Gloria Mundi Update
Tyrrhenus had another dream, before waking up on the morning of 2/18/05. In this dream, he saw the creature (it's called the Thief, OK?) hunting and killing mages. But then a window in the sky opened and fire rained down on it. Its flesh melted and its clothes burned, but it continued hunting, leaving sickness in its wake and shadows burned into stone.
Now concerned that killing it wasn't a great idea, Tyrrhenus created a small Hallow in the back of the house so that Ogma could get some extra Mana (high-level Space spells being expensive and all). Afterwards, Ogma scryed for Morrigan's gun (which the Thief had stolen, recall) and found the Thief. He still couldn't see it directly, but he recognized its surroundings: a (now closed) bar in Salem. The cabal jumped in the car, called Chain (whom they were on the way to meet, remember) and told him what was happening. En route, the Thief seemed to notice the scyring window and Ogma canceled the spell.
In Salem, the cabal met Chain, Simon, Magdelena and Silentium. He and Maggie went to check in with the Nemean (at the Nemean's request) while the others pursued the Thief. They found it sitting at a table in a nearby restaurant. Ogma co-located and went in to talk with it, since that put him in no danger.
The creature recognized him - it was, in fact, the Abyssal creature that Ogma, Trryhenus and Katherine had met during their ordeal at the Asylum. It said that it had tried to go home, but hadn't been able to get back, and over time had been trying to fit in here in the Fallen World. That involved using mages' organs as "keys" to help it acclimate, and it could feel that it was approaching a change, but couldn't describe it. Ogma and Tyrrhenus, taking pity on it, started brainstorming ways to help it become human without killing people, but Morrigan was unsure. Silentium would have none of it - he knew a demon when he saw one and insisted upon killing it. Ogma hit upon taking the Thief to Chinatown (which, recall, doesn't have Paradox, so perhaps it would forestall the Thief's hunger for organs). Silentium ran off as the mages left the restaurant...
...but jumped them a block later, trying to use Rotting Flesh on the Thief. He failed (magic doesn't work on Abyssal creatures, smart guy) but the Thief pulled a knife and stabbed him. Combat ensues. The Thief wounded Silentium badly, and Morrigan used her newfound mastery of Matter to move the asphalt upon which Silentium was lying a few yards away. Niamh used Life to shut Silentium down, just to keep him from attacking...but the Thief pounced on him and stabbed him in the throat, killing him. A crowd gathered, and Ogma used some Mind magic to make many of them not care, but there were still Sleepers about.
Morrigan opened a hole in the pavement behind the Thief and knocked him backwards. Just then, a portal opened next to the mages and Februs of the Shadow Chorus beckoned them. They all entered, except Morrigan, who took the time to knock the Thief into the pit and then cancel the spell, crushing his body. Februs closed the portal. Just then, the police arrived and ordered Morrigan to stop (seeing a dead body on the street and all). She ran...and they shot her four times.
On the way to the hospital, Ruby and Mr. Gold appeared to Morrigan, telling her that by killing the Thief, she had averted the slide into anti-history. They also gave her some cryptic hints about what Tyrrhenus' dream might mean (which I've forgotten, so hopefully danieltallon wrote them down) and vanished into the Pyros.
Meantime, Februs talked with the other mages and scolded them for using magic in public like that. He said that if Morrigan died, it would be a good example for the other mages of the city. He then opened a portal to Chain's house. Moriah (one of the White Putnams) told the characters that they now had an alibi - they'd been here all morning (and Chain, of course, has enough connections to be irreproachable as a witness).
Chain himself arrived and told the characters that the Ebon Noose was on its way out. This fiasco, culminating with the death of a White Putnam (Silentium) had turned enough of the city's mages against the Noose that a new power could take over the Consilium. Chain guessed it would be the Putnams, the Brotherhood of the Ineffable Truth, or the Illuminated Pentad...but just possibly Rogue Element, should they wish to try it.
The final event of the story was the death of Cecelia Arthur. In the hospital and probably charged with the murder of Victor Knopfler (aka Silentium), she stood to bring too much scrutiny to the mages. So with the help of the White Putnams, Tyrrhenus orchestrated her death. Niamh reshaped her face (yes, technically those spells aren't Lasting, but whatever) and Tyrrhenus got her a new name (which I don't know yet).
