Welcome back to the Dragon's Den Actual Play Blog! For the next few weeks I will be playing the newest case in the Sworn by Ghostlight game by Matthew John! Long-time followers of the blog will remember the first case, the Ebonwood Effigies. My play through of 'The Wings of Rot' picks up a few years after the dramatic close of the first case, from the perspective of Assistant Detective of Occult and Ghostlight Mysteries, Selma Belright. What darkness will Selma discover in the Rift?
For this entry in my SbG series, I'll be using Starforged moves, Ironsworn Oracles, Ironsmith Expanded Oracles as well as the built in Oracles from the Wings of Rot tri-fold. In addition to the usual resources, the final two posts of this SbG series will primarily make use Ironsworn: Delve.
Selma Belright, Occult Detective
Personal Case Journal
18 July, 1330
The Rift - Fortress of the Aspect
“We have to move now,” I whispered. “Hunter, we can’t let them kill Endre. Trust me.”
The big man nodded and leapt over the balustrade, dropping to the ground below. His iron blade whipped back and forth, cutting down any who stood in his way. The man was a blur of speed and power as he pushed his way to the altar.
Despite Hunter’s efforts, he did not reach Endre quick enough, and her captor drove the dagger down into the woman's back, severing the spinal cord from skull in one swift motion. Endre’s mouth opened in a silent scream as blood spurted like a fountain. Lenny’s scream of anger and sorrow echoed in the chamber even as a low rumble began to shake the floor beneath us. The rumbling shake became a violent quake, and the balcony began to crumble beneath my feet.
Face Danger
I managed to leap free of the collapsing balcony, and landed on a pile of cloaks below me. I was thankful for the cushion, but recoiled in disgust as I realized these cloaks were soaked in blood. I rolled free, my mind reeling with disgust and anger. Lenny cried out, and I saw that she too had managed to survive the fall, but a large portion of stone had pinned her ankle.
Hunter and the dagger wielding figure fought near the altar, the iron of their blades sparking and ringing in the now deathly quiet chamber. I rushed to Lenny’s side, and hauled the heavy stone off of her enough that she could pull her ankle free. She hissed in pain, and slid back against the wall.
“Help Hunter,” she said through heaving breaths. “I’m no help with this ankle.”
I looked at my cousin for a long moment, then hugged her tight. She squeezed my shoulders, then pushed me away.
“Go, Selly.”
Face Danger Results
Resource Update
Ask the Oracle
I nodded to her and turned, brandishing my service revolver. I had every intention of firing on the hooded figure, but the unpredictable movements of the two combatants made it too risky. I didn’t want to accidentally hit Hunter.
“Go ahead, Miss Belright, shed my mother’s blood and give me the last bit of power I’m missing,” a familiar voice echoed through the chamber.
“Where are you, Tubblebottom,” I demanded, looking around the room.
“Why, dear Selma, I’m right here.” At these words, the statue’s head turned, its eyes blazing red in the dim glow of the dozen torches mounted to the chamber walls. “The Aspect of Dimuth is a mighty host, but sadly I do not yet have the power to animate him from my time. Your breaking of the Spirit Pool will certainly delay my return but you have not stopped it.”
“Hunter! Don’t kill her!” I yelled, putting together the pieces of the mystery.
“You are truly everything Remus says you are. Will you be able to decipher my last puzzle, I wonder?”
“What puzzle? What have you done?” I demanded, leveling my pistol at the statue.
Elijah Tubblebottom laughed, and the sound of it shook the walls of the chamber. Chunks of stone broke away, crumbling to the ground in heaps. Lenny screamed as a piece of masonry nearly landed atop her.
“I have not the power to continue our conversation, I fear. But perhaps my mother will reveal the last piece of the puzzle. If you can restrain her. For now, my dear Miss Belright, I bid you adieu. May we meet again soon.”
The light in the statue’s eyes flickered and faded. The rumbling stopped, and the walls ceased to crumble. The hooded figure sank to her knees with a wail and began to sob uncontrollably. Hunter’s shoulders heaved from the exertion of fighting the woman. He held his sword against her back.
“Who are you?” I asked the woman.
Gather Information
Resource Update
The woman worked to gain control of her sobbing, then looked up at me from beneath her hood. I was surprised to see the same face that had addressed us in the courtyard. Her pale cheeks were tinged pink from the tears, and speckled with the crimson of Endre Rafe’s blood. The dagger clattered to the ground at her knees and she cleared her throat.
“I am Ada Tubblebottom, Chief Moth of the great and dreadful Dimuth. I serve him and him alone.”
