Hey there, folks, here we are with me trying (and failing) to get this write-up assembled and posted with plenty of time to work on/worry about other things before the next session.
And, um... yeah. Can't think of anything else to add. So let's do this thing.
We fade in on the group inside the Liczka family crypt, made out of an exhausted salt mine partially under the estate. The chamber is a speaking chamber currently lit by torches, clearly used in the past for various sorts of services and other purposes. The walls are subtly marked with chalk runes whose purpose will need time and study to analyze, and there are rows of benches and chairs dragged down. All in all, it looks a little like an improvised chapel.
Amidst a lot of dead bodies on the floor, Wanaasan Kaga's body jerks and writhes. She appears to be unconscious, and something is moving around on her back under her clothes. Lecht rushes over to cut the clothes open and they reach in to find whatever's in there and rip it out. And they do find something... something with a plastic-y or chitinous surface but somewhat flexible as well, clinging to her back hard enough that they ask Wandering Dawn to help.
He channels the power of the Unconquered Sun and yanks something off of her back with a spray of blood. The body vaguely resembles a large spider, its color sort of a bronze-copper-ish color but with an iridescent sheen to it. In fact, it looks kind of like an anuhle except instead of the stiff, jointed legs of a spider it flails around with thin tentacles. Wandering Dawn, holding the wriggling thing in his grip, crushes it and tosses it to the ground as it stops moving. His wolverine familiar Mollie immediately scrambles over to it to investigate further, with a warning growl she uses when she smells things that stink of the Wyld.
The Solar warns the group that whatever that thing is, it has a fae nature. That makes Stray Dog wonder about Anica, and what might be controlling her. As he thinks it over, Wandering Dawn realizes given Mollie didn't react to Kaga when he met her during the ghost hunt, someone must have put that thing on her back at some point afterwards. He suspects that either Anica put it on her or is under the control of one herself. Stray Dog hopes she's either got one of these parasites on her, or maybe they'll discover she's the mastermind -- he'd prefer the latter, because that would just be so much simpler.
With a quick examination they determine that Kaga's stable enough to leave there for now -- even one of the Terrestrial Exalted is hardy enough not to succumb to simple blood loss. They move into the farther part of the room, where the torchlight doesn't easily reach, but they can see a torch a head and a big green flame in something like a brazier. As they get close enough they see Anica standing next to a basin of water. The basin has some substance floating on top, and that substance is burning a bright 'cartoon radiation'-style green.
On a nearby bench, Stone Thistle is unconscious, tied down, and shirtless as she appears to be starting to tattoo something on his back with the substance floating in the basin. It's not fully sinking in like ink, at least not yet -- more congealing on his skin, like hot wax or glue drying on it. She's so focused on her work that she doesn't see the others arrive, or that Stray Dog gestures with one hand and pantomimes grabbing something and throwing it -- telekinetically picking up the basin and chucking it at her. It hits her in the head, knocking her out, and falls over on her -- pinning her down as the water and the burning substance splash onto the floor and begin to gather in the corner of the room.
"Gods, I can't tell which of you is the bigger idiot," Stray Dog says as he looks from Anica to Stone Thistle. He goes over to his unconscious former associate and starts slapping him awake. "Wake up! Wake up, you big idiot!"
Stone Thistle stirs and starts thrashing around while Stray Dog unties him. He explains that he's helping him, and that Anica was tattooing something on him -- possibly as a mind control thing. The false monk explains that he was trying to get Kaga away from Anica unharmed, but he wasn't prepared for her to be under Anica's sway and they got the drop on him. Now free, he gets up and looks around and resists the urge to try and look at the tattoo on his back. He asks what 'that smell' is, and everyone becomes aware of the green flame still burning in the corner, floating on a big puddle.
Wandering Dawn removes the basin from Anica and begins patting her down and checking her for one of those parasites. He goes out of his way to inform them he's searching her for one of those creatures as he checks her arms and legs as well. Lecht asks why he's making it weird, and he explains he doesn't want anyone getting the wrong idea. They tease him, naturally, and he says he doesn't know for sure the thing only attaches to her back. Lecht continues to tease him until he picks up a rock and chucks it at them.
