[CHURCH]  COMPENDIUM III
BONEDANCER INVADES THE CHURCH


	*****		*****		*****


The man known to himself as Bonedancer approached the doors of the 
magnificent church.  Proctor John had entered some time ago, and now 
various parts of the crowd were moving in and out of the church in order 
to worship, all under the watchful eye of several robed monks.

Passing into the church, Bonedancer allowed himself to be pushed 
off to one side by those more eager to reach the altar, and as soon as 
he found himself shadowed by one of the great pillars he moved out of 
the main hall and into the less populated areas of the church.

Making his way slowly through the beautiful interior of the church, 
he often had to hide from the wandering monks of the order.  After about 
two-hours worth of effort, he finally managed to find a descending 
stairway that didn't lead to a wine cellar, larder, or storage room.  
The stairway, lit only intermittently at this late hour, had the odor of 
damp, rot, and the slightly metallic stench of blood, things he sensed 
more than actually smelled.

Moving very slowly, his posture screaming wariness, he descended 
the stairs, his feet making next to no noise, and his breath utterly 
silent.  Reaching a door at the base of the stairway, he studied the 
lock a moment, then pulled a set of lockpicks out of his cloak.  His 
thin gloved hands selected one, and with quiet precision inserted it 
into the lock, only to have the pick ejected from the lock along with a 
small bolt of electricity.

Jerking in surprise, he cursed, "Bespelled, the guards will be here 
any minute."  Still cursing under his breath, he slid his right sleeve 
up to expose an ornate bracer on his fore arm, which he pressed against 
the lock.  With a bang, the lock exploded and Bonedancer opened it 
quickly, only to come face to face with the men standing guard over the 
prisoners.  Their drawn swords gave him pause, but hearing commotion at 
the top of the stairs, he moved in quickly with drawn daggers, kicking 
the door shut behind him.

Throwing one of his daggers took out one of the two guards, but 
that left him open to the closer guard, who aimed a blow at Bonedancer's 
chest, under his raised left arm.  The blow hit true, and kept going 
almost unimpeded, until it reached Bonedancer's spine, where it lodged.  
The surprised guard never even saw the dagger coming as it plunged into 
his heart.

Letting the body fall, the dagger still in it's chest, Bonedancer 
yanked the sword from his body, raised a hand to his hood in a gesture 
of silence, and moved into an empty cell.  As the sounds from the stairs 
got louder, he threw off his cloak, revealing the human skull that was 
his head, as well as the clothes that hung upon his too thin body.  Once 
more raising his hand to his grinning visage, he collapsed against the 
wall of the cell, his clothes becoming tattered rags, just as the door 
to the dungeon burst open and guards rushed in.
---Jeremy Farnham

Thai stood in her new chamber examining her reflection in a full 
length mirror conjured for just that purpose. As the new Deacon of the 
Church of the Redeemer, she had a certain standard to uphold. 

Proctor John might not understand, but being female, Thai 
understood perfectly. Outside her window she could hear the cartloads of 
wood that she had ordered being brought to the courtyard outside the 
temple. The last "cleansing" had been interrupted by an assassin, but 
Thai doubted that that would occur under the watchful eye of the new Captain 
of the Church's Inquisition. 

No doubt someone would make the attempt though. Semareth's 
business. Hers was running the Church and leaving Proctor John untroubled 
by minor details. 

Thai turned from the mirror to the bed where her weapons were 
arrayed. The silver dagger she fastened to her wrist under her full 
sleeves. With a simple gesture it would be in her hand instantly. Her 
other weapons were too obvious, and remained where they lay. 

Defensive spells in place, it was time to tend to the pacification 
of Montfort and the comfort of Proctor John's three prisoners.
--Phaedra Whitlock

"...and see to it that the horses assigned to Inquisitor Bender 
and his company are returned to the stables."

"Yes Deacon Thai."

Deacon Thai rounded another corner as she and her accompanying 
guards wound ever deeper into the soil of Ifreann. She held the hem of her 
spotless black over robes [enchanted of course] away from the stone steps
until they reached the lowest level. 

