After the fight in the museum with White court vampires and their minions we lost the artifact. We saved the fake one while the White Court stole the actual one out of the vault. We were met by the museum’s mysterious benefactor Calcasieu Nementou, an elderly native American man.

He gives us a chance to redeem ourselves by helping him retrieve another sphere artifact but to do so we need to go into the Nevernever and plant a seed that will grow a tree that will bear fruit (another artifact) by time we get back. We follow him out to a remote part of the swamp as he drives a serious tricked out old Cadillac Boss Hogg-style. He opens a gate to the Nevernever for us and gives us very vague directions on where to go to plant the seed.

We take off into the Nevernever trying to find the location with the directions we are given. Not to long after we go through, we realize this does not feel like the Nevernever. We suspect he sent us back in time. It is later confirmed when we find a hunting party of early Native Americans. We manage to communicate that we are from Calcasieu. They seem to understand and insist on taking us back to their tribal village. They feed us and give us a place to sleep telling us in gestures and word in their language, that they will take us to the spot in the morning.

Morning comes and Rikard has stayed up all night keeping watch – which the natives think is funny giving him the name Hetsiwef. True to their word they take us to the spot, and we find a place to plant the seed. They then take us back to the portal and we return to Calcasieu who has been waiting for us to return. He asks if we did it and if we met the tribe. We respond yes to both, and he then takes us to where we planted it. There is now a magical tree with a fruit on it. We pick it and give it to him.

On the way back to the vehicles we ask if he sent us back in time. He smiles and says he sent us to a ‘special Nevernever’ since the White Council doesn’t let us time travel. He winks and Rikard asks him if he is a Trickster like Loki . He smiles and says no but he knows him and my Grandfather. We load up in our vehicles and head home to New Orleans.

The last three months have been … interesting for Rikard. After almost a century as a soldier and warrior, a woman has captured his heart. This is all new territory for him, he finds himself always finding an excuse to be around Lady Oka, or Sunny. She keeps telling him he doesn’t have to be so formal. She has spent much of the last several months training and learning about her hammer. She has improved as a warrior and has taken many of the Einherjar by surprise with how fierce she is. Many have come out of a sparring match with her with bruises and broken bones. This is because Rikard has been giving her extra lessons and it has paid off.

They did take some time to go on some trips. Sunny has taken him to visit her tribe and family. Rikard has taken her to Norway to visit his family. While there he bought a dog for her.

Alright wussies—listen up!
I bet you are like me… you can barely remember your life before becoming an Angel. They like it that way. They give you power, but they suck away everything that makes you…You. Your memories. Your personality. Even your name. But you are bigger than that crud.
Maybe you are like me. Maybe you have doubts about being a Hell’s Angel. Maybe you felt a glimmer of something in the mortal realm. Maybe you met a girl. (or a guy—I’m not gonna judge.) Maybe somebody did something nice for you—then you didn’t want to kill them so much anymore.
You have a choice. I met this Godly dude a bit ago—-he told me I can choose. (I think he was the Big Lebowski, or Santa Claus, or something.) He said I could just get out of the Hell’s Angel business—just dump that blasted ring—so I did. I ran. I know some of you have been sent to find me. You almost got me a couple times—I’ve got the scars to prove it. Lucky for me, I’ve got some friends who have helped me out. Healed me up. Helped me hide. They are good people. We can help you too.
But you gotta understand—I’m not hiding anymore. You want some of this? Come get some. I’ll be looking for you. Come at me as a Hell’s Angel—-and I will kick your trash back to Cain’s front door. Come to me as a dude looking for help, and I’ll help you out. But hurt my friends, and I will end you.

After the exciting events of David’s wedding, I had hoped that maybe summer would pass without too much supernatural mayhem here in The Crescent City. Summer is always a huge tourist time, and there are music and food events happening all over the city practically every weekend. There’s always something amiss, but a guy can hope, you know?

After getting home from David’s place, I figured that I had better do some remedial work with Greer’s new beau (Ha!), Beaumont. Things went mostly fine between us at the wedding, but the situation between us was a little more tense than I would have liked it to be, considering how close he and Greer seem to be getting. Admittedly, I was mostly to blame for that. I’m more protective toward Greer than I clearly need to be. I mean, she’s an accomplished police woman and has dealt with bigger threats than I’d like to think about, especially while I was away in the military and at The War, and she can certainly handle an amorous baker here and there should the need arise. Buuut, at the end of the day, she’s my cousin, my little sister for all intents and purposes, and I gotta be me. I’ve felt protective of her ever since we were kids and I had a kissing-cousin, puppy-love crush on her. When she first came to live with us, I remember one day thinking that big, strong, eighteen-year old me would save her from the bullies on the football field, when a few of the JV football dicks thought they’d give the new girl a hard time. Before I could even cross the field, though, she had one of them screaming in pain on the ground, another one howling with a broken and bloody nose, and the third one in a half-Nelson screaming a startled “Uncle!” like his life depended on it, which, to be fair, maybe wasn’t so off the mark. I rushed up to “save” her, and she just growled an angry “What?!” in my direction. The assistant coach came up and saved the “bullies” and I learned my lesson about how much protection Greer really needs. Aunt Addie apparently passed on a lot of what she knew.

So I wasn’t too concerned about Greer when it came to Beaumont. She got a pretty lousy record with men, but Beaumont seemed like good folk. I’ve known the LeBlanc family since I was a kid and Dad took me with him one time to visit them at their bakery. “Greatest fournomancers you’ll ever meet in your life. Not much good in combat, but they’ll keep seven armies well-fed and happy about it.” I met Beaumont back then, before he had even come into his power, but we were just kids and I doubt he remembers it. He’s four years younger than me, just a year older than Greer, and so I’m sure it wasn’t anything worth remembering.
That notwithstanding, I found out about how close they were at the wedding, when I overheard them talking about whether or not to share a room. That kind of involvement caught my attention pretty fast, and I fell a little bit into old habits…until Greer’s growl reminded me of the football field all those years ago, and I backed off. Besides, other things, uh, kind of took my attention.

In any case, I figured that spending some time with Beaumont couldn’t do anybody any harm, and I asked him out to lunch at this great new creole restaurant in the Montleone, called Criollo. He met me there, and we had a great time. One funny thing happened while we were sitting there in the lobby chatting before heading in to eat. The hotel GM, a guy I know named Layne, walked past us and started screaming when he saw Beaumont. Beaumont calmed him down, and had a quick, quiet conversation with him away from the staring guests. When he came back, he was a little embarrassed and said something about an experience at the hotel earlier this year. That gave us plenty to talk about at dinner, and by the time we were done, we had a bottle of wine in us, were laughing our fool heads off, and were great friends. The guy knows his stuff. He doesn’t know all about Greer yet, but that’s her story to find out and tell, and when he hears it he’ll be fine.

Being a little…loose from the wine, we decided the best thing we could possibly do would be to go and let Greer know that we were besties. We showed up at her house, and kind of forgot that it was pretty far from wizard proofed. An cabernet-fueled, overly excited conversation and a shorted-out microwave later, Greer booted us vagrants out of her house and we’ve been doing things together ever since.

I wound up being grateful for that friendship just a week or so later. I received word that there were some dark magicians doing some seriously dark magic. It turns out this seemingly normal couple had hired one of the dancers at this seedy strip club down on Bourbon Street to come to their place over in Kenner, by the airport, for “a private party”. She left with them, but didn’t show back up to her apartment or work the next day, and one of the girls that I, uh, know, asked me to find her. I guess she figured us big military types can go all Liam Neeson on people and just Find people out of nowhere. I got a weird vibe off of the case and asked Beaumont to come help me out. That guy can do tracking spells like he was born to it. Good thing I did, because it took some real effort to find what was left of this girl. We tracked her clear over to the freaking Mississippi shore line, over by Bay St. Louis and Pass Christian. We found her weighted remains in a bag down in the silt. It was horrible. These monsters had cut her up in six pieces after stabbing her to death. Everything was in the bag except for her forearms and her tattoos, which had all been cut off. I immediately remembered a grotesque ritual we had caught some vamps doing over in the middle east, and realized we had far more than a missing girl on our hands.

We had to leave the remains for the mortals to find, which just about killed Beaumont, but it was important that we not be involved, and that our names not get splashed in the papers. We had no way to explain how we knew the body was there, and if we were going to find these creeps, which the vanilla cops couldn’t do, we couldn’t let them know we were onto them. Greer was all the way over in Louisiana, so it was hell and gone out of her jurisdiction, and we had to just leave her. Sometimes it sucks to be a wizard.

Beaumont and I were pretty riled up at this point, and spent weeks looking into what had happened. We discovered that the strip club was being run by white court vampires, which was not shocking, and that they were occasionally sending off their “select” girls to some of their magic-using cousins for fun and profit. Let me tell you something. You have never seen a flame of righteously indignant rage like came off of Beaumont when that came to light. I thought I saw some harsh, angry warriors in the Red Court war, but it was nothing compared to what Beaumont brought out when we found the bad guys.

