Rick's Entry for October 2012

First, you can stop looking for me guys, we're safe. Kind of. It's very long story, I will tell you some other time. What you need to know is that we got out of there... and that we aren't in the country anymore. Getting out of there had been the easiest part, leaving the country without being noticed, now that had been problematic. We were planning on going back to Austin, but we've heard about what happened in Toronto and Amelia insisted we went back there. In retrospect, it probably wasn't the sanest idea, but she seemed so troubled, I couldn't just leave her like that. We took the first plane to Montreal, then we trekked to Toronto over two days.

So, why all of this? If you listened to the news, as we did, you will know that the events in Rome had some repercussions, especially in large cities, where the underground communities are quite large. In Toronto, it's the Changing Breeds's turf. Foxes, Bears, Canines and Felines, as many groups who tried for long to claim hoods around here, and who struggle against the growing influence of Werewolves factions. Or they did. The leader of each faction met in a secret meeting they and came to an agreement, they would rid the city of the werewolves by uniting their force.

Last week, they've stuck. I've seen some of the sites where battles took place, it isn't pretty. Dozens of losses in each camp, the streets are tainted with blood, the forces of order are on high alert. Its being publicized as and intense gang fight and some call it terrorism, but we know better, don't we? The world is in chaos and everyone want their piece of the cake, including our species, apparently. I'm not going to lie, we're probably going to barely win, but we will be decimated. However, Amelia and I are not here to help the fight, I know better but to get involved in those petty fights. If we're here, it's to make sure Amelia's grandfather is fine. He's a feral too and she was afraid that he may have been a victim of this war. We didn't find him yet, which is kind of worrying, but at least, we're alive, so it's a good thing. I won't tell you guys exactly where we are hiding, but it's somewhere in the Toronto Metropolitan Area. Don't worry about us, this place is in no way related to the ferals or the werewolves. If it goes well, we will have her gramp found and somewhere safe soon, and we will go back to the States.

But... enough about us, I don't want to say anything that would betray us. Sorry for this... sudden news. Guess we never do things like anyone else. I've read some of the things you've written since last time we wrote to each other. I'm happy to hear that you made it out of that cave too, Austin and Darrel. Sorry for your losses, though. Seems like we never can have an encounter with those things that ends well for everyone. Hopefully, this whole thing will end soon. Having to hide, to fight, to explore... that has never been my thing, and it probably never will be. You can thanks Amelia for my latest adventures, seems she's always pushing me somewhere new. Speaking of that, she made a few searches on the Internet about those things you mentioned, Chris. It led to conspiracies and occult website, nothing of great interest. What I did notice though was that a lot of these websites are hosted in Europe. So, either there's a lot of crazy people there... or there are a lot of people there who could be our allies, or our enemies. We will keep an eye on that in the next few days. Who knows, maybe we will be on the other side of the ocean by next month. I'm going to wait for you guys' opinion on that, though. Travelling to look up for one's family member is one thing, travelling to follow an unlikely trail in an unknown country, that may be too much. I'm not /that/ crazy. Then again, some vacation in the middle of all this chaos would be welcomed. Can do some tourism while following hints, right?

Either way, I will go for now. Got lots of things ahead of us. Good luck meeting Lizzie and Chris, may you be safe too. I can't wait for the day we will all meet again.

- Rick

PS: Blood really smells... surprisingly not bad. I hope it's not a bad sign...

(( 5PTS: On time, my subplot, mentioning others, a bit of progress on the main plot, World Event. ))

World Event: Huge gang war have stirred up in Toronto, an upset never seen before. The city is considering sending the army in to help the police deal with the insurgency. Some flights have been cancelled, other major cities in Canada are tightening their securities as criminal and gang activities seems to be on an historical high. The situation is under control for now, but Canada isn't a recommended destination at the moment and people are afraid of seeing things get worse. After all, there's never smoke without a fire.

Austin's entry for the month of October

Hello? Amelia? You still there?

I hope you're receiving this. Please pay attention and sound off as quickly as you can. How are you and Ricky doing? I want you guys to know we're looking for you. Specifically, thanks to our wonderful mutual friend Chris we've got some really professional battlemages down there, best in the world. You should stay put and look after Ricky, keep him lying flat, keep his injuries elevated and all that.

Now don't panic or anything, but keep an eye out and be quiet. We don't need to hear you to find you but there's the chance something else might hear you. Anything else down there is going to be really sensitive to sound and movement. Shouldn't be anything too bad if you're still around the same level we last saw each other. Just tell me about where you are. Any little details could help.