"A notice is to be drawn up demanding the return of Inquisitor 
Bender in case he has been kidnapped, and be sure to mention the 
wrath of the Church when you do."

"Yes Deacon Thai."

A pained look rippled across the perfect features of Deacon Thai 
as she heard her new title for the fortyseventh time in the past hour. 
"Deacon Thai" wondered if that was why Deacon Gerrard, her predecessor, 
had taken a sword in the chest for Proctor John. At this rate, she was 
considering it herself.

Thai and the scribe stopped to allow the guards to open the last 
door. Lord Therion, Elanna Elessidel, and Eldarion, the condemned witch 
and warlocks, would no doubt be pleased at the distraction of her visit. 
Idly Thai wondered if they even knew of their execution... cleansing... 
mere hours away...

The guards before her drew their weapons, snapping Thai from her 
thoughts. "Deacon Thai, the door lock has been broken."

"What?" The Inquisitors made a path through their ranks for Thai 
as she went straight for the door. 'Semareth!' Thai called silently, 
'Security has been breached in the dungeons. Report immediately!'

Thai followed the inquisitors down the steps, walking quickly but 
not so fast as to run into a trap. 

The guards threw open the door to the prisoners cell, Thai stepped 
over the dead but still bleeding guards and swept into the doorway to 
search the small room hastily with her eyes. 

On the floor, Baron Therion and the elves looked surprised, but 
present. Therion glowed green, and Elanna glowed not at all. Both her 
companions auras were dimmed. They really were still here.

"Search this entire dungeon, starting with guards on the stairs. 
Anyone still here, stays." Inquisitors fanned out back up the hall into 
an efficient search pattern. Six stood ready at the top of the stairs 
with the closed door at their backs.

Future Quote: "Fasting is good for the soul. As I have none, pass the 
preserves." - Deacon Thai to Proctor John...
--Phaedra Whitlock

Semareth thought about the missive he had received this morning as he 
returned to his chambers from a night of information gathering. It was 
from the new deacon, a rather attractive woman, dedicated to the 
'cause'... it had read as such:
--Nick Takayama--
___________________________________________________________________
|                                                                   | 
|								    |  
|Chief Inquisitor Semareth,					    |
|                                                                   |
|        Proctor John has informed me of your skill and dedication  |
|to our cause. There are many matters in Montfort and the  	    |
|surrounding areas to discuss and I would be delighted if you       |
|would join me this evening, perhaps after the Cleansing?           |
|        I feel we have much in common, and will have even more as  |
|time goes on.       						    |
|                                                                   |
|                                              Deacon Thai          |
|___________________________________________________________________|
--Phaedra Whitlock

There was much that could be read into this letter, of course. Yet 
Semareth was not so stupid as to accept any of it as truth. His pitch 
black eyes skipped over the intricate working on the floor as he 
wandered another long corridor in the Church.
Suddenly, a voice spoke urgently from out of nowhere:
--Nick Takayama

"What?" The Inquisitors made a path through their ranks for Thai
as she went straight for the door. 'Semareth!' Thai called silently, 
'Security has been breached in the dungeons. Report immediately!' 
--Phaedra Whitlock

His eyes widened, black irises hiding pupils which dilated with surprise 
and adrenaline. Swinging his cape back, he bolted off down the nearest 
set of stairs, his vorpal blade slapping against his thigh eagerly.

He arrived quickly in the dungeons, having only had to stop once to slap 
one of his own men to the ground when they mistook him for an intruder. 
He understood perfectly how the mistake could be made, him running like 
a madman, cloak billowing ominously behind him as if he were some sort 
of bird-of-prey. But the guard was stupid, and needed to be taught a 
lesson.He stopped in the doorway of the cell, and looked in at the 
slender form of Thai as she assessed the scene.
--Nick Takayama--

Bonedancer, collapsed against the wall in the cell next to 
 the prisoners, watched through empty eyesockets as the Deacon and 
 her inquisitors burst into the room.  Watching her take a reading 
 from one of the guards he had killed, he heard her speak of an 
 undead monster as the killer.  Grinning to himself (not that he had 
 much of a choice), he watched the guards stiffened slightly in 
 outrage and cast suspicious looks at the surroundings and at the 
 prisoners.  
--Jeremy Farnham

Still watching the prisoners, Thai knelt by one guard and splayed 
her fingers across his terrified face. Sigils flared from her other 
hand as she read the memories of his last few moments. A cloak, 
and skeletal ribs. Daggers. Disgusted, Thai made a blessing motion 
and stood.

