[IC] Chapter 4: The Wergyn Estate

[jp1885]

Penalty dice 1d10 (?)

[dice]237826:0[/dice]

and that's 30% so still a success?

It is indeed. Bravo Professor! What follows is something of an exposition dump, so give me a day or two

[jp1885]

Professor Garrett,After considerable study (made all the more difficult by the trying conditions of the cottage and the eccentricities of the Latin spelling and grammar), a story emerges… In 1099 Guy de Lancey, (‘[i]may his owne falchion be hys undoing[/i]’): Norman knight of ill-repute, famed for dark deeds carried out during the 1st Crusade, was exiled to the Marches and tasked with putting down the rebellious locals near what is now the village of Wergynstone. De Lancey arrived with his retinue, claiming the land for himself. He brutally slew the locals and looted the local church. Using unholy magic learned in the Middle East, he supposedly embarked on a bloody quest for immortality. The locals of the surrounding villages suffered Guy’s depredations for decades, until 1254, when a ‘cunning man’ by the name of Jack O’Kent was contacted by another local worthy, Barnabas Barneby. Remembering how, in early Christian times, St. Wergyn was supposed to have tricked the devil into trapping himself under a stone in the area of Wergynstone, the cunning man devised a ritual trap de Lancey, who by now spent weeks on end sleeping in his lair below the crypt of St. Wergyn’s church. One tome tells of how O’Kent somehow ringed the church with the four elements, namely: water, stone, fire and wind, thus ‘[i]buildinge ye walle around ye beaste[/i]’. Another book tells of how Barneby led his men in feverishly labouring to complete this task before de Lancey awoke. When completed, the ritual drained the evil man of his power and left de Lancey in a state of helpless, paralysed undeath. One 17th century writer, presumably a descendant of the original O’Kent, asks himself why they did not simply go down to slay the powerless knight? A feverish postscript adds that anyone attempting to enter his lair would be assailed by terrible phantoms and plagued with nightmares. Another goes on to write how he is content to leave de Lancey to lie helpless and maintain the boundary from thenceforth after making a similar excursion with '[i]ye trappyngs[/i]'. Perhaps the most pervading theme in all of these grimoires is the need to keep the ‘[i]walls secure and inviolate[/i]’, and, if they were to fail, to ‘[i]find and kille ye devile hys phantoms be dammed[/i]’.

Miss Knight,The ledgers tell the tale of how the villagers of Wergynstone supplied the O’Kent’s with food and necessary goods over the last few centuries, in payment for their ‘[i]continued watch over the devil.[/i]’ You also find a signed deed from 1786, from the then Squire Barneby, arranging for the continuation of the lease of de Lancey’s former land around the church to the O’Kent’s and their descendants, making special provision for the maintenance of ‘their humble cottage and watch house’. The most recent volume, presumably in the shaky hand of the recently departed inhabitant of the cottage, bemoans the growing disinterest of the local populace, who balk at payment for such ‘superstitious rubbish’. He writes of going without supplies for several days, and how it is only through his ‘magick’ that his house is standing at all. He was particularly alarmed by the death of the old Squire, writing that the new one ‘be a week man.’ He writes of the rerouting of Scheld Brook with particular mortification and notes in his penultimate entry: [i]‘my last breath will call to those hoo be destinned to help, them being them hoo Ive dreemd of[/i].’ And finally, in his last entry: ‘[i]Mark this, Miss Night, yoo must all go under the church and put Him down afore ye be crushed![/i]’

As you read, dust begins to fall from the ceiling in increasing volume, accompanied by small pieces of plaster. Meanwhile, the cottage begin to creak and groan alarmingly.

[Mr. Handy]

"He knew me by name!" gasps Cynthia, showing the others what she has found. "He spelled it wrong, but it's clearly me he's writing about. He knew we were coming, from his dreams. He tells me we must all go under the church and put Him down before we're crushed! There's been a deal between the villagers and the O'Kent family lasting centuries whereby they received payment, so that the evil could be contained, but the new Squire is who he is and the villagers no longer believe. He also writes that only through his magick does his house still stand." She looks up. "The magick died with him. I think we need to get out of here before the cottage collapses and get to the church ruins, then find a way underground."

