Michaelmas Term 2007 - History (Ancient and Modern)

[Knave]

What's the best way in?

David waits, but the creature does not reappear. His eyes fall on the inscribed slab beneath the exposed floor. The edges of the slab have been cleared of sediment - it has clearly been lifted already by the archeologists working here.

The Professor casts around on the floor until he finds the necessary implement - a rubber-coated prybar, and then steps back to let the younger folk handle manveuring the slab out.

Beneath is a shallow excavation, marked out with a grid of cord. And within the excavation are a mass of human skeletons. Probably dozens, all piled together without care or ceremony. The limited clothing and flesh that remains shows substantial charring, and most of the skills have large jagged holes in the back.

But your quarry is nowhere to be seen.

 

What's the best way to protect the victims?

The Hunters seem safe for now. The Wight has shown little interest in engaging or pursuing them, except when cornered. But its actions are clearly purposeful, and looking at the mass grave from which it emerged, David has a strong suspicion that it seeks revenge. Revenge is one of the few motives that can call forth a Barrowwight from death. But revenge on who, or what? To protect the intended victims, they need those answers soon.

 

OOC

David has +1 ongoing to exploring the excavation, and figuring out the Wight's plan

 

Are there any dangers we haven't noticed?

David has a highly developed sense for the uncanny and supernatural. These skeletons are inert and lifeless. The draugr is long gone. You are safe for now.

 

Edited January 7 by Knave (see edit history)

[Spektor]

°•⌂→φ←ζ Aηηika, †hΣ HΣx ζ→φ←⌂•°

Stats: Charm +2, Cool +0, Sharp +0, Tough -1, Weird +2

Harm: ●●○/○○○○

Unstable: ○

Luck:  ●○○○○○○

Exp:  ●●○○○

Temptation: Power

Moves & Gear

Bad Luck CharmWhenever you use magic and miss, the backlash never affects you directly if there’s someone else around to hit. It’ll go for allies, other hunters, and innocent bystanders. Sometimes, every so often, it might even hit an enemy.

Cast the Bones Once per mystery, you may perform some kind of divination (tarot, casting the runes, reading entrails, or something like that) to glean information about the future. When you seek guidance by divination, roll +Sharp. On a 10+, hold 2. On a 7-9, hold 1. On a miss, you get some information, but it’s not what you want to hear. Spend those holds to ask any question from the investigate a mystery move, or one of the following questions:

• What can I gain from this person/place/thing/creature?
• Who has touched this person/place/thing/creature
before me?

The Keeper will answer truthfully, with either a direct answer or how to find out more.

Sympathetic TokenAs long as you carry a personal object belonging to someone, such as a lock of hair, a full set of toenails, or a treasured family heirloom, you get +1 ongoing to use magic against them. You can also use magic against them at a distance. If you try to use magic against them and miss, the token is lost, destroyed, or loses its power.

Force of WillWhen you apply your will to dispelling a magical effect, blocking a spell, or suspending a Phenomenon, roll +Weird. On a hit, momentary magics are cancelled completely, and long-lasting spells and effects are suspended temporarily. On a 10+, you can also spend Luck to instantly snuff out a powerful spell or strange effect. On a 7-9, you take 1-harm as the strain of dismissing magic unravels you.

 

Rotes:

Leeching Enchantment(Must be cast at night. Requires the burning of pressed flowers.)
This ability works similar to the Use Magic ability: Enchant a Weapon, but with extra bonuses.

On a 10+
Enchant a weapon. It gets +1 harm and +magic and + Vampiric (1 healing for each time it deals damage).

On a 7-9
The effect is weakened. Choose two of the three tags.

On a miss
The weapon turns on you as you attempt to enchant it. Take 1 harm ignore armour. Apply no Effects.