It was the day after the Fourth of July when we eventually tracked these white court sorcerers down to their hideout in the remains of the old Grand Palace Hotel. I had had a nice barbecue with the family the night before, watching the fireworks out over the water. It was a peaceful night, and even Mom wasn’t over-the-top like normal. I think Dad, who was home from Edinburgh for the holiday and knew I would be coming over, had mellowed her out with one of his famous juleps before I arrived. Greer was gone, off celebrating the day with Beaumont and keeping him off of Mom’s radar, I suspected, incorrectly as it turned out. That night around two in the morning, I was in my apartment, sleeping peacefully, when I was awakened by a loud banging at the door. The war has left me shaky about loud and sudden nighttime noises, so I popped immediately awake. It was Beaumont. Somehow he’d gotten a lead on the sorcerers that had taken the Lockhart girl, and knew that they were in the old abandoned hotel.

We spent the rest of the night and the next morning prepping, gathering backup, and casing the hotel. We put all of our equipment together, and I showed Beaumont a little bit about potion making, so we could make a potion to sneak in undetected. He showed me a little bit about what a gifted person can do with veils, making there be very little need for potions. I got together some local wardens that could come help clear out a nest, including some old buddies from Afghanistan, because experience counts no matter what color court the nasties belong to. We found the plans for the hotel in city records, so we knew what it would look like when we got in, and drove to the site with the team to scope it out and prepared for a silent breach.

We arrived in the late evening, when any mortals that were working there would have gone home, but before local vandals would start showing up to “urban explore”. We entered the building through a broken doorway on the ground level, and worked our way up to the top. We went slow and thorough, and made contact with the first group on the fifth floor. There was no stealth after that.

My boys and I got to exercise some of our old vampire-killing muscles, but my “green” friend Beaumont who I thought I would have to take under my wing was like a professional, but with Epic rage. He passed up a number of my old team, but never once got in the way. The vamps on the lower floors were just guards, we fought through them without too much trouble.

By the time we got to the next to the last floor, we had them on the run. That’s when we found the ones that got Jaren. We recognized the tattooed skin on the walls from photographs we had studied, and the ritual marks on the floor. These vampires were tough, and fought like nothing I had ever seen. In the middle of the fight, Beaumont got himself cornered by a bunch of the vamps and it looked like he was in a bad spot. The vamps were smiling, until HE smiled, and then let loose a wave of flame and rage that was stunning to watch. He immolated a half dozen of the creatures in an instant, and turned the floor into an inferno. He had drawn them in intentionally, and was actually standing near a doorway that led up to the top floor. He signaled us, and then ran up to the roof.

Once Beaumont pulled his fire trick, there were still a half dozen more hungry, angry, singed other white-courts on the floor. It was time, I decided, to pull out the All-father staff. If I had had the time, I would have cast a magic circle around the vampires, and lit up everything in the circle. The thing that startled me, is that I did have time for it. With the speed of thought, just like my normal battle spells, I imagined a circle of power around the vampires, I pointed at it and drew the imaginary line with the staff, and then…I fueled it. Lightning exploded from each of the vampires. Light and electricity flew from their fingers and eyes, and they turned instantly into ash. What Beaumont had done was impressive, but what I just did? That was something more. It was…stunning, and my fire team was staring at me with something between giddy joy and horror. There will be a need to figure out the implications of wielding this thing. But I could tell…Odin was pleased.

I ran up to the roof where we all met up again. I got there in time to catch Beaumont and drag him up from his knees. Heavy magic takes a toll. Well, unless Odin is the one fueling it. He had completely exhausted himself with his inferno trick, but the vamps were gone. The building, though, was burning wildly below us. Fortunately, I had one more trick up my sleeve.

My old friend Frankie Bouchard is an amazing wizard with superb control over earth and gravity. Without saying a word to Beaumont, we ran toward the edge of the building and…simply jumped off. We laughed while Beaumont screamed as we fell past the flaming floors of the now vampire-free building. The firemen were already arriving on scene around the front of the building, but we were able to sneak away to where there were not yet observers around the back.

And that’s mostly it. My new friend was a little crispy around the edges, and needed to rest for a day or two before he felt up to walking around the city again. Behind the scenes, I worked with some of our contacts in the city government, and a few weeks later the building was demolished. With some of our wardens’ special help, the whole building came down in less than 10 seconds. Give a wizard time to prepare, and there’s not much we can turn into dust, vampires or buildings.

We hit up the ESSENCE music festival that weekend, and got to hear Aretha Franklin sing. That little comedian, Kevin Hart, even performed. After a few days resting up and getting back to normal, I decided to do the San Fermin, New Orleans’s own version of Spain’s running of the bulls. There were more than 10,000 of us running through the streets being chased by “bulls,” who were actually roller derby girls, on skates and dressed up with horned hats, who had shown up from around the country to chase us fools with plastic bats. It was hilarious, and a great light-hearted relief to the stress of the previous few months.

I had one last brief adventure at the Vampire Film Festival spin-off, Midsummer Nightmare, that same weekend. A little touch of work seems to just follow me around no matter what I’m doing, though, so it was no surprise that I had some supernatural duties to take of there, too. I got to see my friend Jean at her bar during a haunted pub crawl, though, so I was able to use some of her help too.

Everything is pretty calm right now, but I have to say, I’m a more than a little concerned about the hurricane season this year. There’s nothing out there at the moment, but I have a bad feeling that the weather is going to turn bad, and the Fomor seem to be acting a little too quiet in all the wrong places right now. I guess time will tell, but I think we’ll have an interesting month.

When Susannah returns home from the Brown wedding she contacts Bernie to turn in Alex’s Hells Angels ring. Susannah mentions to him the rituals she heard about through the Shadow Hunters in Kentucky, Bernie just shrugs in response. “I know a guy, can teach you if you’re interested.”

Later that week, during a meeting with a man named Doug for a shoplifting charge, the man says he’s a friend of Bernie’s and if Susannah has any interest in summoning and binding he would be willing to teach her. A few hours and an Archangel later, Susannah spends the summer upholding the law and trying to do magic. When she finds her weapon skills are backsliding from lack of use, she turns to Bernie and The Templar Knights Motorcycle Club to add something else to her schedule. Idle hands are the Devil’s workshop after all.

Sunny has been spending time training with the Einharjaren over at Monoc Tower learning to use her new hammer. During this time she has learned how to craft magical items to help enhance her magical abilities.

While at the tower she has been appreciating the view of raw masculinity that is Rikard Baldrson. His special attention at David and Betty’s wedding did not go unnoticed and has become something more important than Sunny would have previously thought possible for her. It has spurred the change from “free spirit” toward a more “putting down roots” feeling within her.

I have started working on developing my part of the island and using some of my new found treasure to pay for it.

First of all Alex needed a place to hide from vengeful Hell’s Angels so I had a hidden “lair” built into a part of the fort ruins. It was built to be my own sanctuary from Bourbon street for the long-term so I went all out and spared no expense (although you would never guess because from the outside it still looks like abandoned ruins).

I have also been working with Charlie and Dylan to design and begin building “Indulgence”: A Bojangles haven and hideout built into the remaining fort ruins

Sailing back and forth from the island wastes a lot of time and is not ideal when you are being chased, (it’s a full day going only one direction). Therefore, I am researching how to build a 3-way portal that will allow me and the Bojangles to access the island from 2 separate portals .I would rather not have bojangles coming and going from my attic 24/7 thank you very much!

When I said I wanted to find out about my dad, I thought at best he was the man that broke my mom’s heart, and at worst he was some backwoods swamp thing that she didn’t respect in the morning.. What I didn’t expect was that he was the grandson of an evil Celtic god and that being his daughter would bring me unwanted attention. I think I’ve got that taken care of. Hopefully. My dad proved himself to be unlike his nefarious grandfather, and since I have spent my entire life trying to be a good cop like my mom and actually fighting bad guys, you would think it would have been obvious that I wasn’t following in the footsteps of some psycho god I’d never heard of. Apparently it wasn’t obvious. These wizards pass judgement first and hold the trial later. I know cops like that. They’re not the good ones. But, like I say, hopefully that is taken care of and they can stop breathing down my neck. I am grateful for Molly, though, and informed Hunt he couldn’t have her back just because the White Council was cutting me some slack. Molly was in full BEAST mode at the time, so it’s no surprise she’s still with me. Hunt assured me that once given, Molly couldn’t be taken back. I’m mostly certain he would have said that even if she hadn’t been growling like a freight train.

I didn’t just inherit a bunch of paranoid wizards from my dad. I also got his magic spear, which is a little weird to say out loud, but mostly it’s just insanely cool. I’ve been practicing, and I’m nearly as good as I am with a gun, if I do say so myself. Which is good, because I thought the world was crazy enough when Hunt first told me about all this stuff, but since finding out about my dad? It’s just gotten crazier. So I’ve also been doing a lot of research. A. Lot. Sometimes with Hunt. Sometimes with Beaumont. (It’s still a little tense having both of them in the same room, so I try to keep them separate just so I don’t choke on all the testosterone. Two wizards in a pissing contest can get very interesting. And destructive. But it’s all good. I bought myself a new microwave and let them split the bill.) Anyway, I now know more about the Fomor, and other things that go bump in the night, than I’m sure I really want to. I just hope it’s enough.

