The Pen is Mightier than the Dragon

The Pen is Mightier than the Dragon
Part of Call of the Shadows
Date 2085-02-13 GM OrionsRequiem Location London, UK Status Threat Level: Extreme
Factions Involved
ShadowHaven Loyell Avalon Council The Great Dragon Arleesh The Blackmore Family	Dr. Jykell	Cult of the Horned God	The Mórrigan
Artemisia Catharsis Delphi Katherine Tyler	Hyde #9 Mister FourEyes Randoran Blackmourn	Josephine	Mordred(NPC) Mórrigan Le Fey

Summary

In which Artemisia and Catharsis are called upon for the greater good

Dinner Date

Artemisia is continuing to study the diaries that she had recently found when she receives a message from an unknown commcode. The message is a simple location data that can be followed. Fearing a trap in her normally paranoid manner, Artemisia contacts Catharsis who provides Matrix overwatch on the vampire and insists on coming to the underpass of the Council Island bridge where they are drawn to. Beneath the bridge stands a long, ornate dinner table, dressed with fine silverware and ceramic, while also having a large duffel bag resting on the table that Artemisia pulls open, revealing three figures.

Doing some searching, Catharsis is able to determine that these people have been reported as missing on the news. One is a Yakuza member, under investigation for the ownership and operation of several bunraku parlors across Seattle. Another is a suspected murderer who has three open homicide investigations about them, and the third is a hedge fund executive who was suspected of embezzling for certain individuals and defrauding others. Also of note upon assensing them, one was mundane, one was an adept, and the final one was a technomancer.

Artemisia wakes up the yak and begins to threaten him, asking what he knew about Josephine and why she was there. However as it becomes clear that he is actually working for Josephine and was a member of her latest club she blows the head off the yakuza member. Waking up the suspected murderer, she finds out that many of the murders were of Josephine's "enemies" and uses her ability to paralyze people with fear to keep the murderer still but ends up also paralyzing Catharsis and forcing her friend to watch as the vampire drains the essence from the man before cutting his throat and then breaks down crying.

Cathy tells a story about her mom to calm Arti, comforting her friend and allowing the vampire to take some solace in the fact that she has friends who will not betray her.

Cathy talks to Technomancer hedgefund exec and learns that Josephine was upset about investments into something owned by the "Avalon group". The group is some form of philanthropic group based out of London, and is run by the familiar name of Ulric ban Avalon. Josephine asked the hedge fund manager to look into the Avalon group and discover everything he could and try and disrupt their own investments. Deciding to let the technomancer go, Artimesia and Catharsis consider their next moves, but through some clever hacking of traffic cams, discover that the vehicle used to transport Josephine headed to the Space Needle before she escaped.

Arti and Cathy go to the Space needle, and look around the stores in the area, eventually finding Four-Eyes and Josephine's signatures. Though as Artimesia goes through the stores it's clear that she is being messed with as the vampire is taunted by Josephine apparently looking for gifts for Artimesia before taking off from Seattle. Eventually deciding that the two of them wouldn't be able to find any additional leads while in this venue, they leave each other's company for the night and agree to meet up for their trip to London in the next week.

Four-Eyes appears in Arti's safehouse and offers to give her information in return for body parts, trades two of Artimesia's fingers for the information that Josephine will be in London for a week.

Catharsis in Cara'sir

Attempting to repair the damaged relationship with the elven side of her family after the events of In Shadows We Hyde, Catharsis takes a trip to the Tir nation of Cara'sir in order to work with her grandfather and the Blackmore foundation with some of their charitable activities. Upon her arrival at the airport she is picked up by Etain Darejan, a paladin and former Ghost from the military branch of the special forces that now works for Jeremiah Blackmore in his political ambitions for Princedom.

Arriving at Blackmore Manor the decker is informed that she has cousins that arrived in response to learning that she was meant to come to spend time with her grandfather, Brigit and Olwen Blackmore, two full mages that have long roots in noble elven society. Moving to the gardens for a peaceful walk Catharsis is eventually joined by her grandfather, but not before realizing that Etain is watching her carefully and protectively, as well that there are feelings of attraction from the former Ghost. Catharsis and her grandfather discuss the garden, and Jeremiah explains that it was never his intention that a mage use mind magic on his granddaughter, he simply wanted her to be safe, despite the shadowrunner activities.

Catharsis explains that regardless of intentions, sometimes the job is going to be dangerous but that she shadowruns to help people and that is more important. Jeremiah seems to agree that it's important, and that he's proud of her, even if he is always going to worry about her.