 

Gear:

Athame(2-harm hand magic silver)

Staff(1-harm hand balanced large)

When it happens, it happens fast. Annika has just enough time to call out a warning before the wight grasps down on her ankle. Hal is quick, and Ekram, as always, is quick to protect the backlash that follows. Once again, Annika feels frozen in place, looking for the right time to jump in and do something. But there are too many bodies shifting around; too many things that can go wrong if she doesn't speak her incantation perfectly or if she finishes the casting at just the wrong time.

And so, Annika stands there like the amateur monster hunter that she is, watching the combat play out in front of her. Perhaps if she had actually learned something from Ekram's combat basics she would be able to physically jump in and help. Of course, not learning was on her, not Ekram. And the awkward, indescribable personal feelings had kept her from trying again. But would it matter if Ekram died here? Oh god. Ekram is dying here!

She darts to his side as the others handle up on the barrowwight. She feels bile rise in her throat as she watches him perform an on-the-fly tracheotomy and Annika notes that surgery is one of those things that you never want to do on the fly. "Holy f*ck, Ekram." She says shakily, "Sit still a sec." With shaking hands, she places them around the new wound at his throat and whispers a short rhyme. Oddly enough, in her recent studies, she had found that certain spells were channeled with more accuracy and stability when one spoke a rhyme or limerick before uttering the power word. It all seems so silly, but seemed to give some merit to those old cartoons wherein an old crone cackled ominously over a bubbling cauldron. Oh god, was she going to become a warty crone one day?

"In this hour, by power's swell, Banish harm, with this spell. Let the voice be clear and sound, In harmony, health abound." She winces, closing her eyes as she finally utters the power word. "ᚺᛖᚨᛚᛁᚾᚷ!"

She feels the magic flow through her torso, down her arms, through her hands, and finally, into Ekram. It works as intended, yet still, she feels that sapping of her own life essence -- if there is such a thing. Whatever the reason, she feels much worse than she had before casting the spell, and the adolescent wound in her own neck starts to itch. "F*cking hell. Bloody f*cking hell." She pulls her trembling, blood-soaked hands away from his throat and looks back to the battle. Just like that, it's already over. "I-" She stammers, "I didn't do anything. I-I-...I'm sorry. Um..." She suddenly seems to remember something and reaches into her pocket to retrieve the disgusting severed finger of the wight. "I can do something now though. I can use this to uh...to track it, I think. Get rid of this thing once and for all. But you should stay behind. No one needs to die tonight. No one except that f*cking thing." Of course, she is referring to Ekram, insisting he stay behind while the rest of them track down and finish off the monster. "Shit...You don't look so great either, Hal...And I'm not even referring to the f*cking blade that explodes from your hand or whatever."

OoC

I'm using magic again (imagine that) to heal Ekram as much as possible.

A 7 means I get another glitch. I'm going to take the one harm to heal one harm to Ekram.

 

Edited January 7 by Spektor (see edit history)

[Ezeze]

The Reverend Dr. David Beaumont, Professor Emeritus Sheet

Luck □ □ □ □ □ □ ■

Harm ■ □ □ | □ □ □ □

Experience ■ □ □ □ □

 

David looks over his companions with a critical eye. Ekram and Hal were not OK. Very much not OK. Sigurdr was unconcious. That left himself, Annika and Sophie able-bodied. They had to take care of their teammates, yes, but they also needed to dig deeper into this mystery. They may not get another chance to investigate like this. Or worse, that chance may only come after the draugr has killed again. So he makes a judgement call. Maybe it's a bad one, but it's the one he can make with the information he has.

 

David fishes his keys out of his pocket and tosses them, under-handed, to Annika. "Take the boys to my place. You saw where I keep the medical supplies. Get them stable. Sophie and I will be there to help as soon as we can."

 

That done he grabs one of the lanterns, holds it aloft, and - with a nod to Sophie to indicate she should follow - lowers himself down into the excavation. He crawls on hands and knees if need be, but he needs to get a better look figure out what's really going on here.