Lecht asks Stray Dog if they should check out Stone Thistle to make sure he's okay, and he tells them to go for it. Lecht gives the false monk a quick once over as Stone Thistle introduces himself. They determine he'll be fine, and then he goes looking for a shirt. As he wanders off, Stray Dog says "Let me try something" and uses telekinesis to peel that substance off of his back, which gets a yelled curse of pain as it leaves a distinct pattern of reddened skin behind. He gathers the stuff up in a sphere of mercury-like liquid with that iridescent sheen floating over his palm, and consults his unwoven coadjutor as to what the goo is.
"I knew it," he says a moment later.
"Knew what?" Lecht asks.
"As soon as I saw that bug-thing, I suspected demon stuff." He holds up the floating sphere. "This is demon-blood tainted with Wyld stuff."
Wandering Dawn manifests a sword of sunlight, which is potent against creatures of darkness, and brings it close to the sphere. It quivers and shakes and tries to pull away, even steaming a little bit.
"It's rough, being a genius," the Infernal says.
Wandering Dawn's more than a little surprised, and asks if something like that's ever happened. Stray Dog and Lecht both have enough knowledge of such things to know that while it's rare, the Wyld can taint potentially anything in time -- not just people an animals, but also spirits, ghosts, demons, and even gods. Stray Dog takes a closer look at the blood, going over what he knows to try and determine what type of demon it came from. But nothing suggests a specific First Circle species, and between that and the concentrated power he can sense in it, he comes to a conclusion.
"This is very bad news," he says after a moment. "This might be the blood of a Second Circle demon. There's no way Anica could have subdued a Second Circle demon."
"Definitely not, given how you took her out," Wandering Dawn remarks.
"Which means this blood had to be given willingly."
"This is worrisome," Wandering Dawn comments as he takes a closer look at the still-out Anica. He notes she's awake but pretending to still be unconscious. She's got a cut and a bump on her head that's probably gonna swell up to the size of her first, and he reaches up to lightly tap it, getting her to jerk away and open her eyes with an "Aw, fuck."
"Oh look, she's awake," he says, satisfied.
"Oh no, she survived," Lecht sarcastically mutters.
"Yay," Stray Dog adds.
She looks up at the three of them -- well, four now, as Stone Thistle is back with a bloody, torn shirt taken off of one of the dead gang members. She tries to get up, a little wobbly but making an effort to retain her dignity. "Yes. I'm awake. What are you going to do with me?"
Wandering Dawn glances over at Lecht and says that depends on how truthful she answers his questions. Because if his friend -- he indicates Lecht -- doesn't think she's telling the truth... He leans in and whispers in her ear that they could just kill her and ask her corpse.
She pales and her eyes widen and starts by saying that before she answers anything, she wants to say she did it all for her city and won't apologize for it.
Stray Dog starts by asking how she got the blood. After a moment's thought, she says she summoned it.[0] He finds that hard to believe, though Lecht is pretty sure she's telling the truth. She looks at Stray Dog and says that's the simple version. She used a ritual to open a link to a demon, and the demon was able to share the blood through that. Stray Dog acknowledges that he was half-right, he'll take that.
Wandering Dawn asks why she summoned a Second Circle demon for this, and she just gives him a weird, confused look.
"Oh gods," Lecht mutters. "Don't tell me you didn't know what you summoned."
Wandering Dawn asks if she even knows who or what she was making contact with, and she say she knows who she was summoning and that it was a demon, but she doesn't know what a 'Second Circle' demon is.
Lecht calls her a rank, arrogant amateur, while Wandering Dawn mutters "Sun give me strength." Stray Dog just asks for the demon's name.
She starts to open her mouth to answer, but the name doesn't come from her. Everyone hears it coming from within themselves, like it's using their bodies a as speakers to project itself.
"Elmorze the Hunger. That blood is mine."
Wandering Dawn looks around, trying to figure out where the voice is coming from, while Stray Dog asks if he'd like to come out and take it back.
"Oh, I've got plenty, and travel is difficult for the moment. Keep it as a souvenir! It's good for flavoring certain meats."
