True Monsters – Act 2 Vine Garden - Chapter 13 – Taken For A Ride

Broken Gorge was the most northerly settlement in the kingdom, one of the remotest places. Yet the village was in high spirits. The local monsters that had been plaguing the area for generations, were currently reduced to trophies. Mounted on stakes, sitting on the top of the local inn. The population would have a good amount of peace, to rebuild before something else moved into the area. It had cost those in charge some coin, but it had been worth it.

It was quite late at night, a cart rode along the trail to the village not a caravan but a cart. The cart was well maintained and mostly empty. Normally going to the effort of moving from one village to another, along the treacherous roads especially at night. Would be done with a full cart, it was expensive to maintain. This was a rare exception, where the message was quite urgent.

The cart driver was a farmer, who usually used his cart to farm the lands around his village. He was not used to the road. He had been rudely woken up by one of the local guards a messenger. His services and his cart were commandeered that morning. He was a militia man, with a shield and spear, both were in close proximity in his cart. He wore a padded jacket, which would work as low end armour and a boiled leather helmet. The Messenger next to him had a much more robust padded gambeson. An iron helmet and boiled leather armour on his limbs. He carried a sword and held several javelins at the ready, both of them wore heavy wool cloaks.

They stopped outside the village gate. One of the village militia on duty noticed them and called out to one of the guards. The driver touched a holy symbol next to the gate of the village, the messenger that shared the cart did the same. The gates to the village cracked open and the cart was allowed in. The occupants of the cart were met with a guard and several militia. The guard on the cart was short and curt, “lords business the mayor now”, he held up an official looking document.

One of the militia men was sent as a runner, he got the Sheriff who was fast asleep. The sheriff cursed and got out of bed. He pulled on clothing and rushed to the inn. The cart was lead behind the in, the horse were fed and watered in little shack of a stable. The driver stayed next to the messenger and the paperwork. The sheriff arrived as quickly as he could. The strange messenger looked him up and down. It appeared that this man had one skill, to anger people by throwing around the weight of the local lord, his employer.

The man was dismissive of the sheriff, “the mayor now lackey”. The sheriff’s hand was halfway to his sword when he stopped himself. “I am the sheriff of this village”. The man sneered, “Raise a hand to me, my lord’s messenger is to raise a hand against him. You would lose your hand, your position and your pension”. The sheriff bit down his anger and went to get the mayor. The mayor had been having a deep introspection, with the contents of a nice bottle of wine when he was roused. He didn’t like to be roused, the sheriff gently explained to him. That he had a very official messenger, a very arrogant one at that.

The mayor put on an official looking hat and headed out to meet the man. The messenger looked at the mayor and nodded, the smallest of greetings. Before the mayor could speak the messenger began. “His lordship commands that you provide, immediately all able bodied soldiers level 5 and over. To the defence of his primary holdings, all other considerations are irrelevant all other duties are superseded”. The local lord was effectively pulling every competent fighter from the surrounding villages in to defend his main business. Not asking for volunteers or anything else he was commanding, as the most senior representative of the triune. He had that authority, barely.

The sheriff and the mayor looked at each other. The mayor looked at the messenger, “you would leave us defenceless”? He shrugged, “I don’t care and neither dose the lord, just round up the best men you have. We have need of them, your sheriff’s level 15 he would be a good start and I see some guards about”.

The messenger stopped, “oh yes you have some adventures. They are assigned to this place as well to hunt the local wolf pack or something, any of them any good”? The mayor grinned he lead the messenger outside the inn, he pointed to the heads of the two giant wolves sticking out form the roof. The messenger paused for the first time impressed, “I understood that there were a level 4 mage. A level 3 vampire hunter and two level 5 mercenaries, how did they”. The mayor grinned “they all started at those levels but they have grown”.

The messenger paused, “that group of adventures they would fill the draft. They are assigned to this region anyway”. The mayor was glad he would get rid of this buffoon and the local lord’s problems. He would not lose his people to the lord’s arrogance. He was slightly sad to see the group go as they were potent defenders of his village, but they had also almost cleared out his coffers. The mayor got one of the village militia to inform the other local officials. The adventures would be gone soon, others would be assigned a few more low level specialists to train up their skills.

