Post by hubertbartels on Sept 3, 2022 13:46:22 GMT -5
Inspiration
May 1819...
While returning from a Unicorn Club requested quest, the party is ambushed by a group of thugs. They were sent by the dragon, Lord Silverfrost, to deliver a message. “Stay out of his and his son’s business!” The thugs then proceeded to try and beat the message into the party.
The end result was most of the thugs were left asleep or beaten on the alley’s pavement. Miles let the group’s mage know that next time, the party would take the fight back to the dragon. Then the party characters went on to the Unicorn Club to turn in their quest and to get a decent supper.
At supper, the empty chair was suddenly filled with a young, regal woman. It was Queen Titania and she had a request of Miles. “Percy – I have come in need of your help.” Someone or something has been removing the inspiration from the poets that she patronized. She thinks that Queen Mab, the head of the Winter Court might be behind the robberies. Queen Titania asked that Miles find her and ask her about the loss of inspiration. As for finding the Queen of Air and Darkness, Beau Brummel might have an idea where she is to be found. Before disappearing, Queen Titania gives the party where some of her poets might be found.
It is still early in the evening so the party decided to go look up Beau Brummel at his seat at the White’s Club. Presenting Queen Titania’s card to the hall porter, they were shown immediately to the famed bow window where the dandy spent his time.
Beau Brummel dismissed his entourage and considered the party. He doesn’t know where Queen Mab is at the moment but he knows she will be attending the ball at Almack’s tomorrow evening. Then he gave each party member a voucher for a ticket to attend the ball and advised them that Almack’s has a strict dress code. His bespoke tailor in Bond Street will be available should anyone need a new set of clothes for the evening. Beau Brummel adds that Queen Mab will be in disguise – he gives them some advice in finding her.
The following evening, dressed for the occasion, the party enters the slightly shabby great room of Almack’s. Looking over the mass of people either dancing or standing and sitting near the walls, they determine only about twelve young women could be Queen Mab in disguise. By questioning, observation and a quick use of Debrett’s and Burke’s, they finally narrowed the women down to one person. Miles went up to Lady Cecely Longleat and asked if she was the Queen of Air and Darkness.
The young woman led the party upstairs to a card and sat herself down at the head of the table. After questioning, Queen Mab told the party that she was not behind the loss of inspiration seen by Queen Titania’s poets – she herself had the same problem, citing Percy Shelly’s lack of progress. She finally gave Reginald Symthe a white enameled maple leaf and told him to break it if they needed her help.
Returning to the Unicorn Club’s dining room, the party reported their findings to Queen Titania. Then they retired for the evening.
The next day, after visiting the tailor in Bond Street, the party gathered in the Unicorn Club after two in the afternoon. From the club, they had a pleasant walk to Highgate where Samuel Coleridge lived. They found the poet stoned with opium. Opening the windows and using Lesser Restoration brought Coleridge around. Questioning him, he was vaguely aware of having lost his poetry but little more. On his desk was a letter on Claridge’s Hotel stationary, mentioning a Xyla Loveday.
A short walk brought them to Wentworth Place where they found John Keats sitting under a plum tree with several scraps of paper around him. He was frustrated by being unable to put into words, the feeling of listening to a nightingale. One of the scraps of paper was a letter on Claridge’s Hotel stationary with an appointment with Xyla Loveday. Before leaving, Dr. Trevelyen magically cured John Keats of the tuberculosis that otherwise would have killed him in 1820.
The third poet they visited was William Wordsworth. Wordsworth lived in the Lake District but was staying a few weeks with a friend, Joanna Baillie, a poet and playwright with a house in London. He was not at the house, said a maid, he was walking the rural parts of London, looking for inspiration. On a table was a short note on Claridge’s Hotel stationary, inviting him to return for another discussion on poetry with Xyla Loveday.
It was late afternoon when they arrived at Claridge’s Hotel on Brook Street. Asking for Madame Loveday, they were shown upstairs to Room 33. Upon entering the room, they found a large pleasant room with bed, washstand, chairs, table, and a writing desk. Arranged on them were several porcelain fashion dolls. Xyla Loveday was a tall blonde woman with long unbound hair and exotic good looks.
While Miles began to talk to her, Charles Krenko and Reginald Symthe looked around the room. The monk noticed something odd about a carpet bag left on the table. The carpet bag was filled with round glassware jars, carved with arcane sigils, sealed with glass stoppers, and glowing with a white fuzzy glow. Dr. Trevelyen excused himself for a moment, went down the hall and cast Detect Magic. When he returned, he learned the carpet bag was filled with magic glassware jars.
In the meanwhile, Charles Krenko had picked up one of the fashion dolls. Xyla Loveday turned towards him and began to say, “Careful…” The doll grabbed the hobgoblin by the nose and attacked him.
Xyla Loveday swore and changed form into a succubus. The other dolls jumped on their victims while beneath the bed, two redcaps charged out and tried to kick their targets.
When the dust had settled, the fiend’s body disappeared, returning to the Abyss. The dolls were smashed and the redcaps bled to death on the carpet. Professor Zog picked up the carpet bag while Miles found a letter from Xyla Loveday’s superior.
The letter urged in vulgar terms that Xyla speed up collecting the inspiration and bring them to his new abode in the Fey, a place named ‘Deadman’s Hill’. It reminded Xyla that only his magic would allow the succubus to become human and be able to create new and imaginative things. The letter was signed Kamar.
The party returned to the Unicorn Club’s dining room. Again, they met with Queen Titania and brought her up to date on events. She told them that opening the glassware jars would release the inspiration back to those it was stolen from. She then began to tell them about the Felwild.