After a lovely afternoon with grandpa, Catharsis retires to her room, though is interrupted by the astral forms of Brigit and Olwen who are questioning what it was the decker wants from the family, why she just appeared and started to hang around her grandfather. However they are suspicious of the answer that she simply wants to get to know her family and grow closer to them. Brigit in particular seems to take offense at the idea that it's completely without ulterior motive, and has to be dissuaded from further action by her brother, eventually leaving the decker alone.

The next day Catharsis is wandering through the garden when she is stuck to a statue of her grandmother by Brigit's glue spell, trying once again to interrogate the shadowrunner about what she wants there and what she's trying to get from the Blackmore family. While eventually Catharsis is able to get free of the spell and deliver a scathing psychological evaluation of the suspicious cousin, it is stopped from escalating to violence by the quick appearance of Olwen who seems to be able to calm his sister. Upon returning to her rooms for the night, Catharsis is greeted by a spirit. A small chimera-like beast spirit combining traits of a rabbit, a serval and a stoat. The creature doesn't appear aggressive, and instead is quite friendly and spirited around Catharsis. While there is some initial concern due to the Astral nature of the creature and her previous experience with spirits Catharsis lets Etain know about the spirit, and an astral bodyguard is summoned who lets Catharsis know that the spirit is a Force 1 beast spirit, and speculates that it is free since there doesn't appear to be a summoner link and it's close enough past dusk that a reguarly summoned spirit would disappear. Accepting the new magical friend, Catharsis settles into bed and prepares for the next day.

Upon waking, Catharsis dons her best clothing as well as a new scarf in the form of the beast spirit and heads with her grandfather to the Blackmore foundation. The board is meeting as Jeremiah is looking to expand outside the Tir states and to aid all of metahumanity more than just elves. This is met with some resistance from the mainly elf nobility of the board. However Catharsis speaks to her experience from within the UCAS, and how Tir Tairngire is viewed by the non-elves that live in Seattle and elsewhere. She also explains that she has connections within Seattle, specifically the elven community of Tarislar where the foundation could do some real good and open itself up to more than just elves slowly.

Catharsis makes some headway, though the meeting is interrupted and sent to a recess while Jeremiah heads down to the lobby on some sort of interruption. It's at this time that Catharsis realizes that there are others that she recognizes here, specifically Hyden Jones who is representing the Avalon Foundation, and an Amazonian woman who introduces herself as Mercedes Salazar who is observing as a guest. Mercedes spends a moment to talk with the beast spirit that Catharsis has, and explains that she is a Beast Way Adept who can communicate with animals. She tells Catharsis that the spirit's name is Loyell, and he was apparently sent to Catharsis by someone that he trusted. She also explains that Loyell is not actually a Force 1, but a Force 9 free spirit that seems familiar to the Amazonian. While this confuses Catharsis about the identity of who it might be that sent the spirit, she is interrupted from the thought by the sudden appearance of Olwen being deposited against one of the board room doors, smearing a bloody Elder God symbol as he himself has been exsanguinated.

Rushing to aid him Catharsis started trying to patch up the injured elf while others rushed around, however Hyden moved away to get aid using his ability to move preternaturally quickly. Coming back only a few minutes later with a medkit that Catharsis set up to help Olwen while the rest of the room panicked. Jeremiah eventually returns in a panic and comes with paramedics, bringing Olwen to the hospital, surviving thanks to the quick actions of Catharsis and her allies.

Arriving at the hospital, Catharsis is decompressing when she is once again assailed by Brigit, who is very upset that her brother is injured and lashing out at Catharsis. Though thanks to mediation techniques and confronting the issue being that her brother was hurt and not that Catharsis did something wrong allows the two elves to talk things out to a peaceful conclusion, with Brigit even admitting that she was just scared and lashing out. She also informs Catharsis that Olwen had gone to hang out with some "low-class" friends of his, a wizgang in the rougher parts of Cara'sir. Getting the address of the clubhouse from Brigit Catharsis makes her way to find Etain so that the two of them can go and interrogate the wizgang about what happened to Olwen.

This is interrupted by Mr. Four-Eyes appearing in the hospital and beginning to taunt Catharsis about her cousin's near-death experience. Loyell begins to hiss and growl at the tormenting spirit, though Catharsis holds him back from engaging in a fight, especially after an explorer is sent to defend her and gets slapped away aggressively. Mr. Four-Eyes also continues to offer information about the whereabouts of Hydes and even of Dr. Jykell himself in return for one of Catharsis' ears. The spirit eventually decides that there has been enough torment and disappears before the cavalry can arrive.