The Sheriff banged on the adventures door. They rose Vivian was the first to the door, “what’s going on?” The Sheriff was concise, “we have trouble in the next village along, Vine Garden you need to pack and move out now”. Vivian nodded, “any idea what we face”? “No but it can’t be good, messengers a prick though”. David woke up, “what do we get extra pay”? The sheriff shook his head, “standard guild rates, you only move from one village to the next same area”. Alice was pale “I need sleep to recharge my mana”! He shrugged, “you can sleep on the cart”. Martin looked expectantly, “any idea what we face vampires?” he shrugged, “I have no idea”.

The messenger arrived at their door, “aren’t you ready to move yet. Get your fucking arses in gear now”. Martin and David shared a look, this man would eventually say something to the wrong person. That might be a lot sooner than David thought. They disappeared and packed their belongings. They grabbed their equipment and personal effects, putting on everything that they had. Vivian carried Alice’s stuff. The cart driver complained that his horses needed rest, before the return journey. The messenger was an insufferable prick, he continued to push. The local apothecary agreed to provide a stamina potion. Half a dose to each horse and the horses could probably make it. The messenger hesitated, when the apothecary demanded that he sign for the potion. His lord would eventually get the bill. He had his orders so he did.

As they left the village the gambler was tied to a post, he was covered in scratches and bruises. Several villagers had been hurling mud and dung at him, a village guard stood and watched making sure no one came back to do something more serious. The group had profited from their time they had about 25 silver each from bounties collected.

The four adventures got into the cart, they piled up there gear and huddled under a few blankets to keep warm. Alice, Vivian and David dosed off to recover their energy. Martin kept watch, the messenger and the cart driver sat up the front, wrapped in two more blankets. The horses looked haggard but still able to move. Thanks to the alchemical concoction they were not ready to drop from exhaustion, just yet. The messenger had a mouth that ran all night, “horses need to move faster whip them”. “If we move faster we go over a cliff”. The man was persistently offensive, “You’re an idiot a fucking farmer what do you know”.

The ignorant man kept on talking, “what are priests but fancy mages. There is no god just a trick they put on”. He knew that Martin was a vampire hunter, a religious job. He kept at it hour after hour trying to get a rise. Martin got some rest and David took over the watch. The messenger kept on about how worthless mercenaries were compared to guards, how they were not professional. He almost got his teeth punched out then and there.

They stopped for a break and some food. There were certain rest spots on the trails, where shrines were set up. The holy ground would ward off some monsters. The defensive positon helped against the rest, they usually had a fire pit ready. The messenger turned to the night sky, “oh monsters dinner any fucking monsters”, he laughed. “Oh high and mighty god, fuck you what you going to do about it”, he didn’t notice Martin getting up, “fucking god bother's, what’s the point that useless god of yours, fucking useless where is he now...” Martin lifted the man off his feet by his neck.

He had a second hand on the man’s sword arm. The man could not draw breath and could not get his weapon. Martin was intense but quiet, “Do not blaspheme in front of me again, or you will not draw breath again, I serve the creator god if you wish to be judged speak again”. The guard wet himself there and then, Vivian and David were up they considered tackling Martin. Pulling the guard out of his hands. They were much stronger together than Martin, the look in Martins eyes made them pause.

He dropped the guard, and looked at him. The man was about to say something, his eyes met Martin and he stopped short. A look of fear spread across his face, “yes kind sir sorry sir”. Alice looked at the spectacle, “that’s why people think vampire hunters are madmen”, she turned over and went to sleep. The messenger looked at the rest of them, “I guess we could all do with a rest”.

There was a click in the darkness a clack, almost like the sound of a watch mechanism. It was far away but it got closer. There was the sound and something moved in the dark, there was a shadow. David was on watch, the tick and clacking grew closer. There was also the scrape of metal dragging on the ground. David was up sword in hand shield in place, “who goes there?”

There was a click and a tick, something stepped into the fire light. David gripped his shield and sword, “what the fuck are you?” he shouted, “Everyone we got trouble”. What was standing at the edge of the light, looked like a bit like a ghoul? It looked like someone had started with the body of a large ghoul. They had pumped the corpse full of preservative chemicals staining it green, allowing its flesh to remain glued together. Several large holes in the ghoul, had been stitched closed with copper wire. Where it was missing a left foot. A construction of iron plate, steel leaf springs gears and leather had replaced it.

