With her oath to Ann sealing the deal James Betty's new protector meets Betty for the first time and spends part of the day informing Betty just how much larger her world has become. Two old trouble makers, up to no good, discover that it is Betty, who has the last laugh, on them. After a short tour of some of the town, James and Betty come to agreement how to introduce the children to James as the pet dog. Betty continues her whorl wind getting to work brainstorming with Louise coming up with ways to allow Betty to become a township community organizer.

Betty

Today was swamped by so many physical things to draw my attention I was thirsting for a metaphysical swim to cool my jets. Between Marge and Louise we stormed the outskirts of what we are confronting here. I also found out that I have a lot of groups to meet with and come to understandings with to make this work.

Marge and Louise told me of only three; one of which being the first people nation living with the sanctuary area of what Haven is
suppose to buffer and protect. There are several major ethnic councils among the First people here but there is one central council dealing with the affairs of outside contacts and contracts.

This relationship was dealt a fatal blow when Ann passed. And
there was no one to take her place. This resulted in the slow diminishing of contacts between Haven and the first nation people; causing both communities to become drawn into their own worlds of concerns.

But as we get our act on the road the right thing to do is to try and rebuild these contacts and re-earn each others trust and cooperation. They’re are our neighbors and we all have the same concerns for family and hearth. That alone creates common ground for enlightened self interests, and that is a start.

The other two groups are the Steering Coven and the Town Council. Marge will introduce me the the first and Louise will break the ice with the second. But all of that will need to wait until after the Full of the moon where I need to prove to my self that I can also do the job of being the town metaphysical protector. I have just a bit of the buffet on my plate but that feels good.

James

I had an ear to the ground to sense when Betty would be returning for the night. Melissa and I have erected special warding to protect Betty and her family from most metaphysical incursions. I even linked a transfer spell to my Portage artifact so with a thought I could sweep Betty and her cubs away to my keep in Scotland. That's only if any attack proved to be dangerous enough. But now was the time for the joke of the century on her kids.

I was lying stretched out on the floor in the kids bedroom looking just like an overly large dog apparently asleep. I heard the family come in and start to calm down, out in the common rooms. When I was cued by Betty telling the children to put their stuff into their room. The next thing I heard was “DOGGY”. Mom there is a very big doggy in our bed room.. Betty told them to wait a moment and soon I heard my name being spoken by Betty and gently shaking my furry shoulder. I turned my head to look at them and gave one big Yawn.

James it is so nice that you decided to come back to say hello to my children Crystal and Anna. Can they pet you please, Both children were so excited they just bounced up and down saying over and over again Please Please Please.

I rolled over completely over the two of them licking their faces and hands like a friendly dog. Their laughing and giggling was totally captivating and I have to admit I lost my heart to those
two in one evening. We played and I let them ride me around the house until they exhausted themselves and fell to sleep curled up on top of me.. Betty untangled Anna and with some difficulty moved her into her bed, I followed with Crystal careful not to wake her up from her slumber. Both children were as good as gold when they were playing with me. There was nay pinching or poking me, and they really treating me like just another person in there life. Both talked to me about so many things my mind swirled to engage them all. I would nod and gently wolfishly vocalized to each of them.

Crystal was far more adventurous with herself acting out rescues of her mother and sister from bad guys especially some one named Keith. God help that soul if this little girl ever got the drop on him.

Anna was the more sensitive and tactility brushing my fur and tidying up things very nicely like I was a pampered pooch. She to was interested in fixing Keith in ways that made me appreciate that even at a young age the female of the human species if crossed was the most dangerous.

To the children I was James there new doggy friend, not a pet but friend or as Anna put it their four footed buddy. So for now I will disturb that notion because it serves our purposes. I can speak to Betty later about this, but truth be known I am enjoying this a bit more than I would like to admit.

Betty

Seeing James playing with the kids in his wolf form made me smile. This was the first time my kids just were able to relax and have fun for the sake of having fun like normal children do. And James was having fun right along with them. I bet he has not played like that for ever. It was like having a family again, and just for that moment I felt safe and protected. , Having James protecting us changes the entire dynamic of our lives. It is so very exhausting being the only one to watch protect and fight for my two sprouts.

Betty

The illusion the public has concerning magic is comical. It is not blasting people with colored rays of light or any thing of the likes.
There is a lot of work to be done gaining the cooperation of energies to perform works necessary for a community to have rain when they need it, interfering with negative actions of others. Bringing about positive results from ventures. The most important is the witches connection with mother Gaia. It is something that must be experienced and can not be described. Being connected to everything living, every were, is a rush of the highest order.

