Detective Sergeant Goodshaw was flummoxed by the idea of an entire village existing as a playground for adults. The murder of the actor playing the part of the priest was however undisputable. The surveillance videos were top notch as was to be expected under the circumstances.

Goodshaw watched the forensics people gather the copious amounts of evidence, helped it must be admitted by the video footage. The motel staff was giving statements and all the staff and clients present were cooperating fully. Santiago Cortes the actor who had been playing the part of father James Cooke had been well liked.

“Gods Mike, you couldn’t pay me enough to use that cosmetic spell. So any luck at the motel?” Goodshaw asked his partner.

“Only reception is covered by their surveillance vids. The perp signed in at the height of the snowstorm using the name John Smith and the plates on his car come from a chevy registered to a Mrs Logan of New Jersey.”

“So fake or stolen plates and almost certainly a fake name and ID. Well we have good sharp photos and video. And the AR-15 has some good prints.”

* * *

Some time later in Harrisburg, detective Alders walked up to lieutenant Fellows desk carrying a bulging folder. “Hey lieutenant, the Fredrickson’s stolen AR-15 has turned up over in New Hampshire. It was used in a homicide.”

Fellows looked up with interest, “What else do we have?”

“Rather a lot. We have video, photos and fingerprints.”

“What? How did we manage that?”

“There’s a fake village dedicated to live action role play and it is overrun with high quality video cameras. They sell their customers a high quality video, with sound of their experience. So we have the murder on video. He panicked at some of the golems they use to simulate the monsters and dropped the rifle. Then he used his pistol. The bullets match those from the Fredrickson murders.”

Fellows smiled grimly, “so we have our murderer?”

“He got away. He was using what we think was a fake ID and his ford was carrying stolen plates. But just wait till you see the video.”

Shortly the whole team was watching the video, it looked like a high class film.

They watched as their murderer signed out of the motel, then drove his car up to an antiquated looking pump and filled up. Then the car drove out of the motel’s lot and down a cleared road then nosed into a snow covered side road driving. Moving very slowly the car navigated the deep snow and made a three point turn in front of the church.

Their suspect emerged holding an AR-15 against his leg in an obvious attempt to hide it. The view then switched to the interior of the church where a man wearing a clerical collar was standing in front of the altar with his back to the door. When the suspect entered the church the man pretending to be a priest turned and said, “Good afternoon sir, may I help...”

The man they only knew as John Smith raised his rifle and fired wildly cratering the wall and breaking the window before hitting the actor playing the priest. The victim dropped and their suspect raced into the presbytery and grabbed a book. He then ran back to the church only to shoot two forward slumping bipedal figures of a vaguely canine cast that were just entering the church. Their man raced past the fallen monsters only to find another on the path. His rifle was obviously out of ammo so it was dropped and replaced by a Glock. More wild firing dropped the last monster.

Their suspect scrambled into his car and rejoined the main road in a near uncontrolled skid before disappearing.

Fellows lifted one of the photos and glared at it. “When will we have the results from those fingerprints on the rifle?”

“Soon lieutenant, they should have already arrived.”

* * *

Felicia had a wide grin when she waltzed into her private lounge and dropped into the couch facing the underwater window looking out into Antonio’s heart cavern. She waved and pointed to the empty seat at her side.

Moonbeam looked up from her book and raised an eyebrow inquisitively.

Antonio materialized his avatar on the indicted seat. “So what has you so happy Felicia.”

“I was with Silverfin and his wives just now and I noticed that blessing I gave them when I first met them has finally borne fruit. Bastet has granted them, all three her blessing.”

Antonio laughed. “Well that will be a nice surprise for them. Pregnant and still with young children.”

Moonbeam who had been looking puzzled started laughing and joined the two on the couch in a three way hug.

* * *

Tessana woke feeling queasy, then her eyes flew open and she bent over the edge of their bed and was sick. The sound woke Druissa who sat bolt upright, scrambled out of bed and bolted to the bathroom. Silverfin woke as his wife shook the bed in her hurry only to see Galianna bolt after Druissa.

Silverfin blinked in confusion as he slowly woke.

Tessana looked at her husband in confusion. “Morning sickness, but... Tessarra is still a child... how?”

Silverfin looked towards the bathroom door where Galianna was returning towards their bed carrying a wet towel. “Morning sickness? You too?”

“Yes, and Druissa too,” Galianna replied holding a hand possessively over her stomach.

Later over breakfast Silverfin and his wives gave the news to Windchime, Antella and Fidenia.

Fidenia smiled gently and quickly scribed an intricate little ritual on a sheet of heavy paper. She looked up and pointed at three circles. If you want to be sure, all I need is a drop of blood.

With a shared look the three women each pricked a finger and deposited a drop of blood in the indicated circle. Fidenia chanted a brief spell and fed manna to her ritual. The paper curled up and disintegrated into smoke. The smoke separated into four strands, two were rose coloured and two a bright green. All four were shot through with gold and silver threads. Two circled Druissa’s head and one each circled Tessana and Gallianna.

With a wide eyed look of wonder Fidenia spoke. “Druissa, you are carrying twins, a boy and a girl. Tessana yours is a boy and Galianna you a carrying a daughter. Your children owe their existence to the blessings of a goddess.”

“Felicia!” exclaimed Tessana.

“What do you mean Felicia?” asked Silverfin.

“When she visited us yesterday she got very smug and couldn’t stop smiling. She’s a senior priestess of Bastet and Bast. And Bastet is a fertility goddess.”

“Humph!” snorted Antella. “If Bastet can bless elves to have children she is going to become very popular.”

Silverfin’s mobile rang. He answered it, “Hello Antonio, what can I do for you on this fine morning.”

Silverfin heard a chuckle in reply. “Congratulations to you and your wives. Oh and Wolfgar tells me the Russians are back with two high elf delegations, one dryad delegation. Then there is the delegation from the Rockcrag republic, lots of dwarves and they seem irked with the elves. Then not to be left out they also have a bunch of orks from the Dragoon nomads, the Moriscoi centaurs and four delegations for four human realms.”

“WHAT! Please tell me you’re joking. They can’t have been that reckless – high elves dwarves and orks? Wait! Centaurs too!”

“Don’t forget the humans. I’m preparing a couple of extensions to my hotel and have already informed all the embassies present in Lisbon and Moscow too of course. Wolfgar has been most helpful as to what each considers luxury accommodations. Oh, I also informed the Oreolean Empire from Aquadel.”

“Are you crazy Antonio? How do you intend to keep them from killing each other?”

“Not my problem. Just think of the bonanza for me if they kill each other.” Antonio laughed, “Sorry old friend I couldn’t resist. I think they will behave even if it only to show the others up. I will make sure to explain things to them. And if they want to die, so be it.”

“How did you know to congratulate us?”

“That? Felicia blessed you all when you first met and she knew the blessing had succeeded yesterday. You and your family are invited. I’ve already invited the Botelhos and João would be unhappy if Antor didn’t show.”