Sessions

[Olaf]

Anael, who's been investigating a cult which is kidnapping women, discovers the location of their next victim's demise: the Fit City Ordsall leisure centre. He turns up several hours in advance and hides in the next room.

While he hides and listens, the members of the cult arrive with their victim in tow. Three of them begin a summoning ritual of some sort, while the other two entertain themselves with the girl.

The ritual succeeds in summoning the Slayer Stheno from the Abyss. Anael complicates things by revealing himself and killing one of the cultists, which gives Stheno the opportunity to posses the woman whose grip on her body has been weakened by drugging and abuse. In her confusion and agony she lashes out at the men who kidnapped her, killing all but one and baddly injuring her fellow Fallen. The survivor is quick to promise her his soul in exchange for his continued existence.

While Anael limps home he contacts Onoskelis to take care of the newly-returned Demon. The Malefactor begins expalining some of the realities of this life to her.

Shortly afterwards Anael is contacted by Psandriel, who's been sent by Faustian higher-ups to help develop the Faction's interests in Manchester. The four Demons decide to meet up at the pub to discuss things, after Stheno expresses sympathy for their cause.

While there they're recognised by a ghost as beings akin to one he's seen before: he's initially wary of them but is eventually calmed and exchanges numbers with Anael after they mention their once-great powers over the Spirit Realm.

Anael also succeeds in obtaining the name of a ghoul who's in the pub, and using it to obtain some information on him and his master. His Thrall comes close to preventing this gain, though, and is duly chastised.

While the other three discuss old times and future plans, Stheno leaves to meet Uvallel, the Auroch in charge of initiating new arrivials. He tells her much about the Court and promises to formally present her within the week. While walking to his house they discover that the Slayer is burned by holy ground.

The next day, Onoskelis takes Stheno to see Rebecca, a painter Thrall of his. She's inspired by the level of openness and friendship evident between the two - and flattered when the latter asks to paint her angelic form.

[Olaf]

That evening Onoskelis is called by Sasha Anad, a Thrall working for the Ministy of Lions. She tells him her car's been damaged and asks if he'll come and pick her up. He does so, and fixes the car for her without much difficulty. She tells him that she was driven off the road by two masked men in a car who also attacked it with some sort of blunt weapons, and then fled. Onoskelis suspects they're supernatural.

The next morning - a Saturday - Psandriel is spoken to by a Demon in a language she doesn't recognise. She tries responding in English and in Enochian, but to no avail. He soon gives up in frustration, but tries again several times during the day. Between her own research and Anael's analysis of the Demon's fate, they manage to identify him as a child soldier somewhere in Rwanda - and to engage him in a conversation in very broken French. Anael sees him trying to get to England over the next week, killing at least two people in the process - and revealing himself to be a Devourer skilled in the Lore of Beasts.

On Saturday evening the four Faustians meet in a pub with Maricha, Onoskelis's Slayer colleague in Lions. Among their topics of conversation are the city's vampire problem, possible ways of extracting the Devourer from Rwanda without too many deaths, and the problems of remembering Lores that were once second nature. Stheno and Maricha arrange to visit some of the local weak spots in the Veil to experiment with their House's legacy, while Psandriel begins looking for a passport and translator to retrieve their Rwandan friend.

At one point during the evening, Anael steps outside to make use of a Lore without drawing attention. His success is not complete, however, as he attracts the attention of one Clare James, a slightly drunk young woman who asks if he's an angel. He tells her he is, and gives her his number.

On Sunday the 16th, the two newcomers are due to present themselves at Court. That afternoon, though, Onoskelis bursts into Stheno's house wielding a large rubber-bullet gun and accusing her of speaking the first syllable of his True Name. She denies this, and calls on Psandriel and Anael to defend her. After much argument Onoskelis accepts that she may not have intended any harm, but remains wary of her.

