8/25/24 Roland – Rogue Gwyneth – Paladin Hughe Lane – Cleric/Rogue Geoffraie - We are approached by messengers to have diner at the Moon Calf with Burgess Banks. The Moon Calf have portraits of the Night Watches, private social club and crime deterrent. We all accept. Roland also gets a message from Helmholtz, Master of Revels, at the Great Council Hall. Roland meets with Helmholtz. He thanks Roland for his help with the Coven Matron. He has a note concerning a “necrotic sword” and “blade of inflict wounds”. Ella, his predecessor, is missing, missing the last few daily board meetings. She lives in Dunham borough, nearby. Provides a note on past Master of Revels outcomes. Also gives him A Brief History of the Anhault Charter Company. Roland goes to Ella’s house. She’s not home. She was last seen at home 2 days ago. Ms Miller’s Salon at Thursday at Moon Calf. Roland offers to investigate. Bottle labeled “hot chili sauce”. Grocer’s name. Vincent, Sommalie, at Moon Calf knows things (possibly an alchemist). Roland shows him the chili sauce. He says it’s special, a poison. Lethal. He invites me to the Black Cabaret in a week in his wine cellar at the Moon Calf. Velvet, at bar, offers hospitality, Roland declines. Dinner at the Moon Calf with Burgess Banks. Burgess shows us the new Night Watch portrait. Gwyneth joins Burgess’s Night Watch. Giles seeks Burgess, found his wife dead. Giles Ulm of Ulm House just found his wife Selma Ulm dead at home. Tamir Rabi found dead at House Hanan yesterday. Lady tries to shoot Burgess. We defend Burgess. The assassin is defeated and vaporizes into a moon shadow when defeated, leaving her weapons (rapier, the pommel at the end of the sword's hilt is a carved bat's head. It has a bat's leaf-shaped ears, convoluted nose, and menacing teeth, & firearm). We discuss the recent murders and the disappearance of Ella. They were heads of their Houses. Burgess is the head of Lorenz House. We go to the Ulm house. At Ulm House. We examine the body. Bite marks on her neck and her blood drained. Vampires do exist and she was killed by a magical being (Detect Magic) Man, Mr Burbich (Cancer Blossom from the Black Cabaret) and woman enter. He has a check list. Selma was involved in a Tontine. The last survivor gets all the money. He offers cocoa bottles as sample. Roland suggests Burgess arrest Burbich. Burgess says he’s not involved. Burgess confirms Tamir Rabi is on the list. Gwyneth and Hugh try to persuade him about other names. The girl with him that Ella is on the list. Roland goes off to steal the list and has Oz, his owl, follow them to their destination. Roland gets the list. They go to Mead Hospital Morgue. Roland discusses the case, list and poison bottles. Burgess doesn’t know the other names on the Tontine but confirms he is a member of the Tontine. Ella, Selma, Tamir are on the list and dead. Burgess Banks, Christopher Cotton, Duer, Helmholtz, Lars, Lolani Phyla, Marian Hashin, and Miss Miller are on the list. Burgess says Phyla house imports bat guano (Admiralty’s gun powder monopoly) and bat’s head on rapier’s hilt. Phyla House is on the border between Braddock and the Foreign Quarter. We go to the Morgue. Hugh sends a message to Rowan warning them. Mr Burbich (Cancer Blossom) is leaving the Morgue as we arrive. We examined Tamir Rabi. Tamir has neck bites, drained of blood. Mr Burbich (Cancer Blossom) is the MC at the Black Cabaret, but claims he works for the bank. We go to Winter Wolf weapon shop (Gwyneth’s employer) Carick and Pale Moon, Owners, we show them the weapons. Blunderbuss is rare but normal. The rapier is +2 Rapier, on hit WIS save fail +1d8 Pychic damage (waking nightmare). It’s late. We go to a late night eatery, Halfpenny. The Halfpenny is a hive of scum and villainy. The Halfpenny. We feel Mr Burbich (Cancer Blossom) is more involved. Next morning we talk to Mira outside the bank. Discuss her implication in murders. She tells us that Mr Burbich, her boss, had his office B&E and tossed, three days ago. The Tontine list was taken. Mr Burgess did not report the theft. Mr Burbich is rarely at the office. She agrees to allow us to investigate Burbich office. The office is tossed. We examine the office. Most of the documents are gibberish, demented ramblings. Someone did break in. The Tontine owns the lucrative cocoa business. We ask Mira if she has any info. on the Tontine members financial irregularities. She says Christopher Cotton is in custody of secret police. Lars is in prison running the Hobnail gang. The Great Council are the shareholders. We also know of “stakeholders” of the company. Vesper Cotton might have financial world info. Gregor might know of vampires. We tell Mira that we are investigating but have not info. yet. We go see Vesper Cotton. Vesper seems sad that he sold his brother out to the Secret Police. The Hobnail Prison is the Secret Police prison. Kosola, a smith, works with Vesper, is also there. We bring up the vampire angle. We discuss with Kosola. She says Phyla are a nasty organization and confirms the bat head rapier is Phyla House. Kosola armed the stakeholders and could arm us vs Phyla House. We agree to help free Christopher Cotton. The Secret Police are independent of the Government. Later, we discuss the Tontine List. Miss Miller, Toffer’s Gang Leader, run a relationship protection racket. Roland and Hugh reach out to contacts but Durer can’t be found and is missing board meetings. We decide to free Christopher Cotton in the next session.