The Influence of Muziel

Mar 24th - 28th

The Seagull – Morikand’s demonic ship – is moored on the plateau high into the Olshay Range. Next to it demonic engineers work to construct his impressive castle. All is calm until Vetrick convulses on deck, his scream piercing and agonising. As his companions rush to him blood seeps from the ranger’s mouth. The pain lasts for several minutes until he recovers.

"It is the death of my familiar," he explains, "Muziel has taken the life of Willow, the Shader."

Soon afterwards they discuss the world and its politics, particularly their place in it. Two options present themselves; go north to canvas the aid of the Elenorians or go south to see Mercila and Golnarn, Graz Tak’s special child. They decide to head south.

Vetrick takes the ship up into the clouds and hugs the Jandraki Coast on their journey south. That night they are all on deck. Gila and Xaian Lau spar on deck, putting each other through their paces in hand to hand combat. Something can be heard flying around them, a huge creature with a wingspan large enough to create a disturbance in the air.

Out of nowhere the hulking shape swoops down at them. On its back is a rider carrying a huge silver lance. The initial attack misses but the dragon and rider turn in mid air for another assault. Vetrick launches three quick arrows and as the dragon swoops down the second time there is no rider.

Vetrick steers the ship down to the water, the demonic ship skims the surface and moves rapidly across it. They pass a shattered lance and realise that black shapes encircle them above, like flying sharks in the gloom. Gila concentrates on his demonic quarterstaff, from the demon of darkness he produces a shroud of blackness that only his eyes can penetrate. As Vetrick removes the ship from danger Gila watches as the dragon riders recover their fallen companion, their livery suggests followers of Jarik Saal from Aldegaarde.

The harbour at Nyrnik is crowded. Vetrick steers the ship to a Bretonian enclave and secures it. A few Bretonian soldiers protest but soon recoil as they realise who they are dealing with.

Gila suggests buying garments for their trip to Mercila and all are in agreement as they head for the Merchant Quarters, in particular they seek out tailors. Graz Tak lurks behind them shadowing their every move. He realises that they are already being followed, probably by Mercila’s spies, so he stays close and alert.

At the first shop they realise that Galastor – the queen’s tailor – has become the sole producer of fine garments by royal appointment and soon the entire party are at his busy establishment. A young apprentice called Kiran shows them to a private room and goes to fetch his master – Galastor.

The tailor is a confident man who wears his fine clothes with arrogance. That arrogance disappears when he enters the room, blood drains from his face as Aldanor closes the door behind him. Gila smiles and invites him to talk.

"He made me do it," Galastor blathers referring to Muziel.

Gila steers the conversation and gains much information from the terrified clothier. Galastor tries to convince them that he is just a pawn in Muziel’s game but the party is not buying into his lies. When Galastor makes a chance remark about his feelings for Mercila it is too much for Graz Tak. The master thief lunges for the tailor.

Each man is surprised by the swift kick Galastor aims at Graz. The thief avoids both attacks easily. Galastor tries to escape but he is outnumbered; Xaian bloodies his nose with a kick and Aldonar opens up a massive wound in his stomach. Still the tailor clings on to life but Gila’s staff crushes his soul without mercy.

As they leave the shop Vetrick torches the private room. By the time they are well on the way to the palace the alarm is raised and the smoke rises into the morning sky. Militiamen scurry around the Merchant Quarter in a desperate bid to put out the inferno.

As they take the main walkway up to the palace gates something odd happens. With every step the palace seems to get further away. The more forward progress they take the greater the distance. A man in an exquisite shirt appears at the threshold to the palace…Muziel! Graz Tak takes out a scroll of dispel magic but the spell fails. Aldonar launches an arrow that falls short of its target. When the man called Muziel steps back into the doorway the distortion snaps back and they find themselves at the palace gatehouse.