[Olaf]

On Sunday evening the fallen attend court, held in the penthouse suite of an apartment building in Picadilly. Psandriel sends her apologies, siting urgent business in Edinburgh. Stheno is sworn into the court and the Ministry of Eagles, and they're all treated to a long and unenlightening summary of the current status of the court's affairs.

After the official business of the court is concluded, the Faustians make the rounds of those present and discuss various issues. Anael learns that Humba'el's bug should be ready by Thursday; Stheno arranges to meet with her Minister to be introduced to her colleagues; and Onoskelis recieves permission from the Lord General to attempt to capture a vampire using information provided by Anael.

Just as things are breaking up, the subject of that morning's troubles between Onoskelis and Stheno is broached. The former comments on the Slayer's apparent inability to do anything without killing or endangering people; she takes offense and makes use of her House Lore to send him running from the room in panic. The Tyrant, Azhi Dahaka, is less than pleased with this, and berates Stheno before the assembled fallen for attacking a member of the court a mere hour after swearing loyalty. The penitent Slayer is ordered to report to the Tyrant on Friday evening.

After court has adjourned, Stheno goes to an appointment with one of her host's clients - a lecturer at her university, who threatened to inform the school's authorities about her prostitution when she tried to break it off. Once at Jimmy's house she tries the same treatment on him as on Onoskelis - with even more impressive results. The man goes into shock and stumbles downstairs, sustaining a nasty cut on the head. Stheno leaves him for a moment to investiate a scream which came from the next house - apparently her Lore had a wider effect than she'd realised. When she opens a portal into the Spirit Realm to pass through the adjoining wall, though, something goes amiss - and she finds the house suddenly full of ghosts.

Soon Anael and Onoskelis arrive, summoned by Stheno's panicked calls: the final Lore use had left her drained and unable to deal with the ghosts now possessing a confused and violent Jimmy and various of his posessions. Eventually the situation is brought under control with the help of Maricha and La'o'lael, the court's two resident Slayers. Anael and Onoskelis drive to the hospital Jimmy's been carted off to, where they determine that his odd behaviour is not the result of multiple posessions as they'd thought, but simply some side-effect of the strain Stheno placed on his mind: a classic case of multiple personality disorder. They leave the unfortunate man and drive their friend to Onoskelis's house.

While Stheno sleeps, her two Faustian colleagues discuss her fate. Onoskelis argues that all her actions are symptomatic of a Demon teetering ever-closer to complete consumption by her hatred and pain: he's fought several such Fallen in his work, and giving them time to adjust rarely has any effect but letting them fall further into madness and destruction. The Fiend agrees, but talks Onoskelis down from destroying the Slayer and suggests they keep her under watch for a while before making a final judgement. They wake her and explain their position, requesting the name of her Thrall so they can prevent her from regaining Faith and accidentally lashing out with her powers again.

Stheno, however, is uncooperative and refuses to allow them to kill her Thrall. When confronted with what she's becoming she merely laughs - which seems less to Onoskelis like a cover for her fear and more like proof that she's gone completely insane. With bare hours left before her Thrall will begin replenishing her reserves of strength, hes sees no option but to kill her.

A struggle breaks out between the three Demons, during which Stheno is shot three times and has one hand blown clear off by Anael. Onoskelis cauterises the wound with a blowtorch, but the massive shock to her system causes her host's body to die. Faced with the prospect of her returning to another body, Onoskelis consumes the soul floating in his garage above the mangled body.

Stheno is no more.

[Olaf]

Dreading the result, Anael and Onoskelis make Stheno's demise known to the Tyrant. Azhi Dahaka responds simply by calling them to see her on Friday. They also inform Psandriel, but receive only silence in response. Onoskelis calls Maricha over, and she disposes of the body for them before leaving for work.

On Monday morning, Anael senses that another newly escaped Demon's appearance is imminent. Vowing not to let the same fate claim this one as befell Stheno, he turns up at the location - Fit City Ordsall in Salford. It turns out there's a kick-boxing tournament taking place there, and on entering the first-aid area it becomes clear that an unconscious fighter has been posessed. He introduces himself to the Devil, Talis, who seems extremely confused and has no memories of its previous existence. Anael urges it to contact him, then leaves.

