Difference between revisions of "Gate-of-Gods-Timeline"

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** ''Early July:'' [[Episode Ten: Frontal Assault]]
 
** ''Early July:'' [[Episode Ten: Frontal Assault]]
 
** ''Early July:'' [[Episode Eleven: Storm of the Century]]
 
** ''Early July:'' [[Episode Eleven: Storm of the Century]]
−
===Episode Twelve===
+
** ''Mid July:'' [[Episode Twelve: Regina Rising]]
−
* '''[[Serafina]]''', '''[[Autumn]]''', and '''[[Issa]]''' rescue any Sleepers who might have been trapped in Shadow during the Verge storm.
+
===Arc Four: Autumn Hallows===
−
* '''[[Malachite]]''' and '''[[Rasayana]]''' head to New York to retrieve [[Danny Brewster|Danny]] from the hospital there.  Strangely, [[Ophelia Rossetti|Ophelia]] doesn't come with us.  She says she's made plans to get back to Astoria on her own.
+
* '''July 2010'''
−
* '''Serafina''' contacts her order to tell them what happened.
+
** ''Mid July:'' [[Episode Thirteen: The Passage of Shadow]]
−
* '''Rasayana''' learns from the Free Council that a Seer pylon was uncovered in Portland.  The pylon got away, but they've now been identified.
 
−
* Leaving Danny sound asleep at Qurbani's house, we go to investigate the Babylon pylon's former sanctum.
 
−
* While post-cogging the place, '''Autumn''' finds a blank space in time, about three hours' worth, that occurred right before the pylon invaded the Regina the first time.
 
−
* '''Autumn''' and '''Rasayana''' cast cooperative ritual Time magic to punch through the time ward.
 
−
* [[Tanya Clark|Tanya]] calls while they are casting.  She's at the Regina because she thought it was safe to return.  '''Issa''' escorts her right back to Africa.
 
−
* Also during the ritual, '''Malachite''' finds a room with faint traces of writing left on the walls.  He brings the writing out with Matter magic and finds an alphabet that is as creepy and disturbing to him as a mage as Atlantean was to him as a Sleeper.
 
−
* '''Autumn''' and '''Rasayana''' successfully bypass the Babylon pylon's Time spell.  '''Autumn''' sees the pylon discussing the ritual they tried to cast at the Regina.  They have the book they stole from us, the Ishtar Codex.
 
−
* From what they're saying, Qurbani is ''probably'' the “sacrifice” they need for the ritual, but they're not completely sure.  [[Heroditas]] says that even if they've chosen the wrong one, “the other one” is close at hand.
 
−
* Apparently, the Babylon pylon is an Abyssal cult.  They are trying to breach “the vault of heaven” and allow Her out into the world.
 
−
* Heroditas may be the one who revealed the Seer pylon in Portland, so that all attention would be diverted there and her pylon could work its ritual unmolested.
 
−
* The Proximi families of Astoria are here because of Her.  According to Heroditas, they've been gathering around Her for generations.
 
−
* After they returned to their sanctum, Heroditas is concerned that the ritual was ruined without a sacrifice.  [[Amenhotep]] isn't so sure.  He says it was more like they opened a cage and let something out.
 
−
* [[Sofia Warren|Vellamo]] agrees.  She says the fallen world ''wanted'' what she was doing.  Heroditas says that the Eleventh Seal is inextricably linked with the fallen world.
 
−
* None of us can read the creepy writing in the basement, so we take pictures and video to send to some of '''Autumn's''' contacts.  '''Autumn''' can tell that it's a varian of Atlantean.
 
−
* '''Autumn''' calls his primary Mysterium contact and fills him in on everything we've learned about the Babylon pylon and their weird ritual.
 
−
* Minutes later, we get a call telling us that '''Autumn's''' contact is one of the Seer agents who was exposed in Portland.  D'oh.
 
−
* But it may work to our advantage, as the Seers aren't going to be any happier with what the Babylon pylon has been up to than we are.
 
−
* The Guardians send the [[Infirmerer]] and the [[Circuitor]] out to help '''Serafina''' with damage control.
 
−
* '''Autumn''' gets a call from Hypatia and tells her everything he accidentally told the Seer agent.  She tells him that Seers refer to the Exarchs as the Ten Seals.  The Eleventh Seal is a supposed Exarch that is a personification of the Abyss.
 
−
* '''Issa''' and '''Malachite''' team up to cast a ward on Qurbani's place.
 
−
* '''Serafina''' meets up with the Infirmerer and the Circuitor.  The Circuitor gets busy planting evidence of a chemical spill to explain the mass “hallucinations.”  '''Serafina''' and the Infirmerer go out to the local hospitals to edit a few memories.
 
−
* At the hospital, they run into Ophelia, who is followed by several members of Astoria's major families.
 
−
* Ophelia is clearly not acting like herself.  Weirdly, everyone around acts like they know her and are thrilled to see her.
 
−
* When '''Serafina''' points Ophelia out to the Infirmerer, he doesn't seem to see her.  Then he doesn't seem to hear what '''Serafina''' is saying.  Before long, he doesn't register '''Serafina''' at all.
 
−
* '''Serafina''' starts following Ophelia and her entourage.  She contacts the [[Abbot]] about the Infirmerer's strange behavior.  Then she calls the rest of the cabal.
 
−
* '''Autumn''' stays behind to do some research.
 
