Goraxe passed up and down deep in the Astral Plane. His feet made no sound upon the ground as he did so. Across his desk lay reports, some hand written, some typed others freshly printed. Some of the reports had arrived in the form of letters, others ley line transmissions, e-mails and others as scrolls. All of them told him the same thing something was up in Hades and Deevil.

At the same time he looked at his screens, some plasma screens others mirrors and crystal balls. In them he saw Tia, Theevil Medo, Pharaun and Vhal for Elves who he held in special regard. A Temperal Warrior, A Cyber Knight, A Mage and A Paladin. Perhaps they could help, maybe they could help him find the answers he sought.

There was also Colonel Black and General Mecarniac, both pretended like him to be dead, removed from the mortal plane yet like him they watched, dabbled and sought answers maybe they two could be of use. Almost all of them had retired from public life, almost all had turned themselves to personal quests and persuits. Maybe he could convince them to change their minds, to start to get involved.

What ever was going to happen Goraxe felt sure it would be big, bigger than anything he had encountered before and he wanted in. He hated not knowing what was going on and he hated been left out. Both the forces of Light and Dark where getting involved and they where moving their pieces around the table like the end of the world was comming. The end of the world.... could it be..... no so far the forces of darkness where split and acting against each other, no this had to be something else. He descided it was time for him to return, he had ignored the mess in Tolkeen, instead only getting involved with the rescue of those few fools who stayed behind trying to hold their dream together against the odds.

Well Goraxe summoned his friends, agents, advisors. minions and servants, he needed to return to the middle realms, no only to descide which one and when?

Greetings and well met,

Well can I begin by saying that Herstmonceux Castle, Medieval Festival was absolutly brillient. I loved every minute of it from the opening battle, to the traders, to the entertainment, to the end of day battle, to the jousting to the final skill at arms display.

I admire people who are prepared to go out in front of a live audience and demonstrate their skill. It was a hot day and many of them where either in full plate or partial heavy armour. They fought with mixed skill and despite what some mebers of the audience said or thought they did so better than many of us could have.

The whole day combined a measure of the historical, fantastical and mythological. I look forward to the day when I can attend not as a paying member of the public but as a re-enactor. Of course I will not be on the field of battle those days are long gone I am more a merchant adventurer - a raconteur and cunning man.

However thats something for the future. The sun shone, the company was excellent and we had a most enjoyable day. There is something special when LARPers learn to do things other than LARP together. It is a shame more of you could not have joined us(I know many where there in spirit).

So to finish up. I salute the organisers of Herstmonceux, I salute the entertainers and traders and I salute my firends for joining me on this a christmas treat from my parents.

Gary

TEMPLE BY THE RIVER

Most people when thinking of evil gods of the Nile most people think of Set who may be a god in his own right or one of many avatars of Nyarlathotep. However a god who often goes unknown in the shadows is Sebek a powerful if little known great old one who has the power over resurrection, life and crocodiles.

It was whilst reading through the local paper that Meg, the White Mage and I discovered that beggars, seaman and new arrivals from abroad had been going missing along the great grey marches between the forts at Old House point and Tilia. This in itself was not unusual as their had long been a problems with ratlings and Skaven as well as press gangs, smugglers, Boogles, trolls and the Kings Excise men.

However one of the missing people was Khar Al Kebbi an Aegyptian of some notoriety to us. He, been a minor magician, rogue and trader in stolen goods, poison and drugs of an illegal nature. He had gone missing however near the location of the Ancient Mausoleum, the one placed their by the Fay, Troll Lords and Elves of ancient times.

Well this was more than we could call coincidence and so the three of us set of to investigate. As we approached we first noticed how calm everything was. The water of the river Thames , the lack of birds and insects as well as other boats. Then we came across a shrine to Tamesis the goddess of the river Thames and the local people. It has been ruined and despoiled. The carving of the goddess broken and the offerings trampled.

We proceeded with some caution adding spells of silence and minor invisibility to aid us. All three of us are skilled to some extent in stealth so we knew we where reasonably safe. We used the long grasses and earth cliff of the stony beach. As we neared the first watch post near the mausoleum where the rangers where posted.

We fond them spell bound and trust up like a fallen stag ready for transport. They had been stripped of arms and armour and left bare foot and gagged. We undid them but where unable to rouse them from their sleep. The white mage dispelled the magic he thought might be effecting them and it had some effect.

We left them with news to go tell the constable at Tilia what had occurred and to send troops to support our position. We quickly moved on, sword and staff ready, we added to our existing efforts as we approached the Elven watch station. The elves had not been as lucky as the rangers they had been slain in battle. However the battle had been physical not magical and by the looks of the wounds they had been hit by broad sword, war hammer and what seemed to be bite marks.

Looking around we where able to find evidence that what ever had attacked the elves four of whom had died here had came out of the river and walked on two legs. None of us been rangers we had no more clue as to what these creatures who could swim in a river like the Thames yet carry and wield weapons like those used on the elves with speed and some degree of stealth.

We noted that a human had then joined the creatures ashore and the three of them moved of to the entrance of the great mausoleum. As we crested the beach and made our way to the entrance which was a little way in land we noted a skiff moored at the waters edge.

As we came over a grass covered mound we found ourselves looking at the open entrance to the great mausoleum, standing their some seven foot tall where hulking humanoids with crocodile like features. Between the two mutants huddled in a old grey woollen cloak was the Aegyptian Khar Al Kebbi.

He looked older than when we had last encountered him some six months earlier; he had aged almost ten years. Cradled in his arms he had a couple of scroll cases white ivory orbs protruded from top and bottom connected by a black steel rod running through the centre of each scroll. There where runes covering the case binding the two scrolls together.

We looked at each other for only moments when the crocodile men attack