Hunt The Thimble - Week5 Game 2

I think "Chase the Lady" has a better ring to it.  So here it is dear reader.  You may have thought that you'd escaped, but no!  Here is the next thrilling chapter of our Hero's explouits!

Leveticus smiled as he watched his crew from Captivating Salvage and Logistics gather together the last elements needed to grant him the powers to see of this “Dreamer” thing once and for all. Half of them were already packed up and ready to go while the rest shouldn’t take long. The strange energy given off by the rather large monument was slightly disquieting, but the day looked like a good one nonetheless.

His reverie was rudely interrupted by the barking of dogs. Turning to look he saw a pair of Guild hounds bounding towards the small coffin and the strange fetish of bones and feathers that were the remaining elements. Leveticus was sure that there must be some handlers for the dogs somewhere and scanning the far side of the hamlet he spotted Perdita Ortega slipping forwards, accompanied by at least one of her brothers and a couple of other shadowy figures.

“Damn it!” he muttered. The Guild must have heard about the powers these totems could provide against the Neverborn. Of course Perdita would rush to seize anything she could use in her war against the Neverborn. Leveticus waved Ashes and Dust forwards to grab the coffin, followed by a small Abomination that always seemed to be hanging around. Leveticus decided then and there that the thing was developing too much of a “fondness” for Ashes and Dust that it just wasn’t natural. Perhaps it was time to retire it?

Jayanne started to move towards the bone and feather fetish while Alyce, as ever keen for the fray, dashed to take cover behind a wall. And, with strangely spectral hoof beats, the Hooded Rider who had come to offer his fealty only a few days before rode out of the shadows and towards the Guild interlopers.

Leveticus felt confident as he strode forwards, reached out his hand and pulled at the makings of the hounds. His smile faded as the huge form of the ram headed Brutal Emissary stomped up behind the hounds. This might be harder than he had expected.


To his left a flurry of shots rang out. He sensed rather than saw Perdita’s shots smashing into the Hooded Rider. He suddenly realised that she was accompanied by the Judge, allowing her to speed across the street towards his crew. Leveticus knew he couldn’t let this carry on, so he ran towards the hounds. He stretched out his hand at the snapping creature and warped its essence. He smiled as he saw another Abomination take form before him. As he turned to deal with the other dog a sense of power washed over him and when he opened his eyes he was back atop his unloving steed. He struck down at the yapping dog, it whined and fell back, still growling at him.

Ashes and Dust swept up the small coffin, intending to take it safely away from the Guild interlopers, in response the the large Emissary stomped forward swung at Ashes and Dust. The Abomination made a strange sound and charged the Emissary, ineffectually trying to batter it. Ashes and Dust joined the fray, taking chunks out of the Emissary. Meanwhile over to Leveticus left Franciso gunned down the Hooded Rider, despite Jayanne’s attempts to heal him the rider faded away into smoke. The Judge continued to run towards the fetish as Perdita with her modified pistols blazed away at Leveticus. Once more Leveticus felt death overtake him before he returned, drawn back to life by one of his waifs. Unfortunately he found himself directly in front of Francisco. “Madre dios!” the surprised Ortega shouted as he set about Leveticus with his sword. “Here we go again!” though Leveticus as once more he died and once more he found his way back to lie thanks to his waif.

Upon his return he found that the battle still hung in the balance. Alyce had killed the Death Marshal, another Abomination arising in his place. The rider had returned, struck at the Brutal Effigy following Perdita but had then be dispersed once again by the Guild leader. And the Emissary continued to trade blows with Ashes and Dust, the little Abomination being smashed by a back swing.

Leveticus felt a righteous indignation fill up inside him. Who were these Guild lackeys to get in the way of his efforts to drive the Dreamer from Malifaux? He charged towards Francisco, crushing him beneath the hooves of his stead and raising up yet another Abomination.

Perdita screamed in anger at the sight. Momentarily distracted by the cry Ashes and Dust was too slow to stop Emissary from striking down the Dust Storm, leaving the Ashen Core next to the small coffin. A new Dust Storm blew in from the wastes, but Perdita gunned it down before it could reach the Core to recombine.

The light was failing, but there was still enough to see the Abominations swarm over the Effigy and for the Judge to grab the fetish and run. The Emissary was also very battered, and Perdita had evidently decided enough was enough. She and her battered crew slipped away into the darkness. Leveticus was too tired to try to stop her and, anyway, he was sure he still had enough components to sort out the Dreamer. With a weary shrug he turned away from the fleeing Guild lackeys, he had a Dust Storm to find and a Dreamer to banish…

Our hero will return in “A dream to some, a Nytmare to others!”