Edited January 9 by Ezeze (see edit history)

[emotionaut]

Sophie

●○ the Monstrous ○●

StatsCharm -2, Cool +2, Sharp 0, Tough 0, Weird +3

Harm: ●●○ / ○○○○

Unstable: ○

Luck:  ○○○○○○○

Exp:  ●●●○○

Moves

Unnatural AppealRoll +Weird instead of +Charm when you manipulate someone.

Dark NegotiatorYou can use the manipulate someone move on monsters as well as people, if they can reason and talk.

ImmortalYou do not age or sicken, and whenever you suffer harm you suffer 1-harm less.

IC

Sophie gives Annika a look that says, "You've got this." She's not sure it's the right call to split the group, but she also knows David. He's unlikely to change his mind, and she's not about to leave him here alone with this thing. Worst case scenario, if it threatens them, maybe she can talk their way out of it. She's managed to do so twice before.

Taking a lantern for herself, Sophie follows David into the unknown.

OOC

I'm going to try using Help Out.

Edited January 14 by emotionaut (see edit history)

[Knave]

What happened here?

This is a mass grave. Sophie has enough anatomy to recognise these skeletons all belong to fighting-age men, maybe 35 of them in total. All show signs of massive violence and burning. Their wounds are in their backs, and show no defensive wounds on their arm bones.

When she explains this, David remembers some history, and it ties well to the year on the inscription above. On St Brice's Day that year, King Ethelred ordered the murder of all Vikings in his lands. In Oxford, according to legend, the Danes ran into the church of St Fridewides, looking for sanctuary. Their pursuers took no notice of the hallowed ground and burnt it down around them, killing them as they fled.

The site was later rebuilt as Christchurch Cathedral.

 

[Ezeze]

The Reverend Dr. David Beaumont, Professor Emeritus Sheet

Luck □ □ □ □ □ □ ■

Harm ■ □ □ | □ □ □ □

Experience ■ □ □ □ □

 

How fascinating. And horrific, of course. Terrible business, not respecting the sanctity of the church. Killing hundreds of people. Though, mmm, how interesting that they are all fighting-age men. No women, no children, no elderly.

 

David continues to poke around.

[Knave]

what was it going to do?

David's prodigious intellect is sifting the events of the night. This creature had sent Professor Andrews to fetch a key from the Lodge at Christchurch. It had effectively sacrificed her to do so. Christchurch, where all these men had been burned out of their church and slaughtered, a thousand years ago. The wight has plans there, plans which involve the stolen key.

 

[DoNotFearToTread]

In Brief

Ekram

The Wronged

Stats: Charm +1, Cool +0, Sharp +1, Tough +2, Weird -1

Harm: ●●○ / ○○○○

Unstable: ○

Luck:  ●●●●●●○

Exp:  ●●○○○

Playbook Moves

I Know My PreyYou get +1 ongoing when knowingly investigating, pursuing or fighting the breed of monster that caused your loss.

DIY SurgeryWhen you do quick and dirty first aid on someone (including yourself), roll +Cool.

On a 10+ it’s all good, it counts as normal first aid, plus stabilize the injury and heal 1 harm. On a 7-9 it counts as normal first aid, plus one of these, your choice:

• Stabilise the injury but the patient takes -1 forward.
• Heal 1-harm and stabilise for now, but it will return as 2-harm and become unstable again later.
• Heal 1-harm and stabilise but the patient takes -1 ongoing until it’s fixed properly.

Never Again!In combat, you may choose to protect someone without rolling, as if you had rolled a 10+, but you may not choose to “suffer little harm.”

Trust Your Gut (alt Weird)When you consult your instincts about what to do next, roll +Weird:

• On a 10 or more, the Keeper will tell where you should go. Wherever that is, it will be important. You get +1 ongoing on the way to this place.
• On a 7-9, the Keeper will tell you a general direction to go. Take +1 forward as you explore that.
• On a miss, your instincts lead you into danger.

InvincibleYou always count as having 2-armour. This doesn’t stack with other protection.