On Tuesday afternoon the Faustians meet up with Talis at the Rum and Haphazard, and explain a little of the nature of the world to it. Upon hearing a description of the Apocalyptic Visage Talis assumes it (perhaps) inadvertently. This causes some degree of shock among the patrons present, which Talis deals with by commanding them to entrust their souls to it that it may 'lead them'. Three of the four comply, overwhelmed by Talis's Lore, but the fourth - a man named Jim - proves tricky. Calling it a demon, he swings a broken bottle at it - somehow igniting it in his hand and inflicting a nasty wound on the Devil's host. He takes as good as he gives, however, and is soon subdued by Mark. The latter attempts to reason with him while the other Demons leave, but the conversation degenerates into mutual accusations of betrayal as the two aquaintances each realise the other is some sort of supernatural entity.

While this is taking place Anael has tracked down Calcifer, the other remaining Faustian, who has recently returned to Manchester from a trip. The Scourge and Devil are introduced, and Talis accepts the other's healing touch to its wound.

[Olaf]

That night, Onoskelis, Maricha, Anael and Calcifer ready themselves to kidnap the vampire whose future Anael glimpsed. They procure paramedic unfiorms and use Calcifer's ambulance to reach the road of the house, and sneak into the back garden.

Meanwhile Crystal Bradshaw, a volunteer at a nearby battered women's shelter, has been visiting one of her charges who's recently moved back to her house. While she's there a man enters the house and says he needs to speak with her. He begins making cryptic threats against her friend Jacob, whom he refers to as her 'master', and tells her that 'they' have got someone called Emily.

While he's talking, a certificate on the wall behind him shifts to read "THAT WHICH DRIVES HIM CONSUMES HIM", and Crystal is overcome with a sense of his wrongness. She asks him about what he's doing there, which causes him to break down sobbing - moments before the Demons enter.

The vampire recovers swiftly enough to grab Crystal around the throat and threaten her with his firearm, but Anael knocks her out of the way. A frenzied gun-, sword-, axe- and claw-battle breaks out, during which Crystal tries to seperate the combatants. At one point she somehow flings Anael and Maricha across the room without touching either.

Eventually the vampire, severely injured and surrounded, surrenders his weapon. Onoskelis and Maricha load him into the ambulance and take off, while the other two Fallen stay behind to talk to this as-yet unidentified creature. They find out that she's involved with a vampire, Jacob, who is apparently at odds with the local vampiric gang. She calls him and lets him speak to Calcifer; he expresses a desire to meet the Demons, and urges them not to kill their captive.

The ambulance, containing the two Demons, one vampire and Sasha, their driver, arrives at the arranged drop-off point - an isolated car park. As they're transfering the captive, though, a car pulls up to discharge the vampire's two goons, who open fire on them. One is killed and the other injured in the ensuing fight, but the latter manages to escape in the car after critically wounding Bradley. Onoskelis chases him down and kills him, but while his attention is on the ghoul the vampire makes a sudden bid for freedom, sinking his teeth into Bradley's jugular and killing him before Mark can incapacitate him.

Over the next few minutes several police arrive on the scene, as do Anael, Calcifer and Crystal. Mark, horrified and enraged by Bradley's death, begins venting his anger on nearby parked cars by rearranging them into twisted balls of metal. He's not too absorbed to prevent him from killing one of the police officers though, and Anael kneecaps another who becomes slightly too curious. Calcifer closes the wounds on (what remains of) the latter's leg, before everyone vacates the crime scene and heads to Mark's.

They're joined there by Lara, Bradley's cousin, who's just been posessed by Maricha's displaced spirit. A combination of her trip through the Maelstrom and a conversation with Crystal about her casual abuse of the unconscious vampire sends her into a deep depression, and removes her from much of the conversation about what to do with the prisoner. Such questions are answered when they recieve orders to present it, and Crystal, to the Ministers of Lions and Eagles the next evening.