Its right hand was a construction, made like a steel trap. Its left leg was in a brace of iron and leather, its jaw had a plate bolted onto it. Missing teeth had been replaced by rusty iron spikes driven into the jaw. The left eye was a crystal, which faintly glowed purple. Riveted to its back was a bronze cylinder, which delivered some chemical to its insides. A big bronze plate was screwed down to its skull with half an electrode visible. Where its heart would normally be a circular plate had been bolted in place, the edge of a few gears could be seen. The ticking noise emanated from inside. There were several other shapes that stood behind it, some were once men some were once dogs or wolves. All of them had been reanimated and repaired stitched together braced and plated filled with alchemical concoctions.

They didn’t look friendly and they didn’t look like they could reasoned with. They saw raw materials and moved forwards. The cart driver had his shield and spear, the messenger threw a javelin. It bounced off the side of the mechanical necromantic abomination. Alice looked at the monstrosities and shrugged, “fire ball” the group of terrors was engulfed in magical flames. Some creatures on the edge were not hit. Some of the smaller less well constructed creatures fell dead instantly, then the magical flames evaporated.

David charged at the former ghoul, striking it with his shield using an adrenalin block to stagger it. Where the shield impacted a few bolts and screws were knocked lose. It set up the creature to receive David's adrenalin strike, he cut deep into the creature. A green goo leaked out, this thing was tougher than a ghoul but didn't have regeneration in its arsenal.

Martin aimed both of his pistols with focus shots. He hit two of the lesser creatures removing them from the board. Vivian let lose two power shots in quick succession, killing two more of the lesser monsters. David landed another block strike combo the creature, it was tough. He might have been a little rash, his objective as the shield barer of the group. Was to tie down the largest threat for as long as possible.

Martin held out his holy symbol, the word smite on his lips. Then he looked at the creature and remembered something stopping himself. He charged forwards a different tactic would work. Alice hit the group of attackers with a second fire ball, only three of the sturdier creatures remained and the former ghoul. Vivian targeted the ghoul construct hitting it with two power shots, trying to disable a limb. Martin was in the middle of the group of creatures, “hallowed earth”. He activated a blessing, destroying the remaining creatures except for the ghoul construct. It was still hurt by the blessings holy energy.

David stuck it twice more with power attacks, injuring it again and again. The former ghoul responded quickly enough, slamming into his sword arm with enough force to break it and stop his assault. Alice switched to her fire bite spell, striking it in the face twice more. She didn't want to catch her own allies in the detonation of a fire ball. Martin used his focus reload ability, then hit it in the tank on its back with a focus shot. The beast was suddenly a lot slower now, whatever was in the tank was no longer feeding into its body. The beast was hit twice more with arrows from Vivian and keeled over. Its mechanical heart beat stopped and it froze in place, oil dripping down from its mechanical heart.

The creature’s remains stank, a mixture of an apothecary's shop a sooty blacksmiths forge and a slaughter house. Which in some respects resembled the creature’s origins.

Martin turned to them pointing, “This is why you burn the body, every single body”. The messenger ran over and stabbed the ghoul construct with his Javelin. Vivian turned to him, “you only gain exp if you fight it when it’s alive”. The party started to level up, the guard didn't. After some pain their bodies underwent the equivalent of weeks of physical growth in moments. Martin reached level 23 of his vampire hunter job and improved his grenadier skill. Gaining knowledge of the safe handling of dynamite. Not that he could afford any of the expensive stuff. even if there was somewhere local that would sell it. At level sixteen David was getting close to the sword skill cap for a mercenary. Vivian's speed shooting ability was progressing nicely, at level fifteen Alice gained the improved version of the fire ball spell, it cost a lot of manna but it had a real punch to it.

Vivian looked at the remains, “Martin you sort of recognise those things?” Martin shrugged, “I have read our texts, they look like some sort of walker.” David asked, “What’s a walker”, Martin was hesitant his knowledge was at its limit.