** Chosen move, Advancement **

 

I'm Not the Punching Bag This Time

Breathing is nice, even if it's done through a tube. Ekram charges toward the dragr with the knife in the lead but the blade scrapes only rock as the monster drops through solid stone again. He manages a strangled growl as he kicks hard against the floor where it vanished, then slumps down with one hand still wrapped around his throat to keep the pen in place. He considers cutting a strip of shirt away to wrap the makeshift trach but Annika is faster. More rhyme, more magic. The pain ebbs as broken cartilage realigns and swelling begins to fade, and Ekram barely gets the pen out before the edges of the wound he made heals up.

It isn't perfect, and his breathing carries an unpleasant rattle in it as it works its way through damaged tissue, but he's far less close to death than he was. Honestly, he'd consider himself back in fighting form which makes David's declaration all the more frustrating. He'd never turned away from a fight with ghuls. Not since that first time. Nost since his brother. Looking over at Hal, though, he can't deny the desperation of the situation.

"Jesus. You tough as hell." His voice is a wheezing, raspy thing only audible when he presses a hand to his throat to force his trachea open enough for it. "Tough as Hal?" There is a laugh that he immediately regrets, fire racing down his throat for the effort. The bleeding on the freshie's head is slowing and thats a good enough sign. He reaches out, to hell with personal space, to lift Hal's shirt and check the mass of bruising on his side. "Some of those are real broken." Turning to watch the doc and Sophie disappear into the excavation puts icicles in his spine. Those two wandering alone in a zombie's crypt feels like just about the worst possible idea. Annika may not be the strongest with the knife but her magic can do things a knife can't, so he shakes his head and steps close enough to her to not have to strain his already labored vocal cords.

"I take him. You stay, use magic, keep them safe?" His already clipped English is even clumsier when every word sets his throat on fire, his face tight with the discomfort of it all despite the healing efforts already applied. His free hand it held out, palm up and open in expectation of the keys Annika is holding. He could stay and fight, and the fact that he wants to is carved all over his features, but they'd already carved a chunk out of the monster and sent it fleeing. "Monster ran. Scared. Probably will not attack. Still...make doc be quick?"

OOC Stuff

Ekram is actually not that bad off mechanically. Between his own work and Annika's help, he's neck and neck (tee hee) with Sophie for injuries. Fictionally, though, that was a bad hit and since one of his remaining Harm is from the throat strike I'm running with the idea that it doesn't qualify as 'fixed properly' yet so he is still carrying that -1 ongoing.

@Spektor If this is something Annika is not inclined to agree to, I can attempt a Manipulate. Little XP as a carrot couldn't hurt, right? Lemme know whether she's amenable to the idea or I should add a roll.

Edited January 13 by DoNotFearToTread (see edit history)

[Gregorotto]

⛤᛭⛤ StatsCharm -1, Cool +2, Sharp 0, Tough +2, Weird +1 ⛤᛭⛤

 

Harm: ●●○ / ○○○○

Unstable: ○

Luck:  ○○○○○○○

Exp:  ●○○○○

Moves

Cast Out EvilCast Out Evil: You may banish an unnatural creature from your presence. Roll +Tough. On a 10+ it is banished. On a 7-9 it takes a little while for the banishing to take effect—the creature has time to make one or two actions. Either way, the banished creature is unharmed, and you have no control over where it goes. This move may be used on unnatural hunters (e.g. the Monstrous). On a miss, something is keeping it here. That’s bad.

Lay on HandsLay On Hands: Your touch can heal injury and disease. When you lay your hands on someone hurt, roll +Cool. On a 10+, heal 2 harm or an illness, plus they’re stabilized. On a 7-9, you can heal the harm or illness as on a 10+, but you take it into yourself. On a miss, your aura causes them extra harm.

No LimitsWhen you push your physical body past its limits, roll +Weird:
• On a 10 or more, your body obeys your will, to the limits of physical possibility (see below), for a moment.
• On a 7-9, you do it but choose one consequence: suffer 1-harm, take –1 forward, or you need to rest right now.
• On a miss, something goes horribly wrong.