−
* The rest of us drive to the address '''Serafina''' gives us.  It's a really nice house that belongs to a member of the Warren family.
 
−
* On the way, '''Issa''' scries on Ophelia.  She looks right at the scrying window, aware of it even though it's one of '''Issa's''' attainments.
 
−
* We walk into the house.  Someone rushes out, to stop us apparently.  But when he sees us, he becomes immediately ingratiating, much like how he acts around Ophelia.
 
−
* When '''Rasayana''' tries to hug her, she rebuffs him.  '''Issa''' demands to know who she is.  She seems surprised but pleased that it's so obvious she's not really Ophelia.
 
−
* Ophelia became the sacrifice when she came back from the brink of death after nearly drowning.  But she is still in there somewhere.
 
−
* To '''Malachite's''' Prime sight, Abphelia appears deeply disturbing, much like the writing we found at the Babylon pylon's sanctum.  There is a void in her, an insatiable hunger.  But he also feels an affinity toward her, on some strange level.
 
−
* As we talk to her, she tells us pretty much everything we want to know.  She is completely unafraid of us.  She even thanks us for helping her cross over.
 
−
* She's been influencing Astoria for ages, through the Hallow at the Regina.
 
−
* She is a personification of the Abyss.  She says that she is “what is not.”  Eventually, she will unmake the world.
 
−
* No Awakened soul can perceive her.  Or us, because we have mana from the Regina within us.  As long as we have it, we can see her.
 
−
* After some experimentation, we learn that transferring Regina-tainted mana isn't enough to make a mage aware of us or Abphelia.  It only works on mages who have performed the oblation at the Regina.
 
−
* Which means our sole potential ally is [[Auctorita]].
 
−
* '''Issa''' goes to recruit his grandmother by spiking her tea with tass from the Regina.
 
−
* '''Rasayana''' tries to cast a Fate spell to free Ophelia.  Even though he succeeds, it backfires horribly. He gains a derangement and has a temporary meltdown, offering Abphelia anything if she'll give Ophelia back to him.
 
−
* '''Malachite'''' socks him in the jaw and gets him the hell out of there.  Abphelia looks a little titillated at the display of violence.
 
