From the Campaign Journals of Pelleas Al'Davor of the Bacchus Bastards, Knight Commander of the Knight of Laen (Harts), Master of Arms of the Incantors Guild

Friday 3rd July 1098

We arrived at the ritual circle in Gloucester, having been asked to attend the second grouping of Faction "moots" hosted by our faction, the Harts. As usual, George was on hand to transport us and all our equipment from Londinium, but it was still a long haul to get it within the walled camping area outside Gloucester where we would be staying the next few days. The Bacchus who attended were, as far as I can remember. Sigon de'Barrel, Guillum, Jac, Katerina Apriori (heavily pregnant with Bacchus's child), Leah of the Temple of the Phoenix, Young John, Venn Levan, A small grey elf who's name I can't remember, Xantalia, Ehlana, Candy and Mai Ling of the brothel, Iggy, Remy (our esteemed council speaker or whatever it is he likes to be known as these days), Cedric, Norrah, Kyleakin of the OSR (pictured), George (our head priest) and of course myself. There may be one or two others I can't remember at the moment. We also brought with us some pissed bloke we found hanging around in Londinium who apparently isn't a member of the cult.

We set up tents, during which the camp was attacked by some people (not sure who they were, as I was too busy to go down and help out). It couldn't have been too serious, as no-one got within the camp. I finished my tent construction duties and armoured up in case another attack came. I then wandered the camp, hoping to see some of those I hadn't seen since Rutterkins Woods or before. I quickly found out three facts of concern:

1. The Queen had been blinded by some Unseelie Fey bugger who was pissed off with us for some reason.
2. The Crown prince Elias had grown fangs and had strangely fluffed up hair. This made me think he was turning vamp (rather worrying), but apparently it is just a side effect from him being bonded to Beastmen.
3. Baron Malik (the short, blunt and underhand one dressed in purple) was possessed by a gribbly spirit on the run from the Hunter.

The last fact become the most important when the spirit within Malik (after having tried to make Malik escape from custody) decided it would be funny to materialise and beat up on people. I was standing about two foot away from him when the spirit appeared from nowhere, then struck Norrah and myself on the chest in quick succession, felling us instantly with wounds that would have been fatal. As it was we were quickly attended by healers, and by the time I was up the spirit was being hacked into pieces by several members of House Karlennon.

A ratman then appeared at our gate, asking to speak to someone in charge. As "Man who knows nothing about negotiation" I was volunteered by Benedict Karlennon to go and speak to him. Getting the basic detail of his request I hopped back into camp, got checked for disease (I didn't have one), then dumped the whole thing in Iggy's lap. Apparently the ratmen wanted sanctuary while within Albion, as they were a peaceful people only interested in trading. I don't know if they got it or not.

Everything under control again, I decided it was time I went and announced my presence to the Incantors' Guild (seeing as I am a ranked member and all). As I sent off I passed Jac and Candy Cane. I said my hellos and continued on my way. Arriving at the Guild I said hello to those members I knew, then got down to organising their item security arrangements. I won't mention those here, as they are confidential, but rest assured they involve boiling oil and much use of pissed-off ancestor spirits.

After a quick wander around the market place I came back to the guild and got embroiled in a long and boring meeting involving several internal matters of the guild (Templars of Onyx, Undead spirits, Necromancers and "Dark Books of Doom" featured heavily). Solace (the guild scribe) used her special power to extend any discussion to four times its normal length, and other members of the Bastards (George, Mai Ling and Leah) who had come down for the meeting were forced to leave under this onslaught. I later (much later) returned back to the camp with almost nothing more to report than they already knew. I did get to look after a magic crystal though (not that I used it at all).

The usual drinking and singing. went on till late in the night. I hit the sack about 3am, and got some sleep.

Saturday 4th July 1098

Awoke after a bad night's sleep (it's all very well going to bed early, but its hard to get to sleep when some bugger plays the drums and didjeridoo outside your tent all night). Got up, got armoured and attended morning worship. George informed us of several things:

1. His predictions showed that the Child of Bacchus was going to be born some time that day.
2. That all his ritualists better turn up to a ritual practise after the Harts muster at 12 noon.
3. That the cider I provided for the morning worship was flat (which it wasn't). It turned out that all his drinks had been tasting flat lately, so it wasn't my fault at all.

