Episode Nine: Red Eyes

Session One (9.30.11)

• The day starts quietly, with the cabal resting, spending time with friends, and catching up on needed chores, both magical and mundane.
• Tanya accidentally spills the beans about what really happened to Valentina. Issa catches hell over it, despite his protests that, because of what he did, Valentina is finally getting her act together. Sophie is understandably upset.
• Sam wants to set up an office in the Regina, 'cause why not?
• Tobias interrupts our interrogation of Issa to let us know he found a strange Mardi Gras style mask hanging on the fence outside the hotel.
• Autumn pre-cogs the mask and sees Detective Dean Newcomb hanging it on our fence. We automatically assume that our local Seer rivals are responsible, since they've used the poor detective as a puppet before.
• A mage montage ensues, but examining the mask with our various spells and mage sights reveals nothing. It seems to be a perfectly ordinary and rather cheap porcelain mask.
• Suddenly, all of our Unseen Senses go off. When we investigate, we find a strange woman out in front of the hotel, stumbling around as though she is very, very drunk. Her eyes glow a brilliant red. She seems ecstatic that we have the mask, which she claims is hers. Fate magic supports her claim.
• We know she has to be supernatural, but to mage sight she seems perfectly ordinary. We don't find out until much too late that she has just eaten the ward on the Regina.
• Serafina asks the woman her name. She offers a phrase in French, which translate to "Red Eyes." Autumn recognizes the reference. The woman is a Loa, a hedonist who will try any drug, imbibe any alcohol. She is also the lover who can never be satisfied, and she kills any man she sleeps with.
• Autumn does a divination which indicates the Loa intends no harm to anyone, at least for the next 24 hours.
• Malachite decides to follow her as she wanders off to find a "good time."
• Autumn suggests we contact Qurbani.
• Serafina begins a ritual that will cause the Loa to possess her. She recruits Issa to ask the Loa questions once the ritual is complete.
• Malachite follows Red Eyes to the Desdemona Club. He tries to stay unnoticed, but fails. He lets Issa know that he's been spotted.
• Issa keeps a scrying eye on Malachite in case he gets into trouble and calls in Mitchell as back-up.
• Issa sends Malachite a text warning him about the Loa's homicidal tendencies: "Watch for roofies. She kills men through sex."
• Malachite engages in a delicate social balancing act, trying to keep Red Eyes entertained without letting her seduce or influence or drug him.
• Autumn contacts Pan for info on Red Eyes.
• Red Eyes does something to influence Malachite, trying to get him to kiss her. Issa can see that Malachite needs an adult and sends him back up in the form of Rasayana, Autumn, and Mitchell.
• Rasayana gives Malachite a social boost to help him fend Red Eyes off.
• Malachite takes the Loa out onto the dance floor to distract her from her efforts to kiss him. He is able to dodge her attempts several times, but finally she lands a kiss on him. Or more precisely, on his torc. The torc clicks open, and for the first time in twenty years, Malachite is able to take it off.
• Red Eyes falls to the floor, clearly in the grip of an orgasm. The crowd is puzzled, then begins to get suspicious, wondering if Malachite has done something untoward to the Loa.
• Rasayana covers Malachite's ass by coming over with a clipboard and pretending that he was just the victim of a reality show prank.
• Red Eyes tells Malachite that his torc is very, very old, even older than the pyramids.
• At that moment, back at the Regina, a portal opens up in the sanctum. Qurbani's limp, beaten form falls through. She is followed by three Seers.