After checking that Catharsis is unharmed Etain brings the woman to the rougher downtown area of Cara'Sir where they find the gang clubhouse where Brigit had indicated that Olwen had gone. The paladin and shadowrunner find that the building has been damaged outside, and several of the elven gangers are injured in some way or another. Cartharsis is able to talk her way through the gangers, though leaves Etain by the car because the Paladin is eager for a fight and gangers and law enforcement do not historically get along.

While speaking with the gang's leader, the elf mentions that he recognized the person who came by to kidnap Olwen, it was a nobleman named Ravenor Osheen, the same man who had shown up after being removed from the Blackmore Foundation's board by Jeremiah. The ganger explains that Osheen showed up alongside Mr. Four-Eyes and beat Olwen to an inch of his life, and the gangers who tried to help were similarly injured. It was clear that Osheen had become a vampire and was using the infected advantage to one-up the wizgangers.

Upset about the situation, but with a new lead, Catharsis returned to the car and Etain, and goes back to the Blackmore manor where she takes a walk through the garden and finds her grandfather next to the statue of his first wife, Catharsis' grandmother. Jeremiah expresses concern over Olwen's condition, blaming himself for not paying attention to his grandchild and not realizing how vengeful Osheen would become simply for being removed from the board of the charity. Cathy does her best to reassure her grandfather, and explains that while she can locate the rogue noble but will probably be unable to fight him, her grandfather says that if she finds him then he will send his security forces to deal with Osheen and she won't have to worry about it. The shadowrunner went about her specialty and managed to find Osheen, now confirmed to be another of Dr. Jykell's Hydes, and send the location to her grandfather and security forces were sent after him.

While the operation was being supervised by Jeremiah, and with Brigit and Olwen out of the house and at the hospital Catharsis was finally able to begin to snoop around the manor for something that she had been curious about. After her last encounters with the Hydes it became clear that her family had some relation to the Fourth World and knowledge that Artemisia wished to keep from her, and after discussion with her vampiric friend, it was suspected that it might be an Immortal Elf, or a blood mage. Either way, it was dangerous and Catharsis wanted to see what she could find.

Finding a secret hallway behind a wall that she hacked open the decker made her way through the secret staircase to one of the bartizans on the estate. She made her way up the stairs and was alerted to something wrong when Loyell began to growl and two guardian spirits appeared before Catharsis, however a voice from beyond a door told them to stand down. The door is opened and Catharsis is greeted by a pale, elder elf that looks like she could be from the era of spike babies. The woman introduced herself as Mariel Blackmane, one of the last survivors of Thera, the land that was once known as Atlantis.

Catharsis began to talk to her grandmother, asking about Thera and the Fourth World, as well as the skin-bound book that she and Artimesia had found that bore the immortal's name. Mariel explained that it was a journal passed from hand to hand to get a series of records of the events after the Scourge, and that Mariel had been an "adept" during that time, apparently something not unlike a shadowrunner. She explained that she had gone to ground when magic disappeared after discovering that she was ageless, but during that time she also discovered that she had autoimmune hemolytic anemia close to the start of the Sixth World. It was only through a connection with a few other Immortal Elves that she was able to keep her condition under control and joined with the elves that took over Oregon and created Tir Tairngire. She also explained that whatever had drawn Jykell's attention to Catharsis was not a ritual of challenge against her or the Blackmore family as none had been inflicted upon them, and there had been generations without attacks upon their family.

Satisfied with many of the answers to her questions, Catharsis spent more time with Mariel, crocheting, and answering the questions that Mariel had about Catharsis' own adventures in the shadows. Though after time had passed Mariel made it clear that there was something that Catharsis was uncomfortable with, and the decker asked if Mariel was a blood mage. Mariel admitted to it, both in terms of the old Theran magic that involved blood, but also in the sense that the Sixth World understands, however she told Catharsis that she had never sacrificed anyone or summoned a blood spirit, simply used her blood with her magic in an attempt to keep her disease at bay and hopefully find a cure that meant she could regain her original strength and once again join her family.

