Book the Second, Chapter the Seventh: Clouds of Battle

[SunlessNick]

Seeing little he can do to attack the fairies, William tries to distract them instead, hoping that they will be less on their guard against Lepus's strategem. "By what authority do you claim any child from this place?" he demands. "Your own Queen has evidently ceded the matter."

[Mr. Handy]

Henry hurries back downstairs to join the others, though he's not in enough of a rush to follow McGee out the window. He takes the stairs instead.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Lepus capers gleefully at the Fae Lady's flight and her soldiers' impotent shot.

If he can see McGee scrabbling for coins on the ground below, he will call to his invisible servant.

"Pick up a gold coin and carry to towards the faeries if thy please!"

If the leprechaun chases after the coin, the wanderer hopes to confuse his enemies by telling the faeries that McGee is the child they want (mayhap they will fall for the trick without their queen).

Spoiler:

McGee's INT = 9, minus 3 for the Affliction of Lust For Gold = 6[dice]234793:0[/dice]

This clever ruse is effective, as the small fellow's blind hunger for lucre causes him to follow the arrant coin where it will. Once the Unseen Servant has drawn McGee to the place just below the gathered fae folk, he struggles to retrieve the coin.

Spoiler:

battle of strength between McGee (12) and the Servant (9). In that order, [dice]0[/dice]

This weird competition for a tiny object, the love of which, as Scripture reminds us, is the root of all evil, results in a kind of impasse, as neither McGee nor the Servant is able to retain it. The coin goes flying off, lost in the thick grass surrounding the manor home.

Infuriated by this loss, Mcgee mutters in his native tongue, while moving his hands about in a strange fashion. In a moment a crude wooden club, nearly as long as the fellow himself, appears in his grip. He brandishes it about in the direction of the Servant, which of course has no effect.

The attempt by Lepus to convince the fae that Mcgee is a child results only derisive laughter.

"He we know! He we know! Stupid! Stupid! Must pay! Must pay! Who goes with Queen? Who goes with Queen? Babe best! Babe best!"

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Seeing little he can do to attack the fairies, William tries to distract them instead, hoping that they will be less on their guard against Lepus's strategem. "By what authority do you claim any child from this place?" he demands. "Your own Queen has evidently ceded the matter."

"Speak not of She! Speak not of She! Die! Die!"

Evidently offended by the audacity of mere mortal making such bold reference to the banishing of their monarch, the fae once more take the form of a crossbow, and hurl their arcane weapon at the speaker.

Spoiler:

wis to avoid the effects of elf shot = 10[dice]0[/dice] Borderline result, so one of four possible results, modified to minimum[dice]1[/dice]

Williams feels as if a bullet of ice has pierced his heart. Although he does not suffer any visible physical damage, it is as if his being were weakened by some virulent malady, or venom.

Spoiler:

reduce CON by 1 until a full night's sleep restores it.

[jp1885]

Lepus chortles, as if the faeries seeing through his ruse is the punchline of some hilarious joke.

"Cease thy arrows, take yon Irishman and be glad of the company!" he cackles. "He be the size of a child, if not comparible in manners, yesno?"

As he taunts the host, he takes an explosive stone and wraps a couple of strips of cloth around it, packing a handful of iron nails between the two.

"Britches sir!" he calls to his invisible servant. "Take thy coin up to the faeries if thou please!"

If the host does not disperse, he will wait until McGee is dragged as near the host as possible and then throw the stone towards them. With any luck it will hone in on the leprechaun and explode, scattering iron nails among the fae.

(Brutal, alas, but if it saves an innocent child from the clutches of the Fae Lady, then so be it.)

[Mr. Handy]

"Let's see how they like a taste of their own medicine," says Henry. He grips the Force Projector and uses it to attack one of the fae, singling out any that looks like it might be the new leader now that their queen is gone.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Lepus chortles, as if the faeries seeing through his ruse is the punchline of some hilarious joke.

"Cease thy arrows, take yon Irishman and be glad of the company!" he cackles. "He be the size of a child, if not comparible in manners, yesno?"

As he taunts the host, he takes an explosive stone and wraps a couple of strips of cloth around it, packing a handful of iron nails between the two.

"Britches sir!" he calls to his invisible servant. "Take thy coin up to the faeries if thou please!"

If the host does not disperse, he will wait until McGee is dragged as near the host as possible and then throw the stone towards them. With any luck it will hone in on the leprechaun and explode, scattering iron nails among the fae.

(Brutal, alas, but if it saves an innocent child from the clutches of the Fae Lady, then so be it.)

Spoiler:

dex to throw the stone = 15[dice]0[/dice]

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Lepus chortles, as if the faeries seeing through his ruse is the punchline of some hilarious joke.

"Cease thy arrows, take yon Irishman and be glad of the company!" he cackles. "He be the size of a child, if not comparible in manners, yesno?"

As he taunts the host, he takes an explosive stone and wraps a couple of strips of cloth around it, packing a handful of iron nails between the two.

"Britches sir!" he calls to his invisible servant. "Take thy coin up to the faeries if thou please!"

If the host does not disperse, he will wait until McGee is dragged as near the host as possible and then throw the stone towards them. With any luck it will hone in on the leprechaun and explode, scattering iron nails among the fae.

(Brutal, alas, but if it saves an innocent child from the clutches of the Fae Lady, then so be it.)

Spoiler:

dex to throw the stone = 15[dice]234831:0[/dice]

The stone flies wildly, landing upon the ground far from the assembled fae, exploding upon contact with the earth. (It may be recalled that these stones appeared to seek living prey, and perhaps some mole or worm has fallen victim to its discharge.)

