Summary 11

Standing outside the house, you were hailed by Bernd Levertske-Dagover, who introduced you to two people that he had also employed for the visit to the island. He suggested that you get to know each other. You eventually knocked on the door and entered the house, where you found the lawyer, Eldar Sudakevich. He was a 'guest' of two noble looking fighter-types. You ascertained that he had gone with Professor Stradovski to the waterside temple to Ulric and Manaan, where he had obtained an item from the vault with a notarised receipt. This had been in three parts, Eldar's firm having held one third for approximately 200 years. Eldar had also heard that the Professor was heading to Standing Stone Island. Visiting the temple, you met Erich Kyriakin a Verenan expert on (magical) artefacts and relics, who was assisting the temple to catalogue its relics. Lothar was very interested at this point, but was not offered any further details. Erich told you that the Professor had retrieved a gold plaque. He had had little time to study it, and could only tell you that it was very old, magical and covered in writings that he was unfamiliar with that looked unlike any form of written language he had encountered. You did see the notarised warrant that had left it in the care of the temple. It was dated 2303 [just after the Great Patriotic Chaos War] and signed by Sir Tepes Stradovski, Count Heiner von Pirkheimer and Boyar Innokenti Vasladovitch. Only the latter was known here, and he had been boyar until his death in 2303. He had fought at the Battle of the Frozen Lynsk, and was one of the few to survive though he was never the same again. The Battle of the Frozen Lynsk was the precursor to the invasion two centuries ago, when the forces of Kislev attempted to defend the traditional bastion against invasion from the north, the River Lynsk. Sadly, it froze completely that year and the hordes invaded decimating the last standing army of Kislev. You know this war as the great crusade of Magnus the Pious.

You prepared for the 17^th. You heard that Leonid Steblov, an important local horse merchant had apparently been slain by the boyar, which you knew linked somehow to your cowardice earlier. You took a boat to Rudinshtein Manor. A somewhat inconclusive time was spent. Whilst you proved that there was something on the island, you failed to discover much more, though Brian insisted that it was a rabbit with the ability to self-immolate. Your employer was clearly highly unimpressed and sacked Wayland and Wilhelm. They were both offered membership of the party, and Jakob assured that "Middenheim will see you alright." Preparing for your trip next day to Standing Stone Island and then to Cetatea Alba, you also discovered that the Order of the Sword Brethren has an agent in Ösilia. Yvevgeni Klepikov was not particularly helpful. Wayland also seems to be rather intrigued by Natalja Antonov, despite warnings by Jakob to stay clear. He has an informal arrangement to meet her at a particular tavern should he return.

Your boat, the Lizard King, was far from impressive and the captain appeared to be drunk. The other crew - a woman and a young child - managed eventually to get you to the island. There you found the stone circle, simply large slabs of stone without markings. One was partially in the water. You also found a hurriedly deserted camp and a large hole dug in the middle of the circle. This revealed a metal door, part open of a metal with which Lothar was unfamiliar. It had a recess to one side (for the plaque you surmised), was heavily pitted, and he took a sample. Entering, you battled beetles and skeletons - the latter you noted being an odd assortment of (unfamiliar) creatures. In summary, the following things were discovered:

• A main chamber, very old, whose stonework is excellent quality and covered with barely discernible carvings. With difficulty, you thought that you could discern beautiful women (Shallya?), demons, lizards and people in various mundane activities. However, since water ingress and time have very heavily eroded the drawings, much of this was speculation on very limited evidence.
• An altar and statue of the figure that you have discovered previously linked to Shallya in some way, but this is by far the most alien representation yet seen. Before these was a pentagram. The altar had a recess in it (for the plaque that had already opened the door you surmised). All these are considerably newer than the rest of the room.
• Two doors, appearing as murals each of an immensely beautiful woman in armour with a sword, shield and long blond hair. These led to another room. Each had a skeletal figure clad in bronze armour with weapon. These are all very old, though extremely well preserved. The age of the stonework and murals in these rooms conformed to that outside.
• You spent much time discussing whether to take the armour or not, and also how to distribute it amongst yourselves. Wayland has taken the arm bracers and shield and claimed them for himself, but Lothar is extremely unimpressed at this.

It is early afternoon on the 18^th. Both Lothar and Brian are beginning to feel rather unwell, probably from infected wounds that they received. You also have to resolve what you wish to do with the armour. It all looks of exceedingly high quality, though is quite cumbersome and needs money/work spent on it (if you are to attempt to use it) as the non-metal parts are in a poor state of repair. For example, the shield straps need attention, as do the 'leather' joints to the arm bracers. To remind you, the following is here:

1. Full set of bronze 'dendra' plate armour, equivalent to breast/arm bracer/leggings, for a human female. It has a rune and arcane magick word inscribed on the chest, plus a symbol of a sword across an open circle. You deciphered the word as 'rain'.
2. Bronze two-handed sword
3. Set of bronze 'dendra' plate armour, equivalent to breast/arm bracer, for a human female. It has a rune and arcane magick word inscribed on the chest, plus a symbol of a sword across an open circle. You deciphered the word as 'lice'.
4. Bronze spear.
5. A very large and heavy bronze shield with a rune upon it set over a symbol of a sword across an open circle.

Wilhelm 105

Wayland 100

Jakob 60

Brian 55

Lothar 55