Advanced No Limits. If you advance your no limits move, add this:
• On a 12 or more, you can continue acting at your body’s limits for 30 seconds.

For the purposes of this move, “physical possibility” means “conceivably possible for a human.” For example:
• Physically Possible: Lift an SUV, Jump over a truck, Punch through a wall.
• Not Physically Possible: Lift a building, Fly, Punch a blast of energy at a foe.

SmiteSmite: Your body and divine weapon always count as a weakness against the monsters you fight. Your unarmed attacks are 2-harm intimate hand messy.

IC

Well, that could have gone better. Damn coward.

The swing is successful, but it lets Hal know just how much pain he's in. The throbbing of his head, the sudden sharp pain on his side: did he really get hurt that badly? Surely not... surely... his grip on his sword slips as he falters, the wight fortunately in retreat, as Hal touches his side, finding it flush with crimson and pain beneath, an uneven shape that should not be for ribs. "Feck all." He growls and readjusts his one hand on the sword, heavy in his hand.

He doesn't hear much of the rest of what happens, can't protest, but would if he could. The thought of leaving Sophie and the Professor behind while that thing was still up and kicking is hideously cowardly and it's not the way he would do things. You do this and you die: that's what this life offers. Few get what his father, what his grandmother, got. Hal doubted he would be any different. He didn't build connections, he didn't build relationships, he is a ghost who moves around people, a face without a name, a name without a face.

Clearly he'd screwed up if he were being rushed away by people as battered as he was, and as green.

It is the terrible pun on his name that breaks his out of it. He realizes that, somewhere down the line, he took the sword back into himself, let Ekram and Annika lead him away, and was out of combat. God, they were still in danger!

"We have to... God!" He heaves. The pain is too much.

Where is he even? Did he get led away, or is he just that dizzy? He needs his wits about him.

"Should kill that thing. Don't have a choice."

OOC

Hanging out and Healing, hopefully

Ongoing condition: +1 to avoid the cops, because now Hal doesn't talk to pigs either

[Spektor]

°•⌂→φ←ζ Aηηika, †hΣ HΣx ζ→φ←⌂•°

Conditions: Persuaded Chaperone (+1 forward to protect Sophie & David)

Stats: Charm +2, Cool +0, Sharp +0, Tough -1, Weird +2

Harm: ●●○/○○○○

Unstable: ○

Luck:  ●○○○○○○

Exp:  ●●●○○

Temptation: Power

Moves & Gear

Bad Luck CharmWhenever you use magic and miss, the backlash never affects you directly if there’s someone else around to hit. It’ll go for allies, other hunters, and innocent bystanders. Sometimes, every so often, it might even hit an enemy.

Cast the Bones Once per mystery, you may perform some kind of divination (tarot, casting the runes, reading entrails, or something like that) to glean information about the future. When you seek guidance by divination, roll +Sharp. On a 10+, hold 2. On a 7-9, hold 1. On a miss, you get some information, but it’s not what you want to hear. Spend those holds to ask any question from the investigate a mystery move, or one of the following questions:

• What can I gain from this person/place/thing/creature?
• Who has touched this person/place/thing/creature
before me?

The Keeper will answer truthfully, with either a direct answer or how to find out more.

Sympathetic TokenAs long as you carry a personal object belonging to someone, such as a lock of hair, a full set of toenails, or a treasured family heirloom, you get +1 ongoing to use magic against them. You can also use magic against them at a distance. If you try to use magic against them and miss, the token is lost, destroyed, or loses its power.

Force of WillWhen you apply your will to dispelling a magical effect, blocking a spell, or suspending a Phenomenon, roll +Weird. On a hit, momentary magics are cancelled completely, and long-lasting spells and effects are suspended temporarily. On a 10+, you can also spend Luck to instantly snuff out a powerful spell or strange effect. On a 7-9, you take 1-harm as the strain of dismissing magic unravels you.

 

Rotes:

Leeching Enchantment(Must be cast at night. Requires the burning of pressed flowers.)
This ability works similar to the Use Magic ability: Enchant a Weapon, but with extra bonuses.