Everyone gets a gross look on their faces as Stray Dog puts the floating sphere of blood in an empty bottle. Wandering Dawn asks if he's sure it's not dangerous to keep that around -- and Stray Dog's not sure in the slightest, but it's certainly too valuable to leave on the floor.
Wandering Dawn asks Anica what her plan was.
"Gather enough of the people to my side to take control of the city and cast out the devils of greed and avarice gnawing at its soul." She sounds like she believes every word of it, too.
"Were you going to kill your brother?"
"Only if I had to."
Wandering Dawn points at Stone Thistle and asks what she was doing to him.
"I didn't want to, but he's powerful, he has influence with the Dynasts..." In the background, Stone Thistle lets out a single bitter laugh at that. "...and someone like me can only harness the power of the Chosen that way."
"Is that what you did with Kaga?"
"Yes."
Lecht asks her how many of her group are involuntary members.
"Just Kaga, and also the monk if I had finished. The others came to me voluntarily, and they have received blessings and had their resolve sharpened, but that's it."
Lecht asks if she's implanted a creature in the rest of them, and she insists she hasn't done so, and hasn't had to.
Lecht turns to the others and says they should know Lecht's vote on what to do with her now. They're not a judge over the laws, and Wandering Dawn's unsure of what law there is or they'd represent here. Stray Dog asks if he's sure of that, addressing him as 'Lawgiver' as he does so. Lecht says they're not a judge but an arbitrator, but she's a charismatic woman willing to dabble in things she doesn't understand, damn the consequences. She made contact with a Second Circle demon -- those things are no joke. Who's to say she wouldn't try it again?
Wandering Dawn acknowledges she probably would do it again, if she went free. Lecht say she probably has people in the prisons, too, and asks her if that's the case. She says she doesn't know where her followers all go when they leave her sight, and acknowledges that some of them probably do work in the prison.
Lecht says that she's wrought so much chaos because she believes the ends justify the means, and that she will try this again. Better to prevent further suffering now, and she's clearly not sorry about it. Wandering Dawn starts to say something but stammers, not sure what he wants to say, and Lecht continues and insists that being Chosen means having to choose. The Solar says he doesn't want to kill an unarmed person. Lecht points out she summoned a demon -- she's not unarmed, just unprepared. Wandering Dawn steps away and says that if one of the others wants to do it...
The voice from earlier returns and asks if he gets a vote. Lecht says only if he does it in person. Elmorze says he doesn't care, he just wants to watch. And he can't be there in person anyways. Lecht laments that now they're going to have a chatterbox demon in their heads for the rest of their days. Stray Dog points out that he's pretty sure the voice isn't in their heads, but coming from the burning demon blood in the corner.
Wandering Dawn wants to do something about the blood but says when they leave, they won't have to hear him again. Stray Dog points out that's only until they stumble onto him again -- this is the second time they've encountered his works, after all. Lecht says, darkly, that they'll definitely encounter him more. Stray Dog then turns to Lecht and says that the only thing he wants to add is something wiser people have put into words: "Don't be quicker to deal death than you would be to restore the dead to life." He knows that has extra meaning for someone like them.
They thank him for his words of wisdom, and says he'll take them under advisement. Then their hand glows as they reach out and press it to Anica's chest and channel a pulse of Essence through her, using one of their powers to end her life and ensure she passes on without a ghost. She dies without fear or regret, an expression of serene dignity on her face. Lecht says that was very sad, may she rest in peace, may her soul find balance. They say a funeral prayer for her.
Elmorze says that was very lovely, very well-said.
Stray Dog sighs and suggests they get out of there, and Lecht says he's just going to keep teasing and taunting.
The demon continues and comments that Anica was boring anyways -- a barely-competent summoner. She probably couldn't do anything without the book anyways. At the mention of a book, the entire group simultaneously groans out "Oh fuck." or something similar. Stray Dog asks if Elmorze would tell them where the book is.
The group senses something like an unseen shrug, and he says he doesn't know -- probably among her things. He didn't give it to her, or anything. They'd have to ask her, but well... they can, can't they?