We then went our separate ways, to meet up after the faction muster planned for 12 noon.

I wandered down to the Incantors guild again to check upon the status of the guild items, and to purchase some food from the traders in the marketplace. I eventually got away and headed back to the camp for the 12 o'clock muster. This failed to materialise, but several other events happened.

Firstly the camp was menaced by Lions who were annoyed that the Harts had captured two of their number for sneaking about the command tent with their livery turned inside out late the night before. They seemed to think that their people had been tortured. After a bit of talking they went away.

Then we were attacked by a party of Unseelie Fey who continued their mysterious grudge against us. Some proved to be immune to normal weapons, and most seemed to be immune to magic. After butchering them we dragged them down to the ritual circle and executed them elsewhere.

The Harts then went down to the ritual circle to do a ritual to restore the Queen sight, during which I headed down to the Incantors Guild for the sacred council meeting that was taking place. Again, much argument ensued in the guild, mainly between Zeb-something High Incantor of the Gryphons and the Vipers' High Incantor over why the Viper Incantors called themselves "Dark Incantors".

Eventually Kaithen arrived to take over for the Harts (she had been running the ritual to restore the Queen's sight). This meant that I didn't have to pay too much attention to the final parts of the meeting. Durith then went over the decisions of the night before (luckily Solace was taking notes, so this didn't take too long) and asked all Guild members to co-operate with Guild item recovery operations. A few other matters were mentioned (including some bloke who was pregnant with an ancestor's child!) and then the meeting broke up.

Upon my return the Bacchus organised for a practise of the blessing ritual we intended to do on the Child of Bacchus when he (so George assured us) was born. George also said that he had bought a demi-jon of beer from some bloke, and that this beer didn't taste flat. Iggy was rather upset when he had to pay two gold to Elidure that George had borrowed to pay for the drink.

A little after the practice the camp was attacked by a large group of Unicorns (and possibly some others) who seemed annoyed with us for having stirred up the Unseelie Fey. We closed encampment gates and held them off until our forces mustered. Fuzz of the Beastmen then used a Mass Fear spell he read from a scroll. We charged out and the unicorns retreated. About 10 minutes later they came back, and we fought them again. Much of our available magic and healing was used up in this fight.

Eventually the Unicorns went away for reasons as intangible as those they had for arriving, one supposes. (The gates of the camp may have had something to do with it).

We headed out of the camp to purchase food and alcoholic beverages from the nearby city in preparation for the party we expected to hold in the evening. Upon our return it transpired that Katerina was near her time, so myself, Young John and Kyleakin erected a second tent for the birthing. The Harts then headed off to watch Lysandra make a cake. This apparently involved the use of a ritual circle, which seems a bit extreme to me, most people just use ovens.

The Birth of Dionysus

Upon their return much commotion erupted, as Katerina was in labour. After a very quick birth we all hung about to get a good look at the Son of Bacchus (George was right for once). Katerina had decided to call him Dionysus. Ehlana passed around the placenta pate (which wasn't bad). We were just gearing up for a huge party, followed by a holy conga down to the ritual circle, when the camp was attacked by yet more disgruntled Unseelie Fey.

Worried by the fact that Fey are well known for their baby-stealing habits, and by the fact that there were so many the gate-guard were having trouble holding them off, even with the gates closed, we decided to get the new-born Son of Bacchus to safety. As breaking out the gate was not an option, I suggested that we approached s'Callion, as he has the capability to climb walls. He and his father s'Pika agreed to take the child over the walls and to the ritual circle, where they would transport the child to Londinium, the Bacchus stronghold.

A nervous half hour followed (Katerina was in tears with worry) until we managed to break out of the gates when Malik scattered the Fey with another Mass Fear spell. Leaving the rest of the Bacchus to aid in the fight, myself and Venn charged off to Londinium to ensure that the child was safe. We held out there until George arrive with the rest of the Bacchus to escort us back. The Harts had apparently slain all of the Fey that had attacked us, and had again executed them via ritual circle. Back to the camp for a Bacchus open council meeting.