On a 10+
Enchant a weapon. It gets +1 harm and +magic and + Vampiric (1 healing for each time it deals damage).

On a 7-9
The effect is weakened. Choose two of the three tags.

On a miss
The weapon turns on you as you attempt to enchant it. Take 1 harm ignore armour. Apply no Effects.

 

Gear:

Athame(2-harm hand magic silver)

Staff(1-harm hand balanced large)

Annika's eyes search Ekram's face as he makes his suggestion, and the way her lips tighten indicate she is not a huge fan of his plan. She looks to Hal next; he seems dazed and not fully present. But Ekram is a talented hunter, and Hal is not far behind him -- if at all -- with his own skills when he hasn't had his bell rung. Considering her options, the young witch remains silent for a full minute. Finally, she realizes that if either group gets attacked, Sophie and David would most likely be in the most danger. David is helpful and capable, but she has not actually seen him fight anything off; he is a man of knowledge, and able to make a quick decision, but he is not exactly in prime fighting condition. Her magic is more useful to them at this time. "Fine. But head straight to the Eagle and Child. Don't be daft; if you see somethin' dodgy, you bloody run -- I'm serious." She gives both of them a stern look before turning to chase after David and Sophie. "Wait up! The boys'll be fine, I'm with you two."

OoC

Going to take the XP and +1 forward to help Sophie and David.

Not sure what to add to the scene, though, unless you two want me to track this thing.

 

[DoNotFearToTread]

In Brief

Ekram

The Wronged

Stats: Charm +1, Cool +0, Sharp +1, Tough +2, Weird -1

Harm: ●●○ / ○○○○

Unstable: ○

Luck:  ●●●●●●○

Exp:  ●●○○○

Playbook Moves

I Know My PreyYou get +1 ongoing when knowingly investigating, pursuing or fighting the breed of monster that caused your loss.

DIY SurgeryWhen you do quick and dirty first aid on someone (including yourself), roll +Cool.

On a 10+ it’s all good, it counts as normal first aid, plus stabilize the injury and heal 1 harm. On a 7-9 it counts as normal first aid, plus one of these, your choice:

• Stabilise the injury but the patient takes -1 forward.
• Heal 1-harm and stabilise for now, but it will return as 2-harm and become unstable again later.
• Heal 1-harm and stabilise but the patient takes -1 ongoing until it’s fixed properly.

Never Again!In combat, you may choose to protect someone without rolling, as if you had rolled a 10+, but you may not choose to “suffer little harm.”

Trust Your Gut (alt Weird)When you consult your instincts about what to do next, roll +Weird:

• On a 10 or more, the Keeper will tell where you should go. Wherever that is, it will be important. You get +1 ongoing on the way to this place.
• On a 7-9, the Keeper will tell you a general direction to go. Take +1 forward as you explore that.
• On a miss, your instincts lead you into danger.

InvincibleYou always count as having 2-armour. This doesn’t stack with other protection.

** Chosen move, Advancement **

 

Gonna Raid the Doc's Liquor Cabinet

Hal is pretty out of it as they ascend the stairs, and his injuries can only explain a part of it. Ekram has to wonder what kind of things go through the mind of someone when they pull a sword out of their body, but it feels like a question he'll not get much of an answer to in the moment. At the top of the stairs, he offers his shoulder to the freshie for the hike out to the car.

"Lean and walk. Strain too hard, maybe put rib shards into your lungs." Things are a bit better. He can make words, raspy and grating though they are, without pressing on his voice box. By the time they reach the car he can almost inhale without razors in his throat. Easing Hal into the passenger seat, he climbs behind the wheel and make a legal pace to the Doc's house. He keeps glancing over at his passenger, launching into conversation if Hal seems likely to nod off. No sleeping with a concussion, that's basics.