  
−
===Episode Thirteen===
+
==Episode Fourteen==
−
* We start discussing options and divvying up our remaining tass.  '''[[Malachite]]''' tries to harvest fresh tass from the Regina, but it is no longer generating any.
+
===Session One (12.10.11)===
−
* We decide to meet with [[Auctorita]], since she's our only possible ally.  But as a precaution, '''[[Rasayana]]''' casts a mental shield on us.
+
* '''[[Autumn]]''' summons Madam Sirin, but she can't really tell us anything other than that her cabal was eventually destroyed by contact with the Regina, gradually succumbing to paranoia and madness.
−
* On the way, we see several dogs in an alley simply become unmade.  An Abyssal spirit appears in their place.
+
* While '''Autumn''' is talking to the dead, '''[[Rasayana]]''' boosts his, '''[[Issa|Issa's]]''', and '''[[Malachite|Malachite's]]''' academic ability.  Cue research montage.  We learn that we must gather the Astral Regalia of the Queen of Heaven in order to enact the banishing ritual, which must be done before the Queen of Heaven completes her chrysalis.  The Astral Regalia are:
−
* '''[[Serafina]]''' and '''Malachite''' go to follow it while the others continue on to the meeting with Auctorita.
+
** A piece of the Ishtar Gate, in Babylon. This must be imbued with the "Heart of Murder" - the moment in which an ancient queen of Babylon, Ishtar, sacrifices her beloved king, Tammuz on the altar to Erishkigal of the Underworld. This requires Death or Life to steal.
−
* '''Serafina''' traps the spirit, examines it, and questions it.  It doesn't know anything useful.
+
** An old Egyptian khopesh, from the British Museum. This must be imbued with the "Tears of the River" - the moment of great sadness in which Isis loses Aser (Osiris), as he is cut to pieces by Sutekh. This requires Fate or Mind to steal.
−
* The spirit's Ban is that it must find an Awakened master.  Once it does that, something else will become its Ban.  Its nature is to be a familiar.
+
** An ancient distaff from Norse times, made of ash, in a museum in Norway. This must be imbued with the "Moment of Unity" - the moment in which Frika is given a vision of Ragnarok while she is at her spinning wheel, while about her stars spin. This requires Space or Time to steal.
−
* It grovels and whimpers and tries to tempt '''Serafina''' or '''Malachite''' into becoming its master.  '''Serafina''' destroys it, and they leave to catch up with their cabalmates.
+
** The chalice used by the Pope in High Communion. This must be imbued with the "Joy of Annunciation" - moment of ineffable joy in which Mary is told by the angel Gabriel that she will bear the son of God. This requires Prime or Matter to steal.
−
* Auctorita is waiting for us at the Babylon Gardens cemetery.  She tells us that the Babylon pylon has been taken into custody by the Tetrarchy.  She thinks she can get ahold of their belongings, which will hopefully contain the Ishtar Codex.
+
** Yata no Kagami, a mirror from Naiku, the inner shrine of Amaterasu in Honshu, Japan. This must be imbued with the "Birth of the Sun" - the moment in which a man emerges from the Underworld, weeping, and dips his hands into the sea to purify himself upon his return. As the water pours down his head, gods are born - the moon from the water that falls from his right eye, the sun (Amaterasu) from the water that falls from his left. This requires Forces or Spirit to steal.
−
* As we talk, the older portions of the cemetery are suddenly unmade.  In their place, another Abyssal spirit appears, in the form of a black mist.
+
* '''Malachite''' secretly does some research into the Path of Befouling and finds out about the serious downside.
−
* Auctorita takes off.  Bitch.
+
* While we're in the middle of our research, the [[Abbot]] walks in with Kramer, who we last saw after he was exposed as a traitor and Seer spy.  There is something about him that sets off our Unseen Senses.  It's like what we felt when we saw the dogs being unmade.
−
* The creature sets off '''Malachite's''' nictophobia, but he is able to suppress the fear.  As a result, he gains a spontaneous knowledge of the Art of Befouling.
+
* As we try to decide what to do about Kramer, our Unseen Senses are triggered again, much stronger this time.  There is something deep in the library stacks, something Abyssal.
−
* After we manage to injure this Abyssal creature, it stops fighting us and offers us a chance to ask questions.  It must truthfully answer any question, as long as the answer isn't being deliberately hidden from it.
+
* '''Issa''' and '''Malachite''' go to investigate.  The thing turns out to be an Abyssal creature that was created when Kramer's betrayal was unmade.
−
* '''[[Autumn]]''' remembers that this entity extracts a “terrible price” for any questions it answers, but he doesn't warn anybody. The bastard.
+
* '''[[Serafina]]''' joins us about now, nearly running into Kramer as she enters the library.  She and '''Rasayana''' decide to put Kramer on ice until we can determine if he's still a traitor.  They then join us in the stacks to confront the Abyssal.
−
* Only '''Malachite''' and '''Rasayana''' get to ask their questions before the spirit realizes that '''Serafina''' is trying to read it.  It vanishes in a huff.
+
* The creature is called the Prince in Tatters.  He offers to remove the geas that prevents us from returning to Portland.  His price is a betrayal for a betrayal.  We turn him down.  He says that if we should change our minds, '''Malachite''' will know how to find him.  He tells '''Malachite''' that he is already “on the path.”
−
* '''Malachite''' asks how to keep Abphelia from destroying the world.  The creature says that the answer is hidden, but it can tell us where to find the answer.  It says for us to go the “archives of the angels” and search for “the heart of murder,” “ the tears of the river,” “the moment of unity,” “the joy of enunciation,” and “the birth of the sun.”
+
* '''Serafina''' decides to summon the [[Luminous]] to ask for help and goes outside to do so.  When it appears, it immediately tries to possess her.  It can sense the Abyssal taint of the mana within her, and it wants to purge that taint.
−
* '''Rasayana''' asks how to save Ophelia.  It tells him to enact the “Banishment of the Queen of Heaven” before her chrysalis is complete.
+
* '''Serafina''' resists the Luminous, telling it that she needs the taint to remember what she's fighting.  It insists, saying that they cannot have any interaction until she is cleansed.  It eventually overpowers her and purges all Abyssal taint from her mana and her tass.  She promptly forgets everything.
−
* They both lose a point of Wisdom.
+
* She and the Luminous have a conversation in her head.  It teaches her how to summon Supernal beings.  It also tells her that she needs to retrieve [[Ophelia Rosetti|Ophelia's]] soul, which is currently adrift in the river where she drowned.
 +
* She can't see the rest of us when we go looking for her.  '''Issa''' shoves a piece of Abyssal tass into her mouth, and she can see us again.
 +
* '''Serafina''' stays at the abbey to research supernal beings she could potentially summon.  The rest of us head back to Qurbani's house.
 +
* '''Malachite''' studies Qurbani's Hallow to learn the oblation.  He finds that this Hallow isn't generating mana, either.  Damn it.
 +
* '''Malachite''' sends [[Danny Brewster|Danny]] off to Vegas until everything blows over.  He also contacts [[Samantha Albrecht|Sam]] and tells her not to come to Astoria until he gives her the all clear.  He e-mails her a copy of his will.
 +
* '''Issa''' apportates the Pope's chalice and the Egyptian khopesh that we need.
 +
* '''Issa''' goes to check on various people we care about and warn them to get out of town.  The Bruides, like mages, cannot see him.  He can't find [[Olivia St. Jordan]].  When he goes to [[Casey Johansson|Casey]] and [[Esmer Smith|Esmer's]] tattoo parlor, he finds that the shop no longer exists.
 +
* [[Sophia Cooper|Sophie]] is there though Casey and Esmer are not.  Sophie is possessed by something.  A grotesque black maw has erupted on her back.  '''Issa''' calls '''Malachite''' and '''Rasayana''' for back up.
 +
 