“A kind of construct made by an archanist”, Alice responded she knew some of her magical lessons. The driver shrugged, “what's an archanist?” Martin remembering the group now, “the hunters killed most of them. That's most of what I remember”. Alice spoke up, “briefly, they were necromancers that reinforced their creations with mechanist and alchemical arts, which is the simple answer”. Vivian shrugged, “what's a mechanist” Martin having worked in a crafts guild was familiar with this trade. “They make locks clocks music boxes artificial arms, things like that”. Alice wondered, “why did vampire hunters target them specifically”? “They work for the Empress of Shadows, one of the vampire masters that plague this land”.

The cart driver looked at the creatures, putting his own spear and shield back in the cart. During the fight he had just protected his horses. He had no desire to rank up his militia combat job, just to protect his lively hood. The cart driver regarded the messenger, “I guess you were right to push us so hard to move fast. We can’t have things like that wondering the road”. He nodded in a far more humble manor, “yes just doing my job”. The cart driver looked from the pile of monsters back to the adventures. “Who are you more afraid of, the monsters or those that hunt them?” The guard didn't hesitate, “the vampire hunter, the zealot definitely him”.

Alice and Martin had a good poke through the remains. The best that they could deduce, was that these creatures had been constructed from relatively cheap parts. Things adapted not custom made. It was almost like someone's practice attempts. They collected the ghoul walker’s head, hand and the mechanism that replaced its heart. The rest of the remains were piled up and set on fire on the side of the road.

They rested a little more then headed off. The cart driver was half asleep when the sun rose in the sky, he looked a little less nervous. They would soon be at their destination, inside solid thick walls. Vine Garden was a village that produced a very profitable vintage. The Cain strand of grapes, was alchemically altered to survive the lower temperature. It was a slow growing grape, but produced a superior vintage.

The larger village had a population of about 1000 people. It was built on hill, so that it was more defensible than other settlements. In comparison to Broken Gorge, its defences were more substantial. A deeper ditch heavier gates and larger gatehouse. The bottom four feet of the walls were stone with wood on top. Five solid towers ringed the settlement. They provided good spots for archers to target attackers. The village was more prosperous, a few large ware houses. A series of better constructed houses near the top of the hill. A solid manor like a miniature castle was the second most impressive building. The largest was the church, on top of the hill. It was built over two levels, it even had a little moat and drawbridge to protect the main doors, a very solid final line of defence.

The guards had decent equipment, they looked to be quite alert. The cart driver stopped at a post next to the gate. He picked up a holy symbol attached to the post and passed it round the group. The guards at the gate looked on then relaxed, as the symbol was put back. The messenger showed them his paperwork the guard dismissed it. “Stan I know you have the lord’s seal, stop waving it around to everyone”. The gate guards noticed he had pissed himself as he stepped down. He explained briefly, “monster attack on the road”, they nodded understanding.

The adventures stepped off the cart with their belongings. The messenger discharged the cart driver who visibly relaxed. “Thank god that's over” and went on his way. The messenger led them to a town square. There was a group of armed men guards’, militia some adventures milling about. The party joined them. From a balcony on the second floor of the local manor, a man in a yellow uniform stepped out and blew a single blast from a bugle to get everyone's attention.

A large man walked onto the balcony, he radiated an air of pompous arrogance. He had expensive clothes with expensive armour on top of them. The armour would have fitted him when he was younger and fitter. Now it was barely held in place with many additional straps. He had a large black curled moustache. He looked down at his audience and began.

“I am Lord Fortest Bradbury-Cain, welcome to the village of Vine Garden. As the rightful lord of the surrounding lands, I used my authority to commandeer you from your assigned duties. They were probably of little consequence anyway.”

“The holdings of the house of Cain are threatened, by some nefarious external force. I will not let my noble ancestor’s legacy be threatened or tainted. It's your duty to lay down your lives, in my service to depose of this threat.”

“There is a group of bandits, who dared to rob my caravans who dared to steal my property. This is an insult against my illustrious self, my noble ancestors my venerable house. It is an attack against the crown, the concept of Justice itself. It is a crime that cries to heaven for vengeance and furious retribution”. He paused then dismissively gestured, “I leave my bumbling Stewart to fill you in on the details”, he turned to leave, almost tripping over his own pompous cloak.

The group of armed men and women below were not particularly impressed. The better equipped members of the group started to grumble. A group of mercenaries in mixture of chainmail and plate grumbled, “What cheek we work for the guild not him.” Two burly women dressed like Martin didn't look any happier, “He took us off the trail of a vampire for bandits.” Some of the less well armed people started to add their complaints, “Where does he think this is, a Barron's court.” “If he spoke like that in the capital, the mob would Lynch him.” “If there was a master amongst us, he would change his tune”.

