Category: Cultural

#Lore24 – Entry #329 – Fantasy Month IV #24 – The Kerryn Village, and The Fifth Ritual

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos

For the sake of our saviors and their families, I will not reveal any further details about their number nor location, suffice to say that they have a village in which they live, though I fear some enterprising individual with ill intent may be able to discern their location through what I’ve stated in my previous entry.  My party has likewise made a vow to keep the location of the village a secret, for we owe our kerryn saviors our lives, and do not wish to bring the eyes of the Emperor upon them, though I fear that may only be a matter of time, given their will to expand into the region.  Yet, we are many days travel from Vindinium, and there is yet much land in between that must be tamed first, so hope remains that these kerryn will remain free of the fate their cousins face within the Empire.

Though our saviors were worried about our coming, understandably so, they were quite friendly with us, and allowed us a few days to rest and recover amongst them, the orcs sufficiently dissuaded from further pursuit after they ventured so far our of their own territory whilst chasing us.  I possess more knowledge of them, of course, but will not reveal it here; this is recorded in my most private notes and shall not be revealed for some time yet, likely until after my death when all of my documents shall be given over to the Great Library.  Regardless, I will say that they had already known of the soldiers reclaiming the fort, having scouted that far to the east after hearing rumors of it from the handful of people they trust to trade with beyond the Wildlands.  They are resolute to remain where they are, though will be taking steps to further their security. 

The kerryn knew of the standing stones we sought, and with some guidance before we parted ways quite peacefully, we continued our journey, and within a day had located the site, nestled in a much nicer hilly region and not the taller mountains further on.  Upon completion of the ritual, gaining our fifth mark, making one on the forehead, one on either bicep, and one on either thigh, we had but one more left to attain.  Taking some time to get our bearings, I again worked to make an accurate plotting of a course that would lead us to the final standing stones.  By my reckoning, it could only be in the center of the Sherstone Morass, likely hinting at the nature of the name of the swampy region.  By my best estimate, the final standing stones were at the convergence of lines drawn from the previous sites, placing it firmly within this region, known to be inhabited primarily by carnivorous lizardmen and flora and fauna that were less than agreeable to most.

We considered returning to Vindinium to resupply, but finally decided against it, deciding instead to push forward to the Sherstone Morass through the grassy lowlands to the southeast of our position at the fifth ritual site, then continue on to Vindinium once we had completed the ritual, if needed, or to head directly to the vault.  It meant crossing gnoll territory, but seeing as we’d already angered the kobolds and orcs during our travels, and would be stepping into the domain of the lizardmen for our next stop, it would seem rather remiss of us to exclude the gnolls now, wouldn’t it?  Such is the life of an adventurer, I suppose.

And so, we set out the following morning, and I for one felt great anticipation as we neared the completion of this series of rituals, though I would be careful to temper myself and remain firmly grounded in my expectations, lest I get distracted more than I already am by these accursed devices secured to me by Lady Armenia.  I can only imagine how much worse my situation would be had the chastity devices not been enchanted to clean themselves and can only hope they’ll remain as vigilant once we enter the swamps.

#Lore24 – Entry #322 – Fantasy Month IV #17 – A Messy Situation

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos

For those readers who may not be aware of the exact timing, these journal entries are indeed written well after the events described within them; I can’t very well catalogue my thoughts when I’m being assailed by ravenous vines covered with lust-inducing venom, now can I?  As an example, this and the last entry were both written once the party safely returned to Vindinium.  As to how that happened, do read on.

I am uncertain how long the druids allowed the vines to enjoy our bodies, for it is all a pleasure-shrouded haze of frustration in my case, though perhaps Risai and Korvalis may indeed have a different opinion on the matter.  I would daresay Risai may have enjoyed the predicament for a time, and perhaps Korvalis as well, though the wrath he would bring upon the druids following our eventual escape may indeed indicate the opposite. 

We were taken into a well-hidden camp deep within the Thistlewood, nestled among some of the ruins of the ancient draconic city, the vines shaped and controlled by the druids to keep us restrained and at their mercy.  I can recall Risai fighting against the binding vines, to little effect other than the vines seemingly redoubling their efforts to feed upon her essence.  As my memories of the hours or days that we spent in captivity are hazy at best, I will skip to the parts I remember, the night we were to be sacrificed.