Wielding his club, the enraged McGee rushes at Lepus.

"Cast iron against me, will ye? Taste then of me shillelagh!"

Spoiler:

dex = 12[dice]0[/dice]

Due, no doubt, to the state of his temper, the weapon fails to meet its target by a considerable distance, crashing instead into a nearby yew. It is remarkable that this blow splinters the tree in twain, revealing that it carries more force than would be predicted.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"Let's see how they like a taste of their own medicine," says Henry. He grips the Force Projector and uses it to attack one of the fae, singling out any that looks like it might be the new leader now that their queen is gone.

An eerie humming sound, as if from a horde of unseen bees, emerges from the weird device. Doctor North having reckoned, as logic dictates, that the largest and brightest light among the fae must belong to one of highest rank, aims the invisible beam at it.

Spoiler:

automatically successful; I'll assume the fae have something equivalent to a brain, being rational creatures. The leader's Hit Dice (maximum for Sprites) = 3d6[dice]0[/dice]damage done by the Projector = 1d6[dice]1[/dice]

A piercing scream fills the air, and the lights vanish instantly. It would be premature to declare victory, however, as a chorus of voices follows soon after. It may be recalled that such beings are reputed to possess the power of invisibility at will.

"Filthy iron! Filthy iron! Injured Prince! Injured Prince! Die! Die!"

As of yet, no attack materializes after this threat.

[Mr. Handy]

"Begone from here!" Henry commands the fae, "or you'll get more of the same!" He holds the Force Projector ready to attack again if there's any sign of another attack coming. He turns to Lepus. "Are you able to detect their position with your abilities?"

[jp1885]

"Old Lepus lacks the wit to see the invisible, but mayhap there be a way..."

The wanderer turns to William.

"Gallant soldier, could thee be prevailed upon to find a blunderbuss? Mayhap a few blasts of irons nails be enough to bring these fae into view?"

To test his theory, he throws a handful of nails, scattering them in the general direction of the faerie host.

Additionally, if it has landed nearby, he will attempt to retrieve McGee's club.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"Begone from here!" Henry commands the fae, "or you'll get more of the same!" He holds the Force Projector ready to attack again if there's any sign of another attack coming. He turns to Lepus. "Are you able to detect their position with your abilities?"

It will occur to Doctor North that the Force Projector has no effect upon invisible beings; no doubt this is because, like visible light, the unseen waves produced by the device pass through perfectly transparent substances without effecting them, much as the life-giving light of the sun passes through the ether that fills otherwise empty space.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"Old Lepus lacks the wit to see the invisible, but mayhap there be a way..."

The wanderer turns to William.

"Gallant soldier, could thee be prevailed upon to find a blunderbuss? Mayhap a few blasts of irons nails be enough to bring these fae into view?"

To test his theory, he throws a handful of nails, scattering them in the general direction of the faerie host.

Additionally, if it has landed nearby, he will attempt to retrieve McGee's club.

If the brave man of arms elects to withdraw upon such errand, it will, of course, take some time to locate and prepare the weapon in question.

Spoiler:

throwing objects at an invisible target same as the Affliction of Blind = DEX - 3 = 12[dice]0[/dice]

As far as one can tell, the nail fail to reach their unseen targets, producing no effect save a soft clattering upon the ground they land.

To obtain the tiny man's weapon will require hand-to-hand battle with its possessor; despite its complete failure to meet its intended target, it is never out of McGee's grip, seeming almost to be an extension of his fleshly limb.

[Mr. Handy]

"We need to fill the air with smoke!" says Henry, directing the servants. "That will reveal their positions!"

[SunlessNick]

William scowls at Lepus's suggestion - "A pox on me that I did not think of it myself," he says, before departing. Does the house have a gun room? If so that will be his first port of call - otherwise, the coach house is the most likely place for such a weapon. He will return to the ballroom in order to fire - since the faries are engaging the Gypsy and Lord Dunwich, that will be the best vantage from which to fire at them.

[jp1885]

Lepus grumbles as his plan fails. He turns to McGee, wishing the fellow would cease his distractions but deciding not to fight the fellow.

“Thou hast stolen gold enough for the nonce. Begone, for the only gold my friends possess be kept in a sack that thou art forbidden to touch!”

He asks his invisible servant to drop the gold coin and return to him.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

It soon becomes evident that Doctor North has hit upon a most effective plan of battle, as the fae folk exhibit an extreme terror of fire, that being the sole element of the classic four not associated with one of their tribes. Meanwhile, William is able to reach Lord Highdark's gunroom, conveniently located in the east wing of the ground floor, in a trice, returning with the desired weapon. As a miscellany of small pieces of ironwork fly from the mouth of the archaic weapon -- superior for this use, it seems, than the more modern pistol -- the fae fly off at extraordinary speed, driven away by these twin anathemas. As a sort of verbal Parthian shot, the departing beings leave with a few final words.

"Her name known! Her name known! We curse! We curse! 'Ware! 'Ware!"

Whether this be mere braggadocio, or indicative of matters to come, is not immediately evident.

Meanwhile, the diminutive McGee, evidently entirely satisfied by the return of the gold, dances a merry jig, then, without seeming cause, vanishes from human ken, as does his roughly carved weapon.

As quiet returns to Highdark Hall, it is evident that there is much work to be done to restore the place to its former condition, not to mention the souls of those who dwell within. Such labor, it seems, will serve as a peaceful respite after this arcane battle.

Spoiler:

The Patient Reader will please proceed to Book the Second, Chapter the Eighth.