The main point of the council meeting appeared to be that the Brothel (through Mai Ling), and the Saki Bastards had different tax arrangements than the rest of the Bacchus (only giving 50% of their earnings rather than 100%). Most members insisted that this be changed. Mai Ling said that thus far all additional money that would have been kept by the Brothel had been handed over to the Bacchus anyway, as a gift, so what was the problem. Arguments went on for a while, with Iggy pointing out that it wasn't fair on the rest of us for two separate arrangements to exist, Mai Ling suggesting that everyone get taxed at 50% and various statements as to the advantages of centrally distributed funds.

Eventually it was suggested that all money be handed in, but Mai Ling (as an experienced business woman) help Iggy in the financial running of the group. This appeared to be a viable suggestion, and was taken under advisement for future implementation. A few other matters were then resolved.

At this point Venn decided that he had to do something back in Londinium, made his excuses and left.

The Ritual Blessing of Dionysus

It now transpired that it was now too late for us to do a second practice of the Blessing ritual, so we quickly organised the ritual paraphernalia, and gathered the ritualists together. We set off down to the circle with the majority of the Harts accompanying us. We had also invited Tel Falcon, the Head Healer, along to look after the child during the ritual.

After a brief moment when the faction already using the circle thought we were there to attack them, we finally started the ritual. George sealed the circle, and we summoned down the power of the ancestors. Each of us gave a gift to the child in turn, though the power of the ancestors. I gave Strength of Arm and Will, so that he would grow to be a mighty warrior. Unexpectedly, he grew up a lot faster than any of us had anticipated. In fact he became about (physically) 22 years old in the few moments before the actual blessing was about to occur. Thanking us all for his gifts, and his father for his new body and memories (those of the childhood of Bacchus himself!) he seemed very self-confident. We quickly ended the ritual and opened the circle, ready to set off for a major PARTY!.

Unfortunately all did not go as planned. No sooner had George opened the circle than a strange mist arose from the ground and a bell began tolling. Fear arose in my heart as I recalled a dream I have been having lately, and I fled the circle, calling for others to follow. I then vaguely remembered something about a bell that rang when unliving teleported into the circle, and my cries redoubled.

George and the other ritualists seemed to be still stunned from the events that had transpired in the circle, and continued to walk slowly out. At that point matters became confused as unliving creatures appeared from the mists, and people closed to attack. I looked about and called for the rest of the Bacchus, but no-one answered me.

I then ran to the Incantors' Guild to fetch aid. Some had already responded, but the rest were just standing around, with some rubbish excuse that they had heard that unliving were on their way from the opposite direction, so they had better not help out. This excuse was mainly put forward by Trix, an Unseelie Fey of dubious reputation whose honour and courage are very much in question.

Giving up the Guild as a bad job I ran back to the circle, still trying to find any of the Bacchus. We had made plans that if the circle was attacked after the ritual the child and the rest of the Bacchus would teleport to Londinium, where George would seal the circle against people following. Assuming that this had happened I attached myself to those guarding the Queen and Kaithen, and headed back to camp. It appeared that at least a couple of the Bacchus had made it back, as my lantern had appeared at the gate. None could be found within the camp however. I ran back out into the darkness, and was relieved to discover most of the Bacchus, including Dionysus, heading back to the camp. I never did find out why nobody responded to my shouts of "Bacchus" at the circle, they couldn't have all been paralysed!

Dionysus goes missing

All this fuss put a bit of as damper on the celebrations, but I broke out the cider and cakes and started to head around the camp. There was some alarm when it was found that Dionysus had disappeared without telling anyone where he was going. Several of the Bacchus went off to find him, and I continued to hand out cake and booze.

Sometime later I decided that I had better help out with the search, so set off to the beer tent, my first choice of "places the Son of Bacchus was likely to be". Sure enough, I met up with the Bacchus who had gone searching on their way back from the beer tent with Dionysus (strange that they hadn't look there first, I though). We went back to the camp for some drinking.

After another hour of partying (with minstrels provided by the Entertainers' Guild) there was a(nother) commotion at the gate. This time it was Golgomoth (or Lobster Boy as everyone seems to call him) and some lesser minions of his. Deciding not to attack him (due to the fact that he appeared to be invulnerable) we listened to his demands that we join forces with him against Maar, then told him to get lost. A nasty fight almost occurred when he ran into some Vipers who were blocking the gate, but I assume they decided to let him out eventually.