I believe their ritual was intended to correspond to the peak of the full moon, for the druidic cult had dedicated themselves to preparations during our captivity and grew ever more excited for what was to come, to the best of my recollection.  I am thankful that our companions who had not been captured remained vigilant, for on the day of the ritual, the druids rested later and more deeply than normal as they prepared themselves, leaving only a handful to keep watch over us.  Ellisar saw to cloaking our party members with his magic, while Shassk saw to dealing with our guards in a silent, if most gruesome, manner, aided by magical silence from Ellisar.  Once the druids controlling them were dealt with, the maidenbane vines lost interest in us, thoroughly gorged as they were upon our vital essence.  Gresilda thankfully had prepared several spells to remove the lingering effects of their poison upon us, giving us a proper chance to carry ourselves out of the hidden enclave, cloaked by more of Ellisar’s invisibility.

I was content to make a hasty retreat to Vindinium, but Korvalis would have none of it, insisting that he had to pay the druids back for their actions.  This was the first real conflict amongst our party, and I could understand wanting revenge, certainly, but our best interest lay in retreat to fight another day.  Still, Korvalis, once he had regained his equipment, set off on his own, followed soon by Shassk, while the rest of us rode ahead toward the river crossing a few miles away.  We would wait until sunset for them, and if they didn’t return, then we were to assume they had been captured or killed.  Nobody liked it, but Risai and I were nearly exhausted, and Ellisar and Gresilda had little left in the way of magic.  I still don’t know exactly where Korvalis found the energy to do what he did.

It was just an hour or so before sunset that our two wayward party members returned, the smell of blood heavy upon them, remarkably light of injury. I didn’t get all the details, but Korvalis seemed sated in his bloodlust, and all Shassk would tell me was that even he was now rather unsettled by the deadly efficiency with which Korvalis dealt with the druids. “I have never seen so silent a death befall so many…” was all he told me. There would be no further need to worry from that particular cult.

With that dark mood firmly established, we pushed onward to the village, arriving a couple hours after sunset, where we could finally take time to recover from our long excursion.

#Lore24 – Entry #321 – Fantasy Month IV #16 – Detours and Detainments

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos

Upon leaving the standing stones, the greatest source of my frustration finally stopped their incessant buzzing, returning to their more normal routine of random stimulation that only left me mildly frustrated in comparison.  The southeasterly course we had picked was not as easy to navigate as our previous route and thus took us several more days to traverse, but didn’t seem to pass through any kobold territory, so at least we were unmolested in that regard.  There were dangers aplenty, though, for with game being plentiful, it meant we also encountered more predators that were none too pleased to have intruders into their territory.  Though mostly your more mundane cougars, wolves, and the like, we did have to deal with another flame-drake that came at us from above.  I must say that for once I was quite pleased to see Ellisar’s Staff of Many Bindings be used, for it made short work of the creature once its ability to fly had been taken from it.

Our luck would not hold, however.  As we neared the region where we were likely to find the next set of standing stones, we began to see signs of humanoid habitation in the form of painted markings upon the rocks, old campfires, bones of harvested game.  The rock paintings indicated orcs, likely one of the many tribes of them that the Heroes had been facing on a semi-regular basis since they had begun their work in the region.  Soon enough we would begin to see cooking fires in the distance indicating a very large population of them.  Thus far, only a scant few tribes have proven themselves the least bit civilized, the Empire’s loyal Badaxe Clan foremost among them, so it was unlikely that these tribes would be willing to entertain outsiders in their lands, especially when said outsiders are likely responsible or killing a great many of their kin.

Thus, we were forced to move with extreme caution, detouring off our planned route for several days, following Shassk and Korvalis as they navigated a route that would avoid the worst of the orcish population.  At least we would gather some useful information about their location and numbers for future use.  Once we had come out of orcish territory, we had to swing back to the northwest, circling the rim of the valley that housed the standing stones for another day before we finally found a passable route down into it.  Thankfully the orcs had not claimed the area for their own, and like the previous stones, the primal energy that lay heavy upon the site had kept them away. 