A few hours after sundown, Jeremiah approached the secret room and he invited Catharsis back down, greeting his mother as well and grateful that the two of them seemed to be getting along. Jeremiah explained that he had been hesitant for Catharsis to meet her because he knew how blood magic and the immortal elves were perceived in the shadows, and as a mundane himself he didn't feel qualified to make any moves in regards to either magical phenomenon. He explained that his goal was simply to make the life as his family, every member of his family, as easy and nice as possible. Catharsis seemed understanding of this motive, and decided that after the week they all had it would be better to take it easy for that night, so instead of having the manor staff make dinner or going out, Catharsis ordered pizza from a Tir-based New York style pizza joint in downtown Carasir.

While the noble members of her family (outside the recovered and discharged Olwen) struggled with the casual food and the idea of a family movie night, Catharsis managed to explain the process, and give the Blackmore family a peaceful and enjoyable night, even spending some time bonding with Brigit before heading back to Seattle and getting ready for her trip to London and the visit to Ulric ban Avalon.

Good ol' Londontown

On the day of their trip to London, Artemisia and Catharsis are able to get to the airport where they find that they have been precleared for customs and are able to get on without any issue, and this time do not have to worry about a vampire with a pen slicing Arti up. On the trip Catharsis begins to look up information about Stonehenge, and learns about the druidic history of the site and how protective they are over the monuments. Cartharsis also learns about the tunnels beneath Stonehenge that seems to be where Dr. Jykell and Josephine are going to be meeting at some point during the week.

Arriving at London the two runners disembark from the plane and decide to set up in the hotel, mainly to avoid the heavy pollution that gives London the nickname "The Smoke." Once settled in, Cartharsis and Loyell spend some time ensuring the room is safe and that the hotel isn't a trap while Artemisia goes out to wander the street, finding a ghoul that seems to be running away from a woman in red and white armor and wielding a sword. Due to a complete inability to mind her own business, the gothic vampire interferes and allows the ghoul to escape, and when questioned by the pursuing templar, Artemesia lies and says that she is a vampire hunter herself. and is brought by the Templar named Mariam to the nearby Catholic Church where a Chaplain puts her through a significant interrogation. A bit nervous that they might discover her undead nature she messages Catharsis over the direct neural interface about her situation. Catharsis, concerned about her friend, rushes out of the hotel and down to the Catholic church, where the two of them *mostly* lie and say that they have a distaste for vampires and might be interested in being hunters themselves. While within the church however, Catharsis also digs into their host and pulls out some files that catch her interest for perusal later.

Returning to the hotel and engaging in a peaceful sleep, the two wake up and are able to discuss the situation, curious as to what Ulric ban Avalon would wish to speak with them about, and if they would be able to trust their strange and mysterious benefactor, or if the Avalon Foundation would be similar to a corporation and should be dealt with as cautiously as any other Johnson. Deciding to head down to the meeting that they had previously been invited to by Hyden to meet other members of the Avalon Foundation and allow them to get to know the two runners.

Entering the room, it is clear the assembled group is not what one would expect of a non-profit philanthropic organization. While it didn't appear that anyone within the room was a ruling-type figure, it was evident that several of the members are shadowrunners. A group of three that look like they are newer to the shadows than Catharsis and Artimesia, but mingling with metahumans in expensive suits and with an aura of the corporate world about them. Catharsis and Artemisia go to speak with Hyden and Catharsis introduced her vampiric companion to Mercedes Salazar. Almost immediately Arti's inability to talk to tall women hits her, while Mercedes seems affable and friendly to the vampire, Artemesia continues to panic and defaults to talkinga about poetry and ancient literature before shifting to gothic naturalism.

Meanwhile Catharsis goes to talk to the group of three, and discovers that they are runners who were recently hired by Ulric ban Avalon to do some recon on the tower of London for some reason. The leader of the runners is a decker named Diego Lope, who, once Catharsis compares some of her work with some of the work that they've done, acknowledges her as a decker of significant skill, and invites her to the Helix if she can pass whatever test the datahaven puts in front of her. Mercedes and Arti continue their conversation, but Artemisia is quickly overwhelmed by emotions and runs from the room.

Catharsis follows the vampire outside and the two begin to talk about Arti's emotional closure, how the vampire is allowed to be happy and that she can't be a prisoner of Josephine's abusive behavior, and that she is also allowed to love again. However the discussion is cut short by the sudden appearance of a Beast spirit that is detected by Loyell. The Spirit manivests, showing itself as a black lion spirit and leaping to attack Catharsis and Artemesia, who promptly run back toward the hotel. Loyell wants to fight the spirit, but Catharsis is scared that something might happen to the spirit friend and convinces them to stay and run with them. The lion bares down on them and tears through Arti's barriers, ready to pounce on them when a flash of steel comes down and splits the spirit in twain. Standing before Arti and Catharsis is a large, broad-shouldered man in a business suit who introduces himself as Ulric ban Avalon, also known as Pendragon.

