Short session, about 2 hours of real play as we had some level ups to do before and after. The players didn’t even do a proper delve but instead had two fights back to back in the Castle’s courtyard, the second being pretty intense and they felt like they were not in good enough shape to go on. Infractions level is high so that was bound to happen.

Castle Xyntillan, by Gabor Lux. https://emdt.bigcartel.com/products

System used: Worlds without Number, by Kevin Crawford

Adventurers – Player Characters (PCs)

• Cordélia Lenoir (Marjorie), using the dark arts for Good (probably), Necromancer lvl 3
• Bruno the Wolfman (Marjorie), controlled lycanthropy, Warrior/Skinshifter lvl 1
• Noah (Isaac), crafts stuff, Expert lvl 3>>4
• Monmon (Edmond), has a powerful antique spear, Warrior lvl 4
• Paul Nareff (Olivier), friend and sponsor of the numerous Jean clan, Warrior lvl 3>>4
• Paul-Jean Paul (Olivier), don’t confuse him with Jean-Paul Jean, Warrior lvl 1>>2
• Constant Jean (Olivier), vigorous member of the Jean clan, Warrior lvl 1>>2

Retainers:

• Stuffed Jean-Paul (Marjorie), killed by stuffed animals, now stuffed himself, Morale 12
• Raymond, Man-at-Arms, gruff, vassal of the Comte de la Frenaie, Morale 7
• Pierrot (Isaac), caravan hand, begs for more money, Morale 8

Crypt

• Zachary, Elementalist, electrocuted in front of the Anteroom (corpse in castle)
• Pierre-Jean Pierre, ex-monk, clawed to death by a dark monk (RIP)
• Edgar, daytaler, throat slashed by a dark monk, (corpse in castle)
• Charles, daytaler, skewered by a drunken skeleton (corpse in castle)
• Hercule, caravan hand, seized off the raft by the Lake Monster (MIA)
• Pierre Laroche du Rocher, mason, pierced by the Huntsman’s arrows (corpse seized by Charon)
• Alphonse, crusader, savaged by Count Giscard’s Children of the Night. (corpse in castle)
• Jacques, daytaler, got hit in the face by an Empty Armor’s halberd (corpse in castle)

Previous Infractions:

Eliminated Tristano Malévol the Love-Lost. Eliminated Merlerik the Ancient. (0)

Smoked the Ruined Quarters: 1/2 Angered a werewolf washwoman: 1/2 Stole the Reliquary of Bygone Kings: 1 Failed to convince Jean-Honoré the butler of their lies: 1/2 Stole a treasure chest full of gold from the Lake Grotto treasury: 1/2 Interrupted Runcius Malévol’s pagan ritual: 1 Slightly annoyed Count Giscard Malévol while he drank « wine »: 1 Stole the Scepter of the Merovings: 1 Defaced living portraits with holy water: 1 Bullied Jean-Honoré the Butler 1/2 Smashed the busts in the Bust Gallery 1

Infractions rating: 8 1/2

Rumors:

Skipped the rumors, Oops.

We start in Ximes. Luc le Chaudronnier informs Cordélia that the Homonculus found in the castle could be set free from its bottle if it was bound to a magic-user but the link thus created would be both useful and risky. No decision was made for the moment. Back in Périgon, the monks assures Cordélia that Bruno is mostly under control and could go back to adventuring. He has weird chains on him and he’s hairier than before but at least he’s lost his dreaminess.

Also, Eudes was waiting for them and has something important to share. A proposal. The Comte de la Frenaie would help Eudes be the master of Fausseflammes if only some « minor » obstacles would disappear. There’s the part with the proper heir (Claude Malévol) of the Castle being alive. And of course there are next in lines too. And the pesky thing with the specters and vampires and werewolves and… well, all that. If those « minor » obstacles would be solved somehow, Eudes and his father would be generous towards the adventurers.

After purchasing some supplies (and a détour at the cemetary to fetch some minions) the party is ready for another go at the Château.

