darkness, that they are connected to one another by underground passageways, making their search all the more difficult.

Raza spies a light in he distance, made visible only because of the oppresive darkness. Slowly he makes his way toward the light, only to discover himself ankle deep in water. Swinging his torch around he sees that he has descended three steps into a pool. The stairs continue into water that Raza assumes connects with the bay outside. He remembers the words of Belsan Uneer as he stairs into the dark water, and suddenly feels very vulnerable, and very frightened. He backs swiftly out of the water, and hurries back the way he came.

Nicos and Elias enter a large chamber with a cold stone slab at its centre. It looks much like the scene from the mirror, but so have twelve other rooms the pair have seen today. Nicos doesn't like this one bit, and Elias can support him on the sentiment. In a tomb almost half a mile away, Ravenna stumbles and is caught by Alessandre. The brief vision that pulsed across her mind unmistakeable. "Elias is in danger," she tells the bard.

As Nicos walks into the room to get a better look at the interior, Hedwig screeches and swoops from the chamber in fright. Elias looks up to see a dark shape drop from the ceiling on top of him. He brings his shield up in an attempt to divert it, but the creature swerves around it somehow and buries its talons deep in his flesh beneath his armour. Elias staggers backwards against the wall. A fearful shaking begins to overcome him as his body feels like he has been dropped naked into a bath of crushed ice. He has felt such a thing once before, in the barrow, and he recognises it all too well.

The screeching of Hedwig echoes around the tombs. Caius pricks up his ears and barks a message to Arvan. The pair set off at a run toward the sounds of chaos. Shredder too hears it, and pads off, with Brack in close pursuit. But the catacombs are labyrinthine and following Hedwig's shrieking will not be easy.

Raza hears the slap of a wet foot against cold stone and freezes. Did he imagine it? Then he hears it again. Something has come up the steps out of the water. He feels the hairs on his neck stand on end. The monk instinctively ducks around the corner and waits for the thing to pass. For long minutes all Raza can hear is the thumping of his heart. Then he hears the voice. It is deep and resonnant, and speaks with an authority born of tremendous age. It makes his stomach quiver to hear it, and he knows it is a voice he cannot disobey.

"Stay where you are," says the voice, and instantly Raza is rooted to the spot. He can hear the sound of heavy steps approaching him from behind, he has the impression of a great hulking creature towering over him but he cannot move. He cannot do anything. He opens his mouth and screams, the most desperate and terrifying scream of his life. Brack stops in his tracks and turns around. For a moment he is gripped with indecision, then he hurries after Raza's scream.

Elias hits out wildly with his sword catching the creature across the chest. It lunges at him, finding his shoulder this time. Again the sickening feeling of his life draining from him overcomes Elias and he knows he is one step nearer the grave. Nicos turns, suddenly realising what is happening. He engulfs himself in his nimbus of flame filling the room with light and toasting the back of the creature. Elias can see it for the first time now. He has no doubt that it is a vampire. The pale skin drawn back to reveal two razor sharp incisors. Its hair is a lank red; from that and the clothes Elias believes it to be the the bard Jessica Elann. But that is all the thinking he has time for as the vampire leaps out of range of Nicos's flames and lands lightly on the wall above his head.

As the vampire swings a wicked claw to Elias's throat, he raises his shield and barely managed to deflect the blow. Nicos, having swiftly hasted himself gestures to the vampire and yells a Calafan incantation. Two beams of searing light blast from his finger tips. The first goes wide of the mark lances down a corridor, but the second hits vampire squarely on the chest. It shrieks inhumanly as it erupts in flames. In an instant it has burned away leaving nothing but ash. Elias sighs and slides down the wall. He is as a pale as a ghost and cannot stop shivering. Nicos rushes over to him. "I destroyed it," he says. "Not yet," says Elias pointing to a green vapour trailing out of the chamber. "It is retreating to its lair. Help me up, we have to follow it."

"Silence!" commands the being behind Raza. The monk's scream is instantly emasculated. "Turn around." Raza turns and almost swallows his tongue with fright. The creature before him stands seven feet tall although the huge pale yellow fin runs from its forehead to the base of its spine makes it appear much taller. It is an azure blue in colour; its skin is made up of hundreds of tiny scales. The oversized hands and feet are webbed – everything about this creature tells Raza that it is most at home in the water. But the mark of undeath is upon it. The skin has a sickly shine to it, the eyes are red slits and the mouth sports dangerously long canines. Whatever creature this once was, it is now only a vampire. And an extremely powerful one at that. Could this be the creature found in the nets of that fishing boat.

"I can hear the blood swimming in your veins," the vampire says, its mouth almost brushing Raza's neck. Raza tries to swallow his fear. He will not give this creature the satisfaction of seeing him scared. "What is your name?" the vampire asks, stepping back slightly. "I am Yisweran Larrien," says Raza. "What are you doing in my city?" His city? A thousand questions burn in Raza's mind, but he is compelled to answer. He tells the vampire of Iltilmus and how the Chosen have been sent to hunt down the Vampire of Sorgar. Raza mentions The Enemy and asks the creature whether it is working with Mínaris or not, but he gets only silence as a reply.

