Scene 1. Vampire Hunt

Scene 1 Vampire Hunt

Where the party gather funds through another vampire hunt. Action starts in one of the palaces but moves on to deep in the Hell of Scalding and Boiling

Needing gold to bribe the Tatzelwyrm horde, our intrepid heroes choose to organise another vampire hunt. With enough kudos to approach other groups for help, Fabian mediated a confederation of 5 bounty hunting groups for a 1/5 share apiece. This included the formidable Snow Leopards, pre-eminent of all the mercenaries.

Prior to the actual attack, Mysuki and Lyris reconnoitred the lair, knowing that the hideout had a single narrow entrance. Evading the outside guards, they entered the inner zone to gauge the defences, a narrow bridge across a chasm covered by 2 crossbow platforms.

With this information in hand, a Forlorn Hope was assembled including the massive Gorgo from the Snow Leopards, Fabian, Anya, Oolong and Impasa. Once again, Lyris and Mysuki went first to disable the crossbows. All went pretty much to plan, Mysuki and Lyris climbing the tunnels (Lyris) and the walls (Mysuki) and sabotaging the bows(Lyris killed the guards). As the Forlorn Hope went in, Lyris/Mysuki heard the unmistakeable sound of a ritual to master the weave and, worse, the Mystic Vampire (science officer) noticing the approach of several vampires and heroes. They moved in further to stop him (quickly) and then on to take-out the bandit leader.

The pair burst in on the head-man as his mistress was helping him into his armour. Lyris started a knife throwing contest with the mistress, Lyris winning on points and getting a rather nice baldric as her prize. Mysuki and head bandit exchanged backgrounds and started an epic duel.

Meanwhile, the first of the attackers had crossed the bridge and were into to bandits. Anya and Gorgo headed up to the crossbow stations and made short work of most of the troops there - apart from one unlucky soul who had the temerity to fire back. Narrowly failing to staff-cut an arrow, she takes a shallow wound at which point Gorgo bellows and the pair of them go chasing the foolish archer through the cave complex.

The remaining attackers were untroubled by missile fire due to the murderous support from Oolong who dispatched anyone who poked more than a finger above the parapets (shooting several before they even see him).

White Fang bravely led the main thrust into the central garrison, bounding down the table to take position at the throne. Fabian, Impasa and others worked through the enemy towards White Fang, luckily dispatching a lascivious demon wielding 4 swords. Alas, they were unable to quite reach White Fang before his heroic stand ended with his death - though his killer died soon after.

Blood up from their killing spree, Gorgo finally flipped completely and went beserk. Bandits left, right and centre went flying as he stormed towards the main garrison. Most attackers (the smart ones) fled leaving Anya and Impasa to halt the behemoth. Which they did with guts and guile.

Whilst all this was going on, a small pile of bodies starting piling up outside the chieftain's apartment as Lyris ensured a fair fight. When it started to heat up, she fireballed the corridor. Mysuki finally despatched her opponent and, with Lyris, ransacked the room. Alas the lure of bright shiny boxes proved too much for Lyris who opened the prettiest one and was hit by a massive explosion of red weave, plastering her against the wall. Mysuki heard the distinctive crackle of a major spell unravelling and ducked neatly under the bed. On the positive side, her slave choker was neatly vaporised.

Immediate application of first aid helped stabilise her charred body though, taking advantage of the situation, the assembled party members solemnly pronounced her dead.

In the accounting, the heroes received 25 vampire gems and a demon gem for their troubles (worth 10 more). A larger appartment was rented and they gathered to plan the next phase (cunningly claiming that Lyris had to buried in a special ceremony).