Pendragon thanks Arti and Cathy for their help during the events of In Shadows We Hyde, and tells them that he was actually pointed to the two runners by his trusted associate Merlin, also that they are required for another job. Combined with the information that Pendragon got from Arti and Cathy as well as from Hyden during the last few months, they discovered that Josephine and her associates were looking towards the Tower of London to attempt to steal the Cullinan Diamond, one of the crown jewels, and the main one set in the royal sceptre. The decker and vampire accept the job, but realize that they may be a bit out of their depths in attempting to rob the Tower of London with just the two of them, and so they call in two other experts: Delphi for astral combat and astral security surveillance and Katherine Tyler for physical security and infiltration. Artemisia and Kate also suspected that there was more than a small chance that knowledge of the 4th world might be involved here, slaking their thirst for this forbidden and dangerous knowledge.

With Kate arriving via plane and Delphi arriving via astral projection the full group joined Pendragon, Hyden and Mercedes in the penthouse of the hospital. Artemisia notices that among Pendragon's many possessions in the penthouse there was a pot of wildflowers that looked very similar to the ones that she found in the Mojave during her trip to Vegas. When asking about these flowers Pendragon mentioned that an infected woman by the name of Alice Brownsworth had been cultivating these flowers. She had been newly infected and therefore newly awakened, but she had disappeared a few days prior to the runner's arrival. Artemisia filed that away, using the information that Catharsis gathered from the Catholic Church earlier to identify that Alice had been a person of interest, and was in Rome awaiting some form of trial. However the team had to focus on the job at hand.

During the briefing about the diamond and the Tower of London heist, Delphi noticed that Mercedes was dual-natured, and it didn't seem as though there was any reason for her to be as the penthouse was well-warded and there was no shortage of skilled combatants. When trying to look deeper into the Amazonian woman, Delphi felt a strange sensation and almost a blockage to her ability that put her on edge, but she can't tell anything strange from Mercedes' aura

The group return to Arti and Cathy's room to discuss plans to infiltrate the tower of London, Cathy looks up the history and floorplans of the Tower of London as well as the building they have to get into, finding out that it's the far tower from the entrance, and that there is a moat that separates the outer walls and anything trying to get in, the group decide to do as much reconnissance as they can before attempting to infiltrate this national treasure in order to steal a national treasure.

Arti turns herself and Kate into birds and examine the astral and physical defences of this location while Delphi does a second pass via projection and gets the route of the watcher and guardian spirits that are patrolling around the tower. Catharsis and Kate also take a guided tour of the Tower, trying to get a view of the physical defences inside the walls. The team order some gear and agree to take a few days to revitalize themselves before taking on the heist. Catharsis also finds a legend of Thomas Blood, an Irish officer who had semi-successfully robbed the crown jewels several centuries before, and the team begins to gather components that would be required to attempt to Wild Summon his spirit as a distraction.

During a meeting with Mercedes about the assistance that she might bring to the heist, which was mainly just being able to provide some animals as a smokescreen if needed, Artemisia assences Mercedes and catches the woman off guard, discovering that she isn't simply a beast's way adept, but instead is the Great Dragon Arleesh, a feathered Great Dragon who holds dominion over parts of Amazonia. Startled by this development Arti and Mercedes leave to discuss in private while taking on the mission to examine Alice's safehouse, finding it to be a plant-filled storage unit in London's Westway district, the two of them find a small plant spirit that is hiding amongst the foliage of the various well-cared-for plants.

The spirit introduces themselves as Branch, a free spirit who was finding a refuge from the Smoke's pollution within this storage unit and had befriended the young vampire before she had disappeared. Branch explained that the last time they had seen Alice she had been with a man and had taken a few of her things, and that the same man had come back to get a few of the other plants for some reason. More recently however Branch had seen a vampire that broke into the storage unit looking for something, but she had been "scary" and Branch hadn't done much other than watch her. According to the spirit the vampire left quickly without finding what they were there for and then fed on a nearby street tough before leaving. Before leaving the storage unit, Arti asks Branch if they can locate Alice for the team, offering them several reagents for the service.

