I am still basking in the glory of my recent TPK. (no ketchup, extra relish) This could prove problematic for my regular (and I use that word loosely) troupe this weekend. They have now been warned.

Getting back to them: Damien ran like a byotch while Aenaiyah soiled herself, and then Damien decided to make use of his cowardice to come to her rescue bearing ass-less chaps. This went over far less well than you are probably imagining. Far. Less. Well. I personally think that’s a little unfair to Damien  given the circumstances as he probably simply didn’t want her to feel bad about ruining another pair of defenseless pants.

And besides, there was still a multiple murderer on the loose!

They scouted out much of the rest of the abandoned monastery, but use of a Locator spell helped them to avoid one or two nasties that had been hanging around in some areas they bypassed. (Sad GM) It did manage to bring them straight to the waiting arms of a certain Mage Killer, but not before Argus rolled in filth and vomited on himself.

For those keeping score – GM: 2 / PCs: 0

You see at one point in time, after it was officially abandoned of course,  this location was being put to use by some scientifically minded Mages. Those scientifically minded Mages had need, from time to time, of getting some experimentation materials down to the lower levels. Since they were Mages and could easily reshape materials to better suit their needs they installed a “laundry chute” of sorts. This laundry chute happened to be about the right size for a person to use it as a slide. The chute had not been well maintained in the long years that the monastery had been abandoned. Vagrants would tumble down it from time to time. At other moments it seemed like a convenient place for them  to relieve themselves.  Faster than Rex can say “I cast Find the Hidden Hoard to find another way down” Argus hurls himself down the chute. The filth made for a soft landing, a moist & squishy landing, but a soft one nonetheless. The resultant RESOLVE+COMPOSURE roll did not go well.

Nor did the RESOLVE+COMPOSURE rolls of those around him. (He stank.)

Current Score – GM: 3 / PCs: 0

Of course, the hilarity was only compounded when Rex found the door, opened it, walked down the stairs, looked at Argus, and said “or you could have just used the stairs.”

Final Score – GM: 4 / PCs: 0
Conn Smyth Trophy Winner: Rex

When the players did find the source of the metal they discovered that it was in fact an old and well used iron shovel. They didn’t see anyone with it, but since they already knew that the assailant could be invisible this wasn’t very surprising. Their quarry had sound mastery up as well as invisibility, making him difficult to detect even with echo-location. The poltergeists in the area (there had been a fire, people had died in it) were less difficult to get a fix on. They were hurling random things at the Mages and using a variety of poltergeistly numen on them. They inspired fear. They hurled sharp objects telekinetically. They were pains in the ass, and they needed to be exorcised. Exorcism works as follows:

Like an abjuration, an exorcism is more about the person who performs the rite than the words spoken, and is primarily a contest of wills between mortal and spirit. 

The rules go on to describe how a blessed object can be used in an exorcism. (I just knew those blessed items from the gift shop would come in handy!)

As it happens Damien has a derangement, and his derangement is Narcissism. Being a Narcissistic jerk (the player’s words… and mine), Damien decided to carve “the symbol of ME!” into his palm and the ghost he was battling didn’t need to contend with “The Power of Christ” compelling it, that poor ghost had to face “The Power of ME!” Damien actually took the lethal damage for this self-inflicted wound. (He Resolve+Composured and everything)

Remember: an exorcism is more about the person who performs the rite than the words spoken, and is primarily a contest of wills between mortal and spirit. 

In the name of good story-telling the power of Damien compelled me. I gave him the bonus, and ultimately he compelled that crazy ghost right the hell outta there.

And then he got his face smashed in with a shovel.

Compel that, jerk!

In the end they did manage to exorcise the ghosts and kill the murderer. They also stumbled across a hidden room with a vintage C64 Commodore Computer stored in it, which they managed to coax some information out of.

And if things happen in order this time you might find out more about that next week!

*In the NHL Playoffs the Conn Smyth Trophy is awarded to the Most Valuable Player.