Rumours abounded that one of his minions had stayed in the camp and could inflict fatal wounds, but nothing more occurred that evening. I retired to a sleep blissfully lacking in drums and exotic musical instruments (although the rest of the Bacchus informed me that my tent almost caught fire during the night!).

Sunday 5th July 1098

A sad day for the Harts and the other factions present, due to the events I will now relate. The day started off normally, with morning worship by the Bacchus followed by breakfast down in the market place and a check in at the Incantors' Guild. Returned back to camp to talk with a few people and fight off other people attacking the gate (as usual).

It was decided by the Bacchus that a magic hood that imparted healing powers that Iggy had retrieved would be a suitable 'Thank You' gift to the Beastmen for protecting Dionysus. It was also suggested that the Queen and s'Callion be invited to be his Guardians, an honour which they accepted.

The Battle of Gloucester

The Harts convened to go down to the Ritual Circle for the last ritual we were going to perform, which was a wake to create some sort of item of sanctuary. George was participating in the ritual, during which the spirit of Connall appeared and faffed about a bit. Inevitably, just after the ritual, we were attacked by a hoard of Unseelie Fay that appeared in the ritual and transport circles. All the factions present formed battle lines, and we fought to get into the ritual circle so that we could seal it against any further intrusions and retrieve our comrades, several of who were carted off.

As well as normal Fey (very resilient and immune to most spells), we fought Fey immune to normal weapons, Fey immune to all but wooden weapons. A large tree immune to all weapons but axes, and whose blows smashed straight though armour and effected even Dionysus (eventually).

Lysandra attempted to go via the transport circle directly into the main ritual circle, intending to seal it. A poorly planned attempt, alas, as ritual transport had been causing disorientation lately. Both she, her bodyguard and another Karlennon called Methos were overcome by the Fey within the circle and transported off.

The same fate occurred to s'Pika when he tried to cut a way through the Fey separating a group of Harts near the transport circle from the main body. X'hephra Darkstar (Knight of Laen) was also taken off when downed near the transport circle.

Part way through the attack the Transport circle stopped working, presumably stopped by the Fey within the Ritual circle itself. The Mages Guild apparently refused to come and reactivate it, stating that they were "having a meeting".

I myself did quite well on the left flank near the Transport circle, despite having my sword and shield continually shattered by an annoying Fey (thanks to a variety of individuals for the mend spells). I was occasionally holding off as many as three Fey at once. Eventually the Tree and the other practically invulnerable Fey were cut down, and we broke through into the ritual circle. The remaining Fey transported away with the bodies of their comrades and ours.

We spent a few minutes finishing off the Fey left lying around, then decided that we would have to get back our companions that had been lost. The Bacchus came to the fore again when our ritual group (including myself) was needed to trace the Fey's transport. Calling upon the powers of Bacchus we attempted to put Dionysus in contact with his father. We succeeded, and discovered the location where the Fey had gone - Arcadia.

George transported all those that wanted to go, and we appeared in a small, sealed hall somewhere in Arcadia. Several bodies lay about, and we grabbed those and transported back. However, none of the bodies were those of Lysandra, X'hephra, Methos, s'Pika or Bran. The bodies proved to be still alive, and the people were revived by healers. The Harts were now hoping that those yet missing had been kept for ransom, rather than killed. This proved not to be the case, as Durith spoke with the ancestors and confirmed that the spirits of those lost were with them.

Many tearful scenes and swearings of vengeance followed, along with a decree that all Unseelie fay on Harts lands were to be killed. The way to tell an Unseelie Fey from a Seelie Fey was that Unseelie Fey would try to kill us with drawn weapons.

The Harts proceeded down to the ritual circle for the last time to recover the bodies of those lost. George did the honours, and we got back all the bodies save that of Bran, whose had disappeared (I have my own suspicions about that).

The Beastmen took care of s'Pika's body in their own special way, while the bodies of Lysandra, the members of House Karlennon and X'hephra were taken to Winchester for burial.

With sorrow in our hearts we broke camp and headed back to Londinium.

Bacchus receive the spirits of:

• Lysandra Charenton of House Karlennon, High Chamberlain and former Black Mage
• X'hephra Darkstar of the Hawkshead Archers
• s'Pika of the Beastmen
• Bran of House Karlennon
• Methos of House Karlennon