We completed our next ritual without incident and made haste to clear the area, driving swiftly to the southeast once more in the direction of Vindinium.  Our good fortune would run out as we neared the Thistlewood and Lake Thistlelonica, on the far side from the village.  As we ventured along the upper shore of the lake in search of the river that fed it, and a crossing that would get us to the village, we found ourselves facing a sudden ambush that even our guides had failed to notice, for it was not at all what we had come to expect.

In our haste to return to the village, we had failed to notice the curious nature of the overgrowth in this region, the thick canopy of leafy vines that spread like a green sea over the hills, wood, and shore.  We skirted the mass, not wanting to go through blindly, but the mass of vegetation came alive, swelling and rising up like great leafy serpents.  Our horses were spooked, rearing and dancing wildly at the sudden movement, and Risai, Korvalis, and I were unable to control their wild behavior and were thrown.  As we tried to recover from our misfortune, bruised and dazed from our falls, I heard shouting and chanting in a language that I would later come to recognize as the secret tongue of the Druids.  Walls of thorns sprang up between us and the rest of our party, and the very trees began to come alive against us.  The vines closed in around us as spells filled the air, and try as I might, I could not keep the vines away from me or the others.  Risai’s heavy mace was mostly useless against the vegetation, as were Korvalis’s daggers. 

In my case, the vines swarmed around me in a fury, and as they latched onto me and their secretions began to tingle upon my skin, I realized that they were a form of maidenbane vines, for I grew somehow hornier and lethargic in their grasp, dropping my scimitar as they coiled about me and ripped my clothing away.  I suppose I was the lucky one here, for I was at least somewhat protected from their most erotic probing by Lady Armenia’s chastity gear, though they still found their way to my rear and into my mouth.  Fight as they would, Risai and Korvalis were likewise subdued by the combined strength of the vines themselves and the potency of their poison, leaving them helplessly wrapped in their invasive clutches.

The sounds of battle would fade as the others were forced into a hasty retreat, and through our pleasure-addled daze, we would see the fur- and foliage-covered druids we had not noticed approach us, watching with satisfaction as their vines continued to hold us helpless before them.  Using their magic, they urged the binding maidenbane vines to move, and we were brought deeper into the cover of the Thistlewood, for what purpose I could not imagine in that moment, for I was lost in the pleasure haze, even if the accursed chastity gear prevented me from climaxing, even with the poison coursing through my veins.

#Lore24 – Entry #319 – Fantasy Month IV #14 – Seeking the First Standing Stones

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos

The following morning found our way northerly blocked not only by the increasingly difficult terrain, but by thick fog rolling down from the mountains that we neared.  Shassk and Risai were especially nervous as we continued forward, given the way the fog tended to muffle sound in addition to its severe reduction in our line of sight, making for a nasty ambush.  Ellisar and Korvalis remained vigilant as well, given their keen elven hearing, and Gresilda and I kept our usual conversation to a minimum.  Thankfully the map that I had pulled from the dragon’s vault door gave us a rough idea of where we needed to go, and what I had suspected was once a massive roadway proved to be more navigable than we’d initially found closer to the temple proper, though it had been severely overgrown and in some places filled with what I assumed may have been buried remains of destroyed buildings that had once been party of the massive city, or perhaps signs of geological upheaval.

Thankfully it seemed that no hostile forces called our immediate route theirs and, as midday approached, the fog began to thin out, the sky overhead clearing from the recent storms.  The air was brisk in this area, but as we topped a rise, we could see a definite route through the rocky hills that was almost as straight as an arrow’s shaft between the hills, forming a definite, if heavily wooded, valley.  Passing into the valley, we remained alert, for there were once again signs of animals here, including a recent dear kill that was mostly consumed, most likely by wolves.  Perhaps a mile or so further on there were signs of humanoid habitation, for we found the remnants of a cooking fire and remnants of wood shavings; the tracks Shassk picked out of the soft earth indicated kobolds.