A very tired looking man, in dull grey clothing rushed out of the manor. He clutched a pile of paperwork and addressed the irritated crowd. “My unreserved apologise, for my Lords, somewhat antiquated method of speaking. He is of course grateful to you, your settlements and your organization's for your assistance. You will be compensated for your time and effort.”

He took special note of the party, the mercenary group and the two vampire hunters. “I will give you more information shortly, my lord choose to focus on one of the incidents. A vampire may be involved with the others. We have had bandit attacks, disappearances and monster activity has dramatically increase. Rest assured that you serve the interests of the people, the guild and the Church in this endeavour.”

The steward stared to hand out assignments to various people. The vampire hunters had some areas to investigate. The mercenary group were sent on an extermination run. The militia men were assigned patrol duties. The extra guards were sent to the lord’s manor. Finally the steward got to the party of adventures. “So you’re the group hunting wolves up by the old mine correct? David nodded “we have finished that assignment and several others, we are all level 15 or more”. The steward breathed a sigh of relief, “that's very good news they were strangling local commerce”. David held out a hand, Vivian handed him a bag of monster parts he pulled out the head, “Could this be part of your problem, what's the bounty on solving it?”

The steward brought them up to speed as best he could. “The first one of these things that we found was a sheep stitched back together, um reanimated. It fell apart after a day that was a year ago”. Then nine months ago we found a wolf, its jaws replaced with iron it was outwardly impressive. But a single strike from a quarterstaff felled it. The next thing was four months ago, possibly from the same source. It looked like half a rat shoved into a preservative jar. Attached to a set of clockwork legs, most odd it was disposed of, with fire. Since then nothing else has appeared, but people have disappeared.” He looked through some of his papers, “15 People no bodies, about 60 animals have gone missing mostly dogs. Probably to serve as raw materials for whatever these things are.”

They talked to the steward some more, getting an idea of the situation. He brought them up to speed on the local village. There was a Priest father Richard, level 14 he would be providing them with lodgings. The local lord was a knight level 21, Sir Fortest had been a competent warrior when he was younger. The other main player was a merchant Alan Quinn, quite an old man he had reached level 25 solely as merchant. He employed a body guard Harold a mercenary. The steward indicated that he kept some special stock for adventures. It was best to see him at some point, before they started on their assigned duties. The inn was already full so they had been sent to the church. The priest was a quiet scholarly man with a thin face, he showed them to their rooms. Vivian and Alice would be bunking in one small room David and Martin the other. They ate a brief quiet meal, with the priest and the lay brother who assisted him. The menu consisted of dried mutton bread and a very nice cheese, they started and ended with a brief prayer.

They went to see the merchant Alan, he had a large warehouse. There was a shopfront that was handled by a couple of assistance in white aprons. One of the assistance noticed the party they nodded, “please wait one minute”. They disappeared to a back room, a few seconds later the mercenary Harold appeared. He wore a light ringmail hauberk over a padded jacket he carried an axe and mace. He looked over the group, he was friendly professional. “What business do you have hear?” Vivian was the first to answer, “We heard from the steward, that you have some exclusive stock that might aid us”.

The mercenary nodded, taking them to the back room. An elderly man in bright clothes greeted them from behind a desk. “Welcome to my establishment, news travels fast, congratulations, you killed the dread wolves. You survived the mine, the possibility of rebuilding the mine becomes one step closer”. Martin spoke, “there is great risk in trying to do that”. “And also great profit, evil must be purged eventually it can’t just be contained”. Alice nudged Martin out of the way, she smiled sweetly, “do you have any potions?”

The merchant walked with a stick, he led them to a back room. He unlocked a heavy door throwing open a window inside. He sat down at a chair ledger in hand, there were four large wooden cabinets in the room. Harold went round opening them showing off the 'exclusive' stock.

It was shopping time. “What do you have for the aspiring mage?” Alice grinned in anticipation. There was one cabinet with magical paraphernalia.

