Bloodlines III - No Payne No Gain, 11th - 12th March 2006 (1815)

Continuing the search for the Alfar Codex, the party meet on Frontier in the lands of the Boar tribe, also home to the estates of Dr Payne. As a long time ally of Victor Von Dumas, Payne's estates are close to Dr Molenov's mining operations and the Breed gather beneath the ground ready to protect the mines and attack any who might attempt to prevent the ongoing search for flangite.

The weather is unseasonably cold for the normally tropical shard of Frontier and it soon begins to snow, heavy blizzards starting to sweep across the Shard.

Bastion arrives, demanding Elijah Snow give him a music box that he is carrying.

Ilona is kidnapped by the Breed and taken to Molenov.

One of Poseidon's daughters arrives having fled from Loki. She tells how he has taken her seven sisters and she and Ilona are the only two who remain. Loki's plan to use the sisters as blueprints for his 'sons' which he intends to use to replace them is now in its advanced stages. Loki arrives and the party assist him in capturing her, then commence negotiations to hand her over. Before negotiations can be concluded, the sister is killed, putting her beyond Loki's immediate reach.

Payne had been captured by one of his former test subjects, Blackheart - formerly the Lady Anastasia Lightheart of Salem. Blackheart has established herself as the leader of the Animen and Beastmen of Frontier by successfully leading a rebellion against Payne. United, they are known as the Kindred. For her revenge, Blackheart injected Payne with all of the serums she could lay her hands on, intending to watch him die.

In return for weapons to fight a newly arrived population of dwarves known as the Bloodstone, Blackheart agrees to give the party access to Payne so he might be questioned. Payne agrees to assist the party if they will take him to where he has hidden the anti-serums. Before the serums are found, the transformation completes and Payne, on the brink of insanity breaks free. He steals the abilities of Callam, O'Brien, Rift and Bearach, then demands the party return the mind control device to him. He is hunted down by Zeb and killed.

The Bloodstone are revealed as deep dwelling dwarves, who excel at elemental control, particularly in the field of geomancy. They are ancient residents of Frontier, who have stepped up their own mining operations and are in the process of terraforming the shard back to the way it was when they lived on the surface. The blizzards and unseasonable weather are being caused by them. They appear to have a particular objection to Finnlay.

Papers, part of the Alfar Codex are found, but the Dragons of Faerie arrive and demand they are given to them. The papers are duly handed over, but not before they have been translated and memorised.

This extract appears to be part of a journal written by someone calling himself 'Adapa Nanna' which translates to Master of Time, or Lord of Time. Paynes annotations suggest he was some sort of high or arch mage. This mage, boasted in his writings of how he had sabotaged the creation of the werewolves, indicating he was a traitor amongst the Alfar. Also included in the text was a formula, which the author implied was a cure for the werewolves’ condition (i.e. lycanthropy). From the translated notes, it is clear this 'cure' was intended as a weapon against the were's; it is only now, after the fall of the Grail that it might prove useful in aiding them.

Ilona is returned and the party meet with Dr Molenov. Molenov agrees to cease mining on Frontier and to terminate his employment with Von Dumas, instead he and the Breed will work for Rift. He has a cane which grants him easy control over the earth, given to him by Von Dumas. It is identified as one of several Alfar items which may act as one if brought together. A book of Alfar writings is taken from Molenov's library to be translated.