Tracking down the same street tough who had been fed on by Josephine Artimesia and Mercedes find out that she had been communicating with Mr. Four-Eyes, and that she mentioned about the next Hyde being in place. Arti once again becomes overwhelmed by the feelings that Josephine being around brings up in her, and has a conversation with Mercedes about the pains of the past, and the emotional struggles that Arti has, and how the anger is justified, but can't be an all-consuming force in the vampire's life if she wishes to survive long enough to enjoy life.

Returning to the hotel, Arti rejoins the other three runners who have assembled the required components for Blood's summoning, and brings the spirit that believed itself to be the true Thomas Blood into the room. Offering him a chance to complete the unfinished business of properly stealing the crown jewels, and paying him handsomely in karma and reagents, Blood agrees to create a distraction alongside a gang of disenfranchised youth within the Smoke who call themselves "Blood's Brigands".

Deciding that they wouldn't get any more ready, the group set about heading for the Tower of London to perform the heist

The Run (The Crown Jewel Heist)

Arti flies into a corner tower as a bird while Kate swims through the moat and notices the moat water is salt water, and the moat is filled with Abrams lobsters, narrowly avoiding the lobsters' notice the street sam manages to gekko-grip up the walls and joins Arti in the interior of one of the towers, sneaking through the upper levels through judicial use of Arti's ability to turn off her astrally active nature and Kate's skilled stealth abilities to navigate through.

As they are almost to the interior courtyard, Artemisia notices that two of the guardian spirits are somewhat distracted from their patrols by Branch appearing in the astral looking for Arti. The spirits seem confused as to why the low-Force free spirit is there, but are treating it somewhat suspiciously until Catharsis sends Loyell out to catch Branch, treating it as though it was a game that the two spirits were playing. The guardian spirits luckily do not see through Loyell's Masking, and go about their patrol without concern for the two spirits.

Getting to the interior courtyard, Arti and Kate make it to the central watchtower where the Tower's wired Matrix defence is stationed. Climbing to one of the open windows Arti slides through and settles into the antechamber before the data center after tricking the vibration sensors. Kate then descends the tower and moves to the barracks where the jewels are kept, waiting for the signal from the rest of the team before breaking in.

Artemisia cracks open the door to the data center and uses her speed in order to apply a data tap to the system, allowing Catharsis to load in and shut down many of the cameras, however one of the guards notices Arti, and the vampire is forced to use mind magic in order to confuse him, sending him off the trail and making him believe it was simply a mistake rather than risk the job. This sends Arti into a spiral of existential dread over the use of such morally compromising magic. Only being broken out of it by Catharsis warning Arti that upon trying to break into the barracks, Kate's lockpicking attempt was detected by the anti-tamper systems and every alarm in the tower began to go off.

Kate and Arti join up and begin to fight their way through the barracks, with Delphi providing support on the astral and Catharsis skillfully fighting off the spiders as well as disarming several key pieces of cyberware. The team made it to the top floor where the jewels were kept and cut through the glass that protected the Cullinan diamond and grabbed it. Deciding it was better to split up and avoid the police that arrived and the security on-site, Arti turns into a bird, and while noticed by the awares on the ground, manages to escape from the site, while Kate dives back into the moat and swims away from the lobsters before they are able to reach her, spending the night sneaking away and avoiding police patrols until the team is able to return to the hotel and relish in a job well done.

The Calm After One Storm but Before the Second, Arguably Worse, Storm

Arti and Delphi psychometrize the Cullinan diamond after the diamond seems to have some sort of suspicious aura to it. The team send Catharsis and Loyell out of the room in order to avoid the decker getting any more of a cognito-hazard than she is already privy to. Kate stands by to be on guard in case anything goes wrong.

The diamond reveals a deep and consuming darkness, older than the stars themselves, crashing to the ground and spreading corruption across the lands before being defeated and sealed away within the gem and then lost to time until it was uncovered in 1905 in South Africa. The gem seems to have a malevolent will that is attempting to influence those who hold it, and it also shows visions of Stonehenge, with the idea that it may be some kind of key for something that is locked within the druidic holy site. Both Arti and Delphi emerge from their vision with a painful headache and the understanding that this is a dangerous item, and one that should be kept far away from Stonehenge, deciding to hand it over to Pendragon for safekeeping, the group prepare for their own journey to the site.

Cathy goes for a walk outside the hotel, finding a park where a few new trees have recently been planted and the walking trails are relatively unpolluted. The decker enjoys the ambiance with her spiritual friend until she finds an elderly elf who seems to be having trouble with the pollution and takes a fall. Cathy helps the elf up and the two of them talk. Introducing himself as Randoran Macknobler, he talks to Cathy about the park that he and his family used to walk through, and about how Catharsis reminds him of a granddaughter who was no longer around. Bidding each other to fare well, Randoran leaves Catharsis back at the hotel and makes his way into the Smoke.