Gatehouse

• They enter through the Gatehouse, under the scrutiny of the ravens as usual. Their plan is to go explore the Occult Maze on the 2nd floor (where Zachary died the first session).
• They don’t go far before being interrupted by Gilbert the Fox and his bandits that are on the remparts, some behind bushes, all around them. « La Bourse ou la Vie! », Gilbert shouts.
• The PCs want to parlay but refuse to disarm so its iniative rolls. The PCs win the iniative.
• Cordélia sends her Reaper towards Gilbert whom responds by ordering his men « kill the witch, now! ». He also runs for his life and disappear inside the castle with one of his man.
• Meanwhile the PCs dash towards the nearby barracks to protect themselves from the arrows raining down on them. Two arrows hit Cordélia despite Stuffed Jean-Paul’s best effort to block them with his own body. One arrow hit Paul and another Constant. A lot don’t hit their targets.
• 4 bandits were arming themselves inside the barracks but Paul swiftly annihilate them with one big swing of his sword Guts (improved by Noah in downtime). The PCs are inside, Monmon blocks the door.
• Some bandits try to storm the barracks but with Noah and Cordélia shooting arrows and bolts from the murder holes and Monmon skewering anything that gets near, the bandits chooses to retreat.
• Back on the courtyard after a short while, the PCs enter the side door on the NW aisle. They immediately see wet steps on the floor of the corridor and not long after, risen up from a small water puddle, appears Montfort Malévol, well-dressed but with algae and aquatic plants all over him. « What’s all this Grabuge (ruckus) » he shouts angrily ». Thinking quickly Paul says: « Nothing my lord, just bandits, they’ve been taken care of, come I’ll show you! » Montfort is led to 3 dead bandits, murmurs something about someone being glad to have them and start to wander off, pulling 2 dead bandits behind him.
• A fine plan by Paul but for the impromptu arrival of Aranéa Malévol, screaming « It’s them, Montfort get them you goof! » Stopped on his tracks, Montfort vomits turpid water that gets inside the bandits mouths. They rise up as zombies!
• The PCs win initiative again.
• Monmon charged the zombies and kill one. Paul-Jean and Pierrot join him against the 2 surviving zombies.
• Cordélia sends her Reaper against Aranéa that was coming fast, running on all four on the surface of the wall. The Reaper manages to hit and paralyze the spider woman. Constant Jean throws a rope with a hook at her and pull slamming her down, Aranéa crashes brutally on the ground before being stabbed repeatedly.
• Meanwhile Montfort has disapppeared, only to reappear behind, oozing out of the small pond. Bruno the Wolman manages to hurt him with his claws but his then knocked out from two powerful punches from Montfort. Cordélia uses her power of Unliving Persistence to save him.
• Raymond the Man-at-Arms behead Aranéa with a blow from his halberd but she’s not quite dead as her head sprouts new arachnid legs from her severed neck and begins to skitter away. The Horror! Pierrot and Paul-Jean run after the spider-head, stab and burn it with a torch until it stops moving.
• The PCs turn their attention to Montfort who’s a formidable opponent. He regenerates even severe wounds and he has a special bite attack, his neck and head elongating somewhat like those of a lake monster. Monmon manages to dodge his attack (veteran’s luck). and pierce him with his spear. Paul Nereff and Noah close on him and wound him with a magic dagger and Scrupulous the short sword.
• Finally Montfort has had enough and kind of melt away leaving only a trail of wet footprints on the ground.
• Cordélia pick up a pendant from Aranéa’s corpse.
• The PCs hesitate but ultimately decide to call it day as Bruno is down and several others are wounded.

Session wrap up

• The status of Gilbert the Fox is unknown to the players, all they know is that he fled inside the castle pursued by Cordélia’s Reaper. The Reaper came back soon after.
• We had a great Kill it, kill it with fire! moment, always nice. Aranéa Malévol isn’t in the book but I like Spider Ladies too much to not have put her in.
• XP: Participation: 1 Treasure: 1
• Treasures: Luckstone Pendant
• Quote:
• Fatalities:
• New Infractions: Killed Aranéa Malévol twice 0