Auld Reekie Session 7
The ships leave harbour, 4 vessels in convoy, The Anna, The Shetland Star, Suidheag and The Maid of Scalloway. The players are on board the Suidheag and are bringing up the rear of the convoy. As the convoy prepares to leave harbour, the womenfolk of the town seem wary but resolute, the weather is bad and looking to get worse but the thought of any of the captives still being alive means they have to go now. The winds are not with them and they are having to tack across the sea against the wind, the seas are rough and several of the players suffer from sea sickness. After around 30 mins the weather is atrocious and the boats can no longer see the coast. They decide to head out into deeper waters to avoid the rocks. The fishermen know the coast but they can’t take risks in these conditions. A strange noise of high pitched flutes can be heard on the wind.
The boats head in toward the island and the other vessels can just be seen at the edge of a thick harr. While the players are planning to land they soon see a glow through the mist it looks like it’s the isle of Moussa, the glow is coming from a raging bonfire set alight on the exposed island. The players can’t believe that anything will stay alight in this rain. The faint sound of flutes and drums can be heard as the boats approach.
As the boats convene as close to each other as they can, one of them is missing, the Maid of Scalloway? Gunshots are heard from it's last known direction and a distress flare goes up. As they approach the stricken vessel they see a seaman running along the deck turning and firing wildly behind him, he soon runs down into the cabin and goes below. The boat is listing badly and it is getting battered by the wind, it is out of control and needs to be commandeered if it is to avoid the rocks. The players and one of the fishermen lower a dingy and negotiate the seas to the vessel.
Once onboard there is no one around and the boat is in real danger, the fisherman barks orders and Douglas, The Priest and McNish rush to try and right the boat. Dr. Jacobs and Victoria head to investigate below. As they are heading down the steps the boat lurches sending Victoria tumbling down the stairs, she acrobatically lands however just as a shot rings out and the wooden wall by her head explodes as a bullet thunks into it. She turns to see a horrific scene and opens fire with her trusty shotgun.
Meanwhile on the deck McNish loses his footing in the storm and falls overboard, while the other fish him out Victoria and Dr Jacobs search below deck but find nothing. They reconvene in the wheel house as the fisherman secures the boon and the players begin to discuss what could have happened to the crew? Suddenly they notice that the boon is loose again and that the fisherman has disappeared. The Priest goes out to investigate and as he looks around a tear begins to form in the air right next to him, he pokes his walking stick through the portal and a large clawed hand grabs it and pulls him towards the hole. Douglas notices this and slides across the deck with his shotgun and shoots the creature. it is no good however as the priest is pulled through the portal and trapped in an unknown dimension for ever. The players decide that it is now time to get off the boat and back to their own vessel before heading to the island.
When they arrive the crew from the Shetland Star is waiting along with McGonagle the captain. The mist is still very thick and the island is deadly calm. There appears to be no sign of anyone at this end, there is still a glow at the far end and the sound of drumming and flutes come hauntingly over the din of the storm. The players advance toward the bonfire and spot Durie on top of the broch conducting his flock. His flock are playing instruments and dancing round the great bonfire. The players creep closer and decide to try and snipe Durie from afar. All their shots miss however and Durie disappears just as the bonfire immediately goes out. The cultists head up the hill toward the players.
A brutal close quarters combat ensues and one of the fisherman and Dr. Jacobs are knocked unconscious while McNish suffers a fatal stabbing to the heart before the cultists are all killed. The players investigate the bonfires and again find evidence of a great feast, McGonagle finds the remains of his son and marches towards the Broch with vengeance on his mind.
The players follow McGonagle inside and notice another crude message carved into the wall. McGonagle rushes up the staircase contained within the wall of the Broch and Several of the fishermen follow. Dr. Jacobs, Douglas and Victoria wait below. An enormous worm creature skewers and sucks the innards out of Mcgonagle and one of the fishermen before the group guns it down. The fishermen decide to leave the island now their leader is dead leaving the players to investigate the broch and find Durie.
They locate a stairwell leading down and follow it to a secluded sea cove nearby, there is a cave mouth that has been blocked up with boulders. Durie is found here and attempts to attack the group with a knife, he proves no match for the modern firepower of the players but promises that he will see them again "afore this is over". Salty Jim, a poacher who was on board one of the fishing vessels, starts to remove one of the boulders. A sickly red light emanates out of the hole burning and melting all the vegetation on the opposite wall where it hits. The players are intrigued and Salty Jim removes another boulder only this time the beam hits him in the chest. Salty Jim suffers from a terrible vision and collapses in a heap. As the players are discussing how to get into the cave the air suddenly grows painfully cold and is filled with a thick white mist. the player retreat back up the tunnel. One of the fishermen decide to chance a look back into the cove and sees several giant insects leaving the cave carrying the fragment and they quickly fly off with it into the night.
The players make the long journey back to Edinburgh by ferry and train, total journey time 2 and a half days...