As you know, a Tournament was to be held on the 11th of November in order to find two warriors to stand for the Barony and the Queen. However, a matter has arisen which must be dealt with immediately.

There is an Evil abroad, a rapist of the very Dreams that make us who we are. It has attacked the Kithain of this Barony in one of the vilest ways known, breaking the Escheat, and we must stand united against it.

It is my belief that this Evil is connected to the Murder of Lilliana. The boggan responsible has fled toward the castle of Count Llanwdd. It is my duty and that of my subjects to protect the Count, and to bring Justice for the death of a child.

I shall find my way to his castle to meet these ends. Any who are able shall accompany me. If one should prove him or herself worthy, this task may stand in lieu of the tournament.

I remain,
Baroness Angharad ap Liam
Lady of Caer August

from the Journals of Doktor Quentin Erasmus Davies Fyne, M.D., Phd., theoretical phrenologist, v.945, p.1452

... holding up. Stress however beginning to tell. If subject survives expedition will consider enhancements to make him more receptive and better able to acclimate to environs. On similar topic, Mole holds out for deep sea voyage thus far. Cabin pressure holding at very tolerable comfort level. One of seating lounge gaslamps plugged - must amend. First voyage through Near Dream to County Seat revealed that Storms have abated. Also revealed that Trod connecting County Dream are not uniformly intact. One severed, whether by chance or by Count's design unknown. Too many variables.

Second Trod stable and holding. Blood sacrifice of single sidhe provided by Baron Liam. Gustav Gwydion now absent from Expedition.

Note Baron Liam does not trust this person. Instead demanded my Castle Warden to accompany her during her rest while awaiting the Mole's return with the remainder of the expedition. Also demanded accompaniment of Human subject, who is under interesting effects of Enchantment. Bears further testing.

One denizen of local fauna encountered, however the Security on the Mole evidently well up to the task. Cephalopodic entity uses luring tactics like many other chimerae, to draw in target. Lack of subtlety noted in chimera's technique. Obviously relies upon Boggan prey.

Must amend technical radians of secondary rotary gear engine ...

From the court of Baroness Angherad ap Griffiths ap Liam,
Lady of the Barony of Shining Waters,
Lady of Caer August,
In the County of Drowned Honour,
In the Duchy of Winter's Edge,
In the Kingdom of Northern Ice

Whereas, by Her Ladyship's Command under the Seal of the Barony of Shining Waters bearing Date the 16th Day of April in the year of Our Lord 2001, and in the 30th Year of Her Majesty's Reign, the Lords for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral are authorized to issue forth and grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal to any of Her Majesty's Subjects or others, whom we shall deem fitly qualified in that Behalf for apprehending, seizing, and recovering the treasures, Glamours and Goods from the hands of the Foe.

These are, therefore, to will and require you to cause a Letter of Marque and Reprisals to be issued out of the High Court of Admiralty unto Kieran O’ Raillagh Commander of the Snapdragon Burthern of about 50 Tons, and navigated with 10 men, whereas the said Kieran O’ Raillagh is at liberty to equip the aforementioned Snapdragon with as many mariners, Kithain, and Glamours nessecary to commander, to apprehend, recover, and take the Treasures, Glamors and Goods from the hands of the Foe and defend them.

And you are to keep an exact Journal of Proceedings, and therein particularly to take notice of all Prizes taken, the nature of such Prizes, the Time and Place of their being taken, the value of them as near as you can judge, as also the Situation, Motion and Strength of the Foe, as well as you can discover by the best Intelligence you can get; of which you shall from Time to Time as you shall have Opportunity, to transmit an Account to our Secretary.

Provide always that security be given according to Her Majesty's Instructions before mentioned; the Said Letters of Marque and Reprisal to continue in force until further orders, for which this shall be your Warrant.

Given under my Hand, and the Great Seal of the Barony this 16th day of September 2001 in the 31th year of Her Majesty's Reign.
By Her Excellency's Command.

~ Quentin Erasmus Davies Fyne, M.D
Chancellor

from the Ship's Log of the Snapdragon:

October 3
Winds SW at 70 knots, heavy rainsqualls, seas at 20ft

What are they mad!?! Return to Port Blacksands at your earliest convenience my ass! Have those idiots looked outside recently. The Wyldstorms have only gotten worse in the past days.
Only a stark, raving lunatic would head out in weather like this.