"You must end these attacks," Raza says, drawing on the power of his sword to allow him to speak his mind. "If you do not you will be hunted down and destroyed by the Watchers or by my companions." For an instant Raza thinks he has gone too far, and that the creature is about to devour him. The vampire lowers its knife-filled mouth to Raza's face. "I am not the killer you seek," the vampire rasps. But before Raza can ask the vampire what he means by that, he is interrupted by a stamped of feet as someone races around the corner.

Tobin M'Kesh slides to a halt before him, hefting his symbol of Mortis in a threatening manner. Raza calls to M'Kesh and tells him to back down, that this is not the vampire he seeks. "It is a creature of undeath that defies Mortis!" yells M'Kesh. "It must be destroyed." M'Kesh cries and unleashes the power of Mortis in an attempt to snare the vampire's mind. He proves utterly unequal to the task as the vampire not only stands its ground but charges over to him. Raza is fixed to the spot and can do nothing to watch as a wicked attack from the vampire sends M'Kesh thudding into a wall ten feet away, the priests protective aura crackling as it absorbs the vampire's energy drain. The Vampire moves toward M'Kesh as Brack hurtles into the fray. Raza closes his eyes, and curses that he is not going to get any answers now.

Nicos and Elias do their best to follow the twisting vampiric mist through the catacombs. Elias removes the bellows from his bad and plants them into the centre of the mist. The vampire tries to break free, but the bellows hold it fast. Elias laughs despite himself as they drag the creature away from its final resting place. Elias knows that if they can keep the vampire from reaching its native earth while in this form it will eventually dissipate, never to return. It is in this state that Arvan and Caius find the pair, followed quickly by Pasha and Terrence. Seconds later Alessandre and Ravenna arrive. Nicos tries to cover up his nakedness by no one is looking. "Elias! Elias are you all right?" cries Alessandre, the desperation in her voice plainly revealing her feelings, as if any revelation were required at his stage. Elias smiles weakly at her. "You are lucky to be alive," says Pasha, examing the wound. "The claws of this creature cut deep." Alessandre bends down and sings some soothing bars into Elias's ear. He feels a little relief as some of the wounds close themselves. "We have to get him out of here," says the bard. Arvan nods and he and Nicos lift Elias to his feet. Elias still has the bellows, and is waving it weakly muttering something about how he knew it would work.

"Stop where you are!" says the vampire. Brack freezes instantly, lowering his weapon. "Mortis protects me, fiend!" exclaims M'Kesh, walking forward unaffected. "Release these two now and be destroyed." The vampire advances, but M'Kesh weaves a magical spell that Raza takes to be some variation of protection from evil as the vampire snarls and steps backward. Raza tries to make the best of the situation. He tells M'Kesh to stop fighting and asks the vampire that if he isn't the killer, then who is? The vampire does not reply. "If the killings continue the Watchers will destroy you," Raza says again. "Let us destroy this other vampire and then no one will bother you." The vampire shakes his head and gestures at M'Kesh, "He will never rest." He unleashes a spell that disintegrates whatever slight protection M'Kesh was sheltering behind and advances on the Watcher. He grabs the man by the throat, and turns to leave the building. M'Kesh struggles and kicks, but to no avail. The vampire turns to Raza and to Brack. "Do not reveal me," he says to them, and it is not a suggestion, it is a command.

As the vampire turns a corner Brack regains some of his senses. It is a strange feeling for him. He wants to destroy this creature, but he cannot because he knows instinctively that it is his master. He will do nothing to harm his master, or to allow anyone else to harm him. Raza feels exactly the same, but he has the Sword of Temperance, and he can fight the domination for a little while. Unlike Brack he can speak of what happened here, but he decides not to. He knows how powerful this being in, and he realises that if the rest of M'Kesh's bunch try to hunt it down, they will die as surely as he has. Raza moves to the corner and listen. He can still hear M'Kesh's cries as they get weaker with distance and fatigue. He is not dead yet, but he soon will be, and Raza does not lift a finger to help him. In the end the screams are muffled by the water and then there is silence. He looks across to a grim Brack who shows every evidence of being under the vampire's sway. "We should go back to the surface," says the monk. Brack nods.

On the surface, Alessandre covers Elias in a blanket, leaving Nicos standing there in the buff. Darkness has fallen now, and the character of the island has gone through a change. It is cold and frightening, and where there is one vampire there could be more. Alessandre does her best to cheer Elias up, telling him that he will be able to shake off this affliction and become his old self. Elias shakes his head. Pasha suggests that he attends the Church of Life as soon as possible. They will be able to purge his body of this death energy, as long as they get there in time. This makes Elias feel a little better. As does the fact that the vampiric mist, still trapped in the bellows, issues an final squeal of despair and is gone.

