The Bloodletters

**The Bloodletters** was the tenth episode of Series I of Blyth and third and final part of the Bloodletters story arc.

## Plot

As Baldric, Erwin, Ergo, Welty and Ben descend into the lower levels of the Mansion of Pinet Tremont-- they find that it is actually a lab and not a basement at all. Ergo decides to guard the elevator and keep a look out. As he guards he notices a feeble dog in a glass cell with leeches crawling about him. The dog using it's front to legs to drag it torso, which has long since been disconnected from it's legs and only connected via internal organs. It slowly goes to the glass and faintly taps it's paws at Ergo trying to attack him pathetically.

Erwin goes to an alchemy table and finds a syringe with a note wrapped around it. Erwin reads the note to himself silently and pockets it. Opting to instead show the others an empty syringe he found on the table instead.

Baldric and Ben find a journal from Viscount Gaston Blanchard. It reveals that he is a scientist who researches annelids. The journal reveals that Viscount Blanchard found Hirudinea(leeches) that were much large than typical specimens. The Viscount hypothesized that they were from the Cuthbert era and were used for bloodletting. The Viscount ended up treating them like babies and finding that they were lethargic without blood. Realizing they enjoy living targets more The Viscount resorted to capturing squirrels. The Viscount installed a trap to catch gators and put them into the chamber with leeches. He notes that the larger the target the more active the leeches are and that they begin to act in "unity."

The Viscount eventually hired a assistant named Percy to help feed the leeches. Viscountess Perine's dog eventually wandered into the lab and was bitten by a leech. The Viscount had no choice but to put the dog out of it's misery and feed it to them. The diary show more and more descent into obsession with the leeches and Perine's concern for not seeing her husband-- and that he figured out she was "seeing" the doctor.

Welty found a ton of test tanks with the KOPIA symbol is on them. Realizing immediately what the tanks are for he started investigating the clip boards. The group realized that the Viscount continually created Doppelgangers of the Viscountess. Though no one knew why, Erwin hypothesized that he was trying to make a Viscountess that wouldn't cheat on him and would be faithful.

The group's final discovery is a separate hospital bed with the corpse of a Viscountess on it, presumably the original. He body ripped apart with only her face recognizable and a umbilical cord draped over the side of the bed and onto the ground. It is then than a strange humanoid with a leech-like mouth knocked over some canisters only muttering "Mother" over and over again. The group disposes of the monster, Erwin firing magic missiles, Baldric and Welty firing crossbow bolts at it and Ergo and Ben flanking the beast. After the dispatch of the monster they find a lift key to go to the roof.

The group returns to find that the mansion was attacked by more leech-monsters. Amos and Baroness reveal that they were both bitten by leeches during the attack. Amos being pale and near lifeless, with Baroness fighting the disease a bit better. Leta attempts to tell the group she was bitten, however Erwin notices the bite and takes her aside. Erwin administers the cure he found in the basement, telling her not to tell the others. Amos asks that Ergo take his life and for him to deliver his trident and a letter to his brother in Trillic. Ergo agrees and kills the warrior. Baroness claims that she should be able to go a bit further to help them escape and trusts that Baldric will end her life if he feels it is time. It is also revealed that Lyndon Swiftgem and Bartender Franz did not survive the attack.

Everyone is preparing to go to the roof after Erwin recalling the servant's note about the flying machine on the roof. Before they go Baldric hears a noise upstairs. He goes to investigate to find Detective Hugo near dead-- from a stab wound similar to the one that killed Adelle. Baldric gets Welty to help him, and he agrees to help the survivors escape. Though Hugo didn't explain the stab wound, he looked at Baldric in a knowing fashion--suggesting that he's aware Baldric has put together it was the man with the powdered face that did it.

When the group gets to the roof, they find many leech monsters and a giant leech creature between them and a blimp. The plan was to burn them all alive, however the Giant leech seemingly had tentacles and instantly picked up Ingus and threw him off the roof. Zig and Ergo make a run directly for the blimp to get it ready to leave while noticing that it doesn't have room for everyone. Baldric and Welty decide to fight the giant leech with the help of Ben, while Erwin and Leta run to the control room to detach the latches on the blimp. Chloe and her mother Charlotte run for the blimp-- however Charlotte is grabbed by a leech and torn apart. As more leeches go to attack Chloe, Detective Hugo runs to her aid and makes sure she gets to the blimp. Baroness notices a group of leech monsters clinging to the wall of the elevator shaft. In order to give the party a window of escape and knowing her doom is inevitable she manually descends the elevator to crush the monsters. In doing so a lone leech creature grapples Valkot. While he manages to defeat it he ends up falling down the elevator shaft. Erwin and Leta fight leech-crawlers in the control room and start heading to the blimp as Ergo and Zig are unloading sandbags. Baldric, Welty and Ben finish the giant Leech and jump onto the blimp. Baldric looks to see that it is full, but still extends his hand for Detective Hugo. Hugo watches as the blimp takes off standing on a burning building. Erwin and Leta hug in rejoice that they made it, Zig offers Ergo a cigarette and Welty starts eyeing everyone's necks for bites. Chloe is crying hysterically about her mother and Ben pats her on the back. Baldric watches as the mansion gets further and further away from the group. With a big sigh, the detective takes off his hat and wipes he brow. The episode ends.