[Olaf]

Wednesday's television news is dominated by the multiple murders and bizarre occurences of the previous night. Fearing for her ambulance, Carrie returns to the parking lot it was left in - to find the scene swarming with police. She makes an attempt to get her vehicle back by posessing it, but hits a pedestrian with it in the process. The driver, somewhat shaken up, allows her to ride back to the hospital with her.
Unfortunately she fails to retrieve the body before it's taken to the morgue.

That afternoon the Faustians prepare to take their captive vampire before Naphula and La'O'Lael. While they're manuevring it into a van for the journey, though, something seems to send it into a rage - it tears its chains off with apparent ease and attacks Calcifer in a frenzy until Talis is able to subdue it with a hastily-grabbed hacksaw. Unfamiliar with vampiric anatomy and unsure whether the man is dead, the Demons call Jacob for advice. He opines that the creature may be still alive but in a coma-like state from which it won't emerge for several days. The Fallen present it to their superiors anyway, handing it over to Eagles for study.

When Calcifer arrives at work that evening her boss, Heidi McGuffin, is livid at her for her unauthorised use of the ambulance involved in Tuesday's shooting. The two argue, and eventually the Demon pulls a gun on her superior and drags her into the corridor. Acting the unstable employee terrified at losing her job she shoots Heidi and then herself, and then posesses the dying body of her boss. In the confusion that follows she Enthralls a terrified witness, Pete Bewdon.

[Olaf]

Also on Wednesday evening, Anael is passing through Chinatown when he becomes lost and goes into a restaurant to ask for directions. He receives an odd welcome, and is questioned by a man named Charlie (apparently representing a 'Mr. Lee') by what the Fiends want in Chinatown. He manages to escape without answering their questions, however.

The Fallen meet with Jacob, and a friend he introduces as Infassa, to discuss cooperation against the Cheetham Hill vampires. Jacob tells them the location of a safehouse where he believes they're holding Emily, one of his friends. The Demons agree to reunite him with Emily in return for the information allowing them to enter the safehouse and dispatch the vampires within.

On Thursday afternoon Onoskelis begins working on improving his armory; he meets with a gun enthusiast to arrange to see some incendiary rounds, and starts constructing a homemade rocket-propelled grenade launcher.

[Olaf]

That afternoon, Crystal meets up with Jim (the Hunter from the Rum and Haphazard) to follow up a message she received: a target appearing on a map of the Saddleworth moors alongside the words "Find What Dwells In Darkness".

A few miles outside Holmfirth the two of them find a small stone circle which appears 'Wrong' when they concentrate on it. When they approach it begins excreting blood and maggots and they hear voices whispering - they run.

Crystal speaks to the Demons about the incident and they agree to investigate. When they arrive that evening, they find the circle attended by a small group of people who appear to be performing some kind of ritual. The area gives off a strong sense of malevolence towards them, reminiscent of Demons they've previously seen lose themselves to the Abyss.

Onoskelis decides to destroy the stones with his new RPG. He succeeds, though it malfunctions and explodes in the process. He then approaches the circle and reports dispatching the Fallen bound there - they all feel its presence leave.

Meanwhile, the others attempt to capture some of the Demon's mortal worshipers alive. Anael kneecaps one, but he dies under Calcifer's ministrations. Another escapes.

On Friday evening, Anael and Onoskelis report to the Tyrant as ordered for punishment over the killing of Stheno. They're taken to the torture rooms of Lethosas, the Lord Inquisitor. While they're waiting to be dealt with, Anael becomes convinced that Lethosas is in fact the being they encountered at the stone circle. He panics and tries to flee - succeeding, but not before being confronted by the Inquisitor, who seriously wounds him when he levels his accusation.

Onoskelis, having remained, is tortured briefly by Lethosas and Azhi Dahaka. The Tyrant says it's prepared to overlook his transgression, but orders him to prove his loyalty by kidnapping a Thrall of a Reconciler.