 +
==Episode Fifteen==
 +
===Session One (12.19.11)===
 +
* The Abyssal creature possessing Sophie attempts a mental attack against '''Issa''', but he resists.
 +
* '''Issa''' uses Space to trap the Abyssal until '''Malachite''' and '''Rasayana''' arrive.  The thing keeps trying to attack him and failing.
 +
* '''Rasayana''' severs the bonds between the Abyssal and Sophie, and the thing disappears with a wail, leaving behind only an intricate, swirling tattoo.
 +
* '''Issa''' sends Sophie to her [[Valentina Cooper|sister]] in Africa.
 +
* '''Autumn''' next summons his mentor Kang Lu.
 +
* Kang Lu isn't able to tell '''Autumn''' much about the Regina or the Queen of Heaven.  He does know something about the Secret Order of the Gate, which are a group of Abyssal cultists.  They have a method of travel that involves using liminal places where the Fallen World touches the Abyss.  It sounds like what we've seen the Babylon pylon do.
 +
* Kang Lu says that we may be able to receive “help most dangerous” from the Seers, namely [[Auctorita]].  He also tells '''Autumn''' about the Path of Befouling.
 +
* '''Rasayana''' teaches us all the Banishment of the Queen of Heaven.  '''Serafina''' teaches us all Supernal summoning.  '''Autumn''' teaches us all the Path of Befouling, except for '''Malachite''' who already knew it and hadn't shared.
 +
* '''Issa''' portals to the Ishtar Gate to tear off a chunk, leaving us with only the distaff in Norway and the mirror in Naiku to retrieve.
 +
* '''Serafina''' and '''Rasayana''' go after Ophelia's soul.  They get help from the Columbia Maiden, the spirit of the Columbia River.  In return, the Maiden asks that we try to change the ley line flowing through the river, because it is binding her and slowly changing her.  They promise that we will try, and she says that's all she can ask.
 +
* The Columbia Maiden finds Ophelia's soul, and '''Serafina''' stores it in her soul jar.
 +
* Because the distaff is in a Mysterium athenaeum, '''Autumn''' has to go after it.  '''Issa''', '''Malachite''', and [[Mitchell Flavel|Mitchell]] go with him.
 +
* Through the power of hand-wavium, we get in and out of the athenaeum with no problem and head back to Astoria, distaff in hand.
 +
 
 +
==Episode Sixteen==
 +
===Session One (1.14.12)===
 +
* We decide to leave Astoria and set up a base of operations somewhere remote and deserted, because we don't want to risk having Astoria unravel around us while we're in the middle of astral travel or complicated rituals.
 +
* '''[[Malachite]]''' hacks into a surveillance satellite in order to locate a nice, deserted island.  He finds some high quality pictures for '''[[Issa]]''' to use to create a portal there.  He also gets some satellite imagery of the shrine where Amaterasu's mirror is kept.
 +
* '''[[Serafina]]''' and '''[[Rasayana]]''' go after the mirror, hoping to use simple diplomacy to convince the spirits at the shrine to let us borrow it for the banishment ritual.
 +
* While they wait, '''Malachite''' and '''Issa''' scout the island and a few islands nearby to see if there is a Hallow that can be strengthened enough to give them access to the astral.  No such luck.
 +
* '''[[Autumn]]''' and [[Mitchell Flavel|Mitchell]] go off to have a little the-world-might-end-tomorrow alone time.
 +
* At the shrine, '''Serafina''' and '''Rasayana''' encounter a white rabbit spirit.  They tell it that they are on a quest for a special object, and it sort of invites them into the shrine, pulling them into Twilight.
 +
* The rabbit changes into a man who introduces himself as Tsukuyomi, one of Amaterasu's brothers.
 +
* '''Serafina''' explains what we're trying to do, how we're trying to stop the Eleventh Seal, and why we need the mirror.
 +
* Tsukuyomi tells her that there's a problem.  Amaterasu is currently trapped inside the mirror.  After the bombing of Japan in WWII, Amaterasu went mad and became tremendously dangerous.  Her siblings were forced to imprison her in the mirror for their own safety and the safety of their land.
 +
* '''Serafina''' speculates that the banishment ritual may restore Amaterasu to herself, since it involves capturing the essence of her birth and imbuing it in the mirror.
 +
* As they are talking, the wind begins to pick up.  Tsukuyomi says that his brother Susanoo is coming. Susanoo was the one who imprisoned Amaterasu, and he still bears the wounds of that battle. Tsukuyomi says he is half-maddened with pain, and there is no way to predict how he will react to their request.
 +
* Susanoo appears to be suffering from severe radiation burns.  He is deeply suspicious of '''Serafina''' and '''Rasayana''' and “foreigners” in general.  He is certain that they are lying to him.
 +
* Susanoo is also upset that '''Serafina''' has the Thunderer trapped in a spirit jar and demands that she release him.  She tries to explain that we freed him from one prison, but had to trap him again because he was out of control, maddened with rage and pain.
 +
* Susanoo is unimpressed with her story and equally unimpressed when she releases the Thunderer as a gesture of good faith.  He orders '''Serafina''' and '''Rasayana''' away from the shrine.
 +
* Tsukuyomi intervenes, saying that he will escort their guests out.  He walks '''Serafina''' and '''Rasayana''' back to the portal.  Once there, he reveals that he stole the mirror out from under Susanoo's nose.  He gives it to them and tells them to leave quickly.
 +
* '''Rasayana''' looks into the possiblity of changing the geas on our cabal so that we can travel back to Portland to use a Hallow there. He finds that the geas doesn't exist because of our cabal; our cabal exists because of the geas.  It's complex, subtle magic that would be too difficult and time-consuming to change.
 +
* With no Hallow available, we decide to establish a desmense.  We each create a soulstone to contribute to the desmense, except for '''Issa''', who uses Madame Sirin's soulstone.  This assures that our desmense will be attuned to all the Arcana.
 +
* As the only one who has mastered an Arcanum, '''Autumn''' must be the one to perform the desmesne ritual.  Before he begins, '''Rasayana''' casts Temporal Shield to hide our activities from future prying eyes.
 +
* After the desmesne is created, '''Malachite''' uses Matter to bury the soulstones at various points around the island.
 +
 