"The Redeemer has accepted his soul. The one responsible for his 
sacrifice is an unholy creature of the dead. It wears a cloak to 
disguise its true nature, and carries daggers. Search the cells 
thoroughly."

Thai turned back to the prisoners. Alone for a moment with them, 
Thai's unearthly beauty twisted into something demonic.

"Neither your minion nor your allies will help you now, and you will
shortly be as dead as it once was. Prepare to die for the glory of the
Redeemer..." 
--P Whitlock

Semareth did not realise he had been holding his breath until he heard 
himself exhale sharply, accidentally announcing his presence to those 
present. It had not been his smoothest entrance, and he didn't care. 
Thai was something _more_ than he had experienced, something _evil_. 
He knew it would be a pleasure serving her.

One of the prisoners suddenly broke the silence after she darted a 
glance at him:
--Nick Takayama

Therion looked at Thai, noticed her fury at the death of the
guards and the rescue attempt, and concluded that matters
probably couldn't get any worse.  He was well aware of how
to control pain...and, if need be, to sever the cord that
bound his spirit to his body.

He waited for her first outburst to subside, then laughed 
at her, commenting "We all know your plans for us...and how 
you plan to kill us.  Did you not think I would recognize 
the energy that left the elf your Proctor John murdered, as 
it fled his body?"

"It may be that your Redeemer will win;  if that be the case, 
death will be sweet release.  But you should have a care, for 
such tyrants as your Proctor John will fail, if not today, then 
tomorrow." 
--D Womack

Thai looked at Therion as she would a bug, or cadaver, and magic 
spelled around her fingers. Only Therion could see her actions.

'I've always despised lords and ladies who attain their position 
by birthright LORD Therion. Not having been born into your lofty station, 
I hope you'll allow me to take great pleasure in causing you pain, and 
may the Redeemer take your soul as a plaything.'

Therion felt the hatred from her increase and as she turned away 
to listen to Eldarion, saw in her mind the image of one he cared about 
being brought through the gates of the Church and thrown into a dungeon. 

The vindictiveness of her mind belied the soft voice and 
enchanting beauty that was ensnaring his companion while he saw into her 
soul. 

Therion nudged Eldarion...
--P Whitlock

Eldarion moved forward to stand by Therion's side.  Should these black clad
monsters attempt to attack his new friend, he would quickly add his weight
to the skirmish.  After all, 'twas far better to die in the heat of battle,
then to be burned to death.  Eldarion would much prefer death in battle! If
only he could do something about Elana's being here.
--Johny Enright

'Poor deluded fool', Thai thought watching Eldarion's face. 
'Heroic to the last'. 
--Phaedra Whitlock

Eldarion intended to stare down their jailers, but was quite surprised when
his eyes locked with the woman in the cell.  He seemed lost in those eyes,
so deep....so deep....
--Johny Enright

Thai gazed back, wondering how far under he would go. Therion was 
immune, but Eldarion... A hint of a smile illuminated her beauty like a 
stained glass window.
---P Whitlock

He was startled by a nudge from Therion "She's entralling you, and there's
magic involved.  Stand firm!" he whispered.  Eldarion was startled.  He was
not used to such things, as he had carried his sword of Xeen for a very long
time.  The sword protected him from such magics, and he was not used to 
dealing with such subtle attacks without it.
--Johny Enright

Thai glanced at Therion and back at Eldarion considering her 
partial success and how to further it.
--Phaedra Whitlock

The woman gave Eldarion a slight smile.  "Too bad the Proctor has already 
sentenced you.  I think you could have made a great servant to the church.
After all, we both want the same thing - the total eradication of evil from
the world."

Eldarion thought about her words...yes, they were kind of on the same side,
weren't they?  I would really like to get to know her bet...**What am I
saying?!?**  Eldarion shook his head.  He looked back at the woman, who
let out a soft, musical laugh as she closed the cell door behind her. "Until
tommorrow night, then.  We have a date...try not to be late!" her laughter
got louder, and was soon joined by that of the leader of the black clad 
ones.