That will be what I need to totally need to connect with the local energies over the next three days. I need to sense the smallest of the many fields of the cooperative energy Ann wove together, that holds negative chaos at bay. It would appear this area is a somewhat autonomous pocket isolated from normal space by the barrier. With so many disciples of the negative Chaos able to direct that energy with outstanding results. Entire nations give up reason and turn against all civilized codes just to prove wrong is right.

Haven is a place on earth where right is right and this sanctuary drives our opponents crazy. It is a bit of a hoot having the crazy telling you are the crazy one. Until a day ago I was beginning to agree.

Having James to give me this break is really important to this entire project because I can now go on the positive, redirecting my energy away from my self protection wardings, and providing our side some serious energy generating capability. I need to gather the remaining moon energy of this cycle so I can collect and generate enough energy to tap into the fields of energy that regulate Haven’s protection. If I do things carefully enough this cycle's repairs will not be detected. That should give me September's full moon to continue the repairs that makes the biggest differences.

The big test will be preparing Haven barriers for the big struggle on Samhain October 31. That is when both myself and my opponents will be at our most powerful for the year, Added to that Samhain falls on the night of a full moon. I really need that home field, defensive advantage. I do not know how long I can hide my presence but the longer the better for me. It give me a chance to really dig in and set up shop.

Between now and then. I need to gain an understanding of the energies in this location. Weakening the outside influence on the critical portions reducing their influence. All without pulling down the Barrier or sucking myself dry. No Pressure, no performance anxiety; no, none whatsoever.

Work involving magical intent needs to be done very exactly and with great care. Magic is managing to pull positive results out of a stream of total chaos. You slip and negative energy is brought through at the same time and the results can be devastating.
It is reported in the circles of the occult in 1897 Samuel Crowley and his son found out the hard way. Neither of their remains could be view at their funeral and Scotland Yard will not comment at all due to his son breaking the circle trying to save his father from something nasty his father was working with.. So I am very careful not to play with nasty energies or make any careless mistakes.

Betty

James and I had a good laugh concerning this evening after the kids went to sleep, he told me he intended to start tickling them to take their minds off his changing into a man. But he thought wiser to let them get more accustomed to him and then ease them into the understanding he was more than just a big dog.

James

It is so easy to work with Betty. She has an easy going nature allowing her intuition to guide her to the best positive results. She is is free of pretense no unnecessary formality or rules. If she weren't an Owl person she could be a wolf easily. Ann and myself had it hard for the first two hundred years before we worked out our relationship. That was before we could relax around each other and be who we were. Considering Ann was just about as wild as a human could be, and still be human, and I being a wolf at the core it is a wonder we did not shred each other.

I am aware the clock is ticking on Betty's preparation for this full moon so I best be giving her some room for her to get to work. To night is going to be a rough one if what Morgana has told me transpires. They had to bring Betty here very powered down so they could disguise her entrance to the town. Then pour in the training and the power so she is able to do this job. Tonight will be a shock to the system for Betty, and all I can do is watch her physical body and protect that. She is on her own for the rest. ,

Betty

I never had a protector to watch my body during a journey to the Astral Plane. That allowed me a lot more confidence in what I am doing. Confidence is where it is at tonight, or any time you separate your spirit from your body. You are still attached to your body by a spiritual thread; silver for most, golden for some. But your intent must be firm and without fluctuation or that tether can be damaged or cut. Having James protecting my body from harm is a great help but also having him be there as an anchor is just as important in case something goes wrong and I have problems coming back.

I don my robes and do my preparation rituals, cast my circle, sealed it well and went into my practiced trance sinking into the quiet darkness of my inner self.

I never had such a rude awakening than this one I found myself in the middle of a skirmish with a group of Roman troops trying to kill my village. I knew these people they were my relatives and friends. I saw my father was fighting to protect my little sister as I was running and screaming from over a small hill of dirt behind the Romans Dad was fighting. I spiked that foot men in the neck cutting past the cheap poorly made armor conscripted men received to fight in. Not stopping my movement I retrieved a Glave with its pole handle broken slightly longer than ax length. That made it a wonderful tool to slice through the kidney of another foot men whose poorly fitted armor had ridden up exposing that target. I by instinct recoiled back on my heels to avoid a Roman thrusting one of their funny looking pilum spears through my innards. I parried his unbalanced thrust throwing him more off balance. He stumbled past me so I could not get a clean hit, I rolled away looking for another better target.