As April winds down everyone receives invitations to David and Betty’s wedding. Amid the arranging of transportation to Louisville Ky, Gideon gets a visit from Bernie. Now that he is married Bernie recognizes his desire to lay down the sword. Bernie tells him that it is OK he understands and that if he wants to lay down the sword and retire.

Through the month of April Vic has been have been visiting a new lady named Dee. He has spent lots of time with her and has gotten close to her. Just before leaving for the wedding, they are wrapping up one of their liaison at a hotel in town they kiss, and as they embrace Dee whispers in his ear, ‘See, I told you I would have you, and now I do.’ She kisses him leaves, he hears a motorcycle starting and looks out the window and recognizes her as Asmodeus, the demon of lust that tried to seduce him when they went to Hell to rescue Penelope.

As the Cavaliers meet at Beaumont’s bakery to discuss travel plans, they come up with three ways they can get to Louisville – a 10 hour drive, about a four hour flight, or travel through the Nevernever for about 2 1/2 to three hours. All the Cavaliers decide to drive except David who is coming later. Betty and her family are already there in Louisville at David’s family home, but he needs to finish up some things at the university before he can leave so he’ll be coming through the Nevernever later – probably getting there about the same time as they do.

Following David’s directions, they drive through Louisville and north of town for about 10 minutes as they leave town it turns into suburbs and then country and rural areas outside of town. The directions lead them to what looks like a forest in the distance in the hills north of the city. As they approach the forest they come through a small little village, probably about 3 -4 blocks in any direction. The instructions tell them to drive through the village to the other side towards the forest. As they do so outside of the village they come to a gatehouse on the road.

There standing in the middle of the gatehouse arch is a tall is a hulking figure. Probably close to 7 feet tall and broad shoulders. This individual dressed in a Butler’s uniform and looks intimidating. He stops the group ask to see their invitations and invokes The Guest Rights of Hospitality under the Unseelie Accords before they enter. After being invited in the Cavaliers proceed down the small country road past the gatehouse. It is lush forests and streams going through the property right up to the road. It is green, lush, and beautiful. The road is only big enough for one car and it winds through this forested landscape for about four miles. As they drive, they swear that they can see little motes of light fliting through the forest trees, it looks like these might be fairies of some sort. As the relaxing and enjoyable drive comes to an end, they see David’s ancestral home.

As they pull up to the house next to the garage which used to be the stables and carriage house of the house there met again by Wellington, who somehow has traveled from the gatehouse to here faster than they have. He introduces them to David’s family saying he must get back to the gatehouse, he has just received word that David and a group has just been picked up where they came through the Nevernever. David’s grandfather, Owsley, introduces them to David’s Mother and sister Evangeline and Vivian. He explains that they can choose to stay here at the mansion or arrangements have been made for some bed and breakfast cottages in the village outside the gates of the estate, if they would like to have some privacy. The Cavalier’s decided to stay and are put up on the third floor, and Evangeline takes them to their rooms.

As she does so, she explains that the Browns have lived here since 1895 when David’s great-grandfather build the estate. She gives them a short tour of the house and explains that they are free to relax until 6:30 this evening, when a small family style welcome dinner will be promptly served in the Banquet Hall. She also explains that they are free to enjoy the grounds and amenities while here.

Indeed, David and the Bourbon Street Irregulars arrive at house shortly after the Cavaliers settle into their rooms. They have a very traumatized and shellshocked young man with them who is carrying a large rucksack with supplies and other essentials for an expedition of some sort. David reports that he is a wizard apprentice named Sean McAvoy and they found him and his teacher, Lucius Von Trappe traveling at the waypoint near The Safehouse, ran by James and Catlin Pauley. They were trying to escape giant crystal spiders chasing them and sadly Lucius perished. The party didn’t feel like they could leave him alone and stranded in the Nevernever so they bought him with them. Immediately Evangeline takes him under her wing and promises they will get it all sorted out as she takes him off to find a room and get cleaned up. Sean who cannot believe that his mentor is dead, and he is now alone with no teacher. He wonders how he will pass the wizarding trials and become a full Wizard of the White Council. Beaumont makes it a point to visit with him and offers him a place to stay with his family in New Orleans. Because Beaumont is nice to him and listens, he offers him his Lucius’s monocle, a powerful magic item.

At 6:30 they make their way to the Banquet Hall and a ‘small family style welcome dinner’ is served in a Banquet Hall that can seat 70 people. A local band, The Soggy Bottom Boys, entertains the guests while they eat. They include their rendition of “A Man of Constant Sorrow”, much to the delight of the guests. At the dinner and activities of the following days the Cavaliers see many familiar faces they know, such as: Wizard McCoy representing the Senior Council and Captain Luccio from the Wardens of the White Council, The Leananshide of the Winter Court, and The Summer Lady Lily. Also represented are the minor courts of New Orleans – The Patriarch and his daughters (including Eve) of the Swamp Court, as well as Absinthe and Lillet, the Queen and Lady of the Cortege Gras.

They also see the Bourbon Street Irregulars – including Hilda – and meet the rest of David’s family. His grandfather, mother, and sister are there, along with his ‘Uncle Jasper’, ‘Cousin’ Karen, ‘Aunts’ Hilda and Zelda, and several ‘pure mortal’ members of his family.

However, they also see several other individuals they do not recognize but are introduced to; including a petite dark haired lady who introduces herself as Julie Singleton, a representative of the Venatori Unumbrum, and sniper, a short stocky man – not more than 5 feet tall with shaggy long hair and thick beard who is introduced as Bokk of Svartalfheim and brother of Etri, they also meet Angelica an member of the Shadowhunters, the last is an taciturn, older distinguished man who keeps to himself and is known only as Mac. The guys feel a great deal of power emanating from him and get the hint of a sea breeze smell when around him.

At dinner all the guests are given itineraries for the remaining days of the celebration. Friday is pretty much free for them, with only a rehearsal and dinner Friday evening with the wedding planned for Saturday at noon. The Brown family has set up several activities over the next few days for their guests to participate in; for example, the family has arranged a tour of the Old Forrester Distillery, they can visit Churchill Downs in the Kentucky Derby Museum, take a day trip out to the Falls of the Ohio, or go horseback riding and hiking through the 8000 acres of the estate. There is also a bocci ball and croquet courts set up on the green, as well as a spa day for those who would like to have a spa treatment before the wedding.

The Cavaliers decide they would like to go to would be the Distillery Tour and Churchill Downs with the Kentucky Derby Museum. The distillery tour is very intriguing and enjoyable. When they go to Churchill Downs there is a minor horse race going on and Vic decides to bet on it. He uses the magic of his Court to make sure his horses win, and he comes away with substantial winnings. During the rest of Friday, they enjoy the grounds of Samaire, but several times they see Eve walking the grounds innocuously, but they do not trust her – so they follow her and find some coral shards near the tributary to the Ohio River that runs through the estate. They realize that there should not be coral this far inland. They hold on to some samples and report their findings David’s Grandfather about their finding and he tasks Wellington to investigate it.

The rehearsal and the dinner took place outside on the Esplanade in front of the house. There were event tents and other service areas for the help set up to be able to serve the dinner and refreshments. Toward the evening, guests start arriving -all the ones that they had seen the last few days. The rehearsal goes fine, and the dinner begins with an appetizer and the first course is enjoyable. Everyone seems like they are having good time visiting and getting to know each other.

After the main course is served Eve, the Patriarch’s daughter stands up and asks all the Accorded Nations in attendance what the were-guild would be for someone who killed members of their house they are all astonished with the question and the patriarch tries to question his daughter, but she continues with accusations about the Cavaliers slaying her followers and her Lieutenant, the troll Remus. The Lananshide speaks as a representative of the Unseelie Court, as she is representing Mab – who wrote the Accords – saying that it is the right of the offended Nation to demand recompense for the losses that is suffered at the hands of another Nation. All the rest of the Accorded Nation representatives agree that she does have a claim.

She demands a were-guild from them instead of combat under the Code Duello. The Cavaliers try to maneuver their way out of it but realize that there is no spirit of the law when it comes to the Accords. They did kill her people so there needs to be some sort of recompense under the Accords. They ask what she wants for a payment, to which she responds that she wants three apples, two steeds with a chariot, and a cooking spit. Eve then asks if they agree to these terms. The Cavaliers want more details before they agree, to which she informs them that the golden apples from the Hesperides, the steeds and chariot belong to King Dobar of Sikilia, and the cooking spit is one of the spits of the fairy women of the island of Finchory.