With the sound came a resurgence of his twisted emotions. Therion 
WAS wrong. She was just misguided...
--J Enright

Had he been closer, he would have beaten some sense into the man, but 
as he began to move Thai turned her captivating eyes round to face 
him again. As he wondered how she would react to his unannounced 
arrival, he cleared his throat, and reported as formally as he knew 
how: "My men are searching, but haven't found a thing yet.", he 
shrugged, "yet it seems that no-one is missing. I will derive great 
pleasure from letting the peasants know of the Redeemer's displeasure.",
he grinned evilly, and the way he accented 'Redeemer' hinted at 
another name. "If they have not yet learnt respect, they shall be 
taught. There are signs of dissent appearing, pockets of resistance 
to the glory of the Church... I have given my men orders to deal with 
this.". he bowed, belatedly, and looked up again, darting a quick 
glare at Therion... his eyes shining blue-grey in the darkness. They 
would return soon to their colorless state, but for now, the Redeemer 
smiled upon him.He grinned and looked at Thai, "Shall I have another 
squad sent to 'protect' the Dragon's Inn?".
--Nick Takayama

Both Therion and Eldarion visibly relaxed.  Eldarion turned and looked 
at hissister, leaning against the back wall of the cell.  He was about to ask her
how she was holding up, when he felt a familiar presense. "Garrison?!" He
looked about, as if he expected the druid to suddenly appear in the cell 
with them. But as quick as the presense was felt it was gone.

Eldarion turned to Therion.  "So what do you suppose *that* was all about?"
He said, nodding towards the door and the since departed Deacon and Chief
Inquisitor.
--Johny Enright

Therion replied, "No doubt they wish to torment us, as is usual 
when a coward gains power over others.  The abuse validates what power 
they have in their own eyes...but, the irony is, they will never be able 
to trust each other."

He leaned back, considering his contacts with Vengar...and the wave 
of power he, too, had felt...then said, "I do not think we have been 
forgotten.  Perhaps there is yet a card or two that may be played.  
Eldarion, do you remember when the Proctor arrested us?  And, do you 
recall when his mind and mine touched, to his great discomfort?  I 
sensed something very unusual...the Proctor is more than a man; there is 
a powerful evil about him that transcends the mortal.  I doubt we can 
save ourselves, but perhaps we can strike a blow at the end.  Even with 
these shackles, I am not entirely shorn of power...if you, Eldarion, 
could taunt the Proctor...anger him, so that he loses control...then, I 
believe I could touch his mind, and cause the illusion he projects to 
drop for an instant."

"And, in any case...better to go with a fight, rather than a 
whimper!"
---Dave Womack

Deacon Thai's enchanting laughter trailed off into giggles and 
then smiles.

"Oh Semareth, Did you see him? I couldn't believe it." Her smiles 
faded at last as they walked up the stone steps. "Have him brought to my 
room in a little while. We may yet be able to turn him if Therion isn't 
around to disturb things and that witch can't damp out the enchantments 
Proctor John gave me."

Thai smiled, thinking deeply. "After Eldarion is taken away, have 
the guards tell Therion that old friend has been arrested for consorting with 
warlocks, namely him, and is being tortured for the good of his soul. He too 
is to be cleansed."

As Thai left the dark corridors behind she assumed a serene 
expression belied by her vindictive eyes. "Baron Therion will rue the day 
he laughed at me. I swear to make his life hell until the Redeemer sucks 
in his soul to be tortured forever."
--Phaedra Whitlock

As the Deacon begins to berate the prisoners, her 
inquisitors draw closer to her in an unconcious effort to increase 
her effect.  Knowing he was outnumbered and that it would only be a 
matter of time before the extra skeleton was noticed, Bonedancer 
decided that this was the best chance he was going to get.  

