Gresty Again
In court, Gresty is found guilty of the charges against him and fined £2. The investigators meet Gresty as he exits the court. Realising who you are he thanks you for ridding the world of Bacon and is happy to talk (to an extent) over a drink or two. He’s from a small place called Mercy Hill in the West Country. He’s been in London this last seven years spying on the cult but now it’s time to return home.
Christ Church is built over a plague pit from which the alter draws its true energies and has a spire made from a stone obelisk dedicated to non-Christian deities. Gresty was at Christ Church to say his goodbyes to London by thanking the “British Gods”.
The man who sent Gresty is named Atkinson. Atkinson is old and in poor health. Gresty is looking forward to inheriting the old man’s position soon. Atkinson lays ‘claim’ to the Quarrie woman at Nug’s Farm. This is Hillary Quarrie, Malcolm Quarrie’s estranged wife.
Mercy Hill
It takes some dedicated searching to find a map with Mercy Hill marked on it. Lying in the severn valley on the edge of the Forest of Dean are Mercy Hill, Lower Clotton and three farms including Nug’s Farm. The nearest road (if you can call it that) is a few miles west which passes through the village of Clotton. Locally, this part of the Forest of Dean is known as Goatswood.
An Eerie Bus Ride
You catch a train to Gloucester and stay overnight to catch the 9 a.m. bus (the only bus each day) that travels from Gloucester to Bristol along the isolated road through Clotton. Within minutes of taking the Clotton road you feel like you’ve left civilisation behind. Passing through many holloways with trees and shrubs that brush against both sides of the bus and travelling though tiny settlements of just a few ramshackle stone buildings each. There are no pubs, no shops, no churches, no signs and no evidence of human life. You get off at Clotton and take a footpath east towards Lower Clotton.
The Woods
You walk for ages through overgrown meadows and pass the odd abandoned building and through the edge of the woods that, if you’re reading the OS map right, means the trees have encroached on the farms and fields since the map was drawn. You pass dry-stone walls and ancient farming implements that are probably still the height of sophistication in these parts. You turn from the few cottages you believe to be Lower Clotton and plunge into the woods. The light seems faded in the disorientating woods and walking through becomes an eerie experience. The sound of movement is heard some way to the left and King is certain he glimpsed something not entirely human shadowing you. Eventually, reaching an edge of the tree-line you spy a smallholding in a little valley with smoke drifting up from a chimney.
Nug’s Farm
A woman is working outside the cottage. She has three large dogs, dozens of chickens in coops and a labourer for company. Hillary Quarrie is not pleased to see you (nothing personal). The mention of her husband grants you her attention. She dismisses Will (the labourer) for the day and reluctantly invites you in for tea. Small talk earns you no reward to begin with. The dogs bark. She has more unexpected company.
Hillary and Gresty
Hillary greets Wilfred Gresty in front of her property. Gresty has friends who stand some way behind. Those that look human are disturbingly similar in their features to each other; the rest just look disturbing full stop. Gresty and Hillary have a disagreement, then he and his companions depart. They’ll be back remarks Hillary.
The Power Struggle
The local community worships British Gods (primarily Shub-Niggurath) and is centred around the old man, Atkinson. But some folk are loyal to Hillary who refuses to acknowledge Atkinson as some sort of overlord. Gresty is going to inherit Atkinson’s position and thinks Hillary will accept him (in more ways than one). Gresty will be back tonight to settle the matter once and for all.
Hillary Talks about Malcolm
Hillary’s husband Malcolm, left her four years ago. They still love each other but Malcolm is totally committed to his occult beliefs. He went abroad to pursue them. Hillary digs out a couple of letters. The most recent shows he was in Italy but has moved on again – on a pilgrimage. He mentions the second coming of the King in Yellow. He has made provision for her in his will. If necessary she should contact Thomas Villiers at the shipping office of Giuseppe Colombo in the Naviliqi, Milan.
Midnight Showdown
Just after dark, Will (the labourer) and some other locals loyal to Hillary appear brandishing pitchforks and scythes, but Hillary sends them away. The wait is on. At midnight the dogs bark again. It’s time. A bonfire is lit in the near distance. Gresty’s followers throw one of their companions on it as a sacrifice. Chanting begins. Hillary tells you to be ready. Guns are no good. Grab a chicken each.
The trees begin to bend and snap. Tremors shake the earth. Against the midnight sky an enormous dark figure emerges, stomping from the woods. It has swaying branches or tentacles for what might be its head, and a truncated body of many mouths spewing green ichor. Hillary slashes the necks of the chickens you hold, shouting at you to repeat her ritual words. With relief Hillary’s power turns the beast against its summoners. Terrible scenes and sounds follow as the dark beast tears through Gresty’s companions and then it returns to the Goatswood.
The next morning you leave Nug’s Farm and return to civilisation.