Perhaps two hours later, following a rest at midday, we saw further signs that there were kobolds nearby.  There were more tracks, and we found no less than half a dozen tribal totems, showing that there were at least two tribes of them in the area.  Knowing that the creatures tended to favor darkness and wouldn’t likely attack during the day, we resolved to pick up our pace, hoping perhaps that we could clear their territory before nightfall.  Korvalis moved up to ride with Shassk during this time, keeping his attention on the ground and trees, cautious of the simple but deadly traps kobolds were known for.  Indeed, he guided us around no less than four pit traps and sent us around two deadfall traps that would have sent boulders down upon us. 

As evening approached, we topped another smaller rise and crossed into a rockier region.  We found a suitably defensive position to set up camp, a covered depression in the hillside with some suitable cover from nearby boulders that would provide us some cover.  Ellisar set up several wards around us to alert us if intruders came, and we had a cold meal that evening, forgoing a fire, and fell into fitful rest. 

The kobolds attacked in the early morning hours, while Korvalis was on watch.  I had learned that he was quite comfortable in the dark by this time, practically became one with it when he wanted to.  He had already taken down three of the yipping attackers from his hidden nook above our encampment by the time we got to our feet.  Though we did not escape unscathed, our injuries were not deadly, thanks to Gresilda’s care afterwards, for the kobold weapons were coated with what was likely spider venom, which created a notable lethargy in those of us who received wounds.  We resolved to rest until first light, wary of another attack, then head out on our path northward. 

The kobolds attacked again as dawn approached, this time lobbing crudely made, but nonetheless effective fire bottles our way.  A quick application of conjured water from myself and Gresilda doused the first burst of flames that would have trapped us within our nook, and we rode out quickly, our well-trained horses trampling the small forms of the dog-like kobolds who appeared in front of us.  More fire sprang up around us, and Ellisar returned the favor with one of his wands, sending an explosive fireball into the midst of the attacking creatures, scattering those that weren’t blown apart or ignited into hiding long enough for us to clear out and continue north.  Perhaps the use of such magic would discourage further pursuit, but we weren’t especially hopeful and remained on guard.

Indeed, we would suffer three more kobold attacks as we continued on our path that day, from three different tribes it seemed, all of whom were quite hungry for our blood.  Word must have spread quickly amongst them, and no doubt the hills around us were honeycombed with kobold warrens that they used to pursue us, coming out of well-hidden crevasses to strike at us.  Their tactics adapted as well, for they began to target our horses, and then started trying to slow us and pincer us between them and drive us toward traps they had prepared ahead of time.  I knew that they were quite crafty, but experiencing their cunning firsthand was certainly an enlightening experience.

Haggard and bloodied, our spell reserves low and our fatigue high, bearing more wounds than we had hoped, we trudged forward as fast as we could.  Indeed, the “armor” gifted me by Lady Armenia proved quite capable of defending me, its enchantments reducing the effectiveness of the kobold weaponry as if I wore something akin to chainmail or scale armor, perhaps.  After the final attack in the late afternoon, near sunset, we passed into a circular valley marked by more kobold totems, though these, Shassk said, were warnings to go no further, marking the end of their territory.  Not far after these, the air changed, at once unnaturally calm yet filled with an undeniable, palpable energy. 

This was undoubtedly a site of great power.  We had arrived at our destination intact.  We had found the standing stones.

#Lore24 – Entry #318 – Fantasy Month IV #13 – A Most Intriguing Puzzle

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos

I studied the draconic ruins for several days, spending much of the time on the massive door that marked a sealed vault of some kind beyond, but venturing into other sections of the ruin when I needed to refresh myself, though never without the adventurers close by should I come upon something quite dangerous.  It seemed almost as if the energy of the ruin, the essence of the dragons that once dwelt within still lingered in some way, keeping those beings and creatures not possessed of higher thoughts away.  Though perhaps it would be our folly to explore within; only time would tell.