That next target was the Centurion on his horse with his back towards me, reaching up with the Glaive I was able to hook it just under the mans chin strap and pull him off the horse or at least his head came off, from the expression on his face that was quite to his surprise. I then felt more than saw something being swung towards my head from behind. Ducking and rolling the second in command just missed my ass as I tumbled out of his way. Sorrow to that Roman officer he did not noticed my Big brother Angus who chopped wood and dug peat for a living swinging his big ax at the Roman’s head. The Roman was cursing at me for killing his commander so loudly when the ax connected he never knew it was coming. He was dead before he hit the ground. Never stop moving my dad taught me I grabbed a Roman Gladius and sprinted towards the next Roman.......

when that scene flashed to another.

I was suddenly alone wearing my robes in an open rocky area; no grass, no Romans, no blood, no battle, or parents. Just two other women. One I recognized was Ann both painted and armored, then a slightly younger women in ceremonial robes. I got my wits about me and composed myself quickly casting my balance before I fell on my face.

“You’re right, Maggie she does adapt quickly to situations.”

“Ann, I wish to introduce you to your future student Betty White Owl. Ann my dearest, please give Betty a moment to come back from her demonstration lesson. Betty dear, do close your mouth before something flies in to it.”

Gasping for breath and flush. I gasped out

“This is a lesson in what, may I ask ladies? “

Ann

“One to show you Betty you know more than you realize it is a matter of you remembering what you know. And regaining your practice of your craft. I taught you more than you realize when you were my student lady. I was grooming you for the possibility you would grow into this calling.”

A a bit confused and asked “ have I been here before.”

“Yes you have, Betty, and it is time for you to remember who you fully are and where you have come from. So that you can now do what we prepared you to do then. “

“The fight I was in just in then, was my real past I fought in that fight.”

“You were reliving one of your past life times just then. You lived that life when Scotland was under Roman ruler ship. You fought most bravely then and you need to pay heed to the fact that with no retraining you flashed into remembering how to fight with a
sword with out favoring your physical body's bad back. You will
also remember spells and how to call or cast them when you need to.”

“Maggie, why choose such a violent memory.”

“You need to act, not think, just act. That is what we need you to realize. That is all you need to do. Remember to remember”

Betty

The three of us all sat around a small peat fire up near the top of a rise protected by a group of standing stones. We covered a lot of what had happened while I was living in different places and how it related to here and now. This included my rapid departure from my last apartment and why I had to arrive so beaten down.

It took some time in this place of timelessness but in the end I had to sum up our discussions so I kept things straight.

Betty

“OK, to make it clear for me; I was brought here all battered and worn down so I could slip in unnoticed. Now you need me to power up remaining undetected so I can reweave like Grand mama spider a century old barrier. This barrier is holding back the North Sea of human mistaken intent that if it should fail our town in the bottle would be crushed. Do I have that right?”

Both women had the most amused look on there face. Maggie spoke;

“That's a crude but humorously accurate synopsis.”

“Wow I always wanted to be the little Dutch Girl with my finger in the dike. “
'
“Maggie, does Betty act this glib when she is casting or gathering?”

“Ann, I don't play with sacred things,! Ever! I am more than 120% focused when sacred energies are involved “ I growling lowly”

“Betty; I just wanted to see if we are on the same page when we work.” chuckled Ann “ Now to the business at hand. Betty we have some serious ceremonial work that needs to be done.”

We arose from our fire and started to walk the direction the two women were leading me.

Maggie embraced me warmly and spoke quietly,

“Betty, remember when we talked about your fear in deciding which of two paths to take. This decision is only one path; it is a path of total commitment. You are sworn to see this path through, but the rewards are enormous to say the least. You will walk where only a very few have before you have. You will be connected to and trained by the best and wisest minds our world ever produced.”

“ All of us will train you Betty to make a stand by accessing that power. This will allow you to save and protect everything you and we hold dear.”

All the time we were strolling in a general direction towards
their goal. The temperature started to drop a bit at a time and there came a wind softly at first but with a stiffening making it increasing. hard to stand against. We were now on a promontory high above the North Sea but the waves below here have been beating for millennium with out really scratching these cliffs.

These cliffs were born deep with in the earth. When the melted basalt lava was spat out, it cooled, and hardening deep under water, into what has to be the densest stone on earth. This stone was then trusted intact from the sea floor and became dry land. This stone has been ground by glaciers, blasted by constant wind and hammered on by the relentless sea. Now stood here in the real physical world in our spirit forms. I was led into a curiously placed round tower reaching up to the sky farther into the dark than I could see. The tower was constructed out of the same stone as these cliffs, and the land it stood upon. There was no separation between creation by the hand of humans and that of the goddess herself,forming a perfect symmetry.