[Whitehorse]

"Underground... MIss Knight? Perhaps in a crypt?"

Grigori beckons his friends under the lintel of the doorway...

"We should I think make our way to the church without any further delay..."

[Mr. Handy]

"Yes, let's go!" says Cynthia, placing whichever of the fragile books will fit into her handbag as she hurries outside.

[LTD1969]

"Hang on everyone, I'm not so sure that's a good idea. There's an undead fiend in the crypt of that church, and I'm not so sure we can prevail against him."

Points to book. "It says here that anyone entering the crypt will be assailed by phantoms. I imagine they'll be like the visions we've already experienced, but worse."

[Mr. Handy]

"If so, we can deal with them," says Cynthia. "They have the power to deceive, but not to harm. Now we know how to see through them. O'Kent equipped us for the fight ahead as best he could. We already have his attention, and if we don't go after him, he'll come after us. We may not win, but we have to try."

[LTD1969]

"I suppose there isn't much choice. It's a bit late in the day for trying to rebuild the barriers."

[jp1885]

As if to concur, the ceiling of the cottage groans again. Upstairs, something crashes to the floor, showering you with chunks of plaster.

Meanwhile, the glass in the small parlour window cracks as the wooden frame buckles.

[Mr. Handy]

"Get out of there!" calls Cynthia, already outside. "It's about to collapse!"

[jp1885]

More chunks of plaster drop from the ceiling, preceded by an even louder crash upstairs.

Should you gentlemen wish to follow Miss Knight’s lead, you may do so without hindrance.

However, if you wish to tarry, then please furnish me with DEX rolls, lest part of the upper floor lands upon your noble heads.

[Whitehorse]

Grigori springs out the door with alacrity, preferring to brave the weather than the rain of plaster and debris...

[jp1885]

As you tumble out of the cottage, a loud CRACK heralds it's collapse. Looking back from a relatively safe distance, you watch as the humble dwelling seemingly implodes, crunching into itself amid a cacophony of creaks, snaps and groans.

Soon all that is left is a flattened pile of rubble, bits of which are taken and spun around by the maelstrom of wind that howls, as if in triumph, around you.

Odd then, how these gusts have failed to pluck the sheets and ragged clothes off the line at the end of the garden, nor disturb the thick mist that, save the occasional glimpse, obscures the ruined church that lies beyond.

[Mr. Handy]

"Phew!" says Cynthia. "I'm glad everyone made it out. That was too close! Good thing the washing is still standing. That's the only part of the barrier left. We don't have much time. Let's head to the ruined church."

[jp1885]

Fighting your way through the flapping sheets and howling wind, you soon reach the remains of a stone wall (presumably the one which encloses the ruined church).

The whole area is encased in a damp, swirling mist, making it difficult to make out any details, save the looming black bulk of the edifice, some distance in.

Please oblige me with a spot hidden roll.

Success,Peering through the mist you notice a figure. Head cocked at an angle, this person appears to be regarding you somewhat quizzically.

Hard or extreme success,Why, it is none other than your recent companion, [b]Mr. Pritchard[/b]!

[Whitehorse]

Grigori peers through the mist, straining his eyes in the poor light...

spot hid = 55%,[dice]0[/dice]

[Whitehorse]

"What is that strange figure over there... Is it watching us...?"

[Mr. Handy]

"I see it too," says Cynthia. "It could be another illusion."

OOC,Spot Hidden roll (55% skill) outside the church: [dice]0[/dice]

[LTD1969]

Spot Hidden 45% [dice]0[/dice]

"What is it? I can't see a bally thing!"

[jp1885]

Professor Garrett, you panic momentarily as the maelstrom of fog envelopes you.

However, a gust of wind swirls it away an you catch sight of your companions...

...and the figure, head still cocked to one side.

The three of you can just about make out the rough path, leading into the ruins, upon which this individual stands. Either side of this path the ground appears rather rough, replete with broken gravestones poking out from tall grass and gorse.