Regardless, I translated most of the text upon the door (some of the high draconic phrases are still not entirely clear) and interpreted the imagery upon it as best as I could given my knowledge of the ancient dragons, based upon the notes I have made over the years in previous journals stored within my personal pocket library.  I wish that I had additional volumes at my disposal, those found within the Great Library itself, but only texts which I have personally transcribed are permitted within this pocket dimension, or journals I have yet to fill with my knowledge and experiences. 

Still, the nature of the vault door is similar to what has been encountered in other draconic sites.  This place was once a city, though was treated more as a holy temple by those who worshipped the dragons that dwelt here, its name translated as “The Cathedral of Eminent Tranquility”, once ruled by the golden dragon known as Mega-kuramu’Koganekami, whose many titles and alternate epithets have been transcribed within my research notes, for there are over two dozen of them.  Curiously the name is very close to what would become the kerryn script and language (however forbidden they might be to speak within the Empire, making knowledge of it exceptionally rare here), translating as “Blinding Golden God.”

Contained within the vault, supposedly, are the favored relics of this dragon, as well as collections of its vast wisdom and knowledge, though the wards upon the door prevent it from being opened by anyone who is not a worshipper of the dragon or who has not undergone a trial to prove their devotion to it.  Comparing the map of the vast temple-city, an empire unto itself, with the maps of the region now known as the Wildlands, I believe that I have managed to find some similar geographic features that may potentially lead us to discovering a method of opening this door, assuming the places of power still exist and still hold the primal essence of the dragons within, of course.  Even I am tempted by the potential treasures that lie within, more so the knowledge of the ancient dragons, but to study pristine relics of their time would be an incredible opportunity.  The Heroes of Vindinium are certainly keen on getting inside, the promise of wealth beyond imagination so very tempting.

As to what must be done, there should be six sites spread across the region in a pentagonal arrangement, laid out to form a five-pointed star, with the sixth site located directly within its center, and, based upon my translations, each site must be visited as part of a pilgrimage of sorts, and rituals performed at them to gain the blessings of the draconic god to be allowed to enter into its sacred space.  Comparing ancient to modern maps, I can roughly approximate the locations of three of the sites where these standing stones should be and can assume rough distances toward the others based upon the equal distances between points, though I know not of the lands further south and west of here.

The nearest of these standing stones should be to the north of here, perhaps two days travel given the rougher terrain, though it could take us longer depending on just how reclaimed the area is by nature.  We’ll be setting off in the morning to see if we can locate the site and see if its power still remains; the fact that the door itself still holds its warding is encouraging, but far from conclusive.

#Lore24 – Entry #298 – Sentinel City by Night #24 – The Kuei-jin Element

From the Journal of Sheba O’Rourke, Private Investigator

“Knew the three that got out of the limo were Kuei-jin the moment I saw them.  Was hard to hear what was being said from my hiding spot over the din of activity in the place but picked up a few words here and there.  Even though the trio looked young, the old man referred to them as something like “most esteemed elders” or something like that.  I ain’t so good at the language, especially this far away.

The first one looked like a teenager; could easily see her in a school uniform instead of that business suit she wore.  Thinking she was Japanese, shorter than the others, dark hair cut straight and neat to her shoulders, the glasses she wore giving her a scholarly look.  Couldn’t quite get what the old man was saying to her, but think her name was Koike.  The other two were twins, man and a woman, not quite identical, but close enough that they might pass for one another had she not been a fair bit curvier than him.  Think they were Chinese, got the name Teng, but that was about all I got, damn truck drove by loaded with scrap metal.

I thought awfully hard about getting closer, but the way the guy kept looking around as if he were on high alert told me to stay put.  I had no clue what kind of extra-sensory abilities these three might’ve possessed, and I didn’t want to find out if I could help it.  The old man, Mr. Wong I gathered, began relating details of the operation I think, escorting the three atop a catwalk, swept his arm over all that could be seen.  Might consider getting a parabolic microphone after this, not that it would be easy to sneak in when I pulled these stunts. 

Still, managed to get some more bits of the conversation here and there, heard some very familiar words being spoken by the Japanese girl:  Cainite, Tzimisce, Sabbat.  Heard her say something about continuing the shipments, about letting them have their fun while it lasted I think, that whatever was going on wouldn’t affect their goals.  Think she might’ve mentioned something else about a Sabbat leader, but I couldn’t get any more cause they’d moved out of range.  The fact that the male twin’s gaze lingered in my direction a few seconds longer before he followed the others gave me plenty of reasons to not try and get closer.