And... now for something completely different, I suppose. Well, gentlemen, it's officially a disaster. I should never have gone poking around down there so carelessly. That thing, whatever it is, it's dead now but the whole place stinks abominably and it's only going to get worse until we can decide what to do with the corpse. Logosh is dead. So many comrades in arms dead. June is badly hurt and so now everyone is coming straight to me. I don't know what to do, anymore, June was always the brains, not me.

Ahh, listen I really don't feel well. I'm think I'm going to try and keep this brief. We're in such big trouble still. The whole place is crumbling, huge cracks and holes opening up everywhere. There's water from broken pipes absolutely everywhere and my library is simply ruined. Just imagine, all those priceless old volumes completely soaked. Meanwhile I... I saw things, and now I'm not well, but I still have to put up with Sea Org and kissy-poo's damn friends breathing down my neck. This whole place was dedicated to Yog-Sathoth the dreadlord. The crypts are the foundation for the whole city, they easily, absolutely predate the colonization. Shouldn't be a surprise, I guess.

My god you don't want to know what we saw down there. There were these tiny cephelapods with long, conical soft shells. They were everywhere, thousands of them, on the walls and the ceilings, anywhere that was damp enough. If you got a little too close the tip of the shell would produce this ghastly little needle that followed you around. Fuck, there were FORESTS of those little needles on all sides of us sometimes. Then every now and then we'd run into a nest of crab sort of things with tiny bodies and long legs, like daddy long-legs with big swollen green pincers. They came right at us too, very nasty. I think... there might have been shaggoths, but we didn't see any, just the caustic trails.

Oh gods, I'm sorry. I can't do this right now. I'm too busy. I'll fill you all in next month. You... that gun saved all our lives, Chris. Thank you.

Christian's Entry for October 2012

Holy crap, nothing brings home how much these letters suck as a situation like this. I want to help so much more! I want to teleport right over there now and end this thing with some real magic. Lightning is its weakness? Lightning is one of my greatest accomplishments! I could dispatch that thing in my sleep! But I'm here at a five star hotel while all of you are getting screwed. Alright. I really did not want to do this, but I'm going to. I've ordered the Atlantean Arrow's nearest detachment, located in Ipswich, to mobilize. There are fifty arrow in that detachment. Maybe not immortals, but it's all the service I can actually give right now! I wish I could come personally, but things have... escalated. If I leave now, the alliance would fall apart. Otherwise I would get on a redeye right now and head over. I'm glad that all of you are still alive, such as it is. I need to work on mastering space... then maybe I could heal Ricky right now without even being there. I can't do that, though. I know none of you are children out there - you can handle yourselves just fine. It just sucks when your friends need help and you can't do anything. In case the Arrow don't get there in time, the Zeus can only be fired by humans, though they need not have any magic. Other races like Ghouls will also be able to operate it, but someone like Ricky will not be able to fire it. It was designed as a weapon against the other races, after all. Also, it uses the mana inherent in one's own pattern to fire, so it causes painful burns that magic cannot heal. Just be wary when using it. The Arrow were a little /too/ eager to get rid of it when I asked they send it your way, so I suspect there may be more to it.

The Arrow have orders to leave at your request, though they will remain with you so long as you deem necessary to stabilize the situation. They would probably be able to close the portal Austin opened, though they might not. I guess you'll know soon enough. I'm sorry I could not do more. I hate having all these resources I can't do anything with!

Lizzie, I can't wait to see you again. We have lots to talk about. It sucks your investigations didn't turn up anything, but at least those cultists didn't wake up Cthulhu. If that happens, we're screwed. All of us. There won't be any time to run from the universe at that point, we're just screwed. Speaking of which... I feel bad talking philosophically while you all are in danger... but I suppose if you're reading this than you're okay, and there's no more reason to worry. So I'm going to write all this on the assumption that everyone makes it out okay. Because if you don‘t... then Austin's right. The Elements of Harmony won't work without all of us.

First Austin, I'm not sure that you understand what I'm saying when I say there can't be diplomacy with the old ones. They can talk well enough, if we discovered how they did. But like you said, they think so lowly of us that they wouldn't be willing to change their motives because of us. This earth is theirs in their mind, and us the accident thanks to the Elder Things and their experiments with genetics. But you know what... I don't care if we're an accident, even if all that stuff's true. There is a Supernal truth that is just as real. I know that faith isn't something any of you have anymore, but... There IS more to this reality! Even if in their version of the truth they're higher and better than us, and us the mold on their sandwich. And I'm going to prove it. Do you know how? Lizzie isn't going to like this. But I will explain. I will prove that the supernal reality is more real than the abyss.