Beaumont and Vic respond by pointing out that this is too much of a were-guild for a troll and some subordinates. There is an argument until they decide to approach her father – the Patriarch and the actual leader of their Court. Eve starts saying that if they do not accept the were-guild then it will be trial by combat. Her father steps in and puts his daughter in her place by reminding her that he is the Patriarch, and he will make the decision for the court not her. She gets mad storms out. He apologizes and acknowledges that there is a price that needs to be paid. He will think on this as they finish their main course and by the end of dinner he has come to his conclusion. He says that asking for three items were overreaching, but he wants the three apples as an appropriate were-guild for the loss the Swamp Court has suffered, and he wants them by dawn. It was about 9 pm the guys do not know how they’re going to get to the Isle of Hesperides, let alone where it’s at.

The Leananshide approaches the Cavaliers with some advice, however Beaumont and the others are not keen on accepting favors from her for fear of becoming in debt to her and the Winter Court. She offers it freely given with no expectation of payment she tells them that she knows a way to get there and back again faster than even traveling through the Nevernever. They are intrigued and she tells him they need to find the old man in the sea and ask to borrow his boat. They wonder who it could be and then remember the mysterious Mac, who smelled like the ocean breeze in radiated power beyond a normal emissary. They find him at the dinner party and approach him saying that it has been suggested they ask him for use of his boat.

He toys with him for a minute saying, ‘What makes you think I have a boat?’ The Cavaliers explain that they suspect him having much more power than he puts on and that the Leananshide has told them to look for a certain Triskelion-shaped design worn by the Old Man in the Sea. He replies that he does not recognize it. But as he reaches for his drink the arm of his suit coat slides up and they see his shirt has cufflinks with the same symbol on them. The group says that they think they are talking to the right person and they really need his help. They ask who he is, and he finally responds, ‘I am Manannan Mac Lir of the Tuatha de Danann.

He agrees to let them use his boat, on one condition – he introduces them to his foster granddaughter, which Beaumont says he can do because he knows that Greer has recently discovered she is Lugh’s daughter. He points them to the tributary river on the property and shows them his boat. He explains that all they need to do is say where they want to go, and it will take them there in record time.

The Cavaliers push off and begin their journey. The do make it in record time – it feels like only a few minutes have passed. The boat slows to a stop on the beach of an idyllic island with a grove of apple trees interlaced with mounds of earth running through them. They see no signs of guards of any kind so Luther says, ‘This is going to be easy.’ He jumps out of the boat and crosses the beach. As soon as he steps off the beach and into the orchards, the mounds of earth erupt into a giant multi headed dragon of some sort – reminiscent of a chimera. The dragon bites Luther severely wounding him. The rest of the Cavaliers come to his aid. As they engage in the battle, they soon discover that it has a weakness to lead, so they shoot the thing full of holes with their guns killing it.

As the Cavaliers vanquish the dragon, four griffins attack from the sky with a screech. They hurry and grab apples, eventually grabbling five. Even injured Luther grabbed three and Vic managed to get two low hanging ones. Beaumont released fire in the sky as a shield to hold off the griffins as they escape back to the boat. When the return to Samaire it is 11:30 pm. They approached the Patriarch saying they have that which he required of them. He accepts the wergild fulfilled and Eve absolutely loses it. She is furious and livid with her father after being put in place put in her place. She goes absolutely nuts talking about having her revenge and that they will not be able to stop her she is going to see them brought down low and ruin bought upon all those that they hold dear. At the end of her tirade she shouts, ‘I curse you Cavaliers for what you’ve done, that you might crawl up on the ground for the rest of your days! Enter now and take your revenge!’ At which point she disappears.

Nothing seems to happen to the Cavaliers, and they think that they dodged a bullet until they start to speak and all they do is ribbit like a frog at which point they start transforming into frogs. The last thing they see as they transform is portals opening up in the forest surrounding the estate, and shouts of alarm being raised. The wards are being attacked and portals are opening inside the grounds of the estate. Owsley gives commands to defend the guests. He slams his walking stick on the ground and shouts, ‘Defendere Praedium!’ When he says those words all the statues, bas reliefs, and everything else decorating the property – including the gargoyles comes to life and begins attacking the host of Fomor that are pouring through the portals opened on the property. He then turns to the house and shouts, ‘Siquidem domum!’ and a shield springs up around the hose protecting it from attack as well.
And then their vision reduces to that of frogs as they are scooped up by loved ones and taken to safety.

Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion in the Bourbon Street Irregular adventure, We’re Gonna Get Married’.
We’re Gonna Get Married
In the weeks before leading up to the wedding, Jeanie and Alex meet with Deborah Gale some more to find out about the lost Napoleon Fleur de Lis, a jewel-encrusted emblem, which was gifted to New Orleans as part of the Louisiana Purchase, but later stolen by the Pirate Jean Lafitte. It was never recovered, possibly hidden with other treasure. They also recently started working with Elaine Dodd, an oceanographer, to help narrow down possible locations. But it is difficult, Lafiite made it almost impossible without a map and following all the clues. Rumor has it that the Fluer is the basis for the flag.

During Contraband Days, a pirate themed festival in New Orleans that runs from May 3 – 12, 2012, two women dressed festively search for the secret entrance to an exclusive costume party. Unfortunately, instead of drunken revelry, they stumble upon a dead body, strung up inside a warehouse on the waterfront. The victim was beaten before her death, and her arm was partially skinned, perhaps as part of an interrogation, possibly tortured. Her purse is still at the scene, so it doesn’t appear to be a robbery. Greer was just getting ready to leave on vacation to travel to David and Betty’s wedding but feels compelled to stay. Viatrex Proctor convinces her to go and enjoy herself they can handle a murder investigation without her.

David is traveling with them and will guide them through the Nevernever to his family’s home. NOLA is a nexus of waypoints. Those traveling the Nevernever often come out at one waypoint, walk a few blocks, or take the streetcar to another waypoint and continue their journey. This makes it relatively easy to find a waypoint to help you on your journey. The waypoint to begin to travel to Louisville is at Cascade Stables in Audubon Park. He explains that the first leg of the journey is a crystal landscape. Once they travel for about an hour they will exit out far off the beaten path near the border of Idaho and Montana. Then they will need to take about a 5-minute walk to The Safehouse, home of James and Catlin Pauley. The first leg of the journey is relatively uneventful, and they pass through a crystal landscape safely.

As they begin their walk to the safehouse the group sees two individuals running for the Pauley home in the distance, a older gentleman and a teenage boy. It soon becomes apparent that they are being chased by four giant crystal spiders and are trying to make it to the Safehouse and the man providing cover fire with a rifle for them. As the group rushes to help it soon becomes apparent that the two are not going to make it – they will be cut off before they can reach safety. The old man also realizes it and pushes the boy out of the way as a spider sinks its fangs into the old man’s chest, killing him. The teenage by lashes out with a magical blast of force, knocking the spider back and giving him enough time to make it to the property line. The party fights off the other spiders and arrive at the Pauley residence not long after.

James and Catlin welcome the into their home and greet David, congratulating him on his upcoming wedding. They explain that his family have sent word to them expecting travelers coming through the Nevernever for the occasion. They offer to feed the group and let them rest if the group helps with some chores around the farm. David explains that this is all they ask for their hospitality. James explains to them, as they are picking off more spiders along the borders of the property, that their house is protected by a powerful threshold – they are not magic users, but they have mighty faith. However, it is just not enough anymore. Every month it gets harder and harder to protect themselves and if things don’t improve, they might just have to leave. David explains that if that happens there will be nothing to keep the area safe and travelers through the Nevernever will not have a safe waypoint at this nexus anymore. Hunt promises that they will come back and help after the wedding. They take Sean, the young wizard apprentice to Lucius Von Trappe, with them when they leave. He is shellshocked and he cannot be left here, so they take him with them to David’s family home where they can contact the White Council.

The second part of the trip is through a landscape of red rocks and blue foliage. It looks somewhat earthlike except for the coloring of the plants. It is uneventful and they exit out of the Nevernever and into Louisville, Kentucky – specifically Churchill Downs Racetrack. David explains that his family has transportation waiting for them. Outside they find two old limousines, with drivers, waiting for them.

As the vehicles travel through the city, David explains that his great-grandfather built the family estate at the end of the 19th century outside of the city. They travel about ten minutes out of the city toward the forested foothills, when they enter a little village right at the edge of the forest. According to David, the village of Samaire was built at the same time as the estate to provide manpower and help in constructing and maintaining the estate. It is small and quaint, but they do have their own post office, doctor’s office, and several other shops and cottages. The whole village is maybe two to three blocks in any direction.

Heading out of the village they come upon this gatehouse. The cars stop because there is a huge man in a butler’s uniform standing in the archway. David says this will be no problem and to come with him. Wellington, the family butler, welcomes them and asks the honor the Guest Rights of the Accords. As they agree they hear an almost audible ‘pop’ and they are allowed to enter the threshold of Samaire.