 +
==Episode Seventeen==
 +
===Session One (2.4.12)===
 +
* Once we have our desmesne, we embark on our various astral journeys.  '''[[Rasayana]]''' uses Mind to plunge us right into the level of meditation we need to start.
 +
* '''[[Autumn]]''' retrieves the “Heart of Murder” with Death magic.
 +
* '''Rasayana''' retrieves the “Tears of the River” with Fate magic.
 +
*  '''[[Issa]]''' retrieves the “Moment of Unity” with Space magic.
 +
* '''[[Malachite]]''' retrieves the “Joy of Annunciation” with Prime magic.
 +
* '''[[Serafina]]''' retrieves the “Birth of the Sun” with Spirit magic.
 +
* During our astral travels, we each notice strange figures observing us:
 +
** '''Autumn''' sees a robed figure with cold, porcelain skin.
 +
** '''Rasayana''' sees a man who dissolves into blood red sand.
 +
** '''Issa''' sees an open, staring eye in a mirrored reflection.
 +
** '''Malachite''' sees a powerful patriarchal figure.
 +
** '''Serafina''' sees the shapes of leviathans moving under the surface of a river.
 +
* Now that we've captured the essence of these moments, we imbue them into the various relics we collected.
 +
* When '''Serafina''' imbues Amaterasu's mirror, all the mirror's imperfections vanish, which seems to indicate that Amaterasu is restored.
 +
* We decide to try to summon the Metatron as a back-up plan if the banishing ritual fails.  '''Malachite''' is the only one who can attempt the summoning.  He hands off most of his Abyss-tainted mana first, just in case the Metatron decides to cleanse him.  '''Rasayana''' gives him some exceptional luck before he begins.
 +
* '''Issa''' goes off to New York to visit his wife.  He takes most of the Abyss-tainted tass with him as a precaution.
 +
* '''Serafina''' lets Amaterasu out of her mirror.  Amaterasu is grateful and agrees to trust '''Serafina''' with her mirror until we're done with the banishing ritual.
 +
* '''Malachite''' successfully summons the Metatron.  The Metatron tells him that the reasons people have for summoning him aren't usually worth his time.  The Eleventh Seal, however, is.  The Metatron says that he is just a general and cannot intervene directly.  But he can arm '''Malachite''' with the might of heaven.
 +
* The Metatron also tells '''Malachite''' that this battle is the reason he Awakened.  He says that '''Malachite''' is as much a member of the army of heaven as the Metatron himself.
 +
* '''Rasayana''' puts a mental shield on us before we start the ritual.
 +
* [[Auctorita]] arrives just as we are about to begin the banishment.  She has a couple of interesting artifacts with her: a mother-of-pearl bracer and an ancient, pitted short sword.  She says she couldn't find the ritual she was looking for, but she came to help us in any way she can.
 +
* We ask her to stand guard along with Mitchell.  '''Autumn''' tells Mitchell to shoot her if she does anything funny.
 +
* '''Rasayana''' makes Auctorita swear an oath to ensure our safety.  We agree to leave each other in complete peace for one week.
 +
* When we begin the banishment ritual, we sense the Eleventh Seal's attention on us.  She starts to move toward us, and with each huge step, she unmakes one of the other Queens of Heaven and the Regalia associated with her.
 +
* As each relic is unmade, we re-absorb the mana that was imbued within it.  We ourselves become the Regalia.
 +
* With the fifth step, the Eleventh Seal stands in our midst.  She tells us that the banishment ritual we've been enacting is one she planted for us to find, to remove the other Queens of Heaven and thus any obstacles to her plans.
 +
* Mitchell raises his gun, aiming at her head.  She turns toward him, but before she can act, '''Autumn''' tackles Mitchell to the ground.
 +
* While everyone's attention is on Mitchell and '''Autumn''', Auctorita takes her ancient blade and plunges it into the ground.
 +
* In that moment, through the pieces of Regalia we hold within us, we each become vessels for one of the Exarchs:
 +
** '''Serafina''' becomes the Nemesis.
 +
** '''Rasayana''' becomes the Ruin
 +
** '''Autumn''' becomes the Psychopomp.
 +
** '''Issa''' becomes the Eye.
 +
** '''Malachite''' becomes the Father.
 +
* In order to stop the Eleventh Seal, we are each granted the ability to perform a single, Exarch-level miracle. We will actually be changing the way the world works:
 +
** '''Rasayana'''/the Ruin causes creatures of the Abyss to lose the ability to have their own identities.  Across the world, Abyssal cults dissolve, and Abyssal creatures lose any power those cults provided.
 +
** '''Serafina'''/the Nemesis makes it impossible for Abyssal creatures to manifest as spirits or possess people.  The Eleventh Seal is forced out of [[Ophelia Rosetti|Ophelia's]] body.
 +
** '''Autumn'''/the Psychopomp inflicts true mortality on Abyssal creatures.
 +
** '''Issa'''/the Eye disregards the Eleventh Seal and forces her out of the world.
 +
** '''Malachite'''/the Father un-unmakes all that was lost.
 +
* As the Regalia are remade, the Exarchs are drawn out of us.  They are drawn back to the ancient blade that Auctorita still has her hand on.
 +
* '''Autumn''' puts Ophelia's soul back into her body.
 +
* Auctorita tells us that the Exarchs want to give us a reward, so they are making Astoria off-limits to all Seers of the Throne.  She also says that she is leaving the Seers.  After this, she no longer sees the Exarchs as gods.  '''Malachite''' is thrilled at this news and gives her a big hug.
 +
* '''Malachite''' calls up [[Samantha Albrecht|Samantha]] and asks her to marry him.
 +
* Everybody decides to take a long damn vacation.