Lecht gets ready to question her corpse and says they need to put 'him' out first. Wandering Dawn's able to find something to smother the demon blood fire as Lecht works their magic to question Anica's corpse. They ask her where the book is that she used to summon Elmorze, and she says it's in a sack in a nearby hallway with a bunch of her things -- she figured she was going to have to make a run for it, and grabbed a bunch of stuff on the way out.
Lecht then asks if there's anything she wouldn't want them to know. She admits to murdering her father, poisoning him slowly so it would look like natural causes. She couldn't have predicted that his soul would emerge as a hungry ghost. Lecht putting her father out of his misery simply accelerated the timetable, and she feared her brother was going to sell the city to the Guild and she was ready to do almost anything to stop that. She also insists that the Leaves will continue on without her -- Elmorze sharpened her resolve and took away her fear, and his touch will still be felt among the townspeople.
There's a collective 'oh no' moment, and Lecht says this is certainly more in Stray Dog's wheelhouse. After a moment's thought, the Infernal say he might be able to work up something to undo Elmorze's influence. He goes and finds the sack of Anica's stuff she was talking about and flips through the book. It'll take a little while to go through in-depth, but he gets the distinct impression that someone left for her to find -- it's not a complete text, but it doesn't have all of the little sketched-out margin notes you'd expect from someone learning about summoning and penning their own little demonology grimoire in the process. From the quality construction of the book, he's pretty sure it was made in Whitewall by someone known for producing books and journals for the Guild.
Lecht takes that to mean there's at least some Guild presence in town, though it could just be one or two people. They wonder Anica's brother Luca may have planted the journal, and if her fears were correct. But something about that seems a little 'off,' and Wandering Dawn says if that's the case, it might mean someone else they have to ask questions. Lecht takes a moment to insist they were only joking about wiping out the family earlier. Wandering Dawn makes it clear he just wants to ask some questions, and Lecht points out that he knows where their questions tend to end.
Stray Dog chimes in and agrees they need to talk to her brother, because someone arranged for her to find that book, and Wandering Dawn says that if Luca's dealing with the Guild, then he's certainly got some involvement anyways. Stray Dog adds that even if Luca didn't leave the book for her, he probably knows who did.
But by now, everyone but Lecht (who finds the salty environment pleasant) is more than ready to get out of the catacombs. Stray Dog remarks that he's more worried about the living people than dead ones, but the place gives him the creeps. So the group goes to leave -- the Bone Lion and Hounds of the Five Winds have dissolved back into the ether by now, and Lecht's had their zombies cleaning up the bloody battle scene in the better-lit half of the chamber (it helps that the zombies' emergence has revealed a bunch of previously-hidden places to hide bodies).[1]
As they head out, Stray Dog asks Stone Thistle if he couldn't have found a shirt that's not covered in blood and torn up with zombie bites, and the monk remarks there weren't a lot of options. He comments that times like these are why he always keeps a pair of emergency pair of pants with his stuff, which Stray Dog remarks is a smart idea. Also, the Infernal goes out of his way to remind the Sidereal that he hates him. Stone Thistle feels likewise, and then asks the group where the rest of the trade caravan is -- he's been secretly following the caravan since Fella and some of his stuff is still there. Wandering Dawn informs him that it's in Kolozma, and asks if he's been paying the tithe (not that there is one, but the Solar wants to mess with him too). Stone Thistle looks him dead in the eye and says that while the three of them were dealing with the Broken Antler and the caravan got attacked by a small raiding party, he saved Oguri's life.
"Note to self, carry medals to hand out to great heroes," Stray Dog mutters.
Stone Thistle then admits that there isn't actually anything he needs or wants back still with the caravan he just wanted to mess with them a bit.
But we leave off on more snarky, hostility-obscuring banter.
[0]-- Though strictly speaking, she didn't exactly summon the demon. She performed a ritual that opened up a link between her and the demon, but she didn't have the power or the knowledge to do something like allow Elmorze to manifest at her location. But I try to save such pedantry for footnotes, and here we are.
[1]-- I think I forgot to mention this before, but the whole 'hidden graves of miners' thing was a bit of handwaving on my part so make extra bodies available and not cheat Zac out of all of the successes they rolled in the summoning.
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