As they drive down the road as you look out you swear you can see little motes of light zipping through the trees. Grandfather envisioned a park-like setting for his home and employed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted to design the grounds. The intentionally rustic four-mile Approach track that began at the brick quoined and pebbledash stucco Lodge Gate at the edge of Samaire Village and ends at the house. The lane was densely planted along the borders with natural and uncultivated-looking foliage and shrubbery to provide a relaxing journey for guests.

David explains that Samaire is Gaelic for “dawning sun.” The grounds of the estate cover approximately 8,000 acres and is split in half by a tributary of the Ohio River. The main residence, Samaire House, is a mansion built for George Garvin Brown from 1890 to 1895. His great-grandfather envisioned a park-like setting for his home and employed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted to design the grounds. The intentionally rustic four-mile Approach track begins at Lodge Gate at the edge of Samaire Village and ends at the house. The lane was densely planted along the borders with natural and uncultivated-looking foliage and shrubbery to provide a relaxing journey for guests.

Olmsted also created a park surrounding the house, established farms along the river, and replanted the rest as a commercial timber forest. The property incorporates 75 acres of formal gardens directly surrounding the house. This includes a Roman formal garden, a formal garden, a bush and tulip garden, water fountains, and a conservatory with individual rooms for palms and roses. There was also a bowling green, an outdoor tearoom, and a terrace to incorporate the European statuary that the family had collected from their travels. At the end of the four-mile track they come to Samaire House, the Brown family ancestral home – and it is massive. It has statues and bas relief sculptures – and even gargoyles on the roofline.

David introduces his friends to his grandfather, Owsley, his mother, Evangeline, and sister Vivian. He explains that they can choose to stay here at the mansion or arrangements have been made for some bed and breakfast cottages in the village outside the gates of the estate, if they would like to have some privacy. The Irregulars opt to stay and are put up on the third floor. Owsley explains that they are free to relax until 6:30 this evening, when a small family style welcome dinner will be promptly served in the Banquet Hall. He also explains that they are free to enjoy the grounds and amenities while here.

David reports what happened near the Safehouse waypoint and that they didn’t feel like they could leave Sean alone and stranded in the Nevernever so they bought him with them. Immediately Evangeline takes him under her wing and promises they will get it all sorted out as she takes him off to find a room and get cleaned up. Sean who cannot believe that his mentor is dead, and he is now alone with no teacher. He wonders how he will pass the wizarding trials and become a full Wizard of the White Council. Beaumont makes it a point to visit with him and offers him a place to stay with his family in New Orleans. Because Beaumont is nice to him and listens, he offers him his Lucius’s monocle, a powerful magic item.

At 6:30 they make their way to the Banquet Hall and a ‘small family style welcome dinner’ is served in a Banquet Hall that can seat 70 people. A local band, The Soggy Bottom Boys, entertains the guests while they eat. They include their rendition of “A Man of Constant Sorrow”, much to the delight of the guests. At the dinner and activities of the following days the Cavaliers see many familiar faces they know, such as: Wizard McCoy representing the Senior Council and Captain Luccio from the Wardens of the White Council, The Leananshide of the Winter Court, and The Summer Lady Lily. Also represented are the minor courts of New Orleans – The Patriarch and his daughters (including Eve) of the Swamp Court, as well as Absinthe and Lillet, the Queen and Lady of the Cortege Gras. They also see the Crescent City Cavaliers and meet the rest of David’s family. His grandfather, mother, and sister are there, along with his ‘Uncle Jasper’, ‘Cousin’ Karen, ‘Aunts’ Hilda and Zelda, and several ‘pure mortal’ members of his family.

However, they also see several other individuals they do not recognize but are introduced to; including a petite dark haired lady who introduces herself as Julie Singleton, a representative of the Venatori Unumbrum, and sniper, a short stocky man – not more than 5 feet tall with shaggy long hair and thick beard who is introduced as Bokk of Svartalfheim and brother of Etri, they also meet Angelica – a member of the Shadowhunters, the last is an taciturn, older distinguished man who keeps to himself and is known only as Mac. The guys feel a great deal of power emanating from him and get the hint of a sea breeze smell when around him.

At dinner all the guests are given itineraries for the remaining days of the celebration. Friday is pretty much free for them, with only a rehearsal and dinner Friday evening with the wedding planned for Saturday at noon. The Brown family has set up several activities over the next few days for their guests to participate in; for example, the family has arranged a tour of the Old Forrester Distillery, they can visit Churchill Downs in the Kentucky Derby Museum, take a day trip out to the Falls of the Ohio, or go horseback riding and hiking through the 8000 acres of the estate. There is also a bocci ball and croquet courts set up on the green, as well as a spa day for those who would like to have a spa treatment before the wedding.

Hugh opts for the spa day. Rikard and Sunny spend the day at the Falls of the Ohio. Greer and Hunt go horseback riding on the estate. The other spend the day on or around the estate enjoying how the .1% live. During the horseback ride Greer gets a text from Viatrix telling her they identified the body. The victim is identified as Elaine Dodd, a mundane oceanographer. When she mentions this to the group Alex and Jeanie say that Elaine was helping them try to find the Napoleon Fleur de Lis.

The rehearsal and the dinner took place outside on the Esplanade in front of the house. There were event tents and other service areas for the help set up to be able to serve the dinner and refreshments. Toward the evening, guests start arriving -all the ones that they had seen the last few days. The rehearsal goes fine, and the dinner begins with an appetizer and the first course is enjoyable. Everyone seems like they are having good time visiting and getting to know each other. Greer is drawn to the mysterious Mac but can never quite arrange to talk to him alone.

After the main course is served Eve, the Patriarch’s daughter stands up and asks all the Accorded Nations in attendance what the were-guild would be for someone who killed members of their house they are all astonished with the question and the patriarch tries to question his daughter, but she continues with accusations about the Cavaliers slaying her followers and her Lieutenant, the troll Remus. The Lananshide speaks as a representative of the Unseelie Court, as she is representing Mab – who wrote the Accords – saying that it is the right of the offended Nation to demand recompense for the losses that is suffered at the hands of another Nation. All the rest of the Accorded Nation representatives agree that she does have a claim.

She demands a were-guild from them instead of combat under the Code Duello. The Cavaliers try to maneuver their way out of it but realize that there is no spirit of the law when it comes to the Accords. They did kill her people so there needs to be some sort of recompense under the Accords. She wants three golden apples from the Hesperides, the steeds and chariot belong to King Dobar of Sikilia, and the cooking spit is one of the spits of the fairy women of the island of Finchory. Beaumont and Vic respond by pointing out that this is too much of a were-guild for a troll and some subordinates. There is an argument until they decide to approach her father – the Patriarch and the actual leader of their Court. He dismisses Eve and finally agrees on the three apples of the Hesperides by dawn. It was about 9 pm the guys do not know how they’re going to get to the Isle of Hesperides, let alone where it’s at.

With the Leananshide’s help they borrow a magical boat from Mac – or Mananan Mac Lir of the Tuatha De Dannan, for the price of talking with his foster granddaughter, Greer. Mananan raised Lugh and was his foster father and spends the next several hours talking to Mac Lir about her father and the Tuatha. The party continues although in a subdued fashion with the Brown family reassuring everyone that the gust rights will be enforced.

The Cavaliers return just after midnight successful in retrieving the apples. They approach the Patriarch saying they have that which he required of them. He accepts the wergild fulfilled and Eve absolutely loses it. She is furious and livid with her father after being put in place put in her place. She goes absolutely nuts talking about having her revenge and that they will not be able to stop her she is going to see them brought down low and ruin bought upon all those that they hold dear. At the end of her tirade she shouts, ‘I curse you Cavaliers for what you’ve done, that you might crawl up on the ground for the rest of your days! Enter now and take your revenge!’ At which point she disappears.

Nothing seems to happen to the Cavaliers, and they think that they dodged a bullet until they start to speak and all they do is ribbit like a frog at which point they start transforming into frogs. At the same time portals begin opening up in the forest surrounding the estate, and shouts of alarm being raised. The wards are being attacked and portals are opening inside the grounds of the estate. Owsley gives commands to defend the guests. He slams his walking stick on the ground and shouts, ‘Defendere Praedium!’ When he says those words all the statues, bas reliefs, and everything else decorating the property – including the gargoyles comes to life and begins attacking the host of Fomor that are pouring through the portals opened on the property. He then turns to the house and shouts, ‘Siquidem domum!’ and a shield springs up around the hose protecting it from attack as well.

The signatories are bound under guest rights to help their host as well as the host protecting them. It turns into a huge battle spanning the thousands of acres of the estate. Wizards, Shadowhunters, Fairy Courts and heroes all band together to fight Eve’s rebel faction of the Swamp Court and her allies – the Fomor.

The fight raged all night and by dawn the Browns and their allies have pushed the fomor back and sealed the portals. As they are mopping up the Irregulars discuss their options to help their friends who are now frogs. Eve cursed them and they need to figure out a way to break the curse. Jeanie mentions the Fleur De Lis and how stories are that it could break the curse.