Latest revision as of 02:26, 3 June 2014

Pre-Chronicle

  • May 14, 1896: Master Kang Lu receives a dream-vision of the mage he is to take as his apprentice, and discovers that he won't be born until the late 1900s. So, he prepares a set of scenarios, and a handful of clues to lead the young mage to view those scenarios post-cognitively.
  • 1897: The Tri Ptitsy take over the Hotel Regina from Master Kang Lu.
  • 1902: Master Kang Lu dies of old age. He is buried in a beautiful tomb in the Babylon Gardens Cemetery.
  • 1904: The Columbia Consilium is founded, uniting the Awakened of Astoria, Warrenton and Seaside, OR, and Chinook and Ilwaco, WA, with Lady Alkanost of the Tri Ptitsy as the Hieararch.
  • November 2009: The Portland cabal Magnum Opus awakens their apprentices, bid them to form a cabal and then sends them out of Portland. They do not explain the mysterious circumstances, but do give them an objective: secure the powerful Hallow in the Hotel Regina in Old Town Astoria.

Season One

Arc One: Winter's Rest

Downtime

  • February 2010 - Early March 2010

Arc Two: Spring Awakenings

Downtime

Arc Three: Summer Storms

Arc Four: Autumn Hallows

Episode Fourteen

Session One (12.10.11)

  • Autumn summons Madam Sirin, but she can't really tell us anything other than that her cabal was eventually destroyed by contact with the Regina, gradually succumbing to paranoia and madness.
  • While Autumn is talking to the dead, Rasayana boosts his, Issa's, and Malachite's academic ability. Cue research montage. We learn that we must gather the Astral Regalia of the Queen of Heaven in order to enact the banishing ritual, which must be done before the Queen of Heaven completes her chrysalis. The Astral Regalia are:
    • A piece of the Ishtar Gate, in Babylon. This must be imbued with the "Heart of Murder" - the moment in which an ancient queen of Babylon, Ishtar, sacrifices her beloved king, Tammuz on the altar to Erishkigal of the Underworld. This requires Death or Life to steal.
    • An old Egyptian khopesh, from the British Museum. This must be imbued with the "Tears of the River" - the moment of great sadness in which Isis loses Aser (Osiris), as he is cut to pieces by Sutekh. This requires Fate or Mind to steal.
    • An ancient distaff from Norse times, made of ash, in a museum in Norway. This must be imbued with the "Moment of Unity" - the moment in which Frika is given a vision of Ragnarok while she is at her spinning wheel, while about her stars spin. This requires Space or Time to steal.
    • The chalice used by the Pope in High Communion. This must be imbued with the "Joy of Annunciation" - moment of ineffable joy in which Mary is told by the angel Gabriel that she will bear the son of God. This requires Prime or Matter to steal.
    • Yata no Kagami, a mirror from Naiku, the inner shrine of Amaterasu in Honshu, Japan. This must be imbued with the "Birth of the Sun" - the moment in which a man emerges from the Underworld, weeping, and dips his hands into the sea to purify himself upon his return. As the water pours down his head, gods are born - the moon from the water that falls from his right eye, the sun (Amaterasu) from the water that falls from his left. This requires Forces or Spirit to steal.
  • Malachite secretly does some research into the Path of Befouling and finds out about the serious downside.
  • While we're in the middle of our research, the Abbot walks in with Kramer, who we last saw after he was exposed as a traitor and Seer spy. There is something about him that sets off our Unseen Senses. It's like what we felt when we saw the dogs being unmade.
  • As we try to decide what to do about Kramer, our Unseen Senses are triggered again, much stronger this time. There is something deep in the library stacks, something Abyssal.
  • Issa and Malachite go to investigate. The thing turns out to be an Abyssal creature that was created when Kramer's betrayal was unmade.
  • Serafina joins us about now, nearly running into Kramer as she enters the library. She and Rasayana decide to put Kramer on ice until we can determine if he's still a traitor. They then join us in the stacks to confront the Abyssal.
  • The creature is called the Prince in Tatters. He offers to remove the geas that prevents us from returning to Portland. His price is a betrayal for a betrayal. We turn him down. He says that if we should change our minds, Malachite will know how to find him. He tells Malachite that he is already “on the path.”
  • Serafina decides to summon the Luminous to ask for help and goes outside to do so. When it appears, it immediately tries to possess her. It can sense the Abyssal taint of the mana within her, and it wants to purge that taint.
  • Serafina resists the Luminous, telling it that she needs the taint to remember what she's fighting. It insists, saying that they cannot have any interaction until she is cleansed. It eventually overpowers her and purges all Abyssal taint from her mana and her tass. She promptly forgets everything.
  • She and the Luminous have a conversation in her head. It teaches her how to summon Supernal beings. It also tells her that she needs to retrieve Ophelia's soul, which is currently adrift in the river where she drowned.
  • She can't see the rest of us when we go looking for her. Issa shoves a piece of Abyssal tass into her mouth, and she can see us again.
  • Serafina stays at the abbey to research supernal beings she could potentially summon. The rest of us head back to Qurbani's house.
  • Malachite studies Qurbani's Hallow to learn the oblation. He finds that this Hallow isn't generating mana, either. Damn it.
  • Malachite sends Danny off to Vegas until everything blows over. He also contacts Sam and tells her not to come to Astoria until he gives her the all clear. He e-mails her a copy of his will.
  • Issa apportates the Pope's chalice and the Egyptian khopesh that we need.
  • Issa goes to check on various people we care about and warn them to get out of town. The Bruides, like mages, cannot see him. He can't find Olivia St. Jordan. When he goes to Casey and Esmer's tattoo parlor, he finds that the shop no longer exists.
  • Sophie is there though Casey and Esmer are not. Sophie is possessed by something. A grotesque black maw has erupted on her back. Issa calls Malachite and Rasayana for back up.