As time passes the rest of the group returns. Raza and Brack say nothing about their encounter, and do not behave so oddly that they make any one suspicious. Brack even uses his axe to help restore Elias. After an hour everyone returns except M'Kesh, and Wendar is becoming concerned. He commands that the group splits up and looks for M'Kesh. Alessandre, extremely protective of Elias tells Wendar in no uncertain terms that Elias is not going any where. He needs to rest. Wendar says that he has no time to argue and heads off to find his friend. Alessandre and Elias are left alone in the clearing. The bard tries to make Elias comfortable, and sings to him again.

Arvan and Caius pad swiftly through the catacombs searching for M'Kesh. Arvan reasons that anything powerful enough to take the leader of the Shadow of Mortis, dark of the moon or no dark of the moon, is a force to be reckoned with. His half-orcish vision allows him to see clearly in the darkness, and he clearly makes out the steps descending from the stone path into the water. He stops. Caius is unsettled by this place, and Arvan can sense that something is not quite right. Ten seasons in the Great Dark have left a mark on him in more ways than one. Stooping to the floor Arvan notices something lying against the wall. Carefully he retrieves and holds it up to his face. It is a an ebony plaque, upon which is an hour-glass and scythe set in silver. It is M'Kesh's holy symbol. Arvan looks suspiciously toward the water, then a sound from behing makes him turn. Raza is standing there.

"I thought we were searching different parts of the catacombs," says Arvan. "I have all ready checked this place out, there is nothing here," says the monk. "Then why did you come back here?" asks Arvan suspiciously. Raza does not immediately reply. Arvan steps toward him, menacingly as Caius backs away to flank the monk. "What happened here, Raza?" – "Nothing happened here." – "I have found M'Kesh's holy symbol." Raza flicks his eyes from side to side in an extremely shifty fashion.

Leaving Caius to watch the monk, Arvan returns to the floor of the passageway. The dust has been disturbed and there are signs of a struggle. There are drying foot prints of a large creature with webbed feet. There are drag marks along the floor. This creature was dragging something man-sized, something that was struggling. Arvan inhales sharply and scratches his chin as his mind recreates the scene here. The place he found the holy symbol would seem to fit. He stands and looks back at Raza, catching the monk's eyes with a burning stare. "Why didn't you say about this place," Arvan demands.

Raza can feel the influence of the Vampire inside him."Do not give me away," was the command, but in truth Raza would not give him away even if the command had not been given. "It is not the creature we are looking for," says Raza. At Arvan's quizzical gaze, he adds, "I can sense it." Even saying that much broke the letter of the command issued by the vampire, and if it were not for the Sword of Temperance that hangs by his side Raza would not have been able to speak. Even so, Raza becomes a little light-headed at the effort and supports himself against the wall. Arvan says nothing. He has seen these effets before. He has met his share of vampires in the last ten seasons. He knows Raza de Luna has been dominated by such a creature, the question is, what to do about it.

"If we go back down there many will die," says Raza with a great effort. "Many more will die. It's not the killer, Arvan. But it will kill, and then it will not just be M'Kesh that is dead but all the Watchers and all of us." Raza slides to the floor, breathing hard as if he has run a marathon. Arvan weighs the holy symbol in his hand. Caius is looking askance from the druid. Arvan believes that Raza is telling the truth in this instance. "What shall I do with this?" he asks, holding the symbol of Mortis where Raza can see it. Raza feels a great sigh of relief. He is doing his best to protect everyone from this creature, he is glad that Arvan has seen sense. "Hide it," he says. Arvan nods slowly.

Arvan, Raza and Caius are not the last to return to the surface. When Wendar finally returns three hours after dusk it is decided to call off the search for M'Kesh and that he must be considered missing and presumed dead. Wendar says that he will have to bring this matter up with Archnecrotain Belsan Uneer. "If I can keep your names out of this, I will," says Uneer to Nicos, "But it may not be possible."

The Chosen of Narramac, Alessandre and the five surviving Watchers pile in the boat for the journey back to the mainland. The bard tries to keep Elias's spirits up, telling him that they will find a priest of Life and have him healed as soon as they reach the shore. Arvan sits at the bow of with his back to the rest of the group not meeting anyone's gaze. He has concealed from everyone that Raza has been dominated by a powerful vampire that killed M'Kesh. He is uncertain how long he can keep that information to himself. Brack who, without the Sword of Temperance, is even more in the thrall of this creature than Raza also sits staring across the dark water. He can feel the Vampire moving through his mind. Shredder whimpers and backs away from him. Only Shredder knows what has happened to his master.

The boat is tied up at Jenkin's Wharf and the group hurry up onto the jetty. There a sight awaits them that makes their hearts leap into their stomach. A large crowd surrounds the Coral Palace. There is another group of the Shadow of Mortis, and a group of clerics from the Church of Fire who are all talking agitatedly with water priests. Nicos leads the way as the Chosen hurry over. It soon becomes plain what is the fuss is all about. While the party were investigating the isles of the dead, the killer struck again. Ellwyn Bymiro is dead. She has been ripped in half.

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