Waited until they were out of sight before I made my exit.  Wasn’t real sure exactly where I needed to go, but going up seemed the best choice.  Wound up coming into the basement of a fancy Korean restaurant.  No Kuei-jin in sight, I slipped out unnoticed by the staff; saw a couple of familiar faces, two of the guys Mr. Wong had spoken to before the elders had showed up, yelling out orders in their native language. Figured this must have been his place. 

Got my bearings once I was outside, got on the first bus I found, left a trail as hard to follow as I could manage.  Don’t think I was followed but couldn’t be too sure.  Was nearly dawn by the time I got back to my apartment, so I’d have to leave my analysis of what I might’ve learned till tomorrow night.”

#Lore24 – Entry #297 – Sentinel City by Night #23 – Down, Down to Chinatown

From the Journal of Sheba O’Rourke, Private Investigator

“I admittedly had little in the way of knowledge about the Kuei-jin, having only met a handful very briefly and under peaceful, if tense, circumstances back in San Diego.  No doubt they schemed just as much as the Kindred tended to, though I could not begin to fathom their machinations in Sentinel City.  Hell, I didn’t even know what they were up to out west.  Playing a long game, maybe, or operating on some completely different kind of level completely.  Whatever the case, I wasn’t sure if the people they had running the chemicals through the city were ghouls or not, or if they even had ghouls.  Their auras didn’t read like ghouls, just regular humans, but I wasn’t entirely sure if my perceptions would even pick them up.

I was a little nervous going into Chinatown, especially when it was stowed away in the back of one of their delivery trucks.  Still, fortune favors the bold, so they say.  The guys in the truck chatted back and forth in Korean; since I’d started my surveillance, I’d picked up on that, Japanese, and several dialects of Chinese, and a few other languages I didn’t recognize.  Not that I’m particularly fluent in any of the others.  Probably something I should remedy one of these nights.

The truck came to a warehouse in short order now that it was empty, and I slipped out once it had come to a stop.  Didn’t see anything special at first, just a whole lot of stuff sitting around to be moved but didn’t take me long to discover a much bigger operation underground.  Saw several forklifts moving product out of a tunnel, so I decided to make my way down it.  Hadn’t spotted any cameras yet but kept my aura perception active in case I came across something supernatural. 

I had to admit, I was impressed with the operation they had going.  They had their own manufacturing operations going, must have been hundreds of people in this facility, making not only the chemicals, but their own drugs.  Looked like some smuggling operations too, given the huge shipping containers down there.  Spotted some larger tunnels with some rails going through them, maybe old subway tunnels that had been rebuilt and repurposed, likely leading all the way to the docks.  Had to hand it to them, they had one impressive setup going.  How it all operated with the number of languages and cultures I could pick out was probably the biggest mystery I’d ever encountered.  Did the Nosferatu know about all this?  If so, had they mentioned it to Sokolova?  How couldn’t they know?  More layers to the onion I needed to peel; would the core be rotten?

I slipped through the shadows on the edges of the operation for a good while, not exactly sure what I was looking for, but finally spotted something that seemed important.  Saw an old man, hunched with age, the classic wizened elder look about it, one eye in a permanent squint, yelling orders to a half dozen young men, who quickly scurried off to see them carried out.  Next thing I knew, a limo drove through one of the larger tunnels, coming to a stop near the old man.  He bowed low as the doors opened, and I got my first look at the Kuei-jin of Sentinel City.”

#Lore24 – Entry #296 – Sentinel City by Night #22 – A Disturbing Trail

From the Journal of Sheba O’Rourke, Private Investigator

“The direct approach hadn’t worked, so I had to resort to the not-so-direct approach.  Course, that was after I got myself back in proper working order.  Had to go dark for a few days.  The following night, once I’d dragged myself out of the sewers, only marginally improved, I found my car, remarkably still intact and undisturbed.  Guess the fact that it’s nearing thirty years old helps, and the “old rust bucket” camo is working as intended. 