May 1819...
While returning from a Unicorn Club requested quest, the party is ambushed by a group of thugs. They were sent by the dragon, Lord Silverfrost, to deliver a message. “Stay out of his and his son’s business!” The thugs then proceeded to try and beat the message into the party.
The end result was most of the thugs were left asleep or beaten on the alley’s pavement. Miles let the group’s mage know that next time, the party would take the fight back to the dragon. Then the party characters went on to the Unicorn Club to turn in their quest and to get a decent supper.
At supper, the empty chair was suddenly filled with a young, regal woman. It was Queen Titania and she had a request of Miles. “Percy – I have come in need of your help.” Someone or something has been removing the inspiration from the poets that she patronized. She thinks that Queen Mab, the head of the Winter Court might be behind the robberies. Queen Titania asked that Miles find her and ask her about the loss of inspiration. As for finding the Queen of Air and Darkness, Beau Brummel might have an idea where she is to be found. Before disappearing, Queen Titania gives the party where some of her poets might be found.
It is still early in the evening so the party decided to go look up Beau Brummel at his seat at the White’s Club. Presenting Queen Titania’s card to the hall porter, they were shown immediately to the famed bow window where the dandy spent his time.
Beau Brummel dismissed his entourage and considered the party. He doesn’t know where Queen Mab is at the moment but he knows she will be attending the ball at Almack’s tomorrow evening. Then he gave each party member a voucher for a ticket to attend the ball and advised them that Almack’s has a strict dress code. His bespoke tailor in Bond Street will be available should anyone need a new set of clothes for the evening. Beau Brummel adds that Queen Mab will be in disguise – he gives them some advice in finding her.
The following evening, dressed for the occasion, the party enters the slightly shabby great room of Almack’s. Looking over the mass of people either dancing or standing and sitting near the walls, they determine only about twelve young women could be Queen Mab in disguise. By questioning, observation and a quick use of Debrett’s and Burke’s, they finally narrowed the women down to one person. Miles went up to Lady Cecely Longleat and asked if she was the Queen of Air and Darkness.
The young woman led the party upstairs to a card and sat herself down at the head of the table. After questioning, Queen Mab told the party that she was not behind the loss of inspiration seen by Queen Titania’s poets – she herself had the same problem, citing Percy Shelly’s lack of progress. She finally gave Reginald Symthe a white enameled maple leaf and told him to break it if they needed her help.
Returning to the Unicorn Club’s dining room, the party reported their findings to Queen Titania. Then they retired for the evening.
The next day, after visiting the tailor in Bond Street, the party gathered in the Unicorn Club after two in the afternoon. From the club, they had a pleasant walk to Highgate where Samuel Coleridge lived. They found the poet stoned with opium. Opening the windows and using Lesser Restoration brought Coleridge around. Questioning him, he was vaguely aware of having lost his poetry but little more. On his desk was a letter on Claridge’s Hotel stationary, mentioning a Xyla Loveday.
A short walk brought them to Wentworth Place where they found John Keats sitting under a plum tree with several scraps of paper around him. He was frustrated by being unable to put into words, the feeling of listening to a nightingale. One of the scraps of paper was a letter on Claridge’s Hotel stationary with an appointment with Xyla Loveday. Before leaving, Dr. Trevelyen magically cured John Keats of the tuberculosis that otherwise would have killed him in 1820.
The third poet they visited was William Wordsworth. Wordsworth lived in the Lake District but was staying a few weeks with a friend, Joanna Baillie, a poet and playwright with a house in London. He was not at the house, said a maid, he was walking the rural parts of London, looking for inspiration. On a table was a short note on Claridge’s Hotel stationary, inviting him to return for another discussion on poetry with Xyla Loveday.
It was late afternoon when they arrived at Claridge’s Hotel on Brook Street. Asking for Madame Loveday, they were shown upstairs to Room 33. Upon entering the room, they found a large pleasant room with bed, washstand, chairs, table, and a writing desk. Arranged on them were several porcelain fashion dolls. Xyla Loveday was a tall blonde woman with long unbound hair and exotic good looks.
While Miles began to talk to her, Charles Krenko and Reginald Symthe looked around the room. The monk noticed something odd about a carpet bag left on the table. The carpet bag was filled with round glassware jars, carved with arcane sigils, sealed with glass stoppers, and glowing with a white fuzzy glow. Dr. Trevelyen excused himself for a moment, went down the hall and cast Detect Magic. When he returned, he learned the carpet bag was filled with magic glassware jars.
In the meanwhile, Charles Krenko had picked up one of the fashion dolls. Xyla Loveday turned towards him and began to say, “Careful…” The doll grabbed the hobgoblin by the nose and attacked him.
Xyla Loveday swore and changed form into a succubus. The other dolls jumped on their victims while beneath the bed, two redcaps charged out and tried to kick their targets.
When the dust had settled, the fiend’s body disappeared, returning to the Abyss. The dolls were smashed and the redcaps bled to death on the carpet. Professor Zog picked up the carpet bag while Miles found a letter from Xyla Loveday’s superior.
The letter urged in vulgar terms that Xyla speed up collecting the inspiration and bring them to his new abode in the Fey, a place named ‘Deadman’s Hill’. It reminded Xyla that only his magic would allow the succubus to become human and be able to create new and imaginative things. The letter was signed Kamar.
The party returned to the Unicorn Club’s dining room. Again, they met with Queen Titania and brought her up to date on events. She told them that opening the glassware jars would release the inspiration back to those it was stolen from. She then began to tell them about the Felwild.