Mac lets them take his boat to New Orleans and they reach the city in record time. Greer visits the station and is downloaded on all the information found so far about the murder case. Forensic analysis reveals that her arm was skinned to remove a tattoo, but they’re able to reconstruct the image: a simple compass and some coordinates. These confirm the treasure hunt theory: Dodd had apparently made some progress in locating the Napoleon fleur-de-lis.

The coordinates from Dodd’s tattoo lead them to St. Louis Cathedral. They visit with Reverend Lantern, and he has no idea what could be here. If there is anything it must be in storage for a long time and directs them to an attic storeroom. The group split up and Hunt and Hugh go up the back service entrance while the others go up the main stairs. Hugh and Hunt are not quiet and get shot at with acidic coral. The two Fomor Servitors run down the main stars and are killed by rest of the group. Back up in the storeroom they notice a statue that looks like it might have been moved on its base. Jeanie with her newfound strength lifts the statue off and they find a secret compartment. Inside, wrapped in a dusty cloth is an old puzzle book. It is something pirates used to use to hide clues to their treasure. It’s very elaborate and must be opened carefully, in order not to destroy anything. The puzzle book is marked with a fleur de lis and bears an inscription of Jean LaFitte’s signature. Rikard prefers to break open the book, but Jeanie insists on solving the cipher to open the book, as some puzzle books include a vial of acid inside that would destroy the book if tampered with.

The police give Greer the phone records from Elaine Dodd’s phone and Jeanie recognizes Deborah’s number. If the Fomor killed Elaine they might also be after Deborah. While some stay to decipher the book the rest go to Deborah Gale’s office at the Historical Society. But when they arrive, it has been ransacked, the professor hiding in a closet. After they release her and calm her down, she confirms she had been talking to Elaine Dodd. She tells them that two guys broke in and trashed her office, she feared for her life and his in the closet but was too afraid to come out. She is in shock to hear that Dodd died.

They bring Deborah back to the bar and she’s stoked to see the puzzle book. The cover of the puzzle book is encrypted, and they must turn a dial to unlock it. But they need a key word to help solve the Vigenère cipher. With Deborah’s help and their knowledge of local history they determine that LaFitte’s brother, Pierre — was the most likely person to be looking for LaFitte’s treasure if something happened to Jean. This leads them to try the word “Cabildo,” the jail in which Pierre was in and that Jean broke him out of. Using that as the key word — and a Vigenère cipher to crack the code — it leads them to the answer “fleur de lis”, and they unlock the puzzle book’s cover. The iris in the center opens, revealing a latch, and they open the puzzle book.

When opened, on the left page is a clock puzzle with a map of New Orleans, maybe? On the right is a map with smaller code dials beneath it, along with a plate reading BLF6 and ‘Bouge comme l’horloge’. They know this must be the next clue but have no idea what it means. Rikard tells them that ‘Bouge comme l’horloge’, means ‘Move as the clock’ in French. The Irregulars all look at him in surprise, Rikard just shrugs and says he served in the French Foreign Legion.

Deborah remembers that Barthelemy Lafon, an architect and city planner from the 1700s who also palled around with the LaFitte brothers. A quick search shows that Lafon is buried at plot F6 in St Louis Cemetery #1, which he designed. The team is getting closer to finding the fleur-de-lis!

They spot an engraved fleur de lis over the letter L in “Lafon”. They try “moving as the clock” by moving clockwise to the next crypt. Another fleur de lis over another crypt dating 1820 or earlier, engraving gives them the final letter they need ‘Lafitte’, unlocking a compartment in the book and revealing both the suspected acid vial and a piece of paper. It’s a partial map of an island with another riddle written in French.

Looking at Dodd’s records show she had been paying close attention to a specific location off the coast of New Orleans. Jeanie recognizes exactly where it is at – Grande Terre Island, the former stomping grounds of the infamous pirate Jean LaFitte. They travel out to Fort Livingston and enter the fort following the map to a place marked with an X on the map and dig up a small chest about 2 feet square. Inside, wrapped in cloth, is the Napoleon Fleur De Lis. It is jewel encrusted and about a foot tall.

Traveling back to Samaire and returning Mac’s boat they figure out how to reverse the spell with the help of the assembled Accorded Nations and the wizards of the Brown Family. They break the curse on the Cavaliers returning them to human form again. The Fleur De Lis dulls and then disintegrates to dust much to the disappointment of Jeanie and the Irregulars.

David and Betty end getting married with just their family and friends at the Church of All Saints in the Village of Samaire and all is well. The Patriarch of the Swamp Court asks Hugh to take up the mantle of the Swamp Knight and hunt down Eve. Sunny heals Luther’s dragon bite and in appreciation he gives her one of the two remaining apples they brought back. In talking with the Shadowhunter Alex discovers that the Hells Angels lied to him, he can choose to give up his demon ring with his free will, which he does – giving it to Susannah. Greer was able to learn more about her father and her fae side and tells McCoy and the White Council to leave her alone. Sunny and Rikard kiss at the wedding and agree to see where it goes. McCoy tells Hunt that he is mistaken about the Grey Council and tells him to talk with David about it. Susannah is invited to study with the Shadowhunters and learn how to summon and bind demons.

May 11,2012

As April winds down everyone receives invitations to David and Betty’s wedding. Amid the arranging of transportation to Louisville Ky, Gideon gets a visit from Bernie. Now that he is married Bernie recognizes his desire to lay down the sword. Bernie tells him that it is OK he understands and that if he wants to lay down the sword and retire.

Through the month of April Vic has been have been visiting a new lady named Dee. He has spent lots of time with her and has gotten close to her. Just before leaving for the wedding, they are wrapping up one of their liaison at a hotel in town they kiss, and as they embrace Dee whispers in his ear, ‘See, I told you I would have you, and now I do.’ She kisses him leaves, he hears a motorcycle starting and looks out the window and recognizes her as Asmodeus, the demon of lust that tried to seduce him when they went to Hell to rescue Penelope.

As the Cavaliers meet at Beaumont’s bakery to discuss travel plans, they come up with three ways they can get to Louisville – a 10 hour drive, about a four hour flight, or travel through the Nevernever for about 2 1/2 to three hours. All the Cavaliers decide to drive except David who is coming later. Betty and her family are already there in Louisville at David’s family home, but he needs to finish up some things at the university before he can leave so he’ll be coming through the Nevernever later – probably getting there about the same time as they do.

Following David’s directions, they drive through Louisville and north of town for about 10 minutes as they leave town it turns into suburbs and then country and rural areas outside of town. The directions lead them to what looks like a forest in the distance in the hills north of the city. As they approach the forest they come through a small little village, probably about 3 -4 blocks in any direction. The instructions tell them to drive through the village to the other side towards the forest. As they do so outside of the village they come to a gatehouse on the road.

There standing in the middle of the gatehouse arch is a tall is a hulking figure. Probably close to 7 feet tall and broad shoulders. This individual dressed in a Butler’s uniform and looks intimidating. He stops the group ask to see their invitations and invokes The Guest Rights of Hospitality under the Unseelie Accords before they enter. After being invited in the Cavaliers proceed down the small country road past the gatehouse. It is lush forests and streams going through the property right up to the road. It is green, lush, and beautiful. The road is only big enough for one car and it winds through this forested landscape for about four miles. As they drive, they swear that they can see little motes of light fliting through the forest trees, it looks like these might be fairies of some sort. As the relaxing and enjoyable drive comes to an end, they see David’s ancestral home.

As they pull up to the house next to the garage which used to be the stables and carriage house of the house there met again by Wellington, who somehow has traveled from the gatehouse to here faster than they have. He introduces them to David’s family saying he must get back to the gatehouse, he has just received word that David and a group has just been picked up where they came through the Nevernever. David’s grandfather, Owsley, introduces them to David’s Mother and sister Evangeline and Vivian. He explains that they can choose to stay here at the mansion or arrangements have been made for some bed and breakfast cottages in the village outside the gates of the estate, if they would like to have some privacy. The Cavalier’s decided to stay and are put up on the third floor, and Evangeline takes them to their rooms.

As she does so, she explains that the Browns have lived here since 1895 when David’s great-grandfather build the estate. She gives them a short tour of the house and explains that they are free to relax until 6:30 this evening, when a small family style welcome dinner will be promptly served in the Banquet Hall. She also explains that they are free to enjoy the grounds and amenities while here.

Indeed, David and the Bourbon Street Irregulars arrive at house shortly after the Cavaliers settle into their rooms. They have a very traumatized and shellshocked young man with them who is carrying a large rucksack with supplies and other essentials for an expedition of some sort. David reports that he is a wizard apprentice named Sean McAvoy and they found him and his teacher, Lucius Von Trappe traveling at the waypoint near The Safehouse, ran by James and Catlin Pauley. They were trying to escape giant crystal spiders chasing them and sadly Lucius perished. The party didn’t feel like they could leave him alone and stranded in the Nevernever so they bought him with them. Immediately Evangeline takes him under her wing and promises they will get it all sorted out as she takes him off to find a room and get cleaned up. Sean who cannot believe that his mentor is dead, and he is now alone with no teacher. He wonders how he will pass the wizarding trials and become a full Wizard of the White Council. Beaumont makes it a point to visit with him and offers him a place to stay with his family in New Orleans. Because Beaumont is nice to him and listens, he offers him his Lucius’s monocle, a powerful magic item.