This tower had no record of being built, by who or why it was constructed Modern science could not cypher it out. No artifacts were ever discovered; no record of ever being inhabited or could be inhabited. It was not a part of anything else it just stood there since memory of this place has been apart of recollection.

I instinctively knew that this place was the tower of Oaths where sacred unbreakable oaths were taken by people on their path of knowledge where they are introduced to the future. This tower was constructed with this one purpose in mind, the transition from lower levels of training and graduation to the next level or levels along the path of learning. Each level of knowledge has its own guardians and assessors of worth. They could not be fooled or bribed. You passed and moved on. Or you failed . It was a magnificent example of magical engineering where each stone serves a purpose and a unique function. I was walking up the stone staircase in silent awe of all those who have been here before. I felt their presence deep into my bones as we were all part of a continuum that is over fifteen thousand years old.

We emerged on the top floor; we were still protected by the parapets surrounding the roof below us. To the lower horizon it was stormy with lightning hitting the ocean. Directly above the tower I could see stars and the moon directly above like the tower was diverting the clouds.

The tower had a flat roof with an altar directly centered on the roof. The altar was made from interlocking pieces of obsidian, clear quarts, malachite, and amethyst They formed patterns I was not quite able to make out in the dark.

There was a moment before I really felt the energies creeping over my arms and legs with a gentle warmth. Soon I was enveloped with in a cocoon of loving and protective energy. The three of us had became present on the same page and with smoothness born from practice. We all took relative positions that formed a one third ratio; all 3 of us laid our Athame's on the top of the alter tips touching. Each of us laid our right hand on top of each other and started to circle the alter deosil [clockwise] using our intent and prayers to form a circle of protection keeping us safe from random spiritual interference.

This circle also defines a cleansed space where the sacred can reside with us while I take my oath and accept my new position and responsibility. In a spiritual manner it is a meet and greet for those who I will answer to, and need to cooperate with performing my station. Tonight was an initiation and the start of Ann becoming my teacher and I her Apprentice being formally handed over from Maggie.

"The circle is open, but never broken,
Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again!"
our world runs in cycles never ending
one ends when another starts
when winter comes for one spring arrives for another
The time for responsibility passing from one to another
Duty must past from the old and accepted by the new.
Here we have three who weave
there lives together as one
sharing gains sharing loss
Sharing hopes sharing oaths
Sharing dusk’s sharing dawns
A new sister joins splicing
Her life into this cord continuing for one past
so the cord is unbroken
so the cord is never ending
If there is an be objections
Make it known now.

Voice

How can we trust such a being not pure in any form? What's sacred to them that makes themselves worthy of our trust and investment of efforts. Is there no one else worthy of our trust; why this one now and here.

Maggie and Ann

We speak for her worth, we know her substance, she has proven by her deeds worthy of trust.

Ann

She has been tested by life and met all challenges she has been blooded in battle yet here she stands She has been trained in both the past and present
She is proper in her craft and practice.

Maggie

She has been forged by the fires of life, and death lifting her self from the mire of the mundane by her own efforts, by her own fire within. She has sworn her most sacred oath to make her stand here and not to run or retreat from her station.
A large crow or raven flies in and the voice emanates from where it stands

Voice

If you stand by this person you will be punished if she fails. She is a women who has never bled the blood of her life -energy And you have expected us to know, that she will stand with her sisters those who make there efforts known to us each month Do you guarantee she will not destroy the cause going warlock.

Betty; Speak for your self woman What proof do you offer me, Betty to your being trustworthy of this station? What proof do you ,Betty have to show us for your efforts. What do you offer us as collateral for our trust, You are women in form and spirit but only partial in power what is your offering to show your worthiness of our trust and aid. NOW Speak

Betty

Respectfully who ever you are , you can see my life's path and my always seeking of the truth with no regard to my pain. Being two spirited I had a hard path to walk, and I have done so with pride. I am known to my parents tribe as Walks her Talk. I stood at 17 confronting vicious physical opposition to my kind attending schooling, I have beaten rapists off from young women although they loathed me, I came to their aid when need my help them. I have protected the just born from murder by men too angry to listen to reason.