Branch is finally able to tell Artemisia about having found Alice, apparently the young vampire was captured by a Templar and has been brought to Rome to undergo some kind of trial by the Order of the Templar. Fearing the worst, Delphi follows Branch to where the spirit had found Alice and discovers that Alice has actually been absolved, and the Templar that she was "captured" by, a young human man by the name of Samiel, seemed to be acting more as a protector and lover than of a jailer. While the finer details of the matter escaped the drake detective, Alice explained that the wildflowers she cultivated didn't seem overly special, but she had only recently come into her own as a green mage, and there were some unconscious uses of magic that were being discovered. Thanking Alice for the information, Delphi returned to London and joined the group as they finished preparations and met with Pendragon again.

The team handed the diamond off to Pendragon, who says that it will be studied and protected. He also explains that the intel that he has is that Josephine and Mordred are headed to Stonehenge to meet up with Morrigan Le Fey, Mr. FourEyes and Dr. Jykell for some sort of ritual in the tunnels beneath the site. He also takes the opportunity to introduce Merlin.

As it turns out, Merlin is a free spirit, and one that is familiar to Artemisia and Catharsis. The spirit that had been known as "Philip" and had taken an academic interest in the Hellraisers during their residence in the Iceberg Hotel was in fact the ancient Free Spirit that had acted as advisor and friend to Pendragon for years calling himself Merlin. He also admitted that he was the one who had first found Loyell and had directed the young spirit to Catharsis for companionship and guardianship. Merlin explained that there was some strange energy around Stonehenge, and that Jykell had been attempting to both bind or disrupt him for a few decades. Whatever was going to happen with the ritual was going to be quick and the team needed to move quickly.

Delphi returned to Seattle, having stretched the amount of time that she was able to project, and the remaining members of the team took off to Stonehenge. On the way Catharsis looked up Randoran's granddaughter, Malwyn Macknobler, and found out that she had been struck by a bus in a relatively mundane accident. While tragic, the only major patterns that could be examined from this, was that members that were directly or distantly related to the Macknobler line tended to have many accidents like this, going back to the start of the Awakening, and even before the dawn of the Sixth World. Including some 18th century lore claiming that the Macknobler line was cursed, not with any dark magic or devilry, but the much more lamentable fate of ill forturne.

The Run (Stonehenge)

The group have an unremarkable drive to Stonehenge, only to be alerted suddenly to threat a few miles from Stonehenge as Mordred appears suddenly and slices their van in half. Saved due to the quick reaction time of Kate and Arti, and the guard power from Loyell. Catharsis keeps herself hidden and under Loyell's protection while the spirit, Kate, and Arti engage in combat with the Wendigo. While skilled combatants all, Mordred is able to keep them on an even footing. Though Catharsis quickly realizes that this is a distraction ploy due to a message on their foe's commlink, and the group manage to overwhelm Mordred with numbers before he is able to escape.

The group make their way quickly to Stonehenge and try to ascertain the exact nature of the ritual, however it's unclear between the sizable background and the variety of magic that could be harnessed here. Deciding instead to rush in given their time constraints, the last thing done is the three runners call to the winds and summon the spirit of Boudica, the warrior queen of Britain of old, and a spirit associated with Arti's mentor.

Believing it best if the decker is left up top, Kate and Arti speed into the tunnels, barely managing to find the space beneath where the ritual is taking place, with Josephine to the east, a female figure in a long black dress to the west, FourEyes to the south, and a black-cloaked figure to the North. The ritual appears to be glowing and nearing completion, though is seemingly interrupted when Kate and Arti open fire on Josephine. Though the shots do minimal damage to the vampire, it's enough to draw her ire and she pulls away from the ritual to trap Artemisia in a reflected mana barrier while Kate is beset by spirits.

Meanwhile up top, Catharsis and Boudica talk about how Catharsis feels useless in this situation, and how the spirit admires the strength of character that the elf has presented. Offering to possess the decker temporarily in order to aid her friends, Boudica and Catharsis become one and rush into the caves after the other team members. Arriving just as Arti discharges a Ruger Super Warhawk close to Josephine to make the vampire flinch away, she is also treated to a spectral axe in the back by the spiritually empowered decker. Kate manages to get free and attempts to deliver a blow on FourEyes, but the ally spirit is nimble and dodges away.

