Allhallowstide 01: ‘Marked by Death’

### Players

Dominic Allen as Squally Chase, Danann McAleer as Alexander Sparrow, Dan Wheeler as Francis Killigrew

### Podcast Link

https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-c9x9u-111b005

> If I’d have known we were bound for Norwich, I’d have bribed the hangman to do me first.
>
> Danann McAleer as Alexander Sparrow

> Memories are but thoughts that one has had before, they are as inconsequential as a fart.
>
> Dominic Allen as Squally Chase

## Synopsis (Spoiler Warning)

It is the thirtieth of October, 1592. The episode opens on a fine morning as five people are brought up out of Tyburn jail cells to be smothered for the crime of heresy. Among them are our player characters, all in a fairly miserable and disheveled state. The players describe their character’s appearances: Alexander Sparrow, a working man with a toady face, a shock of dark hair and big eyes full of emotion; Squally Chase, a country man who is both short and broad, balding but with matted hairs and an enormous forked beard; Francis Killigrew, a respectable gentleman with a (previously) fine shirt and a (previously) well kept beard and a sharp tongue.

The characters are then named and described in a voiceover by Joseph. Then we hear **Act 1- A Square, A Brook:** we then cut to some Shakespearean Iambic. Dom and Danann play two boring lords in Oxford square and Joseph and Dan play two sensitive boys by a brook. The two boring lords discuss the recent passing of the King of Merle, secret treachery, regency and golden hats (before being chastised for not being boring enough). They then discuss a princely commoner in purple hose and a former beggar, using plenty of innuendo, broken lines and details of clothing. (Clearly one of Shakespeare’s late plays…). At a brook that stands in the shadow of the Oxford gibbet, two sensitive boys have heard that the ‘fat old king has shat his last’ . They muse on the nature of life: beginnings, endings, fine trout and sweet nuncle Bob. Much listing ensues- a great speech is made and all creatures which have an end are mentioned. The dramatic avant-garde speech ends with a questioning (and questionable) couplet. (Or in fact one of Shakespeare’s very, very early plays.)

**Act 2- Tyburn:** A restless crowd has gathered to watch the executions at Tyburn. We pick up where we left off pre-Shakespeare, as people are being led up out of the cells to be put to death. Francis Killigrew realizes he very much does not want to die and at that moment, he is pulled out of line along with Chase, Sparrow and two others. They are covered with a bag and led through a series of tunnels, meeting a handsome, well put together man in his 40s with startling blue eyes- Richard Gage. He works for the Queen and recruits the men for a task- they sign a contract in blood. Killigrew sees a coiling tendril of inky blackness form a circle in the dark corner of the room. The player characters are released from their cells (looking slightly worse for wear) and stand in their own clean clothes with their own belongings. They are standing with a man who appears to be a horse trader (by his cane and leather jacket) and the four of them leave Tyburn house and are shown to a coach. All four men enter the simple canvas carriage (with some slight protestation). The characters have the realization that they are ‘Marked by Death’. Killigrew feels a sense of merriment at sweet music he never thought he would experience again and gains one Fortune. Music is criticized and personal introductions are made. The horse dealer announces they are going to Norwich (to great complaint) and various derisions are made (that it is a long coach journey, that hanging is preferable, and that the people of Norwich are known for…overfamiliarity with their family members).