Episode Fifteen

Session One (12.19.11)

  • The Abyssal creature possessing Sophie attempts a mental attack against Issa, but he resists.
  • Issa uses Space to trap the Abyssal until Malachite and Rasayana arrive. The thing keeps trying to attack him and failing.
  • Rasayana severs the bonds between the Abyssal and Sophie, and the thing disappears with a wail, leaving behind only an intricate, swirling tattoo.
  • Issa sends Sophie to her sister in Africa.
  • Autumn next summons his mentor Kang Lu.
  • Kang Lu isn't able to tell Autumn much about the Regina or the Queen of Heaven. He does know something about the Secret Order of the Gate, which are a group of Abyssal cultists. They have a method of travel that involves using liminal places where the Fallen World touches the Abyss. It sounds like what we've seen the Babylon pylon do.
  • Kang Lu says that we may be able to receive “help most dangerous” from the Seers, namely Auctorita. He also tells Autumn about the Path of Befouling.
  • Rasayana teaches us all the Banishment of the Queen of Heaven. Serafina teaches us all Supernal summoning. Autumn teaches us all the Path of Befouling, except for Malachite who already knew it and hadn't shared.
  • Issa portals to the Ishtar Gate to tear off a chunk, leaving us with only the distaff in Norway and the mirror in Naiku to retrieve.
  • Serafina and Rasayana go after Ophelia's soul. They get help from the Columbia Maiden, the spirit of the Columbia River. In return, the Maiden asks that we try to change the ley line flowing through the river, because it is binding her and slowly changing her. They promise that we will try, and she says that's all she can ask.
  • The Columbia Maiden finds Ophelia's soul, and Serafina stores it in her soul jar.
  • Because the distaff is in a Mysterium athenaeum, Autumn has to go after it. Issa, Malachite, and Mitchell go with him.
  • Through the power of hand-wavium, we get in and out of the athenaeum with no problem and head back to Astoria, distaff in hand.

Episode Sixteen

Session One (1.14.12)

  • We decide to leave Astoria and set up a base of operations somewhere remote and deserted, because we don't want to risk having Astoria unravel around us while we're in the middle of astral travel or complicated rituals.
  • Malachite hacks into a surveillance satellite in order to locate a nice, deserted island. He finds some high quality pictures for Issa to use to create a portal there. He also gets some satellite imagery of the shrine where Amaterasu's mirror is kept.
  • Serafina and Rasayana go after the mirror, hoping to use simple diplomacy to convince the spirits at the shrine to let us borrow it for the banishment ritual.
  • While they wait, Malachite and Issa scout the island and a few islands nearby to see if there is a Hallow that can be strengthened enough to give them access to the astral. No such luck.
  • Autumn and Mitchell go off to have a little the-world-might-end-tomorrow alone time.
  • At the shrine, Serafina and Rasayana encounter a white rabbit spirit. They tell it that they are on a quest for a special object, and it sort of invites them into the shrine, pulling them into Twilight.
  • The rabbit changes into a man who introduces himself as Tsukuyomi, one of Amaterasu's brothers.
  • Serafina explains what we're trying to do, how we're trying to stop the Eleventh Seal, and why we need the mirror.
  • Tsukuyomi tells her that there's a problem. Amaterasu is currently trapped inside the mirror. After the bombing of Japan in WWII, Amaterasu went mad and became tremendously dangerous. Her siblings were forced to imprison her in the mirror for their own safety and the safety of their land.
  • Serafina speculates that the banishment ritual may restore Amaterasu to herself, since it involves capturing the essence of her birth and imbuing it in the mirror.
  • As they are talking, the wind begins to pick up. Tsukuyomi says that his brother Susanoo is coming. Susanoo was the one who imprisoned Amaterasu, and he still bears the wounds of that battle. Tsukuyomi says he is half-maddened with pain, and there is no way to predict how he will react to their request.
  • Susanoo appears to be suffering from severe radiation burns. He is deeply suspicious of Serafina and Rasayana and “foreigners” in general. He is certain that they are lying to him.
  • Susanoo is also upset that Serafina has the Thunderer trapped in a spirit jar and demands that she release him. She tries to explain that we freed him from one prison, but had to trap him again because he was out of control, maddened with rage and pain.
  • Susanoo is unimpressed with her story and equally unimpressed when she releases the Thunderer as a gesture of good faith. He orders Serafina and Rasayana away from the shrine.
  • Tsukuyomi intervenes, saying that he will escort their guests out. He walks Serafina and Rasayana back to the portal. Once there, he reveals that he stole the mirror out from under Susanoo's nose. He gives it to them and tells them to leave quickly.
  • Rasayana looks into the possiblity of changing the geas on our cabal so that we can travel back to Portland to use a Hallow there. He finds that the geas doesn't exist because of our cabal; our cabal exists because of the geas. It's complex, subtle magic that would be too difficult and time-consuming to change.
  • With no Hallow available, we decide to establish a desmense. We each create a soulstone to contribute to the desmense, except for Issa, who uses Madame Sirin's soulstone. This assures that our desmense will be attuned to all the Arcana.
  • As the only one who has mastered an Arcanum, Autumn must be the one to perform the desmesne ritual. Before he begins, Rasayana casts Temporal Shield to hide our activities from future prying eyes.
  • After the desmesne is created, Malachite uses Matter to bury the soulstones at various points around the island.