Letting the illusion drop from his clothes, he flung 
himself off the wall and into a roll through the startled            
inquisitors, snatching up his dropped cloak along the way.  
Reaching the foot of the stairs, Bonedancer rose to his feet facing 
the guards, cloak draped once more over his body, his face now 
clearly visible beneath the cowl.  "I AM DEATH,"  He thundered in a 
voice like the slamming of tombs, "HERE FOR YOUR SOULS.  LOOK 
UPON ME AND COWER WRETCHED MORTALS, FOR YOUR DOOM 
IS AT HAND."  He raised a bony hand and pointed it at the shocked 
guards.  Then, spinning, he noticed a dark man, with ebon eyes staring 
at him from the deacon's side, unafraid, before he darted up the stairs, his 
ironically throaty laugh, echoing down behind him.  From behind him 
the words after him can be heard bellowed, though by the strange 
man or the deacon he couldn't say.
--Jeremy Farnham

"Attack!" shouted Semareth to the guards frozen slack-jawed at 
the top of the stairs. Three of the six shook their heads and advanced, but 
the other three were still not responding.
--Phaedra Whitlock

As he rushed up the stairs, Bonedancer heard a chanting behind him, 
and felt the gathering of magic.
--Jeremy Farnham

A bolt of energy blazed past Semareth's head towards the creature. 

Hearing the sound, the thing spun in place and deflected the spell 
with a bracer before drawing daggers. 
--Phaedra Whitlock

As he spun to catch the spell, he thought, "That's not a priest's 
spell.  Why is a church deacon casting wizard's spells?"   His curiosity 
didn't last long however, for the guards were fast approaching.
--Jeremy Farnham

The nearest guard took one through his unarmored shoulder, the other parried 
with his sword and wound up exchanging places with the undead. Behind him 
Bonedancer heard the other guards coming up behind him and somersaulted 
between the two before him. The uninjured guard he shoved off the stairs, the 
other he shoved into the oncoming guards. The last guard raised his sword and 
was cut down instantly.

Bonedancer threw open the door and fled down the hall.
--Phaedra Whitlock

"Agile for an undead, isn't he?" Thai remarked as she picked her way 
through the bodies of the fallen guards. "Pity."

Semareth was already halfway up the stairs in pursuit of his men 
and the creature and failed to hear her.

As he disappeared down the corridor Thai smiled pleasantly. At 
least there were going to be enough corpses to choose from when she 
decided to take up animating undead, although she had her eye on a 
snake skeleton that would be perfect for a torque...

With a low laugh she disappeared...
--Phaedra Whitlock

Running pell mell through a church is a sure way to attract 
attention, and for Bonedancer, this instance unfortunately proved to be no 
exception.  Though to give him credit, the shouting and bleeding guards 
chasing him probably helped attract some of his unwanted attention.  
Sprinting full out, and vaulting both people and furniture with equal 
abandon, Bonedancer managed to reach the main courtyard, only to be tackled 
by a slew of waiting guards.
--Jeremy Farnham

...and reappeared in her room in the tower. Out the window she 
could see Bonedancer had been tackled in the courtyard by a mob of guards, 
and that they had slowed him enough for Semareth to arrive. 

The creature rid itself of most of its hangers on and bounced to 
its feet. Semareth charged and clove through tatters of the thing's cloak 
as it leapt over his head. Changing directions, it bounded through a pair 
of guards coming to help and jumped on top of a wagon load of wood 
sitting near the wall. Without stopping it lept onto the wall and dropped 
to the other side.

Thai watched the creature disappear into the nearest shadow and 
disappear. 
--Phaedra Whitlock

Crouching in the shadows some blocks from the church, Bonedancer 
breathed deeply from his exertions, more from habit than any real need.  
Taking stock of his ruined wardrobe, he cursed. "Ahh.  These cost me a 
fortune to have made.  You'd think that church people would be more polite 
than to ruin a man's clothes.  Ah well, I guess I should get a room 
somewhere so that I can repair some of this damage.  After all, it wouldn't 
do to be seen in anything but my best at tommorow's festival.  I'll make 
another attempt at a rescue then, and since it looks like I'm going to have 
to replace these, I'm going to need to work the crowd as well."  Sighing to 
himself in disgust, he pulls the tatters of his clothing close around him 
and heads off into the night.
--Jeremy Farnham