I know there is only one way to prove it. That's exactly the way I'm going to do it, though. I am going to prove that the supernal isn't just equally valid in that the magic works, because that's a fact. We know the magic works. But think about this - if the Abyss can be rewritten with the magic of the Supernal, than why not rewrite /all/ of it? Outsiders, Cthulhu, the whole bit. We'll replace it. Here is how I will prove it.

Remember Rami? I do. She started all of this, after all. I think in learning the true nature of the abyss, I have discovered the way to bring her back. The First Words - the words of the Master. I know what they are! "Arise!" I don't care if she's been dragged out into who knows what god-forsaken corner of some higher dimension... the Master's words will bring her back. Lazarus, come forth! This is why I want to visit the Library, you see. The Master's magic died with him, all those years ago. But all dead thoughts are there, all dead knowledge. I'm going to find it, and bring her back! What then? Think on it, friends! Forget negotiating with the abyss! We'll write the Book of Night with Moon, and read it in the face of the monsters! Read them all out of existence! I'm done accepting defeat anymore. I'm done acknowledging that their way of reality is the truth. It isn't. I saw the awful truth outside the universe, but I also met an archmaster. I met the wings of the Aether. Enoch may be the wings, but I will be the fist. Together, we will end it! NO more accepting that they're greater and better and more powerful and all of that - they aren't! They’re different, not better! Our magic is better than theirs, because we've got one thing they don't - a soul. Darrel went talking about how magic works, how mages like me channel the Supernal. That's how we do it - our souls. The Deep Ones don't have them. Cthulhu doesn't either, I'm willing to bet. We're alien to them just as they are to us. That's why they hate us so much! We have a light they'll never understand! These random little mutations somehow ended up shaped to capture a spark of the supernal, a world they cannot ever touch.

I'm sorry for ranting. I think I'm done. I'm just frustrated right now. I don't blame you for not making it this month, Liz. I know you'd be here if you could. And when you get here, we shall take the knowledge we need, and bring Ramira back.

You could say this last month had a little good and a little bad news. Guess who showed up? One of the Ministers of the Seers of the Throne, that's who. He came to us, totally unannounced, along with this huge diplomatic detachment from their Order. Here I didn't even think they were real... He had some surprising news - on behalf of his order, the Exarchs, and everything else he represented... he was joining our alliance. "Earth's true kings" as he called them, had come out in support of our effort to maintain reality. They’re pretty much the most evil mages there are, I thought, but... not so, I suppose. They can't oppress our world if there's no world to oppress. You should have seen the uproar when he announced who he was. But I kept everything calm, and got all the nitty-gritty of the alliances ironed out. The Arrow was pissed, but... in the end, even they had to admit that it made sense.

Only problem, is the Seers aren't a unified organization, but a terrorist-like group of disparate cells. A large number of those cells have risen up in resistance, and are now actively fighting their other Seer cells wherever they are. They call themselves Purists, and claim that... get this... the Outsiders /are/ the Exarchs. So if you ever encounter any mages that want to kill you, that's probably who they are. I don't know if you've heard, but their little war has already decimated Rome, and it's spreading all across eastern Europe, where the Seers were apparently most concentrated. So that's just Geeeereat. There's now a Minister on the High Council. One Minister, one Adrinach, and one General. Oh, and me. Interesting company to keep. We've already had to deal with several attempts at bombing of the building since then... brainwashed humans both times - they're fine now so far as I know. I can't stress enough that these Purists are more dangerous than any cultists. The Seers are puppeteers, they work through others and use subtle magic. They are patient, and they have power ordinary mages lack. Keep your eyes out. But we gained some allies, too! Can't say I trust them /less/ than Scientology, I guess.

((Oh, so 5 points, because this entry has a WORLD EVENT! But End, the short stories would be for January's entry. They would not be letters, and the other characters would not see what was in them. You might include the usual letter in the story, if you want your character to write one, though no extra points if you do.))

World Event: Hundreds killed in Rome by "terrorist action" and "gang warfare". The city has been surrounded by Italy's armed services, who have as of yet not allowed anyone in or out. All flights canceled.