Thought about visiting Ausar’s church but decided against it.  If I got antsy just being around her, don’t think I was quite ready to see her work a healing miracle on me, as much as I might’ve wanted it.  Instead, I got myself cleaned up, went out for a proper meal, then holed up in my apartment for a few nights, no outside contact, just me, myself, and I and a lot of pushing things back into place.

Got word to Sokolova about what happened, that I was still kicking, about what I’ve been hunting down.  Said she’d get Jacobs and his hounds in on the action, try to track down the ghouls, and whoever the Lasombra was that had pulled the trick with the shadows.  Told her to ask Ramos; had a sneaking suspicion she knew exactly who it was.

Still, I wasn’t put off the case, just had to switch tactics.  Was a little pissed off, maybe, and of course I wanted payback, however that came about.  So, I started digging into sources for the various drugs and chemicals that were used in making the Vamp-Out, started putting feelers out for where the local brewers got their supplies, if they knew about any new big shipments, that kind of thing.

Took a few more nights of work but started to piece together some supply chains.  Need to ask Sokolova for some extra expense money; paying off all these informants is getting expensive.  Still, looks like there are four groups handling deliveries of the various products used to create the drugs, running the shipping through local intercity carriers, delivering them to several locations outside the area where they’ve setup their manufacturing, where I’d ran into those ghouls, before they’re picked up by some good ol’ boys from down south to be delivered to the brewery.  Notably, all the deliveries were handled by companies based in Chinatown.

Got word to Blumenthal about trying to get some IDs using the photos I’d snapped at a good distance.  The name “Johnson” had come up a few times thus far, figured it was their family name given the resemblance between them. 

While he worked on that, though, I decided that it was time to track these chemical deliveries to the source, and that meant a trip to Chinatown.  Reckon I could be stepping on a whole other set of toes here if I’m not real careful.  Rumors abound that the Triads and Yakuza groups are operating out of that part of town, to say nothing of our eastern counterparts, the Kuei-jin.  Been a few Kindred who have gone missing in that part of town, and SCPD aren’t known to be too welcome there either. 

Should be an interesting trip.”

#Lore24 – Entry #273 – Fantasy Month III #30 – The Path of Truth

As Told by Larissa no Synstralia de’Cordova, Confessor of Yurisaya

“I spent some time in personal contemplation of this particular case after my last interview, before I compiled my notes regarding the whole affair.  I won’t deny that previous meditations on the matter had given me some insights into the nature of the conspiracy which these women have become a part of, and that those insights were leading me to the exact things which were suggested by Eri and Hatae.  The Dark Lady is urging me to join them, to root out those who would seek to do harm to her faithful and perhaps even the Church itself.  There is undoubtedly a greater threat in the shadows, and the only way to combat those of the dark is to take that darkness away with a greater light.

I have been contemplating the makeup of this party, and though there are undoubtedly some in the city council who would disagree vehemently with my decision, I have placed my faith above my duties to the city, and will be accepting the invitation to join forces with them, so that the greater conspiracy may be revealed.  As it stands, we will have three faithful to Yurisaya, or close enough in the case of the mercenary, one who remains more or less neutral in her reverence to nature, and two faithful to Erisaya, or close enough regarding the bard.  I am not too proud to admit that I am quite curious as to her true nature; another mystery which I must uncover.

So, with that in mind, I do indeed know of an arcanist whom I think will be rather fitting for the party.  Though his talents are of the arcane, he was trained in the enchanter’s school here in Arcavarlon and is a devoted to Erisaya.  I have worked with Tsukasa Matsubara before on several investigations relating to city affairs, and he has proved quite capable of capturing our targets alive.  We make a good pair, he capturing them through enchantment or magical bonds, and I handling the interrogations once they have been further secured.  His personality should be a good addition to the group dynamic, I think, bringing us into something of a harmonious balance. 