At 6:30 they make their way to the Banquet Hall and a ‘small family style welcome dinner’ is served in a Banquet Hall that can seat 70 people. A local band, The Soggy Bottom Boys, entertains the guests while they eat. They include their rendition of “A Man of Constant Sorrow”, much to the delight of the guests. At the dinner and activities of the following days the Cavaliers see many familiar faces they know, such as: Wizard McCoy representing the Senior Council and Captain Luccio from the Wardens of the White Council, The Leananshide of the Winter Court, and The Summer Lady Lily. Also represented are the minor courts of New Orleans – The Patriarch and his daughters (including Eve) of the Swamp Court, as well as Absinthe and Lillet, the Queen and Lady of the Cortege Gras.

They also see the Bourbon Street Irregulars – including Hilda – and meet the rest of David’s family. His grandfather, mother, and sister are there, along with his ‘Uncle Jasper’, ‘Cousin’ Karen, ‘Aunts’ Hilda and Zelda, and several ‘pure mortal’ members of his family.

However, they also see several other individuals they do not recognize but are introduced to; including a petite dark haired lady who introduces herself as Julie Singleton, a representative of the Venatori Unumbrum, and sniper, a short stocky man – not more than 5 feet tall with shaggy long hair and thick beard who is introduced as Bokk of Svartalfheim and brother of Etri, they also meet Angelica an member of the Shadowhunters, the last is an taciturn, older distinguished man who keeps to himself and is known only as Mac. The guys feel a great deal of power emanating from him and get the hint of a sea breeze smell when around him.

At dinner all the guests are given itineraries for the remaining days of the celebration. Friday is pretty much free for them, with only a rehearsal and dinner Friday evening with the wedding planned for Saturday at noon. The Brown family has set up several activities over the next few days for their guests to participate in; for example, the family has arranged a tour of the Old Forrester Distillery, they can visit Churchill Downs in the Kentucky Derby Museum, take a day trip out to the Falls of the Ohio, or go horseback riding and hiking through the 8000 acres of the estate. There is also a bocci ball and croquet courts set up on the green, as well as a spa day for those who would like to have a spa treatment before the wedding.

The Cavaliers decide they would like to go to would be the Distillery Tour and Churchill Downs with the Kentucky Derby Museum. The distillery tour is very intriguing and enjoyable. When they go to Churchill Downs there is a minor horse race going on and Vic decides to bet on it. He uses the magic of his Court to make sure his horses win, and he comes away with substantial winnings. During the rest of Friday, they enjoy the grounds of Samaire, but several times they see Eve walking the grounds innocuously, but they do not trust her – so they follow her and find some coral shards near the tributary to the Ohio River that runs through the estate. They realize that there should not be coral this far inland. They hold on to some samples and report their findings David’s Grandfather about their finding and he tasks Wellington to investigate it.

The rehearsal and the dinner took place outside on the Esplanade in front of the house. There were event tents and other service areas for the help set up to be able to serve the dinner and refreshments. Toward the evening, guests start arriving -all the ones that they had seen the last few days. The rehearsal goes fine, and the dinner begins with an appetizer and the first course is enjoyable. Everyone seems like they are having good time visiting and getting to know each other.

After the main course is served Eve, the Patriarch’s daughter stands up and asks all the Accorded Nations in attendance what the were-guild would be for someone who killed members of their house they are all astonished with the question and the patriarch tries to question his daughter, but she continues with accusations about the Cavaliers slaying her followers and her Lieutenant, the troll Remus. The Lananshide speaks as a representative of the Unseelie Court, as she is representing Mab – who wrote the Accords – saying that it is the right of the offended Nation to demand recompense for the losses that is suffered at the hands of another Nation. All the rest of the Accorded Nation representatives agree that she does have a claim.

She demands a were-guild from them instead of combat under the Code Duello. The Cavaliers try to maneuver their way out of it but realize that there is no spirit of the law when it comes to the Accords. They did kill her people so there needs to be some sort of recompense under the Accords. They ask what she wants for a payment, to which she responds that she wants three apples, two steeds with a chariot, and a cooking spit. Eve then asks if they agree to these terms. The Cavaliers want more details before they agree, to which she informs them that the golden apples from the Hesperides, the steeds and chariot belong to King Dobar of Sikilia, and the cooking spit is one of the spits of the fairy women of the island of Finchory.

Beaumont and Vic respond by pointing out that this is too much of a were-guild for a troll and some subordinates. There is an argument until they decide to approach her father – the Patriarch and the actual leader of their Court. Eve starts saying that if they do not accept the were-guild then it will be trial by combat. Her father steps in and puts his daughter in her place by reminding her that he is the Patriarch, and he will make the decision for the court not her. She gets mad storms out. He apologizes and acknowledges that there is a price that needs to be paid. He will think on this as they finish their main course and by the end of dinner he has come to his conclusion. He says that asking for three items were overreaching, but he wants the three apples as an appropriate were-guild for the loss the Swamp Court has suffered, and he wants them by dawn. It was about 9 pm the guys do not know how they’re going to get to the Isle of Hesperides, let alone where it’s at.

The Leananshide approaches the Cavaliers with some advice, however Beaumont and the others are not keen on accepting favors from her for fear of becoming in debt to her and the Winter Court. She offers it freely given with no expectation of payment she tells them that she knows a way to get there and back again faster than even traveling through the Nevernever. They are intrigued and she tells him they need to find the old man in the sea and ask to borrow his boat. They wonder who it could be and then remember the mysterious Mac, who smelled like the ocean breeze in radiated power beyond a normal emissary. They find him at the dinner party and approach him saying that it has been suggested they ask him for use of his boat.

He toys with him for a minute saying, ‘What makes you think I have a boat?’ The Cavaliers explain that they suspect him having much more power than he puts on and that the Leananshide has told them to look for a certain Triskelion-shaped design worn by the Old Man in the Sea. He replies that he does not recognize it. But as he reaches for his drink the arm of his suit coat slides up and they see his shirt has cufflinks with the same symbol on them. The group says that they think they are talking to the right person and they really need his help. They ask who he is, and he finally responds, ‘I am Manannan Mac Lir of the Tuatha de Danann.

He agrees to let them use his boat, on one condition – he introduces them to his foster granddaughter, which Beaumont says he can do because he knows that Greer has recently discovered she is Lugh’s daughter. He points them to the tributary river on the property and shows them his boat. He explains that all they need to do is say where they want to go, and it will take them there in record time.

The Cavaliers push off and begin their journey. The do make it in record time – it feels like only a few minutes have passed. The boat slows to a stop on the beach of an idyllic island with a grove of apple trees interlaced with mounds of earth running through them. They see no signs of guards of any kind so Luther says, ‘This is going to be easy.’ He jumps out of the boat and crosses the beach. As soon as he steps off the beach and into the orchards, the mounds of earth erupt into a giant multi headed dragon of some sort – reminiscent of a chimera. The dragon bites Luther severely wounding him. The rest of the Cavaliers come to his aid. As they engage in the battle, they soon discover that it has a weakness to lead, so they shoot the thing full of holes with their guns killing it.

As the Cavaliers vanquish the dragon, four griffins attack from the sky with a screech. They hurry and grab apples, eventually grabbling five. Even injured Luther grabbed three and Vic managed to get two low hanging ones. Beaumont released fire in the sky as a shield to hold off the griffins as they escape back to the boat. When the return to Samaire it is 11:30 pm. The approached the Patriarch saying they have that which he required of them. He accepts the wergild fulfilled and Eve absolutely loses it. She is furious and livid with her father after being put in place put in her place. She goes absolutely nuts talking about having her revenge and that they will not be able to stop her she is going to see them brought down low and ruin bought upon all those that they hold dear. At the end of her tirade she shouts, ‘I curse you Cavaliers for what you’ve done, that you might crawl up on the ground for the rest of your days! Enter now and take your revenge!’ At which point she disappears.

Nothing seems to happen to the Cavaliers, and they think that they dodged a bullet until they start to speak and all they do is ribbit like a frog at which point they start transforming into frogs. The last thing they see as they transform is portals opening up in the forest surrounding the estate, and shouts of alarm being raised. The wards are being attacked and portals are opening inside the grounds of the estate. Owsley gives commands to defend the guests. He slams his walking stick on the ground and shouts, ‘Defendere Praedium!’ When he says those words all the statues, bas reliefs, and everything else decorating the property – including the gargoyles comes to life and begins attacking the host of Fomor that are pouring through the portals opened on the property. He then turns to the house and shouts, ‘Siquidem domum!’ and a shield springs up around the hose protecting it from attack as well.

And then their vision reduces to that of frogs as they are scooped up by loved ones and taken to safety.

Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion in the Bourbon Street Irregular adventure, We’re Gonna Get Married’.

Vic was contacted by Hugh of the rival Swamp Court to help with a militant faction in the Swamp Court.

Vic contact the rest of the Cavilers and we head off to a secluded river access to a nearby lake where Hugh told us the rouge faction of his court is operating under the direction of the Patriarch’s Daughter and her Troll muscle.

After some reconnaissance and sneaking (thanks to Tru) the group of heroes follow them back to a warehouse in a small town outside of New Orleans.

The Cavaliers discovered an Anti-Magic field inside the warehouse. after taking out the Faerie henchmen outside they fight the troll. David got pile driven into the ground but they managed to get the necklace of Sampson’s Hair holding an Blacken Denaraius (it was causing the anti-magic field) and kill the troll and escape with treasure and magical writings and histories. Just as they leave the Patriarch’s daughter shows up and now knows who they are.

The Cavaliers got a text from Vic Noble thanking them for their help with his Gruff problem and asking them to stop by The House of the Rising Sun to assist him with another issue he was having.

They gathered there the afternoon of January 8th, and sharp eyed Gideon Rockwell spotted Chambord (the Benevolent Frog) leaping out the window when they arrived to talk with Vic Noble.

Vic Noble told them of the politics and opportunities he was seeing in the Cortège Gras dealing with the fallout of the Gruff, investigating who wanted him dead and who was more sympathetic, and preparing for Mardi Gras. But he also mentioned some intelligence he had heard recently that another group, the Cour Des Marais had launched some sort of attack on a local abandoned amusement park, which turned out to be Six Flags of New Orleans – New Orleans East, and he hoped they would be able to investigate that while he was occupied elsewhere. The Cortège Gras and the Cour Des Marais are often at odds, and Vic Noble feared that the latter was trying to take advantage of a moment of distraction and infighting for the former.

The group agreed to check it out, and traveled to the park that evening, after gathering information on the area from folks like The Very Reverend Gregory Lantern and telling loved ones like Betty Mullins where they would be.

The stories they heard were about vampires, not Cour Des Marais, so they were nervous to explore the area at night, but decided to stake out the parking lot of the eerie, dilapidated amusement park and see if anyone stopped by or anything suspicious happened. No one seemed to visit, but late in the evening they heard the music of a rave and decided, after much debate, to enter the park and learn more. Beaumont LeBlanc picked up a faded and moldy map of the original park design, which did not match the current changed topography since the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and years of subsequent neglect, but still proved to be an invaluable resource as they plotted their exploration of the cursed area.

As soon as Luther Church had scaled the fence and jumped to the other side, though, he was attacked by a ferocious pack of darkhounds, who did some serious damage as Gideon Rockwell sliced through the chains locking the gates, and the rest of Cavaliers rushed to his aid. They shot, sliced, and force-blasted the darkhounds into bloody severed heaps, but found that the haunting views of the creepy park at night, and some psychic wards left at the entrance were compelling them to flee and come back in the morning. David Brown had to talk Luther Church into sticking it out after being mobbed by hounds, and God himself seemed to be telling Gideon Rockwell that leaving now might put even more people in danger.

As they overcame their fears, and decided to push through and learn more, Beaumont LeBlanc had the brilliant and novel idea to use his fire magic to light the entire wooden frame of the collapsing Mega Zeph rollercoaster ablaze and see if the ensuing inferno, which was certain to consume much of the surrounding overgrowth as well, would draw out their enemies or help separate any innocents from any threats.

The fire certainly caught a lot of attention, and they headed back toward the center of the park, where David Brown was almost killed by an enormous alligator. It attacked him from a swampy area, but Luther Church was able to half blind the beast with an incredible shot, and as David Brown slid in the mud trying to back away, the seriously wounded alligator slipped back into the water and fled.

Shaken and still sensing that they were being watched with dangers lurking in the shadows around every corner, the Cavaliers returned to an area near the entrance to the park, and Beaumont LeBlanc was able to use some binoculars to catch sight of what appeared to be goth teenagers and young adults leaving the graffiti covered shell of the old Gator La Croix’s Dockside Cafe to climb on the metal remains of The Big Easy Ferris Wheel and other structures, to watch in awe as the Mega Zeph burned to the ground.

The Cavaliers decided the youth seemed harmless enough that they could approach, and though they were terribly unstealthy, and readily spotted, the party-goers seemed more interested in watching and waiting than either attacking or cooperating. Gideon Rockwell tried desperately to get the revelers there in the park to take him to their leader or answer any questions. Instead, the group simply insisted that the Cavaliers were not welcome and should not be there. Luther Church even went so far to as pummel one of the kids, Brandon, with the butt of his rifle and shoot off one of his toes, which enraged them but made them no more forthcoming.

When Luther Church started firing bursts of gunfire into the air and Gideon Rockwell and David Brown tried cutting down some of the few remaining structures in the park with their swords, eventually a woman made her way through the crowd of observers to confront the men.

As she demanded they leave, they decided that she, like the others, was not particularly afraid of them nor a real threat, and likely not Black Court either, so David Brown opened his third eye to better understand the nature of these stubborn youth. The horrific, nightmarish vision showed him conflicting powers both enslaving and consuming the goths, and he realized they were in real trouble from not one source, but two!

He also knew with a certainty that they were being watched.

Around the same time, Betty Mullins called Luther Church hoping to get ahold of David Brown but knowing that he was uncomfortable with cellphones. Remembering that he had told her he would be at the Six Flags of New Orleans – New Orleans East, she was concerned when her department and boss, Earl Knottyham, were called in to address the bonfire of the Mega Zeph and seemed to be bringing in resources from out of state as well. She warned them that something serious was going on there and though she did not know all of the details, they should get to safety.

Under further questioning, the goth woman – Angela – became possessed, and spoke with the voice of a man, telling the Cavaliers to leave, as no one who came here was safe, and that their help was needed, but they would likely not be able to do anything to save these kids.

Gideon Rockwell carried Angela to the nearby Sim Ex Pirates building, but the crowds of her friends blocked Gideon Rockwell and demanded to come along. The Cavaliers acquiesced, and the whole group hid in the building while Beaumont LeBlanc and David Brown prepared a complex ritual on Angela to better understand the nature of the conflicting forces disturbing her. Luther Church made a lookout post on the top of the building and discovered three important things: (1) the sheriff’s department had arrived in force, (2) they were not entering the park and seemed to rather be barricading people inside, and (3) no one was fighting the fire that had been started earlier on the far side of the park! With Gideon Rockwell praying for them, the two wizards were able to discern through their thaumaturgy that all of the partiers at the park where being dominated by Black Court Vampires, likely John and Wayne Carter, but simultaneously those same dominated mortals were infected with a horrific and highly contagious pathogen, introduced into the area by the Cour Des Marais. It was a disease that was meant to kill undead, but was also transmitted by and lethal to the living! And worse still, The Crescent City Cavaliers had caught it, too, from their time in the park!

David Brown decided their best hope for an antidote would be to travel to the booniewonder and question the Cour Des Marais. With his world traveller gifts, he was able to open a portal in an ideal area to quickly locate several interesting members of the Cour Des Marais, including a Nuggle and one of the daughters of the Patriarch, who introduced them to her father. There they obtained a cure, learned that the pathogen was pulled up from beneath the ocean floor by the Deep Water Horizon, and taken by a rogue agent or faction of the Cour Des Marais who wanted to stop undead and human threats to the natural world through measures of biological weaponry and terrorist extremes.

The Patriarch provided cures for The Crescent City Cavaliers, and said he could make more for the other infected individuals, but would need some promises protecting areas of nature from the mortal world, and that he would notify his ambassador Hugh McKay through the messaging service of Carl and work out a deal with the mortals to distribute the antidote if he could get guarantees of protection for certain lands. He specifically mentioned the “Little Lake” area of the bayous around New Orleans, but the Cavaliers were never able to learn why he was more interested in that region than the site of the Six Flags of New Orleans – New Orleans East.

Cured and more aware of the power dynamics and agendas in the area, The Crescent City Cavaliers cut a portal back to New Orleans, but outside the park and behind the line of quarantine that the Sherriff’s Department and CDC had formed to prevent anyone from leaving the contagion zone.

On the outside, they were able to call Betty Mullins, talk to Earl Knottyham, and let them know of the offer of the Cour Des Marais Patriarch to help save more mortals in exchange for some specific protections. The Crescent City Cavaliers retrieved their motorcycles from quarantine and headed home for a well deserved rest, leaving the land and cure negotiations in the capable hands of Hugh McKay and whoever Earl Knottyham was able to put him in touch with.

For the next month we are going to plan and develop the city of New Orleans in the Dresdenverse. We will be playing around the time of Changes in the timeline of the novels. It should be fun!

EDIT: It was decided that we will be running 2 campaigns concurrently in New Orleans, so the player characters have different tags for the different campaigns (.GN for Guys night, and .FG for the family game).