Chapter 12: Demons in the Attic and a Dead Magician

From the Chronicles of Brother Jacques.

30/5 Night. Soro rummaged through Salagon's mind; learning that he had been an agent / ally of Kiellevain, but that he had attempted (and succeeded) mastering the Dagger / Demon; called Dancer on Thin Ice. The dead guy had failed to master the Demon.
He also sent Darianne upstairs, looking out. Later she discovered Turgis the mage had been killed; his throat cut.

J-M / E fought against various attackers outside, eventually prevailing.

The rest of us went back to the main hall (Soro and Keruna in the study for a while, then Keruna mined the area as they left it to have chase after people).
There was a disturbance in the kitchen (access to the hall was via the front door, either wing, or from upstairs).
Sir Zacharias (always carrying the real Dagger), Digoral and 2 house guards investigated, fought, and after 2 of the mercenaries arrived from outside, prevailed and took prisoners.

Soon afterwards there was a similar disturbance in the other wing; again mercenaries helped capture prisoners.

The prisoners were Black Daggers (and their agents) from Igor, recruited by Belligar and Dalman. Dalman was something to do with the Kali Cult; either infiltrating it on behalf of the Black Daggers, or infiltrating the Black Daggers on behalf of the Cult. I passed this information onto Keruna as I don't care about feuds between rival death cults. Aeiouy had associated himself with the Black Daggers.
They were sent to get the Dagger, and (probably) kill Turgis. We don't know if they were working for Kiellevain (to soften us up), or someone else.

Then 1, then 6 Demonic Spirits arrived in the attic.
Keruna dropped her Carmine disguise (Sir Zacharias didn't notice the apparent switch), and we all stormed upstairs.
There were 5 Ice Demons, and a Frog Demon (almost certainly the same one that had been associated with Nicodemus and Kiellevain when Malb'r'osac stumbled across them). The Ice Demons looked to be made of ice; could only be affected by magic (and even then were fairly resilient), their presence chilled the whole area, and their fumes proved dangerous as well. They all distorted the fabric of the world with their presence.
They negated some of Keruna's magic, and chilled the area, forming a layer of ice.
Only (4 of) Keruna's guards, Keruna (I assume), Sir Z (as I had BLESSED him), and I assume Soro's magic could even touch the Demons. Possibly normal fire as well (the Ice Demons found our world uncomfortably, dangerously hot)
There was much hacking / smashing / freezing and casting of magic.
I asked Soro to obtain samples of the most powerful (Frog) Demon. He did so, using some sort of magic, but the Demon used the link to attack Soro, and almost killed him.
I attempted to BIND the Demon, and almost succeeded, but it escaped (damaged and unable to be summoned for a few weeks).
Holy wine allowed J-M / E to engage an Ice Demon, though not with any great success. Holy incense seemed to mitigate their fumes.
Keruna created some sort of (un)holy FIRE, and drew her mace.
I bound an Ice Demon and learned:
It's name (Frigidity).
Kiellevain raised it, about 1 mile North and 10 minutes before.
The Frog is a long time associate of Kiellevain (a lieutenant ?).
J-M / E grappled with it, injured himself, and pushed it into Keruna's FIRE, at the same time as I commanded it to march in.

We tended to wounded and such.
Sir Z, unaware that Keruna had taken Carmine's form, sought Lady Carmine.
He also dropped Soro when he learned that he is an Elf, and will never trust him, which is just as well.
Carmine returned.

We fought off the attack (how / when did Kiellevain know?), but we failed to get Kiellevain. He is now forewarned, with a pretty good idea of our capabilities, although not who we are. On the other hand, he is weakened, and still needs the Dagger.