Or at least, I can hope; I have no doubts there will be a period of adjustment to our presence, and no small amount of disagreements, but such is the nature of adventuring parties, as I understand them.  Even though our faiths are aligned and set upon a common goal, we are our own people, after all, and our personalities will undoubtedly clash.  I find myself growing unusually excited by the prospect of another adventure after the last few years working at the behest of the city, whatever challenges we may face.  I daresay we will stand a greater than average chance of seeing this through, for our faith is strong, and I can sense the resolve of both Eri and Hatae in this matter.  I know not where our path will take us, but I am certain that we will get to the truth of the matter, however long it takes, and however many enemies we must face. 

In the names of Yurisaya and Erisaya, we will root out the conspirators and see them brought to justice, and I will oversee their divine punishments with a most zealous vigor.  Thus, I am resolved.”

 

SPECIAL NOTE:  The Path of Corrections

So, along about the middle of June, I got my entry numbers out of whack, classic off by 1 error (on the Wrathful Spirits entry as it turns out…Wrathful Spirits of organization, perhaps…).  Soooo…instead of going back and correcting months worth of entries through the WordPress interface, which would be tediously time consuming since I’d have to edit not just the page title, but the title in the text area too, I’m making a note here that I’m not short an entry, the numbers are just off.  SO, starting on October 1st, the CORRECT entry number is 275 for the start of the next month.  You didn’t miss one, I did!  Maybe one of these days I’ll correct it, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. 

#Lore24 – Entry #272 – Fantasy Month III #29 – Guidance of the Gods

As Told by Hatae Ulla, Exotic Entertainer, Dedicated of Yurisaya

“Though we must use our own judgement, of course we must look to the guidance from our goddesses too.  When I visited Yursiaya’s temple, it was the first time that I’d experienced her voice so clearly.  Though I am not of the clergy, I cannot deny what it was that I felt, and I’m certain it’s a sign from not only her, but Erisaya as well, that all of us have been brought together as we have been.  Though they are not as strongly faithful as Eri and myself, I have no doubt that Siduri and Teelsa show their respects in their own ways.  Kazumi is a bit of a, well, wildcard, but where she comes from, kerryns aren’t supposed to worship gods, and she’s had a hard time coming to terms with that, I think.  Not that she really speaks of it much…regardless, her heart is in the right place. 

There is something bigger looming that we’ve simply not uncovered yet.  You see it too, I’m sure of it!  You’ve spent time praying to Yurisaya since this whole interrogation began, right?  Don’t you get the impression that there’s something threatening her faithful, and those of Erisaya?  Eri and I spoke about it briefly following our visits to the temples, and I think she would agree.  We don’t know who else is involved beyond the two factions we’ve encountered thus far, but I’m sure there’s someone, or something, else just waiting to be discovered there, behind it all!  Maybe it’s another demon?  Maybe it’s the forces of another god?  Maybe its something else entirely?

All I know for sure is that we aren’t getting anywhere wasting time stuck in here!  Though they haven’t attacked us here yet, they’re no doubt looking for the perfect opportunity to strike!  If we can but complete our task for Lochlan, then we can return to Lady Jade and dive into this conspiracy fully, and begin rooting out the truth of the matter!  Though I’m not only voice in the party, certainly, I would hope that you would be agreeable to joining our cause, sister Confessor!  I’m sure there would be some complaints, but you can feel it too, can’t you?  Surely you do!  That looming sense of dread beneath it all?

And of course, to see to it that those you work for within Arcavarlon’s government are properly convinced, you’d be there to see to it that we are kept in line, especially Eri and myself!  I’ve been thinking about the situation and have to ask…do you perhaps know a talented arcanist who would be willing to work with us?  Perhaps one you know personally and can trust?  Not that I’d be plotting against a fellow Yurisayan, but it would be another friendly set of eyes for you and the city, and the Dark Lady knows that we’re severely lacking on the arcane talents amongst us!  Teelsa’s illusions are helpful, but we need someone to help with defeating the scrying that’s been vexing us throughout this whole affair.

Think it over, at least, please?  I’d certainly appreciate it, Confessor.  And I’m sure the others will too, even if they don’t know it immediately.  Right now, we need all the help we can get, and I’m not too proud to seek it from people I’m willing to trust.”