Episode Seventeen

Session One (2.4.12)

  • Once we have our desmesne, we embark on our various astral journeys. Rasayana uses Mind to plunge us right into the level of meditation we need to start.
  • Autumn retrieves the “Heart of Murder” with Death magic.
  • Rasayana retrieves the “Tears of the River” with Fate magic.
  • Issa retrieves the “Moment of Unity” with Space magic.
  • Malachite retrieves the “Joy of Annunciation” with Prime magic.
  • Serafina retrieves the “Birth of the Sun” with Spirit magic.
  • During our astral travels, we each notice strange figures observing us:
    • Autumn sees a robed figure with cold, porcelain skin.
    • Rasayana sees a man who dissolves into blood red sand.
    • Issa sees an open, staring eye in a mirrored reflection.
    • Malachite sees a powerful patriarchal figure.
    • Serafina sees the shapes of leviathans moving under the surface of a river.
  • Now that we've captured the essence of these moments, we imbue them into the various relics we collected.
  • When Serafina imbues Amaterasu's mirror, all the mirror's imperfections vanish, which seems to indicate that Amaterasu is restored.
  • We decide to try to summon the Metatron as a back-up plan if the banishing ritual fails. Malachite is the only one who can attempt the summoning. He hands off most of his Abyss-tainted mana first, just in case the Metatron decides to cleanse him. Rasayana gives him some exceptional luck before he begins.
  • Issa goes off to New York to visit his wife. He takes most of the Abyss-tainted tass with him as a precaution.
  • Serafina lets Amaterasu out of her mirror. Amaterasu is grateful and agrees to trust Serafina with her mirror until we're done with the banishing ritual.
  • Malachite successfully summons the Metatron. The Metatron tells him that the reasons people have for summoning him aren't usually worth his time. The Eleventh Seal, however, is. The Metatron says that he is just a general and cannot intervene directly. But he can arm Malachite with the might of heaven.
  • The Metatron also tells Malachite that this battle is the reason he Awakened. He says that Malachite is as much a member of the army of heaven as the Metatron himself.
  • Rasayana puts a mental shield on us before we start the ritual.
  • Auctorita arrives just as we are about to begin the banishment. She has a couple of interesting artifacts with her: a mother-of-pearl bracer and an ancient, pitted short sword. She says she couldn't find the ritual she was looking for, but she came to help us in any way she can.
  • We ask her to stand guard along with Mitchell. Autumn tells Mitchell to shoot her if she does anything funny.
  • Rasayana makes Auctorita swear an oath to ensure our safety. We agree to leave each other in complete peace for one week.
  • When we begin the banishment ritual, we sense the Eleventh Seal's attention on us. She starts to move toward us, and with each huge step, she unmakes one of the other Queens of Heaven and the Regalia associated with her.
  • As each relic is unmade, we re-absorb the mana that was imbued within it. We ourselves become the Regalia.
  • With the fifth step, the Eleventh Seal stands in our midst. She tells us that the banishment ritual we've been enacting is one she planted for us to find, to remove the other Queens of Heaven and thus any obstacles to her plans.
  • Mitchell raises his gun, aiming at her head. She turns toward him, but before she can act, Autumn tackles Mitchell to the ground.
  • While everyone's attention is on Mitchell and Autumn, Auctorita takes her ancient blade and plunges it into the ground.
  • In that moment, through the pieces of Regalia we hold within us, we each become vessels for one of the Exarchs:
    • Serafina becomes the Nemesis.
    • Rasayana becomes the Ruin
    • Autumn becomes the Psychopomp.
    • Issa becomes the Eye.
    • Malachite becomes the Father.
  • In order to stop the Eleventh Seal, we are each granted the ability to perform a single, Exarch-level miracle. We will actually be changing the way the world works:
    • Rasayana/the Ruin causes creatures of the Abyss to lose the ability to have their own identities. Across the world, Abyssal cults dissolve, and Abyssal creatures lose any power those cults provided.
    • Serafina/the Nemesis makes it impossible for Abyssal creatures to manifest as spirits or possess people. The Eleventh Seal is forced out of Ophelia's body.
    • Autumn/the Psychopomp inflicts true mortality on Abyssal creatures.
    • Issa/the Eye disregards the Eleventh Seal and forces her out of the world.
    • Malachite/the Father un-unmakes all that was lost.
  • As the Regalia are remade, the Exarchs are drawn out of us. They are drawn back to the ancient blade that Auctorita still has her hand on.
  • Autumn puts Ophelia's soul back into her body.
  • Auctorita tells us that the Exarchs want to give us a reward, so they are making Astoria off-limits to all Seers of the Throne. She also says that she is leaving the Seers. After this, she no longer sees the Exarchs as gods. Malachite is thrilled at this news and gives her a big hug.
  • Malachite calls up Samantha and asks her to marry him.
  • Everybody decides to take a long damn vacation.
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