**Act 3- The Road to Norwich:** The horse dealer introduces himself as William Gatehouse esq. and outlines their task: to pretend to be his friend and back up his allegiance to the heretical band of the *Goodly Servants of Light.* The players roll Intellectual- 5 for Chase (success), 6 for Killigrew (a celebrated success) and 2 for Sparrow (which is ~~a fail/a cock up~~ /a *falter*). Chase has heard of the Goodly Servants and is interested after stumbling on some Roman ruins- he remembers geomantic enquiries into the placing of buildings. Killigrew becomes keenly aware of the geometric structure of the carriage and the darkness in the carriage corners (and fleetingly, within them all). Sparrow recalls a late friend who told him of the Goodly Servants and is moved to tears. The men discuss pretending (and dealing with ~~cunts~~ arrogant superiors). William Gatehouse is purported to have tasked the men with going to a church and stripping lead from the roof for a considerable sum of money. The men should claim to (and actually) know nothing more. Sebastian Locke will also be there and should be assisted, looking for a heretical artifact which will then be delivered to their master (and the holder of all of their death marks). Chase suggests that if they are to work together, they should be open with each other- Gatehouse shares that his crime was also heresy (not ‘bonking out of wedlock’ as Chase had hoped). Gatehouse says he has also done plenty of that (Killigrew suggests perhaps with his horses). Gatehouse grips his cudgel and much innuendo and ‘naughty meta-gaming’ ensues, causing ~~Joseph~~ Gatehouse to hit ~~Dan~~ Killigrew who fails his Physical check and sustains some bruising. Gatehouse puts on a good show of apologizing, but it is clear this was not an accident. Killigrew is hurt but attempts to put on a brave face. He remarks that he doesn’t want to spend the rest of his life in servitude to the holder of his death mark- and feels a pull in his chest where he is marked- a connection, as if he is bound to the others. In an attempt to lighten the mood, Alexander Sparrow starts up a rousing song entitled ‘*Has Anybody Seen My Cock?*’ and everyone starts to sing it in a wonderful round. (We hope it will be on Spotify soon) The mood is lightened and Gatehouse pours drinks for everyone, adding some brandy to Killigrew’s as a way of apology. The characters feel a warmth in their heart- a bond, an escape but also a risk of their lives being forfeit if they go against the contract.

The men are heading to St Theobald’s, and Gatehouse shares all that he knows about it. He will distract the warden and the men will strip the roof. They wrack their brains for a supernatural connection with Bungay. They recall the stories of Black Shuck, a monstrous dog who works the devil’s purpose and haunts the church since lightning struck it 25 years ago. A monstrous beast, eight feet tall and with eyes like saucers. The sightings have been near St Bennett’s, famed as the last Abbey in England. Chase recalls the ragged black figure he say in the ruins, but shakes it off and muses on the subject of memory. Numerous fart jokes are made, and Gatehouse then outlines each of the men’s roles in the plan. To some complaint, Killigrew is getting the same cut for wandering around the graveyard looking posh, ‘like a dickless pig’ but he says he will pull his weight. The men arrive in Bury St Edmunds at a goodly house (not quite a pub or a tavern). Chase wishes to dry his gusset. The men chat and eat dinner, and consider their Tradecraft. Dan is drawn to Vigilance and Conspiracy; Danann to Kit or Access. They discuss pros and cons, eventually settling on Vigilance. The night passes and in the morning they make for Bramerton with a stop in Wyndham and an opportunity to make purchases. Killigrew buys a black, hooded cloak ~~of invisibility~~, Sparrow purchases some hard cheeses and a dark red Venetian mask. Chase discusses his dislike of Commedia plays and the theatre in general, and eventually buys a bow and arrow and also a shillelagh. Killigrew also buys a spyglass. The men leave Wyndham with a sense of preparedness and enjoy the idyllic view of this not-so-flat bit of Norfolk. They get into an open cart with a bag of iron tools, and approach the crossroad at Ludham. Sparrow feels as if he is in a dream and is transported back to the signing of his contract. *The Voinage manuscript tests him greatly- it is otherworldly and to understand it must be god-like. Sparrow says he would serve Dee if he came to understand it. He looks in his pocket (which was not there before) and pulls out a key bearing the number 8. A sign that Dee has an otherworldly understanding. He signs.* He wakes up in the cart and sees he is at the crossroads, hand on the key. All three men feel a pull in their chest.

## Important NPCs

* William Gatehouse
* Richard Gage

## Trivia

* The scenario was a one-shot Halloween special.
* The player character’s names and traits were rolled using a table in the Dee Sanction book. (Including the fact that Danann’s character was obsessed with the Voinage manuscript which coincidentally he is in real life).