The guard captain greets Graz who notices that all the uniforms and livery of the palace soldiers, in fact of all the palace staff, has been altered. The hand of Muziel is everywhere. Xaian Lau senses a deep spiritual influence just from the clothes the soldiers wear.

"Ok captain," Graz says sternly, "disrobe immediately. Tell your men to follow suit."

The guard captain reacts angrily and soon one hundred palace guards surround them. Tensions are high. Even the appearance of the chamberlain, Verawain, cannot calm the situation. When Xaian Lau starts to disrobe the arguments stop. The lithe woman exposes her obvious charms and all the men gape – open mouthed – at her naked beauty.

"Right lads, get them off!" says the guard captain.

As one hundred soldiers strip to their loincloths the influence of Muziel disappears.

"I want all palace staff to remove and burn their clothes," Graz Tak says.

The captain nods. "At once my lord."

As the party enters the quiet throneroom Mercila eyes Xaian Lau suspiciously, her face darkens as she catches the eye of her husband, Graz Tak.

"Why is everyone disrobing?" she says.

They give the queen a full rundown on the situation. Every one of them can sense the change in the palace. Even Verawain – after some disagreement – is forced to disrobe. When four naked guards enter they inform Graz that the quartermaster has been siezed.

Vorlan Elmard appears to be innocent. After interrogation by Gila the party decide that he is not complicit in Muziel’s plan but his stores are filled with garments and weapons brought by Galastor and – ultimately – by Muziel himself. Vetrick alone can see evidence of Muziel’s tampering and orders the entire stores to be destroyed.

Back in the throneroom the queen takes stock of the situation and admits the deception had her fooled. When Golnarn, the child, begins to cry she knows something is very wrong. "He never cries," she says.

Graz takes his child but still it weeps. The thief can see deeply into his son’s eyes and knows, instinctively, that something – or someone – is trying to hurt Golnarn. Morikand casts pentacle of protection but this is exactly what the enemy wants.

Having waited until Morikand cast the spell Asigoth appears out of nowhere. The demonic killer wields two dark void blades but Gila and Morikand are quicker to react. The demonologist tries to disarm Asigoth but fails but Gila – who draws Asigoth into a mistake – crashes the staff into it’s skull. Asigoth reels and falls to the floor, its soul all but spent, but there is still fight left in the deadly killer.

In desperation Asigoth swings at the child. Vetrick catches the sword arm but is unable to stop the ambidextrous assassin plunge the second void sword into the child’s face. Astonishingly the child Golnarn is unharmed. Asigoth’s last attack catches Aldonar and the paladin is unmade instantly, along with the blade of Hellath and one of Drusor’s mighty greatswords.

Morikand finally drives a demonic gloved fist into the demon’s face and Asigoth is gone forever.

Next Morikand takes his friends down to the summoning room. Vetrick expresses a desire to seek the wisdom of Vohaas, arch demon of Disjunction and friend of Morikand. The demonologist summons a messenger and binds him into a service. "I want to seek the counsel of Vohaas."

Half an hour later the demon returns to respond. "Lord Vohaas will gladly welcome you Morikand Demon Friend, but he has two provisions. Firstly you must bring the ship and secondly you must bring the child."

"No way!" Mercila scowls. "My son is not going anywhere near the Abyss. Graz tries to reason with her as Morikand brings the demonic ship to the balcony. Mercila resists all attempts at persuasion until – when his patience snaps – Graz manhandles her aboard.

When everyone is aboard Morikand concentrates on the Plane of Disjunction. His control of the ship is now total, he concentrates on the pentacle of travel and visualises the palace where they had previously visited.

The journey is swift and stomach churning. But Morikand knows something is wrong. Instinctively he realises that the ship has missed its target, in fact the demonologist is hopelessly lost. As they emerge into the midst of a deadly battle there is fire and death all around them. The ship is battered by storms and balls of fire. Unspeakable soldiers riding demonic steeds attack.

Morikand is lost…