She left her money to her sister and her store to Anthony Licavoli (Tyrrhenus). What, if anything, her new face will do to her charming persona is anyone's guess, but we'll find out next story.
Now concerned that killing it wasn't a great idea, Tyrrhenus created a small Hallow in the back of the house so that Ogma could get some extra Mana (high-level Space spells being expensive and all). Afterwards, Ogma scryed for Morrigan's gun (which the Thief had stolen, recall) and found the Thief. He still couldn't see it directly, but he recognized its surroundings: a (now closed) bar in Salem. The cabal jumped in the car, called Chain (whom they were on the way to meet, remember) and told him what was happening. En route, the Thief seemed to notice the scyring window and Ogma canceled the spell.
In Salem, the cabal met Chain, Simon, Magdelena and Silentium. He and Maggie went to check in with the Nemean (at the Nemean's request) while the others pursued the Thief. They found it sitting at a table in a nearby restaurant. Ogma co-located and went in to talk with it, since that put him in no danger.
The creature recognized him - it was, in fact, the Abyssal creature that Ogma, Trryhenus and Katherine had met during their ordeal at the Asylum. It said that it had tried to go home, but hadn't been able to get back, and over time had been trying to fit in here in the Fallen World. That involved using mages' organs as "keys" to help it acclimate, and it could feel that it was approaching a change, but couldn't describe it. Ogma and Tyrrhenus, taking pity on it, started brainstorming ways to help it become human without killing people, but Morrigan was unsure. Silentium would have none of it - he knew a demon when he saw one and insisted upon killing it. Ogma hit upon taking the Thief to Chinatown (which, recall, doesn't have Paradox, so perhaps it would forestall the Thief's hunger for organs). Silentium ran off as the mages left the restaurant...
...but jumped them a block later, trying to use Rotting Flesh on the Thief. He failed (magic doesn't work on Abyssal creatures, smart guy) but the Thief pulled a knife and stabbed him. Combat ensues. The Thief wounded Silentium badly, and Morrigan used her newfound mastery of Matter to move the asphalt upon which Silentium was lying a few yards away. Niamh used Life to shut Silentium down, just to keep him from attacking...but the Thief pounced on him and stabbed him in the throat, killing him. A crowd gathered, and Ogma used some Mind magic to make many of them not care, but there were still Sleepers about.
Morrigan opened a hole in the pavement behind the Thief and knocked him backwards. Just then, a portal opened next to the mages and Februs of the Shadow Chorus beckoned them. They all entered, except Morrigan, who took the time to knock the Thief into the pit and then cancel the spell, crushing his body. Februs closed the portal. Just then, the police arrived and ordered Morrigan to stop (seeing a dead body on the street and all). She ran...and they shot her four times.
On the way to the hospital, Ruby and Mr. Gold appeared to Morrigan, telling her that by killing the Thief, she had averted the slide into anti-history. They also gave her some cryptic hints about what Tyrrhenus' dream might mean (which I've forgotten, so hopefully danieltallon wrote them down) and vanished into the Pyros.
Meantime, Februs talked with the other mages and scolded them for using magic in public like that. He said that if Morrigan died, it would be a good example for the other mages of the city. He then opened a portal to Chain's house. Moriah (one of the White Putnams) told the characters that they now had an alibi - they'd been here all morning (and Chain, of course, has enough connections to be irreproachable as a witness).
Chain himself arrived and told the characters that the Ebon Noose was on its way out. This fiasco, culminating with the death of a White Putnam (Silentium) had turned enough of the city's mages against the Noose that a new power could take over the Consilium. Chain guessed it would be the Putnams, the Brotherhood of the Ineffable Truth, or the Illuminated Pentad...but just possibly Rogue Element, should they wish to try it.
The final event of the story was the death of Cecelia Arthur. In the hospital and probably charged with the murder of Victor Knopfler (aka Silentium), she stood to bring too much scrutiny to the mages. So with the help of the White Putnams, Tyrrhenus orchestrated her death. Niamh reshaped her face (yes, technically those spells aren't Lasting, but whatever) and Tyrrhenus got her a new name (which I don't know yet).
She left her money to her sister and her store to Anthony Licavoli (Tyrrhenus). What, if anything, her new face will do to her charming persona is anyone's guess, but we'll find out next story.