"That thing is real scared of you. Won't come back for the others, I bet." Leading Hal down to the infirmary, he motions to the same table he'd spent a night on just a couple weeks ago. Grabbing some gauze, traction tape and pill bottles, he offers the painkillers over first. Nothing detailed, enough basic first aid to get Hal in a good enough situation that he can wait on David's more practiced hand. Some antiseptic on the scalp gashes, tape around the body to keep the ribs from floating, a bit of gauze to slow bleeding. Then it is all over but the waiting, and that is always the worst part.

"Killing that thing is more than straight fight." Not a fun thing for Ekram to acknowledge when a straight fight is all he is really good at. He takes a minute to fish around David's place for anything resembling alcohol, and offers a heavy pour of whatever he finds to Hal. Ekram isn't all that much older than Hal, but busted up the way he is the kid seems too young for all this. That's always how it starts, though. Too young.

"You come from big monster killer family? Must be weird holiday dinners."

OOC Stuff

Do some basic first aid on Hal to stabilize him until the Doc can come do the good stuff.

Edited January 18 by DoNotFearToTread (see edit history)

[emotionaut]

Sophie

●○ the Monstrous ○●

StatsCharm -2, Cool +2, Sharp 0, Tough 0, Weird +3

Harm: ●●○ / ○○○○

Unstable: ○

Luck:  ○○○○○○○

Exp:  ○○○○○

Moves

Unnatural AppealRoll +Weird instead of +Charm when you manipulate someone.

Dark NegotiatorYou can use the manipulate someone move on monsters as well as people, if they can reason and talk.

ImmortalYou do not age or sicken, and whenever you suffer harm you suffer 1-harm less.

Unquenchable VitalityWhen you have taken harm, you can heal yourself. Roll with Cool. On a 10+, heal 2-harm and stabilize your injuries. On a 7-9, heal 1-harm and stabilize your injuries. On a miss, your injuries worsen.

IC

Sophie follows David's lead, all the while thinking about what they've learned of the history of this site. Everything makes sense now, except for one thing. What could that key possibly unlock?

She thinks out loud as they investigate. "Here now, Sigurdur was compelled to do research, and I'd hazard to guess he was made to look up information on that key. Never did get a good look, but could it date back as far as all this? Or is it just the key to a modern door behind which something of importance is bein' kept?

"Sure, we've cut a few digits from the beastie, but it won't matter a damn if that thing accomplishes whatever it's after. We need to be findin' out what's so special about that key, and what it unlocks. I don't think those answers are down here. I think they're back up with Sigurdur, if he remembers, or back in the porter's office, if 'tisn't crawlin' with the guard. Worse case, we find those books ourselves and set to readin'."

Edited January 19 by emotionaut (see edit history)

[Knave]

@Gregorotto @DoNotFearToTread

The infirmary is well equipped, including with extremely useful texts on practical wilderness, survival and battlefield medicine. Hal is patched up, wrapped up and given a couple of shots of tramadol. It does a lot of good.

Ekram is another story though. He has a hole in his windpipe, and with the best will in the world these two undergrads can't do more than replace the pen with a more sterile tube and disinfect it.

OOC

Hal heals 1 Harm

Ekram will need to go to a real hospital, unless Hal heals him magically

 

[Knave]

Sigurdur nods at Sophie's words. "That's where the fire was. These are the histories that I read, histories of Oxford a millennium ago. The church burnt down and he died, I think. He wanted to know what happened after. Now he knows it was everywhere, not just Oxford. And he knows many died and the church burnt down and they built the Cathedral over it."

[Knave]

What is being concealed here? 

After carefully searching through the archaeological dig site, David is forced to conclude that there are no further secrets to discover here. Except. His eyes fall on the recess in the inscribed stone that had been set over the corpses. That hole had held something.

Logs of the dig are kept in dusty folders next to the tool - precise measurements and descriptions of the slab, each skeleton - but nothing about such an object. It must have been taken before the archaeologists arrived.

David feels confident that they don't need to know about whatever-it-is to defeat the Wight, not when they know its weaknesses. Nonetheless... it's a loose end.

 

Edited January 22 by Knave (see edit history)