Most of it was showy but not helpful. A couple of pieces would only be good for an enchanter or a druid. One item amplified psionic abilities, but wouldn't help her. Still Alice found a nice staff made from black oak, it had stronger enchantments than her current staff. The end was tipped with a brass orb with a few decorative green feathers hanging down from it. There were grip bindings in brown leather. It could can hold 25 mana, Alice was able to negotiate a part exchange with her current staff. It was technically tower property, she would sort that out later if it ever came up.

She charged the new staff and emptied the charge from her current staff, before handing it over allowing her to retain as much mana as possible. She found a square cut silver and iron necklace of protection. It granted a small + 4 armour that could be added on top of her ring and robe. She did find a basic mana potion, amongst the lacklustre selection of potions. It was expensive all told she had about 2 silver left.

Martin was the next to address the merchant, “do you have any explosives”? The merchant looked thoughtful, “I have three thermite grenades, I could sell you. I don't normally carry many alchemist weapons, your fellow vampire hunters may have a weapon or two going spare. I have some raw materials”, Martin and the merchant exchanged a few words and the thermite grenades and raw ingredients for gunpowder disappeared into his jacket. Martin had about 20 silver left.

Vivian looked over a few crossbows and short bows, “I really need some arrows. All my good steel broad-heads are lost or broken, the local iron isn't that good”. The merchant gestured to a quiver of arrows, they were held out to Vivian she paused. The merchant had a little grin, “they are 1 silver each, these are Damascus tempered bodkins. They can pierce through armour. The timber is kiln dried mill cut Savon hickory, both tough and flexible. Finished with a two layer oil coating to prevent any warping. They are fletched with gryphon's feathers, note the steel blue colouration of the plumage. It’s all held together with steel silk harvested from a terror spider and alchemist double infused glue”.

Slowly Vivian reached out her hand, she took of her glove and felt the tip of the arrow. A big grin slowly spread across her face, she gripped the arrow head tightly. She got ten of the expensive bodkins, she had three more silver tipped arrows. She had a rather stuffed quiver containing five silver arrows, for the supernatural horrors. Ten of the bodkins for tougher targets and ten of the iron broad-heads for the trash. Her purse was reduced to 12 silver.

David was the last, “what have you got for plate armour or tough shields”? The merchant sighed, “The group of mercenaries has already picked up the few bits of armour I had. However one item might suit your fighting style”. There was an iron tower shield in one corner of the cabinet, it was like a door in size. It was curved to deflect blows. It had reinforcements, a steel rim central boss and steel reinforcing bands across its surface. A few decorative copper rivets and quite a few dents in it. David noted two short blunt spikes at the bottom of the shield, allowing it to be embedded in the ground. Martin looked at him, “I can probably hammer the worst of the dents out”. Ten silver and half an hour of hammering later, David was very pleased with the results. With a few patches to his armour he had ten silver left.

They briefly met the other adventures, before heading out on their assignment. Before the party arrived there were originality eight, now there were six. Two of the original four members of the sisterhood of unrelenting mercy's squad had fallen to a vampire a week ago. They had killed several but the leader and the rest had escaped. Both sides having inflicted equivalent losses. The two remaining members were level 17 and 19, the sisterhood had some gear spare. If a fellow hunter could use it, they would be happy to pass on a triple barrelled pistol, once they had finished their current assignment.

The squad of mercenaries was from the Gray Company, based in Gray forge one of the nine big towns, also known as the armoury of the north. There was a heavy set commander with iron and chain-mail defences. He carried a great axe with several throwing axes he was Level 20. There was a grenadier carrying cheaply made ceramic bombs, consisting of gunpowder and stones in small ceramic containers she carried a lit cigar in her jaw she was level 14. There was a scout she had a short bow level 17 and an archer like Vivian level 16, he was shorter but carried similar armaments with a newer bow.

Vivian got a jealous look as he viewed her new arrows. David showed the group there trophy the ghoul walker head, the vampire hunters shrugged, “new to us but we will keep an eye out”. The mercenary commander nodded, “we killed a big ghoul like that about three months ago”. The archer pointed to the crystal replacement, “I got its eye”. The grenadier admitted sheepishly, “we didn't burn the body, we left it in the cave just cut its heart out for the alchemist that wanted it.” Martin held up the head, “this is why you burn the body”. The party headed off to the duty that the steward had assigned them.