Session thirty-three, supplemental - Mal's Magnificent Misadventure

So another week has passed without a regular game session (more illness unfortunately) but to fill the void I ran a short session for my son (who regularly plays Sir Mal Hawkwood).  This directly follows the events of the last session, is based on an idea he came up with for Mal might plan to do and helped gain a little more insight into the motivations and methods of this most mysterious of Hawkwoods...

 

Mal, Hemlock and Chastity are in an inn in Sector 42 having left Hemlock's family home. Hemlock seems quite preoccupied but Mal approaches him with a plan.  He figures that as Hemlock has spoken about getting revenge they ought to be seen to leave the fief but then double back and re-enter quietly, without being observed, and set up in a safe house of some sort. Mal suggests that he will head out tonight to establish a suitable location in advance. Hemlock agrees and Chastity suggests quietly that it might be wise for Mal to go alone for now while she stays with the obviously upset and disquietened Hemlock.  before leaving mal picks Hemlocks brains for where they might obviously exit the Sector and then locations where they might surreptitiously return. Hemlock draws out a rough map, narrowing Mal's search for a suitable refuge and the Hawkwood steps out into the evening.

He finds that the streets are mostly deserted but makes no attempt at stealth (he is a noble, he can walk freely where he likes...).  His search draws him to an undeveloped area of the sector near the eastern border and in a narrow section where the building is partially set into the rock face but also borders the city's central chasm.

 

Above: Sir Mal enters the derelict structure... 

He entered though a broken door way and begins to explore the structure.  After a short while he hears music and upon slowly approaching he discovers a small campsite, enough for a single individual, with the music coming from some sort of mechanical lute. It appears that the assorted belongings include occult and religious paraphernalia.

Mal calls out a few times to no response and so hides in a corner of the chamber to await it's resident's return.

After a while an Eskatonic priests returns from the depths of the building and is surprised but welcoming when he sees Sir Mal.

The priest introduces himself as Provost Grant, Son of Morris, a Geomancer who has come to the city to investigate it's "unique energy" and it's closeness to Doramos' terraforming engines at the planet's core. He seems to be somewhat lonely and rambles at length, telling much about his work without Mal giving much away himself. Mal discovers that the priest was drawn to this place and later discovered that is seems to have some form of "Wyrd collation" effect, a fact that Provost Grant thinks is based on the planet's ley lines.  He intends to study it further and also to guard it from nefarious powers, such as antimonists, who might seek to harness teh energy for ill.  During this time Mal sneaks closer and closer to the priest, sharing food with him and questioning him about his work until finally he strikes, attacking the man with a hidden blade.

 

Above: Provost Grant tells all to Sir Mal.

They brawl, the priest flailing wildly while trying to protect himself, Mal getting occasional slashes in with his blade. Then the provost drops to his knees in prayer, entreating understanding from the Pancreator.  His eyes snap back open as he realises, in horror, who Mal is...he speaks his name with quivering lips, rises and bolts for the door.

Mal charges after him, leaps and skewers the priest with his blade.  Without a pause he drags the body to the edge of the city chasm and fligs him over.

 

Above: Mal says a final farewell to the priest...

The murder of a member of the clergy does seem to cause him some regret though (no gain of Urge...) so he busies himself with checking teh building for other occuipants (there are none) and clearing out anything he deems not worth keepin (by throwing it after the provost).
In his exploration of the structure Mal discovers a stair that leads all the way up to a comparative, and also deserted, structure on the surface.  He figures he has found their hideout...