October 5
Winds S at 65 knots, heavy rainsqualls, seas at 25 ft

Winds carried off the foretopsail and flying jib today. Goddamn those idiots! Speed cut by a third now. Voyage will take an extra three days now.
Must remember to get compensation before I kill the bilge rat responsible.

October 12
Winds E at 70 knots, light rain, seas at 15 ft

Landed in Blacksands today. Gods I forgot how much I missed it. It may be dirty, dingy, and chaotic but it’s home. Turns out the voyage may be worthwhile after all; almost the whole Brotherhood is here. I see Capt. Nell and her ship the Dawn’s Light are in port. Might be time to... renew old acquaintances as they say.
Time to head to the council meeting and see what this is all about.

October 17
Winds E at 55 knots, heavy rain, seas at 20ft

Have arrived back in the Barony. The return trip was... interesting. Nothing like having your ship change into a canoe right when you are trying to skirt a kraken. Fortunately when the trod changed into an Amazonian river it had it’s own problem with the razorfish. By and large the Snapdragon escaped damage although most of the rigging will need to be reset.
At least I didn’t miss Samhain.

November 3
Wind E at 20 knots, clear skies, seas at 5 ft

Well I guess I made a hell of an impression on Samhain. I remember being declared the Shadow Baron for the evening’s festivities. Upon regaining consciousness for the first time since then, I found myself in dumped in a dumpster with some lingering injuries. Blood for blood the Brotherhood always says.
I intend to collect.
After changing into some presentable clothing, I made my way to Caer August. The Baroness it seems has finally deigned to organize a proper Court. Doctor Fyne remains as Chancellor, Orrin Morrisey is Scribe, the satyr Max is officially Reeve and Lilly is Steward. Trueblade will fill the position of Herald when he is finally around to accept.
A small rescue party was organized to find Archimedes since he was missing since Samhain. I led the party to the Trod near Bosky Tarn where we were set upon by a very large chimerae who calls himself H’Achla, Master of the Forgotten. After a small skirmish in which the redcap was soundly beaten we proceeded to rescue Archimedes from some mundane hospital for animals.
Upon returning to Caer August I was accepted into the Baroness’s service as Thane and Admiral of the Barony’s Navy. A good as place to start as any. A little while later Lillianna asked for my help in tracking down her boggan which she seems to have misplaced... again.
We made our way to an old, unused freehold beneath what the mortals call Pier 21. A sacrifice of blood from three people is required to form the key and a test of courage to open the door. After Lillianna, Max, and myself performed our part, the door swung open. From the gore on the floor and the stench, it would seem the previous tenants had come to a bad end. From this freehold, three trods led elsewhere. Upon interrogating the trods, Lillianna discovered that the boggan had escaped to Count Llanwdd’s.
As a favor to Lillianna I have agreed to organize a voyage so that she may recover that which she has lost.

November 8
Winds NE at 5 knots, light snowfall, seas at 20 ft

Had an interesting dream last night. Was a very vivid, lifelike dream…. almost inspirational actually. As it reached its climax, I felt as though I was going to have a Reverie but then a nocnistae from a previous dream intruded and stole what glamour it would have created.
When I awoke I sent Jhasti with a note to Seamus about this. Maybe he will know something.

November 11
Winds NE at 45 knots, heavy clouds, seas at 20 ft

Well Seamus replied. Such things are rare but there have been instances of it before. It could be a nocnistae, a thallain or even the work of another fae. I have my own theories.
The Baroness sent out a summons for all the fae to assemble at Caer August. It seems this particular nocnistae has been plaguing a number of the local kithain, the Baroness included. She deduced that Lillianna’s boggan was somehow involved. She wanted to apprehend him to see what he knows. Since I was already headed that way, I offered my services.
With Herr Fyne’s Mole slung beneath us, we set out. Upon arriving at our destination we found Llanwdd’s castle locked tighter then a boggan’s coin purse. With the best magics the Barony could muster failing, a different approach would be needed. Returning to port, a second attempt would be made by traveling the trod near BoskyTarn.
After some sidhe knight managed to drive off H’Achla, the Mole entered the trod and we made our way to Llanwdd’s a second time.