The groups face off, however as they prepare for a deeper battle, Jykell steps forward and reveals that it is Randoran, the elderly elf that Catharsis met before they left, and admits that his name is Randoran Blackmore, Catharsis' ancient ancestor from the Fourth World. Though before there is more chance to explain or fight, the four villains disappear from beneath the site and the ritual disappears.

Feeling the ground begin to shake and quake, the runners make a desperate sprint out of the tunnels and arrive topside. However the earthquake seems to threaten to break the ground around them, even shaking a few of the stones of Stonehenge free and nearly crushing the runners before Mercedes arrives and reveals her true form, offering the runners the chance to ride her to safety. Arleesh ferries the runners to an abandoned piece of land so that she could transform back and explain that they needed to leave before the authorities arrive.

Aftermath

Being picked up by Pendragon's people and returning to London proper. Arti, Kate and Cathy are paid, and Delphi's payment is sent electronically. The group is given their tickets to return to Seattle and told that Pendragon looks forward to working with them again.

Arriving back at Seattle, the group goes their separate ways, with Artemisia curious as to what she is going to do with all the nuyen that she has recently acquired, while Catharsis returns to her home with the new spirit friend, having to adjust the living space while also contacting her family in Cara'sir and telling those in the know about Randoran.

Elsewhere, dark forces gather, and many plans working in tandem put Artemisia and Catharsis in their immediate view, ready for action.

Rewards

General Rewards:

• 50k Nuyen
• 20 Karma
• 102 CDP
• Up to 120k Nuyen in Electronics, Weapons & Weapon accessories, and London souviners up to Avail 20
• May purchase "Philip" [C2/L2 Researcher] as an optional contact
• Styyles Flamingo [C3/L1 Style Artiste]

Catharsis:

• 100k Nuyen
• Additional 20 Karma
• May buy Prime Datahaven Membership (Helix) at Chargen Costs
• May buy Trust Data, Not Lore at Chargen Costs
• Trust Fund III
• Loyell [C1/L4]
• May buy Loyell up to Loyalty 6
• Optional Contact: Etain Darejan [C4/L3 Bodyguard]
• 1 Arleesh Feather
• May Convert 5 RVP into Ascension Rewards

Artemisia:

• 100k Nuyen
• May buy Linguist at chargen costs
• Additional 25 Karma
• 1 Arleesh Feather
• IG Discount
• Photographic Memory
• May purchase a rank in "The Scourge"

Kate:

• May Convert 5 RVP into Ascension Rewards
• 1 Arleesh Feather

Delphi:

• IG Discount
• May purchase a rank in "The Scourge"
• 1 Arleesh Feather

Game Quotes

"So this probably shouldn't go to Stonehenge right? Like it seems like the key shouldn't go to the gate?" "Yes, I agree, but yet..." "No! Not but yet!" -Delphi & Artemisia after psychometrizing a big diamond

Player After Action Reports (AARs)

Catharsis: So much has happened. So much of my life changed and altered in a fraction of a second and... All I know is I need to hold on to the idea of my family. Of that moment of joy when we all finally got to unwind and they learned the joy of a family movie night. When things felt normal for a fraction of a second. I... I wish mom was here, I wish grandmother was here. I wish... I wish I didn't feel so outside of all of this. I don't know what to do, I'm trying to learn it all but it just... There's a part of me that's screaming that this is wrong, that this is the place and behaviors of colonizer. I wish I could ground myself. I need to be strong and focus on the future but... Will it be enough? Will I be able to save him? And then on the flip sides there's moment's like the power of Boudicca and riding on Arleesh's back... I need to balance this in some fashion.

Artemisia: Goddess, I see now your wisdom. I am freer than e'er before and I have much to be thankful for. I am terrified. I am so small in the face of the coming hailstorm and yet I can be strong enough to shield those dear to me. I will be the blade and bulwark between the profane and the divine.

I saw the end of a world. I had seen it before but from far away, in shattered memories and torn pieces. This was ... complete. It was a sight that nearly tore my mind and body apart and yet, somehow, I endured. I still endure, even through Josephine's return. It is thanks to Catharsis, my sister, that I was able to defeat her, however temporarily. I have to repay that favor, I have to be there for her ... now that we know the truth.

If I can be redeemed, if I can come back from the brink, why can't they? This is the question I ask every time I would take a life. This is the question I ask now, about Randoran Blackmore. I hope he can be saved.