My life is full of examples of my courage and willingness to use my skills to protect the innocent and helpless. I do not run I do not hide where confrontation is due or necessary

I give you my life as a living example, I give you my every effort. Childhood onward, my life has been training me to make my self worthy of serving the goddess. I have consistently stood by my sisters and there children. I don't retreat from a stand I give you my body as proof I give you my scars and my wounds I have served at the alter of goddess in all ways I even by prepared and buried the body's of loved ones with my own hands.

What else do you require of me? I am willingly serving as the brains and steel to advance this portals survival and flourishing.
As Ann before I swear to hold the door open to those who seek us out. Yes my lady I give you my sacred word to stand and not to retreat

The womanly form in front of me was not some one who I quickly recognized; she was clad in a black iridescent cloak and dress with decoration of silver Never meeting an archtype goddess I do not know if myth followed truth. I have a suspicion who this may be guaranteeing I was keeping my voice tone firm but respectful

Voice

Mortal changeling do you have any Idea of whom you address?

Betty

"Respectfully, no my eminence, and I would not hazard a guess lest my ignorance may prove to be insulting."

A smirk swam across her face then she spoke with a booming voice.

"You challenge me with out knowing who is disapproving of you. That makes you either very sure of your self or just stupid. Make a guess at who we are, allow us a laugh."

Her arrangement spoke of a Celtic goddess not the Greek Hecate so my first guess was.

"May you be Bridget, my worship?"

"She is much to sweet to fill my boots she votes for you. But I am far more demanding , to the point and a lot less sweet at getting what I desire."

The woman form in front of me took on a very ominous atmosphere about her as if emphasizing her statement.

Betty

"Then my next guess would be her majestys the Morrigan."

Morrigan

"Got it in only two; there may be hope for you yet Betty. It would seam that, being part male, has not robed you ,completely, of innate intelligence. But it has cheated you of the experience that would allow you to win my vote. You do not bleed as women do! I do give you credit you fill the heals you wear nicely, and you have willingly shared the same fate as any other women but is that because you like to suffer or is it who you are
As of now I am undecided. The first you are too weak to do the job the second is not proof of your worthiness of trust."

Another softer voice interrupted, entering the debate.

"My sister's Morrigan, that is of no lacking in her character, you are being peevish, And there are many women who never bleed but are the model of womanhood. And there are those who do bleed who in no way earn the respectful title of women and have no connection to their sisters world."

My focus was on Morrigan and I did not hazard to look at my supporter.

Morrigan

"Bast my sister at least you are one who has shared my office of fighting battles deciding the fate of those who fight them. So I do accept you being a advocate for this changeling."

Bast

"My sister, this Witch has done battle, in the modern world, using modern weapons of litigation, legislation, law. With these tools she has protected many communities and taught them to be able to stand on their own .

She has fought for, and lead groups of people in long and rigorous battles. Defending there rights of self determination. This is also all skills necessary to protect this holding from harm. In today's reality the pen is mightier than the sword."

Morrigan

" The pen is mightier than the sword, but the sword speaks louder at any given time. So she also needs to have the stomach and ability to use the sword, if called upon to do so. Sister Bast speak to that."

Bast

"She has stood protest lines, taking clubbing and chemical sprays, and she only needs some experience to remember what it is to hold live steel in her hand again. Her past lives have taught her well.'

Betty

"My worship Morrigan what would you demand of me as collateral to seal your trust of me in this manner?"

Morrigan

"I need to see you in action. To test your strength over a period of couple of ,your, months. You will need to manage your leadership and motherhood in balance. And you need to do this all by the rules you hold so high.

Call it proving you have the staying power to wade through a sea of bodies if necessary to protect this sacred spot. You pass you stay you Fail you move on you have my leave to do so.

And one other thing you need to agree to accept the birthright of any complete woman regardless if you pass or fail. This is the Gauntlet I cast at thee."

Bast

"Betty chose well my faithful student. This is for ever for you."

Betty

"My worship Morrigan I accept ".

Morrigan

“Either you are completely daft or very dedicated I am not
voting which right now. I give my provisional approval; I will judge you on Samhain my young apprentice.”

With that the Morrigan tossed something at me that when it hits my chest it had some weight though it surprised me I caught it was a finely crafted silver metal gauntlet with a Crow Device on its back.

Our ceremony was completed in about a half an hour then with out any other added drama, with our work completed the three of us bid our goodbys properly and I was reinforced by both of my former teachers. With Maggie's and Ann's well wishes I left the ceremonial area my ordeal there on the Astral plain completed, for now!.

