Castle Brass

Castle Brass is a metallic cube in the marshlands of southern Gaul, patrolled by flamelance-armed knights. After a welcome Mass in his church, Brass hosts a mandatory banquet in his castle, introducing his daughter, Yisselda.

He has just agreed to come to Rome to help use the Runestaff in the aid of the Romans, when another visitor knocks on the door. He is Baron Meladius, Grand Constable of the Order of the Wolf, a nobleman of Granbretan. His armies are consuming the Roman armies, and he wants to see if Count Brass wants to make an alliance with Calamus.

Quite apart from the oath he swore to the Empire, Count Brass has heard terrible things about Granbretan. Meladius grins and says they're all true; he's about to launch into a long, character-defining speech when Bjern and Pouncequick jump him. Meladius is armed with Mournblade, a vampire sword which drinks the blood of its victims. He gets Junius, Brother Aquila, and Retarius, but Rosa comes in behind and heals them so they don't actually die.

Granbretan soldiers on massive, horse-sized wolves burst in to raven and slay! Rosa decoys the lead wolf with the thought that there's a deer running around outside, so the mounts leave, and Retarius and Bjern defeat some of the Granbretans. Pouncequick casts protection from evil on Meladius, in the thought that some evil power is aiding him and will now be cut off. It does seem to slow him down somewhat.

Junius defeats Meladius by breaking Mournblade with the Sword of the Dawn. Then when Meladius charges, he smashes his throat.

Count Brass ignites his flame-dagger and scorches the Wolves, then sets fire to the big tapestry over their heads and lets it fall on them, wiping them out.

With the Wolf soldiers defeated, Decinque bursts in, exclaiming "giant monster!" A huge rock creature has hauled itself out of the soil and is coming for Castle Brass.

As the knights of Count Brass charge on horseback, the monster reaches deep into the earth and pulls the rock out from under them, causing the soil to collapse. They all fall down.

Bjern, using the Axe of St. Michael, and Decinque, driven aggressively mad with fear, assail the rock monster and kill it.