The Beltaine Bruisers

By James Walker

**Flaming
Feather**

"Get it...roight!" [Thwallop]

The Ethereals can't afford to be choosy about how they get their essence: they'll accept the essence of their worshippers no matter how badly perverted their beliefs. Of course, sometimes these beliefs are so perverted that it simply isn't possible to get any essence - and the suppressed rage at the perversions of their legends can finally break through.

World-wide, preparations for Samhain are beginning - which is infuriating the Fey and Celtic courts. It is driving them barmy to know that idiots in the southern hemisphere, surrounded by the budding leaves and flowers of Spring, are preparing to celebrate the beginning of Winter. Of course, the Winter King has already moved his attentions to the northern hemisphere, leaving the problem in the hands of the Summer King.

The Summer King doesn't have many servants with Vessels; Beleth prefers to deal with Winter. Fortunately, he does have some minions who can operate in the Corporeal. Some of the Knockers have earned Vessels from Nightmares, and he has assigned them the task of 'educating' these idiots:

The Beltaine Bruisers
Minor Ethereal Spirits


Corporeal Forces: 3
Strength: 9
Agility: 3
Ethereal Forces: 1
Intelligence: 1
Precision:3
Celestial Forces: 1
Will: 3
Perception:1

Vessel: Human Male/1, Charisma-2.

Skills: Dodge/6, Fighting/4, Knowledge(Mining)/4, Running/1.

Songs: Nightmares(All/2).

bAffinity: Stone/3.

Discord: Angry/2, Fear (Dripping Water/1, Running Water/4).

The Beltane bruisers have a simple task - find people celebrating Samhain in the Southern hemisphere this month and 'correcting' them. Attempting logic is left in the capable hands of mortals; the Bruisers deal with the intractable cases (ie anyone they get their hands on) by beating the stuffing out of them. On the night of Beltane itself, they kidnap the unfortunates, who are taken to a Beltane party, where they are heckled, jeered at and have rotten fruit thrown at them. They are then dumped, usually several hundred miles away with no money and left to walk home (and the nearest telephone is normally 50+ miles away). The Beltane party is normally composed of mortals, but particularly annoying humans have had the dubious honour of entertaining an Ethereal celebration.

It's not known how many Beltane Bruisers there are; they normally operate in teams of two. Given the weakness of the Ethereals and the endless supply of mortal idiots, the odds of a human being picked up by them in any given year is quite small. In May, of course, the situation is reversed. The Samhain Slayers have the same goals, but are more direct, preferring to throw their victims into ice cold water and leave them to freeze to death.

**Flaming
Feather**

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