“How can you be Ada Tubblebottom? She lived over a century ago.”
“The power of my beloved Dimuth accomplishes many wondrous things, Belright. Soon you and your kind will witness his arrival, and tremble in fear. There is no stopping his coming, Elijah will complete his ritual in the past and Dimuth will return.”
“There must be a way to stop him!”
“Stop the great Dimuth? You are more foolish than others of your line, Belright. They tried and failed in the past. You will be no different. But he has bidden me give you this final clue: Seek the Portage Stone. My beloved wants you to find him. I do not understand his reasoning, but I am his dutiful servant. Find the Portage Stone, and try to accomplish what your line has long tried. Perhaps you may save your mentor as well.”
“Where can I find this Portage Stone?”
“Seek the Portage Stone where the bones of the ancient ones dwell.”
With these last words, a shimmering portal opened behind Ada Tubblebottom and a hand reached through. It took her by the shoulder and the portal enveloped her. The presence of Ghostlight nearly overwhelmed my senses, and I stumbled back. As quick as it flared to life, it receded and then vanished entirely.
Case Progress Update
Solve the Case
“Depart, Belright! Flee Old One! Go quickly!” a hissing voice filled my ears. “Fly with haste!”
The ground began to quake again, this time shaking the foundations of the ancient fortress. The ceiling began to break apart and large chunks of stonework plummeted to the ground, leaving deep pits in the ground.
“This place is coming down!” I yelled, running to Lenny.
Hunter ran after me, and scooped Lenny up into his arms. I led them through the only corridor we could see and, thankfully, found that it opened up into a large room with a stone door on one end. The door swung outward with the turn of a small iron crank. The door ground against the stone as it slowly opened. We found ourselves in the courtyard where we began. The dragon named Oracle hovered over the gates of the fortress, its chest swollen and glowing a bright orange.
We raced through the gates, passing through the creature’s shadow and scrambled up the stony rise. Once atop the hill, we turned back. The dragon flew over the quaking fortress and, with a mighty roar, unleashed a torrent of liquid fire. The lava flowed with such force from Oracle’s mouth that it blasted a chunk of crenelation from one of the towers. The rock began to melt beneath the heat of dragonfire, even as wailing creatures, their features a blur from our vantage, clawed their way out of a chasm that sundered the courtyard. They screamed as Oracle’s fire enveloped them.
“Return to the surface, Belright. The Old One will aid you,” the dragon boomed, then returned to pouring fire upon the Fortress of the Aspect.
We did as the dragon bade us, and turned our back on the ancient fortress of dark magic.
Selma Belright, Occult Detective
Personal Case Journal
1 August, 1705
Monaþstone Upper East Side
Two weeks have passed since the destruction of the Fortress of the Aspect. I have returned home and made an official report to Chief Dashell, apprising her of all the new information I had gleaned about the supernatural, Ghostlight, and the evil that prowls our streets. She has agreed to take Hunter, who’s real name is Julian Kane, on as a special contractor. Hunter is to provide support to a new team designed to identify and monitor creatures like the Vyrkolakai within the city. The dossier the team has already built is impressive. I never knew there were so many supernatural creatures in Monaþstone.
Lenny and I had a long, emotional discussion about my life choices, the truths we uncovered in the Depths, and how we could go about mending our damaged relationship. We swore to work on it together, and parted with hugs and happy tears. Lenny did make me promise to visit at least once a month, and spend a few days with her and the rest of our family. She plans to continue restoring the Midst, and has sent a letter requesting aid to Chief Dashell. I have yet to hear what the Chief thinks about her requests.
As for me, I’m still mulling over the cryptic hints Ada Tubblebottom provided about the so-called Portage Stone, my “people” who tried to stop Dimuth in the past, and just what Oracle meant by calling Hunter an “old one.” My inquiries have turned up no leads, but I can’t—won’t—stop. Not until I figure out what Elijah Tubblebottom is planning.
Someone’s at the door…
Why does it always have to be a knock at the door? Every time something strange drops into my lap, it starts with a knock on the door. There was, as I should have expected, no one at the door. I did discover a small slip of folded paper laying on the floor. Another hint, but this one less cryptic. The paper contained only two words: Grave Hill.
Selma and Hunter's adventures will continue, separately and together, in the future. Thanks for following along with my actual play of Matthew John's Sworn by Ghostlight: The Ebon Wood Effigies & The Wings of Rot. If you're interested in playing these awesome trifold games yourself, follow the links!