Betty

I found my self getting up a bit unsteadily. Moving over to a chair James asked me simply. Ran into some opposition to the plans?

"I am on trial between now, and Samhain. Pass I get the Gig; fail I will be forced to move on."

"Did ye recognize or did they declare who they were?"

"None other than the Morrigan herself. But my old patron Bast stood up for me, swinging the deal."

“You’re lucky ye walked away from that encounter that is one serious force of nature. Was there any other comments,to ye Betty?”

“Either you are completely daft or very dedicated. I am not voting which right now. I give my provisional approval. I will judge you on Samhain my young apprentice.” Then she threw a silver metal chain mail gauntlet at me .with a Crow device on the back."

James chuckled deeply.

“ She likes you lass, ye will see more of her. Get ready to have a lot of crows and ravens watching your every move. Don't slack off one bit nay for even a moment. From this day on ye need to stay at the top of your game. Always maintain a positive, I will do this, attitude. Now don't just believe that it can be done. Morrigan can forgive lack of knowledge before she will tolerate lack of confidence or courage. She may provide some divine intervention, so be prepared.”

“The Morrigan is a force of life and death, creation and destruction, She is the Celtic form of Freya and like Freya, Morrigan is Valkyrie claiming the worthy fallen from battle and condemning the less than brave. No prayer of negotiation. She's the worst bitch you can imagine when crossed. But a loving and ramrod straight mother when you please her. Now she is your patron. I hope you are ready for an interesting life Betty ye are going to have one.

“James It's time for me to get my sorry ass to bed. Thank you. for your information and protecting my body, But I do have a day to work on on this tomorrow. My mind was fuzzy but sleep will fix that. My nerves are another” I muttered softly.

Getting up and started to try to walk to my bed. That simple movement was hard because the floor kept moving under my feet making it impossible to walk a straight path. One moment I was walking, the next James was tucking me into my bed. This is getting to be a bad habit, I hope he doesn't mind.

James

Betty is still learning the rigors of serious astral projection. The poor soul thought she was going to make it to her bedroom on her own. I knew from working with Ann that was very unlikely.

Later when I inquired from Ann what transpired? She only softly told me;

“ That James, if she is willing, is Betty’s news to share. Consider this a woman's courtesy to a sister.”

“Ann give me something how did she fare.? ”.

“Considering what transpired James, she did brilliantly. ” Then like a mist, Ann departed.

When I walked back into the living room to clean up, A sound came from over where Betty was working. The sound of something dropping onto the floor. I walked over there to see there was now, the gauntlet, that Betty described, with a Crow symbol on its back.. I took a very deep breath letting it out slowly. This was either very bad or very good. The Morrigan is the elemental force of natures creation and destruction ,something to treat with extreme caution. She plays rough, and for keeps. This gauntlet’s physical projection into this plane, indicates just how high the stakes are here.

Glossary of how words are defined in this world.

Athame = A sacred double edged knife usually with a black
handle used in ceremonies only to direct or cut energies.
Used for Casting circles and calling in the directions
individualized to each practitioner by how it has been
fashioned and the symbols carved into the handle.
not used to cut physical things.

Device = A symbol or graphic used to identify a house, an individual Knight, or very important person or being.

Dynamite Heater Here's another one of those "what were they
thinking" examples. This is a dynamite heater, used in mines in Colorado in the 1800's. They would actually fill all the holes with sticks of dynamite and set this contraption on a hot wood stove to heat the dynamite. And, yes, the predicted result would happen occasionally , it accounted for "over 50%" of all mining deaths.
Imagine that!

Gauntlet = A metal glove woven out of chain mail to protect your hand in combat.

Morrigan [ Irish Celtic] elemental force of creation and destruction Like Fray [Norse] performs the duty of choosing the honorer dead warriors from the carnage of battle. Goddess of lustful sex. Animal Crow or Raven.

Morgana La Fay [ Welsh] Sorceress Half sister to Arthur Pendragon, student of Merlin the Sorcerer. In some recounts she went beyond Merlin in skill and power. Not related to the Morrigan.

Pilum spear; Signature Roman infantry weapon. A wooden shaft tipped by a one piece metal forged head. consisting of the mounting socket a short metal shaft finished by a narrow barbed tip. This was trusted or thrown and a solid hit could penetrate most of the days available armor and shields.

Samhain 31 October = Celtic new year the night the veil between living and the dead is the thinnest allowing communication

Warlock = Oath breaker, betrayer. turn coat, traitor usually bribed with offers of safety and wealth, to turn in others to the witch hunter.